Post by Eldrin the Black on Sept 2, 2008 9:25:46 GMT -5
Thought I'd post this now.
The Dreadwood Protectorate, Dreadhold, and The Dreadwood Company.
The province north of the Ravenwood, now known as Dreadwood Protectorate, did not begin as part of the Republic. In fact it was merely a wild land with one small and desperate village, Arun-Dar. Though, known to the Republic vaguely, the conditions of the peoples of Arun-Dar was not known until Eldrin the Black made a jaunt into the north looking for more viable farmlands for the Republic.
Taking only his horse, his blade and his close dark elf friend Raslin, Eldrin traveled far outside the domain of his people. After many weeks of travel the pair found several dead, emaciated bodies in a ditch and smoke further to the north. Spurring their horses into a gallop (expecting a battle, as soldiers do) the two soldiers rode hastily towards the smoke until they could see in the distance a village, of which, neither of them had ever heard about. Riding closer, the village seemed to be of about four or five hundred people. These people were farmers and Eldrin, always looking for new lands to acquire for the Republic or new trade to be formed with independent parties, spurred his horse on into the village; much to the chagrin of Raslin.
Once in the village Eldrin spoke with the villagers and found that the forest to the north, known to them as the Dreaded or Dread wood, was crawling with undead and aberrations beyond the imagining of any man. Many of the villagers also claimed the wretched Piria (Vampires) to be the greatest threat of all. Not easily believing the tales of peasants’, Eldrin sought and found the priest of the village. The priest, getting old and weaker by the day, said that the tales were true and he was losing his power to weave protections around the village every sunset. He also said that his enchantments had failed on a few occasions and the Piria had taken more than twenty villagers each time.
Eldrin, feeling pity for the innocent folk, agreed to help the priest until reinforcements could arrive and sent Raslin off to beg assistance of the Republic.
After Raslin left, Eldrin learned as much as he could about the situation from the old cleric. The priest was a devout follower of Tierdan, the Lord of Order, and was pleased to have another priest around to help (even if he was a priest of another god, THE GOD he claimed, absurd!!). Eldrin helped the Priest, whose name was Jauenier, to fortify the village every night with divine magics. As an added bonus the bard in him raised the spirits of people by playing his Tarma in the village’s Tavern, The Lighthouse and Coin, almost every night.
After several weeks Raslin returned with bad news; due to problems in the Republic, both foreign and domestic, no help would come in any form. Eldrin was grieved and made the only plan that made sense to him, build a permanent wall around the village and train the people of the village to fight. He then sent Raslin back with a letter and a plan to accomplish his task. The letter read as follows;
Dear people of Ravenwood and Governors of the Senate,
I have asked for help to defend innocents and you have sent none. These people are either going to die if abandoned or they will live with my aide. I hereby annex Arun-Dar and 700,000 hides of land for the Republic and humbly ask that we be considered for a Charter of Provinceship for the Republic. Furthermore, I do hereby purchase all the land, structures and waterways within 4,000 hides in and around Arun-Dar for the sum of 150,000 gold pieces. This is nearly all my wealth, but with all that is left of my substance I will build a small tower-keep here and a wall around the village.
This is by and with the request and permission of the people of this village, they need a goodly Lord to govern, protect and serve them. I hereby claim Lordship over Arun-Dar and make it my estate and fief. I also open a call to all soldiers, priests, paladins, rangers and any other goodly person to my aide. Any that come into my domain and join my crusade against the darkness shall receive immunity for past transgressions great of small.
My personal guard shall be called The Dreadwood Company and our purpose is first to defend the Republic and second to cleanse the Dreadwood of all evil.
Humble Servant of Ravenwood,
Eldrin
This of course wasn’t received well among the senate, but they couldn’t refuse or vilify one of the fathers of the republic. And since technically, under the laws of the realm, he had done a completely legal thing in his actions, the Senate could do naught if they had tried! This was much to the Chagrin of the senate at the time but the people accepted the proclamation and cheered on Eldrin and the crusade. A select few even went to join the Dreadwood Company.
Within five years the village was safe and Eldrin’s entire fief was warded, walled and defended by a grim sort of soldier, the Dread Knights. The vigilant and mighty stood at the borders of the fief, battle hardened priests, rangers, paladins and soldiers with steel in their blood. They also ranged far and wide within their province to make sure all that made it home were safe and secure. The hammer and the anvil of those wretched woods made them some of the greatest weapons of war within the entire Republic. These soldiers not only stand to defend Arun-Dar and the Fief of their Lord Eldrin but also have taken a pledge to be at the beckon call of the Republic. They would each gladly test their swords on the flesh of any enemy of the Republic, foreign or domestic.
Many people were shy to come to the land at first but now a slow trickle has started to take up residence in not only Arun-dar but also in less settled places. The Dreadwood Protectorate region may one day make a decent land for the Republic! Then, perhaps, Eldrin and Dreadwood Company can move on to a place more in need of them. But they shall always bear the name of the place ( and verily the very thing) that forged them, each and every one, Dread.
But for now, they all live in the Dreadhold, a beacon of light in dark land. Dreadhold, the name of Eldrin’s keep and also his fief.
The Dreadwood Protectorate, Dreadhold, and The Dreadwood Company.
The province north of the Ravenwood, now known as Dreadwood Protectorate, did not begin as part of the Republic. In fact it was merely a wild land with one small and desperate village, Arun-Dar. Though, known to the Republic vaguely, the conditions of the peoples of Arun-Dar was not known until Eldrin the Black made a jaunt into the north looking for more viable farmlands for the Republic.
Taking only his horse, his blade and his close dark elf friend Raslin, Eldrin traveled far outside the domain of his people. After many weeks of travel the pair found several dead, emaciated bodies in a ditch and smoke further to the north. Spurring their horses into a gallop (expecting a battle, as soldiers do) the two soldiers rode hastily towards the smoke until they could see in the distance a village, of which, neither of them had ever heard about. Riding closer, the village seemed to be of about four or five hundred people. These people were farmers and Eldrin, always looking for new lands to acquire for the Republic or new trade to be formed with independent parties, spurred his horse on into the village; much to the chagrin of Raslin.
Once in the village Eldrin spoke with the villagers and found that the forest to the north, known to them as the Dreaded or Dread wood, was crawling with undead and aberrations beyond the imagining of any man. Many of the villagers also claimed the wretched Piria (Vampires) to be the greatest threat of all. Not easily believing the tales of peasants’, Eldrin sought and found the priest of the village. The priest, getting old and weaker by the day, said that the tales were true and he was losing his power to weave protections around the village every sunset. He also said that his enchantments had failed on a few occasions and the Piria had taken more than twenty villagers each time.
Eldrin, feeling pity for the innocent folk, agreed to help the priest until reinforcements could arrive and sent Raslin off to beg assistance of the Republic.
After Raslin left, Eldrin learned as much as he could about the situation from the old cleric. The priest was a devout follower of Tierdan, the Lord of Order, and was pleased to have another priest around to help (even if he was a priest of another god, THE GOD he claimed, absurd!!). Eldrin helped the Priest, whose name was Jauenier, to fortify the village every night with divine magics. As an added bonus the bard in him raised the spirits of people by playing his Tarma in the village’s Tavern, The Lighthouse and Coin, almost every night.
After several weeks Raslin returned with bad news; due to problems in the Republic, both foreign and domestic, no help would come in any form. Eldrin was grieved and made the only plan that made sense to him, build a permanent wall around the village and train the people of the village to fight. He then sent Raslin back with a letter and a plan to accomplish his task. The letter read as follows;
Dear people of Ravenwood and Governors of the Senate,
I have asked for help to defend innocents and you have sent none. These people are either going to die if abandoned or they will live with my aide. I hereby annex Arun-Dar and 700,000 hides of land for the Republic and humbly ask that we be considered for a Charter of Provinceship for the Republic. Furthermore, I do hereby purchase all the land, structures and waterways within 4,000 hides in and around Arun-Dar for the sum of 150,000 gold pieces. This is nearly all my wealth, but with all that is left of my substance I will build a small tower-keep here and a wall around the village.
This is by and with the request and permission of the people of this village, they need a goodly Lord to govern, protect and serve them. I hereby claim Lordship over Arun-Dar and make it my estate and fief. I also open a call to all soldiers, priests, paladins, rangers and any other goodly person to my aide. Any that come into my domain and join my crusade against the darkness shall receive immunity for past transgressions great of small.
My personal guard shall be called The Dreadwood Company and our purpose is first to defend the Republic and second to cleanse the Dreadwood of all evil.
Humble Servant of Ravenwood,
Eldrin
This of course wasn’t received well among the senate, but they couldn’t refuse or vilify one of the fathers of the republic. And since technically, under the laws of the realm, he had done a completely legal thing in his actions, the Senate could do naught if they had tried! This was much to the Chagrin of the senate at the time but the people accepted the proclamation and cheered on Eldrin and the crusade. A select few even went to join the Dreadwood Company.
Within five years the village was safe and Eldrin’s entire fief was warded, walled and defended by a grim sort of soldier, the Dread Knights. The vigilant and mighty stood at the borders of the fief, battle hardened priests, rangers, paladins and soldiers with steel in their blood. They also ranged far and wide within their province to make sure all that made it home were safe and secure. The hammer and the anvil of those wretched woods made them some of the greatest weapons of war within the entire Republic. These soldiers not only stand to defend Arun-Dar and the Fief of their Lord Eldrin but also have taken a pledge to be at the beckon call of the Republic. They would each gladly test their swords on the flesh of any enemy of the Republic, foreign or domestic.
Many people were shy to come to the land at first but now a slow trickle has started to take up residence in not only Arun-dar but also in less settled places. The Dreadwood Protectorate region may one day make a decent land for the Republic! Then, perhaps, Eldrin and Dreadwood Company can move on to a place more in need of them. But they shall always bear the name of the place ( and verily the very thing) that forged them, each and every one, Dread.
But for now, they all live in the Dreadhold, a beacon of light in dark land. Dreadhold, the name of Eldrin’s keep and also his fief.