Exceptionalul din Cotidian

I am Zoltes Kapnobatai. I was born 22 years ago, in my family`s castle of Kogaionon. My father, Oroles Kapnobatai, was the lord of the realm, counselor in external affairs to King Daizus of Zarmis, esteemed by both nobility and those from inferior classes. My mother, Bendis, daughter of lord Aulenus of Porollis, sister of King Daizus, died of the plague four years after my birth. I don`t have memories of her. My father, even if he had countless mistresses, never loved another woman after her death. I have no siblings, at least none to know about.

When I was nine years old, my father died in a so-called hunting accident, but everybody knew it was the hand of our neighbour, lord Bitus of Porollis. After my father`s death, King Daizus was dethroned and beheaded alongside with three of his counselors, in only one bloody night. Lord Bitus, stepbrother of King Daizus, claimed the throne and in the following weeks eradicated with the help of the army all popular and aristocratic resistance across the kingdom. Kogaionon was taken by force, all still loyal to House Kapnobatai locked in the dungeons or simply put to death on sight, and the land taken as a royal feud, under direct administration of the king. I managed to escape the raid, being taken under the protection of one of my father`s hunters. Many say now that Seuthes was actually one of my father`s bastards, but… then again, he`s dead, together with all my family and relatives. I wouldn`t have who to ask if he was truly my stepbrother.

Seuthes took me to his mother`s country, far up to the north, and for the last 13 years I spent my life in a cottage, in the middle of the Deliorman Forest, or as the people call it, “the mad forest”. He taught me everything he knew, from hunting to tracking and shooting a bow. I learned to tame the animals, I learned to survive in the wilderness with just a sling. My tutor, having never forgotten my heritage and the blood that goes through my veines, also thought me a lot regarding the world outside of the forest and made me read book after book. When you`re 15 years and you have the impression that all your life you just hunted and shot a bow, reading might seem useless, but now I can see the reasons for which he prepared me.

Seuthes is dead for two days. Before his eyes shut for the final time, he showed me the hiding place where he kept the chronicles of House Kapnobatai, alongside with my father`s sword and many more pergaments. He showed me the direction in which I should leave, and made me swear that I`ll burn down the cottage and leave without never coming back. I left… and here I am.

The Beginning

The first written testimony about House Kapnobatai is also what some might call a “birth certificate“. It is said that back in the ages when time was not measured in years but in seasons, in the lands of the oltenians, there was one warrior from a minor noble`s court who had to run across the mountains, being outcast by his family because of a degrading relation with a peasant girl. Having to choose between keeping his place in his family and disposing by steel of his beloved or leaving with her, he chose the last action as accordingly to his feelings.

He left with Tetula – his pregnant woman – and few of his men across the mountains into Kara-Orman, the lands to the east of his country. He did now know what he would find there, for many of those who crossed the mountains never returned, and those who did, either returned with ill minds, either dissapeared shortly after coming home, together with their families. Now it is a known fact that those who left to never return preferred to stay in Kara-Ormania – the land of the black forests – and start a new life there, than return to their ancestors lands and be treated like cattle and sometimes even worse.They were colonists.

Duras (this was the name of the ostracized warrior) had no idea on what he might find at the end of the road. His journey started at the beginning of the snowy season, and the way across the mountains was a hard and dangerous one. It is said that being lost in the white hell of the mountains, a white wolf showed him the way across, to safety. On the other side, Duras founded a camp near the edge of a forest and waited for the winter to pass. When spring came, he was the proud father of a little boy he named Blassa. The country that laid before their eyes when the snow had melted was welcoming, yet untamed and not touched by the hand of man.

Riding in different directions, Duras encountered many of his people from back home, people that rallied under his flag after they saw his spouse. Tetula was one of them, a peasant, and many recalled her parents. A leader who has a peasant as wife cannot look away from his people. As time passed, the camp grew in numbers, in infrastructure, and soon Duras was the lord of the entire region. Honouring the almost divine intervention that brought him and his party across the mountains safely, Duras added the white wolf to his coat-of-arms.

The name “Kapnobatai“, meaning “the one who walks in smoke“, as the chronicles show, was given to Duras by the people he met in Kara-Orman. The reason for such nickname might be found in his endeavourish crossing of the mountains during the winter. The “smoke“, in this case are the clouds that surrounded, and still do, the peaks of Kogaionon mountains. Of course, there`s an alternative to this explanation. Some say that Duras was too bound to the customs of his family, and one of them was the ritual inhalation of the smoke of a local weed before going to battle. He might have kept that custom even in Kara-Orman, the future dominion of House Kapnobatai.

Damn hangover… I`ll never again drink that combination of ale and whatever traditional dwarven strong liqueur Magdankh offered me last night in the inn. Tasted like oil, looked like tar, but I was already drifting away when my friend came in, so… everything was pinkish. Damn hangover… But if it wasn`t for this sick, trembling-hands condition I`m in now, what a fine evening and night whould have been. Well, no good things on this world come for free. That is, if you don`t steal them.

Yesterday I went for a beer… just one beer. Or at least so I thought. After a couple of weeks spent in the wilderness, with only myself to talk to, I was too eager to get back to civilisation, and where but in the local inn is the unofficial center of a city? I missed the gossip, the saloon fights, the dames (oh, the dames!), the smell of smoke and food and spilled beer and body odour of a half a dozen races, the humming of the big city… So I forgot about sleeping and went to meet with Magdankh, that dwarf that saved my life back
in .. but that`s another story.

I sat at a table right in the back of the so-called tavern, with two guys – quite dubious characters, from the “expert” glances they were throwing at my crafted bow – and began drinking. And drinking, and drinking, because that halfsized friend of mine came only after 6 royal pints and one surprisingly clever woman that passed temporarily through my hands. Don`t get too excited, I was tired beyond normal limits to try anything with her. We just talked. And don`t ask how was she, because the smoke was so dense in the back that one could have poked his eyes with his own fingers. Great atmosphere in the Al Drifa Inn. Really terrific, too bad I can`t remember anything, except for flashes or sequences. There was a fight.. there was somebody singing, there was somebody yelling “Traitor!”… Ah… But I miss my forests and my hills and the wind..I wonder wether I`ll ever settle down somewhere for more than a couple of days.

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It is said in the seventh chapter of the Chronicles that Blassa, son of Duras, was the first Lord of House Kapnobatai to fight – and win – a major battle. Since his father was rather a peaceful spirit, Blassa pushed the borders of his legacy further and further, sometimes with diplomacy, most of the times by force. Being an adept of the idea that “the best defence is to attack“, Blassa crushed – at the end of his 13th ruling winter – a small religious rebellion inside the territories of Kara-Ormania, then moved his forces towards the east, without logistical support, with his communication lines unguarded and with absolute no protection behind him. It was a reckless and adventurous expedition, only to be lightened by the speed in which the advance had been made. Reason for such conduct is not provided in the Chronicles, but based on various text analysis the most probable explanation is based on the fact that the only real threat came from the eastern tribes of nomad warriors, the agatarsians. Basic strategy rules specify that against extremely mobile forces the best way of winning a battle is by moving faster than them. Deceit, intelligence and maneuvrability helped Blassa fall over the main corps of the agatarsian army camped in what was then called the White Valley of Taipe.

Again, strategy was considered since the beginning an important element in the ways House Kapnobatai understood to wage war, defensive or offensive. Lord Blassa split his army into 2 groups, one mounted, the other pedestrian soldiers, for mobility reasons. The cavalry was considered the strike force, and took a large detour so that they can fall behind the nomad ariergarde from one end of the Valley, whilst the pedestrians – mostly archers and light swordsmen – set up an ambush at the other. Speed and surprise would bring a clear victory to Blassa.

The agatarsians were not few in numbers or louzy warriors. The paradox was consisted in the fact that being nomads, riders, they chose as a camping site a valley, with only 2 opposed ways in. They were way too confident on their hypothetical safety, and the rumours Blassa himself spread that he was still fighting with the rebels in Kara-Ormania helped excellently at relaxing the enemy. The valley was easy to defend, having only two access spaces, but for riders… born in the saddle, it was a little too difficult.

The strike began at one past midnight, with a full charge of the cavalry. The surprise-element worked like a miracle. The agatarsians turned to run, but they fell right in the arms of the waiting pedestrians. It was a slaughter. It is said that the Valley, because of so much blood being spilled, was red.

- translated and adapted by Zoltes Kapnobatai –

I simply cannot believe it. So you`re saying that they are behind the pleistoi uprising of last winter? almost cried Segedax, fixing his companion with anger in his eyes.

- I didn`t say anything, brother. We shall see what Lord Blassa will think about this. All I know, all I heard, is that prime Comosicus and prime Zopyrion knew the pleistoi will raid the temples of Gothar in southern Ormania. And… hm. I saw at their courts agatarsian advisors. They were presented as fur traders, but those were no hunter`s weapons.

- Agatarsian military advisors! Betrayal in the middle of the council! Segedax leaped on his feet, with one hand on his sword and the other threating an invisible enemy. I cannot believe it! Two of our lord`s most important counselors sitting at the same table with agatarsian filth! No good will come out of this. I warn you, my brother, that I will put them both to death at the first reckless move in the presence of Lord Blassa! said the impetuous man before taking his place next to his companion.

- Segedax, are you this fast with your mistress also? What good would haste do? Take your time and wait until we get to Kogaionon, the White Wolf will know what to do. Now, let`s get on the move, my throat is sore and I haven`t been eating a decent meal in three days.

The two friends rose on their feet, put out the fire and continued their road to the west. It is time to introduce them. The youngest, Segedax Commoi, was 21 years old and the son of The White Wolf, chief of the personal guard of Lord Blassa. The other, a tall but rather chubby character, was Dapix Brinzen, chief of the House intelligence and leader of the second wolfpack. Returning from a mission at the courts of two of Lord Blassa`s counselors, he met his younger companion at the outskirtst of the mountain-palace Kogaionon. The two were members of the elite personal guard of House Kapnobatai, the Brotherhood of the Wolves. We`ll talk about this exclusivist organisation later. For now, let`s focus on the news Dapix was bringing.

As we remember, last winter the pleistoi sect raided a couple of Gothar`s temples in the south of the dominion, without obvious reason or purpose. This determined the quick and merciless reaction of Blassa Kapnobatai. Four hundred pleistoi dervishes were impaled at the gates of their own villages, as a warning for future devastation they may cause. After this act of justice for the fourty servants of Gothar found mutilated, Blassa turned his troops to the east, towards the camps of the agatarsians, nomadic tribe who had shown various signs of unrest in the past year. Historical testimonies speak of agatarsian involvment in the pleistoi uprising and of agatarsian agents and scouts in the lands of Kara-Orman. Most likely, the agatarsians were preparing to mount a full assault on the dominion, attracted by the wealth and by the resources present in this land. Others say that the nomads were pushed from the back by another nomadic tribe, or even by creatures risen from hell.

As shown before, Blassa Kapnobatai defeated the agatarsians in the battle of White Valley, and, contrary to what most of his people thought, he showed mercy to the remainders of the agatarsian army and let them go home fully armed, but without horses and with the interdiction to ever set foot in the dominion`s borders, under penalty of death. It was another controversed decision from his many taken by Blassa Kapnobatai. Reason for such conduct? It`s always best to have close enemies that you defeated and crippled, than have enemies that you don`t know how to act against. And if something terrible was moving in the far-east, why not let it clash first with the agatarsians, so that the dominion can estimate it`s force and have enough
time to prepare defences?

Dapix`s investigations were determined by some whispered rumours that some primes from the council had connections with the agatarsian warchief and contributed to the turmoil provoked by the pleistoi revolt in the southern lands. In simple words, they wanted to overthrow House Kapnobatai, in order to take power themselves. Rumours, but not rumours. Hard times were approaching

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Dapix and Segedax arrived finally in front of the granite gates of Kogaionon, only to find them closed and the walls filled with archers. Not many words came between them since they left the final stop on the way to the palace, because the first was mentally preparing his report to Lord Blassa, while the latter knew disturbing Dapix would be a sign of disrespect from his side. In the brotherhood things were rather strict regarding ranks, and being the son of the White Wolf was no compensation for lack of common sense, as they understood it.

As the two approached the gate, Segedax started yelling at some archers.”Hey! You there! Open the gate! Important news for our lord! Where`s the captain of the guards?” It seemed the archers were conducting some kind of training on the walls, because none of them turned or moved to see who was yelling at them. In exchange, a helmet appeared in an archer-hole just above the two.”What! What do you want and what is so important for our lord?” asked the helmet with a bored and almost annoyed voice, but the last words faded away almost silently when the gatekeeper saw the angry eyes of Segedax and the beard of Dapix. Suddenly his voice became sweet as if he had just drank 2 pints of hidromel.”Oh! Grey Wolf Brinzan! Captain Commoi! You have returned!”"Cut the bragging and open the damn door! You expect us to stay here until tomorrow morning so that you move your lousy legs and let us in?” answered Segedax with a grim look upon his face.

The helmet disappeared inside the tower in the blink of an eye. Everybody knew Segedax wanted things done fast and without delay. Dapix looked at his friend and an almost invisible smile flourished on his face. “My young brother, you should learn to control yourself. Self-control is one of the strongest weapons for those who can master it. And it may be the difference between death and life. I know, your blood boils, I was the same when I had your age, but things must change, you are no longer an impetuous child.”"I know, Dapix, I know. And my father never forgets to tell me the same things almost daily. But… I don`t know, it`s hard for me to do things differently than my father does them“, said the young man, putting his chin in his chest. “He is responsible for our lord… Of course he has to act like that. Let`s go and see Lord Blassa, I`m sure he`s eager to hear what news I brought. And after we finish there, I`ll buy you a pint of ale at the Brotherhood Inn. Dark days may be coming, and we must take advantage of any pauses we get.”Segedax smiled and started scratching his head.”Sure, brother. By the scars of Agnar, I never refuse an invitation from our elders, especially when it involves beers or other liquids sweet to my tongue. I only hope our other brothers from the pack will be there. I haven`t seen Zyraxes and Gerula for some time now. I heard they were up in the north for the preparation of the summer celebrations. I`m sure they have great stories to tell.”"Nevermind them, I`m sure they returned, I`m thinking about Atulia… Before I left for prime Zopyrion we had a little argue“, said Dapix with a trembling voice. “Why did you two argue? I thought you were happy together.”"Eh, Segedax, you are too young and green in these matters. The answer is simple… Women. And she is perhaps the icon of all them. I don`t know who told her that at the court of prime Zopyrion there are some tauriscian slave girls… she got angry because Zopyrion has the habit of…sharing them with his guests and she was afraid I would accept such… gift.” “And did you?” Dapix looked at his companion, pulled up his shoulders and winked.”That`s not important… Let`s go.”The two started mounting the 365 stairs that led to the palace of Lord Blassa.

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