The Challenge of the Old Toren

[BarticaBoat]

Roleplay from Karibash ka Habb   (13 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (31 recipients)
In the Shrine of Seeklander, Karibash oversees construction of the third walls. The Shrine was built long ago by the native Mountainmen to honour some unknown god; when the Everguardians came to Dwilight they were compelled to find the Shrine and when they did the Shrine was little more than a small, barely maintained stone circle and packed earth walls with but a few dozen souls living there. They claimed the land and built over the original Shrine with a temple exalting Tor, God of War. They then built the original keep and stronghold walls which still remain today. The walls and surrounding city were built into the mountain to resemble the old Toren Stronghold, the narrow streets designed to confuse and disorient foes. After the Shrine fell to Astrum, the temple of Tor was demolished and the new Astroist temple was built over it. Three tall towers were added to the keep to symbolize the Bloodstars, and Astrumese revisions to Toren architecture were made. They were not to last however. Though most of the keep and stronghold was scrubbed clean of Toren imagery, the design of the buildings was far superior to the Astrumese, who had been influenced by Morekian castles on the plains in the east. Toren architects were found to complete a new set of walls, making the Shrine nearly impregnable. Presiding over their completion, he couldn't help but be proud. So he needed to build a third wall. These walls would be even bigger, 25 feet tall and 4 feet thick of granite from the mountains. Karibash personally oversaw the design process. As the last walls were a testament to the Duke Kihalin, these walls would be a testament to the lasting power of Astrum, the Toren people, and himself.

The Shrine has been a flurry of activity as of late. Using his considerable wealth he has funded many projects and using his considerable influence has convinced minor nobles, the burghers, and serfs alike of a destiny for the Shrine, a vision where they will grow strong. Though the Astrumese nobility has been a touch reluctant of the words of the ancient Duke, the Toren nobility have embraced him as have the largely Toren burghers while the Mountainmen serfs remain divided. The Astrumese of the Shrine are almost exclusively nobles or priests. They either came with the Astrumese conquerers or shortly after and quickly gained domination over the Shrine much to the distaste of the old Toren nobility. As lands and posessions were seized and given to the Astrumese, the number of Toren nobility quickly fell. Now the Toren nobility are but a handful compared to the Astrumese but the few who remain are extremely powerful: Astrum opted to placate them rather than risk rebellion. The burghers for the most part are Toren as foreigners do not last long in the culture. They have made their name as smiths, architects, engineers, and warriors. Unsurprisingly some Toren can be found as priests in the Astroist temple, an homage to their fiercly religious past. A few Astrumese merchants exist to peddle jewellery, but they tend to keep their heads down. The serfs are largely mountainmen, with some Toren miners. The Mountainmen either work as shopkeeps or labourers for Toren burghers, as farmers on the little arable land, but the majority live in the mountains as hunters. They come to the city only to sell their wares, but can make extra gold by taking Astrumese nobility on hunts. They accept the Toren as fellows from a far land, sharing some culture points and they have even started to intermarry. They experienced great hardship under the Astrumese though, taken to work in mines or sent abroad to work fields, and largely resent them. It is advisable for Astrumese to not stray too far outside the city or off the main road, nor to mingle with the impoverished Mountainmen. It is hard to track the number of Mountainmen around the Shrine; they view the mountains as one region and tend to travel about following the herds of deer or aurochs.

It was on this particular day, while watching a crew of Mountainmen labourers moving a granite slab, supervised by an Astrumese noble, advised by a Toren architect that Karibash had a most peculiar lapse. He lost where he was for a moment, forgot what he was doing, and in general could not remember for the life of him a few things, most particularly his age. Turning to his good retainer Edward, he speaks:

"Edward?

"Yes milord?"

"What are we doing?

"Observing construction of the new walls milord?"

"New walls?" He looks around, "Why in the world are we building new walls at the stronghold?"

"The... stronghold?"

Karibash laughs "The stronghold! Toren Stronghold! The centre of our glorious people!"

"Milord-"

"Who are those people over there? Why is there an Ikalakian here?" He strolls over to the assembled workers, patting the Astrumese noble on the back. "Greetings Ikalakian friend!" The Astrumese has a look of bewilderment, being approached by a Duke of Astrum, "I'm glad we are co-operating on repairing the walls after those damned Tassies damaged it." He strolls over to the Toren architect, speaking in Toren. "Greetings brother!"

"...milord Duke it is impolite to speak Toren in front of outsiders."

"Oh, of course," He finishes with a forearm handshake and a firm gaze.

"Lord Karibash are you well?" Edward approaches worried.

"Well? Edward, I've never been better! Those peasants there, their beards are unkempt for good pious Toren men. See that they are tended to." He looks away from the Shrine, out towards the countryside. He is quiet for a moment. "Edward. We're not in Toren anymore are we."

"We haven't been in over 30 years milord."

Karibash is quiet for a moment as his memories rush back. The South-East sinking, Everguard, monster hoardes, the Stars, the damned arthritis in his knees, the pain he has in his stomach, Astrum.

"Oh."

He turns back to Edward, shaking his head. "Remind me, are we at war?"

"Yes milord, with Aurvandil and her satellites."

Karibash ponders this for a moment. "Because their God-King is an arrogant fool, no?"

"Precisely."

"So why don't we kill him?"

"Milord that is precisely the aim. The armies of Astrum and her Allies have already been on one expedition to the south."

Karibash shakes his head smiling, "No, no. Why doesn't someone challenge him to one on one combat, kill him, and watch Aurvandil crumble?"

"Well... I'm not sure. Who would be fool enough to do such a thing?" Seeing the smile, Edward is aghast, "Milord... you can't possibly...?"

"Edward, bring me parchment and a quill. I wish to write this letter myself."

[BarticaBoat]

Letter from Karibash ka Habb   (just sent)
Message sent to: Mendicant Anhangar
His Imperial August, The High Sovereign Mendicant Anhanger, Benevolent Majesty and Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of Aurvandil, Duke of The Imperial City, Margrave of Candiels, King of Madina, Conquérant des Pirates, Foremost Chevalier and Roi de l'Orvandeaux.

I have heard much about the Chevalier culture. You espouse honour, majesty, and excellence in battle. Your armies are feared across Dwilight. Frankly, I'm unimpressed. You see, I come from a warrior culture as well. The Toren of the South-East Island were rightfully feared for our resilience and strength in battle. Tor, God of War, gave us strength and we honoured him by conquering the weak and defeating the powerful. Though the island sank before we could conquer it, we came to Dwilight to further our goals. Everguard was founded by Toren, and we were once a great power. Tor died, however, and Everguard fell to Astrum. The Toren still live though. Our lust for war has not been satisfied. We exist as mercenaries and warriors. Why, a good portion of the Astrumese army is Toren warriors.

You see, tales of Toren greatness are well known. When the Saxons claimed they were superior, I was there to prove them wrong. When monster hordes the likes of which have never been seen were found, Toren armies fought and won. I have seen battle the likes of which you cannot imagine. Who are you? What have you done? Why do I not fear the Chevalier?

I await your reply.

Your's,
Karibash ka Habb, Duke of the Dark Mountains, Margrave of the Shrine of Seeklander, Thane of the Dark Shrine, Marshal of the Twilight Wardens, Marquis of Aquitain, Sovereign of the County of Forguthrie and all its Holdings, Vassal of the Vasilif of Astrum, Last King of Everguard

Karibash ka Habb
Duke of the Dark Mountains
Margrave of Shrine of Seeklander

[BarticaBoat]

Letter from Mendicant Anhangar   (3 hours, 10 minutes ago)
Fallen King of Everguard, Karibash ka Habb, Duke of the Dark Mountains, Margrave of the Shrine of Seeklander, Marshal of the Twilight Wardens;

Timidity is the insidious enemy of prowess, and what is fear, but an internal emotional manifestations of timidity? Those who pursue prowess naturally do not fear competition of arms and soldiery, but revel in the glory and majesty only found in proving your adroit worth. You do not fear us because you recognise this truth as a Man-At-Arms.

You are not impressed? Very well, but I have fought in the north and I found the soldiery in the north to be lacking in prowess. The saxons held themselves superior, but I have bested them not by sheer weight of numbers as you did, but through valour and superior craft in the art of war. The Astrumese hold yourself superior in martial matters but you in turn were bested by the Averothoi who combined the warriors of Thulsoma with the soldiery, chivalry and campaigning prowess of Averoth to form a force unbeaten in the field of battle. One that destroyed Astrumese pride and chivalry so concisely on the fields of Ygg d'Razhuul that you would never again face Averoth alone, but only with the allied armies of the Church. My Chevaliers have never known such defeat and humiliation as you have, we have never been proven inferior in battle or indeed in war. You declare that you derive your strengths as a knight from a God of war, Aurvandil however derives it's strengths in martial combat through our own hard fought and hard won prowess, even were you to display yourself superior then your victory would be sullied through having attained such prowess, your key to victory, through a means that are not your own. What pride can you have, as a knight, if your skill is granted to you by a higher power rather than having been forged by your own virtue and ardour? A knight who owes his success only to what has been given to him, and not what he has duly earned can never hold himself with the same respect or honour that he would to a knight who forged themselves through virtue of their own, self given prowess. A man who has been given prowess, can never believe himself to be equal or superior to a knight of lesser prowess who has earned that prowess through labour and exertion in the martial arts.

What can I say to a people who profess themselves to be little more than mercenaries and warriors? We are Chevaliers, were you are mercenaries, our highest virtue is our honour, your highest virtue is your price in battle, our codes of behaviour dictated by our honour, your behaviour dictated by whatever you are paid to do. You are warriors barbarous wielders of the sword and lance, when we are knights, you are mere combatants by your own skill with the sword and lance, whilst we are soldiers by our valour and chivalry, such is the vast gulf between those who are mere men swinging a sword, and those who are pursuing honour and prowess as the making of a man.

Men of the sword and lance should not fear one another, but rather hold mutual admiration and respect, and in turn honour the prowess of their opponent. That is why you do not fear us, for fear is unbecoming for a man of prowess and it is unbecoming of one who undertakes a life in pursuit of its attainment.

Mendicant Anhangar
High Sovereign of Aurvandil
Duke of Candiels
Margrave of Candiels

Letter from Karibash ka Habb   (just sent)
(Personal message to Mendicant Anhangar)
High Sovereign Mendicant of the Commonwealth of Aurvandil,

You seem to have a false image of my person. Though I am an old noble of Astrum, I am a Toren man. Though my heart lies with Astrum, still my heart lies with my own people. I did not best the Saxons through superior forces. I bested them through fear. When they learned of my skills, they laughed. They told me I was wrong. And when I said the fables go that my unbreakable shield arm was given to me by Tor, they laughed and said that I was the son of a fallen god, and that their Holy Mother Haruka would prove me wrong. They never did. My shield arm never broke. Instead the walls of Valkyrja which I helped build were broken and shattered as were the Saxon people. Astrum was indeed bested by the Averothians, leaders and strategists of their joint army. But there is a problem with that statement.

Averoth was a Toren land. Those were Toren who fought proudly for their lords. And though there were Toren in Astrum who fought against their brothers, it is still good for only the powerful survived. Yes, Saxons were there, but the Toren leaders in Averoth helped make their armies strong.

Your Chevaliers have never known defeat? How are they warriors? One may pride himself on his learned skill and ability. Swordsmanship, marksmanship, strategy. These are not the traits of a true warrior, but merely a skilled fighter. I do not derive my strengths as a fighter from Tor. Tor is dead. Has been for many years now. My skills and strength were taught to me, as all Toren, by other Toren. We are constantly improving, training, fighting. No boy entered battle without a thorough education in both one and two handed swordsmanship, archery, axe wielding, spear work, shield work, and unarmed combat. No boy left a military academy in the Stronghold without all those and further education in tactics, logistics, and grand strategy. And afterwards we would apprentice under elders to learn advanced skills and then hone those skills in battle. So my pride in my abilities is well deserved, for it is through my own hard work and perseverance and ability to survive 60 years of war that I am still here.

So no, my skill wasn't given to me by Tor. That is the gift of the Toren people. What Tor once gave us, and what the Stars give us today, is will. By the will of the Stars I cannot fall. And that is what makes me superior to your greatest Chevalier. You say you have not known defeat? Why, the Toren have known defeat. Be it against foreign peoples or our own brothers, we have all seen defeat. But when the Chevalier sees defeat, that is when it shall be shown they are inferior. When a single Chevalier without his brothers around him is met with a superior enemy force, we shall know who is more powerful. He will be scared. He will be afraid of what is to come and his mind will be clouded and he will die. That does not happen to a Toren man. Where the Chevalier will fight only what they can win, the Toren will persevere. Where the Chevalier will deem it suicide, the Toren will find glory. Where the Chevalier seeks victory, the Toren seeks carnage, bloodshed, and terror. I do not know which of our peoples are more skilled in battle, but I know the Chevaliers would never last in the South-East. Your great skills with a blade will not serve you well if tears stream down your face after receiving a mortal wound. You do not know defeat because you are scared. And when faced with defeat a Chevalier will run while the Toren will see down his foe until the Stars are pleased. Your armies may march in step, but when a Toren man meets a Chevalier the Toren will always win.

You call us mercenaries and sellswords. Yes, we are. When we could have, as a people, laid down and become gentle farmers we said no. We peddled the greatest skill we have. Your virtues are honour, valour, and chivalry. You go into battle to prove such. We do not have virtues. We fight because it is our way of life. You say we are men swinging a sword while you are Chevaliers. I say you are children seeking ideals while we are the thing that you fear at night.

You say men of the sword should hold mutual respect. Please tell me when the Chevalier are men.

Karibash ka Habb
Duke of the Dark Mountains
Margrave of Shrine of Seeklander

[Zakilevo]

Hah. Trying to build lv6 wall now?

[BarticaBoat]

yessir I am, Karibash never could deal with Kihalin besting him

Letter from Mendicant Anhangar   (30 minutes ago)
Fallen King of Everguard,

It was undoubtedly by sheer numbers by which the Crusaders brought down both Storms Keep and Valkyrja, I know because I read the battle reports. It is easy to boast that your shield arm never broke during the sieges, but when you greatly outnumber your foe that is no compliment to your own prowess. Whereas you were routed in the field of Ygg d'Razhuul when you fought with the Averothoi with yet still a larger force, but on more even terms. Your shield stood strong when you outnumbered your foe by a great number, but you were routed from the field of battle when you didn't have three or more men to their one. You boast of nothing that any Chevalier would be proud.

"When a single Chevalier without his brothers around him is met with a superior enemy force, we shall know who is more powerful. He will be scared. He will be afraid of what is to come and his mind will be clouded and he will die"

An amusing jest. But I can cite as recently as a few days ago where a Chevalier was outnumbered by a foe with seven times as many soldiers, and he refused to yield the ground as his honour demands and he then routed the enemy. Quite the contrast to yourself, who only fight when you greatly outnumber your foe and even then, seem to hark great defeats upon your person. The Chevalier then held his ground against overwhelming reinforcements and availed himself well against such odds. The Iashalurian's suffered great shame and humiliation when they chose to fight against Sir Matharis Azul, Porte-Auriflamme of the Rois Propriétaire Gardes Impériaux. Where by contrast, all I can see is you boasting of battles where you greatly outnumbered your foe and hold pride that you "fought well" in them, regardless of the success of your army.

"Where the Chevalier will deem it suicide, the Toren will find glory"

How shallow.

A Chevalier fights to gain honour in battle, nothing so superfluous as glory. If all the Torenist's can find is glory, then you will be a sorry sight on the battlefield. We Orvandeaux do not flee from battle, we hold our ground as our honour demands we should. If you hold the ground simply for glory, then your feat is sullied by its motivation and raison d'etre, any warrior can find glory, it is hardly a commodity worth seeking in place of honour, a soldier without honour but with glory is detestable.

"La Garde Meurt Mais Ne Se Rend Pas!" The Guard Dies But Does Not Surrender, my own guard are sworn to hold the field until their death or their purpose is complete.

"And when faced with defeat a Chevalier will run while the Toren will see down his foe until the Stars are pleased. Your armies may march in step, but when a Toren man meets a Chevalier the Toren will always win."

All you can offer me is inherent untruths, ignorant of the wealth of evidence anyone could place before you, do not waste my time in this discussion. Your petty attempts to try and place your warrior culture above the chivalry of my Chevaliers only displays your shallow vanities and your self aggrandising assumptions. You tout this nonsense because it gratifies your undue sense of self worth. If I am to be honest, I expected more from you a famed warrior of the north. I expected more than a puerile retort where you declare yourself inherently superior because you "just are", whilst not being able to prove it in any manner nor support your wild accusations. All you have done is simply declared yourself better by default because you reckon it's true with the logic of "sure why not".

Failed King in exile, it is inevitable that we would stand at opposites whilst my Chevaliers are famed for their valour and chivalry and have brought me great successes, my own Knight Hausos At Arms is considered the exemplar of Chivalry and valour in war whilst your "warriors" have already failed their kingdom and brought their king into servitude to the realm that defeating this warrior culture you are so proud of. If you hold the Toren culture in such high esteem, then march south and face my Chevaliers. But then as I recall, the Astrumese army revolted rather than face my armies when last you went on campaign. If you can get your "warriors" to gird their loins long enough so that they may do battle with me, then I will consider you worthy of acknowledging as more than a mewling warrior with delusions of prowess and martial excellence.

Write me a reply worth reading, or do not reply at all. I have no time to dispense for a warrior looking only to try and declare himself superior by words alone, when by his own actions he has proven himself otherwise.

Mendicant Anhangar
High Sovereign of Aurvandil
Duke of Candiels
Margrave of Candiels

Letter from Karibash ka Habb   (just sent)
(Personal message to Mendicant Anhangar)
High Sovereign of Aurvandil,

They did not lie, you truly are a wordy man. I don't understand your insistence on honour. Honour will not save you.

Quite the contrast to yourself, who only fight when you greatly outnumber your foe and even then, seem to hark great defeats upon your person.

Unfortunately your father was but a pup on his mother's teat when I was fighting in the South-East, and you were but a twinkle in his eye when I was fighting monsters in Everguard. When the overwhelming force of Astrum attacked us, weakened by a harsh winter and monster hordes, we did not yield. We fought to the death. It was only my capitulation to Astrum that saved Averoth. Honourable? Perhaps not. Glorious? No. But I not only saved my brothers, I lived to fight another day.

What is honour, lad? What is it? Devotion to your King? Devotion to a god or the Stars above? We fight because that is what we do. We honour our ancestors, we honour the Stars. You have nothing. You honour your own self-inflated ideal, children seeking a meaning and a purpose. The world is scary, boy.

The Chevaliers are weak and the Toren superior because we possess an incomprehensible fire. "Prove it"? Why, look to the past, when Everguard was the greatest military power on Dwilight.

History has shown what the Toren people are. This is where age separates us. You are a young man, hard-headed and arrogant. I am an old man, my arrogance is backed up by my past exploits. It must infuriate you to see such confidence in my abilities, but lad, I have been there before.

It is not my fault Tor died. He was old. And when he went and we ignored the Stars, we fell. But the Toren are smarter than that. We learned of the Stars and we now grow powerful.

If you wish to taste Toren steel I will be only too happy to oblige you. Unless, of course, you are frightened of an old man. Tell me how your honour and chivalry will save you from a blade in your gut.

Karibash ka Habb
Duke of the Dark Mountains
Margrave of Shrine of Seeklander

[Zakilevo]

lol keep it up. It is hilarious to see two of you exchanging letters.

If I unpause Kihalin, Karibash could probably beat him easily now. Doubt I will be unpausing Kihalin any time soon.

[BarticaBoat]

Roleplay from Karibash ka Habb
Message sent to everyone in the region Larur (6 recipients)
Dulbese galleons appear off the coast of Larur, no doubt a relatively common sight in these times. As they come into relatively shallow waters, longboats are dropped from the galleons to bring the men on board ashore. On the first longboat is a very tall, dark, elderly man. His skin is a maze of scars, wrinkles only add to the mess that is his face, and dark yet sparkling eyes shine out from a furrowed brow. His head is shaven, his silver beard has grown and is now tied into a braid. His nose is flattened: surely it has been broken numerous times. Wiry muscles show in his forearms but it is clear he was once far greater in size. He wears on his heart a pendant of his people, on his left middle finger a band of iron, clean silk underclothes are the only sign of his considerable wealth. Over this is a fine horsehair gambeson which lies beneath heavy chainmail. Thin plates on the chest, shoulders, flanks, and thighs offer greater protection. Under his arm is his helmet and in the same hand his war mask. It is in a fierce snarl and clips neatly to the helmet. His arms are carried by his retainer Edward. His sword is simple, a one handed blade. His shield is round and large enough to cover head to knee. It is made of oak and reinforced with steel. A large barb sits in the middle. The back of his shield is etched with Toren runes taking up nearly all available space. The longboat lands and he steps out into the water. His men, their pages, cooks, and other retainers eventually land. Toren men have landed.

When camp has been set up he summons Captain Oldric, greeting him with a forearm handshake. He has arrived in full armor: platemail from head to toe, a great helm, and a small shield that bulges from the left forearm. At his waist is an axe nearly four feet in length. The heavy blade is topped with a point, and etched into the handle are Toren runes which read "To my Dear Aurvandilian Widows". Captain Oldric is a seasoned warrior, he fought in the South East and is one of the few men living to have received a Toren education. As such he was one of the elders tasked with training the strictly Toren infantry centre in Gelene, which still boasts a relatively robust population of Toren. When he learned that Karibash the Old Toren was marching south he couldn't resist. And now he stands nearly 2000 miles from Gelene deep in the south of Dwilight. He takes off his helm and salutes smartly,

"You old bastard."

"Your wife doesn't seem to mind"

They break into laughter. Oldric wipes his brow before continuing,

"So Toren men march again eh?"

"Yes we do. Toren men led by Toren elders. Too long has Dwilight been allowed to grow calm. These poor southerners think themselves great warriors. We'll show them what fear is." Karibash holds up his war mask, "I'm hoping this isn't uncomfortable. If we didn't sweat the paint off our faces we would do that but..." Karibash looks up at the sky, sun beating down. "Oh well. Rumour is these Aurvandil folk are fiercer than the Saxons-"

"So they're akin to children?"

"Yes." Karibash smirks.

"I lay with a woman from Aurvandil once. Beautiful little thing, she said to me Vas-te faire foutre! and I said don't mind if I do!" Oldric chuckles. "Let's give them hell. And give their women heaven, no?"

Karibash nods, smiling. "Let's."