Da Hadez Family/Erisha

The House Da Hadez originates in the realm of Darka on the continent of Atamara.

Erisha Da Hadez

Background

Erisha Da Hadez is the second child of the Darkan war hero Luthor Da Hadez and his first wife, Luessa.

Though she is known for her thoughtfulness, fairness and honour she displays strength and ruthlessness when required.

Her father, Luthor Da Hadez was delighted to be presented with a daughter and upon seeing her for the first time his son Balian knelt next to her crib and solemnly swore that he would defend her with his life.

Despite her half-brother Balian's derisive asides and their father's disapproval her younger brother, Severn passed on to her all he could learn about the art of warfare and the code of the nobleman. They would patrol the family estates together, hunting vermin, wolves and poachers. She spent her childhood nights reading tales of far-off lands and later in the more reputable taverns talking to the wanderers and merchants.

On her 20th birthday Erisha met a merchant from the colonies who was seeking a bodyguard to escort him on his journey home. There was a border war raging at that time and Lord Da Hadez could spare no men. Upon hearing this news Erisha offered her services. After some heated debate Lord Da Hadez agreed to this proposition although it took the merchant some convincing (and a crossbow bolt through the hat from 40 feet) to accept that a young woman could indeed be adequate protection for his gold and jewels.

Although it was always Erisha's intention to return to Darka she fell in love with the country and people of Oritolon and settled in the quiet mountain town of Iglavik. She was eventually appointed Baroness of Iglavik, a position she retained for the whole of her time in Oritolon.

Having served some time as Judge and (briefly) as Prime Minister of Oritlon Erisha was appointed Minister of Defence during an attack on Oritolon by the combined armies of neighbouring theocracies Alowca and Alebad.

However, Erisha soon found that the cautious nature of the Oritolon military hierarchy was incompatible with the more direct and ruthless style of warfare she had learned in Darka and she soon stepped down from the position and returned to the role of regular soldier.

When the idea was raised that Oritolon should find some way of countering the theocratic preachings of their enemies it was Erisha who proposed that the official state religion should not be a religion as such but more a philosophy that encouraged honourable behavior and allowed all people the freedom to believe in whatever gods they wished - on the condition that they did not try and force that belief on others. Thus was The Path of Chivalry born.

For years Erisha held her position as Baroness of Iglavik and continued her career as a soldier. She also played a key role in planning the founding of a new realm based around the duchy of Alebad and it was decided that she would be the initial ruler of the new realm after taking the position of Dutchess of Alebad and seceding the dutchy to found the new realm.

However, before this could happen the new realm of Minas Talion was founded by the incumbent duke.

Erisha immediately traveled to the new realm's capital to assist in it's foundation and run for election as ruler. She arrived with her heavy infantry during the confused first few day of the new realm. She was warmly welcomed by a guard patrol as she arrived outside the city and proceeded to the barracks outside the gatehouse, where other Oritolon military units were preparing to leave for home, to await the officials that would invest her as a noble of Minas Talion.

As she awaited their arrival another Oritolon unit arrived in Alebad, 'The Black Storm' commanded by Erisha's god-daughter Sangi had been traveling for days toward the front-lines, tired but eager to engage the enemy at the earliest opportunity. However, news of the new realm's founding had not yet reached them. As they approached the guardhouse barracks they spotted a unit of armed troops approaching quickly, bearing no banners or livery. They could not have known that this was a welcoming party from a friendly realm too young to have had time to prepare banners or produce livery for their soldiers, let alone to have completed the complicated legal writs of alliance. Sangi and her men assumed that they were under attack from an enemy raiding party and charged.

Alerted by the commotion the Oritolon forces at the barracks simply saw an Oritolon unit in battle and rushed to find out what was going on. The city defenders, dismayed and confused by what appeared to be an unprovoked attack by their mother realm also rushed to the scene and a chaotic and confused melee ensued which quickly evolved into a full-blown battle as sergeants and commanders organised their disarrayed forces.

While efforts were made on both sides to cease the battle such a conflict has a momentum of it's own. In the chaos Erisha attempted to reach the commander of the defending forces to convince him of the tragic mistake and put an end to the fight. Whether or not the commander's bodyguard saw Erisha's improvised flag of truce or not will likely never be known. She was struck by a pair of arrows just yards from his position and was dead before she hit the ground.

The battle raged on and the tragic truth of it's circumstances would not be known until it had reached it's bloody conclusion.