Karrouc Family/Jet

Current Affairs

The first of the Karrouc Family to fight at the South-East island. He is currently a Knight in the Duchy of Yayhan, in the Realm of Taselak. The frontlines are where he is most often found, eager to prove his worth. To Taselak, and his family.

He begun commanding his unit at 17, and he is constantly under the watchful eye of his blood-bound servant, Argo.

History

Jet has grown up alongside Dmitri of the Severin Family, due to the close diplomatic and historic bond between these families, therefore and considers him a closer relative than most of his kin. His family has a proud military tradition, and his father served as the leader of a mercenary company in many wars.

Retired now, he serves as a trainer for young nobles, and he expects his son to excel in the Art of War. Jet has therefore been put through vigorous training most his adolescent life, and has often been pitted against the many years older Dmitri, and Argo.

He was the son of a swordsman that Jets father had saved from torture during a war in the Colonies. The swordsman, Circol, had in return pledged that his family would be bound by blood to serve the Karroucs. Argo had inherited many of his fathers skills, and was stronger than most, so Jet had great problems trying to defeat any of them. And he was no stranger to the sword, either.

When he did finally defeat Argo, at the age of 15, his father deemed him capable of taking command of his own company of soldiers. Jet worked hard at earning the respect of his men. They had ridiculed him when he first recruited them, incapable of understanding that he, who was not even a man yet, deemed himself capable of commanding anyone. After he had beat every single one of them in duels, they started paying more attention to his orders. He drilled them intensely during the day, duelled with his partners in late afternoon, and studied tactics in the night. He worked hard, but it paid off, and even his father seemed more and more impressed with his fervor.

It was two very hard years, but he was prepared when his father called for him, a few days after his 17th birthday. He had proven himself to his father, his soldiers, and Argo. Now he had to prove himself to the world. The father, having travelled all over the world, informed him of where he could gain Glory and Honor on the battlefield, but left the choice of which realm to support up to Jet. Politics were never something he cared for, and neither did Jet. He did, however, care about Honor, and he would never join anyone would might act dishonourably. Pondering on the issue for a few days, studying maps, tales of the realms, and going to Argo for advice, he finally decided to join the Taselakians in their fight for the South-East Island.

The day he left was a day of tears in the Karrouc residence. His mother cried openly, worried sick that she might lose her son, and even his father shed a tear when he handed him some gold from the chest. He travelled with Dmitri to the port, but he would not be arriving with him, due to him having to take care of family business before he left.

Jet had decided that Argo could decide for himself whether or not he would go with him to the Island, as he did not want to force Argo to fight for him. Argo then stated that he would follow him, even if he was not bound by blood to do so. He could not imagine a commander he would rather serve with.

Jet had a hard time believing that he was actually leaving his entire life behind, but as he stood on the ship, looking back at his homeland, he swore that he would not let them down. He would not return before Taselak remembered his name, and his enemies feared it.

He would not return disgraced.

Timeline

Early Dawn

16th of October, 2006

Jet was sent to the South-East Island to gain combat experience, and to test if his training and skills were good enough for him to become a troop leader. He was employed by Baron Otto of Yayhan, and was quite underwhelmed at the lack of imminent combat. His expectations had been exaggerated, but he would soon see battle.

First Blood

20th of October, 2006

At this day, the peasants of Seggelin were unsatisfied with the way they were being treated by the Taselakian soldiers, and took up arms against them. They were swiftly dealt with, and for a veteran this battle would mean nothing.

It did for Jet. He was out on the front lines with his troops, and he was glad to finally put his training at use. Pride filled his heart when the battle was won, and the rush of victory and that all of his men had survived was great. It did not last long, though.

The little resistance these peasants provided, and the fact that they were merely trying to defend their homes from pillaging pained him, and he spent a long, sleepless night in his tent contemplating the lives that had been taken that day.

When the takeover of Seggelin was completed, he reported for service in Lesthem, hoping he could hold the line there.

Setbacks

28th of October, 2006

He failed. The Toren troops were too strong, and although Jet and his units fought fiercely, the line was broken. Jet had his very first taste of defeat, and it was bitter. Argo made it through the battle too, but he was wounded, as were the men who survived. Jet was left with a crippled unit, spread out in a territory that was crawling with the enemy. And he was wounded too. A Toren archer had managed to pierce his left arm, but luckily his healer patched him up quickly, and the wound did not become infected. Despite the healers warning, he was rallying his men shortly after.

He blamed himself. The only thing he could think of as he was retreating with the few men he had managed to find in the aftermath, was that it was his fault. If his men had been in a different formation, if he had only pushed a bit harder, a bit further, they might have won.

It was denial, of course. He knew this, and he had learned long ago to embrace his defeats and learn from them, rather than deny them. But this was different. He had lost. Men had died, and there was few things he could have done to save them. Argo and his father had already taught him that men died in war. But that did not lessen the pain and humiliation he now felt.

He started the retreat to Taselak with a heavy heart.

Revival

1st of November, 2006

The glorious city of Taselak. The very thing he had promised himself, his family, and his liege ( who was not his liege anymore, due to some bureacratic error), that he would defend with all his might. And he had never been here before.

It was a wondrous sight. Traders hawking their wares, soldiers taking pride in their Taselakian uniform, and all the rabble, nobles and clergy of a major city. Seeing it was built for war was not difficult, though. The fortifications were impressive, and the city certainly would not give up without a fight when that time came.

His own force was not very intimidating, though. The healers had saved 8 men, excluding Argo and himself.