Wardogs of Rhodok

This is the story of Frederico Vicovaro, one of the most illustrious and famous Rhodoks in Calradic History. The famous Mercenary Captain of "Vicovaro's Wardogs" and later Duce of Yalen and El Capitano of the Rhodok Republic.

​

Son to a Rhodok Condottieri and the daughter of a landless lord, he had a childhood filled with politics and fighting, Nobles and Merchants as he served as a simple courtier in the court of the Conte of Yalen whom his father served. But as soon as his father died during the Rhodok siege of Shariz and his mother died of Consumption, he was forced out into the streets. Eventually joining with a small mercenary warband, first as a errand boy, and later as a full fledged warrior.

​

Fortunes come and go and eventually, after a particularly gruesome fight against Rhodok Deserters, his Captain died to a stray crossbow bolt shot, leaving Frederico to pick up his fellow men at arms and continue forward in a desperate bid for victory. Relying on his training by his father and strategic studies while at court in Yalen, Frederico rescued the situation and won the battle. Now chosen as Captain of the mercenary Warband, Frederico rebranded them as "Vicovaro's Wardogs" a most professional crew of pure Rhodok soldiers. He, his friends and his men would travel the Republic, serving lords and peasants alike. Soon he found himself leaving his homeland for other Kingdoms and nations serving them alike and making friends with former battlefield enemies and vice versa.

https://i.redd.it/ufawvqc156p11.jpg

After months and years of staying abroad, doing all manners of jobs from rescuing farmer's daughters to starting wars between nations, Frederico came across a Rhodok man in Suno. Kastor of Veluca claimed he was the rightful Doge of the Republic, but that Doge Graveth of Jelkala had used threats and force to remove him of his rightfully elected position. Graveth had made concessions to the Sarranids granting them land and dowry, he had left his country to rot so that he could fulfil his revenge against the Swadians. At the urge of Lord Kastor, Frederico would return to his homeland and see the disaster brought upon by Graveth's pride and ambition.

​

At the reaching the town of Jamiche he saw Sarranid men slaughter Rhodok peasant men and violating women who had refused to supply them with what little food they had. Frederico knew this was the aftermath of any war but still. Patriotism swelled in his heart, from his father's death at the hands of Sarranids, his Homeland's disgrace at the hands of Graveth and his people's suffering at the hands of these occupiers. In his rage he struck the Sarranid men down, leaving another to escape and worn the garrison at the local Castle. Signalling his men to form up in the village he would slaughter the entire garrison who had come for him. One-sided would be an understatement for the Sarranid forces. Pilling the bodies of the desert dogs into a mass grave not too far from the village, he would leave it as a warning to any future desert would be occupiers that the land will not welcome them no longer.

https://i.redd.it/djs6wkbwa6p11.jpg

Soon after the great Civil War had begun, Graveth's Rhodok had little loyalty to him and many a landless lord joined Kastor's forces with the promise of lands and lordships. The re-organization of the Republic soon came as lords where granted territories wholesale so as to create well-defined lordships as well as limit the power of others, creating a balanced Hierarchy.

​

https://i.redd.it/b3289icuc6p11.jpg

With his victory and execution of the usurper Graveth, peace was borught back to the noble rrepublic, a promiss of a brighter prosperous future. Frederico Vicovaro had been rewarded with the City of Yalen, his old home, offered the title of Duce and remained El Capitano of Doge Kastor's armies.

​

https://i.redd.it/toqipf6de6p11.jpg

From "self-exiled" mercenary captain to great patriot and defender of the Rhodok people. Frederico Vicovaro stands atop a pedestal for all Rhodoks to praise. Both a wonderous and rebelious spirit as the Rhodoks of old as well as a patriotic defender and protector of his people as all great noblemen should be. He represents the growth of his peoples since their freedom from the Swadians to the current day as a unified nation.

https://i.redd.it/oyfns5hze6p11.jpg

Praise be to the El Capitano, Duce Frederico Vicovaro, Hero of Rhodoks.

Submitted September 29, 2018 at 09:05AM by Picoman1 https://ift.tt/2zF3UYo