|
|
|
|
|
|
The Horse Laird of the Hengsting
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BADGE OF OFFICE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HALL
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
{NAME}
|
|
|
|
{NAME} is the current {X} Laird and has sat the Laird
throne in {?} for {?} years.
|
|
|
|
APPEARANCE
|
|
|
|
A lean, wiry man in his late 40's, standing 5' 10" tall and weighing in at
a tightly-packed 165 lbs, Chigante (cheh-GAAN-tay) sports a flowing mustache and
beard, hazel eyes, spiky hair like a roosters comb, with a hairline receding
at the temples, and weathered outdoorsman skin.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HISTORY
|
|
|
|
Chigante became Laird by challenging for Lairdship, gaining approval in the initial
Volksraading more because his predecessor Turgat Vargassen was unpopular than for
any merit of his own as he more or less came out of nowhere, being from an out of
the way steading and not being a Huscarl or otherwise known warrior.
|
|
|
|
Suprisingly, Turgat challenged Chigante to combat rather than waiting for the second
Volksraading, which would almost certainly have gone to Turgat; the Thegns were
just thumbing their noses at him by allowing the challenge in the first place. No
doubt Turgat didn't expect much from the unimpressive looking Chigante and sought
to make a point to the Thegns in return. However, the wiry Chigante upset the predicted
outcome, easily carving Turgat to ribbons before beheading him on the steps of the
Lairdshall in Dunn Reitstall.
|
|
|
|
In the ensuing process of filling the Lairdship Chigante challenged every other
Thegn that put themselves forward as candidates and killed them all in shocking
displays of weapons mastery. As there was no Laird, there was no one to name weregild,
so if Chigante could win the Lairdship he could declare his weregild to be nothing.
Pretty soon no one else would step forward. The Thegns at the Volksraading were
forced to vote with Chigante the only candidate. Initially they voted no, hoping
he'd take the hint, but he then challenged Uriek Worgasen, a Reeve and the principal
source of encouraging others not to vote for Chigante.
|
|
|
|
Chigante carved him up, and then three more of Uriek's Gefolgsmen who challenged
Chigante after swearing vengeance. In the next vote Chigante was again the only
candidate, and this time the Thegns grudgingly voted for him lest they too be killed.
Thus Chigante became Laird by force of arms and the tale of these affairs, kept
carefully ambivalent by the Skalds, spread to all the Clans, to Clansmen generally
horrified at what many viewed to be an abuse of the Machtig political system.
|
|
|
|
An expert horseman and Thegn, master of all the traditional pursuits and battle
skills of the Hengsting Clan, Chigante practices his weapons craft every day for
at least an hour wherever he may be. He prefers javelins and short recurve bows,
with a slightly curved sword for close in work, and wears a fabulous suit of scaled
black leather armor. He has over time won the grudging respect of his Thegns for
his dedication to the arts of war and encouragement of the Clan's youth to become
Thegns. Chigante has even sent some of his Huscarl out to train young would-be Thegns
in special summer camps.
|
|
|
|
He also has the respect of his Thralls, as his 17 year reign as Laird has seen relatively
light besterung, and many policies intended to encourage trade. Chigante has taken
a page from the Pargori book and not made a fuss about Fertigkeiten and other craftsmen
from other Clans residing in his lands around Lake Pargo, requiring only that they
show their appreciation with an occasional "gift" equal to 1/16th of the
besterung they pay their own Laird. This has lead to a few dozen non-Hengsting residing
in various steadings and turning a good business.
|
|
|
|
Chigante has also been fairly generous in the appointing of Hengstkampfwer, requiring
only that at least half of a breeder's horses be warhorses, rather than the traditional
90%, and that a breeder need only turn out 250 total horses per year rather than
the traditional 500. This has allowed many smaller breeders who would not have qualified
for it in the past to become Hengstkampfwer. Granted, their besterung is higher,
but for many the ability to vote and have status beyond Thralldom is well worth
it. Plus, their warhorses fetch a higher price than those of non-Hengstkampfwer,
so it's not a total wash.
|
|
|
|
Chigante himself is a hard man, and imminently practical. He is short of speech,
speaking directly to the point in a no-nonsense least effort needed fashion. He
is far less concerned with fairness and much more concerned about the bigger picture.
This practicality has lead some to feel that he makes judgments based upon the besterung
of the involved parties rather than actual justice, and there is probably some truth
to that belief, though Chigante is not a greedy man and nor does he spend money
on luxuries.
|
|
|
|
He has tripled the size of the Clan's treasury during his reign, so perhaps he is
planning for something. Chigante plays things close to the chest however, and does
not have any confidants. He was married once as a young man, but his wife died young
of a lung sickness without bearing any children and Chigante never remarried. Ever
since he has been chaste and aloof. Further, Chigante has never used his surname,
saying only that his father did not deserve the honor of a son and thus he will
not name him. Due to his standoffish nature this complex man has few friends, but
many supporters.
|
|
|
|
In the last five years the Herodi have been making "subtle" overtures
to the Hengsting, and so far Chigante has expressed just enough interest to keep
money pouring in as enticements, but not so much as to be counted in the Herodi
camp just yet. He believes the Herodi will win the next Oberlairdship, and he plans
to be on the winning side, but there's no reason not to milk it for all its worth
in the meantime.
|
|
|
|
PERSONALITY
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
BATTLE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
POLITICS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INTRACLAN
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INTERCLAN
|
|
|
|
Raserei
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dyorgrim
|
|
|
|
|
|
Gunnar
|
|
|
|
|
|
Chigante
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brengreifer
|
|
|
|
Keanha
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bjorjan
|
|
|
|
|
|
Neirin
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wolkengreifer
|
|
|
|
|
|