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4
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The Battle Laird of the Herodi
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The Laird of the Herodi is traditionally called the Battle Laird. The Herodi are
the second most numerous Clan, have the largest Clanhold, have rich mines and resources,
and number the most warriors. Thus the Battle Laird wields considerable power. Couple
that with the typical aggressive and risk taking personality of the Clan and you
have a recipe for domination.
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There have been more Oberlairds from the Herodi than from all the other Clans combined
and every one of them called at least one war during their tenure, often as one
of their first acts in office.
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BADGE OF OFFICE
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The Herodi Laird's badge of office is, of course, a sword; a greatword to be exact.
In the nearly two thousand years that the Herodi have existed as a formal Clan there
have been three such swords. All three were chartered from the Var and were made
of Durocaled, and all three bore powerful Runes with each sword more powerful than
the last.
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WYLLTGWEIS
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The first sword was named Wylltgweis (weh-thlute-GOO-ees) and was said to
have the power to fill it's wielder with a mad strength and zeal for battle. It
was commissioned by Laird Garevine, third Laird of the Herodi, and was taken up
years later by Laird Yngos after he slew Garevine in challenge, and a few years
later again by Laird Barisvar the Tall after he slew Yngos, and so it went until
the sword effectively became recognized as part of the office of Lairdship.
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It was broken after more than seven centuries of use in the Challenge of Thryllian
the Brave who fought and killed the despotic Laird Pollox ; most of the blade was
shattered by the mighty Thryllian's finishing blow but the hilt and part of the
tine was brought back to Caer Coinig and remains tucked safe away in the hoardvault
in a special box made of crystal and warded with Druidic magic.
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The Legend of Thryllian claims that part of the shattered sword took his left eye
and lodged in the socket such that no one could remove it, and thus he and the Sword
of Lairds became forever joined and ever after he suffered and benefited from the
mad battle zeal the sword granted previous to it's destruction. Whatever the truth,
Thryllian commissioned the crafting of a second sword from the Var but died of an
unknown ailment a few months prior to its completion.
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BUANYSTOD
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The second sword was named Buanystod (boo-on-EHS-tod) and was a little smaller
than Wylltgweis but was reportedly finer and more ornate. The Skald's tales give
its power as being the fastest sword ever wielded by a man, swifter than the Ordecar
in full flood, quicker than a striking gullysnake, more agile than a ravine goat,
dancing like sunlight glinting on water.
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Storied and much sung of, mighty Buanystod was lovingly treasured by Herodi Lairds
for eleven hundred years, but was lost in a battle on the plains of Undu when Laird
Grigonte was taken by a mystic bolt hurled by an Undari magicker, and thrown from
his horse into the Turothecar River. Neither Laird Grigonte or the sword was ever
recoverd.
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DURHYCHWANT
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The third sword made by Laird Grigonte's successor Laird Torverei is named Durhychwant
(du-REEK-want). Torverei was a freakishly large man and rather selfishly commission
the sword to suit his dimensions. It is fully two hand spans thick and more than
two paces long in the blade, and it's spacious expanse is home to a large and highly
complex Varic Master's Rune unknown to any Human Runeforger.
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Too large for any but the most unusually large to actually wield this sword has
proven to be much more of a ceremonial, symbolic weapon. It is said to have the
power to grant its possessor the ability to be heard and heeded from a great distance
and to protect those close to it from magic.
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It is semi-permanently mounted on a special stand next to the Laird throne at Caer
Coinig. However it has been taken into the field on three occasions over the past
couple hundred years of its use and on each occasion it was noted in the accounts
of the Skalds that merely planting it into the ground point first and holding the
hilt was enough for it's power to be used by the Lairds of the time.
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HALL
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Caer Coinig is a formidable and forbidding fortress built into the side of a mountain
face by Var from nearby Viba over nineteen hundred years ago. It is beautiful in
an austere and picturesque sort of way, but its not the most homey, comforting,
or comfortable place to live.
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Technically Caer Coinig consists of the keep itself and a small borough built inside
the wall that is populated by people that support and service the Laird's household.
The bulk of the populace of what outsiders might think of as Caer Coinig live at
the base of the mountain below the Caer in a sprawling and wealthy steading.
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In the past this area was called the Underverdt and was under the Laird's direct
control. However in Raserei 's youth the Underverdt was made into a separate small
Reeve-halten and Raserei was appointed to it by his uncle. This was purely a matter
of practical politics as it empowered Raserei with official authority and allowed
him to be close to his sickly uncle and effectively serve the duties of the Laird.
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Raserei also saw to the raising of a wall and a small keep so that Undervert could
be called a proper seat for a Reeve-halten; the steadings name was changed to Caer
Verdton to commemorate its new status. When Raserei rose to Lairdship he kept the
Reeve-halten as it was and assigned a trusted cousin to administer to it.
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The Herodi throne room is a vaulted stone hall with embrasures for clear crystal
panes high up in the vaulted arches that allow light in during the day. The stone
work is impeccable, and the entire room has an air of mountainous gravity about
it.
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The far end has one entrance through great double doors in the west wall, the Hall
itself stretches eastward for over a hundred spans deep and over fifty wide. Great
hearths yawn at each other from the north and south walls, and each has a fire eternally
burning in it thanks to a Varic Rune.
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A raised squared off dais dominates the eastern side of the Hall, and an austere
throne made of stone, metal, and padding swaddled in red velvet rests atop it, usually
with Durhychwant displayed in a metal frame stand to the front right, so that the
Laird may rest their hand upon its pommel while seated if they so wish.
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However, while the Hall itself is grandiose and elegant, its occupants are generally
anything but. The Herodi are old fashioned and the Laird's Hall is used as an area
for the congregating, eating, dicing, brawling, partying, and general hanging around
of the Huscarl. There are a collection of long tables and benches scattered semi-haphazardly
around the Hall. The entire place can get to be a bit of a sty, but is periodically
vacated and scoured clean by the Slaves and Thralls of the Laird's household, approximately
every three months.
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Rather than the usual sort of picturesque tapestries or weapons, the walls instead
are hung with tapestries made of the tartan designs of the top thirty families of
the Herodi as determined by the Elder Skalds of the Clan. It is a great honor for
a family's tartan to be displayed in the Hall and a great embarrassment should a
tartan be taken down while it's family is still a going concern.
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Raserei Storensen
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Raserei Storensen is the current Herodi Laird and has sat the Laird throne
in Caer Coinig for five years.
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APPEARANCE
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Raserei Storensen is an imposing, striking man, who oozes the air of command. Born
in Caer Coinig itself into a wealthy Herodi family, he is a member of the Deventry
Lesser Clan and descended from a long line of highly respected and influential Thegns
who numbered many Huscarls, Reeves, and Lairds among their ancestry.
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Raserei is tall but not looming, with broad shoulders but a narrow waist, and possessed
of a booming voice that can be heard from one end to the other of the Great Hall
of Caer Coinig without being raised. He has the gift of leadership, able to organize
a frenzied mod into silent order, or just as quickly whip calm men into a frenzied
mob.
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HISTORY
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His father and uncle both were captains among the then Lairds Huscarl, and his familys
well established wealth and influence ensured that Raserei would have the best of
everything possible for a lad among the Herodi. His father Storen fell in battle
on a faring when Raserei was nine, and his uncle Waeruman adopted him as his own
boy and made him his sole heir.
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Waeruman rose to Lairdship when Raserei was 22, and Waeruman subsequently named
him one of his Reeves, administering the neighboring and very wealthy Reeve-halten
of Underveldt, built in the valley immediately beneath the Herodi seat at Caer Coinig.
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Waeruman ruled for a decade before dying an untimely death by a wasting disease.
Raserei took charge while his Laird and surrogate father was ill, taking over duties
and effectively assuming leadership for several months.
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After Raserei made it clear that he would slay any man who challenged for Lairdship
by challenging and killing the first would-be Laird who tried, no man even suggested
deposing the ailing Waeruman. When the ensuing Volksraading was held after Waerumans
death, Raserei stepped forward and three other claimants stepped back lest they
too fall to his terrible swords.
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Fortunately Raserei has proved to be an unusually talented Laird for his Clan. Due
to his proactive leadership, Raserei has earned the respect of most of the Herodi
during his five years as Laird, and not only for his fearlessness and skill in battle.
Additionally Raserei is becoming popular among the Thegns and Lairds of some of
the more warlike Clans, who see him as a man who will lead men to prosperity if
they are willing to fight for it.
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Already a longtime friend of Wolkengreifer (the Laird of the Ulthferen), Reserei
has also won the firm support of Gunnar Bergthorsson of the Raevoring by traveling
to his Clan Hold and inviting Gunnar to his and making overtures of friendship.
He has also made entreaties to Chigante, the Hengsting Laird and Dyorgrim Steinrolf
of the Wundvolding including taking out large orders for horses from the Hengsting
and weaponry from the Wundvolding in a clear demonstration of the largess they might
expect were the Herodi to rule again.
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Raserei has even sought to try his hand at trade, funding several caravans off to
Shidaal in an attempt to show that the Herodi can do more than conduct conflicts.
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Meanwhile on the home front he is slowly growing the size of his Huscarls, and has
traveled the Herodi lands every summer for the last five years, visiting every Reeve-halten
and steading of sufficient size, garnering popular support and raising his peoples
awareness of him as their leader.
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He has called numerous Freiwilligers to send battle parties of Thegns off faring
into neighboring lands, and was very generous in waiving besterung for the entire
year for those who participated; further the best Thegns returning from these farings
were offered immediate inclusion into the Huscarl should they wish it.
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He has also gained a reputation for generosity and just reward among his people.
On the anniversary of his first year as Laird he gave each of his Reeves a personalized
Sword, bought from the Wundvolding, and each of his captains among the Huscarl a
fine Hengsting warhorse and provided a group of Hengsting horse masters to teach
them how best to use them.
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On the anniversary of his fifth year as Laird he gave each of his Huscarl who had
been in service to him since he assumed Lairdship a boon equal to the amount of
their yearly stipend. His largess trickles down even to the steadings; on several
occasions he has shown up unannounced to a steading celebrating a notable wedding
or funeral, baring gifts for the principles and imparting the great honor of his
presence upon the festivities.
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In short, Raserei is the most popular Herodi Laird in a century, and constantly
plans towards the day when that weasel Kaenha is no longer Oberlaird and he can
rise to that lofty position. Nature spirits willing hell still be an able bodied
man even if a full decade must pass; and when the time comes he will not need to
pause to gather his plans for they will have had almost two decades of planning
to come to fruition. He will show the soft heartland Clans what it means to be Machtig
again!
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PERSONALITY
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While he may be smarter, luckier, and more persuasive than most of his clansmen,
Raserei is still Herodi to the core. At night he dreams of leading the Thegns of
the Machtig off on a grand faring into the lands beyond the Vold of such glory that
the way of it will live forever in the tales of the Skalds. By day he sees to the
Clans holdings, making gradual preparations for war and rulership.
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Raserei has seemingly boundless drive, takes initiative, and is doggedly willing
to do things that he would prefer not to such as politicking and getting involved
in trade in pursuit of bringing his Clan to eminence once more. He is generally
a friendly and likable fellow in an aggressive and dominant sort of way, but woe
betide those that anger him for they are likely not long from the grave.
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BATTLE
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Though he has not fought in any great and glorious wars, Raserei has fought in several
battles and of course as an individual. He is amazingly intimidating in battle,
wielding two massive great swords which most men would have trouble wielding one
of. Raserei humbly credits his magical tattoos for his lethal skills, a gift of
his fathers when he was still an infant and which he claims give him the strength
of a bear, as well as the eyes of an eagle, and skin as hard as steel. Whenever
he draws his finely honed blades he cuts a swathe of destruction, becoming a whirling
frenzy of steel and tattooed flesh.
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POLITICS
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Raserei is not political by nature, but he was taught by his uncle the necessity
for him to develop those skills. Accordingly Raserei does his best to be a smart
politician and is quite good at it by Herodi standards, probably in the top five
Herodi Lairds of all time when it comes to being "tricky" and "clever".
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However by the standards of the current Oberlaird, Kaenha, he's like a clumsy yearling
stumbling around and looking befuddled when he falls over. Kaenha typically ties
Raserei up in knots when they clash, sometimes just to show that he can.
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INTRACLAN
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Raserei has the almost completely unconditional support of his people. It is inconceivable
that he will not be able to hold his Lairdship for at least a couple of decades.
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INTERCLAN
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The Herodi in general have a certain reluctant respect for Wundvolding Thegns at
the individual level, because though they are far fewer than Herodi Thegns they
are almost invariably better trained and equipped. Echoing this basic sentiment,
Raserei is wary and respectful of
Dyorgrim for a variety of reasons.
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As Dyorgim is the current Laird with the most grandiose personal achievements and
fame Raserei can't "out-Machtig" him so to speak with his own accomplishments.
Further if Raserei has any hope of being the next Oberlaird he must have the support
of both the Wundvolding and the Hengsting; thus he gives Dyorgim all due respect
and honor and is careful to not offend.
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For his part Dyorgrim is his usual stoic self, showing Raserei no more or less respect
than he gives all of the other Lairds.
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Gunnar publicly treats Raserei as a boon companion and fellow warrior Laird.
Privately Gunnar knows that he is likely no match for the intimidating young Herodi
Laird. Perhaps in the full bloom of his youth Gunnar could have bested him, and
he believes he could still give Raserei a fight to remember but he thinks he would
ultimately not be able to triumph.
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Fortunately the goals of the Herodi and the goals of the Raevoring are very similar
and Raserei gives all indication of being the sort of Oberlaird the Raevoring can
get behind and thus Gunnar has thrown his lot in with Raserei 's completely. Baring
something unforeseen he will undoubtedly side for Raserei when Kaenha is no longer
Oberlaird.
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For his part Raserei considers Gunnar to be something of a blustering thug, but
handles him adroitly. Raserei also fully understands that the aging Gunnar probably
wont be able to hold his rule for much more than fifteen years or so and perhaps
less due to all of the enemies he has made over the years. With that in mind Raserei
has taken subtle steps to bolster Gunnar's rule where he can but has also sized
up several of the possible contenders that might replace him to ensure that whoever
sits the Laird throne in Hafenstadt will side for him when the time comes.
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Chigante is coy with Raserei and deliberately wimbles between Herodi and
Pargori support to keep both sides courting him. Smarter than Raserei and more calculatingly
dangerous than Kaenha he adroitly plays them against each other despite both knowing
full well what he is doing.
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On a personal level Chigante holds no special respect for Raserei other than the
fact that he cannot be ignored. Chigante holds those that use magic to compensate
for a lack of real skill in low esteem, and accordingly dismisses Raserei 's reputed
stature as a warrior due to his heavy use of Runic tattoos. As always though Chigante
keeps his own counsel and gives no indication of his true thoughts.
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Raserei respects Chigante greatly, particularly the institution of summer training
camps for would be Thegns in Hengsting lands which Raserei is considering for his
own lands. He earnestly wants Chigante's support not only because he needs his vote
but because he also realizes he needs Chigante's understanding of tactics and maneuver,
a skill he himself has only rudiments of.
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Brengreifer is not fond of Raserei, finding him to be pushy and impetuous,
and firmly backs Kaenha Kennering over Raserei. However, when the time comes to
raise a new Oberlaird it remains to be seen how Brengreifer will side. If his idol
and mentor Dyorgrim sides for Raserei it is possible that Brengreifer will follow
his lead.
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Raserei has the general Herodi contempt for Huarthmunn but hides it fairly well,
with only a few stray disparagements here and there. However, Raserei understands
that without Huarthmunn backing a war effort will necessarily be a lean one and
holds his tongue as best he is able.
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Kaenha has a strange relationship with Raserei. On the one hand they are
at opposite ends of the spectrum on policies and outlook, but on the other Kaenha
is a realist and understands that there is better than even odds that Raserei will
be the next Oberlaird. Thus he is determined to make the muscle headed boy learn
how to do more than fight and has engaged in a process of overt and covert manipulation
of Raserei so that the Machtig will not suffer for the lack once Kaenha has passed.
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Raserei sees this as a power struggle, but what he doesn't realize is that he's
being lured into learning the arts of politicking, commerce, and balancing aggression
against stability. Each time he makes a move to react or counter or attack Kaenha
he is in fact taking the next step in the elaborate dance the cunning and shrewd
Great Laird has choreographed. In the end, though Raserei hates Kaenha now, he may
one day look back on his life and realize that Kaenha was his greatest teacher.
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Bjorjan is as cold and distant to Raserei as he is to everyone else. However
he would join the Herodi Laird's camp immediately if it weren't for the Herodi's
close alliance with the Ulthferen, whom Bjorjan hates with a fanatical zeal.
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Raserei is a little put off by the cold and laconic Jagrling Laird and has made
no real effort to recruit him.
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Neirin and Raserei have never met and thus have no personal relationship,
but Neirin is anti-Herodi on general principal. There is no chance that Neirin would
support Raserei 's rise to power in any way and in fact might actively oppose it
if doing so took little effort.
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For his part Raserei has never been to Faendradi lands and has only met a couple
of Faendradi ever, and adheres to the general Herodi view that the Faendradi are
barely Machtig and could probably be done without. If the Faendradi ceased to exist
suddenly, he wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it.
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Wolkengreifer went on a faring with Raserei 's father when he was a young
Thegn, and the two have known each other since before either of them rose to power.
They are true friends, and they both genuinely like and respect each other. Raserei
respects the strength and potency of the brooding Wolf Laird, while Wolkengreifer
respects the courage and energy of the enthusiastic Battle Laird. The two have guested
in each other's halls on several occasions, have hunted together, and even gone
out to fight Ungheuer together.
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