Re: AAR - Desmondes | Chapter 16 posted

Dear journal,


I started writing you - because I have things to say, secrets to share... Secrets that cannot be told to anyone.
I do not trust to people, not anymore. I learned that lesson long ago, on the hardest possible way.
But how rude I am! I didn't even introduced myself. Desmondes. Desmondes is my name. Desmondes is a person which I became... It is very complicated.
Six years ago, I was a ghost, dead inside. I was left without everything. My friends, my home, my love... Everything was taken from me. But at least I was alive, I had survived.   

From my earliest age, I was marked to became a warrior. As my father was, as my uncle was, and as all my ancestors were. We were Tihrlinders, people of warriors. At fact, Nya Tihr was a Nordian colony, founded by the immigrants after the Tihr was conquered by Nords in 1205. My grandfather, Tyorr the Hammerfist, in that days lieutenant of thane's army, was slain in that battle. My grandmother immigrated, in the last ship, before the city was taken by King Rothgar, alongs with my father and uncle. 
People of Tihr, once mighty warriors, were forced to serve as mercenaries in armies of a local warlords. As times were changing, tribes had grown into duchies.. My father, Hastein, and his younger brother Freystein, were fighting in a number of battles for the local earl. As time was passing, my father fell in love with the youngest daughter of that earl, named Giraude. They run away together and got married. I was their only child, born in last day of 1226...
My father and uncle soon became a personal guards of Duke Garfald, from Duchy of Isrimael, one of most powerful monarchies in southern lands. After gaining the duke's trust, my father quickly became a captain of guards. But some time after, the enemy king had hired an assassins to kill the duke. They almost succeeded, but right before the arrow would have hit the duke, my father pushed him aside, taking the arrow himself. He lived long enough to ask duke to promise to take care of me. The only thing I remember about my father ( and my first memory) is how he used to tell me how I would be a great warrior and leader of our people when I grow up.

However, in gratitude for saving his life, the duke remarried my mother for one of his vassals and promoted my uncle to the rank which my father was. Firstly I lived with my uncle, who taught me everything about swordsmanship he know. The years were passing, and when I was about 10, I was invited to live in a castle.
The duke remembered my father's last words, he took me as his own son, although he had his own son.  I and a little duke, Gawain was his name, soon became like a brothers. He was just two years younger than me. In castle, I had a best possible education. I learned from one of the most renowned tutors about arts of war, languages ( I can speak several languages), geographics, philosophy and a statecraft. I remained in contact with my uncle, who became a city's army lieutenant, and who continued to teach me about swordsmanship. Every day, for at least two hours. But my mother was a different story, last time I had seen her was when I was eight ( she gave birth to two more sons, and completely lost interest in me). After I reached 14, I was sent to a military school, to Hergenforl castle - most renowned warrior school in duchy. There I had my swordsmanship skills trained to a nearly perfection, and learned how to handle a bow precisely.   
At age of 17, upon finishing the school with success, instead of listening to Garfald and becaming a knight, I went in war in one of his legions. We were in war in south with wild barbarians, whom we conquered after three years of campaign. Duchy of Isrimael became a Kingdom of Isrimael. So I and Gawain became a princes. I came out of that war as a experienced soldier, and soon I was knighted and get army of knights under my control. King Garfald engaged me with a beautiful lady, Sophia, younger daughter of kingdom's marshal. 
In the next two years I leaded my army to the various conquests, expanding the borders to their limits. I become so popular in the nation, and it made Gawain jealous. Soon after we stopped talking to each other.





But after couple of years, the old king died and left kingdom to me,  but I refused. So Gawain became a king. And then things slowly went downhill for me. Soon, he dissolved chivalry in our kingdom, making my knighthood useless. So I became earl  and made another conquest alone in a next two years.
After seeing that people loved me more than him, Gawain ordered his personal guards to assassinate me. What is a worst, my best friend, Eriadhar, was an chief guard, and he betrayed me. I knew Eriadhar from the times of my first battle, but he went for a power instead of honour.

They broke into my palace ( in the capital city) in the middle of the night and they tried to kill me. There were too many of them so I was forced to escape. I killed couple of them, but was soon surrounded by twenty of them on the top floor of my palace. Eriadar approached, holding his axe, looking into my eyes... I had a duel with him, but when he was defeated, they attacked all at the same time. Instead of giving away, I  jumped out of the window.
I was in hiding for a week, but then the Gawain spread the word that I am traitor, and offered a rich reward to everyone who brings me, or anybody who helps me to justice. In fear for my life and a life of my closest ones, I left the kingdom.





I was riding for a 20 days to north, deep into desert. Into rich lands of emirs. There I was reborned. There I became Desmondes.   

Into desert, I shaved my head and a beard, because I wanted to bury my past. For a next five years, I made my name renowned there. I was working as a one of the hired blades, working for the one who paids me the most. Soon I became te most notorious assassin in the Great desert, captain of the hired blades.
But suddenly, the bounty was set onto my head, many emirs ( the enemies of emirs with who I worked with) wanted to see me dead. So I went into hiding. For the whole past year I was hiding, sleeping into the caves...

But then I remembered, the land where I truly belong, the land of an opportunities, home of my ancestors - Calradia.

That is my story in short lines. I would soon start riding to north, and I will write again when I get there. 

**************************
This is my first AAR , but i play this game for a year now. By the way, my English is not perfect, it's not my native language.
I'll write first chapter very soon.





List of chapters
Life of an mercenary
Chapter 1 : First quest in Calradia
Chapter 2 : Bloodshed at the marketplace
Chapter 3 : Captured noble
Chapter 4 : Manhunting
Chapter 5 : Des' Industries
Chapter 6 : Another week in Calradia
Chapter 7 : Quests
Chapter 8 : Khergit Khanate
Chapter 9 : Dream
Chapter 10 : Crew of warriors
Chapter 11 : Quest failer
Chapter 12 : Winter campaign - DREAM #2
Chapter 13 : Honnkslayr
Chapter 14 : From south to north
Chapter 15 : Alliance is formed
Chapter 16 : Spy



Gameplay informations:
Gameplay notes
Gameplay notes #2
Gameplay notes #3
Gameplay notes #4


Bonus content:
Screenshots of Heylruk generals #1

I use following mods:

* Arena Overhaul mod (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,100061.0.html)
* Diplomacy 3.32 ( http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,116424.0.html)
* Diplomacy 3.32+ (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=162267.0)
* I play on version 1.134





*I made the following choices creating the character:
Gender: Male
His father was: Veteran warrior
In his early life he was: A page at a nobleman's court
As a young adult he became: A squire
He left because of: Being forced out of home

Dear journal,


I am writing again, as I managed to Calradia. First of all, let me tell you how I got to my current whereabouts, town of Reyvadin.
After three days of intensive riding to north, through the unhibitated desert, avoiding the bandits and known routes, I managed to Shariz. Shariz is the capital of Sarranid Sultanate, united under the House of Sarran. The rulers from the House of Sarran were famous as a great warlords in the past centuries, as they conquered almost the whole desert. But their current ruler, Sultan Hakim, controls only the northern part of desert, as they were banished there after their defeat in Great battle at Oases of Hirsharak in 831. 

On streets of Shariz, I spotted a lot of people. The town looked quite big, as I saw the great walls of palace on the other side of the town. I rode through the crowd, searching for the place to rest. As the day was warm, I stopped by the well at the small square somewhere at the west side of the town, in order to drink a fresh water. As I was sitting close to the well, in the shade of a palm tree, I heard a couple of mercenary-looking men talking about the caravan that would begin a travel to Nordlaeng, Kingdom of Nords, that afternoon. How I intended to travel there, and I was not very familiar with travel routhes, I decided to travel with them. But how to accomplish that? Very easy, actually. When they tied up their horses, they headed to a tavern across the street, called a 'Wounded Camel'. I followed them there, as they were unaware of my presence. The tavern was a full of people, so it was easy for me to stay unrecognizable. I ordered ale and sat at the bar, watching them sitting in the corner with a one more mercenary, arguing about something. That third guy looked older and more experienced than the other two, so I assumed that he is in charge. He has a scare that stretched from his left eye to his mouth...
When all of them went upstairs, some 20 minutes later, I sneaked behind them.

I followed them all the way to their room, on the second floor. Before the last of them could close the door behind him, I punched him with a hilt of my sword in the face, and before he could fell backwards, I pierced him through the chest. 
- " Bastard! What do you want? " - the scarefaced guy asked, while unsheathing his sword.

- " I want all of you - to die! " - I answered, blocking his attack with sword. He was swinging in all directions, unsuccessfully trying to break through my gard. When the other one approached, I puched him with a fist, and cut the throat of the first one. How the one whom I punched with a fist has fall at the wall behind him, I pushed this with a cutted throat at him, and pierced them both with a sword. 

- " Now, tell me and I will spare your life, what is your name? And where is the caravan waiting? " - I asked second one, who was still alive.
After he told me, I killed him by slicing his throat with a dagger and took one of their crossbows, locking the room and leaving the tavern.

***

The caravan was there where he told me, waiting for a mercenaries who would guard it, at the southern town gates. It was a large caravan, carrying salt and date fruits, as much as other goods of Sultanate. There were at least ten merchants and a thirty caravan guards in the company. The man whom I recognized as a caravan master, was standing in the middle and waiting for remaining guards to come. I approached him.
- " Where is Shabuul and his men? And who are you? " - the caravan master asked me. After I 'explained' to him that Shabuul has sent me to guard the caravan, as he has other things to do. He still looked suspicious, but I showed him the ring of the mercenary named Shabuul, whom I forced to tell me every detail of that journey.

Caravan travelled for a three days, staying overnight in the bigger towns, like Halmar in the steppes, and Dhirim in the heart of Calradia. But on the third day, somewhere at the border of Nordlaeng, we were attacked by a large group of Nord men in the chain mails. They were equipped with a short swords or long axes, carrying longbows or throwing axes and spears as their ranged weapons. With their nordian helmets and a long beards, they looked really terrifying. They were a sea raiders, the last form of tribal life in Nordlaeng.
As they set ambush upon us, the half of caravan guards were on the ground, unhorsed or dead, by their arrows and axes. But before we were able to react, they drew their swords and started running toward us. I unsheathed my sword and started riding in their direction, accompanied by ten others. I directed my horse at one of raiders, with a big axe, but the arrow had hit my horse into head so I fall, losing my mount. But there was no time to wait, I had to quickly roll to left, because one of them tried to stab me with a sword. I kicked him with a leg, and cut his head off, getting on my feet. The another approached, I blocked his attempt and sliced him with a sword, as the two others who followed. I looked around, the battle was in its full swing, the swords were slashing, the men were yelling, the arrows were flying through the air... 
Although they had a lesser men than us, they were all muscular and tall, as all the Nords should be. Their archers and axe throwers were staying behind, picking their targets, and their shieldwall was hard to breach.

Now the ground was full of bodies, only the few were fighting. I was fighting with two of them. One had swung with his great axe, so I rolled forward and swung with my sword backwards, cutting his legs. The other then attacked, kicking me with a leg, kicking my sword away from my reach. I falled on the ground, but before he could crush my skull with his one handed axe, I quickly reached for a one round shield on the ground, and defended myself. The shield was probably from the fallen raider, because the Nords were famous for using them. I rolled to right and grabbed one of the spears, stuck into ground. I quickly aimed and throwed into his direction. The spear flowed through the air and smashed his skull through the helmet. He falled on the ground, while his blood sprayed the air. I got onto my legs and looked around. There was a ground full of fallen warriors. But the one was still on his feet, running towards me. I had to quickly react, so I grabbed one of the throwing axes from the falllen warrior. I looked forward, now he was 10 paces in front of me. I threw it into his direction, and axe had struck into his chest, knocking him on the ground. I was the last man standing.   





I caught one of the still alive horses and rode to east, towards Vaegiralla. Why I decided to go there instead of Nordlaeng, while it was within my reach?  Because I knew that I was not prepared for another group of sea raiders, especially as the night was falling.

Two hours later, I was at the city gates of Reyvadin, the capital of Vaegiralla. The guard let me in when I finally explained why I am travelling in the midnight. Upon entering the town, I found myself at the main street. After looking around, I noticed that Reyvadin is not that much big as Halmar or Shariz, but his streets were looking nice. The houses were high and built from a white stone.
As it was the late of the night, the town was empty. I rode around the streets in search for a tavern, but I got lost several times. As I was really tired and a dawn was approaching, I decided to sleep in one of the numerous one-way streets. So I tied my horse behind the shop in a  nearby alley ( because someone could steal him while I was sleeping), laid on the ground and covered myself with a blanket from my saddlebag. Soon as I closed my eyes, I fall asleep from exhaustion.

***

But at dawn, I was awakened by the sound of steps approaching to me, closer and closer. I looked around. The streets were still empty, but someone was trying to untie my horse in a nearby alley. I yelled at him to get lost. Then I heard it again, how is somebody getting closer. I looked at the street corner, waiting for a newcomer. But as soon I saw the man who entered the street, I saw he was holding a bow and an arrow in his hands.   
It was already too late to take cover. But he missed, arrow rammed into a wall behind me.

I was angry. So I quickly reached for a crossbow that was laying next to me, and shooted him in the chest while he was reaching for the new arrow. The blood splashed through his hands, which he was holding onto the wound.
Then I got up with a drawn sword, and started running towards him, while he stumbled backwards. After I was close enough to him, I stretched my both hands and stabbed him in the body. The blood came out of his mouth as he was standing there, leaning on my blade. I drawn my sword out of his body. For a one moment he was still standing there, and then he fallen on the ground and remained motionless.
While I was searching his corpse, I heard another steps.
After few moments I saw another man approaching. But this one was in a rich outfit and unarmed, while the dead one was in armour associated with bandits.

- " Who are you? " - I asked while getting up to my full height. The sword was still in my hand. 
- " I am Gregoreas Paladi, a merchant. I saw the whole fight through the window. Follow me into my house, is right there, quickly, before the guards arrive. " - he answered, pointing finger at the large house across the street.

Although I was suspicious about his motives, I followed him, as I knew I would get in the trouble if someone see me with a bloody hands, with a corpse beneath my legs. He locked the doors behind me, and take a nervously look onto the street through the window. I looked around , and noticed that he is very rich.
After few moments, he turned around and said - " Feel like at home. " - pointing his finger at the table, full of food. He was obviously having breakfast when he heard something outside. As I was very hungry, I sat without hesitation and started to eat.
He sat on the other chair, looking at me with an interest.  - " I have no home. " - I finally said, lowering the empty cup of wine.
Soon after we heard scream of the woman from the outside, and saw through the window how men are approaching the corpse. Few minutes later, the guards arrived and started looking around for a suspect.
Looking at my surprised face, the merchant smiled.

- " Look, I don't want to be rude, but I saved you from chains so I want something in return. " - he said after few minutes, during which I continued to eat.
I stopped eating and looked onto his face. That was what I was fearing for. I knew people would never treat you nice if they are not fear you or if they don't want something from you.

- " What is it? " - I said after few moments, looking straight into his eyes.
He then explained to me how he had a dispute with one of the most influenced people in town, and how soon after someone had kidnapped his younger brother, and how they expect him to pay a rich ransom this afternoon.
- " Please, you are my last hope. I will pay you 300 denars when you return him back to safety. And take this 100 denars in advance. " - he said and put a purse, full of denars, on the table.
I promised that I would help him, accepting the purse. Nevertheless, he saved me from trouble this morning.

I got up from table, looking at him with curiosity. What would be our next move?
- " Go into a nearby village of Sumbuja. When you get there, ask for a villager named Tunnaya. He will give you some volunteers to follow you in this quest. " - he said, getting up off the table, too.





After leaving the town's gate, I rode towards north, to instructed location. I travelled the countryside, and spotted the frozen lands on horizon. The whole surrounding land was laying covered with snow.
After half an hour, I was at Sumbuja. I looked around, and saw the small wooden cottages and people in move, doing their daily work. After asking several villagers about Tunnaya, I finally found him in front of one house. He was actually their village elder.
- " Gregoreas has sent me. He want some villagers to recruit. " -  I said.

Half an hour later, I and a four villagers were back at the town. It was still morning, but now the streets were crowded. As the Gregoreas has instructed me, we followed the main street until the town's square, and then I entered the tavern which was in the alley, left of the square. I left recruits to watch my horse at the square.

Tavern, named 'Iron Crow', was full of the people. I noticed there some mercenaries, few travellers, local drunkards and my friend merchant, who was sitting at the bar. When he saw me, he showed me to join him and ordered me a drink. While I was waiting to be served, I approached to one man, who was sitting alone in the corner and drinking.
Upon introducing, I found out his name was Marnid. He was a merchant who has travelled a long distance to make money in Sargoth, but some tribesmen from the steppes had plundered all of his goods. I felt sorry for him, because I experienced the similiar fortune the day before, so I bought him a drink.





I proposed him to help me in rescuing the merchant's brother. He agreed to help.
Then I joined the merchant at the bar. Upon finishing our drinks, he gave me the green light for action.

***

While two of my warriors were holding him, I was punching him in the stomach. He writhed in pain, but was still holding his tongue behind its teeth. The rest of his friends were dead. Their corpses were laying on the ground behind us. My men were equipping with their weapons at the moment. We caught them behind the hill, south of town, where they were lurking on their next victims. That was the gang which kidnapped the merchant's brother.
After we spotted them, I killed the one with a crossbow, while my men ran towards them and killed the two others. This one was trying to escape, but I jumped onto him from my horse. We needed him alive, to find out where is their hideout.

- " I must admit that you have balls... So I will cut them off, and then you'll maybe talk! " - I said, reaching for my sword.

- " Oh no! Please! I would talk, I will tell you everything, just leave me alone! The hideout is at the cave near village of Ulburban. " - he finally spoke, spitting blood.

- " Oh, I see. It was that so hard? " - I said and nodded to one of my men. I turned around. After the scream, I heard the sound of something heavy falling on the ground. Everything remains silence. The blood flowed between my legs, absorbing into the soil... I ordered my men to move.

***

Ulburban. That was another village not so far of Reyvadin.
We decided to stay near the village overnight, and surprise the bandits at dawn. We camped on the hill above their hideout.
When the sun came out, we silently walked down the hillside. I spotted seven sleepy watchmen at the entrance of the cave.
They were so surprised, that they haven't stand a chance. We surrounded them and killed, one by one. Though my recruits were a farmers, they were very brave and a strong men. And the bandits were tired of being awake the whole night, so my recruits cut through them so easily. I just ordered them to stay close.
After we finished with them, we sneaked into the cave, searching for the lost brother.

The almost whole cave was full of sleeping bandits, so I ordered my recruits to sneak behind them and cut their throats. While they were doing that, I walked to the end of the cave, in search for the brother.





I have found him tied on the stone. He was awake. I showed him with my finger to remain silent.
The five of bandits were sleeping, reclined on that stone. I slowly unsheated my sword and sliced a throat of the first one. While I was busy with killing them, the one bandit attacked me from behind, he tried to strangle me with some kind of a rope. How I could not get rid of his grip, I threw him over my head and pierced with a sword. But how he was loud when he fall on the ground, he awake the two remaining bandits, whom I didn't killed.
The first one got up and attacked me with a club, but I dodged by lowering my head and cut his face with my sword. He had fallen on the ground, dead. The last one was a more important bandit, maybe their leader himself. I knew that as I saw his armour and a weapon. In that time, my warriors came and surrounded us. I quickly ordered them to stay away from this fight.
I crossed swords with him. He swinged his sword in all directions, but he was an amateur, he didn't even knew how to handle a sword properly. I dodged his first attack, parried the second. Then I used a moment of his negligence, and kicked him in the stomach with my knee and in the next move I cut his throat. My companions were amazed with my skill.

After my duel I cut the ropes and rescued the merchant's brother. He looked quite scared.
- " Do not afraid. I am Desmondes, your brother has sent me to rescue you. " - I said, helping him to get up, us he fall when I untied him. I turned around and ordered to my warriors to collect the loot, as much as they can carry away.

Two hours later, at the 'Iron Crow', I am writing this while we are waiting for a merchant. I'll write my new adventures soon.
 

so far so good, keep going,this might interested me 

Thank you ,i appreciate this.

I will write another chapter soon, but first i need to play it.

Dear journal,


I was sitting there, drinking mead and waiting, in a tavern full of loud people. As Gregoreas, the merchant, was late, I sent my recruits to deliver his brother back to his house and to remind him of our meeting. Two cups of mead later, he finally came, but alone.

- " Catch!. " he said, throwing a purse of money and taking a seat at my table, with a smile on his face.
I caught it and nodded to him, also smiling.
He ordered us a new round of drink and explained that he found out who was behind kidnapping. The captain of the town's watch! He is letting looters inside of town, and in return he gets half of their loot. Those bandits were terrorizing citizens for months. I experienced that on my skin, as the one attempted to kill me during my first day here... Finally, the merchant had asked me to lead town people in battle against those criminals. Now I understood why the merchant has approached me the day before, he needed a warrior to lead his fellow citizens in battle. 

***

Half an hour later, I was on the square, accompanied by the merchant and his people. Marnid and my recruits from Sumbuja were amongst them.
We took a walk through a main street, and as we were walking, more and more people had joined us. I could realize that Gregoreas was planning this for a few past weeks. In one moment, we suddenly turned into one of the numerous one-way streets. This street was full of the shops and people in hurry - it was the town's marketplace. We stopped in front of one smithy.
I looked around. Nervous looking young men were waiting in every street corner. They looked quite suspicious, as they were just staying there, not interested in trade. They didn't differed from the others with only their behavior but also with the way they looked at other people, as if they were searching for the next victim in the crowd. My trained eye could catch they had a daggers and clubs under their clothes.

Then the merchant nodded to a man in the crowd, who nodded in return and knocked at the smithy doors, three time. Few moments later, the doors opened and a large group of local people went out, with swords or axes in their arms.
That was the signal we were waiting for, we unsheated our swords and ran toward surprised enemies...
But although they were surprised, they reacted really quickly, taking their clubs and approaching to us, knowing that they must pass through us if they want to escape. They were obviously terrified by our numbers, not by our charge.
When close enough to one of the bandits, I swung my sword, slicing his chest. He fall on the ground, only to soon be accompanied by another, who was standing behind him. We charged them in one group, but as we progressed, we had separated in smaller groups to fight scattered bandits.
In next minutes, the street looked like a battlefield to me. Most of people who were present there had grabbed weapons and joined our side in battle.
As I was experienced soldier, I sliced through enemies with easy, so I progressed until the end of the street while the others were far behind. Although we had advantage in numbers, they were better equipped - so the half bodies on the ground were from locals.

The battle was finally over when angry town people had overran the poor bandits.





- " Hey Gregoreas! Maybe another drink, eh? " -  I yelled in his direction, smiling, after killing the last bandit by throwing the sword at him while he was fighting with Gregoreas. The sword had struck into his neck, killing him instantly.

He nodded, smiling. The others started cheering loudly, like there where not heavy casulties onto their side.
The street was coloured in red, corpses everywhere...

***

In a tavern, I was drinking with Gregoreas and Marnid, when the warrior suddenly walked inside. He was looking around, searching for someone. When his eyes finally spotted us, he approached.
- " Bad news, Paladi. The King is very angry and he is looking for an explanation for that bloodshed at the marketplace. He wants to talk with you, immediately. " - he said, with worry in his voice. He was obviously old acquaintance of Paladi.
The merchant has got up on his words, following him without further explanations.

Few hours later, while midnight had already passed, he returned. He sat down next to me, looking really tired.
- " I am banished from Reyvadin, forever. " - he said, after few moments of silence. I was looking at him with a shock. " These consequences are acceptable, the corrupted captain will be executed tommorow at dawn... "

- " I am sorry... " I started with talk.

- " You don't have to be, I have some family in Barriye, down in the desert... However, King Yaroglek wants to see you tommorow." he said, finished his drink and got up on feet.
I got up, too. " And take this, as sign of my gratitude for your help... And, I never asked what is your name? " he said, giving me another purse of denars.

- " My name is Desmondes. " - I said, smiling and accepting the purse.

***

Next morning, I paid my room and went out on the streets. On the other side of the square, there was a street that leads to another part of the town.
After passing it, I realized that richer citizens live there. The streets were wider, cobbled with a white stone - the same was used as a building material for their houses.
After turning left, I followed the long street, until finally finding where the palace was placed. I stopped in front of the entrance of courtyard, where the two guards were standing. I passed them and found myself into the courtyard, where the most important buildings of this kingdom were standing.
After I gave him my sword, the guard allowed me to enter.

The throne room was spacious, on the left side supported by a stone pillars. And it was empty, except the two men that were sitting there and talking. As they were sitting at the large wooden table, filled with a variety of food and drinks, I assumed that they just had a breakfast. As the older one was sitting on the throne, I recognized him as a king. They stopped talking and looked at me with curiosity.
I approached to the throne and bowed. - " You were looking for me, my king. I am Desmondes, friend of Gregoreas Paladi. " -  I said, showing him my respect.

- " I am Yaroglek, ruler of entire Vaegiralla." he said, showing me a gesture with a hand to stand up.  " Desmondes, you have shown yourself as a capable warrior, as you helped Paladi to clean streets of our capital from bandits. And I have to express my gratitude to you, because. " - King Yaroglek said in friendly voice, smiling.
I nodded in respond, looking at his eyes. Although he was smiling, they remained cold.
- " Paladi is rewarded with his life for doing such a deed... He had cleaned our streets from crime, but many citizens were put in danger because of him, so he is happy to live after all. " - He spoke again, looking at my eyes. He obviously knew what I was thinking about.

Then he introduced the other man, the young noble, named Taisa. He looked a bit more relaxed in a company of a common folk than King Yaroglek. He is obviously a warrior by profession.
They explained to me that Taisa came here because one of his best captains was murdered by a man called Ramin Silkybeard, who avoided all attempts of capturing in a past six months.





One hour later, I was on my horse, travelling through snow covered tundra. King Yaroglek has asked me to bring that criminal to justice. Otherwise stated, to assassinate him.
They gave me a thirty days to finish that job, but I prepared myself immediately for that quest. If I want to gain thrust and prove myself here, I will have to work hard and act smart in following days.

*

Shapeshte was a hilly little village, covered by snow. The houses were made of wood and scattered around, without much order. The village was placed at the edge of taiga.
In front of one house, there was their village elder, called Grontos. I introduced myself to him as a one of king's men, and that my task is to assassinate criminal, who is hiding in his village. He just smiled and told me to ask his brother about it.

As he instructed, I found his brother behind the last house in the village. As he was sitting there and drinking ale, alone, I thought he was a drunkard at first. I approached him and asked where I could find Ramin.
Hearing this name, he yelled and surprisely quick drew his sword and cut my arm. In surprise, I stumbled backwards... But there was no time for checking my wound, as he swung his sword again, this time aiming at my throat.
I quickly bent down and unsheathed my sword. As he was preparing for another strike, I quickly swung my sword forward, and impaled him through his stomach, onto the wall. In rage for being wounded, I stabbed him multiple time in the neck with my dagger. After taking a closer look at his face, I realized that he is the one I was looking for.
After I cut off his beard as a evidence of assassination, I looked at my injured upper arm. Although the wound was superficial, it was still bleeding.

While I was passing near the elder's house, I saw his face, full of surprise and anger, while he yelled - " Hunt him down! He killed Ramin, he killed my brother! "
It seems that Ramin Silkybeard was actually his brother.
As I noticed how several farmers are running in my direction with pitchforks in their arms, I quickly rode out of village - in the safety of wasteland.
I continue riding towards south, following the Boluk river. As the night has fallen, I found myself in the town of Khudan. 





Khudan was a town of interesting history, as it was most deeper in the snow covered tundra. It was built far back in 429., during a reign of Emperor Korad the Young. His purpose was to be a first line of defence against the invading tribe from mountains of east, later known as Vaegirs. Because of that, the town was also known as a 'Watcher town'. But, shortly after, the town was captured by a strengthened Vaegirs, united under one crown ( in 513.), and from then remains as their main stronghold and capital ( up to 929.). 

In one of their taverns, called 'Tundra Beast', I stayed overnight. In the morning of the following day, I sat at the bar, to eat and drink like a man. Although full of people, the tavern was a bit smaller than  'Iron Crow'.
While sitting there, I started chatting with the pretty tavern keeper. Actually, her father was the owner of tavern, but she was working in the morning. I saw in her eyes that she likes me. Her name was Dalia.

After the breakfast, I immediately went to the blacksmith, whose shop was just a street across the tavern. I decided to buy a decent sword there.
The shop was small but full of all kind of swords, with variety of prices and sizes of a blade. Instantly my eye caught a Bastard sword, as I has the same since I was knighted... I remembered all battles in which he served me well, the whole rivers of blood which I shed with his deadly blade... Until he was taken from me.
Wishing the better future with his twin brother, I bought a sword, spending the almost entire sum of coins I had.
After that I rode towards Reyvadin, although Dalia offered me to spend a night in her company...

*

Two hours later, instead of staying in a Khudan for another night, I was in a 'Crested Helmet'. As I spent almost all denars I had, I was not able to afford a room in 'Iron Crow'. So I found this tavern, placed on a left side in the main street.

Inside, I noticed it is a tavern for mercenaries. It was with a bit worser service, but with a lot bigger space and a number of rooms, allowing the accommodation of entire army. While walking towards bar, I noticed a lot of men in companies of a women. Ahh, this tavern indeed had something which 'Iron Crow' doesn't. The tavern whores.

I approached to bar and spent the entire night in drinking, thinking about the past battles and bloodsheds I a had honour to participate.





Tired of all night drinking, I fall asleep in the company of the two tavern whores into my room. I do not even remember how I got involved with them. When I finally came to myself it was already a noon.

Today, I would find a new way to earn silvers and respect in this kingdom...   

Dear journal,


Few days have passed, a lot of things has changed...
After I sobered that morning in 'Crested Helmet', I realized in shock that all my money has gone the night before - spent on drink and whores.
Without denars, I would not be able to stay in a tavern for a one more night, even in this one. I had to think of something, and it had to be quick...

I wandered the streets, trying to clear my head on a fresh air... The streets were crowded as usual, it was really hard to get through that  mass. Everybody in a hurry to attend their business - farmers to sell their goods before dark, impatient travelers with a desire to depart into a new adventures as soon as possible... Everybody in movement. 

***

- " Good work. His death was of a great importance for me... Of course, I was too busy to do it myself, but you take care for that instead of me. Take your reward. " - young man in a chain mail said, throwing a purse with denars beneath my legs.

Boyar Taisa. I spotted him with a his band of horsemen while I was resting in a shaddow of a cypress tree. I was on a field outside of town, not so far of its gates, when I saw them getting closer and closer, returning from a patrol mission. The lucky was on my side this time.   
I lifted a purse from the ground, smiling. It was a heavy purse , there must be a lot of coins inside. But knowing that a nobles are stingy bastards, I opened a purse to make sure that I was not deceived. The whole content of a purse were denars. I sealed it with a relief, while some of the riders were laughing.
- " There is a more of that, for you... If you do me another favour. "  Taisa said and jumped out of saddle. He stood in front of me, looking into my face, like he was judging can he trust me or not.  " Take my seal and go into a village of Ulburban. Collect the debts they owe me as to their rightful lord, and a fifth of that money is yours. You have fifty days. " he finally spoke, giving me his seal and mounting his horse again. Few moments later, they were already passing through the town gates - while I was holding the seal, seal of my another opportunity into my hand...

For the next three days I was paying a visit to a villagers in their homes, collecting their debts in the name of young boyar. I was accompanied by a two sons of their village elder, Hramza and Bartha. They were serving as my guards and to provide me with informations about who owe what amount of denars...
Although reluctantly, the villagers were paying their taxes without resisting. Almost all of them. Namely, after I finished with collecting all and prepared to leave, a few of them tried to ambush me and to take tax money for themselves.
They jumped from a shaddow of the night with clubs in their hands. Although surprised, I defeated them without any struggle and left the village.





The luck has turned in my direction, and I decided to embrace her with both hands. Two saddlebags were full of tax money, which I will use as a deposit for a glorious days that will come. Bad luck for Taisa. He would have to wait for a more than a fifty days to get it back.
I decided to ride away from Vaegiralla, and to find a new opportunities in another kingdoms...

While riding through a plain, not so far of the Swadian border, I encountered a group of Vaegir knights. After being spotted by them, they surrounded me.

- " Who are you? " their leader wanted to know. " Tell me your name, or found yourself pierced by our spears. "
Upon hearing his arrogant voice, I recognized him as the one of higher nobility, he was obviously one of the boyars. So I decided to show him a some of respect.
- " I am Desmondes, my lord. I stand at your service. " - I finally answered, taking a look at his face. Contrary to the opinion, I realized that a noble would better trust you if you look straight into his eyes.

- " Do you stand by your words, warrior? Do you found yourself enough brave to help me? " - the boyar said.
I nodded in response...   

***

The journey to Swadia was canceled. Boyar Harish has told me that his uncle was wounded and captured during the last war with Nords, and imprisoned in Tehlrog castle. As his family do not have enough denars to pay his freedom, he offered a 1500 denars to anyone who is brave enough to infiltrate in Tehlrog keep and to rescue his uncle.
Seeing that as a potentially easy way to get a large amount of money, I agreed to help. So I paid a visit to a several armories in Reyvadin, buying the necessary equipment for a journey to Nordlaeng.

Tehlrog castle was standing on a border with Vaegiralla, guarding the access to Sargoth, one of the oldest towns in Calradia and the capital of Nordlaeng. This position was of a great strategic importance, so this castle was a target of many sieges led by the Vaegirs in the past decades. Alway unsuccesful.
The last of sieges has ended pretty bad for Vaegirian army, led by Boyar Naldera, their former marshal. The siege had started pretty well for him, as he crushed a two enemy armies even before he could reach his target. Then the siege began. For the three weeks Vaegirs were unsuccesfully trying to broke inside the courtyard, only to always being pushed back by the defenders... When they finally succeeded and the victory was close, King Ragnar has came with reinforcements, leading the great army from Sargoth. They broke the siege and caused the retreat of all boyars but one. Boyar Naldera decided to stay, to battle superior enemy, blinded by his obsession... Brave deed, but stupid one. His soldiers were slaughtered in the upcoming battle and he found himself imprisoned in the keep that he wanted to conquer so badly. More than a half of the year has passed since his inglorious defeat, and he still remained into the hands of his sworn enemies...

As I started my travel in the cover of the night, I could stand beneath the walls of Tehlrog before the sun cames out. 
The keep of Tehlrog was actually a old refuge placed on the hill, protected by a wooden walls. It was built a long time ago, when the north was still under the rule of the Empire. Its purpose was to protect people during the hostile times - as were the Nordian invasions.







I yelled in front of the entrance gates, using their language - " Åpne døren, jeg bære nyheter fra Sargoth. " ( "Open the gates, I carry news from Sargoth" ).
The guards obeyed to my command and opened the gates to let me inside. I sighed with relief, speech on their language and chainmail managed to fool them.

While I was climbing over the wooden stairs in order to get to a higher ground, I noticed how the sun began to emerge beyond the hill. I had to speed up with the mission before the whole garrison is awaken...
The courtyard was really small and I asked myself how Vaegirs didn't managed to conquer it in a day. There were only three buildings there : two wooden cottages, one served as a prison and the second one as an armory. The third ( and the largest) one was where the army resides.

I walked forward until I found myself in front of the cottage where they keep prisoners. There was standing a guard with the similiar equipment as I wore, so I got an idea. I approached to him and whispered - " Skiftet ditt er endte " ( "Your shift has ended" ). Hearing these words, he just wearily rubbed his eyes and handed me the keys of the prison. I didn't knew that would be so easy, I thought while unlocking the prison doors. I acted wisely when I spent tax money and bought a chainmail and an axe, because I looked just like their guards.
 
Inside, I spotted that boyar was the only prisoner there. He was sleeping in one of the tiny prison cells, that looked more like a cage to me. His weapons were lying on the table before his cell.
I wake him up and explained that I am sent by his nephew Harish, to help him escape. Although with suspicion in his eyes, he didn't have another choice nor to trust me. While he was trying to put his armour on, I heard the steps outside.
- " Hurry up! We will have to fight our way out! " - I said. In the next moment the doors opened and I found myself in front of the armed guard.
He swung with his axe, but I crouched and pushed him backward. While he was trying to regain balance, I swiftly unsheathed my sword and stabbed him deep into the stomach. He cursed in pain and fell onto the ground. The blood was spurting out from the wound, painting the floor in red...

-  " Jævel, Hva driver du med?! " (  "You bastard, what are you doing?! ) - I heard a voice from the walls outside. Oh brilliant, now all of the guards were alarmed.
We didn't have another choice than to run away before the whole garrison was alarmed, so our only choice was to step forward, risking an arrow in the chest.
Nervously taking a looking at guards, who are leaving their guard towers and approaching to us, I turned backward and saw that Boyar is ready, into his full equipment. He looked into my eyes and nodded.
We ran out, facing the guards who were waiting for us. There were six of them who blocked our way, and all of them have fallen by our swords. Naldera was a skillful fighter, despite they fed him with bread and water only. He killed the half of them, for sure.

While we were trying to trigger the mechanism to open the gates, some of the warriors walked out from the barrack. It was obviously their turn to guard on the walls. When they noticed corpses on the ground, they roared angrily and pulled out their weapons.
- " You continue trying, while I will face them. " - the Boyar said, while unsheathing his sword. Soon I heard the cries of enemies behind my back. I smiled, but the moment later I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. Cursing angrily, I lowered my head and felt the breeze when another arrow hit the wall behind me. 
I looked back and spotted the archer. Few moments later I was already running towards him, with unsheathed sword. Five paces away from him now, he fired another arrow - directed precisely at my chest. As I was too close, there was no time for dodging or taking cover - I already knew in that very moment that I would have to receive an arrow.
But in in that split fraction of a second I managed to turn around in the right moment so the arrow hit the shield on my back, And I sliced the throat of the enemy.

I looked back at Boyar, who was running in my direction. Confused, I look at the barrack and realized in a shock that another group of warriors got out. He jumped outside from the position where the wall was connected with the ground. Not having much choice nor desire to face enemies, the jump was my only choice. I managed to roll away on landing and thus mitigate the fall. 
We were lucky that I tied my horse onto the neary tree, so we managed to escape before they could alarmed the whole garrison. 





We didn't stopped until we crossed the bridge over the river Vyll, where I left Boyar Naldera. He was lucky that a Vaegirian caravan was passing by so he continued journey to Vaegiralla with them.
And I? I found myself into the Kingdom of Swadia, resting in one of their many taverns in Uxkhal. I already had rest for a two days here, giving my shoulder a time to recover from wound.





******************
Picture of Desmondes' current stats:


Renown rate:

Dear journal,


I truly experienced various adventures in the Kingdom of Swadia. But first things first.

One day after I wrote the last chapter, I left the streets of Uxkhal and headed toward Suno. It was nice to be found on the fresh air, again. The road between those two cities was full of bandits. It is dangerous to travel around here all alone.
The town of Suno was of a great historical, and likewise of economic importance to the Kingdom of Swadia. Back in the past, it was known as the imperial city,the seat of the imperial treasury, put directly under the suzerainty of emperors. It remained that way even after the collapse of the Empire, until about twenty years ago when it was given to one aristocratic family, in return for their service.
The other, economic importance of the city, lies in its richness that they pile up a bit every year by selling their precious oil all across the Calradia.

I stayed in Suno only for a night, and then continue my journey to desired destination, Praven. It did not took me long, as Praven and Suno were built very close to each other.
Praven was an imperial city, built at the peak of imperial power. Its construction was a twenty years process, during a reign of Emperor Itandrok II., who wanted to create a new capital for his descendants. In its construction had been invested a lot of coins from the imperial treasury of Suno, best architects of that time were involved, quite a lot of slaves were brought from tundras of Vaegiralla in chains every year for a work. And it was finally finished in 708., constructed on a hill, protected by a high walls and a mountain at north, with a harbour even bigger than the one of Tihr...

I spent a couple of days in one of many merenary taverns, during a day looking for a job and during a night - in drinking.
So one night I overheard a conversation between two Sarranid mercenaries, how they are going to work for a local guild master next morning, who was looking for a men skilled in combat. Seeing in that a new opportunity for coin, I decided to pay a visit to a guild master myself.

***

The very next morning, I was already patrolling in a region around the town, looking for my targets. During my conversation with a guild master, I found out that a city is endangered by a frequent robberies and murders on the road, committed by looters. So he is willing to pay ( he have all authorities that are affecting the town's trade, as the king don't want to be bothered with it ) to any group of warriors a prize of 40 denars for each band of looters they destroy.


by pure chance i eno****er my first victims.

There were 10 of them. They were waiting for me near the river.
I killed the first guy in one swing. I was circling around them ( on the horse), killing them one by one.
They were unable to hurt me, because i was too fast for them.
In a few minutes, i left a little graveyard on the river bank.





No one survived. How i take their lifes, in the same way i took their  loot.
I was unable to took their armour because i didn't sold the armour of my previous victims.
When I walked in Praven, i sold the armour and weapons for an incredible prize.
Something around 720 denars. A real fortune for one encounter.

In the morning i continue patrolling around Praven. It wasn't passed so long time before i met another band.
This time 13 looters on the mountain field. Good for me, but not so good for my horse.
I killed them all easily, but my horse was badly wounded.

I take their loot, all their armour and weapons -  and headed to the Praven. There i sold those items.
For an extremly low price! I dont't know what happened to prices in just one night.
Last night i got the sum of 720 denars for similiar items, now less of the 100.
A shame!

Nevermind, i continue patrolling. Somwhere at afternoon i encounter another band. Now even larger.
There were 17 looters. A peace of cake for me.
I continue with my battle tactic, just circling around them, and slaying them, one by one.
You probably must see battlefield after i finished with them, one beside other - the dead looters.

After i collected my loot, i headed to Praven. It's enough work for today.





<I was in profit of 130 denars this time. Not bad. In the morning i rode out of the town.
I killed another 11 looters, and sold my loot on the marketplace.
A little less then 90 denars profit, alright.
I encountered another band that day, 10 of them.
It was easy, but 2 of them were able to escape!

I was mad. But i recieved another 120 denars from loot. That saves that day.

The whole next day i spent in the tavern, with drink in my hand.
I talked with several travellers, they said to me that they didn't encounter the bandits for a while.
I was proud on my work.


I talked with guild master in the next morning, he was satisfied. He gave me a reward of 200 denars.
I was little disappointed, i expected 40 denars for a head of looter, not for a whole band.





After my job was done, i have no reason to stay there.
So i started another adventure, this time to the Kingdom of Vaegirs.
But first I stopped to Suno, to see armour they offer.
And i bought mail chauses, for better protection to my legs.
They cost me around 1000 denars, i'm okay with that.

I continued my travel, in the late afternoon i was again at Uxkhal.
I decided to slept there.
In the next morning i continue.
In the late afternoon of that day i was at Dhirim, another city of Swadia.

Dhirim is located in the middle of Calradia, far east of other Swadian cities.
He's not so far of Reyvadin, where i decided to go.
I stayed overnight in Dhirim, too. I liked that town.

It was morning of 13 April, i had a breakfast in tavern of Dhirim.

I keep my travel in noon.
I was near Reyvadin in couple of hours.

After that i headed to Khudan. It was dark outside.
Somewhere near Khudan i saw a Boyar Harish with his guards in a patrol mission.
I approached them to collect my reward.
He was happy to see me. He gave me a 1500 denars for rescuing his uncle.
I was pleased.

I stayed overnight at tavern in Khudan. But not before i fight for my life there.
Yes, some maniac attacked me in tavern. He was obviously drank.
But i showed him his place.

He cut the air with sword, aiming at me, but i parry.
In the next moment i split his head in two parts with my axe.
Commotion arose in the tavern. All men fled from behind the bar. But after they saw i'm the winner,
they agreed that he got what he deserved.





Yes, this was happen yesterday. I just got up from bed.
I wander the streets, filled with people. This day is amazing...




 


 

Dear Diary,


i was really busy last month. But it began approximately after my last writings.
To remind you, i was wandering around the streets of Khudan, thinking how to make more money in long terms.
I watched the industry which the city deals, and decided in moment - i will open a productive enterprise!
Therefore I visited guild master. After I told him what's on my mind, he openly agreed.

He finds the good location for my business - price varied for different types of industry.
Then it came into my mind - i will open the brewery!
We will make a new type of beer for the market.
I paid 2500 denars for all necessary expenses.





I decided to name the enterprise - Des' Industries ( Des' = Desmondes).
I stayed in the city overnight, in the noon ( next day ) I went towards city of Curaw.
Curaw was located in the heart of Vaegirs land. Northeast of the Reyvadin and west to Khudan.
On the my way there i encountered two boyars.
First, Boyar Marmun, who was rude to me, and second, Boyar Mleza.
Who i gave a message from Jarl Rayeck.

When i finally got there, it was late night.
In the dawn i visited the local guild master, who gave me a dangerous quest.
He promised me 100 denars if i hunt down some troublesome bandits.
I accepted, but i was to weak to hunt down a whole gang.
So, i headed to tavern, there i hired 4 mercenary horsemens for the sum of about 1060 denars.
We started patrolling around. After some time we spotted near the village of Rebache.
We encounered them. Us, 5 riders against 29 looters. Sounds fair to me.

I ordered my men to follow me.
We clashed in a forest. I decided to use my old tactic, to take advantage of the cavalry.
We hovered around them, killing them off one by one.
But they are taking advantage of manpower, so 3 of my men were wounded in that battle.
We killed almost all of them, only 5 of them managed to escape.
After we collected our loot, we headed back to Curaw.
There i recieved the prize from the guild master and sold the loot for 530 denars.
I have also bought some bread,cabbages and salted fish - to fill the food supply.

For the rest of the day we patrolled around town in search for new adventures.
I eno****ered Boyar Druli and Boyar Naldera, but they did not have any job for me.

So, we camped near the town during the night.
Next day we taken to north, to the coastal city of Rivacheg.
It was late afternoon when we managed to there.

There i got the new adventure, i needed to deliver some wine to the town of Yalen.
Yalen was located in the south of Rhodoks land, so we needed to travel a lot.
The time to deliver was 8 days, but prize was 320 denars.

We started our travel right away, because we were short on time.
Although overnight travel is not a good idea. We realized that soon,
because we were ambushed by the group of sea raiders,
as soon as we set foot on the land of Nords. But we were lucky, because there were just 5 of them.
So we killed them easily and collected their armour and weapons.

In the morning we encountered the three different Jarls ( nobles of the Nords).
But no one of them needs our help. Close to Sargoth ( Nord capital) we encountered another jarl, Jarl Bulba.
He neither didn't need our help, so we continued to Sargoth.

We decided to stay overnight there, because it was almost dark, and we were tired of sleepless night.
In the morning i sold the equipment of sea raiders for incredible sum of 720 denars. I was so astonished!
We killed just 5 of them, and our prize is 720 denars. Amazingly!

*

In the dawn of 20 April, we approached to Suno. We rested there whole day,
and continued in a dawn of next day. In our way to Suno we eno****ered a lot of jarls,
including Nordian King, Ragnar, but i forgot the names of others.

During our rest there, i visited their guild master. He gave us a job of driving cattle to a market of Praven.
Yeah, he asks me to do that - like i'm a little cow boy. But i accepted the job,
only because Praven was located very close.

Praven is indeed close, but when you are driving huge herd of cattle, it tooks it all day to got there.
It was almost night, so we stayed there.
I hymself paid a visit to a city castle, where i expected to meet king.

But he wasn't alone there, there were 3 men, speaking with him.
I spoke with every of them, there were counts: Beranz and Rochabarth.
They wanted to gave me a letter for deliver to several Noyans of Khergit Khanate.
But i disagreed with them, i'm not just another errand boy.

King left me the impression of incompetent fool, which is just a puppet of more powerful noblemen.
The last man who was standing there was pretender for the throne of Khergit Khanate, younger brother of their current ruler.
I immediately realized this intrigues, king and counts are helping him to get to the throne.
And their wanted me to deliver a letter in which they persuading some Noyans to get to their side. Really smart.

I immediately left that brood of conspiracy and headed to the tavern, where the rest of the company are waitnig for me.





Next morning we headed south, towards Yalen. Fortunately, we avoid all possible threats.
In our 2 days long journey we only enountered Count Montewar, who asks me to work as a mercenary for Kingdom of Swadia, again. And i reject it, i'm not in a mood to be a servant of King Harlaus.

I said two days long journey, yeah, we travelled all across lands of Swadia and Rhodokia.
The most dangerous part of the trip was when we turned into the mountains. They were full of mountain bandits and looters.

We finally got there, it was late night. I ordered my mercenaries to waiting for me in front of the city gates.
I went in, and fell into the bandit ambush. Luckily for me I'm easy on the blades, i immediately took an axe and killed them all.

Soon i was standing alone in the streets, while most of my attackers were dead or dying.
Searching the bodies, i found a purse which must have belonged to their previous victim. Or perhaps, it was given to them by someone who wanted to seen me dead.
I thought whoever sees me as a threat, he wanted me to die. It first came to my mind - Boyar Taisa!
I never gave him back gathered taxes. I spent all of it on equipment when i was preparing to save Boyar Naldera.

I finally entered the tavern and delivered wine.

The next morning I rode the town, in search for the local guild master.
Yalen is much nicer in the morning, when you are not getting ambushed.
The town was parted on two sides, divided by the river in the middle.

On the other side of the river i encountered the guild master.
He gave me the assignment to catch a defined gang of bandits. It's already been a little more serious task.
He gave me a description of their leader, who terrorized the city for a long time. I accepted that, i already needed an adventure.

We immediately began patrolling around, but it was useless. I questioned passers-by, but in vain.
They just told me that roads are full of brigands.

We spent the whole day on a quest, but in the dusk we were ambushed by the gang of 16 mountain bandits.
Occurred in bloody battle, we managed to slay them all. We collected our loot and headed to Yalen.
In our way we encountered Count Fraichin. He hadn't met the bandits, too.
We spent the night in tavern in Yalen. In the morning we tried again, with the same luck.

But in the noon we fighted with another group of bandits, who attacked us. Now there were 18 of them.
Piece of work was experienced warriors like us. We slashed them in parts. We collected some loot, and headed back to Yalen.

We recieved 800 denars on marketplace for the loot we collected. Good job.

We decided to find their hideout. We were looking around, as long as it did not show.
We found it by following a group of bandits, who were returning home with the loot.
When they approached near to hideout, we ambushed them. They were dead in a moment.

We were surprised when we realized that they took with them a prisoner, a manhunter hymself.
He was hardened warrior, so i offered him a job. He gladly accepted my offer.

We attacked them at dawn. We approached the hideout. The bandits didn't spotted us yet, so we could sneak unnoticed.
The hideout was surounded with mountains, so we were unable to bring the horses -  we lost our advantage.
We came down from the mountain towards them. They used cottage as a storage for their loot.
The battle ensued around the cottage. It was tough, but we managed to slay them all.

After the battle we broke into the cottage and took their loot. We took what we could bring.
We then set fire to the cottage, along with other loot in it.

We were back in Yalen at 25 April, and i sold our loot for the sum of 500 denars. Then i paid the wages to my troops, 170 denars. I also received a letter from the guild master of Khudan that my brewery became operational. He sent me also my first profit from the brewery, 106 denars. I gave my troops two days of rest.





We went after these two days to the capital of Rhodokia, great town of Jelkala. Before the rise of the Great Calrad Empire, Jelkala was the one of the most powerful city-states.

Way to get there lasted all day. Finally there, i immediately headed towards the castle.
Castle was built 1000 years ago, so i expected the old ruins, but it was amazing there.
This is for me the culmination of architecture, and i stopped and admired.

I climbed the stairs. There were three noblemen, but i didn't recognize the king.
He wasn't there. I approached them and introduced myself. There were 2 Rhodokian counts, Rimusk and Laruqen.
The third man was the Nordian prince in exile, Lethwin The Far-Seeker.
I have not had time to talk with him and hear his side of the story. So I asked if they heard about some bandits, and i gave them description of their leader. I was lucky this time. They answered me that they sighted them 5 hours ago near Jelkala.
In exchange for that information i had to do them a favor, to deliver a letter to Emir Uqais of Durquba. I accepted.





We spent the whole night in the patrol, searching for them. At dawn the fog came down so the visibility decreased.
We already gave up and headed back to Jelkala when we met villagers who noticed them 2 hours ago. It gave us new hope.
So we continued. Finally, we spotted them near the town, they were in search for the location of their new hideout.

They were just 9 of them, rest of them already escaped. We barely noticed them in the fog, but we finally circled them and killed them - but not without casualties on our side. They killed the manhunter, he was with us just for the few days.
This time we have freed 4 villagers, i advised them to return home.
First we buried a fallen comrade, and then collected the loot. His horse was used as cargo carrier.
I cut off the head of a leader of bandits and put it in the bag, as proof that we hunt them down.

We returned to Jelkala. We drank all day in the tavern. There was wine and beer in abundance, we spent all money which we took from the bandit. There was also a letter with a stamp, which says that if they kill me they would be richly rewarded.
On the stamp was Boyar Taisa's crest. So i realized that he paid the bandits to killed me in the dark alley in Yalen.
The irony is that he had paid to the same bandits which i hunted all across the kingdom...





Next day I sold our loot for 110 denars, so we drank that day, too. So the next day we set off early in the morning back to Yalen. The fog has not dispersed yet. We traveled very carefully, so travel lasted all day.
Guild master was so happy when i brought him the bandit's head, that instead of promised 100 denars, he granted me 1000!
We stayed in the tavern overnight, in the morning we headed back to Swadia.

This time we got there in the evening. We decided to stay overnight in Praven.
Although I decided to leave, I changed my mind when I heard that this day were tournament in town.
I decided to participate. Praven tournament is traditionally held with horses and lances - real knight challenge.

In the first two rounds I broke box office records of mostly knocked down, i knocked down 9 of them. Just in the 2 first rounds.
My advantage was the fact that I was a former knight who learned a lot about handling a lance.
I delighted audience with my technique - they were screaming my name.

In the third round, the fighting continued in pairs. Though my comrade fell, I managed to defeat them both.
In the fourth round i was laying in the dust. The catastrophe happened to me! One Swadian count ( i didn't remember his name) knocked me with the fatal couched damage. We were rode towards each other, with lances in our arms, i targeted in his head, but he was fastest - and better. I was eliminated, so i drank in tavern with my company.

Next morning we were at Suno, there i collected my prize for the cattle buisness. We continued our journey back to Kingdom of Vaegirs. On our way we were pursued by 5 bands of bandits at the same time.
Surely somebody put the prize on my head - again.

In the late night of 3 May, we were back in Dhirim. There we rested that night.
In the morning i recieved the letter from my master brewer ( from the brewery in Khudan), he promised me to sent every salary brewery had, in this letter were 141 denars. He also explained to me that he sold our beer to the Royal Vaegir brewery,
who sold it under their name. Not bad for the start, but i wanted to have my own brand of the beer.

About noon we continued towards Reyvadin. Battles were fought near the city - between Nords and Vaegirs.
Seems that Nords have launched a new invasion. On the field i recognize the banner of the King Ragnar hymself, the ruler of Nords.

I didn't fight, because i didn't choose side yet. Next morning i opened a branch of my brewery in Reyvadin. That costs my another 2500 denars.

Next day I went out of town to see whose army wins, and i have been told that King ragnar was captured, and Nords retreated back to their lands. There were large army of Vaegirs, i approached to their Royal army, led personally by King Yaroglek. I had a talk with him. He gave me a job to kill some deserter who slayed his guards and betrayed them to Nords.
I accepted that. I was told that traitor is hiding in village of Tismirr.





In the evening i was in Curaw. I decided to enter there brewery, too. My plan was to open brewery in every town of Vaegiralla, then to expand buisnes to other kingdoms.
I met their guild master, too. I bought the land for the brewery, the prize was the same like in other towns - 2500 denars.

I'm sitting in the tavern and writing this at the moment. Tommorow i will hunt that traitor, i promised that to great King Yaroglek. I will write what happened there soon. Live long, or die bravely. Cheers.

I have just read the latest chapter. Please continue

Well, thank you,

Hey guys, i've already played enough for Chapter 6, but i don't have enough time to write it right now ( i'll post it tommorow afternoon). So i decided to update my gameplay notes.

I added some new mods in the game, to make it more interesting:

I use following modes:

* Arena Overhaul mod (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,100061.0.html) * started with
* Diplomacy 3.32 ( http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,116424.0.html) * started with
* Diplomacy 3.32+ (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=162267.0) * started with
* I play on version 1.134 * started with

* Expanded Horizons (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=145948.0) * since chapter 7
* Real water mod (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=133512.0) * since chapter 7
* Training fields (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,144466.0.html) * since chapter 7
* Realistic colors 1.22 (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=120098.0) * since chapter 7
* Colored lances (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=123617.0) * since chapter 7
* Female face model and textures replacement (http://www.mbrepository.com/file.php?id=1955) * since chapter 7
* Texture fiddling (http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php?topic=150468.0) * since chapter 7

Like you see, these new mods will be in game since Chapter 7.



*************************************************

Renown rate:

Picture of Desmondes' current stats:

Have a good night, see you soon

I wouls suggest you one thing. I saw that you have read monnikje's Me, Floris and I suggest you that you add a bit more story line, and less pictures. That would improve your aar a lot, and by less pictures I mean 3-4 pictures per chapter, no more. But I do like your arr. Keep goin'

First of all, thank you for your advice
I was thinking myself to delete some pictures from my previous chapters, and i'll definitely do that.

I also want to say that each has its own unique style of writing, because of that I do not want to copy so much Monnikje's Floris or anyone else AAR. And of course, thank you for your support

Thane_of_Dhirim said:

First of all, thank you for your advice
I was thinking myself to delete some pictures from my previous chapters, and i'll definitely do that.

I also want to say that each has its own unique style of writing, because of that I do not want to copy so much Monnikje's Floris or anyone else AAR. And of course, thank you for your support

Click to expand...

Of course, I respect your choice.

Hey Bruce Almighty, i listened to your advice and i made an update of all of my chapters, so take a look. Is it better now?

Thane_of_Dhirim said:

Hey Bruce Almighty, i listened to your advice and i made an update of all of my chapters, so take a look. Is it better now?

Click to expand...

It is way better

Dear Diary,


I know it's not much passed since my last writings, but I just had to unload thoughts...
We woke up in the morning ( after my last writings) in the tavern. After we had an breakfast, we were ready for the road.
As I promised to the King Yaroglek, i decided to kill that bastard who betrayed his people.
We rode to Tismirr, the village known as the last hideout of that bandit.
Tismirr was located east of Curaw, just beside Khudan. We rode through the snow-covered meadows, avoiding robbers on the way. Journey didn't last long, we were there by noon, due to the the speed of our horses.

I ordered my men to wait for me in front of the village, because I was afraid that farmers would mistaken us for robbers.
Village was located near the frozen forrest, the houses were scattered across the hills.
I rode around, not wanting to attract attention of the villagers, because i was afraid that bandit will escape if he hear about me. I finally found him, he was hiding behind one stone house at edge of the village.
I dismounted and simultaneously drew my sword from the sheath. I approached him, holding the sword aimed at his neck, step by step. When he noticed me, it was too late. I jumped up and in one stroke cut off his head.
Head rolled down the hill, leaving a trail of blood in the snow. I approached to head and put her in a bag, as proof that I accomplished the task.

I got out of the village before villagers noticed the corpse. I approached to my men and we rode together in the nearby Khudan. We left horses in the barn of local hoster. I gave to my men the day off. They're soon dranken in the tavern.
Although I thought to join them, yet I decided to visit my brewery and see how it operates.
When I eventually found the right location, I walked into it. Brewery was huge, loaded with barrels and machinery for the production of beer. I was impressed. I met with a master brewer who led me to the operational details.
I told him that's not bad to sell beer to Royal Vaegir brewery in start. But when i open the brewery in Rivacheg, i would like to produce my own brand of beer...





The next day we headed to Rivacheg, we were there at late afternoon.
There I hired another 5 mercenary horsmen at the tavern. Yes, i decided to become a captain of mercenary cavarly gang.
That increase in manpower cost me 1330 denars.

I soon heard that the daughter of wealthy merchant has been kidnapped by some bandits.
As I had experience in resolving such situations, i decided to rescue her.
I came in contact with the guild master. He explained that the abductors expected ransom in the village of Sumbuja.
Sumbuja village is located north of Reyvadin, so i needed to travel to south.

Next evening we were there, close to village of Sumbuja. We attacked not suspecting  bandits and herded them in to fix.
Their numbers were useless versus speed of our horses. We literally overran them.
When we finished with them, and freed the girl, we're heading towards Curaw, where we decided to spend the night.
For loot which we took from the dead bandits I got about 350 denars on the marketplace.

Tomorrow morning, leaving the city, we met Boyar Doru who gave me the the task to deliver a letter to Boyar Rudin. I accepted that  because i didn't wanted to offend him.
After we brought the girl to Rivacheg, and collected our reward - we decided that is pointless to go into next adventure that day. So we rested in the tavern, we didn't drink that time, we were very tired so we quickly fell asleep.
But in the dawn of the next day, we were fresh and ready for new adventures.

*

Later that day we were at Khudan, again. There we got the task to kill all the bandits in the nearby area.
We patrolled around the city and killed, one by one gang.
Just that afternoon we killed two gangs, one of 9, and other of 22 looters.

When it got dark we went back to the city, we decided to continue tommorow. Next morning I first sold our loot to local blacksmith. He in return gave me 160 denars. After we had the salted fish for breakfast, we rode out of the city to finish our job.

We have hunted single band all morning, just to they set up an ambush in the forrest to us.
But we were ready. Soon the ambush they set up to us became a trap for them. 
Tactic was clear, we have created a ring around them and killed them, although there were double more of them.

As we haven't met any band a couple of hours, we considered job as finished. So we went to collect our reward.
We stayed to drank in tavern that night, it was cheerful, with a lot of drink, food and women. Yes, women. I didn't had a women for very long time, since i left my home.

There I had a fiancee, Lady Sophia of Salnia, daughter of kingdoms marshal. Because of her I actually argued with Gawain, the current king. He was in love with her, too. But she loved me, not him. And now my heart starts beating fast when I think of her eyes, our kisses...





Next morning I woke up in bed of tavern keeper of Khudan, it seems that I spent the night with her.
I was obviously very drunk last night when I hooked up with her, although she was very pretty.
I felt guilty and felt I cheated Sophia, even though we weren't together for 3 years.

I quickly got dressed and went to the tavern, there I found a sleeping companions.
I woke them and we quickly slipped out of the tavern, because we haven't paid the debt from last night, which was a bulky.

Soon we were out of town again. Near to forrest we stopped to have breakfast.
When we prepared to leave, we realized that some cavarly are approaching us. 
But then I realized that they aren't enemies when I saw that they were leaded by Boyar Vuldrat.
He came to me and asked me to save his brother from dungeon. Tribe of horsmens from south have captured him after he was wounded in battle. That tribesmen were known as Khergits, men of the steppe.

I told him that I am not capable for such a thing, but he said that he heard story about my herioc feat in Tehlrog castle, where i saved Boyar Naldera. Although I hesitated, after all i agreed to do the task.

*

We went to Rivacheg that night. There I entered the castle and met with local boyars.
Boyar Bracha gave me the task to prevent his servants to flee from the village of Vezin.
Although the whole next day I patrolled around Vezin, yet I decided to let them escape. I felt sorry for them.





When I returned to the castle and said to Boyar Bracha what I think about him and his deeds, we had a fight. He tried to stab me with the dagger, but I dodged and broke his nose with an elbow.

Guards already approached me with drawn swords, I was unarmed. But at the last moment Boyar Meriga stopped them and offered me a task in exchange for my life. The task was to kill one rich city merchant whom he owes a lot of denars. That was dirty job but i have no choice.

So I followed that merchant for distance, waiting to be alone on the street with him. When he turned into an empty alley, I  saw my opportunity. I called him to turn around. When he walked to me, i sliced his throat with an axe.
I leaved him on the street. He was chocking in blood. I took his bag as proof that I've done it.





I headed to tavern. I'm sitting in the dark corner.
I'm writing this now, with blood of innocent man on my hands...
But such is the job of mercenary, to dirty hands with blood of people who didn't done anything wrong...

I recommend you one more thing. Do not hire mercenaries... If you'll have cavalry, use knights and mamelukes instead of mercenary cavarly. I do not use them because their wage is higher than of Swadian knight, which is far better. They are a lot weaker.. Never use them.

Bruce, i know that they're expensive  , but i hired them because of story line, cuz i haven't chosen a side yet
And thanks for following the new chapters