Avis Family/Ramiel/Crusader Aegis
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| Letter from Ramiel Avis | |
| Message sent to Katerina Arundel | |
Countess Katerina,
Straight to business then; The events leading up to the creation of the Crusaders would not be so interesting were it not for the loss of the City of Poryatown. But before we go to that, maybe I should explain how it was that that the Count of Nid Tek found himself in a position that I was forced to create them in the first place. The Golden Sword of Luria under Marshal Koli Bedwyr - then Royal Marshal (General) as well as Duke of Askileon, was returning to Askileon. Duke Fulco had made a new army based in Giask - the name of which, to my shame, I have forgotten - and I was chosen as it's Marshal after I applied for it. I'll spare you the details but needless to say I captured a few regions and defended a few more, eventually Duke Fulco became King Fulco as he followed the plan and succeeded the City and Duchy of Giask to form Luria Nova. What is ironic is that it happened earlier than planned but also much much later than originally planned - plans of course were changed due to Queen Alanna's disappearance. I transferred myself back to the Golden Sword of Luria and we all defended Pian en Luries from more invasions. Soon though the Military all transferred to a different army, one based out of Poryatown and under the command of Marshal Giskard Olivaw. Called the Eastern Sun, I was made Vice Marshal soon after and when Marshal Giskard stepped down, I was made his successor. Between my transfer and my promotion to Marshal we had done a lot of fighting in Ciarin Tut and Lupa Lapu to defend it against the Hordes. Now to truly understand my next actions, you have to realise that the army was fighting with its last dregs. Refit and Replenishment were nigh impossible as, what I was later to dub The Cursed Region, Lupa Lapu demanded more blood every sunset and every sunrise. I made a decision after getting support from other Lords and military figures, including my new Vice Marshal Franz, that we should just drop Lupa Lapu. And so we did. We held on as long as I dared and eventually the Hordes took Lupa Lapu. Because of this we managed to keep Ciarin Tut for longer than I expected, however the army were still in dire need of men and money. Both of which were in short supply after Lupa Lapu took its share. Because of that Ciarin Tut was also overrun, but I had planned for this. Nid Tek, Askileon Purlieus and Poryatu would make a much stronger defensive line that was also cost effective, as a result the realm as a whole lasted the Winter Invasions - we survived if only barely. However it is here that I also made my gravest error. The Eastern Sun was based in the City of Poryatown, the City which now could not feed itself. Duchess Zaera, who had taken the City on as Duke Malus was now Warden Malus, kept the City under Lurian control far longer than Duke Koli or Warden Malus had predicted, however it seems that they did not think to tell me - perhaps they did not realise - but when Poryatown fell, the Eastern Sun went with it. So now we have an unordered horde of Lurians with no command structure in place - no easy way to communicate and with hordes of abominations on our doorsteps. I had letters requesting information and orders, my new Vice Marshal was asking why I had decided to replace him - still new to the realm as he was - and it was chaos. Dangerous Chaos. I had only one option, I could not wait for a response to my letters from Warden Malus or Duke Koli, by the Gods I had no idea things had gotten so bad in Poryatown that it was going to fall! Duke Koli, also the General of Pian en Luries still, has before this created The Manifest Path and the followers of the Gods had joined as a new sect under myself speaking for the Lurians and the last Priest of the Order of St.Iestyn - King Fulco D`Este - speaking for the Novans. Because of this and the loss of Poryatown and what was the Realm's only Army (The Golden Sword of Luria being still around but only the Queen being able to appoint the Marshal and Vice Marshal and put gold into its Warchests), I created a new army. Based in the Capital where I know if we lost the City of Askileon we were doomed anyway. The Crusaders of the Path were born - to the objection of Warden Malus but the retroactive consent of Duke Koli. I had letters sent to the Land Administration - or were they called the Ordensraad then? - asking for all the Lords to assign their Knights and Nobles to the army and eventually they did. I shall continue in a second letter. Respectfully, Ramiel Avis | |
| Ramiel Avis (Marquis of Askileon Purlieus, Marshal of the Crusaders of the Path) | |
| Letter from Ramiel Avis | |
| Message sent to Katerina Arundel | |
| Royal Archivist Katerina,
My continuation: We got the realm's military back on its feet and we managed to keep the defensive line. Marquis Corpus, Gods Bless him, kept Poryatu without hope of reinforcement from the Crusaders or backup from Askileon. The Crusaders we stationed mainly in Askileon Purlieus with a substantial force in Nid Tek. The roads between Askileon Purlieus and Nid Tek are very good and it does not take long for the two forces to move between each other as needed. Now before too long a certain Vice Marshal Franz and a certain Vice Marshal-in-Waiting Saul were trying to get my consent for an attack on Ciarin Tut, which I kept refusing. Eventually it escalated to the point where Commander Koli and Warden Malus both got involved too. Warden Malus, if I remember correctly, ordered me to give them permission and so I did - against my own judgement and having made it clear that I knew this would end in disaster and after making sure that there could be no doubt that I was against this move. I gave Vice Marshal Franz half the army and he took them to Ciarin Tut. The following battle we lost half the army to an overwhelming force. Ironically enough I think looking back, that it destroyed his rashness somewhat - he lost his impatience that day. So whilst it was more than tragic, in the long term it established what I needed it to - it gave my Vice Marshal the patience I needed in him if he were to become a Marshal in his own right and gave him a lesson to look at the bigger picture. After winter, if I remember correctly, or very very close to the end, I led an attack personally and we took back Ciarin Tut and defended it. After we reclaimed Ciarin Tut I started an investigation into the spawnings and habits of the Abominations. I knew they came every Autumn and Winter more forcefully than at any other season but I wanted hard factual information. With the information I got I started planning The First Crusade, or the Western Culling as it might be known in the future if it is successful. I knew the Crusaders could pull it off - attacking a region or multiple regions is easy. Defending is what is hard and I knew I would have to make a second army for the defence of the realm when the Crusaders were off in the west fighting. I created the Aegis of Luria to fulfil that purpose. To defend the Northern Border Regions against the hordes whilst the Crusaders go off on the offensive in the west. It is a flawless plan, especially when Duke Malus finally delivers on his promise of placing an of Militia in Dantooine with the relative combat strength of roughly 4000. It would be simple enough for the Courtiers and less abled nobles to defend the north, especially when including a few warriors to be the heavy hitters and provide a good solid backbone. What most people do not understand is how far back my plans go. Retaking Dantooine and Lupa Lapu were crucial to the Northern Defence, with Poryatu and Askileon providing the penultimate lines of defence if needed. However I have faith in the Aegis of Luria to defend the north when I lead the Crusaders west. And if it works... a Golden Age for Pian en Luries will come. Do you have any questions Royal Archivist? Respectfully, Ramiel Avis | |
| Ramiel Avis (Marquis of Askileon Purlieus, Marshal of the Crusaders of the Path) | |
