KaiserFranz

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Jehan de Challon

---

Jehan grinned, happy to find that his team were not dreary men with no personality. He had always considered men that could joke, smile and laugh before any kind of test to be the best kind of men to have watching your back. They were less likely to give up in the face of solid opposition. At least, that is what he imagined.

"I'm sure it wont. As long as you two know which end of your sword you hold and which bit to stick them with." Jehan said in jest, "One old man, and one lanky boy" he added as he shook his head slightly, then drew in a breath between his teeth. "What has the world come to?" he asked in mock outrage.

Before he could say anything else, one of his archers interrupted him. "Sir." Vincent said in his rough voice.

Jehan spun to face his archer, "Yes?"

"We're ready."

Jehan nodded, "Very well, go on. Don't stay too long." he said gravely. Jehan and the archers knew that they were playing a deadly game. If they stayed to long or were wounded, or simply too slow, they would not make it back and be butchered without their friends being able to do anything but watch.

Vincent nodded, turned to face the archers along the line that were watching him. Vincent waved and then he went running through the line and advanced forward as did the rest of the archers. The archers advanced in a lose formation, there were not many, but they had found a few extra archers to join the skirmishing screen. If they did not kill any, they would at least wound a few orcs and hopefully get back without any losses.

Jehan turned back to his team. "They'll come running back after taking a few shots on the orc advance." He re-adjusted his grip on the poleaxe, "As for our own tactic; I stand in the front, you support me, take advantage of them trying to kill me." he said, then chuckled and looked to Jasper. "Don't worry" he said and tapped his breastplate, "This will keep me safe"

Jehan turned to Henri, who was armed in a brigandine, a bascinet without a visor, a sword in his scabbard and holding a spear. "Nervous?" Jehan asked and the squire nodded. Though Henri looked determined and Jehan expected the young man would quickly forget about his nerves. Henri would stay behind Jehan during the fighting and use his spear to stab whoever Jehan was fighting or those to were major threats that Jehan missed.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Jehan de Challon

---

Jehan and his lance were up and awake in good time. They ate breakfast together, before they all set to arming themselves for the battle. Jehan called for his squire and valets and soon he was armoured and ready for whatever the day would throw at him. His gauntlets hung from his belt, and Henri would bring his helmet once he was done donning his own armour.

Once the entire lance was ready, they went to listen to the commander. The speech was a mess from the start and his annoyence of the commanders incompetence was obvious to anyone who looked. Then when Silas stepped up and made short work of the commander Jehan found it to be some grim amusement in the whole affair. Charles put a hand to his sword and took a step forward so Jehan grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "Stay your hand" Jehan said softly, "I'd would hear this, if only for my own amusement." That, however, did not stop him from keeping a hand close to his rondel dagger. Actions like this could break down into the force fighting itself if the opinions were split. Though most seem to agree that the commander was a buffoon.

Jehan snorted at Dixon's story. Jehan muttered, "Fifty men is no army." in fact, it was not even a company. Nor would any proper commander run away like in the story. He would have had scouts for one. But, considering the incompetence of their own commander, perhaps it was not so strange that such a thing could actually happen. In the end, it did not matter, that was a story; the coming battle was real with actual threats.

As Dixon mentioned the two ladies Jehan simply rolled his eyes and by the end he shook his head. "Bloody lowlife." he said under his breath and one of his archers chuckled.

In the end however, he accepted the proposed tactic and his own position came to be the left flank. He knew that he could, with some support hold his own with his armour soaking up most, if not all hits. Still, he had a lance to command and had to do so in the way that assured success or at least increased the chances. Jehan adressed his lance, "Henri, you will stand with me. Charles, you still stand in the centre with team 1, it could need a man-at-arms to hold the front." That was his heavily armed men assigned. Then there were the three archers, "Vincent, Adrian, Martin. See if you can find any other archers, then advance before the front. As the enemy close, put a few arrows in them before retreating behind the front again. Then, as you run out of arrows; Vincent and Adrian will join me. Martin, you will join the melee in the centre with Charles." Lastly, the turned to the two valets, Michael and Johannes, "Stay with the reserve, keep an eye on the flanks. Be ready to get men forward if needed."

---

As the formation formed and readied themselves for battle, Jehan's lance found their places. Charles with the centre, Henri with Jehan and the archers ready to advance. "Bascinet" he said, looking back to his squire who gave him his helmet as Jehan gave his poleaxe to Henri for him to hold. Jehan put on his helmet, but did not close the visor. He grabbed his gauntlets from his belt and put them on before taking his poleaxe back from Henri.

Jehan looked to Amare, inspecting him. He didn't know the man, Jehan had seen him in camp, not that that meant anything. "Ready?" he asked calmly.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Sorry.
Not lance as in the weapon.
Lance as in "a equipped lance", a unit of men. In this case 5 soldiers plus a squire and supporting personnel (the valets).

Simply put, I was wondering if you were happy with the positions I assigned the the lance members to.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Well yes. I got that. I meant thoughts about the positions for the lance.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Kinda the thing I was going for if I didn't exactly explain it right. Sorry no Calvary because we would only have 5-6 which wouldn't really be able to make a big impact so the horses would be better used for supplies and carrying wounded.

@KaiserFranzI would say have given your npc's places but I'll leave that to you to place them within the other groups.

@Arthanus

No cavalry? You crazy person! :P

As for Jehan's lance.

Squire Henri goes with Jehan.
Coutilier Charles, who is a slightly less heavily armed man-at-arms pretty much, could either stay with Jehan or go with one of the centre groups.
The three archers; imagine professional longbowmen of the hundred years war pretty much. I wouldn't really assign them to any special group. Rather I would see them begin to skrimish in front of the line before retreating behind it, and joining the melee once their arrows are gone.

Valets are not really supposed to fight, so would stay with the reserve to fight as a last resort.

Thoughts?

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Ah, thanks everyone. I promise to use and abuse this title as much as I can, and will accept bribes in order to help your character as well.

@SirSqueakalot91

We'd be disappointed otherwise. :P

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

yey!

Congrats and stuff!

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Jehan de Challon, Camp of the Hundred man force.

---

Jehan disarmed in his tent, his squire and valets helping. During the short walk back, he had once again thought of how small and poor their force really were. These were not professional soldiers, they were peasants and little more. The good mood he had from the sparring was already gone. As his battle harness came off he felt light enough to fly. As Henri started to clean his armour one of his valets gave him a cup of wine and he headed outside to speak with Charles.

"Charles" Jehan said as he approached the older man, who had also disarmed and sat on a bench next to the fire with all the archers who had finally shown up from wherever they had been.

Charles looked up from the fire, "Aye?"

"How much cavalry does our force have?" Jehan asked then carried on, rambling questions, "How many lances, how many men-at-arms? Archers? Professional men?" With a sigh, he stopped himself. He was concerned, for if this force could not hold up, most if not all of them would end up dead and in reality; peasants or not, there was little point in dying when manpower was needed.

Charles rubbed his chin as he thought, considering what he had seen. He was, according to Jehan, a most useful asset in any situation. He had an eye for details, and a good memory, he was handy in a fight and a good friend. "Lances. At least one." he said with a chuckle. "As for cavalry... Perhaps twenty if you include us, though most of them are very lightly armed. Men-at-arms, even less though I believe there is a fair number of professional or semi-professional fighting men though it does not pass half. Most men here barley know how to hold a spear the right way around."

Jehan drank from his cup, savouring the taste of the wine. It was definitely not the best, but it wasn't bad. He did not respond to Charles at first. The answer he had received had been expected but it did not improve his mood. At last he said "Very well, I'll think of a plan to survive this. Don't stay up all night, I need you all in top form in the morning."

Jehan returned to his tent. Henri sat at one end, polishing the breastplate. Jehan sat down on a stool, sipping his wine and observing his squire. Henri was a good squire, if a bit overzealous at times. "Nervous for tomorrow?" Jehan asked.

Henri looked up from his work, "Not yet." he said with a shrug.

Jehan smirked, "Fair enough, just stay close tomorrow." As Henri finished his work and left to sleep Jehan sighed, trying to think of something that could win them the battle, or more likely, save as many men as possible in defeat. The commander could be damned for all he cared.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Jehan de Challon, Camp of the Hundred man force.

---

Jehan listened to the sermon, flanked by Charles, his coutilier. Jehan muttered a prayer before moving away. While he had no problems listening to the sermon and speaking his prayers, he was not about to give the man his confessions.

As he moved through the camp towards his tent he was disappointed. This force, a forth of the size of a proper company and lacking proper lances was never going to hold up in any real battle unless their commander was some kind of mastermind, which he highly doubted. He wondered if any scouts had been sent out, but once again, he assumed incompetence and therefore that no scouts were out.

As if sensing his mood Charles piped up, "A round of sparring Sir?"

"Definitely" Jehan said in response, happy to do something he enjoyed. But his mood was still a dreary one as he walked across the camp. On the way he passed Stefano shouting about his gambling. He looked the man up and down with utter contempt and found himself unimpressed but he said nothing and left the man to his gambling. He had never been fond of gambling or gamblers, seeing them as some of the lowest. When skill fails, trust to luck. Not really the way he would go about things.

As he arrived to where his lance was had set up, he found that only one of the archers were present. He sat next to the fire, carving something from a small piece of wood, though it was unclear as of yet what it was going to become. The archer nodded to him and Charles respectfully before going to back to carving. Next to the archer sat his squire, Henri. "Henri, armour." Jehan said shortly which sent the squire running to get the valets and armour.

Soon enough he and Charles were fully equipped. They moved to an open space, and soon they both stood with a poleaxe facing each other as a small crowd of bored men grew around them, including his squire, valets and archer. Charles nodded to him and with a smile on his face Jehan slammed down his visor and went into a combat stance, keeping a centre guard. Charles was the first to attack, with a poke aimed for his head. Jehan used his poleaxe to deflect and in the same motion stab towards Charles who took a step back and recovering without being hit. Jehan moved forward, jabbing his poleaxe and Charles struck it away so it went wide, swirling the movement into a swing aimed low. Acting quickly, Jehan stepped inside the blow, letting the shaft hit his leg. Jehan brought his poleaxe back over and down under Charles' weapon on the outside. Jehan now had a poleaxe between his armoured body and his own weapon, but before Charles had any chance to recover, Jehan took another stepped forward again, bringing the head of his weapon to the back of Charles' knee, then dragged it forward, as he stepped around. Charles fell backward, losing his poleaxe. Jehan raised his own poleaxe above the downed man, the point directed at the Charles' neck. Both went still for a moment, then Jehan offered the man a hand, pulling him back to his feet.

The sparring went on for many rounds more, and while Jehan won most rounds, he had lost a few to Charles. By the end of it, Jehan raised his visor, gulping down air into his lungs. He was grinning as he started to move back to his tent, though he almost felt bad for his squire who would have to clean and polish his armour before the morning.

Adventures of the Blood Rose Irregulars

Character Sheet

Name: Jehan de Challon
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Appearance: Jehan is tall with a muscular build, making him rather imposing. He also has a certain martial grace and youthful vigour, making him quicker then one would probably guess. His eyes are a bright blue and his hair blond and cut short. His face is stern, but not unkind and it is mostly unremarkable, except a prominent nose.

It is notable that his clothes, normally a doublet with a mantle and hose, are of rather fine quality, which suggests that he is from a well-off family. To battle he wears a suit of armour with a bascinet for helm.

Image for the armour

imgur.com/a/o1wSS

(I can probably find one that shows the face somewhere if I take some time to look.)

Bio: Jehan is the fourth son of a Count in the southern Empire. His upbringing was therefore a good one in most aspects. He never went hungry or lacked a roof above his head. Though he faced his own challenges, be it three older brothers, his father or the high expectations of him in all he did.

Growing up, he had a good education with good tutors that his father paid for. He never found the lessons any fun, and more often then not tried to escape them. Though there was one exception; the lessons of history and battles intrigued him and it became the only lesson he actually looked forward too. As he became older, there was another lesson that he grew to enjoy; the lessons with the swordmaster. Not because the old Knight was a good teacher, but because he had the childish hope of many to become one of those grand knights of the tales. So, while his training with the Knight became a painful affair, with enough bruises through the years to fill a book if he had counted them and written them down plus a few broken fingers and other aches.

With time, and not really his own choice he became a diligent boy, always working with some task or trying to improve himself. At first it was because of his father and tutors forced him to. But it had become something he simply did without anyone telling him before long, and without really noticing he found he enjoyed to always be working on something. Even so, he often found himself to be a disappointment to his father who always held his first born in the highest regard and his fourth son in the lowest. His brothers were not much better, even calling him "The lesser son" often enough for it to stick.

As he came of age, he was perhaps not the most well-read in anything but history or even the most skilled with the sword, which he came to blame on his lousy teacher. But he had become self-assured even if his brothers and father did not believe in him. The first thing he did was to find a better sparring partner which would come to increase his ability drastically. Sparring became the daily activity he enjoyed most, and for the most part he had very little to do. His father gave the more interesting and important tasks to his brothers which left him with very little to do. That is not to say he had no tasks, for he had the odd task of leading men to hunt bandits or going out to the villages and arbitrate in disputes in place of his father.

But trouble brewed in the rest of the Empire, he asked to leave his fathers side to earn a reputation elsewhere. It was with some surprise that his father granted his wish and sent him away with his blessing, a new set of armour and weapons and a fully equipped lance to boot. He had planned to go even if his father denied him, but he could not deny that this was much better.

As he set out, and later joined the Blood Rose Company it was with a lance of him as the Man-of-Arms, together with his squire Henri, and his coutilier and old sparring partner Charles. Lastly, two valets and three archers.

Fighting Style: What you would expect from a young Knight who has been trained.
Equipment:
For Battle;

• His suit of plate.
• Poleaxe or Lance (if on horseback).
• Longsword, in the scabbard if using a poleaxe or lance.
• Rondel dagger.
• Warhorse if the terrain allows.

Skills/Abilities:

Excellent Swordsmanship.
Good Horsemanship.
Good with lance and poleaxe.
Good leader, tactics- and strategywise.

Other Information:

My Hider

1. Listen to the GM(s), If you have a complaint tell me. I am not an evil dictator and if I am wrong I will admit it.
2. Romance and Gore allowed, But keep it in good taste and in site rules
3. Now not all characters will play nice with each other I understand that, but keep the disputes in the RP not in OOC
4. Be civilized and polite please
5. All basic RP rules apply to this roleplay: Power playing, Meta gaming, and others are not allowed.
6. The story isn't exactly set, If you have an idea for a mission feel free to pm me the details and I'll try to work it in.
7. Copy the rules into a Hider in the "other" of your cs so I know you read them.
8. Get into your character's skin become him or her as you are playing have fun and give us insight into their thoughts.
9. Try to keep active, in both the IC and OOC pages please. And even if you don't have anything to say, at least read the OOC