Account name: Battle Rager Tribal leader
Player Name: Conrad
Class: Order of Bitter Ashes
Race: Kindred/ Caitiff
"In Germany, the Crusade was seen as a huge debacle with many monks writing that it could had only been the work of the Devil. The anonymous monk who wrote the Annales Herbipolenses chronicle in Würzburg mentioned that for decades afterwards noble families in Germany were ransoming back knights who had been taken prisoner in Anatolia using Armenian middle-men. The camp followers who taken been prisoner and sold into slavery by the Turks were not so luckily. Of the 113 individuals known by name to been involved in the Crusade, 22 died, 42 returned home while the fate of the last 49 is a mystery. Despite the distaste for the memory of the Second Crusade, the experience of the crusade had notable impact on German literature with many epic poems of the late 12th century featuring battle scenes clearly inspired by the fighting in the crusade. The cultural impact of the Second Crusade was even greater in France with many troubadours fascinated by the alleged affair between Eleanor and Raymond, which helped to feed the theme of courtly love. Unlike Conrad, the image of Louis was improved by the Crusade with many of the French seeing him as a suffering pilgrim king who quiently bore God's punishments.[57]
Relations between the Eastern Roman Empire and the French were badly damaged by the Crusade. Louis and other French leaders openly accused the Emperor Manuel of colluding with Turkish attacks on them during the march across Asia Minor. The memory of the Second Crusade was to color French views of the Byzantines for the rest of the 12th and 13th centuries. Within the empire itself, the crusade was remembered as a triumph of diplomacy.[58] In the eulogy for the Emperor Manuel by Archbishop Eustathious of Thessalonika, it was declared:
"He was able to deal with his enemies with enviable skill, playing off one against the other with the aim of bringing peace and tranquility".[58]"
In the mid 1100's in the after math of the Second Crusade, a child who was a squire to a knight under Conrad III. As a squire he traveled along with the main army caring for the horse, armor and weapons of his Knight. Being a capable child, he learned much about the care of weapons and armor. Wilhelm learned also to wield a blade from his charge. His knight named Mathias the Bold knew Wilhelm would one day become a brave and able knight. The route Conrad III choose on his campaign against Anatolia led his men into many long miles through barren land. Being a hardship in its self, the Turks raided the camps along the way and open pitched battles didn't go well. A retreat was called, Conrad knowing he had blundered retreated to Constantinople however he wanted word to reach his brother Otto leading another army also beset by hard luck and slow progress. Conrad called for a column of knights to ride and bring word to his brother. 113 knights in all, these rode off with their squires and camp followers. Along the way, many perished from skirmishes, the heat, and exhaustion. Of the knights only a few perished, though their line of squires and camp followers was thinned. Wilhelm and his Knight Mathias were among the survivors of the trek to warn Otto of the retreat.
On the trek back, Otto fared poorly at an organized retreat. Many of his troops died, of the 113 knights, by the time they reached Constantinople, there were but a few still left. Along the retreat, 49 knights, and a few squires were separated and left for dead in the panic of a Turkish raid. Mathias and Wilhelm were among them. This group of Knights became lost after a time, and running low on water and supplies. One night in the darkness left with no moon in the sky, something came out of the darkness.... It attacked with unbound fury. Soon, a few of the Knights lay dead, many of the remaining squires were also dead. Wilhelm, and his Knight stood back to back along with a few others. This creature of darkness played with the group of those still standing. A shadow slowly coalesced infront of the men, he clapped as he approached. Armor that stole what little torch light was available, a sword of gleaming silver in a hanger on his hip the dark man approached and began to speak.
" You men came on a mission of faith. You have failed in this life." He looks around at the dead and dying, then continues.
" You there ..." He points to Mathias. " You fought bravely, and were able to inspire your squire. You have faith do you?"
Mathias holding his sword in drained hands a morbid look in his face nods and says. " I have faith in God, and the mission. We come for the right to the Holy city, and we come for the Grail. My squire does draw strength from me, but he is inspired by our goals. Not me, but by my actions for the glory of God. And you are no mortal.... You are sent by the devil to tempt us. To aid our enemy, and therefore you will die... " At this, Mathias charges, his sword raised over his head as if to lop the dark man in half from head to toe. In a blinding move the dark man snatched Mathias' wrists with one hand and his throat with the other. A sword falls then a bloodied piece of flesh hits the sands. It was the throat of Mathias, upon seeing this a Mathias fall to his knees clutching his throat Wilhelm charges forward with other knights. The dark man reaches for Mathias then flies high in the sky, slits his wrist and sticks it to Mathias' throat. then drops the body of Mathias and flees.
Mathias' body strikes the ground hard bones snapping as he lay lifeless the others form a circle around him. Wilhelm ran to his side and dropped his broken blade next to Mathias. He began to weep as a child as he was at that moment. Then another Knight, Mano placed a hand of Wilhelms shoulder. He says. " Lad, we can do nothing for him, but his sacrifice showed the Devils beast we would fight to the death. He died to save us, as Christ died for our sins. We must hurry away before that thing returns."
Upon hearing this, Wilhelm would dry his eyes, reach for Mathias' sword and place it in Mathias' hands which grow colder to the touch as life has fled his body. Wilhelm would stand and give a warriors salute to his fallen charge, then turn to the others with a face of cold anger. " I am ready, I will follow, perhaps in his dying we might survive. I will never forget his lesson."
The others traveled for two days and three nights. A stepped up guard is posted each night, and a bonfire is lite each night. The men would rather face a death at the hand of something they could fight and kill than to face the shadow beast they had faced a few nights prior. The knight Mano took charge of the remainder of the men and squires. In all there were only 30 left. Of those that perished a few nights before, only one didnt fade away to Gods realm. This one awoke to find his body broken, and a thirst for blood... not the kind of thirst that drives a mad man to kill, but a dying need for blood, unable to move with his grievous wounds and broken body. The once man slowly makes his way over to the body of a man and laps at the blood pool, then he wretches himself. But the need for blood drives him to continue. Then he can feel bones snapping back into place slowly and painfully. As the once man gains the ability to move better, he would tear open the abdomen of one of the bodies and begin taking out organs and sucking blood from them, then a strange feeling overcomes his mouth as his canine teeth begin to elongate. Then his eyes flush over with blood as a blood rage takes hold, around the bodies he would go dismembering them and draining every drop of blood he could.
Out of the darkness again comes the man with the shining silver blade and armor that steals the light of the stars. He would slowly approach his childe. The once man begins to back away, feeling humbled but wanting blood.... slowly his rage ends as his thirst is quenched. The once man looks to the shadow man. then he looks about at the carnage he left of those he once stood side by side with. His brothers in arms, and he had butchered their bodies as he had. He shook with fear at what he had done, then again looks to the shadow man. " You... what have you done to me?"
The shadow man would kneel down and look at Mathias with some pity. " I once fought for the First Crusades, I was grievously wounded but was bitten by my Creator. I was called Flanis in my breathing days. You must know, when I learned what I had become and what I was called to do, I slew my maker. In the slaying, I learned the secrets. But, I seek the same as you. But, I need help. I have need of men that would be willing to sacrifice the word of mortals for the unlife. That we may have all the time we need to secure Gods glory on this earth. You and your charges that I left, I found the remainder to be sufficiently pious, and loyal to you. Through you, I hope that we can turn them as well. A company of brave and pious Knights that would be able to maintain the Crusades to its end. We could take the Holy City, and then we would have time to continue to gather Holy Relics of our Savior Jesus Christ. I need your help. If not you, I will have to find another. Your squire perhaps? "
Mathias began to shake with the learning but the words stayed his anger as he saw a light to the darkness brought to him. He looks to Flanis. " You are a thing of the devil? and made me as such?"
Flanis smirks to Mathias. " No, I am not a thing of the devil. Nor are you. We are cursed, you have read the Bible I am sure. In the begining when Cain slew Able... god put a mark to Caine. And this is its legacy. Caine works to regain favor, to release his curse. If we can but gain the relics and the Holy city, perhaps we can donate our victories to Caine in order that he be able to be washed in the blood of Christ and forgive. You and I are all that stand to solve this curse. Their are others of Caines childre but they revel in the sin that it is to be what we are. By the selfless act of gathering relics, and restoring the Holy City to Gods warriors, we may be able to reverse our curse. But, I need your help. You and the others you travel with."
Mathias would nod understanding the nature of what had befallen him. " You ask me to apply a curse to others. You ask me to drag my friends, and brothers into a corrupted life of servitude to Caine.. the first sinner. You wish an Order of Knights to fight for the salvation of the sinner. I can not and will not accept that. If I go to the men and plead the case and they accept, then and only then would I dare dream to do such a thing."
Flanis would just nod his head in agreement with a impish smirk. " you are aware they watched you die? They will not accept you as you are now, and the fear in their hearts will drive them to attack you. They will rend you piece by piece. You will be left there and when the sun rises, you will forever be destroyed a cursed creature, your sin will live on and then you will become an agent of the devil to be sure. You will become the sinner you wish not to defend. Remember the verse? " let he who is without sin cast the first stone?" Think hard, but not overly long for we must get to the cover of darkness as the sun will rise soon."
Mathias listens to the words and begrudgingly follows the words of wisdom accepting them and lowers his head. " I will go to them with you then. But I do not find joy in this nor do I believe it to be right. But, You are right, the only way to be rid of this curse would be to rid the original sinner of his. I will follow you. Let us away and prepare then."
With that the two would glide off in the night swallowed by the darkness and eeck out the day in a cave near by. On the setting of the sun both once men stood together and prepared themselves for the task at hand. Blood would flow, blood of friends and battle brothers. In the blood letting, a step would be taken to the end of the curse of Caine.
Wilhelm busied himself with caring for blades, mending armor, and gathering water. As the last rays of light faded over the horizon he shivered as he felt a chill run down his spine as if something wicked was about to pounce. Mano instructed the guards for the eve, and as the others fell exhausted to the ground sleep took hold and snatched them all... little did they know the sleep that came to them would be the last, and the breathes they breathed would soon be their last as living men. Wilhelm left the camp on yet another trip to fetch water when the darkness struck. He was to far away to notice or even hear the stiffled cries as teethe tore into neck to silence the screams. First the guards outside the camp, then those near the fire fell to the beasts, then a simple walk around to all those in their slumber. In all now 31 Once men were in the camp. 29 bleeding yet to become what they were cursed to become. A child, not quiet yet a man walked back to find the horror of the blood scene. His mind unable to comprehend swam and he fell over fainting from the sight. Wilhelm unknowingly was carried off by Mathias in his caring arms. The others were in turn drug off the field to the cave, and a nearby sheppard paid the price of being a agent of the devil, for being a muslim, just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The flock of goats was led by the light of the stars by Mathias and Flanis back to the cave, were the others could feed.
Mathias then would be sitting near Wilhelm looking to Flanis. " What of my squire. He is to young, and you saw his mind was unable to handle the sight we left. What can we do?"
Flanis would place a hand on the childs head and say. " We can feed him and he will not change. He can drink of our blood and become a immortal squire or we can place him in the Lords hands as he would not survive long on his own."
Mathias sneers at the thought of slaying such a loyal and studious squire. " If he feeds on our blood he can be as us one day? I would have him at my side to see why I had to do what I did, and perhaps he will be my salvation. I cannot see him dye, not can I feed him my sin, nor would I be able in good graces to allow others to do the same. Let us keep the secret of the sin from him. We can leave him as he is."
Flanis would shake his head. " He has seen me, he saw the bodies. He has seen more than any living one should and be allowed to walk away. If you leave him we leave him and do not aid him at all. If he lives through his trial, he would become a strong warrior, and one that would hunt us I am sure. He would hunt and breed others that would be taught to do the same. You hold your very own fate in your hands. If he lives through this know you left an enemy in the making. If we make him a feeder off us at least he would remain loyal, and if we just send him to God now he goes with no sin. I leave the matter to you." With that Flanis would stand and begin moving a few goats inside as he could feel his new chilre stirring.
Mathias would take the boy Wilhelm in his arms and take a length of rope and tie him to the back of a goat, placing a knife in his belt and gather all the water skins near by knowing the water would not quench his new thirst. Along with all this, Mathias would remove his signet ring and places in on a thread and ties it around the boys neck. " Go child, go and be with God, I leave you with my training, and things to aid you in this life." Mathias would kneel and say a prayer over the boy then slap the goat sending Wilhelm off into the night. Little did Mathias know, but Flanis was correct. Wilhelm did survive he returned to Germany and became a Priest. Wilhelm taught and wrote about what he had seen. He and a few others formed a group of priests, they later became know as the Inquisitors, however this group began hunting for signs of the Devils spawn, Vampires. As they searched they learned more and learned of others, of weaknesses and means of destroying them.Wilhelm later quit the priesthood and became a hunter, he eventually settled down as age caught up with him as well as wounds from battleing the devils beasts. He had two children, a boy named Mathias, and a girl names Audree. The girl grew up and was married off into a noble family, the boy Mathias became a Knight, and when his father died, he found a book describing the events of the Second Crusade and the devils beast. Mathias the Younger searched for clues and found his way to the deserts of Anatolia in search of the devils beasts. Looking for many years he finally returned home and raised his own family, he had 4 boys, 3 of them became knights. The youngest stuck around the family's land, and Mathias the Younger began telling tales, as he aged more he told all he had seen and read of the beasts. The youngest was named William. William joined the group his grandfather had helped start, and took what he had learned and applied it to the field. He became a great hunter of the beast. By the time the William reaches old age, he had 3 children, and he had gained wealth fighting the devils beasts. Coin and tomes of ancient times, jewels and knowledge most of all. Gaining Noble title as a Lord no longer having to be Knights. Land was given to the Family near Anatolia north of Constantinople, fertile land. So William moved his family from Germany to the new lands of the family of Wilhelm the Last Man. William realizing the greatness his family had finally won decided to name his oldest child Wilhelm in remembrance of his namesake. The year was now 1198, and the new child Wilhelm was taught to read and write, he was instructed with blades, and he was instructed on the forgeing of blades as had become the families trade mark. Wilhelm the Younger as he was called by family took his knowledge to a monestary where he learned more, and in the learning he became a pious man. He had entertained becomeing a Priest but wanted to honor the family name and became a hunter of the families past. He fought a great many, and then one day in 1215 he came upon THE Mathias and the group of Knights now the Knights of the Bitter Ashes. Mathias senced the blood flowing through Wilhelm the Younger and his mind fled back almost a hundred years, he remembered the origin. He remembered the valor.
Mathias approached arms open unthreatening and tried to speak, however Wilhelm the Younger having read and seen the temptations of the Devils beasts before stuck with precision, the dagger once gifted to Wilhelm the Founder pierced the heart of Mathias, in that moment Mathias fell to the ground stunned as the words came back to him from Flanis. " If he lives through this you leave an enemy in the making." As Mathias' blood flowed from his wound Wilhelm the Younger drew forth a wooden stake and slammed it home right in the Heart of Mathias, just to the side of the dagger that once belonged to him. Wilhelm the Younger drew forth a finely forged blade and slashed forth with it, removing Mathias' head from his shoulders, then he sets about lighting a torch and throws it onto the body of Mathias. As the body burned, Flanis tinggled knowing the meaning he hurried as fast as he could, he made it to the scene far to late but Wilhelm the Younger was still there, standing over the body. Flanis began to see the similarities of so long ago, and just bowed his head allowing the darkness to take him yet again.
By 1215 Wilhelm the younger is now nearing his 30's. He had fought many and secured the lands around his families estate. He had 2 children very young yet, The oldest boy he named Conrad, the other he named Otto. In remembrance of his namesakes commanders during the second crusade. By 1232 the oldest is now 18, he had been instructed and taught at a monestary as Wilhelm the Younger was. He learned everything that his father knew, Otto however was a traveler and in Venice he contracted the plague from an englishmen sailor. Otto died in 1233, Conrad Lived on and in 1220, now 26 Conrad began to think of things like family and his responsibility. He like his entire family before him went out in search of the one the Dark man, the one that created the families pact. He settles with a woman and bears her 3 children. Now the year rolls to 1229, adn Conrad stirs with desire to once again wage battle against his families foe. He writes his will and leaves all the knowledge he can for his children to know their legacy and he heads out not knowing it would be the last time as a mortal he would see his family again.
Conrad traveled into the summer of his 35th year of life. He lived through a few battles with the Turks, and found a cave. He and his guard approached the cave and decided to claim it for the night. Little was it know, but the cave hide the families legacy. In the night the guard was slain quickly and efficiently unknown to Conrad. Later in the evening Conrad rolled over and saw the spectacle that had been the guard. Conrad swore at the sight and backpeddled to the wall of the cave only to find his blade was gone, he reached for the dagger of Mathias, and it too was gone... looking around knowing his fate was sealed he stealed his nerves and prepared saying one last prayer for a good death and to give honor to God.
Out of the inky darkness of the cave came 31 men all clad in the same dark armor that seemed to steal the light around them, and glimmering silver blades at their sides. Flanis moved ahead of the others and said. " Your family has hunted for us since I remember your forefathers. I remember your father slaying my first childre. You and your family have hunted us long enough. I will have you join us in our Crusade." He goes on to explain the entire story clear back to Wilhelm the Founder and their relationship. In the learning of this Conrad decides to Honor Mathias and his Fore barer and join Flanis as the 32 nd Knight of the Bitter Ashes. As his father had slain the 32nd so he felt responsible to fill the void.
Flanis then goes on to embrace Conrad, and tutor him as Mathias had his ancestor. Flanis also then goes on after a decade of this and explains that a relic might have made its way to Rome, and instructs Conrad to see to retrieving it while the others readied for another coming Crusade. On the ship bound for Rome, a turbulent sea shoke the ship and foundered it on the isle being washed ashore of a land ever covered in darkness Conrad begins to feel the taint of the land and realizing that a grave sin was done to create the lands darkness takes up the cause of freeing the land and then trying to finish his mission.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_CrusadeThe character would have some Cleric and ranger levels to show his Piety and his time on the trail what he has learned to do and live through. Final once he began to go down the race he would go CoT, showing his progress in the Order.
He seeks to slay the undead who "revel in the taint of Caines sins", Seeks to recover relevant relics that could aid in support of a Crusade to retake Jerusalem, and currently once he arrived on the island would take cleansing the taint of darkness as a cause.
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Subject: Order of Bitter Ash application 
Sun Jan 15, 2012 12:44 am
