AAR: Roran Hawkins: The story of a fallen nation

[Roran 13]

Roran Hawkins: The story of a fallen nation

Information:

Name: Roran Hawkins
Father: (impoverished) noble
Childhood: page
Early adulthood: Squire
Went to Calradia because? Forced out of his home.

Difficulty:  111% (Hardest possible settings, I pressed wrong button at character creation  )
Mods: Diplomacy (Since chapter 2)


Intro:

I'm an old and rather good player, and very experienced with mount&blade. I had this story in my mind for weeks now, and was inspired by Monninkje's AAR, and decided to post my own. I never did anything like this before, so it can be a complete disaster or a good story.

Roran is a good and skilled fighter, but also a mediocre to good tactician, there will be a good deal of both in the story, and a bit of merchandise, but not too much. He knows the need of merchants, but he thinks it's below his social status. He is rather naive as well.

(click to show/hide)

Introduction:


"For God and the king! Onwards! Teach those filthy invaders a lesson they will not soon forget!"

Those words were the last he heard from him, as he was slain by an arrow to his throat, only a blink of an eye later.
The battle was already lost before it began, but it had to be fought anyways, since the last fortress of the Kingdom of Araluen, a small castle at the seaside, was all what was stopping them from owning the entire country.

I could see him, lying there, chocking in his own blood, dying on piles of bodies and cold, hard stone.
Before I was able to get to him, my brother grabbed me by my arm, and pulled me away from the bloody scene in front of me. I could hear him yelling something, something unimportant at that time.
And then they came. They came with hundreds at the same time, flooding through the broken castle gates. I shook my brother off me, and ran towards him.
When I arrived, I could see his eyes, filled with concerns, the same way I had seen them for the last few months.
He tried to say something, but I could hear only some struggling and weak sounds.
Suddenly, he recovered what strength was inside of him, and pulled himself up on my arm, spitting out his own blood all over me and himself, that was chocking him.

"Run!" He said, "Save your brother and your sister!" Then he dropped onto the ground, which was soaked in his blood.
Before I could realise the fact that he was dead, my brother tried to drag me away again. When I looked at him, I saw fear in his eyes, which was reflected on the faces of our men.
The same moment, I hit double in a reaction of my body, reaching to my side, where I found an arrow, sticking out of me.
The pain came later. As if like the arrow, which barely even managed to penetrate my armour, awakened me, I was dragged straight back into reality.
There were men screaming all around me, arrows were flying all over the place, giving the burning courtyard the look of a  field of grain.

"Retreat!" I yelled, and immediately raised my shield, deflecting an arrow to my left, in an automated move as I was thought by him.
The next few moments where occupied by parrying, counterattacking, blocking and striking, and most of all, the screams of dying men.
The lightly trained soldiers sent in first fell before me as wheat before a scythe, and shortly after me and my brother stood alone again.

"Bring Allys to the ship" I told my brother, "And gather what remains of our knights there. I'll hold them off here."
As the battle raged on, everything was being prepared for our ship to leave, and shortly after the second wave of attackers had been fend off, we were ready to leave.

"You have to leave now, my lord!" my loyal bodyguard, Robert said to me. "We'll take care of them."
I knew, and saw in his eyes he did as well, that those who remained would die. "Thanks for everything Robert, you have been a good servant and teacher in my times of need, but most important of all, my best friend."
"Now go my lord!"

I stepped on the boat, and the same moment the gangway was retrieved, and the oars were struck out in panicked motions, as if we wouldn't escape in time.
We quickly made distance from the doomed port, but before we even were on full sea, we could hear raw victory cries coming from the castle, carried to us by a strong Northeastern wind.

"Goodbye father."




After 2 months of being on sea, seeing nothing more than the ever moving waves and an occasional uninhabited island, where we got fresh water, we finally saw our destination's first sign.
Our captain, a seasoned seafarer had told us about a distant land he ever went to, named "Calradia".
He said that the first sign of getting closer West-Coast is a very tiny island, more of a large boulder sticking out of the endless waves.
But before even seeing the shores at daylight, the same night we saw the island, we were hit by a storm.
I was awakened by the howling of a sudden, but very strong wind.
We hadn't seen the dark clouds gathering on the horizon in the faint light the moon gave us to guide our way, and moved into the storm head-on.
I ran outside, and saw our mast snapping like a twig under my boot, and clearing the deck of sailors, because it was still tied to our ship.
The seafarers did everything they could to cut off the deadly mast, while I tried to pass the deck to go to my brother's room.
But before I was even halfway the deck, I fell over a rope, invisibly held there by the wind, and before I managed to regain my footing, the mast, finally cut off by the sailors, dragged me off board.

Strangely, that saved my life.

I awoke on a beach, in the middle of piles of stranded wreck wood, the remains of a once mighty ship. I tried to stand up, but I fell down on the beach again. I managed to sit upright, and remember what had happened.

"The storm! The ship! My family!"

I jumped up, and took a look at my surroundings
In the distance I could see scavenging looters stealing valuables from what remained from a body, in which I realised in a shock, was my brother, Thomas.
Unstoppable rage filled my body, both from seeing my brother being dead, as well as them stealing from him, even in his death.
I grabbed a sword from a drowned knights body, and charged them.

Some as what seemed to me, seconds later, I found myself standing in a circle of dead men, standing in front of my brother's remains.
I saw his face, which was pale. I closed his eyes, and buried him, which was done very easily, since only his chest remained of what the sharks didn't eat.
When I was strolling further across the dirty beach, I saw a white dress, flapping in the winds, and when taking a closer look, I found my sister Allys, covered in blood, with torn clothing all over the place.
I saw she was still alive when she stranded here, by her still slightly normal skin colour, and that she was raped and murdered, and judging by the tracks the looters left, by the ones I just killed.
After burying here next to my brother, I made two wooden crosses, carved their names into them, and placed those above them.

I followed the tracks of the scavengers further inland, after taking what weapons that were even worth using after the storm, and soon found the remains of a village.
The houses were still smoking, after the fire must've been put out by the storm that made our ship sink. I saw the same things I saw around my father. Bodies, blood and dirt.
This time there were no sounds anymore, but only the look of dead children and babies, raped and murdered women, and slaughtered men.

Haunted by the images of my dead father, eaten brother, and raped sister, the sight of the village was the the straw that breaks the camel's back.
I felt horrible. I wasn't able to complete my fathers deathwish, to save my brother and sister. It was my fault that we entered the storm, because I wanted to reach Calradia the next morning. They were dead because of me.


I stood up, filled with anger, and decided to help this land, so that what happened to my home and family would not happen in here as well.
From that point on, I would live up to the oath I swore when I became a knight, as strictly as I could imagine, and after reminding that what the same oath I just enforced had caused in my homeland, I decided to use this oath with common sense, since my country had been conquered because of honest and fair men, who followed this oath blindly, ignoring the smartest route, and thus abandoning the chance of victory.

(click to show/hide)

Chapter 1: Inside dangerous lands


23th of March 1257

I caught the horse from the looters, and set off to the closest town, called Praven, where I decided to rest in the local tavern, also known as "The Golden spur" and quickly fell asleep.
Upon leaving the tavern however, my ears warned me of a sound I had heard a thousand times to many, the raw rasping sound of a cold, merciless steel sliding out of sturdy and dry leather.

I drew my sword, and after deflecting his blow with a shield I made from wreck wood, I planted my sword in his neck after feinting to his left side.
After his body dropped onto the ground, a man with a tired and haunted look appeared.

"I'm Lucas, one of the merchants here in Praven. Let me welcome you into my home for ridding the world of this stealing evildoer."


I left his house some hours later with a filled purse and an assignment to do.
After having travelled around the city after enforcing my oath, and thus having seen the enormous amount of wheat farms and mills,
I decided to buy a load of ale, and travelled to the next town, called Suno, where I sold the ale with a bit of profit.
I entered the arena there, and found out there was a tournament to be held in Praven, which I wanted to join.
After winning the first round quite easily, since I had been teamed with the king himself, I remembered the colourfull jousts in my homeland.
I was undefeated throughout the entire tournament, happily using my skills, thought to me by my father, up the the point where I had to face the king himself in the final round.
After the initial charge, I managed to get him of his horse with a fast julliette, and finished the fight on foot, because the rather fat king was too slow to dodge my counterattack, which landed in his face with a loud DING.

I was invited to the feast inside the lord's hall where the king recognised my honour by entrusting me with a valuable task.
I had to find and kill Ramin of Ehlderag, who was last seen around Tosdhar.


24th of March 1257

After riding the entire night on my horse, without any further incidents, I arrived in the outskirts of Tosdhar.
Even from that distance, I could see that the lands were poorly treated, almost as if the village had been burned to the ground.
While travelling I saw the lands are treated poorly everywhere. I suspected the kingdom was at war with someone. I should ask King Harlaus with whom.
It's best to know what's happening around you.

I met the village elder, who looked more like a emaciated piece of cattle then the leader of a village, and asked him if he had seen a man known by the name of Ramin of Ehlderag.

"Strangers come and go to our village, sir. But if you look around, you might find him." He said, almost shivering.

I think he had a bad experience with nobles. Perhaps this village was raided earlier, which would explain the broken walls around the fields, and the poor look if the village.
After looking and asking myself around the village I found Ramin, hiding behind a corner. He immediately identified himself, by threatening me even before I accused him.
He immediately drew his sword, but I rode away, and shot him in his belly with the hunting crossbow I took from the looters at the beach.
The shot barely penetrated his leather armour, and only enraged him even more. He took his dagger and threw it at me, and hit my leg.
I was surprised by the man's strength and accuracy, and reached for my leg while my horse almost reared from my reaction.
Meanwhile, he tried to charge me with his sword, but before he could reach me, I turned the horse with my legs to him, ignoring the pain, and aimed carefully, and shooting a bolt in his face.
He dropped on his knees in total shock, and tried to say something. I think I saw his lips form the words "forgive me".
Then he fell flat on his face on the ground. I thought the villagers would be happy to see me kill a murderer, but they were angered by it.
I was driven out of the village with insults and curses, and quickly returned to Praven. I supposed King Harlaus would be glad with this news.


25th of March 1257

I arrived in Praven after another long night of riding.
The first thing I did was sleeping through the entire morning, and had a meagre breakfast in the Golden Spur. I met Marnid, an impoverished trader there. I let him join my party.
He must know about the local prices, and would be a great help when trying to buy and sell wares in this new land.
I heard that there was a second round of the tournament to be held, and participated in it, since I expected I wouldn't be allowed in to the lord's hall without an invitation during this feast.
The first 2 rounds were very easy. These participants who called themselves "veteran fighters" didn't put up much of a fight.
In the finals I had to face one of the champion fighters, named Donald, who origins from the fierce Rhodok highlands, and was an experienced warrior, with the sword.
He was a poor challenge, because he despised riding on horses, and jousting even more, showing his natural hate against Swadians all Rhodoks seem to posses.

After I defeated him, I was invited to the court again, and brought the king word of my success.
He offered me 800 denars for my help, but remembering my oath, I refused. I had brought justice to the murderer, and I won't accept blood money for it.
I could see the suprise in the eyes of all the nobles in his Court when I rejected his offer, and some of them looked interested in me. Perhaps the nobles of this land aren't as honourable as where I came from.
A brief moment I was mourning over the loss of my family again, but shook back in to reality by King Harlaus, who asked me to gather his taxes in Thsibtin, a village he owned.
He couldn't be bothered to do that, since he was king. And he thought that a man who refuses blood money, might also be happy with a minor part of the taxes, instead of what any other person in Calradia would ask for the same task.
Before departing to Thsibtin, I bought some weapons that resembled my old ones, now lying on the bottom of the seas.
I bought a good heavy bastard sword, a battered and beaten knightly heater shield,a bent light lance and a local warhorse breed known by the name of "hunter".
When fighting from my new horse, these would surely prove their value in battle.


26th of March 1257:

I departed to Tshibtin, and on my way there, I recruited a total of 14 proud and untrained Swadian recruits, from some villages I can't be bothered to remember the names of.
Later that day, I arrived in Tshibtin, where I started collecting taxes.


27th of March 1257:

With Marnid's help, I was able to collect all taxes within 2 days. My purse was fat by the evening, and I could depart to King Harlaus with the money. I started thinking why he actually gave me such an easy task. Perhaps he doesn't deems me worthy of something bigger yet?
I'll have to find out when I return to Praven.

After travelling for only what could have been one hour, I was alarmed by movements of some bushes ahead of me, while there was no wind at all.
I ordered my company to stop, and prepared for battle, ordering my men to form a defensive line.

"Is there something wrong my lord?" A recruit asked.
"Quiet!" I hissed.

Then all hell broke loose.
Bandits rushed out charging our formation, and I sent my men forward, while I spurred my horse, all the bandits seemed to stop attacking, and aimed with their already loaded bows.
I caught two arrows in my shield, one in my leg, and two in my chest. I don't even remember dropping to the ground with my horse.
When I regained consciousness behind a protective shieldwall, I managed to convince one man to sacrifice himself for the rest, so we could escape.
I prayed God that it would work, and after starting the deception, we fled. I was so relieved that it worked, because I was in no condition to fight anymore.
Several hours later however, I could hear one of my men make a distinctive chocking sound, and when I turned my horse, I saw the same bandits as earlier, aiming their bows at us.
Seeing there was no other way out, I paid them 605 denars to pass through this road.


28th of March 1257:

The next day, being partially healed from my wounds, we were attacked by 9 forest bandits, who came charging out of their bushes from afar, and we quickly dealt with them, but I took a shot in the leg, dismounting me, and leaving myself knocked unconscious on the dirty and cold ground.
Later that day, about halfway to Praven, we were attacked once again by the filthy scum that patrolled these woods. They seem to smell money being transported through the lands, and attack it with a fierce need, I only saw in animals eyes, when they chased their prey.
Since none of us was in a condition to fight, I surrendered. They took 1000 denars, my newly looted boots and some supplies. I could see King Harlaus' money be used and gambled by the bandits, who freely roamed across the land, going in the opposite direction I wanted to go to.


29th of March 1257:

After escaping together with Marnid on our horses, I recruited 7 farmers at Nomar, and attacked the remains of the forest bandits.
The battle was swift and easy, since they didn't expect me to come back, and this time I could choose the location in my favour, a large flat and open field.
I took back the money, my boots and supplies, and headed back to Praven, but was ambushed during the night inside the village of Ibiran by 15 forest bandits again. The villagers of Ibiran refused to help me and my weakened men, and we had to pay 442 denars to continue our way.
After leaving Ibiran, I noticed some dark figures following us through the night.


30th of March 1257:

The next morning, we could see our hunters with our own eyes. 10 forest bandits had been chasing us all night long. It seemed that the evildoers hadn't held their word, and sent a smaller group to deal with us.
I headed to Ryebelet, and gathered some brave farmers there, and together with the villagers, we killed all 10 bandits with only minimal losses.
Two recruits had been shot to death, and Marnid had been hit off his horse, again. Now, my small party was filled with strong warriors already. I had two Swadian footmen, ten Swadian militia and six Swadian recruits at my disposal.
Late in the afternoon, I arrived in Praven, forcing my exhausted horse through the mighty city gates. I bought a rusty mail shirt, which I quickly repaired to a better state for only 1128 denars, and returned to King Harlaus.
I informed him about what had happened, and he reacted with a very impolite gesture.

"So you let those bandits take my taxes!" He yelled, infuriated.
"I'm afraid I had no choice, sir." I answered, successfully trying to control my anger.
"Then you must earn all my money back, or I shall have you hung! He almost screamed. I could see his guards smiling in the distance.
"Of course, sir." I answered with an emotionless face.

From that day on, I knew I had to free Swadia of this man, and replace him with myself.


31st of March 1257:

The first week in this new land, Calradia had been glorious as well as disastrous. I rested in Praven to heal, and tried to buy ale in Praven and sell it in Suno again, but I made only meagre profit, about 23 denars.
I realised that if I wanted to retrieve the money, I would have to fight.
I went to the tavern in Suno, named the "Red dancer" where I found a bed for me and my soldiers, and stayed for the night. During that night I realised the name also had something to do with the "services" in the tavern, as I could hear the moans and screams from other rooms through the solid wooden walls.


1st of April 1257:

I rested at Suno, because my men wanted to enjoy every feature the tavern had to offer, some of which I despised but it was needed for the morale.
I returned to Praven to think about my current situation and ask the guildmaster for some economical advice, since the guild master in Suno was accompanying a caravan to Dhirim.
When I arrived in Praven, through the same large city gates as the last time, I bought a cheap but sturdy helmet with a neckguard. After talking to both Lucas, the merchant and the guildmaster, I left Praven with 2 new jobs.
I had to find and kill a band of looters, the same which had kidnapped the merchants brother, and deliver 9 flagons of ale to Uxkhal within one week.
Two very simple and boring tasks, if you ask me, but they were necessary. The bandits didn't put up much of a fight, and after placing my lance in three of them, the last man standing dropped on his knees begging for his life.

"Mercy, my lord! Have mercy! I surrender to you!" He sobbed.
"Where do you hold your prisoners?" I asked, and saw his face clear up, noticing I wasn't going to kill him.
"They are kept in a forested vallay near Gisim, in the Northern mountains!, It's only half a day's travel from here!"
"Thank you, and now remove yourself from here, and build yourself an honourable living!"
"Of course my lord, I'm eternally gratefull to you!" He yelled, as he ran away.

Later, on our way to Uxkhal, I could hear some of my men grumbling about the past events.

"Letting a looter go, and telling him to behave... There is more chance to see a Rhodok highlander to ride a horse then that happens..."


2nd of April 1257:

I recruited 4 soldiers after delivering the ale to the "Singing monkey" tavern in Uxkhal, with a merry lady behind the counter.
I also bought a longbow and a round shield in Uxkhal. Marnid complained about being very vulnerable to forest bandits' arrows, so I gave him the shield, and decided to keep the longbow for later use.
I was surprised to see such a fine and lethal weapon being sold for such a low price. I already saw the sky darkening again from the massive rains of arrows my homelands longbowmen could send to the enemy.
In the afternoon we arrived in Gisim, and they pointed us the valley we were looking for. I could see the bandits gambling and feasting in their shaded hideout.
We attacked swiftly and completely surprised them. They were very inexperienced, and I made good use of the skills taught too me by my father.

A fierce and strangling bandit approached me, and I ducked underneath his sword, pushing him back with my shield, and planting my sword in his throat. I could see in his eyes, the moment before my sword hit him, that he knew I would die soon as well.
I turned around, anticipating an attack and blocking with my shield, and was just in time to make a dagger scratch over my shoulder, instead of having it placed in my neck. I could see the surprise in the man's eyes, as he dropped the dagger and reached for his sword while I recovered from the attack at my left shoulder.
He swung it at me in a rather weak and faint swing, which was halted by my shield, and meanwhile tried to jump around me. I turned with him, and did a clean overhead attack by the book, dismembering his hand from his arm. Soon after that, we found the merchant's brother being tied up in a cave, relatively unharmed.


3th of April 1257:

I returned to Praven, bringing Lucas' brother back to the safety of Praven's proud walls, which weren't as safe as I thought.
Upon getting my reward, Lucas told me about a corrupted guardsman, who lets looters inside for the right price, and that he had gathered a small group of mercenaries to deal with them.
He asked me if I would lead the attack.

"Would you? There are lives at stake you know?"
"tell me when and where, and I'll be there."

The merchant reported his actions to King Harlaus, who left town after that, and returned to me.

"The king is happy that I removed the crooked guardsman, named Falaran, but he didn't like me handling on my own, proving him that he should have done better.
"I think he should've hired you as a caravan master for all the efforts you did for Praven. You have proven to be a thrustworthy merchant."
"I'm planning on leaving this town though, Praven isn't as safe anymore for me, especially if King Harlaus decides to change his mind and hang me after all." he said, a bit depressed
"It has been an honour to know you Lucas."
"Likewise" he said, and left the tavern.


7th of April 1257:

The last four days where filled with travelling aimlessly around Swadia and beyond, until I met Lord Grainwad, who I met yesterday. He looked like fine and honourable leader to me.
He wanted me to deliver a letter to a friend of him, Tonju Noyan, who lived in Eastern Khergit lands, the same lands that were at war with Swadia.
Upon entering the dry and cold steppe lands, we were welcomed by hordes of weak bandits, whom we defeated with relative ease.
But as word spread, and as we advanced deeper into Khergit lands, more and bigger groups of bandits attacked us, forcing us to camp during the nights.


9th of April 1257:

After two days, only 11 of my original 22 soldiers were alive. I had been struggling through raider's attack the last days, and finally found Tonju Noyan, who let me rest in his house for the effort.
On my way back home to Swadian lands, I suffered even more casualties and losses, and when I finally reached Swadian lands again, we were only with 9 man standing. But now, I had a fully equipped knight and 2 men-at-arms at my disposal, the proud elite of Swadian forces.


11th of April 1257:

After selling the countless horses and bows I had looted from the defeated bandits I met on the road home, I had just enough denars to repay the king.
I gave him the money, and he shared one fifth of it with me. I had only 853 denars left. Knowing, that to replace King Harlaus, I have to make a name for myself, and win the trust of Swadia's cities and nobles, I pledged an oath of loyalty to him, remembering that loyalty can never be asked when you aren't loyal to your vassals, making the oath I just swore, spurious.

From that day on, I was the lord of Ehlderah, fighting my way back into nobility in this strange country.

Ehlderah was at the other side of Swadia, burning and cut off from the main forces, because Dhirim was captured by the Khergit Khanate.
I went to the arena for some training, and was given a bow with some arrows, and a wooden dagger.
Upon entering the fights, I was immediately spotted by a man armed with a wooden greatsword, who charged at me. I never used a bow before, and missed two shots and drew the dagger when he came to close to reload again. I dodged his initial swing, stepping forwards, then countered his second one by parrying it next to me, and did a step forwards again.
Now I was standing up close and personal, his sword was useless. I kept stabbing it in his ribs, and one of them even looked like it broke, until the poor man dropped unconscious.
I defeated 3 more arena fighters this way, until a group of them spotted me. It seems the most used tactic is to group on veteran fighters, so the regular ones have a chance to win, and I was beaten badly, since a dagger can be used in a man-to-man fight, but is useless against multiple opponents.
After leaving the arena, I decided to let my bruises heal in the tavern, "The Golden Spur".

Roran Hawkins on the 11th of April 1257.

[Argeus the Paladin]

Good to see another AAR inspired by Floris around here. We truly need more of the kind on the forum. 

My only qualm with your opening is that some pictures would be nice...

[Satrab]

Another Floris inspired one?
Well, pictures will be an achievement for sure.

[Cleomenes]

GO RORAN! GO RORAN! 

[Roran 13]

Thanks for the tips, it was late yesterday, so I couldn't force myself to make some.

I'll post some pictures etc. soon


new part

[Satrab]

You edited the first post to insert more?
Weird one  . Good one nevertheless.

[Roran 13]

Ow, I think that's easier. You don't have to search through the pages to find it then.
I'll spoiler it though.

I don't know what's up with the picture but it's being ******** annoying...

[Satrab]

Excellent. Use photobucket. Worked for me.

[Argeus the Paladin]

Hmm... seeing your exploits until 30 March, I have one comment:

Your biggest mistake until that point had been to recruit too many men too quickly. The entire Swadian troop tree with the exception of men-at-arms and knights, frankly speaking, sucks. They have the second worst recruit (Rhodok holds that dubious honor), the third worst heavy infantry (Vaegir and Sarranid hold that honor), and mediocre archers. To add insult to injury, owing to a thorough lack of athletics, said army walks at a crawling pace on the campaign map. Hence, an army of Swadian militia-grade soldiers is nothing better than walking (low-quality) loot. For bandits, that is.

If I were you, I'd have taken no more than 10 recruits so that the map speed of the party would be within the 6.0-6.2 range, which is enough to outrun most bandits, and then train them all into the crossbow tree in order to deal with forest bandits. Knights can wait until you have a strong core of sharpshooters as a backbone to your army.

Furthermore, as far as I know, the tip with fighting with a bow in the arena is that you grab another weapon as soon as you can, even if you are an archer by trade - you could have picked up the HPS after beating the first novice fighter and go on a rampage at that last fight you described.

Either way, this is an especially exciting story up until this point. Count me in 

[Roran 13]

Thanks for the tips, I'll try to get some sharpies then 
Well, I got swarmed with the dagger, and defeated 4 guys by chambering them, but had no time to grab another weapon the next one always came immediately after the other one. Then I got atttacked by a mob of them.

I recruited many Swad recuits because just having a large party can scare most bandits but the most extreme groups away, and when encountering those, I pack my newbie troopers in a bunch, and make them charge, and draw all the attention while I charge from a flank with what cavalry I have and murder them from behind.

[Roran 13]

New chapter posted.

(click to show/hide)

Chapter 2: War is everywhere


11th of April 1257

I woke up this morning in Praven, and heard the people feast throughout the streets. Merchants, craftsmen, villagers and townfolk were all singing and dancing through the streets.
I dressed myself, and went down to have a look, and asked one of the maids cleaning the tables after the normal visitors' breakfast what was going on.

"King Harlaus and Sanjar Khan have concluded a peace treaty this morning my lord. The people of Praven are celebrating this merry event."

A smile appeared on his face.

"That's great news."
"It is indeed, sir." The maid nodded.

Now he could rebuild his village without fearing for Kherghit Lords and their armies to loot and sack his village.
He immediately departed to Ehlderah to offer all the help his village could need, as a true lord should do.

13th of April 1257

After 2 days of travelling through the  lands, he got caught by a messenger from Count Clais.

"Speak, friend. What is your message? Here is a glass of wine, to lubricate your throat." He said when the messenger was brought to him.
"Count Clais has summoned you and the rest of the Swadian lords to his castle in Vyincourd castle to assemble the armies of the realm in order to..."
"What did you say? Assemble the armies?" Roran interrupted the tired man.
"I thought we made peace with the Khergit Khanate 2 days ago!"
"King Ragnar of the Nords has declared war upon us sir, we should react as soon as possible!"
"I'll be there." Roran nodded, clearly with his thoughts elsewhere.

He realised that going to Ehlderah would be impossible now, since he was still 1 day's travelling away from it, and Count Clais expected him in his court within 3 days, with a battle-ready company of men, which he hadn't yet.
He met Count Grainwad going to Vyincourd castle as ordered by the marshal, and rode towards him after recruiting some more men in the nearby villages.
They chatted a bit about the recent events, and he asked about the many bandits around.

"We are supposed to protect the land against these villanous bandits and scum, but we can't. We are forced to fight another kingdom all the time."
"I see what you are trying to say, and you're right."
"I have found a forest bandit hideout not far from here yesterday, whose land is that? Between the 2 forests?" I asked out of more than curiosity.
"Then you will have to address Count Delinard of Uxkhal, he owns that land."

The same day I arrived in Uxkhal, and spoke Count Delinard about the matter.
He said that he is still replenishing his forces since the last war, and can't be bothered to attack the hideout nor accompany the marshal on a campaign against the Nords.
When I offered if I could do it, he said he would reward me accordingly, as I expected him to do.
We left Uxkhal for Vyincourd castle, and I reported to Count Clais not much later.

We departed the same evening.

14th of April 1257

About when we finished eating at noon, we could see the smoke rising on the horizon, and 30 minutes later, we met the Nord army rampaging across the Swadian plains near Ryebelet castle.
Count clais sent me on s scouting mission, since I had insufficient men to attack a Nord army on my own, while he would try to lift the siege of Praven, the same town I left 3 days ago.

"Will you hand me the map Marnid?" Thank you."

But before I could even open it, to see where Ambean, Haen and Jelbegi were located, I was torn out of my thoughts by the screams of dying men nearby.
I armed myself and ordered my men to follow me, and found Count Montewar's army, helped by other Swadian vassals fighting Jarl Irya's band of Nordic savages.
We greatly outnumbered them, and easily slaughtered them. Only 5 men were lost during that battle.

I continued scouting Nordic territory, and when scouting the very rich village of Jelbegi, we were chased out by the villagers, because some of my men had been stealing resources.
I was infuriated by my own men stealing from poor villagers, loyal soldiers becoming common thieves.

"Who ordered you to do so?" I almost yelled, hopelessly trying to control my anger.
"N...Noone, m'lord." The leader of the thieves stuttered, clearly fearing for his life."
"This time, I will not punish you, but see this as a warning too every single one of you. We are here to help the normal people, to safeguard them from bandits and other scum. Not to steal from them!"

15th of April 1257

We scouted both Haen and Ambean today, in that order. Both rich villages, and this time my men refrained from stealing or doing them any harm.
I was glad there were no incidents, but just a heartbeat after thinking that, a band of Nords, led by Jarl Knudarr charged over a hill. Since my army of barely trained militia would be slaughtered, 3 men, the thieves, sacrificed themselves for he rest to escape.
They bought us 2 hours of time, but we were forced to abandon more men to escape the threat of being captured.

16th of April 1257

After receiving my rents, and paying wages to my soldiers, after which I had 432 denars more, we returned to Ryebelet castle and asked where the marshal was to Count Stamar, who was healing from his wounds there.
He pointed us towards Veidar, a village in the central plains of Swadia, where the battle raged on.
We made a small detour, and attacked the forest bandit hideout. We managed to sneak through or defeat the few men guarding the small forested valley, which looked very much like the one near Gisim, where we saved Lucas' brother.
We completely surprised them, suffering no losses at all.

17th of April 1257

We returned to Uxkhal, selling the loot, and collecting my reward from Count Delinard.
I decided to rest here for some hours, and saw some hopeless drinkers there.

"What are you looking at, friend?" One of them said, clearly being sarcastic.
Roran take a quick look at him, and seeing his large, crooked nose was badly put after a fracture, and his untended hair and beard.
For a second, he was tempted to say, he was looking at some sort of animal.

"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" He said, trying to avoid a barfight.
"The drunken man's eyes lit up, as he recognised me. I almost turned my back on him, when he said:
"Yes, I know you! You're that mercenary scum that killed my cousin!" He taunted me.
"I turned around, still trying to avoid violence, when I was given something else to avoid.

I quickly dropped backwards, kicking a table towards him, and drew my sword, while his already drawn sword missed my face by a hair.
The drunken man did some aggressive attacks, without much effect, since attacks and battle led by anger isn't controlled, nor thought about, and a duel is all about thinking, and not at the same time.
If you think too much, you will get slain because you wasn't in the battle with your full mind, and completely set on blocking and striking, and when you don't think at all, you're attacks are too easy to defend, and you won't notice the details of your opponents stance, so that you can't anticipate his next step.
I dodged to the right, and when his sword got stuck in the table, I struck his unprotected neck.

His friend said, with an emotion I couldn't recognise:

"It serves him well. Being slain by a honourable man. He met justice."
"And who might you be?"
"My name is Firentis. Firentis the dishonourable to be more specific. After all, that is what I did to myself.

22nd of April 1257

After 7 days of waiting, Count Clais finally managed to break the siege of Praven. The army of the Nords, regrouping after being scared away, marched upon Praven once again.
I was sick of this marshal, who was afraid to attack a smaller army of Nord, so I went to sell the ale I bought for 14 denars a piece inside the exhausted walls of Praven at Suno.
I made a very large profit, about 1789 denars, and returned to our marshal near Praven.

23th of April 1257

The Nords have attacked us, while we were still waiting and waiting for an opportunity that would never appear.
Our armies were shattered all across the plains of Central-Swadia.
I took a stray thrown axe to my shoulder, incapacitating me, and lost a large amount of my men when attacked by Jarl Surdun's huscarls.
The Nords chased our shattered and broken men for some hours, when Jarl Surdun caught me while we were resting in a small forest.

"Yield or die, Count Roran. If it is no for your sake, do it for the sake of you men. You are outnumbered"
"You promise nothing will happen to them?"
"At my word of honour, Swadian."

24th of April 1257

I was released by Yarl Surdun, and given everything back, expect some denars and my lance.
He, as victor Had that right, and my lance was shattered because my own horse stood on it while we were discussing the terms of capture. Oh the coincidence!
I returned to Suno to replenish my supplies and hired some skilled swordsmen, who named themselves "Hired blades".
I decided to go to Ehlderah, but got attacked by a band of bandits again, and paid 152 denars to pass on. I wasn't in the condition to fight yet.
Jarl Surdun's court physician's sutures needed to heal before I could fight again.

25th of April 1257

I arrived in Ehlderah, and found out that bandits were raiding the village, and helped my villagers to raise a local militia against them.

30th of April 1257

After five days of intensive training, the bandits attacked again, and we slaughtered them until the last man.
I asked the men of the militia wether they wanted to join my army, and 15 of them accepted my offer. I lost 150 denars to initial wages, but the good morale of these men was a good worth that price.
I went to visit Count Tredian with my new and small warband in Tilbout castle, where he was trying to hold a feast.
When I entered his court, I noticed that there wasn't even one lady or lord of the realm going here, and I Had to agree with them. We were at war, so you shouldn't host a feast.

1st of May 1257

After me and my man had a good time at Count Tredian's feast, I entered Dhirim, where the guildmaster walked up to me and said:

"Please Count Roran, there are bandits roaming freely around Dhirim, and the Khergit lords can't be bothered to hunt them, since we're a Swadian province. Will you hunt them?"
"What is their leader's name?" I asked, remembering the battle orders I found on the lifeless corpse of the bandit leader of the group that attacked Ehlderah.
"Mark-one-eye, m'lord."
"I'll find them." I promised, after waiting a while. The letter said that the leader was called Moe, but that's the abbreviation of Mark-one-eye. A bad example of a coded message.

2nd of May 1257

After finding and easily defeating Mark-one-eye, I went to Dhirim to claim my reward.
When resting in the tavern, I asked a traveller where Firentis and Marnid could be.
He had seen Firentis being imprisoned inside Jelbegi castle, but didn't know a merchant by the name of Marnid.
He also told me about the many ships that had arrived and shipwrecks that were recovered at the Vaegir coast.

"The Vaegirs are being visited a lot by foreigners lately."
"Foreigners?" I asked, a tiny bit interested.
"Some people who claimed to come from a fallen country to the West, very vague and all."

He also told me about the upcoming of many more searaider bands, attacking from their longboats.
This was enough information for me to go there, since I might find other people from my homeland.

I sent a message to the king that I was on a expedition to the recently befriended Vaegir lands, because our king had signed a non-aggression pact with them, to attack the searaiders, who are Nords by nature, and pay taxes to the Nords to gain access to their seas.

6th of May 1257

I arrived at the coast, and attacked every band of warlike searaiders on sight.

"I will drink from your skull!"

After fighting several crews of the fearless raiders, we went to Rivacheg to rest and sell our loot.
I also bought myself a new lance.

7th of May 1257

Boyar Meriga stepped up to me this morning in the local tavern in Rivacheg and wanted me to attack the searaiders landing place, a small beach protected by a large cliff.
I knew that he would reward me for it, just like Count Delinard had, and set off to the small beach I discovered yesterday.

12th of May 1257

After four days of fighting searaiders, I got a message from King Harlaus:

"It's a good idea to attack searaiders, but our marshal wishes to gather our troops at his castle for a offensive against the Nords. We have concluded a non-aggression pact with the Rhodoks as well, since we need more allies to defeat those savages in the North."
I gave the messenger my response after quick thinking and writing.
"I don't trust our current marshal anymore my lord, so I will not accompany him into battle. I will remain here and destroy the suplies of the Nords instead."

I questioned the few savage searaiders about what they knew about the foreign men arriving here, but they didn't know a thing.
Nor did the people in Rivacheg. I could see him lying, since he didn't even bother to try and mask his feelings.

I knew I had to go to Nord territory to find the people of my own country, because they had raided their boat.

[spartan012]

Great story. I like how it's straight down to the point.

[Roran 13]

Thanks 
Sometimes I'm too bored to dig too deep into one scene, and sometimes I want to explain every little detail on it. Depends on my interest in the current scene


Also started using diplomacy for those who noticed

[Cleomenes]

Thanks 
Sometimes I'm too bored to dig too deep into one scene, and sometimes I want to explain every little detail on it. Depends on my interest in the current scene


Also started using iplomacy for those who noticed

I love iplomacy

[Satrab]

iplomacy is a must.