Dubhaine Family/Rhidhana

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Etymology

A name in the archaic Fontanese tongue Rhidhana means "great leader". Hence Rhidhana's full name means "a great leader amongst the women of dark countenance".

Background

Rhidhana is the daughter of Lady Moira Dubhaine, former Supreme Justice of Fontan and Marchioness of Negev. She has inherited her mother's powerful, sinewy frame, but her features are softer and her shoulder-length hair gleams like spun gold.

Like all the Dubhaine women she has a deep hunger for knowledge and as a child could usually be found reading one or other of the many scholarly works collected by her mother and aunts during their travels. However Rhidhana is no stranger to the sword or the arts of war, and having entered the service of Duke Elberan to test both in battle against the Elven foes in Sirion she soon found herself elected Minister of Defence.

Subsequently she has worked to maintain Fontan's independence and to establish sovereign claim to her territories through force of arms.

Personality

The Dubhaine blood has a tendency to self-expression which Rhidhana fights hard to control, and when her temper's unleashed she's every bit as terrifying as her mother. How this will express itself over time is hard to foretell.

Stats

The following scores are based on anecdotal evidence.

Class Honour Prestige Swordfighting Jousting Leadership Oratory
W / H 109 30 26 19 56 33

Titles

1010 December Knight of Ashforth
1011 March Minister of Defence of Fontan
July Knight of Commonyr
August Knight of Negev
1012 April Minister of Defence of Fontan Resigned when the army refused to follow orders

Household

Iraen Once Lady Moira's squire, Iraen is now chatelaine of the household and until recently was Rhidhana's legal guardian.
Yfain A giant of a man with an oft-times murky past, Yfain is a reaver's reaver: happiest when the ale flows freely and there's mischief to be done. Following the disappearance of Lady Moira he became Rhidhana's self-appointed bodyguard, teaching her the use of weapons and ensuring that she reached her majority. Age somehow hasn't dimmed his lust for life nor appreciably weakened his physique, though his wild hair and beard are now mostly grey.
Helion A severe man of perilously advanced years, Helion was Moira's personal physician and is an acknowledged expert on mental disorders such as that caused by the infamous Red Shade toxin. He has written a number of treatises on medicine which are widely regarded in Fontan.
Neris Helion's wife. A woman in her mid-fifties with an extensive knowledge of herblore.
Rollo (Rollo the Young) A gregarious man in early middle-age, he boasts a deep scar across his forehead from his youth as a freebooter. Rollo is supposedly the family's chief reeve, but more often than not he's to be found in company with Yfain or keeping an eye on Rhidhana when she travels abroad.

Commands

Name Description Army Captain Men Type T R W A D M C CS
The Ghost Watch Hastily raised company of family retainers Order of The Thunder I
Ironsides Elite cavalry massacred in the last battle of Montijo Manticores C
Ashforth Light Infantry Irregular company of infantry Manticores I
31.03.1011 Lifeguards A small company drawn from the infamous Carnes Fanatics Manticores SF
Democratic Guard
16.05.1011 Oporto Targeteers Veterans of the Westmoor war, stationed as militia in Krimml Democratic Guard 105 A 56 4 51 57 19 97 84 924
Veterans of the Westmoor war, stationed as militia in Negev Fontan Rangers 5 A 69 4 51 57 0 100 100 135
06.11.1011 21.06.1012 Negev Green Jackets Elite skirmishers Eagle Regiment Ulfred (+6) 30 SF 92 1 72 87 28 89 68 760
21.06.2012 Negev Longshots Archers Eagle Regiment Dankmar (+3) 120 A 52 4 75 33 3 94 30 1016

Tournaments

Date Region Participants Fee Prizes Honour Prestige Rounds Sword Jousting
16.03.1008 Westmoor 84 (9 realms) 10 500
150
0 0 7 Cassandra (Westmoor)
Edward Anthony (Westmoor) beat Ivo (Sirion)


Battles

January February March April May June July August September October November December
1010 December
1011 January February March April May June July August September October November December
1012 January February March April May June

Personal Journal

December 1010, The Call to Arms

Young Rhidhana attains her majority and follows in her mother's footsteps as a knight of Fontan.

January 1011, The Battle of Montijo

Caligus invades Fontan in alliance with Sirion and Rhidhana rides to Montijo as a newly inducted knight of the Manticores where a decisive series of battles are fought. During the conflict she wins fame for her fighting and captures the Elven Prime Minister's Standard.

March-April 1011, The Krimml Campaign

The Krimml campaign sees a series of brutal battles in and around Fontan's capital as Elven forces seek to hold first Braga, then Commonyr and finally Krimml. Rhidhana leads her dwindling forces in defence of the capital whilst acting as informal ambassador to secure a peace between the warring realms.

May 1011, Peace in Our Time

Fontan surrenders following intensive negotiations but new conflicts loom on the horizon.

September 1011, Against Westmoor

Whilst Rhidhana campaigns in Westmoor with a skeleton force, the city of Krimml resists a major assault. In the following weeks her raiding force plunders nearly 1000 gold from Westmoor's southern provinces whilst in the north her troops recapture Commonyr and Oberndorf. A reorganisation of the armies has seen the Manticores and Flow Administrators disbanded, replaced by the Eagle Regiment and the Fontan Homeland Guard, whilst Rhidhana commands the new Fontan Rangers.

October 1011, The More Things Change...

An unsuccessful rebellion in Westmoor opens the way for a ceasefire whilst peace is discussed and Rhidhana is soon after replaced as Minister of Defence, returning to the less demanding life of a peacetime marshal. Though few seem to realise it her unconventional strategies have saved Fontan from oblivion - at least for the time being.

December 1011

Rhidhana addresses the Assembly.

May 1012, The Road To Oporto

Caligus and Perdan have joined with Westmoor to remake the Southern Alliance, and Rhidhana having resigned her military offices marches to face them as a simple knight.