WARBAND & M&B Pendorian Stories
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Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
Trokia, if Misguided likes your writing, take it as a serious compliment. He is very, very good.
Misguided
Sergeant
[stewie] Damn you, vile woman! [/stewie]
Just had to come on here and out-compliment me, didn't you?
Trokia, Fawzia is the editor-in-chief on the PoP team. She doesn't make alot of noise about it, but she's also done some of the writing for Wedding Dance. Oh, and the vast majority of the rumors folks are enjoying in PoP? Yeah, she wrote those too. (On 24 hours notice, I might add.)
So yeah, she's pretty decent at the craft herself...
-Misguided
Just had to come on here and out-compliment me, didn't you?
Trokia, Fawzia is the editor-in-chief on the PoP team. She doesn't make alot of noise about it, but she's also done some of the writing for Wedding Dance. Oh, and the vast majority of the rumors folks are enjoying in PoP? Yeah, she wrote those too. (On 24 hours notice, I might add.)
So yeah, she's pretty decent at the craft herself...
-Misguided
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
And Misguided wrote half the rumors in the rumor marathon we pulled up until at least 4:00 a.m. from early the previous morning, and also edited me. He also helped me by quoting arcane poetic rules, to force SD to dump a totally hideous phrase in one of his stories.
Damn it, Misuided, I did not compliment you to force you to compliment me. I did so because I thought your short story was terrific. And my favorite rumors about the rougie stoogies, of course.
Damn it, Misuided, I did not compliment you to force you to compliment me. I did so because I thought your short story was terrific. And my favorite rumors about the rougie stoogies, of course.
Misguided
Sergeant
OH IT'S ON, NOW!!!
Just kidding. I know you didn't. I was just in a fun mood and thought a compliment fight was funny.
Sorry if I was misunderstood. Writing I can do. Communication? Not always...
The truth is, we've had a bunch of really good stories posted. I'm glad they're showing up on the Wiki too. We need more over there.
And we didn't really dump the phrase... just made it a trifle less hideous.
-Misguided
(who is still waiting for someone to tell us we misspelled "rogue stooges")
Just kidding. I know you didn't. I was just in a fun mood and thought a compliment fight was funny.
Sorry if I was misunderstood. Writing I can do. Communication? Not always...
The truth is, we've had a bunch of really good stories posted. I'm glad they're showing up on the Wiki too. We need more over there.
And we didn't really dump the phrase... just made it a trifle less hideous.
-Misguided
(who is still waiting for someone to tell us we misspelled "rogue stooges")
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
OMIGOD, we did! I may have fixed it when I did the rumors to eliminate the apostrophes, contractions and possessives, will check. F
blowcrapup
Sergeant at Arms
It is ok to post stories here right? I will post it on the wiki site eventually I just want a little feedback first. This ends aburtly because it was longer than I originally thought.
Chapter 1 – Sins of the past
The sun was only just starting to rise but Iean Trasori had already been up for hours. He was naked from the waist up with only a pair of cloth shorts on his lower half. Shifting his weight onto his back foot he began his sword drills again. Sweat poured down his back, reflecting the light from the rising sun which gave him a bizarre orange glow. He sensed his Master beginning to walk up the hill towards him. He kept his drills up and when his Master had almost reached him he span quickly and then deftly flicked his blade towards his Master. His master, despite being a man of considerable age, (Iean had been with him for 15 years and still didn’t know how old he was) nimbly dodged the blade and drawing his own dagger placed it next to Iean’s neck. Iean had a brief moment of panic where he thought his Master might actually slit his throat. The old man looked at him long enough so that he could see that Iean had thought he was going to die and placed his dagger back in his pocket.
“Come child, it is finally time for you to hear about your past.” The man rasped.
“Yes Master Cascadus.” Iean replied. He was trying to appear cool but inside his heart was pounding. He had been Darth Cascadus’s apprentice for nearly 16 years now ever since he was 3 years old. He followed his Master to the shade of the only tree on the hill. It was a Willow tree that had become black and twisted with the power of the dark side. It was Cascadus’s favourite meditation spot. It was also the spot where Cascadus buried all his failed apprentices. Sitting on the grass he settled down to listen to his Master’s story.
Iean’s father was a young Squire in the court of one of the Kings from across the sea in Pendor. He was quick with his sword and his wit which didn’t endear him to other members of the court whose son’s he regularly embarrassed. Seeing the potential in the young lad the aging King declared he was to be named Knight Héritier, a post normally reserved for the Prince of the kingdom. This, naturally, upset the Prince who was a decadent young man whose affairs were legendry among other members of the court. Realising this was what had held him back he conspired to bring down Iean’s father using a prostitute known as La Vide.
La Vide flirted with Iean’s father constantly for weeks before he agreed to court her. After a date that Iean’s father could not wait to escape from, La Vide offered him a small nightcap due to the heavy rain that had stated whilst he was walking her home. She used the opportunity to drug him and have sex with his unconscious form. It isn’t clear how this could happen but it is suspected she used StiffWood Root on him. The Prince took great pleasure in announcing this to the Court and was even happier when La Vide revealed she was with child. Iean was stripped of his titles and fled the court in disgrace.
9 months later La Vide gave birth to a boy she named Peu Vide. She was out turning tricks with him under her arm when out of nowhere a robed man snatched the baby from her arms. La Vide wasn’t one to give something up lightly and she raced after him. Cornering her assailant in an alley she flung herself snarling at him. He placed the baby gently on the ground before turning to face her. La Vide clawed at his eyes with her nails and managed to draw blood from his cheek. She drew back her head to butt him when he reached out and grabbed her face. La Vide got a shock when she realised who it was. It was the father of her baby. His eyes were wilder and he had a heavy beard but it was clearly Iean’s lost father. She opened her mouth to demand money in maintenance for the child when Iean’s father slammed her head off the wall until the brick work cracked. Understandably this didn’t bode well for her skull. Grabbing the boy Iean’s father disappeared into the mist.
The Way of the Sith
Chapter 1 – Sins of the past
The sun was only just starting to rise but Iean Trasori had already been up for hours. He was naked from the waist up with only a pair of cloth shorts on his lower half. Shifting his weight onto his back foot he began his sword drills again. Sweat poured down his back, reflecting the light from the rising sun which gave him a bizarre orange glow. He sensed his Master beginning to walk up the hill towards him. He kept his drills up and when his Master had almost reached him he span quickly and then deftly flicked his blade towards his Master. His master, despite being a man of considerable age, (Iean had been with him for 15 years and still didn’t know how old he was) nimbly dodged the blade and drawing his own dagger placed it next to Iean’s neck. Iean had a brief moment of panic where he thought his Master might actually slit his throat. The old man looked at him long enough so that he could see that Iean had thought he was going to die and placed his dagger back in his pocket.
“Come child, it is finally time for you to hear about your past.” The man rasped.
“Yes Master Cascadus.” Iean replied. He was trying to appear cool but inside his heart was pounding. He had been Darth Cascadus’s apprentice for nearly 16 years now ever since he was 3 years old. He followed his Master to the shade of the only tree on the hill. It was a Willow tree that had become black and twisted with the power of the dark side. It was Cascadus’s favourite meditation spot. It was also the spot where Cascadus buried all his failed apprentices. Sitting on the grass he settled down to listen to his Master’s story.
Iean’s father was a young Squire in the court of one of the Kings from across the sea in Pendor. He was quick with his sword and his wit which didn’t endear him to other members of the court whose son’s he regularly embarrassed. Seeing the potential in the young lad the aging King declared he was to be named Knight Héritier, a post normally reserved for the Prince of the kingdom. This, naturally, upset the Prince who was a decadent young man whose affairs were legendry among other members of the court. Realising this was what had held him back he conspired to bring down Iean’s father using a prostitute known as La Vide.
La Vide flirted with Iean’s father constantly for weeks before he agreed to court her. After a date that Iean’s father could not wait to escape from, La Vide offered him a small nightcap due to the heavy rain that had stated whilst he was walking her home. She used the opportunity to drug him and have sex with his unconscious form. It isn’t clear how this could happen but it is suspected she used StiffWood Root on him. The Prince took great pleasure in announcing this to the Court and was even happier when La Vide revealed she was with child. Iean was stripped of his titles and fled the court in disgrace.
9 months later La Vide gave birth to a boy she named Peu Vide. She was out turning tricks with him under her arm when out of nowhere a robed man snatched the baby from her arms. La Vide wasn’t one to give something up lightly and she raced after him. Cornering her assailant in an alley she flung herself snarling at him. He placed the baby gently on the ground before turning to face her. La Vide clawed at his eyes with her nails and managed to draw blood from his cheek. She drew back her head to butt him when he reached out and grabbed her face. La Vide got a shock when she realised who it was. It was the father of her baby. His eyes were wilder and he had a heavy beard but it was clearly Iean’s lost father. She opened her mouth to demand money in maintenance for the child when Iean’s father slammed her head off the wall until the brick work cracked. Understandably this didn’t bode well for her skull. Grabbing the boy Iean’s father disappeared into the mist.
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
What a relief. I don't know about you, but my eyes were more than crossed, time we finished up the rumors and edited one another. Then we edited Noosers and SD. I think there were a few days in between before I had to redo the whole thing because the game was not reading the contractions. I could well-believe I misspelled "rouge," believe me. Now I have to figure out how to get you freaking out! Cheers, F
Edit: How's the sinus infection? You seem to have recovered much of your usual insouciance, so I hope that means you are feeling better. If so, you might have a look at the string and see if I missed something. E-mailing final version to you now.
Edit: Glad I checked back here, as I was in the process of combing the string for "rogues" which should have been "rouges" and vice versa.
Edit: How's the sinus infection? You seem to have recovered much of your usual insouciance, so I hope that means you are feeling better. If so, you might have a look at the string and see if I missed something. E-mailing final version to you now.
Edit: Glad I checked back here, as I was in the process of combing the string for "rogues" which should have been "rouges" and vice versa.
Misguided
Sergeant
I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you go into panic-mode, I really didn't. Massive communications fail. My jokes suck today.
I promise I will stop messing with your head.... for now, anyway.
Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've spoken with someone who could throw 'insouciance' into casual conversation and actually place it correctly in the sentence? I love silver dollar words.
-Misguided
PS. Ok, back to the stories. I won't hijack this thread any more..... for now, anyway.
I promise I will stop messing with your head.... for now, anyway.
Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've spoken with someone who could throw 'insouciance' into casual conversation and actually place it correctly in the sentence? I love silver dollar words.
-Misguided
PS. Ok, back to the stories. I won't hijack this thread any more..... for now, anyway.
Two nerds at geekspeek and me torturing my dictionary
Rouge Stooges may be approbiate for the Red Brotherhood, those pansies ;P And nay, you didn´t edit the rumors, you rewrote them mostly, hehe.
Keep the stories coming!
Too bad there weren´t more round when we released, I´d have LOVED to honor the authors with a little rumor reference like I did the with previous ones
Rouge Stooges may be approbiate for the Red Brotherhood, those pansies ;P And nay, you didn´t edit the rumors, you rewrote them mostly, hehe.
Keep the stories coming!
Too bad there weren´t more round when we released, I´d have LOVED to honor the authors with a little rumor reference like I did the with previous ones
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
Start up a list and keep it for when/if we do a third Pendor edition one of these days, Noosers. I actually worked a few more Devs into the rumors when I re-did them sans contractions, and they will be in the next patch.
Edit: Admit, Noosers, I held strictly to your intent in every rumor of yours I edited, just removed, how shall I call it?, a spot of Teutonic spelling and sentence construction. All of what you intended conveyed. Editors don't change your original thoughts, just make the expression of them readable. Except, of course, when prevented from doing so by "one who must go nameless."
Edit: Admit, Noosers, I held strictly to your intent in every rumor of yours I edited, just removed, how shall I call it?, a spot of Teutonic spelling and sentence construction. All of what you intended conveyed. Editors don't change your original thoughts, just make the expression of them readable. Except, of course, when prevented from doing so by "one who must go nameless."
“They thought it couldn’t be done”.
The Count found himself thinking not for the first time, admiring the massive ship before him. The bloated shape crept through the waves with an eerie silence. Two outriggers held the ship above the waves, floated by large blocks of pumice rock. No oars, no sail the ship seemed moved by the sheer will of its captain.
“A ship, made out of iron. With all due respect my lord, you’re mad.” His mind drifted back to the meeting when he had outlined his plans. The infiltration network had reported that Barclay was preparing a massive fleet in order to invade his homeland of Mettenheim. Just the word conjured flashbacks of the volcanic island fortress, the massive stonework defences lining the dormant volcano, the fertile farmland contained within the cone. Barclay had wanted the very iron mines which led to their eventual defeat. Just five of these Ironclad ships had been built in that year leading to the invasion, and just those five stood against the full military might of the most advanced nation of the known world.
The Count had stood in one the bastions with his Forlorn Hope surrounding him, watching as the battle unfolded beneath. Such a spectacle would forever be burned in his memory, first ballistae bolts and catapult flung rocks ricocheted from the metal skin of the ships. Then came the arrows and bolts. Under all this the five ironclads kept edging closer, seemingly by magic with no sail or oars. Some Barclay galleys raced in and attempted to ram the encroaching behemoths but were unable to more than dent the armour. One galley misjudged the approach and was crushed under the unforgiving prow of the Mettenheimer ship.
Barclay then changed tactics and attempted to land troops on the island without Naval superiority, but the Ironclads proved effective at dispersing any large buildup of transports, the rest was done by the naturally small size of the beach, sheer walls of slate rising to either side. Only few men managed to clamber ashore and they were swiftly dispatched by the Mettenheim Greatswords waiting for them.
A shout woke the Count from his reverie, land had been sighted. The Count allowed a rare smile to line his face, the future was looking up for his people. Massive food shortages had lead to trade with their former enemies, Barclay. A number of years of prosperity had resulted but Barclay sold them less and less food over the years until the growing Mettenheim population could no longer be supported. Rumours had told of another land across the sea, this land had now been found.
An ironplated boot thudded into the wet sand, the greatsword slung unsheathed over the armoured shoulder clanked loudly when he landed. Rivets of sea water ran across the surface as the shoe sank somewhat into the saturated beach. The Count reached down and took a handful of the sand and stood again, holding it before his face he looked at it for a while, brow creased in thought for a moment.
“So this is Pendor…”
The Count found himself thinking not for the first time, admiring the massive ship before him. The bloated shape crept through the waves with an eerie silence. Two outriggers held the ship above the waves, floated by large blocks of pumice rock. No oars, no sail the ship seemed moved by the sheer will of its captain.
“A ship, made out of iron. With all due respect my lord, you’re mad.” His mind drifted back to the meeting when he had outlined his plans. The infiltration network had reported that Barclay was preparing a massive fleet in order to invade his homeland of Mettenheim. Just the word conjured flashbacks of the volcanic island fortress, the massive stonework defences lining the dormant volcano, the fertile farmland contained within the cone. Barclay had wanted the very iron mines which led to their eventual defeat. Just five of these Ironclad ships had been built in that year leading to the invasion, and just those five stood against the full military might of the most advanced nation of the known world.
The Count had stood in one the bastions with his Forlorn Hope surrounding him, watching as the battle unfolded beneath. Such a spectacle would forever be burned in his memory, first ballistae bolts and catapult flung rocks ricocheted from the metal skin of the ships. Then came the arrows and bolts. Under all this the five ironclads kept edging closer, seemingly by magic with no sail or oars. Some Barclay galleys raced in and attempted to ram the encroaching behemoths but were unable to more than dent the armour. One galley misjudged the approach and was crushed under the unforgiving prow of the Mettenheimer ship.
Barclay then changed tactics and attempted to land troops on the island without Naval superiority, but the Ironclads proved effective at dispersing any large buildup of transports, the rest was done by the naturally small size of the beach, sheer walls of slate rising to either side. Only few men managed to clamber ashore and they were swiftly dispatched by the Mettenheim Greatswords waiting for them.
A shout woke the Count from his reverie, land had been sighted. The Count allowed a rare smile to line his face, the future was looking up for his people. Massive food shortages had lead to trade with their former enemies, Barclay. A number of years of prosperity had resulted but Barclay sold them less and less food over the years until the growing Mettenheim population could no longer be supported. Rumours had told of another land across the sea, this land had now been found.
An ironplated boot thudded into the wet sand, the greatsword slung unsheathed over the armoured shoulder clanked loudly when he landed. Rivets of sea water ran across the surface as the shoe sank somewhat into the saturated beach. The Count reached down and took a handful of the sand and stood again, holding it before his face he looked at it for a while, brow creased in thought for a moment.
“So this is Pendor…”
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
Nice one, M0rdred! A totally new take on the whole thing and it was clever to start with Barclay's invasion of Mettenhein. Do please continue into Pendor.
Gydia went down with a slight whimper, the Cobra Knight’s bardiche hammering down on her head. She was the last. Frederick knelt behind the hellish charger from one of his dead foes, greatsword held tightly in his hands. The chainmail leggings he wore bit painfully into his knees but was ignored, all his concentration lay on the clipped gallop of the four Cobra Knights still circling the remnants of the Mettenheimer line.
Closing his eyes to better hear, the sounds around him became a dull thud, the Knights each trying to get an angle on the last man. His attention wandered for a moment, remembering the orders of his beloved Count to go search for friendly villages with whom to trade, their reception had been cool at best. The last town they had visited in the territory of a faction known locally as “The Empire” they had been chased out of, being called Snake Worshippers with great venom from the towns people. Not wanting to cause a diplomatic incident, and not knowing what to make of the insult the Mettenheimers had rapidly left. Following the hasty departure they were just forming marching ranks when… Fredericks eyes sprung open, one of the Knights was thundering in on his position, rushing to his feet Frederick brought his greatsword sweeping in a massive horizontal arc. The blade gouged through the chargers armour, causing the horse to rear. Not stopping his movement he twirled around, bringing his sword hammering down his other side, right into the exposed back of the Knight. The blade ricocheted slightly, bit and then sliced through the thick armour of the Knight, slicing right through its spine. One down the survivor muttered darkly. The remaining three Knights slowed to a canter and circled the man warily.
Sudden recollection sprung unbidden into Fredericks mind, his recent induction to the hallowed order of Mettenheim, the Forlorn Hope. Only the oldest, most grizzled of the Mettenheimer greatswordsmen were permitted to enter, it was a privilege very few lived to see. Pride at his position rushed through his heart and he permitted a tight smile to break out on his face. Hoisting his sword from the back of the dead Knight, he sprung to the attack, roaring a challenge as he went. The sudden noise startled the mount of his selected foe, causing it to sidestep a moment. That was all the time he needed, bringing the massive weapon over his head he brought it down with all of his immense strength. The impact brought the sword straight through the helm, splitting the skull cleanly in half. Two left.
One of the Knights took this opportunity and kicked his horse into a gallop, Frederick saw him coming, but his sword was still stuck in the fallen Knight. Drawing the spare broadsword from his side, Frederick brought himself into a crouched stance. The Knight came right at him, bardiche raised for the final blow, Frederick nearly sidestepped the charge but felt a searing pain sluice through his right arm. The bardiche had managed to crack the platemail shoulderguard, and the bent edge of metal was now buried in a deep wound. Trying to dull the pain he brought his weapon round as the Knight thundered past, however it only managed to clip a few hairs from the horses’ tail. Making use of the time it took the Knight to circle he kicked his greatsword free from the corpse and rushed back to his defensive position by the happily grazing horse, where he had knelt before. The two Knights retained their distance from him but moved together and began gesturing to one another. The Mettenheimer couldn’t hear what was said, but soon the two knights took opposite positions and prepared to charge in from opposite sides. He strode to the horse, and patted the animal on the neck, in turn the horse turned to look at him, ears flicking back in concern at the sudden move. Frederick took a step away from the horse, which continued to stare him down. It suddenly whinned in fright, reared and galloped away as one of the Cobra Knights hammered into its rear. Frederick spun to face the other, managing to bring his sword to bear as the Knight rode past, bardiche missing his head by millimeters. The longer Mettenheimer weapon had not missed however, shattering the breastplate of the Knight, and causing him to slide off the horse like an old rag doll. The second Knight, his momentum lost tried to kick his horse into action again but didn’t have the time, Frederick rushed in, sword aligned behind him, swung it and delivered a mighty blow, stepping in as he did. The stepping in meant the blade couldn’t swing fully but connected the thicker part with the helm of the Knight, which pealed like the warning bell from home. Dazed the Knight fell from his horse and lay still. The first unhorsed Knight rose unsteadily to his feet, but was met with a plated boot in the midriff, and fell to his back again. Frederick plunged his weapon through the eye holes of the knight’s helm, and it stopped struggling. Silence crept into the battleground, the fight over.
Adrenaline rushed from Fredericks veins, and he found himself on his knees once again, breathing hard. Pain stabbed out from his heart, and he raised a clenched fist to his chest as if to throttle the radiating hurt. Eventually it subsided leaving Frederick feeling weak and spent, but alive. He rose slowly using the sword to bear his weight, and looked about at the still bodies of those he had known so well. One began to rustle, and he staggered over, it was Gydia feebly moaning. Sweeping her onto his shoulder he sauntered over to one of the dead Knights and wrestled its helm off.
Returning to the village, Gydia now walking for herself but bearing a heavily bandaged head he was met by the villagers once again, now looking riled and holding pitchforks in their hands. Frederick noticed some of them had white knuckles, and one of two were trembling. Taking pains not to make a sudden move Frederick withdrew the Cobra Knight’s helm from his pack, and threw it before the village elder.
Closing his eyes to better hear, the sounds around him became a dull thud, the Knights each trying to get an angle on the last man. His attention wandered for a moment, remembering the orders of his beloved Count to go search for friendly villages with whom to trade, their reception had been cool at best. The last town they had visited in the territory of a faction known locally as “The Empire” they had been chased out of, being called Snake Worshippers with great venom from the towns people. Not wanting to cause a diplomatic incident, and not knowing what to make of the insult the Mettenheimers had rapidly left. Following the hasty departure they were just forming marching ranks when… Fredericks eyes sprung open, one of the Knights was thundering in on his position, rushing to his feet Frederick brought his greatsword sweeping in a massive horizontal arc. The blade gouged through the chargers armour, causing the horse to rear. Not stopping his movement he twirled around, bringing his sword hammering down his other side, right into the exposed back of the Knight. The blade ricocheted slightly, bit and then sliced through the thick armour of the Knight, slicing right through its spine. One down the survivor muttered darkly. The remaining three Knights slowed to a canter and circled the man warily.
Sudden recollection sprung unbidden into Fredericks mind, his recent induction to the hallowed order of Mettenheim, the Forlorn Hope. Only the oldest, most grizzled of the Mettenheimer greatswordsmen were permitted to enter, it was a privilege very few lived to see. Pride at his position rushed through his heart and he permitted a tight smile to break out on his face. Hoisting his sword from the back of the dead Knight, he sprung to the attack, roaring a challenge as he went. The sudden noise startled the mount of his selected foe, causing it to sidestep a moment. That was all the time he needed, bringing the massive weapon over his head he brought it down with all of his immense strength. The impact brought the sword straight through the helm, splitting the skull cleanly in half. Two left.
One of the Knights took this opportunity and kicked his horse into a gallop, Frederick saw him coming, but his sword was still stuck in the fallen Knight. Drawing the spare broadsword from his side, Frederick brought himself into a crouched stance. The Knight came right at him, bardiche raised for the final blow, Frederick nearly sidestepped the charge but felt a searing pain sluice through his right arm. The bardiche had managed to crack the platemail shoulderguard, and the bent edge of metal was now buried in a deep wound. Trying to dull the pain he brought his weapon round as the Knight thundered past, however it only managed to clip a few hairs from the horses’ tail. Making use of the time it took the Knight to circle he kicked his greatsword free from the corpse and rushed back to his defensive position by the happily grazing horse, where he had knelt before. The two Knights retained their distance from him but moved together and began gesturing to one another. The Mettenheimer couldn’t hear what was said, but soon the two knights took opposite positions and prepared to charge in from opposite sides. He strode to the horse, and patted the animal on the neck, in turn the horse turned to look at him, ears flicking back in concern at the sudden move. Frederick took a step away from the horse, which continued to stare him down. It suddenly whinned in fright, reared and galloped away as one of the Cobra Knights hammered into its rear. Frederick spun to face the other, managing to bring his sword to bear as the Knight rode past, bardiche missing his head by millimeters. The longer Mettenheimer weapon had not missed however, shattering the breastplate of the Knight, and causing him to slide off the horse like an old rag doll. The second Knight, his momentum lost tried to kick his horse into action again but didn’t have the time, Frederick rushed in, sword aligned behind him, swung it and delivered a mighty blow, stepping in as he did. The stepping in meant the blade couldn’t swing fully but connected the thicker part with the helm of the Knight, which pealed like the warning bell from home. Dazed the Knight fell from his horse and lay still. The first unhorsed Knight rose unsteadily to his feet, but was met with a plated boot in the midriff, and fell to his back again. Frederick plunged his weapon through the eye holes of the knight’s helm, and it stopped struggling. Silence crept into the battleground, the fight over.
Adrenaline rushed from Fredericks veins, and he found himself on his knees once again, breathing hard. Pain stabbed out from his heart, and he raised a clenched fist to his chest as if to throttle the radiating hurt. Eventually it subsided leaving Frederick feeling weak and spent, but alive. He rose slowly using the sword to bear his weight, and looked about at the still bodies of those he had known so well. One began to rustle, and he staggered over, it was Gydia feebly moaning. Sweeping her onto his shoulder he sauntered over to one of the dead Knights and wrestled its helm off.
Returning to the village, Gydia now walking for herself but bearing a heavily bandaged head he was met by the villagers once again, now looking riled and holding pitchforks in their hands. Frederick noticed some of them had white knuckles, and one of two were trembling. Taking pains not to make a sudden move Frederick withdrew the Cobra Knight’s helm from his pack, and threw it before the village elder.
Nikator
Recruit
I had some spare time and decided to create som fan-fiction, if you will. Its not a story per se, but rather something I hope can contribute to the PoP lore. It is more of an exert from a historybook or the like. By all means, since this has not been approved of by Saxondragon, it is merely fictional and for my own use, though, should it somehow become considered "canon", I would be very honoured.
Edit: The Heretics worship Erida Occisor, not Azi Dahaka as I had written. Pure misstake from my part. Thanks to Ms. Fawzia for pointing this out.
Edit2: Complete grammatical rewamp by Ms. Fawzia. Also minor changes done to smoothen the story. Also done by Ms. Fawzia. Big thanks!
Edit3: Taken it out of spoilers, as per Ms. Fawzia's suggestion.
Edit4: Further corrections, again by Ms. Fawzia.
The Maid of Marleons
Forward:
Many tales and myths surround the origins and truth of the existence of the woman we today know as “The Maid of Marleons”.
My aspiration is to shed some light on this enigmatic character by compiling and analyzing everything we know about her. Not only facts of which we are sure, taken from historical records during her lifespan, but also folklore and fiction must be thoroughly analyzed to find the truth about this woman, her life and her exploits.
Chapter 1 – Origins
It is a certainty that the Maid of Marleons actually existed. Far too many historians and scholars from her own time mention her to deny this fact.
My studies of ancient documents and text suggest that she was alive sometime between the years of 58 and 80, after the Founding of Pendor. While some sources indicate that she was born in Year 55 after the Founding of Pendor, the majority of our sources point towards 58. One must also take into account that Godfrey d’Artois of Laria, the greatest historian of the early days of the Kingdom of Pendor, active between the years of 43 to 96 after the Founding of Pendor, states that she was born in the year 58, after the Founding of Pendor. Her date of death is accurately recorded.
Her real name is a matter of debate. Most sources suggest that her name was “Aliett”, others suggest “Colette”. The two names are very similar to one another and mistranslations and changes in dialects probably cause the conflicting records of her name. A few, mainly sources from folklore, think her name was “Damia.” This seems highly unlikely, however, and is more than likely a reference to the old Pendorian goddess of the Empire, “Damia Provideo”. I am inclined to cede authority to the notes of Godfrey d’Artois in this matter. He states that her name was “Aliett”. I will henceforth refer to her as Aliett, since it seems most likely that this was her true name.
Her surname and childhood is more easily identifiable as the majority of my sources agree on this point. She was the daughter of Etienne and Camille Dupont of the village of Pern. Her father was a fisherman and she grew up in modest circumstances. We know little more of her childhood than that it was spent in her home village of Pern and that it was a quiet one. Sources indicate that her family was a pious one and often visited the local temple, dedicated to Eunomia Stabilitis, the old Pendorian goddess of Sarleon considered to be the chief goddess of the Pendor pantheon at that time.
From the written memoirs of a monk serving there during Aliett's childhood, Brother Tomas Depaul, we learn that Aliett was a charismatic girl. She was very pious and frequently asked the monk difficult questions about life, morality and ethics. Our first description of her appearance derives from this source. She is described as having shoulder length blonde hair and intense, almost radiant, blue eyes. She was very serious and rarely smiled or laughed. On the few times she did so in his presence, Brother Tomas described a “...pure and innocent laugh”. Her voice was “smooth and light,” and Brother Tomas writes “...held an undeniable truthfulness.”
While many records from Brother Tomas Depaul describe her attendance and discussions in the temple, most are of no real interest until Aliett was in her late teens. At the age of 17 (Year 75 from the Founding of Pendor) she appears to have changed in consciousness and mentality. From this point onward, her life becomes most interesting and her mark on history apparent.
Chapter 2 – Rise to prominence
As of her 17th birthday, this cheerful and inquisitive girl developed a darker mindset. From Brother Tomas Depaul's account of his conversations with her, it is obvious that she became both aware of and obsessed with, the injustices of the world. She began questioning the nature of man, wondering if there was any goodness within herself or, indeed, in mankind. Brother Tomas writes that she railed for hours on end against the cruelty and viciousness of humanity, only to break down in tears thereafter. Her views on life became increasingly grey and bitter. Each time she visited the temple she seemed sadder and more dejected about life. Brother Tomas notes that he believes she was suffering from depression and feared that she might take her own life. Her condition persisted for weeks, until, allegedly, a miracle occurred.
The miracle took place on the day Aliett’s family customarily visited the temple. Brother Tomas was bracing himself to deal with the troubled girl, hoping to raise her spirits and help her see life from a more optimistic side. Most certainly, Aliett’s condition was cumbersome, not only to herself, but also to Brother Tomas... On this day, however, Aliett was not sad or apathetic. Brother Tomas describes her as “...determined.” She told him about she had been visited and spoken to by a woman in her dreams. Brother Tomas assumed that the woman might have been Eunomia Stabilitis herself, to which Aliett responded that she had not seen the woman, but merely heard her voice and which gave her “commandments”. She had been tasked by this divinity in her dreams to cleanse the world of all evil and injustice: a daunting task for the 17-year old daughter of a fisherman. Yet, as Brother Tomas notes “She was as convinced of the reality of this divinity’s visit in her dream as of her ability to fulfill the commandments given to her”.
There has been much controversy over the identity of this divinity, even supposing that things transpired as Aliett told Brother Tomas. Many claim that it was indeed Eunomia Stabilitis herself who visited Aliett in her dreams. As Aliett worshipped in the temple dedicated to Eunomia and her family prayed to Eunomia, this seems a logical conclusion. However, many recent scholars believe that the dream goddess could in fact have been Astraea. While it is true that the first written records of the deity Astraea stemmed from the dreams of Sir Bernard, the commandments fit the description of Astraea, as well as the fact the she was encountered during a dream, something Eunomia rarely is credited with doing. Aliett herself never used a specific name for the divinity from her dream, merely calling her “The Goddess”.
Aliett began preaching of her dream in Pern and in the local temple. She urged the villagers not only to live pure lives, but also to take up arms against the evil and injustice plaguing the world. Her personal charisma persuaded many to join her ranks, and before long she had her own group of devout followers. This posed a problem to the local temple, as of the people converted to Aliett’s new religion ceased visiting the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis. At the age of 18, she was expelled from the local temple and thus not allowed to preach her faith. She was also warned to cease spreading her “heretical faith” in Pern. Brother Tomas expressed sorrow that “Such a bright and pure girl could fall so out of touch with Sacred Eunomia”. Though bound to the temple and its tenets, Brother Tomas continued to document the life of Aliett privately, mainly through second-hand sources. From this point onwards his notes become more unreliable, and we must critically review them to discern truth from probably fictional anecdote.
Despite warnings, Aliett refused to cease spreading her beliefs. (Calling it a new “faith” is problematic, since it does not have a clear deity; better perhaps to call it “a way of life.”) From what we can discern from Brother Tomas’ notes, Aliett advocated a sinless way of life, as well as a conscious and active struggle against evil. That, she said, was the “...One and only divine truth and principle”.
At first, this Aliett’s newly founded sect was rather reclusive and thus went relatively unnoticed. True, the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis in Pern lost a few worshippers, but there were no larger effects on the world. That circumstance, however, soon changed.
Chapter 3 – Uprising
At the age of 19 (Year 78 from the Founding of Pendor) Aliett’s cult had grown quite large, and included more than half of the villagers of Pern. It should be noted, however, that Aliett’s parents stayed true to the local temple. Aliett’s cult called itself “Les enfants de la Déesse” (Trans. “The children of the Goddess”). In the winter of the year 78 from the Founding of Pendor, Aliett began accusing the local temple of Eunomia Stabilitis of being evil and corrupt, of putting stability and the rule of law above justice. It should be noted that the head priest, Brother Reynald Aucoin, did impose a heavy temple-tax on the villagers of Pern. A schism was formed in the village of Pern, with Aliett and her “Les enfants de la Déesse” on one side, and Brother Reynald and the Temple of Eunomia Stabilitis on the other. As Brother Reynald attempted to tighten his grip on the village of Pern by outlawing Aliett’s “Les enfants de la Déesse” and subsequently executing many of them, the unrest in the village grew, as did Aliett’s cult. After executing a dozen villagers on the charge of heresy Brother Reynald effectively turned the village against him. Aliett declared Brother Reynald to be the true heretic and even, according to some sources, a child of Erida Occisor. The only means of preventing Brother Reynald’s execution of the local populace was to declare open rebellion, and Aliett announced that the purge of evil would begin with Brother Reynald and his temple. Rebellion broke out, and Brother Reynald and his temple, protected by only a small militia regiment, most of whom defected to Aliett, were alarmed by the quick turn of events. They dispatched a messenger to Talon Castle with a request to the local lord, Sir Roderick the Red, that he bring his knights and crush the peasant rebellion. Though Sir Roderick left with his knights upon receipt of the message, it had arrived too late.
Expecting the worst, Sir Roderick was surprised when he arrived at Pern and found the village intact with no defenses raised against his arrival. At first glance, there was nothing unusual in the appearance of the village, as if no uprising had taken place at all. Bravely, Sir Roderick and his knights rode forth towards the village and warily made their way towards the temple. The temple was abandoned, but completely intact. As Sir Roderick and his knights searched the temple for survivors and clues as to what had transpired he encountered Aliett.
Chapter 4 – Conversion
What happened thereafter has puzzled historians and theologians for decades. According to some, Sir Roderick and Aliett sat down and spoke together. During this conversation, Sir Roderick was so impressed by the zeal and charisma of the young girl, that he swore allegiance to her, effectively becoming her champion. Others say that the young girl placed her hand upon the knight’s forehead and either showed him her dream, or enchanted him with foul witchcraft. It is certain that Aliett accompanied Sir Roderick to Talon Castle to submit to the judgment of the priests who awaited her, to hear her explanations and possibly order her executed for heresy. Upon their arrival, however, Sir Roderick personally took Aliett’s side and declared her innocent. Instead, he claimed, the villagers of Pern had acted entirely independently of Aliett and had merely used Aliett as a scapegoat. The response of the assembled priests to this statement was harsh. They decreed that the village of Pern would be decimated; every 10th adult man would be burned at the stake. The task devolved to Sir Roderick. Aliett was unaware of the priests’ decision and wept bitter tears when Sir Roderick left and she heard rumors of what had been ordered. However, it is clear that Sir Roderick’s act of obedience to the priests saved Aliett’s life. Upon his return to Talon Castle, Sir Roderick reported to the assembled priests his compliance with their command. Content, they left Talon Castle, and from this point onward, Aliett assumed a more prominent role not only in Sir Roderick’s life, but also in the daily affairs of the castle. The librarian of Talon Castle, Bernard l’Aquil, is my main source for details of Aliett’s castle life. From his records we learn that Aliett became a lady of the court. “She insisted on living simply and stayed humble, wishing only to testify in her beliefs,” Bernard writes. She was granted her wish, and Sir Roderick gave her a small chapel at Talon Castle within which she spread her faith. She successfully converted not only the local villagers, but also the men and women of the court at Talon Castle. As there were no other temples present in Talon Castle itself, Aliett was free from of harassment from the more established religions.
However, another religion had begun manifesting in the countryside east of Talon Castle. The heretics, worshipping Erida Occisor had suddenly begun spreading like a wildfire, murdering and pillaging everything in their wake. In the Year 80 from the Founding of Pendor, Sir Roderick rode out with his soldiers to meet them in the field, as the Heretics they had now amassed a sizeable force. According to Bernard l’Aquil, Aliett, now a woman of 22 insisted on being permitted to ride out into the field with him. Sir Roderick refused to allow her to accompany him. Sir Roderick was defeated on the battlefield, struck by an arrow and mortally wounded. His forces were utterly routed. On their return to the castle it is written that Aliett rushed to meet them, as if she sensed that Sir Roderick had been wounded. She immediately arranged for him to be cared for by the court-physicians and herbalists. What is truly remarkable is that for her own part, she ordered a suit of armor and a sword and shield to be brought to her. Most of the knights were certainly shocked by her wish, but complied with her order. Perhaps they saw no reason in denying her it, considering that the Heretic Army, which had given quick chase to the returning knights, would soon be at the walls of Talon Castle. She must have been an amusing sight in armor most certainly too large for her frame wielding a sword and shield she had no idea how to use... By nightfall the Heretics siege equipment was complete and they were laying siege to Talon Castle. Most of the defending soldiers and knights were terrified. There was no way out of the castle now. They must hold the walls and beat back the invaders, or perish. Bernard l’Aquil writes that the Heretics waited to assault until the next morning. Most of the men inside Talon Castle were still asleep as the Heretics began the assault. As the castle defenders scrambled to the walls, a terrifying sight met them. The Heretics outnumbered them by at least 5 to 1. Worse, adorning the siege towers were the heads, skins and body parts of knights who had fallen in the battle the previous day. Many men were outright panicked and could not decide whether they should surrender or take their own lives, thus ensuring at least a quick and painless death. Aliett strode to the courtyard of Talon Castle, in her suit of old armor, bearing Sir Roderick’s Standard, 3 lions on a red and yellow squared background. She made a speech of such caliber that the men were instantly, as Bernard l’Aquil describes it, “...fuelled with such a passion and invigorated with such a steadfast resolution that defeat was impossible”.
Rallied by the young maiden, the men quickly manned the wall. Aliett herself stood at the forefront, having dropped her shield so that she might wield her sword in one hand, and the banner of Sir Roderick in the other. The ensuing battle was a bloody affair, and casualties were high on both sides. On more than one occasion the lines of the defenders seem to bend, only to be rallied by Aliett and the fighting would continue with renewed fervor. By the end of the day, the Heretic Army was defeated, and the remains of it routed. Talon Castle was safe, as was the surrounding countryside. Bernard l’Aquil writes that after the battle, Aliett was nowhere to be found; many men were afraid that she had died in the last hours of the fighting. She was found on one of the walls, unconscious and covered in blood. She was carried to the courtyard, followed by all surviving soldiers. Two knights, Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier stripped her of her armor and washed her. Suddenly she awakened, at which point the soldiers joyfully cheered. She was given many nicknames that day. “Aliett the Pure”, “Aliett the Blessed!”, “The Virgin of Victory!” The soldiers sang songs praising her and she was revered as a true heroic figure. She placed her hands on the shoulders of Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier and asked to be carried away. They complied and as she passed them even more cheers erupted from the euphoric soldiers. It is written that Jean and Gaston later swore total loyalty to Aliett, thus, in a way, abandoning their oaths of fealty to Sir Roderick, and became her closest retainers.
Things looked grim for Sir Roderick, and many feared that he would not last many more days. The minor nobles began debating and arguing with each other about who would become the new master of Talon Castle, until Sir Roderick himself entered the room, mostly recovered, with Aliett close behind him. The noblemen were shocked and most, if not all, immediately knelt down and asked for forgiveness of their unseemly behavior. Sir Roderick pardoned them all, on condition that they swear an oath of allegiance, not only to himself, but also to Aliett. The notion that a woman, unmarried at the age of 22, with no noble ties, should receive vows of allegiance from a dozen nobles, albeit minor ones, was shocking to them. Although they all complied, it is not surprising that many of them were enraged. One man in particular would prove to be dangerously dissatisfied with this decision.
Author’s note: It was after being gravely wounded in his battle with the Heretic Army that Sir Roderick had “the Red” appended to his title.
Chapter 5 – Heresy
The oath to Aliett that Sir Roderick forced upon the minor nobles caused bitterness amongst them. Sir Roderick’s intention must surely have been to protect Aliett. He did not realize that, with his action he had signed her death warrant.
One nobleman, Simon Laroche, was infuriated at swearing fealty to a mere peasant girl. In secret he rallied a number of other noblemen of the same mind. In secret he sent a courier to Marleons, explaining the situation with Aliett and demanding that she be tried for heresy. Surprisingly, Simon Laroche did not mention Sir Roderick or his part in the events that had transpired. Instead, he pointed towards Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier as the main culprits. His reason for this still remains a mystery. We know from Bernard l’Aquil that Simon revered Sir Roderick as his foster-father. Perhaps his motive was merely filial devotion.
What we do know is that the priesthood of Eunomia Stabilitis in Marleons viewed this news as very grave indeed, and shortly an envoy with an armed escort arrived at Talon Castle to apprehend Aliett, Jean and Gaston. Sir Roderick’s reaction to this is unknown, as no source relates his thoughts or feelings. We can assume that any form of resistance was out of the question, lest he wished to be branded a traitor and/or heretic himself.
Aliett, Jean and Gaston were brought to Marleons to be publicly tried by a court composed of the chief priests of Eunomia Stabilitis. The trial transcript is preserved, as it was included in many history books. We learn that Jean Luc refused to speak in his defense, and was quickly branded a heretic and sentenced to death. Gaston Tillier on the other hand desperately tried to defend himself, claiming innocence by scapegoat Aliett, most likely in the hope of being pardoned himself. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
As for Aliett herself, one can argue that her faith was sealed from the moment she was brought to Marleons. As a potential troublemaker and rival to the temple of Eunomia, she had to be removed. Because the trial was held in public, a huge crowd gathered for the trials. Many of them taunted and insulted Aliett and her retainers as they were brought before the jury. It is written, however, that in her defense, Aliett gave an incredible speech which silenced the crowd and even invoked sympathy for her. She was a skilled and charismatic orator. Yet, no matter how valid a defense she conjured, the court had already branded her a heretic and rebel, thus effectively sentencing her to death. The gathering crowd did not approve this verdict, however, as they had been so touched by her speech that most, if not all, admired her. As she and Jean Luc were led away to be burned at the stake in the Marleons town square, the crowd grew unruly, coming close to an uprising. Aliett then spoke, encouraging the crowd to calm themselves; that she wished for no unnecessary blood to be spilt this day. She stated that she would “...return home”. She also encouraged the villagers to remember her name and faith, and not forget the day on which she was executed. The march towards the pyre continued in silence. Many villagers wept on her behalf. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted “Remember the Maid of Marleons!” Soon, the crowd began shouting the words in unison.
Aliett and Jean Luc were burned at the stake. Whilst Jean Luc tried to retain his knightly fortitude and did not scream when the flames licked his body, Aliett openly cried and screamed as her body was burnt. One of the guards charged with keeping the crowd back from the pyre then did something surprising. He turned and thrust his halberd into Aliett. We do not know if he did it out of compassion, but most scholars believe so, as eyewitnesses from the day tell us that he wept as he did so. Aliett, along with her outlawed faith, was effectively dead.
News reached Sir Roderick the Red later the same day about what had transpired, and it is said he went into a serious depression. He locked himself in for weeks and would not see anyone except for his sister. What they talked about during this time is unknown, and most likely unimportant.
Chapter 6 – Legacy
Though Aliett was dead and her faith outlawed, her legacy would live on in many different forms. The 7th of July is still celebrated in Marleons and the nearby countryside as “The day of the Maid of Marleons”, much to the dismay of the denizens of the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis. This was not the result they expected from Aliett’s execution, but they had unwittingly created a martyr for the people.
Aliett’s legacy also survived in a more subtle form. Sir Roderick the Red is reported to have “abandoned” the faith of Aliett after her execution; certainly he did not openly practice or speak of it after. Two years after Aliett’s execution, the Year 82 after the Founding of Pendor, he founded the knightly order “The Order of the Lion”. While the order itself holds no true connection to Aliett and her teachings, the order took the Lion as their sacred symbol. The symbol of Pern and Talon Castle was three lions. Scholars have debated if the choice of a lion somehow connected the order to the location of Aliett’s birth and life. We also know that the 7th of July is a sacred day to the Order of the Lion. Little is known of the inner teachings and beliefs of the Order of the Lion, because they, like most knighthood orders, are very secretive about their rites. It is likely that the Order of the Lion remembers and perhaps reveres Aliett. All this is, however, mere speculation. It might very well be true that the Order of the Lion holds no connection to Aliett at all.
Whatever the case might be, the life and exploits of Aliett did not disappear as the priests of Eunomia had hoped. Indeed, her name and deeds were immortalized. Her many nicknames attest to her popularity and widespread fame. She was called “Aliett the Pure”, “Aliett the Maiden”, “Aliett the Virgin Victor”. We may never learn the absolute truth about her, as even to this day scholars, priests and common people still retell her tale, speculate and debate about this most enigmatic person. It is my hope that this report sheds at least some light on the famous “Maiden of Marleons”.
By my hand
Roger d’Lochlay of Poinsbruk
Scholar and royal librarian of Poinsbruk
Keeper of the Sacred Water of the Loch
Edit: The Heretics worship Erida Occisor, not Azi Dahaka as I had written. Pure misstake from my part. Thanks to Ms. Fawzia for pointing this out.
Edit2: Complete grammatical rewamp by Ms. Fawzia. Also minor changes done to smoothen the story. Also done by Ms. Fawzia. Big thanks!
Edit3: Taken it out of spoilers, as per Ms. Fawzia's suggestion.
Edit4: Further corrections, again by Ms. Fawzia.
The Maid of Marleons
Forward:
Many tales and myths surround the origins and truth of the existence of the woman we today know as “The Maid of Marleons”.
My aspiration is to shed some light on this enigmatic character by compiling and analyzing everything we know about her. Not only facts of which we are sure, taken from historical records during her lifespan, but also folklore and fiction must be thoroughly analyzed to find the truth about this woman, her life and her exploits.
Chapter 1 – Origins
It is a certainty that the Maid of Marleons actually existed. Far too many historians and scholars from her own time mention her to deny this fact.
My studies of ancient documents and text suggest that she was alive sometime between the years of 58 and 80, after the Founding of Pendor. While some sources indicate that she was born in Year 55 after the Founding of Pendor, the majority of our sources point towards 58. One must also take into account that Godfrey d’Artois of Laria, the greatest historian of the early days of the Kingdom of Pendor, active between the years of 43 to 96 after the Founding of Pendor, states that she was born in the year 58, after the Founding of Pendor. Her date of death is accurately recorded.
Her real name is a matter of debate. Most sources suggest that her name was “Aliett”, others suggest “Colette”. The two names are very similar to one another and mistranslations and changes in dialects probably cause the conflicting records of her name. A few, mainly sources from folklore, think her name was “Damia.” This seems highly unlikely, however, and is more than likely a reference to the old Pendorian goddess of the Empire, “Damia Provideo”. I am inclined to cede authority to the notes of Godfrey d’Artois in this matter. He states that her name was “Aliett”. I will henceforth refer to her as Aliett, since it seems most likely that this was her true name.
Her surname and childhood is more easily identifiable as the majority of my sources agree on this point. She was the daughter of Etienne and Camille Dupont of the village of Pern. Her father was a fisherman and she grew up in modest circumstances. We know little more of her childhood than that it was spent in her home village of Pern and that it was a quiet one. Sources indicate that her family was a pious one and often visited the local temple, dedicated to Eunomia Stabilitis, the old Pendorian goddess of Sarleon considered to be the chief goddess of the Pendor pantheon at that time.
From the written memoirs of a monk serving there during Aliett's childhood, Brother Tomas Depaul, we learn that Aliett was a charismatic girl. She was very pious and frequently asked the monk difficult questions about life, morality and ethics. Our first description of her appearance derives from this source. She is described as having shoulder length blonde hair and intense, almost radiant, blue eyes. She was very serious and rarely smiled or laughed. On the few times she did so in his presence, Brother Tomas described a “...pure and innocent laugh”. Her voice was “smooth and light,” and Brother Tomas writes “...held an undeniable truthfulness.”
While many records from Brother Tomas Depaul describe her attendance and discussions in the temple, most are of no real interest until Aliett was in her late teens. At the age of 17 (Year 75 from the Founding of Pendor) she appears to have changed in consciousness and mentality. From this point onward, her life becomes most interesting and her mark on history apparent.
Chapter 2 – Rise to prominence
As of her 17th birthday, this cheerful and inquisitive girl developed a darker mindset. From Brother Tomas Depaul's account of his conversations with her, it is obvious that she became both aware of and obsessed with, the injustices of the world. She began questioning the nature of man, wondering if there was any goodness within herself or, indeed, in mankind. Brother Tomas writes that she railed for hours on end against the cruelty and viciousness of humanity, only to break down in tears thereafter. Her views on life became increasingly grey and bitter. Each time she visited the temple she seemed sadder and more dejected about life. Brother Tomas notes that he believes she was suffering from depression and feared that she might take her own life. Her condition persisted for weeks, until, allegedly, a miracle occurred.
The miracle took place on the day Aliett’s family customarily visited the temple. Brother Tomas was bracing himself to deal with the troubled girl, hoping to raise her spirits and help her see life from a more optimistic side. Most certainly, Aliett’s condition was cumbersome, not only to herself, but also to Brother Tomas... On this day, however, Aliett was not sad or apathetic. Brother Tomas describes her as “...determined.” She told him about she had been visited and spoken to by a woman in her dreams. Brother Tomas assumed that the woman might have been Eunomia Stabilitis herself, to which Aliett responded that she had not seen the woman, but merely heard her voice and which gave her “commandments”. She had been tasked by this divinity in her dreams to cleanse the world of all evil and injustice: a daunting task for the 17-year old daughter of a fisherman. Yet, as Brother Tomas notes “She was as convinced of the reality of this divinity’s visit in her dream as of her ability to fulfill the commandments given to her”.
There has been much controversy over the identity of this divinity, even supposing that things transpired as Aliett told Brother Tomas. Many claim that it was indeed Eunomia Stabilitis herself who visited Aliett in her dreams. As Aliett worshipped in the temple dedicated to Eunomia and her family prayed to Eunomia, this seems a logical conclusion. However, many recent scholars believe that the dream goddess could in fact have been Astraea. While it is true that the first written records of the deity Astraea stemmed from the dreams of Sir Bernard, the commandments fit the description of Astraea, as well as the fact the she was encountered during a dream, something Eunomia rarely is credited with doing. Aliett herself never used a specific name for the divinity from her dream, merely calling her “The Goddess”.
Aliett began preaching of her dream in Pern and in the local temple. She urged the villagers not only to live pure lives, but also to take up arms against the evil and injustice plaguing the world. Her personal charisma persuaded many to join her ranks, and before long she had her own group of devout followers. This posed a problem to the local temple, as of the people converted to Aliett’s new religion ceased visiting the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis. At the age of 18, she was expelled from the local temple and thus not allowed to preach her faith. She was also warned to cease spreading her “heretical faith” in Pern. Brother Tomas expressed sorrow that “Such a bright and pure girl could fall so out of touch with Sacred Eunomia”. Though bound to the temple and its tenets, Brother Tomas continued to document the life of Aliett privately, mainly through second-hand sources. From this point onwards his notes become more unreliable, and we must critically review them to discern truth from probably fictional anecdote.
Despite warnings, Aliett refused to cease spreading her beliefs. (Calling it a new “faith” is problematic, since it does not have a clear deity; better perhaps to call it “a way of life.”) From what we can discern from Brother Tomas’ notes, Aliett advocated a sinless way of life, as well as a conscious and active struggle against evil. That, she said, was the “...One and only divine truth and principle”.
At first, this Aliett’s newly founded sect was rather reclusive and thus went relatively unnoticed. True, the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis in Pern lost a few worshippers, but there were no larger effects on the world. That circumstance, however, soon changed.
Chapter 3 – Uprising
At the age of 19 (Year 78 from the Founding of Pendor) Aliett’s cult had grown quite large, and included more than half of the villagers of Pern. It should be noted, however, that Aliett’s parents stayed true to the local temple. Aliett’s cult called itself “Les enfants de la Déesse” (Trans. “The children of the Goddess”). In the winter of the year 78 from the Founding of Pendor, Aliett began accusing the local temple of Eunomia Stabilitis of being evil and corrupt, of putting stability and the rule of law above justice. It should be noted that the head priest, Brother Reynald Aucoin, did impose a heavy temple-tax on the villagers of Pern. A schism was formed in the village of Pern, with Aliett and her “Les enfants de la Déesse” on one side, and Brother Reynald and the Temple of Eunomia Stabilitis on the other. As Brother Reynald attempted to tighten his grip on the village of Pern by outlawing Aliett’s “Les enfants de la Déesse” and subsequently executing many of them, the unrest in the village grew, as did Aliett’s cult. After executing a dozen villagers on the charge of heresy Brother Reynald effectively turned the village against him. Aliett declared Brother Reynald to be the true heretic and even, according to some sources, a child of Erida Occisor. The only means of preventing Brother Reynald’s execution of the local populace was to declare open rebellion, and Aliett announced that the purge of evil would begin with Brother Reynald and his temple. Rebellion broke out, and Brother Reynald and his temple, protected by only a small militia regiment, most of whom defected to Aliett, were alarmed by the quick turn of events. They dispatched a messenger to Talon Castle with a request to the local lord, Sir Roderick the Red, that he bring his knights and crush the peasant rebellion. Though Sir Roderick left with his knights upon receipt of the message, it had arrived too late.
Expecting the worst, Sir Roderick was surprised when he arrived at Pern and found the village intact with no defenses raised against his arrival. At first glance, there was nothing unusual in the appearance of the village, as if no uprising had taken place at all. Bravely, Sir Roderick and his knights rode forth towards the village and warily made their way towards the temple. The temple was abandoned, but completely intact. As Sir Roderick and his knights searched the temple for survivors and clues as to what had transpired he encountered Aliett.
Chapter 4 – Conversion
What happened thereafter has puzzled historians and theologians for decades. According to some, Sir Roderick and Aliett sat down and spoke together. During this conversation, Sir Roderick was so impressed by the zeal and charisma of the young girl, that he swore allegiance to her, effectively becoming her champion. Others say that the young girl placed her hand upon the knight’s forehead and either showed him her dream, or enchanted him with foul witchcraft. It is certain that Aliett accompanied Sir Roderick to Talon Castle to submit to the judgment of the priests who awaited her, to hear her explanations and possibly order her executed for heresy. Upon their arrival, however, Sir Roderick personally took Aliett’s side and declared her innocent. Instead, he claimed, the villagers of Pern had acted entirely independently of Aliett and had merely used Aliett as a scapegoat. The response of the assembled priests to this statement was harsh. They decreed that the village of Pern would be decimated; every 10th adult man would be burned at the stake. The task devolved to Sir Roderick. Aliett was unaware of the priests’ decision and wept bitter tears when Sir Roderick left and she heard rumors of what had been ordered. However, it is clear that Sir Roderick’s act of obedience to the priests saved Aliett’s life. Upon his return to Talon Castle, Sir Roderick reported to the assembled priests his compliance with their command. Content, they left Talon Castle, and from this point onward, Aliett assumed a more prominent role not only in Sir Roderick’s life, but also in the daily affairs of the castle. The librarian of Talon Castle, Bernard l’Aquil, is my main source for details of Aliett’s castle life. From his records we learn that Aliett became a lady of the court. “She insisted on living simply and stayed humble, wishing only to testify in her beliefs,” Bernard writes. She was granted her wish, and Sir Roderick gave her a small chapel at Talon Castle within which she spread her faith. She successfully converted not only the local villagers, but also the men and women of the court at Talon Castle. As there were no other temples present in Talon Castle itself, Aliett was free from of harassment from the more established religions.
However, another religion had begun manifesting in the countryside east of Talon Castle. The heretics, worshipping Erida Occisor had suddenly begun spreading like a wildfire, murdering and pillaging everything in their wake. In the Year 80 from the Founding of Pendor, Sir Roderick rode out with his soldiers to meet them in the field, as the Heretics they had now amassed a sizeable force. According to Bernard l’Aquil, Aliett, now a woman of 22 insisted on being permitted to ride out into the field with him. Sir Roderick refused to allow her to accompany him. Sir Roderick was defeated on the battlefield, struck by an arrow and mortally wounded. His forces were utterly routed. On their return to the castle it is written that Aliett rushed to meet them, as if she sensed that Sir Roderick had been wounded. She immediately arranged for him to be cared for by the court-physicians and herbalists. What is truly remarkable is that for her own part, she ordered a suit of armor and a sword and shield to be brought to her. Most of the knights were certainly shocked by her wish, but complied with her order. Perhaps they saw no reason in denying her it, considering that the Heretic Army, which had given quick chase to the returning knights, would soon be at the walls of Talon Castle. She must have been an amusing sight in armor most certainly too large for her frame wielding a sword and shield she had no idea how to use... By nightfall the Heretics siege equipment was complete and they were laying siege to Talon Castle. Most of the defending soldiers and knights were terrified. There was no way out of the castle now. They must hold the walls and beat back the invaders, or perish. Bernard l’Aquil writes that the Heretics waited to assault until the next morning. Most of the men inside Talon Castle were still asleep as the Heretics began the assault. As the castle defenders scrambled to the walls, a terrifying sight met them. The Heretics outnumbered them by at least 5 to 1. Worse, adorning the siege towers were the heads, skins and body parts of knights who had fallen in the battle the previous day. Many men were outright panicked and could not decide whether they should surrender or take their own lives, thus ensuring at least a quick and painless death. Aliett strode to the courtyard of Talon Castle, in her suit of old armor, bearing Sir Roderick’s Standard, 3 lions on a red and yellow squared background. She made a speech of such caliber that the men were instantly, as Bernard l’Aquil describes it, “...fuelled with such a passion and invigorated with such a steadfast resolution that defeat was impossible”.
Rallied by the young maiden, the men quickly manned the wall. Aliett herself stood at the forefront, having dropped her shield so that she might wield her sword in one hand, and the banner of Sir Roderick in the other. The ensuing battle was a bloody affair, and casualties were high on both sides. On more than one occasion the lines of the defenders seem to bend, only to be rallied by Aliett and the fighting would continue with renewed fervor. By the end of the day, the Heretic Army was defeated, and the remains of it routed. Talon Castle was safe, as was the surrounding countryside. Bernard l’Aquil writes that after the battle, Aliett was nowhere to be found; many men were afraid that she had died in the last hours of the fighting. She was found on one of the walls, unconscious and covered in blood. She was carried to the courtyard, followed by all surviving soldiers. Two knights, Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier stripped her of her armor and washed her. Suddenly she awakened, at which point the soldiers joyfully cheered. She was given many nicknames that day. “Aliett the Pure”, “Aliett the Blessed!”, “The Virgin of Victory!” The soldiers sang songs praising her and she was revered as a true heroic figure. She placed her hands on the shoulders of Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier and asked to be carried away. They complied and as she passed them even more cheers erupted from the euphoric soldiers. It is written that Jean and Gaston later swore total loyalty to Aliett, thus, in a way, abandoning their oaths of fealty to Sir Roderick, and became her closest retainers.
Things looked grim for Sir Roderick, and many feared that he would not last many more days. The minor nobles began debating and arguing with each other about who would become the new master of Talon Castle, until Sir Roderick himself entered the room, mostly recovered, with Aliett close behind him. The noblemen were shocked and most, if not all, immediately knelt down and asked for forgiveness of their unseemly behavior. Sir Roderick pardoned them all, on condition that they swear an oath of allegiance, not only to himself, but also to Aliett. The notion that a woman, unmarried at the age of 22, with no noble ties, should receive vows of allegiance from a dozen nobles, albeit minor ones, was shocking to them. Although they all complied, it is not surprising that many of them were enraged. One man in particular would prove to be dangerously dissatisfied with this decision.
Author’s note: It was after being gravely wounded in his battle with the Heretic Army that Sir Roderick had “the Red” appended to his title.
Chapter 5 – Heresy
The oath to Aliett that Sir Roderick forced upon the minor nobles caused bitterness amongst them. Sir Roderick’s intention must surely have been to protect Aliett. He did not realize that, with his action he had signed her death warrant.
One nobleman, Simon Laroche, was infuriated at swearing fealty to a mere peasant girl. In secret he rallied a number of other noblemen of the same mind. In secret he sent a courier to Marleons, explaining the situation with Aliett and demanding that she be tried for heresy. Surprisingly, Simon Laroche did not mention Sir Roderick or his part in the events that had transpired. Instead, he pointed towards Jean Luc and Gaston Tillier as the main culprits. His reason for this still remains a mystery. We know from Bernard l’Aquil that Simon revered Sir Roderick as his foster-father. Perhaps his motive was merely filial devotion.
What we do know is that the priesthood of Eunomia Stabilitis in Marleons viewed this news as very grave indeed, and shortly an envoy with an armed escort arrived at Talon Castle to apprehend Aliett, Jean and Gaston. Sir Roderick’s reaction to this is unknown, as no source relates his thoughts or feelings. We can assume that any form of resistance was out of the question, lest he wished to be branded a traitor and/or heretic himself.
Aliett, Jean and Gaston were brought to Marleons to be publicly tried by a court composed of the chief priests of Eunomia Stabilitis. The trial transcript is preserved, as it was included in many history books. We learn that Jean Luc refused to speak in his defense, and was quickly branded a heretic and sentenced to death. Gaston Tillier on the other hand desperately tried to defend himself, claiming innocence by scapegoat Aliett, most likely in the hope of being pardoned himself. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
As for Aliett herself, one can argue that her faith was sealed from the moment she was brought to Marleons. As a potential troublemaker and rival to the temple of Eunomia, she had to be removed. Because the trial was held in public, a huge crowd gathered for the trials. Many of them taunted and insulted Aliett and her retainers as they were brought before the jury. It is written, however, that in her defense, Aliett gave an incredible speech which silenced the crowd and even invoked sympathy for her. She was a skilled and charismatic orator. Yet, no matter how valid a defense she conjured, the court had already branded her a heretic and rebel, thus effectively sentencing her to death. The gathering crowd did not approve this verdict, however, as they had been so touched by her speech that most, if not all, admired her. As she and Jean Luc were led away to be burned at the stake in the Marleons town square, the crowd grew unruly, coming close to an uprising. Aliett then spoke, encouraging the crowd to calm themselves; that she wished for no unnecessary blood to be spilt this day. She stated that she would “...return home”. She also encouraged the villagers to remember her name and faith, and not forget the day on which she was executed. The march towards the pyre continued in silence. Many villagers wept on her behalf. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted “Remember the Maid of Marleons!” Soon, the crowd began shouting the words in unison.
Aliett and Jean Luc were burned at the stake. Whilst Jean Luc tried to retain his knightly fortitude and did not scream when the flames licked his body, Aliett openly cried and screamed as her body was burnt. One of the guards charged with keeping the crowd back from the pyre then did something surprising. He turned and thrust his halberd into Aliett. We do not know if he did it out of compassion, but most scholars believe so, as eyewitnesses from the day tell us that he wept as he did so. Aliett, along with her outlawed faith, was effectively dead.
News reached Sir Roderick the Red later the same day about what had transpired, and it is said he went into a serious depression. He locked himself in for weeks and would not see anyone except for his sister. What they talked about during this time is unknown, and most likely unimportant.
Chapter 6 – Legacy
Though Aliett was dead and her faith outlawed, her legacy would live on in many different forms. The 7th of July is still celebrated in Marleons and the nearby countryside as “The day of the Maid of Marleons”, much to the dismay of the denizens of the temple of Eunomia Stabilitis. This was not the result they expected from Aliett’s execution, but they had unwittingly created a martyr for the people.
Aliett’s legacy also survived in a more subtle form. Sir Roderick the Red is reported to have “abandoned” the faith of Aliett after her execution; certainly he did not openly practice or speak of it after. Two years after Aliett’s execution, the Year 82 after the Founding of Pendor, he founded the knightly order “The Order of the Lion”. While the order itself holds no true connection to Aliett and her teachings, the order took the Lion as their sacred symbol. The symbol of Pern and Talon Castle was three lions. Scholars have debated if the choice of a lion somehow connected the order to the location of Aliett’s birth and life. We also know that the 7th of July is a sacred day to the Order of the Lion. Little is known of the inner teachings and beliefs of the Order of the Lion, because they, like most knighthood orders, are very secretive about their rites. It is likely that the Order of the Lion remembers and perhaps reveres Aliett. All this is, however, mere speculation. It might very well be true that the Order of the Lion holds no connection to Aliett at all.
Whatever the case might be, the life and exploits of Aliett did not disappear as the priests of Eunomia had hoped. Indeed, her name and deeds were immortalized. Her many nicknames attest to her popularity and widespread fame. She was called “Aliett the Pure”, “Aliett the Maiden”, “Aliett the Virgin Victor”. We may never learn the absolute truth about her, as even to this day scholars, priests and common people still retell her tale, speculate and debate about this most enigmatic person. It is my hope that this report sheds at least some light on the famous “Maiden of Marleons”.
By my hand
Roger d’Lochlay of Poinsbruk
Scholar and royal librarian of Poinsbruk
Keeper of the Sacred Water of the Loch
Fawzia dokhtar-i-Sanjar
Master Knight
I already asked Nikator to forget credit. This story is entirely his and the narration totally his. Cleaning up a little spelling and grammar and axing a few dangling participles does not a good story make! It was a well-written and interesting story before I touched it.
So, all credit to Nikator, and none to me. Cheers, F
So, all credit to Nikator, and none to me. Cheers, F
Windstryker
Recruit
Nice job Nikator - you brought that story to life.
Perhaps I'll get something in here at some point soon.
Perhaps I'll get something in here at some point soon.
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