Lorsh
Varlot
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◙Fate of Steel | Barony of Oriflamme◙
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Lorsh
Varlot
You were there, defending your ancestral holdings within the Kingdom of Valcay as part of King Agbert's host. But Carmondy's invasion would be stopped in its tracks at the Battle of Mournai. After nearly winning victory in the field against the main force of Valcayan chivalry, an ill-fated charge against the Valcayan infantry led to King of your sweet country having his head unseamed by a glaiveman, simply by pure happenchance when his horse faltered. The royal trumpeter and standard bearer were likewise struck down, falling to the sword strokes of foot soldiers, and soon chaos enveloped the ranks. Many good knights were lost when the regrouped and reinvigorated Valcayan horse smashed into the retreating Carmon forces, including the Lord Grand Marshal of the invasionary force, two of your own household knights, and your man Sir Garrod Wyrnhard and his squire who was killed while trying to save him. Additionally, a minor knight hailing from Pontyprwyn went missing, presumed dead or captured.
It was nothing short of total disaster. The army was harried all the way back to the coast, whereupon many of the assembled lords began their departure home, using whatever ships they could find. Despite the pleas of the Count Lefray and the other allied Valcayans that had bled alongside the invaders, the Carmons preferred to flee via their ports rather than stay behind to defend them from the inevitable siege that would be launched by Valcayan crown. Only a few foolhardy nobles remained behind, either to defend their holdings to the last, or to buy extra time for the main army to retreat.
Your cogs managed to make the trip back to the docks at Rooster Keep. There was little fanfare, though at least some of your armsmen returned a bit richer than when they'd left, thanks to the war booty they'd seized during the campaign. You, on the other hand, lost all of your fiefs in Valcay, including several chartered towns. You racked many expenses during the war, with at least three thousand crowns owed to the merchant bankers in Delster.
It has been a few days since your return. Your men have since returned to their own holdings within the barony, though you had a chance to address them before they left if you wished. The coronation of King Elmund will be taking place in the coming months - doubtless, you will be summoned to the capital eventually to pledge fealty to him as your new liege. He is a good-natured man by all accounts, but weak-willed... many might say that the realm is in dire straits, considering the situation he has inherited.
MrThe
Mystery Man
Philippe was enraged. He lost his lands across the sea, he lost several good men, and he lost three thousand crowns to those disgusting Delster Burghers. As he looked across the fief towards the lands of the savage tribesmen who made up his ancestral foes Philippe cursed his fate. There were not 3,000 crowns to be had in the whole of Fyrdos. He looked down the peninsula Rooster Keep was built on and began to think, maybe, just maybe his pain in the neck neighbor was the solution to his monetary ills.
Lorsh
Varlot
You think more on the surrounding lands.
Your family castle sits upon a peninsula near Baron Layran Rothwold of Skerry's mainland possessions. Your family fought bitterly against the Skerrymen in the past, back when they were one of the last remaining holdouts of the Fyrdian natives. The Rothwolds had fought alongside them, and were the ones that received custodianship of the isle when it was finally taken. Still, they remain envious of Pontyprwyn, which they believe should have gone to their family as well - Layran claims that the town would not have been taken if it were not for the actions of his grandfather, who is alleged to have bribed one of the guards to open the gates. The Oriflammes, whose forces made up the majority of the besiegers, received the credit once the settlement was taken by storm.
Your house has quarreled with the Rothwolds in the past over various other reasons as well. There had been a long dispute over the rights to the bridge that separated Rooster Keep from Pontyprwyn. Oriflamme stewards and bailiffs were regularly charged for its use whenever they traveled as part of their duties, as were the farmers of Rellsbro when they took their produce to the market at town, all to much resentment. Ten years ago, there was an incident where the bridge's tollkeeper was badly beaten by retainers from Whonbry, and his house destroyed - which led to a squire that belonged to a vassal family of the Oriflammes being sentenced to death in Dregwall for 'poaching', when he happened to be visiting from Rellsbro.
Skirmishes were fought, with levies and a few armsmen on both sides killed, and some small hamlets put to the torch. The Sheriff of Gwyburgh and the Abbot of Trambley mediated the conflict, with the latter assuming control of the bridge and its repairs, while providing a corrody to the castellans of Skerry Castle. Now 'Godsbridge' could be freely traversed by the peoples of both baronies, at a nominal sum... but that doesn't mean that both sides wouldn't prefer it be theirs.