Log nº 2: April 26, 1257
It has been quito a while since I last ahd some time to sit down and reflect on the events of the past weeks. It has been a tough time, but I have taken some advantage from it. Let´s start where I last left the narration...
Last time I wrote I was camping near the small village of Mazen, on our way to Curaw, where I was planning to start building up my relationship with some lords, Boyar Naldera being my first objective. But, much to my grievance, I was told that he was out on a campaign the moment I arrived. Not willing to make this a vain journey, I heade to the local tavern. There, I happened to sit with a poor folk called Marnid. He told me he had to escape from his hometown after he was forced to kill a noble in self defense. Law in these lands is rough, although mostly for the commoners, and he became a poor beggar. I pitied him, and offered a place in my company. He had no real combat experience whatsoever, but I took him in, decided to make him a decent soldier, and give him a new life, as harsh as a mercenary´s life can be. He gleefully accepted and joined my rag-tag group of mercenaries.
I had to gain some renown if I wanted to be offered a fief, and what better way than winning tournaments? So I headed to the local master of tournaments, who told me one was going to be held at Suno. I inmediately set on my journey there.
On my way there, I headed to a nearby village to resupply myself, only to find it swarming with bandits. I took my weapons and headed my men in a battle against them, which we won without any kind of difficulty, with only 4 casualties on my side, only 1 lethal, and over 25 on the bandits side, 10 of whom were captured by me. The village people cheered me as their hero, and I had no problem to recruit 3 swadian soldiers for my cause.
Nothing remarkable can be said about the tournament in Suno, since I won easily even with a weapon I´d never used before, the tournament lance. I then heade to Yalen, where I, once again, won the tournament without any difficulties.
Life seemed easy, and I was getting some recognition from the noble kind already. But life has some harsh turnings.
On my way to my next tournament, on a city I cant remember, I was assaulted by an army of 70 bandits. My men and I fought bravely, and managed to bring down many of them, but they ended up taking us prisoners. I managed to escape near Sargoth, and Marnid made it, too. However, I lost Jeremus and Edwyn, And I wouldnt see them until one week had passed, when I found them at the tavern in Dhirim. They had escaped shortly after me, but, seeing they couldn´t find me, walked all the way to the city. They happily joined me, once again.
I thought neccesary to recruit more soldiers for my band, and ended up with 70 loyal men ( and some ladies) under my command.
Im writing from Tihr, where I plan to draw some attention form the nobles here.