Lukasz van Simmen, 'The Free Duke'
Lukasz van Simmen's family lost its wealth while he was young leaving him with debts that would take everything except for his war gear and horse. His luck was though that he finished the knightly training at the Academy before that thus learning the art of war and fighting.
In 437 YoU he joined the western army under Eiven van Rytttenhavs and started making a name for himself, while paying off his families debts. Over the years he proved himself a capable leader and more and more common men or impoverished nobles gathered around him.
In 439 YoU with his friend from the Academy Tobiasz van Berth's spirtual guidance he finally established the 'Duke's Free Men' company, a group of mercenaries made up of his followers. The name started as a joke as Lukasz declared that he would no longer pay for his families financial misfortunes and declared himself free of anyone trying to rule over him. Picking up his creed many of the men joining also declared themselves free and refused to pay taxes or serve other lords. While their stance would officially not be accepted by the Realm, no local noble was able to stand against his force of nearly two hundred veterans and the Realm itself was at this point more interested in their military service than taxes.
After the peace negotiations between the Realm and the elves of the Hiyndurill forest in 442 YoU most of the army under Eivan was disbanded. Looking for work Lukasz's contacts among the northern nobility of the Heartlands put him into contact with Lord Siegfried van Baellinger, who was hiring mercenaries to reclaim his land around Elandirill.
The lord's offer for the 'Duke's Free Men' was tempting. On the one hand Baellinger was willing to pay a premium, but also he explained that Alvery Vestergaard, the ursurper of Elandirill, was the half-sister of Keijo Artanis, son of Olyvjaer Dalaraen, leader of the Hiyndurill forest elves. It was known that she was also harbouring Keijo and probably other elves in Elandirill. Having to provide for his mercenary band and well aware that most veterans of the war with the wood elves were bitter about the upcoming peace, Lukasz took the contract and joined the campaign in autum.
The campaign started of well, with mercenaries of the Eagle Banner ensuring discipline and order within the army of nearly a thousand men. The enemy was expected to be around a hundred clansmen and a handful of elves. Yet the march towards Elandirill became a nightmare as the enemies proved cunning. Using similar tactics as the wood elves they burned supplies and conducted nightly raids. Within ten days on enemy territory a third of the army was dead or deserted. Yet his men were also still motivated for the promise of loot and the chance to kill some of the spotted wood elves in revenge.
On the day of battle the Free Duke's men were set as the second line. While he took command of the right flank, Tobiasz took control of the left. With his men exhausted by lack of supplies and nightly raids Lukasz knew that their only chance would be to overwhelm the small enemy army by numbers, but this hope was quickly vanquished as the enemies charged supported by arcane and divine magic.
Witnessing the first line falling apart in panic he quickly ordered his men to fill the gap to prevent a rout to spread. He himself riding on his Ryttenhavs steed spotted a elven warrior who killed dozen of men by himself and appeared to lead the charge. Lukasz van Simmen went on to challenge the threat supported by several of his men. Their blows though appeared to glance of some kind of magical protection while the elve's glaive cut them down mercilessly. While the Duke and his soldiers attempted to bring down the elf with his glowing tattoos more and more clan warriors broke through the ranks on his left and right. Outmatched by the elf's ferocity Lukasz van Simmen was finally thrown of his horse and knocked unconscious only to find himself and others in captivity at the mercy of dutches Alvery Vestergaard after the bitterly lost battle.
Comments