Chapter I - Otremer - II/05

II/05

Nomak stepped inside the king's tent with Urak on his right. - My liege, you must decide! Our swords are still in your hands.

- We talked enough Master Nomak. I know your statement. But now I'm courious what your field commander thinks? - said the king while looking to Urak.

- Liege! - begun Urak - I'm not clever in warfare, I'm just a weapon on the field.

- But still I'm courious! - the king replied.

- C'mon Urak! Answer the king! - Nomak ordered Urak.

- Well liege! To be afraid is far more safer than sudden shy. We cannot be certain that we best the city nor to hold it from the nords. I think we should prepare for a long and lasting war as the situation stands now, sire.

- Ahhh... you know more about warfare than you stated young man. I see Nomak taught you much!

-Liege!

- Master Nomak. I see now I have no other possibility. I'm to hire you and all of your Guild's services along in order to fight on my side in this war. I will pay well... And now I want you to lead my standing armies. You mission is to hold our enemies till you can and till I arrive with my gathered armies. Make you move to Alaid. I will rejoin you in about a month.

- As you will sire! - Nomak stated than bowed and backed out from the tent. Urak followed his moves.

- What are your plans Nomak? - Urak asked while they were heading to their soldiers.

- We will not be in such a hurry to return to Alaid. The king's forces stay for 3 more days here surrounding Said. The Duke's forces cannot make an outbrake. Their numbers are low. So you will have three days to scout the region. We need information about the northerns.

- As you wish! - Urak replied - I leave immediately!

- Take a dozen of your best men. In 3 days we fall back to Alaid and wait for the king.

- Your order, my hands! 

Chapter I - Otremer - II/04

II/04

The Duke saw that his lines is breaking up but instead of making a retreat to reorganize the lines he ordered his archers to fire into the front line. He was too confident but less artful in warfare. His bowman fired continously into the lines making more damage to his own comrades than the enemy. The Duke's lines finally broken up and his men begun to flee.

Said's Duke gone mad. He ordered a full scale attack for his elite knights. They've beaten up the archers in front of them making tham scatter and confused. The knights rush could not be effective as they could not speed up for the charge because they reached his fleeing first line. They slowed down to nearly stop as they tried no to trample thier own comrades.

The Guild's assassins with the leading of Urak noticed the confusion and begun to chase the fleeing lines. As they reached the knights crowded with the scattered spearmen Urak made his order - Forget the scalps and take the knights down! CHARGE! - and the assassins jumped onto the horses and dropped the knights down. They scared the horses so the heavy armored men dropped to the ground. It was not a battle anymore. It was pure massacre. 

The king's forces maintained the lines and slowly followed the retreating Duke and his army. The Duke reached Said. He ordered to close the gates immediately. Most of his remaining forces trapped in front of the city gates. The Guild's warriors killed 'em all.

- No mercy to the traitors! Punish 'em!! - screamed Urak.

Korak knew that his remaining forces are far not enough to maintain a sige on Said. The Duke suffered great losses by his wrong decisions but he still got enough men to hold the city walls for weeks or even till the norhtern hordes arrival. The king confered with Nomak. They agreed that they do not have the forces for a siege nor an attack. They had to decide if they are gonna fall back to Alaid and gather the kingdom's army to face the Duke's and the Warlords's armies or try to take Said and hope to defend it. They have no time to think or to prepare.

Korak, king of the seven cities wanted to finish the rebellion and the invasion before it's start hoping that if he takes down the inner ally of the northerns they will rethink their plans. The king did not know however that the nord forces were closer than he ever dreamt. ...

Chapter I - Otremer - II/03

II/03

Monthes later...

The two armies stood on a flat height face to face. Not far from the city of Said. The Duke of Said's army with it's yellow flags were arranged in three rows. The archer stood in the first row. About 400. The second row stood in a loose formation, Spearman and man-at-arms. The man-at-arms were equipped well. Their chainmails and shield were nearly new and their yellow coat of arms were shining in the morning sun. The spearmans were mostly town militia man and some professional mercenary. A bit more than 500 man-at-arms 1 000 spearmen, and on the third row the Duke and his 150 elite knights.

The Duke were to defend but he felt so confident about his victory he marched out of his city to fight a "traditional" battle. The invader was the true king of Said. Korak the king of the seven cities Ulan, Akbar, Acron, Alaid, Kugel, Al'iktel and Said. The Duke raised against his king with the help of the northern Warlords, whom promised him the title of "King of the seven cities" after they conquered the kingdom. With such an ally the Duke were certain in his victory.

But there were a little problem with his plans. That Korak acted swiftly and made a pre-attack to maintain the unity of the realm in facing the northern invade.

Korak's army were however smaller in numbers. He only had two rows standing on the field. In the first line stood the well trained armored spearmen in a thick line, all the 800 soldiers. 150 archers and about 100 field assassins in the second line. The archers stood on the left flank and in the center. The assassins strengthened the right flank.

The field assassins are an elite group of light armed warriors. They were loyal to whom they were payed by. They were more dangerous even in small numbers than 1 000 swordsmans.

Korak had little time to prepare to prevent the warlords armies to arrive so he had to pay large sums of gold for some mercenaries as he had no time to gether his forces. He was happy to accept the services of the Guild but he thought that there will be a bit more than only 100 field assassins beside their renown. 

The Duke was impatient as he wanted to get back to his palace fabricating his future plans so he signald attack. Korak was surprised by his enemy's move but Nomak made him calm down.

-Don't worry lord. They've made a great favor for us.

- Good. So let them come like man!

- Urak! Lead the front. Charge by my signal! - ordered Nomak.

- At once sire! - Urak replied.

The duke's army marched up crying battle. As they got closer the archers begun to fire and the loose form of the second row gone thick as they left the archers. The knights walked slowly and they stopped behind the archers.

The Captain leading the king's army made his orders:

- Hold 'em! HOLD!!

The two army crashed. The shield wall held the duke's men. The forces matched evenly. The king's archers pulled back a little to be able to fire the charging town militia. The spearman held the attack well but they got tired and the man-at-arms of the duke gained space. Nomak than made the signal to Urak. The field assassins did not fought till that point.

Urak saw the signal and made his orders:

- Ready! ... Spearman! OPEN UP! - The right flank splited up in no time. The assassins raided out swarming the duke's left flank. The duke's town militia got scared and begun to flee as their first line fall down in pieces just in a minute. The king's right flank closed back behind the Guild's forces and begun to push to the center to maintain the lines.  ...

Chapter I - Otremer - II/02

II/02

- Where are we sailing Nomak? - asked Urak.

- We are going to the Otremer. I have friends out there.

- What happened? I cannot remember anything? My last memory is that they are bringing me to the gallows at dawn than a huge blow and everything gone black. Than you woke me up on the way.

- The Guild Master ordered to set you free. So we sat you free. We made a raid on the guards that dawn. We killed 'em all. Than we had to escape with haste.

- I do not understand nothing. Why I was even brought to the king? Why was I arrested? What the hell is going on ???

- Slowly boy. Take it easy. ... As the things going on now I can tell you the full story. The story about the truth...

Nomak took a bottle of wine. He poured two glasses and gave one to Urak than he sat down and begun to speak:

- You were a little boy. When the final stage of the 200 years war begun. It was certain that the Ros Empire will fall and the lords started inwars. That's the way the Empire had been splited to several duchies and kingdoms. You and your family were living not far from Ros'Khan's capital. The last few years of the great conflict was the bloodiest. Some wannabe kings hired barbarians from the north to help them gain land and power. But some lords forgot to pay them. So they raided the best part of the Empire in return. They pillaged and looted everything.

He drunked the whole glass out in one turn than he continued:

- They reached the village where you and your parents were living. They burnt down the whole village. We got there with Dahan about 2 days later after we fought down the barbarian bandits. We have found you alive. You were standing beside your murdered parents with a knife in hand. You were covered with blood and two dead barbarians lied next to you. You hacked them several times to death. The anger was still in your eyes. Some strange aura surrounded you. ...

Nomak took the whole bottle of wine and drunk. 

-  As you know Dahan took you and we made you a warrior. We talked about you to our Master, B'aal. He thinks you could be a great member of the Guild. He personally gave the order to save you.

- But why I was arrested? - asked Urak.

- Calm down. Let me finish the story of yours. ... The Guild has it's goals and motivations. So we made steps to make the world a better one. A better one what's fundamentum is truth. So ... As you know Ros'Khan's king, Leistak had a son. Unfortunately the son wasn't that "Kind" as his father. His mind went dark and he begun to pray to the evil. After a while he made things base upon lies. He smithed plans to rebuild the Ros Empire with the help of the Evil. With the help of the Lord of Lies.

-What a scum...

- So about 3 month ago we made a raid. More than a hundred blades cut the prince and his wagon into pieces. ... The Agent Boureau begun an investigation and they arrested and killed most of the people who can handle a damn knife...

- I understand now...

After two days of sailing and silence Urak seemed to be calmed down. He got well and rested. He seemed very tendentious.

- What will we going to do now Nomak?

- We will serve Urak... We will serve truth and gold...

Chapter I - Otremer - II/01

II/01

-Wake up damn it! C'mon! - shouted Nomak while he was shaking Urak. Urak slowly woke up. His face was covered with dirt and blood.

- Where am I? What happenned?

- We are on way to the Otremer. Now drink - he pushed a bottle of water onward Urak. The young man was thirtsty. He was unconscious for more than three days.

The cart they were travelling on moved slowly towards the black clouds of the Otre sea. The sun gone down for a while and the wind become stronger as the air got colder.

They have arrived to the port of Or'Dushan at late night. The city was the biggest port town of the Ros Empire. Now it lies on the territory of Ros'Dushan Kingdom. The city has a huge stone wall with many towers. The main gate is gigantic. Huge water dragon sculptures guarding the frontal gate and ship painting the inner one. As they got through the gates the city opened itself to them. 

Hundreds of close built houses as the way lead from the walls down to the port. The endless Otre sea ahead and huge ships that are being loaded or unloaded at the docks. Crowds of people swarmed in the streets. The air was full with the smell of the sea's salt.

As Nomak and his men reached the docks they got onto a small black cog with no flag at all. The ship picked his anchor and sailed out of the port. The ship disappeared in the dark night. ...

Chapter I - Prolgoe - I/10

I/10

They next day Womak and his men brought out Urak from the castle's dungeon, put him on a horse tieded up. Dahan watched the situation from the main gatehouse.

- Maybe we should let the king wash him clean!? - Dahan asked.

- I'll rush back to Khanae and get some information about the questioning. - answered Nomak.

- Let the Gods be with you.

- The weak and the good will be trampled!

- The weak and the good will be trampled! - they shaked hands and than left.

The Royal Guards arrived back to the capital within two days with Urak. Durin the trip they met up with other divisions. They brought 17 prisoners to the king. The Khanae Citadel's dungeon wass full with captives. Most of them were robbers, burglars and thiefes. Urak was dropped in a dark cell with 7 other men. In about 2 hours a couple of guards came and brought 4 prisoners from the cell to questioning. None of them returned... 

Urak had brought to the king after 3 days. He was weak and tired. The prisoners got no food at all. In the main hall there were a lot of guards and the king was sitting on his throne. The huge deep-purple carpet was dirty. The smells were awful. Blood, shit, and sweat. A huge man stood before the king half-naked. His torso was covered with blood. A true colossus he was. He was made by muscles. His head was shaved to bald. A dead body lied before him. The head of the Agent Boureau. He turned around and spotted Urak. The guards pushed him to knees.

- Was it you worm? - the executioner asked.

- Wha.. what? - Urak whispered

- WAS IT YOU!? I can't hear it!!

- What?

- Stop it Root! He do not even know why he was brought here. - said the king.

- Liege.

- Enough of this for today. - the king stood up and walked out on the back door. Root slapped Urak in the face who felt down to the ground.

- Hang him at dawn! - ordered Root. ...

Chapter I - Prologe - I/09

I/09

The Guild. The Guild started to work as any other in the realm. It has it's home, laws and regulations. Standards for members and for activity. The Guild made it's fortune by trading and loaning money. They somehow become a bank of that time. However the Traders Guild  wasn't happy about getting a new competitor but the new guild doesn't mean serious competition for them as they made business mostly inland the newly formed organization made abroad deals. The other strange thing was about the new guild that it has a different name. Most of the guilds has it's name by it's profession such as Tailors Guild, Traders Guild or Smithes Guild etc... But this guild is named Daggers Guild. Furthermore they offered some kind of dark special services. The people talked about assassinations, burglaries and other crime acts. It was however a secret that was known by everyone but not known by the authorities. By the guilds "real" activity, the Guild of Daggers name was truly named about it member's profession too.

The Guild made business all around the territory of the fallen Ros Empire, the Otremer, the northern wastlands, the southern seas and the free cities of the West. Some people said that they even have contacts with the great empires of the far western continents.

They have clients from all kind of people. Peasants, clerics, nobles and from even the royal courts.

The usual people only saw that the guild members wearing a bit strange clothes, they look like light armed traders or clerics but they were gentle, kind, helpful and maning their own business, they ment no harm for anyone. The common people only thought that they wearing arms just because they are doing business on dangerous places. 

Chapter I - Prologe - I/08

I/08

"Nomak was my master. He came to Dahan's Castle not long after he took me as his apprentice. He is a real man of honor. I learnt him a lot. He tought me to fight while Dahan thought me wisdom. I owe Nomak and Dahan my life. They were my parents after. Mostly Nomak. I loved the way he thought me how to handle weapons and arms. Knife and dagger was my favourite... and now I'm sitting in this rotting dungeon."

Nomak and Dahan became friends during the 200 year wars. They were brothers in arms on the side of the fallen Ros Empire. After the wars the empire fallen into many smaller and bigger kingdoms such as the kingdom of Ros'Khan. Dahan made an oath for the new Ros'Khan Kingdom's ruler King Laistak the Kind. Nomak made a living as a mercenary in the Otremer (Otremer was the name of the eastern lands outside of the fallen Ros Empire known by it's exotic nature, people, animals, lands and it's tribes whom waging war mostly all the time.), where a warrior always finds a way to make some coins. After a while Nomak came back to Ros'Khan with a strange man called B'aal. They partied up with Dahan and made a Guild at the capital... 

Chaper I - Prologe - I/07

I/07

The dungeon under Caste Oak was not a friendly place to be. Urak sat in a dark and wet cellar with no windows. The whole dungeon was collied into rock. The door was a small hole enclosed with steel grating. No guard stood before the cell as there is no way out there. The only sound that could be heared was the water drops.

A hooded shape appeared from the shadows. - Urak! Come over here! - The young man found the the voice familiar.

- Nomak?

- Lord Dahan sent us a message. But sadly I'm late.

- Why I am imprisoned ?

- Because you are a good handler of knives. Let that be enough for now.

- It's nonsense but as you wish master.

- We will try to set you free in time. Master B'aal do not forget his people.

- Nomak... Thank you. I hope to bear arms in hand with you.

- So do I Urak... so do I... 

Chapter I - Prologe - I/06

I_06

While Womak had his dinner in company with some "maides of honor", Dahan sent an urgent letter with one of his best man. - Silenzio e precisione! (Silence and precision)

Lord Dahan hasted back to his guest but he was late. The Royal Guards accompanied by some local soldiers brought Urak in front of Captain Womak. He was tieded up. The captain looked satisfied to Dahan and said - Well my Lord, your hospitality and word are more than respectful. - than he turned to Urak - And you! You are my hostage now. Put him into the jail. We leave at the sun's first light.

While two Royal Guards lead on Urak to the Castle jail Dahan begun to question the order - Excouse me Captain but why do you imprison my apprentice? What had he done?

- We must keep him safe. The order came directly from the king. He wants to question every man personally.

- Every man?

- Yes! I have 37 more names on my list. Already arrested 48.

- What? How you know who you have to bring to the king? - asked Dahan somewhat scared.

- We've got the list from the Agents Boureau. They know everything throughout the kingdom. In about 3 weeks they made the list ready. They got informants everywhere. Every man who handles the knife better than a chef is on the list. 

- So why don't you bring all of my soldiers, all the guards, all the army in front of the king?

- The Agents Boureau said that the army and the guards are above the investigation as they made the oath of loyalty before the Gods.

- I hope they are right and we do not just hang innocent people. ...

Chapter I - Prologe - I/05

I_05

Dahan and the Royal Guards reached Castle Oak. It wasn't a huge building but it lies on a small hill with steep walls surrounded by a bigger gutter.  The main gate was amazing, as they rode through the bridge the lifted irongates were looking at them threatening. The inner yard was full of man-at-arms, soldiers, bowmen and a lot of instrumnets of war. Training dummies in plate mails, targets for the bow and crossbow. As they got through the gatehouse the saw the 20 meter tall thick walls running on both sides interspersed by oval towers. The wall ends at the cytadel castle. Around 10 stores high fortress with at least 30 towers and hundreds of portholes. No man could breach it so far not even in the 200 year wars. Castle Oak was one of the strongest forts in the realm while it was small it was also on a main strategic point next to an important trade route. Just at the legs of the Great Mouth mountains where are a lot of gold and iron mines and at the beginning of the fertile pastures providing the main part of the food for the rest of the country.

As Dahan and the captain stopped their horses a younger man stopped the training and ran to greet his lord. He was a well builded warrior. Beside his young age he already have some battle scars on his arms and torso. Dahan made him go with a single turn of his head. The young man noticed his will and left immediately. The captain not really made any interest about the youngster. The lord made some quick orders to hostel the Royal Guards. Than he invited the captain to his fort to dine and talk with him.

The night have fallen down to the castle and in the tavern the soldiers and the Royal Guard members chated and drunked. As they got drunker and drunker some Guards decided to show the "lowbie" soldiers what is it that made them a Royal Guard. They started to grab the barmaids, push and pull random peolple and started to tussle and fight with the locals as if they were the kings of the hill for tonight. The youngster that greeted his lord on his arrival smashed a beer ceg on a Guards head to get him off a barmaid. The whole tavern went freeze as the Guard slowly rolled down to the floor. The barmaid rant away crying badly. The other drunk Guards gathered around the young man. The local soldiers stood the youngster side and the air was still frozen as the two groups were to start a rumble. The tallest and thickest Guard pulled his sword. The youngster jumped to the tall's throat immediately as thunder do the flash and brought him to the ground while he kicked the sword out of his hand. The other Guards jumped on them as well as the other soldiers. After a few minutes of fighting the castle's guards on duty rushed into the tavern to split the fighting parties.    

- STOP you freaking bastards STOP if I told you!! - the sergeant shouted - Get off that poor bastard you dumb - and he smashed a Royal Guard's head wit his spear. Slowly the tavern silenced as the guards made order. The youngster was still strangling the thick Guard but the sergenat spot his spear onto his neck saying - Urak! I told you to let him go! It's not the time. ...

Chapter I - Prologe - I/04

I/04

The guards brought the dead slashed body of the prince into the king's dining hall. They were followed by a horde of courtiers screaming and crying. The king was eating when the guards broke into the hall bringing the prince's dead body. There were still two throwing knives in his head and about seven in his chest. The face of the ruler turned red than suddenly white. He ordered silence with his hand than kneeled next to the prince and watched him for long moments. The queen breaked into but he guards held her back. The king stood up and ordered to bring the prince into the chapel, than looked at the queen. She was crying badly. The king made her to be brought back to her room.

The king made a call for his advisors and guard captains. In about an hour all the heads of the government and the army were present in the king's main hall. It was huge. Great marble sculptures all over the wall. Long forgotten kings, queens, heroes, generals and mythical beasts were reborning on the wall's pictures, sculptures and reliefs. The deep purple carpet from the main door till the Throne of Skyfire were flooded with important people.

After several hours of hard and loud dispute and discusson the king emerged from his throne and declared that every man from the kingdom must brought before him for personal questioning who handles the knife better than a chef.

The captains of the Royal Guard spread out to every corner of the lore to collect every man and women who handles the knife. ... 

Chapter I - Prologe - I/03

I/03

The chamber was dark, only a few candles made some light. The room was made by stone and marble. It was once a glorious hall but now looks like a dead man's grave. Two walls were covered with shelfs full of books. On the corner was a huge eben tree desk. Papers, calygraphs, maps, skulls, daggers and candles covered it's top. The opposite two walls are covered with weapons and shields. Full scale armors, helms, hoods made by steel and silk, with silver and blood ruby inlaid. Many kinds of daggers of steel, stone and bone, swords and axes of iron, gold and steel silvered. On the floor a huge black bearskin laid just before the fireplace.

Just next to the fireplace another door leads to the inner chambers. A black robed man appeared in that door and walked to the desk reading some letters. Suddenly a massanger rushes in the frontal entrance, bows and gives a letter to the black robed man. He tooks and opens it immediately. While the messenger leaves the black robed man turns around and beckons towards the inner chamber. Another man comes in wearing a hooded lather breastplate with a knife belt. His cloth was grey and long it's faded by his knees where the deep brown ironed leather boots started. It had a silver tri-cross medallion at the shin. The man's face was stubble and his hair was collected in a ponytail.

- Dahan sent it - the black robed man hands over the letter. The hooded man reads than drops it into the fire. - We must make haste Master B'aal.

- You must go and bring Urak here! ...  

Chapter I - Prologe - I/02

I/02

As the sunlight formed the hills and the pasture over the small village of Erthel the streets begun to fullfill with life. The men walk to the fields and begin the work of the day while the children and the women cleans the houses. The smaller kids tweekingly running on the yards of houses by the time the little girls are helping around the house. Like in a tale, a truly happy little village with all the goodness.

The air was full with children laugh and fresh baked bread's smell. As the day gone by a small pack of flags and spears appeared on the horizon. It was a long time when there were visitors from the local noble and as the peasants saw on the fields these banners were purple. Deep dark purple with a golden phoenix on the upper left corner. The locals knew that this banner belongs to the royal court of Ros'Khan.

Suddenly a pack of horse archers rode into the village's main square. The local baron led them. He was to welcome the royal guests. As the lances and flags got closer to the village the peasants dropped their tools and ran back to see the mounted companion.

The baron were waving with his hand to welcome the band but his smile just become ice as he saw that no royal nor noble was in the companion. Only one of the Royal Guard's Captain.

Without a single notice to the local landlond he started -  We are looking for Urak! Give him or DIE! - shouted like a mad dog. The local lord knew him. Urak was a young man. Mostly still a boy. His parents were killed during the 200 year wars. He lived in the village as an orphan making his living by helping the farmers. As he grew up the landlord took him in his service as he saw the boy not that dumb as a usual farmer. He was somehow special. - What dou you want from Urak? - asked the landlord.

- Who are you? - the Captain replied.

- I am Dahan the lord of this people, noble and landlord of Erthel, Argak villages and lord of Castle Oak. And who are YOU? Questioning for my apprentice?

- My name is Captain Womak Urdel. Captain of the Royal Guard's XXI Divison. Sorry for the misunderstood of your belongings sire. - as they speak the local farmes encircle them eagerly thirsty for news from the kingdom. - The king - the captain continued - is looking for people good with the knife. 

- So bring him the chef, haha haha - a peasant started to laugh and with him the crowd too. Dahan were a bit suspicious. -  I do not really know what are you talking about - said Dahan - but let me hostel you in my castle and while we eat I'll call for Urak.  

The mountains on the west grew even bigger as the sun gone down. The landlord's men and the Royal Guard troops slowly ambled through the falling fog in the way of a castle siluet on the eastern forest. ...