Joseph Martens

Joseph Martens (born November 1, 996 in southern Zoran Union) is a Prassian Secret Service member and a former fighter of the Parten Alliance during the Zoranian Civil War. During the Civil War he was serving in the same unit as Anton Relvski did. When Anton Relvski fled his unit stationed on the frontline during the night of the 24th of November 1019 to join the forces of the Zoran Union, Joseph Martens was one of the few who actually knew about Relvski´s plan to do so. He was arrested a day later and accused of treason against the Parten Alliance. As a consequence he was put into a prison camp where he had to work 12 hours a day in hard manual labor. Almost a year later during the 8th of September 1020 him and other prisoners managed to overpower some of the prison guards and to escape the camp. He himself grouped up with at least four other prisoners that he found shortly after his escape. Among this four prisoners were also Karl Ingerson and Rudolf E. Krelter. Despite their best efforts and even managing to contact someone who offered help via radio they were caught before leaving the area by a large group of Parten Alliance soldiers. Those were clearly aware that the prisoners would be coming that way and started firing on the truck after a short conversation with the driver who was bribed to smuggle the prisoners out of the area.

After the escape attempt
Joseph Martens was told by the soldiers of the Parten Alliance that Anton Relvski had offered their commander a large amount of money if him and Karl Ingerson were set free and allowed to run over the Zoran Union. If that is the truth is unknown but such a deal never took place. Joseph Martens and Karl Ingerson were moved to a different prison camp further south away from the frontline. When the Civil War ended in August 1021 him and Karl Ingerson immediately attempted to leave the country. They were still confused about who tried to help them escape from their first prison camp but also about how Anton Relvski was involved and who gave the Parten Alliance soldiers enough information for an ambush.

On the way to Hombur Joseph Martens was split from Karl Ingerson. During a regular traffic stop Karl Ingerson was arrested as he was wanted for a reason the police officers refused to name. Joseph Martens however was sent on his way and after this incident he rushed to the border of Hombur. He was accepted to Hombur as a refugee and found a job as a security guard at a sawmill.

Time in Hombur and escape to Prassen
Joseph Martens stayed in Hombur until 1029. He then became wanted for "open rebellion against the state" as he voiced his bad opinion about the Homburian Dictatorship while he was drunk in a bar. Thanks to a friend who warned him he was able to leave his home before police forces arrived to arrest him. He drove to the Prassian border with his car and parked it not far from the border. He managed to cross the border illegally avoiding the border checkpoint. Until 1033 he lived in Prassen as an illegal immigrant living from the little money he could make as someone without a work permit. In 1033 he was asked for his ID by Prassian Police Officers during a routine check and was then arrested for illegally entering the country. He was sentenced to five years of prison followed by moving him back to the Zoran Union after he served his sentence. In 1035 after just serving two years of his prison sentence he was set free after he revealed to a prison guard that he used to serve with Anton Relvski. Anton Relvski who was a Captain in the Zoranian Military Forces at the time already had built a name for himself and caught the attention of the Prassian Secret Service. After being set free he was questioned by the Prassian Secret Service and offered a job if he pledged to be loyal to Prassen. After he did so he was hired by the Prassian Secret Service and he gave many information about Anton Relvski´s character and history up to the time where he left his unit. As someone who knows the Zoranian Culture and how life in the Zoran Union works he was used as a secret agent within the Zoran Union. During his time in the Prassian Secret Service he also met his future wife who he married a few years later.

Meeting Anton Relvksi
In 1041 Joseph Martens had an important Government position within the Zoran Union and was able to deliver Prassen quality information about the actions of the Union. He randomly met Anton Relvski who was a Major of the Zoranian Military Forces at the time during a conference. To his surprise Anton Relvski remembered him and congratulated him for his achievements. Unsure if he was aware of his work for the Prassian Secret Service Martens just continued the conversation and described his history leaving out some of the parts that could make Relvski suspicious. After the conversation Relvski invited him to his personal office a day later. When Relvski left the office for a few minutes Joseph Martens stole some documents that reveal some of Anton Relvski´s future plans. However he only gave a part of this documents to the Prassian Secret Service. What the other documents revealed is something he kept for himself. When Anton Relvski returned he suddenly started to talk about that there is a Prassian spy in the Zoranian Government which made Martens very nervous. Joseph Martens did not know that at this time his old friend Karl Ingerson had already discovered him as a spy and given this information to the Zoranian Secret Service. When Anton Relvski stood up and said "It is you Joseph am I right?" Martens instead of keeping his cool grabbed Relvski´s desk lamp and hit him on the head with it. Relvski collapsed and was knocked out. Martens left his office in a hurry and fled the country the same night.

Assassination attempt
Martens informed the Prassian Secret Service that he was discovered as a spy. He was then only used to analyze information other spies gathered in the Zoran Union for the next few years. In 1046 he was attacked while taking a walk outside his home. An unknown man who was later revealed to be a member of the Zoranian Secret Service shot him 3 times but missed all vital organs. That it was his old friend Karl Ingerson is something he does not know to this day. After recovering from his wounds the Prassian Secret Service decided to hide him in a secret place within Prassen. Since the assassination attempt he was not seen in public anymore. Even his closest friends and his wife are not aware of his current status.

Connections to Homburian Rebels
On the 25th of January 1050 the important rebel leader Aiden Krice was captured by SSDF Forces. He mentioned that Joseph Martens and the Prassians have funded his troops and delivered weapons. He claimed that capturing him will not be appreciated by the Prassians and that him and the Savorians used to work together. He seemed confused as of why Savoria was now working against him and his men.