Tent of Richalm von Irmelhausen

[MuttonChops]

Set in a scenic spot at the edge of camp, lies the carpeted tent of Richalm von Irmelhausen, seventh son of the Baron of Iremelhausen. A pungent scent of sword fat is ever present, as the encamped lord prefer to manufacture his own in his private time.
Visitors are welcome, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

House Irmelhausen

Age: 33
Title: Freiherr
Married: No
# Soldiers: 950
190 Footmen
190 Spearmen
142 Archers
190 Men-At Arms
237 Mounted Knights

[Dirty Chai]

A clean-shaven retainer arrives at the camp of the Bavarians, informing Richalm of Irmelhausen that Siegfried of Mayen has invited Richalm to speak with him at his camp, after supper.

[Iron Aquilifer]

With a cask of wine, Theodoric, Duke of Lorraine, approaches the tent. Announcing his presence, the Duke intends to share a few glasses with Richalm.

[MuttonChops]

A lithe looking soldier nursing a young set of whiskers, shuttled the Lord Lorraine inside the tent of Richalm the Poor of Irmelhausen. He was caught with his back, fixing his breeches which was torn at its knees.

"Hah, a guest. Please have a seat...while I finish this mess"

Carefully he fished the needle, making a rough zig-zag closing the tear. After which he stowed it away in his travel chest.

"My Lord, I am honored what do I owe this pleasure"

[Iron Aquilifer]

I offer this wine as a trade. The Duke began. You have faced the heathen in battle and that makes you, in my eyes at least, a most valued resource. It would be doing my loyal followers from Lothringen a disservice to pass on the opportunity to gain whatever knowledge you yourself have been saved by the good graces of God to bestow upon me. Theodoric nodded half to himself. Anything that you can give me will gladden my heart and see to it that more of my men survive the following days.

[MuttonChops]

"I'm flattered, truly but what I give you was born of defeat, so please consider that fact during my telling." Richalm own voice was cracked with the uncertain of its use

"The Turks are blessed with horses a plenty there is no doubt, wherever we went, we were always watched, and they have their spies too. An army as large as we, is sure to have agents of mischief, not counting dubious nobles of course; so keep an eye out for misactivities around the camp, a few missing tools here there might not seem much, but it accumulates and it can hurt us when we're finally on the march. " He paused here, to bend down to lift the cask of wine to his person. He carefully opened the cork, smell testing the aroma. A rosy dryness, smells of autumn tree in their final bloom. A taste of the Black forest, even though it was probably Italian grapes.
"And keep together" He continued "And....would you like some Butterkäse with the wine?" he produced a linen covered cheese wheel from behind him.

[Iron Aquilifer]

I would care for a small slice or two, my thanks herr Irmelhausen, the duke said after a brief pause, realising that the man had ceased to relay his experiences. The Turks took away your tools? This was news to him. If the Moslem foe had managed to hide themselves so well within the Christian host as to be able to steal their possessions at a rate that could be crippling...That was not a pleasant thought.

[MuttonChops]

"Yes, amongst other things, like tools of the sacrament, and token loot. At first we took it as mischief from among our less reputable ranks, which you might expect had a violent effect on our culturally vast but undisciplined host, but perhaps that was the plan: to cause mistrust to hold in our hearts, well it did. I admit, even I was taken with it, and thus we caused to divide ourselves, we Germans left the rest to their fate and we suffered our own similar punishment"

Pausing as he finished nibbling on a piece of cheese. He continued:
"We all have our differences, tongue and speech amongst them, but we must avoid those differences from clouding ourselves and that is my last advice. We have the chance here to do great things, what Peter the hermit had was paltry compared to this army. I know we all have our own history to reckon with, and I know you have a history with our now commander the Lord Zahringen, I hope you can put your mind to the battle to come and away from the past because the potential that awaits us in the Holy lands, is greater than the present, the past or anything our children will ever have"

[Iron Aquilifer]

Theodoric nodded at the man's words. These Moslems indeed were presented as even more devious than what the Duke had anticipated.

"Speaking of our futures, lord Irmelhausen, I am of a deep desire to have you with me for when we have dislodged the Moslem stranglehold on God's holy settlements. To have a brother of Christ as tempered as yourself at my side would ensure that I rest easier at night."

[MuttonChops]

Richalm, was unused to the candor of his petition to him. He held command of one of the weakest offerings to the army of Christ, and was never any target of flattery because of it.
"Thank you, that my sword arm and self should be seen as strength is flattering. I do intend to see this fight to its completion, to make a kingdom of heaven here, on Earth, will be worth all the pain suffered now and in the future, and in that you would have no remiss off, I will be here to the end, in spirit and flesh. But beyond that, I don't know, I had the mind of returning back to Irmelhausen after this, pushing the peasants to action and paying court to the Welfs."

[Iron Aquilifer]

"You would leave the lands given to us by God when the for still stood poised to sweep down up it?" The Duke asked. "The simple conquest of wall and stone is not the purpose of this army, my lord. We have given our oaths to God to see that his holy sites are returned to the purposeful worship of Our Father, now and always. We cannot leave the Holy Lands with the completion of our conquest. No, we must then stand guard between the Christian people and the heathen hordes of Islam. Our home will be the lands we spilled our blood to seize."

He gestured with each statement, to maps and to the heavens and to the clothes on his back.

"In the Holy Lands I could make you a nobleman to rival even the Dukes back in our homeland. And with these new titles and roles, you shall fulfil your duty to God by protecting the weak and the innocent."

[MuttonChops]

Without issues of his own, his thoughts rarely strayed from the now; having no children or lover kept him focused on his duties, but admittedly left his life missing the charm of domesticity that others even in this march had. He remembered seeing the greater lords relax at the sight of the flaxen skirt of their beloved, their fingers bound by matrimony. Perhaps he too needed that, and more...

"Perhaps, I was short sighted. Holding fast to the ground taken is sound, war committed should be committed to accomplish a goal, permanence being one of them. If I served you as a vassal. I would only ask to hold primacy over the north. Let me hold the frontier against the Turks."

[Iron Aquilifer]

Theodoric nodded.

"I would do all in my power to see that the lands bestowed upon you are in the north. However I cannot make empty promises in the sight of God. There are powerful men within this host who would think nothing less of spilling Christian blood for your lands. I would not place you before them like some sort of offering. We may be forced to take lands further south."

[MuttonChops]

"Spoken wisely. It would have been easy to promise me the moon, any town or stronghold from here to Cairo, but you didn't, you were straight forward and honest."

Richalm had long considered the safety of his men before his own. He knew he had to merge his forces with others, if only to protect them from being isolated. Now was the time.

"I find no other lord here worthy of my oath of service. If you have space in your court for a banner man, I should be honored to be him"

[Iron Aquilifer]

"Spoken wisely. It would have been easy to promise me the moon, any town or stronghold from here to Cairo, but you didn't, you were straight forward and honest."

Richalm had long considered the safety of his men before his own. He knew he had to merge his forces with others, if only to protect them from being isolated. Now was the time.

"I find no other lord here worthy of my oath of service. If you have space in your court for a banner man, I should be honored to be him"

Theodoric drained his cup of wine. The honour is mine, lord Irmelhausen. God has placed you here to do great things, and I intend to see God's will fulfilled. The scholars shall refer to this as the greatest age of Christendom and we will forge it together.

[MuttonChops]

"Then I am your man, but let our customs prevail for the moment my lord." He rose, clapping his hands he summoned his aide to his side; he ordered for his trusted men to appear. As they slowly filtered in filling the modest tent, their dirty boots sloshing the carpet. Their demeanor and appearance showed the diversity of Richalm's force, a few carried the chiseled gruff of a familiar German smile; a few with the piercing peninsular gaze of Italians; and even fewer with the gaunt cheeks of a Frankish scowl.

"By my words and actions, in front of these witnesses, I prevail upon you this oath: Your friends are my friends, your enemies are my enemies" His voice booming, his witnesses watched with unfailing gazes, bonded by their own private oaths to him. "Let your banner be held by my own, through storm and force, man or wind it shall not fall. And if I fail, then let my eyes be plucked, my stomach emptied of life, my body made cold by your command."

"Long live, Theodoric!" he repeated twice, and echoed by his men

"Spread the word to the rest of the men, we now fight for the Duke of Lorraine!"