004 - Son, let me tell you about swordmanship

It was a dark and ... hum, it was a dark night.

Sir Galdor did not get the apology that he wanted, although he tried. His three hounds, Storm, Ice and Fire swarmed around the ruffians, but they steadily walked away. Left on his own, and realizing that his goofy hounds were not going to attack, Galdor attempted to exact an apology one last time. He grabbed his bow, and nocked an arrow. By then, the ruffians were merging in the shadows of a starlit night. He could have gone after them, but this was becoming a dangerous business. Even a knight of Dol Amroth knows how to draw the line when the time comes.

A new man of valor in the company

About one hour after the interlude with the ruffians was concluded, the company was making merry in the Inns of Gray. The stew was almost not bland, but the country wine was working out OK. The door opened in the late hour to revel the silhouette of a portly young man of good birth. He was geared for war: with a longsword and a bow across the shoulder. He scanned the room and headed directly for the company's table. 

"My name is Kasper Murkeshan, squire of Anorien. May I join you at this table?"

Sir Galdor immediately inquired on the squire's birth and was satisfied with the answers.  It turns out that Kasper was the son of the knight of Eilenach who has hosted the company a few days ago. Kasper was seeking the mentorship of Sir Galdor, and become his squire. Galdor observed that, at age 21, he was barely more experienced than his 19 year old squire. Beside, Kasper was an extremely sharp individual, even if a little bit awkward socially. Galdor, however, took pride in his slightly superior swordmanship, and his too-photogenic Numenorean gray eyes as a proof of seniority. They spent the rest of the evening bantering, trying to find flavor in the stew, and finally crashed on their beds. 

Next Encounter.

Kasper Murkeshan, squire of Anorien

Biography

Please note that the biographical content pertaining to the "Treatise on the Mind" is not going to be posted here while the campaign is ongoing.

Birthday: 2 April

Early Childhood (age 0 - 7, TA 3018 to FA 3)

Kasper Murkeshan was born in the family of a knight of Anorien. Anorien is an area without much of a population base. Sir Murkeshan is a knight with the title of Keeper of Eilenach. The family's pride is in the keeping and protection of this important component of the defenses of Gondor. Kasper was born only a few weeks before the siege of Minas Tirith. His father did not attend the battle as he was responsible for the beacon. However, many of the other knights of Anorien did not come back from the battle of Pelenor field. As a result, Kasper's father remained to this day one of the few knight still alive. Kasper received the typical education of Gondorian nobility. It became clear early on that Kasper was exceptionally gifted in academic matters. It was suggested that Kasper should attend the best schools, but the family was not financially capable to do that at the time.

Skills: Westron, native speaker [0], Sindarin, elven-tongue, native reader, accented speaker [5], bow [3], Falconry [1], Animal handling (dogs) [2], wrestling [3], riding, horse [1], Poetry [2], History, Eriador [4], Area knowledge, Gondor[4], Thaumatology [1] 

Traits: Exceptional IQ, Eidetic memory, stubborn, language talent

The page years (age 7 - 14, TA 3 to 10 )

At the ripe old age of 7, Kasper was sent to Minas Tirith to serve as a page for Sir Arnon Maisk, Captain of the Watch of Minas Tirith. During his tenure there, Kasper is trained mainly as an armorer and leatherworker. This angers him as he longs for more stimulating assignments. He walks away from this step of his life with profound bitterness, and some skills that he hope will never be needed again.

This being said, Kasper's life changed completely in FA 8 when, at age 12, he acquired from a desperately broke soldier an old book bound with red leather. He paid 20 celebins for it, and he wasn't sure why at first for it was written in a strange dialect similar to Sindarin (elf tongue). The book had been "collected" by the soldier during a campaign in South Gondor against the retreating Haradrim forces. It paused a serious challenge to understand as it contained a number of unknown characters, and kept on defining words such that the later section required the earlier section to be deciphered first. Kasper became absolutely fascinated by this mysterious and ancient treatise and developed a lot of skills in linguistics and other skills (player's private information). When Kasper turned 14, he decided to return to Anorien and serve as squire to his own father, becoming a watchmen of Eilenach himself. 

Skills: Armorer, Armor [4], leatherworking [4], bow [4], Area Knowledge, Minas Tirith [4], riding, horses [4], Animal handling, horses [4], gambling [1], soldier [1], heraldry [2], two-handed sword [2]

Traits:  Shyness, overweight

The squire years (age 14 - 19, TA 10 to 15)

The life of a watchmen suited Kasper very well: he essentially was expected to be sitting quietly for days on end. This left plenty of free time to pursue is new obsession: deciphering the "Treatise on the Mind". Kasper's father noticed a change in his son's interests and behavior. Sir Murkeshan also got interested in understanding what the Treatise was about, and tried to take it from Kasper. This situation initiated a number of terrible and long lasting fights between father and son. Kasper understood that the peaceful time in Eilenach were just about over when he learned that a strange company of Royal representatives had stayed at the family manor the previous night. One of the company member was a dashing knight of Dol Amroth, who reportedly had no squire at his service. Kasper was granted the permission by his father to leave Eilenach and seek Sir Galdor of Dol Amroth to complete his training as a squire. Something was going on with this company that intrigued him, and he felt the impulse to seek the company of strangers who will not pry into his academic interests.

Skills: bow[2],

Sir Galdor Ghent-Ylinen, Knight of Dol Amroth

Sir Galdor Ghent-Ylinen, Knight of Dol Amroth
Birthday: 22 December

Galdor is a hereditary knight of Dol Amroth. He barely has acceded to the age of majority and was sent by the Lord of Dol Amroth to Minas Tirith to gain some experience and perspective. He has lived a very sheltered life made of games and feats. As a result, the Lord of the land deemed that he would be of little use as a magistrate on the Gondorean coast until he acquires usable skills such as law. He is currently training as a man-of-law at the Estate office, but is definitively yearning for more. Galdor is hoping that the glory of finding a Palantir would get around the expectations set by the Prince in him.

Biography

Early Life in Dol Amroth (age 0 - 7, year TA 3014 - 3021)

Galdor claims elven descent as most of the Numeronean nobility of Belafast. Galdor was born in the small urban estate of Dollum Maru, in the heart of Dol Amroth and in the shades of the Prince's castle. During his hearly life, he was raised at the hard school of Dunedain's nobility: with tutors, lessons and the occasional beating with the cane by his instructors. Galdor emerged as a clever and strong willed child, ready for the next challenge.

During the war of the ring, Prince Imrahil set out with the Swan Company to defend Minas Tirith from the forces of Sauron. His father represented himself well, but eventually fell while charging an army of Haradrim. It is said that Sir Ghent-Ylinen and six colleague felled a Oliphaunt, but he himself succumbed to a mortal wound caused by the monster's tusk. A shard of the Oliphaunt's tusk was presented to Galdor as a memento of the greatest battle of his time.

Skills: Westron, native speaker [0], Sindarin, elven-tongue, native reader, accented speaker [5], bow [3], Falconry [1], Animal handling (dogs) [2], wrestling [3], riding, horse [1], Poetry [2], History, Eriador [2], Area knowledge, Gondor[4], Thaumatology [1] 

Trait: Elven Heritage [5], claim to hospitality [2], Status 2 [10], Code of Honor, Chivalry [-15], Dislike, commoners [-1]

Page in Edoras, Rohan ( age 7 - 14 , year TA 3021 - FA 7 )

By the time Galdor was ready to become a page, Prince Imrahil has agreed to wed his daughter Lothiriel to King Eomer of Rohan. galdor was sent to Edoras as part of the queen consort's retinue. He was placed under the tutelage of Sir Roman Ylinen, a cousin of his father and chief of Dol Amroth's guard of the queen. Galdor loved the Rohirim, despite their mundane Northernling origins. His life mostly consisted in tending to horses, hunting dogs and the queen's falcons. Galdor performed his duty with high distinction and was cited in most year by the queen in her letter to her father.

Skills: Falconry [5], Animal Handling, dogs [8], Animal handling, horses [6], riding, horses [10], Area Knowledge, Rohan [6], bow [4], Leatherworking [4], Armoury, armor [4], Armoury, melee weapons [6]

Squire in Dol Amroth (age 14 - 21 ,year FA 7 - 14 )

Completing his assignment as a page with flying colours, Galdor comes back to Gondor and becomes a squire to Sir Theros Ghent-Ylinen, a second cousin and husband to the Prince's older sister Ivriniel. His tenure as squire did not go as well as his time in Rohan: Galdor became complacent due to his birth and past records and slowly drifted into idleness. He was very dedicated to the hunt, but shirked on military arts. He became a wicked gambler, and a heavy drinker. Being an hereditary knight, he was waiting for his time to come. The Prince, however, was told to send the man away to make him a man of law: "He is not much of a man-of-war, but he is a clever man of words". 

Skills: Falconry [2], Animal handling, dogs [2], Animal handling, horse [4], riding, horse [2], Area Knowledge, Gondor [4], Thrown weapon, spear [6], Lance [6], Broadsword [6], gambling [10]

Knight in Minas Tirith (age 22, year FA 15)

Galdor reported to a relative in Minas Tirith and began his apprenticeship in the Office of Estates. There, he started to learn about law and politics. He did not get around to go on hunts, and became rather an urbanite by necessity. The Lord Chancellor has appointed him to the Palantiri commission out of pity for his idle soul, knowing that the commission was about to set on an expedition which could bring Galdor his much needed life experience. There is no need for him to have a retinue of squires at the moment, but he made the purchase of two good palfrey as well as maintaing a small kennel of three mature great danes.

Skills: Law [4], Politics [2], Area Knowledge, Gondor [2], gambling [2], 

The Great Danes : Fire (blond), Ice (blue), Storm (gray). All three are fully trained to: sit, fetch, attack, stay and "come back". 

The Palfreys : Luck and Kerbo, both as black, pure bred Southern Gondor. They are not combat trained, but have been used in hunts. They are both outfitted for hunts (briddle, saddles).