Grog 27 : Welsh longbow mercenaries (typical names Dewey, Glyn, Gwilim, Huw)
Age: 30
Story:
These were just farm boys once, growing up on the Welsh/English border near gloucestershire. They all learned to shoot their longbows from a young age and were called up by their Lord to form a retinue to go fight the French in 1214.
They marched on Bouvines, confident in their numbers and in their arms. The battle was a triumph for the King of France and the Anglo-German alliance was soundly beaten. Their Master was killed in a melee with a Colossal Breton knight, and the Lord's English lover* took. The score that remained chose to become mercenaries as no easy way to return home was available, so they lived off the land in Lorraine, lived off contracts and the occasional banditry for several years. The hilly regions of Lorraine being not so different from their own homeland. Their numbers dwindling all the time they were happy to take a permanent contract to become the guards to some eccentric people i n an isolated location where they hope not to need to face charging knights ever again.
*Note: see grog 26 Edward/Edith for the new leader of the band.
Appearance:
These men are battle scarred, many disfigured by blows to the face, broken jaws, burns, broken nose and scars of all ilk adorn these men. They are dark blond to reddish haired, several of them pock marked from old disease. They wear leather armours picked from fallen foes as old bits needed to be replaced. Their clothes are drab and oft mended. The men are hardened to violence and have quick tempers, used to fighting rather than thinking things through. They often sing together at night, around the fire, mournful songs of their old lands, incomprehensible to all but them.
Why are they in the covenant?
One contract led to another, and some of the archers died along the way. By the time they were hired by a Tytlaus agent, only 8 of them remained. Having acquitted themselves of their task admirably, they were offered permanent employment as the Turb of a soon to be founded Covenant (as a gift from the Tytalus' Covenant). They accepted as years of itinerancy had taken their toll on the group and several saw their twilight years approaching. The group will form a serious Turb of veteran archers, they keep Edward/Edith as their competent leader. They are less refined than their leader, but know better how to live off the land. The men that lived this long are all strong, tough and agile, the survivors of skirmishes and diseases. They have picked up a bit of the language of the various lands they visited, but mostly the dirtier words, their approach to languages is to be truly foul-mouthed.
Stats:
Attribute|Score
Str|2
Sta|2
Dex|2
Qik|0
Com|-1
Pre|-1
Int|-1
Per|1
Virtues: Puissant (Bows), Warrior, Wanderer
Flaws: Disfigured, Wrathful
Abilities:
Area Lore (Lorraine) (Geography) 2
Area Lore (South Wales) (Legends) 2
Athletics (Endurance) 3
Awareness (Keeping watch) 3
Bows (Long bow) 5
Brawl (Dagger) 2
Carouse (Power drinking) 4
Chirurgy (Binding Wounds) 3
English (Slang) 3
French (Slang) 3
Hunt (Poaching) 1
Music (Singing) 2
Single weapon (Short sword) 5
Survival (Hilly regions) 4
Swim (Rivers) 1
Welsh (Slang) 5