Outremer: Blood and Faith - Sir Baldric the Mad, Introduction and AAR
It’s 1095 AD. His father fought
and died in Hastings almost 30 years ago. Baldric was four years old at the
time. As younger brother of noble birth, he became a squire and after years of
service he have been knighted and returned home, to the small keep in
south-eastern England. When the Pope called for arms, there was nothing keeping
him home.
Along with his wife and few
trusted servants, he set sails to France to join the Crusade. On the way,
others joined his retinue.
Harry, Antoine, Owen, Baldric, Edward, Alfred and Edmund |
Baldric and his retinue decided
to go scout ahead of their battlegroup. When they were passing around ruins of
old keep, he noticed flash of steel and gold. The enemy, the heathen Saracens!
„Brother Antoine, hide in the
ruins“ he ordered to the french initiate who joined his retinue in Paris,
probably in search for more wine. Then he ordered his subjects, hardly more
then armed peasants, to keep the monk safe. „Alfred, come with me“. Alfred was
old veteran of many battles. Though lowborn, he was like a brother to Baldric.
They both fought with big two handed axes of old.
Brother Antoine claiming the ruin in the name of Jesus Christ |
Antoine, along with Hairy Harry
and Bald Edward took cover in the ruins of the old keep, while Edmund and Owen
prepared their slings upstairs. In the meantime, Baldric moved forward,
laughing. He was eager to fight, he wanted to draw blood of the heathens. He
wanted to be the first to the fray. He found himself alone in the front of the
charge and his opponent, the one in shiny armour with gold eluded him. He
turned right to face two saracens, trying to outflank him.
Baldric is not intimidated by the archer |
One of the barbarians charged
upstairs and stabbed Owen with improvised spear. Downstairs in the keep, an
armoured saracen warrior appeared and charged Harry and Edward to intercept
them from helping the slingers. They fought valiantly with obviously superior
foe. Antoine even moved in and attacked with his staff. He got cut across his
biggest target – his belly and went down bleeding.
Baldric charged the archer with
his sword high. The incoming arrow didn’t penetrate his solid armor. He cut the
man down easily. In the small alley there was another one of the filthy scum,
mumbling in their strange language and making wild gestures, he looked like a
sorcerer of some kind. Baldric cleaned his sword and reached for his massive axe.
This fight was even shorter then the one before. Baldric blocked the saracens
dagger and smashed his head with the butt of his axe. A prisoner might be
valuable.
Alfred, in his age, had no chance
to keep pace with Baldric anymore. When he found himself in the open and saw
his lord taking down two heathens single handedly, he ran back to the keep to
help the peasants. Before he got there, the saracens withdrew and left the
field of battle. The first encounter was fought.
Battle beneath the stairs |
Aftermath
Baldric’s retinue got back to the
camp, carrying the wounded and dragging the captured saracen. The heaviest
burden, of course was brother Antoine. His injury was not as serious as it look
like. He probably could have walked all the way. Owen’s spear wound also
haven’t been that deep. When the healer treated the injury, he told Baldric, he
will také better care not to be surprised this way next time. Bald Edward was
shocked and shaken. In his villige, he was known as strong and skilled fighter
but the saracen outclassed him. His confidence suffered much more then his body
after this encounter.
Baldric was proud. His warriors
did well in this first encounter with arch-enemy. He himself brought valuable
asset to the camp – a saracen preacher. He wanted more. He wanted once again burry
his axe in blood of the heathens. He really was blood thirsty now.
When a story of this great
victory spread among other crusaders, young french boy approached Sir Baldric.
The boy dropped to one knee and spoke french. „Sir Baldric, this young unfortunate
boy asks you to accept him as a squire“ brother Antoine translated. „His name
is Henri du Pré Blue“. Baldric just nodded in agreement.
-Jiron
Bravo sir! :)
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