De Haguns Family/Furiae/Birth of the Thunderstorm Longbowmen
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM- PART 1/2
Location: Golden Farrow, estate of Stronghold Precint
Shortly after being officially recognized as a knight by the royal duke of Tol Goldora, Furiae had little time left to enjoy the perks of her new estate. The Haguns girl had been travelling through many distant realms for months now, living from port to harbor aboard the Perdanese Free Company vessel, the Roar, as they travelled as far away as they could from the lion’s claws. She had wanted some rest now that there was a modicum of normality back in her life. Indulge herself at Stronghold Precint, maybe take a walk to the markets and simply familiarize herself with her new home in Golden Farrow.
However, she had been immediately assigned to serve in the Golden Host as orders came to prepare for a long march to Mozyr.
Without a proper retinue to follow in battle, the Free Company would escort her.
From the balcony of her quarters, the girl watched the soldiers prepare themselves: some sharpened their short swords, others polished their helmets. Some tried their longbows, making sure the curved limb was strong enough to endure the string push. And memories came flooding as she thought about everything that had happened since the day she went in search of her destiny.
Back then, when the mercenaries entered into her service, Furiae harbored initial mistrusts, though they lessened as the months passed. All by herself amongst veteran soldiers… however, there had been no alternative when she prepared to leave Pelasgia. Either travel alone, or pay for an escort. Running away from the wedding she did not want, the Haguns girl had hired them under the pretext that she would start her career in a foreign court as a knight with the full support of her family, and knowing that Pelasgia was the estate of the Haguns family, the mercenary captain trusted her word. Besides, the payment she offered was well welcome for the unemployed soldiers. Escort a girl and earn for it, easy.
The Free Company had been formed by former soldiers from Perdan and Perleone, though there was animosity amongst them. “A Lion is still a Lion”, they would often say. They were men and women who knew to wield the longbow and a disciplined force that had its core values of loyalty and duty. But they only knew how to fight, and without a lord to serve, sold their swords to earn a living. Landless and alone in the world, they found in each other companionship, Furiae had noticed.
Only once there had been an incident, as three soldiers had tried to have their way with their young master while the ship resupplied in Port Raviel, only to find death at the sticky end of swords, both hers and of their companions. The girl was fierce and despite her innocent appearance, knew how to defend herself while the remaining soldiers came to her aid after a cry for help.
Magnus, the old mercenary captain, had served under Haguns banners in the past and was honorable to a fault, but patronizing. Much older than Furiae, he saw the young girl as impatient, proud and brash, but eager to learn as much as she could and adventurous. She had the same physical traits of the Haguns: raven hair and blue eyes, but her personality was entirely different – wild, untamed, yet gentle. The girl would often be seen on the Roar’s deck, asking questions about seafaring, battle stories, commanders, Kings and Queens, and he would treat her with his tales and experience. Without anyone of noble station to talk to, she only had the company to entertain herself.
Sometimes, Furiae would spar with other soldiers to test her swordsmanship and often lose due to her weaker body, others she would join them as they sang merry songs, and through these small actions, their camaraderie grew, despite the enormous gap in life that separated the noblewoman from the commoners. None could deny her skills with the bow, her aim was certain. Slowly, the mutual distrust that existed between the lady and the mercenaries disappeared and the seed of respect started to grow.
THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM - PART 2/2
Location: Golden Farrow, estate of Stronghold Precint
She reminisced about everything that led her up to this moment and sighed. “No rest for the wicked, it seems.”
From her balcony, she coughed and the captain whistled. All soldiers stopped what they were doing and turned towards the Haguns girl. From her balcony, gathering the Perdanese Free Company at Stronghold’s courtyard, the new knight read the Golden Host standing orders to the men, who remained quiet as usual and stood in formation. Disciplined as they were, Furiae knew she might have to part ways with them eventually – they were mercenaries, and the young Haguns girl needed a loyal retinue who would serve her. But they could always choose to pledge loyalty to her, and Furiae had slowly been working on this…
“Our mission is clear. Monsters were spotted approaching the border, more specifically a place called Mozyr. We are to meet with the Golden Host there, and support the army against this incursion. Be brave, be bold, and above all, make sure your arrows fall on them like a thunderstorm!”
As the soldiers finished their preparations for the march ahead, she descended from the seond floor and made her way towards the leader of the free company. “Captain Magnus, I had asked you, prior to my knighthood ceremony, to spread the word that I am recruiting soldiers. Tell me, how many have shown interest in joining my ranks? As you know, I would welcome the Free Company into my service as my personal retinue, if you would leave the life of a mercenary in the past and offer me your allegiance.” “Few so far, m’lady. It has been few hours since I sent boys to announce it. I’d ask your patience, soldiers don’t fall from the skies, nor are grown from trees”, replied the mercenary leader, matter of factly. “And as m’lady knows, the soldiers will hold a vote to decide if we should stay under your service, as a retinue.”
Insolent fool, you dare speak to me like this? After I offer you employment?, thought Furiae, frowning her face in visible disgust, but holding her tongue. After all, she was still dependent on their services. “Captain, do you take me for a child? Mind you, I may be young, but I am not as inexperienced as you think I am. I know professional soldiers are not easy to come by”, she replied icily, but visibly upset. The captain remained stoically in place, and did not move a muscle. He had seen many lordlings having their fits, but as long as they paid what was due, he did not care about their words. And despite Furiae’s small tantrum, he knew she had her heart in a good place. “I am grateful for your service and loyalty, Magnus. But mind your words as you address me!”
Mounting on Swifstar, she rode it slowly towards the archers. Her voice was firm and echoed through the courtyard. “As you all know, this land will be my home now. According to what your captain said, you will hold a vote to decide on what should the Free Company do. I offered you the possibility to serve as my retinue and start a new life in these lands. But some of you may want to sail to the South Islands or maybe even return to your former countries. That is understandable. And you are free to choose. However, should any of you want to join my retinue, you will be welcomed and well paid! Think about this opportunity! A new homeland!”
The soldiers remained quiet, as they used to. They would not choose a side now, as they wanted to see how Furiae would behave as a commander at Mozyr before deciding on the future of the Free Company.
Hours later, wearing breastplate, graves and cuisses, Furiae led the Free Company through the gates of Tol Goldora. Her armor was light, mostly padded leather, and she carried a longbow and quiver full of arrows. The Perdanese Free Company had mismatching armor, some bearing the Perdan Lion, others the Perleone sigil. All carried short swords, longbows and quiver, just as their Dame. The calm before the storm. They had seen battle before, but what would they find in these strange lands of Dwilight?
THUNDERSTORM - PART 1/2
Locations: Mozyr and Farrowfield
While trying to suppress those feelings, Furiae kept thinking back about Perdan and longing for the life she had had there. The girl missed the Mohuns family in the Perdan Mines, who had always been so gentle and loving to her ward. In spite of her demanding and difficult personality as a child and even as a young woman, they had always been patient to a fault, giving her the semblance of a family she would never have within the Haguns. She missed sir Noah’s boastful laughter and gentle personality, and now that she was alone and with an ocean between them, realized that she had never thanked the Mohun family for everything they had done for her. Alas, thought the young dame, I shall never return to Perdan. I have already crossed the point of no return, for good or worse. And I, and only I, will have to deal with consequences.
She thought of her former homeland as her war party crossed the Farrowfields. Such different land and people, far different from the rocky and irregular terrain in the Perdan Mines and its hardened smallfolk! The gentle and warm autumn sun made their journey quite pleasant, as a cold breeze came from the Gold Sea. Signs that winter was coming. They had chosen the road close to the coast for safety, but would soon move deeper into Mozyr.
Captain Magnus, experienced as he was in the art of war, had suggested that the Dame of Golden Farrow should hire men knowledgeable about the neighboring regions to serve as scouts. Considering they did not know the region well, Furiae complied. Now these locals were showing to be invaluable, as they brought reliable information about the road ahead, indicating the best paths to press on once they had reached the woodlands in Mozyr. Slowly, but surely, Furiae took notice of the region and the path. And she had not forgotten the Countess Luitolf invitation. That woman Edelyn had said something about a temple being built here… it was for the Stratarch, I think? It will be good to make more acquaintances for the foreseeable future. I must visit her. Still… I have to focus on my mission now, thought the Dame.
Hours later, she heard the clomp of a horse fast approaching from behind bushes. She looked quizzically at it as the scout emerged.
“M’lady, the banners of Tol Goldora are not far ahead. The Golden Host seems to be led by Marshal Antigone and are preparing to attack monsters approaching”, said a newly arrived scout.
“Very well, very well”, said the knight, turning to the soldiers not far behind her, “Shall we join them in battle, and show the hearts of steel you are made of? Free Company, this is not only my ‘baptism of fire’, as we say in the Perdan Mines. It is yours as well, here in Dwilight! I am proud to fight alongside you, be sure of that! Just as I am proud to have met you as we left Perdan!”. The soldiers marched singing an old war song, their spirits rising as they approached the site of the battlefield.
A messenger came from the main army body, with instructions on how they should deploy. Furiae’s archer were to join the Marshal’s Tidal Wave to rain hell upon their enemies. Furiae would have preferred to fight from a higher position, but the terrain was irregular and almost flat. There were no hills where they could position the archers from a vantage point.
The Haguns Dame wondered what kind of “monsters” were they going to fight. She had heard about monsters, of course, but those were stories told to entertain and scare her in Perdan. Rare sights in the Mines, while there were said that pockets resided within wild lands across the East Continent. Dwilight seemed to be entirely different – monster attacks were prevalent, as was Tol Goldora now facing approaching bands. Some even talked of undead, fresh corpses and bones roaming the lands, but in fearful whispers. The growing anticipation caused Furiae a mixture of fear as well as anxiety. Despite the martial education the Mohuns had afforded her, would it be sufficient to face these enemies? Armed with her longbow and arrows atop Swiftstar, she did not notice it, but her body was shaking lightly, especially her hands.
THUNDERSTORM - PART 2/2
Locations: Mozyr and Farrowfield
Soon two scouts arrived in their horses, ready to deliver the news of the approaching enemies. But those were not needed, for creatures in all sizes, forms and deformities, some with furs, others in blackish or red skins, gnawed body parts and lost limbs, but ferocious all the same came in pursuit. They approached fast from the northern road.
Furiae felt afraid for the first time in months. She had never seen creatures like these before. Freezing where she stood, her hands trembling more than a minute ago, it seemed like fear had completely taken control over her body, enslaving her to the very core of her soul.
Then, arrows flew across the sky, raining on the incoming monsters. The Tidal Wave had started their attack, and in a swift strike, had killed six monsters.
The knight recovered her composure and steadied her hands, relaxing the bow hand. Aiming at the incoming hostiles, Furiae took command of the Perdanese Free Company, her eyes darting towards her retinue. “These creatures bleed and die! Fire away, fire away!”. And hers was the first shot fired, landing true on one of the monsters.
This was a new feeling for Furiae. The thrill, fear and excitement to be in battle, to face nightmare incarnate with an open heart. She felt alive by facing her fear. Something she had never felt before, as if the die was cast and all could happen: life, death, victory or defeat. She took her longbow, aimed and sent another arrow as her retinue followed the same patterns, and arrows rain from the sky in a harmonic symphony of death. Another archery unit, the Bows of Night, joined them in the attack.
“The wind is strong, so be careful! Don’t lose your arrows aways, don’t let them go astray! Aim carefully!”, warned Furiae, as she pointed at the approaching creatures from atop Swifstar. “Make every arrow count! We are few twenty archers, but you will rain a thunderstorm from the skies!”, cried Furiae.
Soon the battle was finished without casualties for Tol Goldora, and while soldiers scoured the camp looking for anything valuable, Furiae and the Perdanese Free Company, encouraged by the success of their last battle, marched at haste back to Farrowfields, as there were reports of another group of monsters regrouping there. Some of the other Tol Goldoran knights travelled together to the outskirts region of Golden Farrow, while some decided to fortify their positions in Mozyr, bracing for yet another monster rampage.
In the skirmishes at Farrowfield, the only archer unit was the Perdanese Free Company. The battle was bloodier, and for the first time in her life, Furiae saw men die. Twelve infantry soldiers were thrown by monsters, or had their limbs cut of, and one was eaten by a swarm of five greenish creatures that fought amongst themselves for the best pieces of human meat they could get their smallish green hands on.
As the monsters advanced, the Free Company adopted the same tactics, firing at will while going backwards to the safety of the shieldwall that was formed by the soldiers. As their wrath fell upon the monsters, Furiae aimed at one and let an accurate arrow hit it. She could not see where she had hit it, but the monster fell agonizing to the ground as two more arrows from her mercenaries fell on it.
The victory was rejoiced by the unscathed Haguns archers, but not as much. Some monsters had retreated and the death of the other soldiers had impressed and scared the mercenaries due to its brutality, something they had not seen even when battling other humans in the East Continent.
Furiae, though, was ecstatic. She felt energetic and wanted to hunt the retreating monsters right away. For her, they were prey and she was ready to kill each of them. She felt pity for the men that had died in the battle, but wasn’t that for a greater good? How many innocent lives and defenseless villagers nearby would have died and been terrorized by the monster? Those soldiers sacrifice was not in vain. They served their purpose, just as anyone serves in due time, for fate is unavoidable. As she thought this, she glanced at the sky, as the night set in. It seemed to her that a bright star was shining. It shines upon me and for me, though the proud girl.
ACCLAMATION - PART 1/2
Location: Farrowfield Timeframe: As the Gylden Expeditionary Legion is born, so is Furiae’s Thunderstorm Longbowmen. This is Furiae’s last day in Farrowfield, before marching back to Golden Farrow and the beginning of her first raid.
Days had passed since the Perdanese Free Company since had set up camp in the outskirst of Farrowfield. It seemed no more monsters were wandering the countryside, at least for a while.
Furiae had had a horrible night of sleep. She woke up multiple times at night with the roaring sound of the wind hitting on her tent, and while she would never admit, she was uneasy and tired. Not used to sleeping on the ground and to the lack of comfort when campaigning, she missed the softness of her bed, furs and cushions. She missed fresh food, fish, shrimps, lamb and wine. She missed hot water and a bath. Growing up as a highborn young girl, she had not been prepared for the endurance required by the logistical aspects of warfare. It was true that she had learnt how to wield the bow, swordsmanship and the basics of warfare after many tantrums in her childhood demanding this martial education, but to live it daily was an entire different – and appalling – experience.
A small light came from the opening of the small pavilion into her eye, and she covered her face in discomfort. As the sun was rising, the young knight left the tent to find both a man and a woman standing guard besides an extinguished camp fire and rest of the archers just waking up or still sleeping.
A few hours later, as she was eating some bread with cheese, she noticed that the morale was high. The soldiers jested and enjoyed themselves. Any feelings of mistrust that had existed between commander and her troops seemed to be in the past by now. It had taken months and a long voyage, but now Furiae knew she had their soldier’s trust and loyalty. The dame would even allow herself to joke with them at times. For the Free Company, having their commander join them and share their meal, listen to their stories and act sensibly was a display of leadership and capability, even more given her young age.
Yet, despite her outward display of gentleness and consideration for the mercenaries, Furiae truly wanted to sway them to her side. Just as she tried to enthrall men and women through her guile and cunning, while keeping her cards very close to her chest, the girl had been working for a while on convincing the Free Company to join her cause once and for all.
The time was ripe, it seemed. She just had to act soon.
Lost in her thought and plans, Furiae was taken by surprise as the sounds of a horse approaching could be heard, and soon its rider revealed himself bearing the colors and sigil of Tol Goldora. The young man dismounted from his mare and strode towards the Dame, who was easily recognizable as she carried both the coat of arms of the Haguns and of Golden Farrow. He knelt before her and delivered the message. “Dame Furiae? I bring a message from the Stratarch. I’m sorry for my delay, I could only find you by asking the locals who knew your camp was here.”
ACCLAMATION - PART 2/2
Location: Farrowfield
Taking the letter from his hand, she read it carefully. Its content pleased her immensely and her face suddenly widened into a bright smile. It was now or never, her opportunity had come.
As her soldiers approached in curiosity, Furiae ordered the Free Company to stand in formation as she announced. “Listen! A new army is to be sponsored by the Stratarch Storme, with the aim to raid rogue lands and loot food and… gold”, her dramatic pause was purposeful, as she looked at each of the mercenaries, knowing well what motivated them. “Our victories at Mozyr and Farrowfield emboldened me to offer my sword and longbow to serve Tol Goldora in this new raiding force. Perdanese and perleoni, your valor, your honor, your discipline in combat helped us win these battles, and I am grateful for your service. Above all, Tol Goldora is grateful for you service, and I will ensure you are recognized for this. Ever since we set sail from Pelasgia, you have served me loyally”, she said, smiling and pointing randomly at different soldiers as to acknowledge them.
“Now, brave men and women of the Free Company, this is a chance to become rich, to earn fame and glory! I ask, will you accompany me?”, asked Furiae, as she strode through the line of soldiers. “Fate is unavoidable! I ask you, is it not fate that brought us together, to this very moment? Will you struggle against your destiny, flee from it? Or will you join me and forge a new life for you? Through Iron and Fire!”
Opening her arms in an embracing manner and smiling confidently, she roused them again. “I ask again, will you accompany me? Will you take this chance to embrace a new homeland with me? The choice is yours, and always will be under my leadership! Will you be my thunderstorm?”, she cried.
Captain Magnus rose his short sword in a silent martial salute, in which he was followed by the other soldiers. Finally, they all cried her name in one voice.
