The Rise and Fall of Beardehof Welgon: The Bandit who founded a nation

Inspired by a campaign I recently just finished.

Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings

Welgon's tales begin February 12, 1224, when a group of Swadians decided to travel into the barren lands of the Kherigit Khanate to become bandits. They rode into a town, and occupied it for a short time. During this time, the leader of the bandits, formerly a noble, had an affair with a Kherigit woman, who was the wife of a farmer. Shortly afterwards, Kherigit soldiers rode in and killed the bandits. However, the woman remained, and was pregnant with his child. Exactly nine months later, on November 12th, 1224, a little baby boy was born. This boy, raised by the single mother, was named Beardehof Welgon

Chapter 2: Growing up

Growing up, Welgon had trouble with the other children. His origins were well known, and he was never accepted as truly one of them. He would frequently be bullied and assaulted by other children, and some full grown adults joined in one more than one occasion. Tired of the constant bullying, he stole a horse and ran away. The majority of his youth was spent as a Steppe child. Riding his horse around, and making money mostly through stealing what he could from roadside camps. During his time, he learned many tricks. He learned that, using his horse and a strong stick, he could rise up to someone and, using his momentum, knock them unconscious with a single blow. He used this trick a number of times to rob people. On one fateful day, on April 13th, 1242, he did this in view of a band of slavers, and he ended up selling his victim to them for a hefty amount of denars. Using this money, he decided to head off to the fabled lands of Swadia, in order to get an education. He had heard many good things about it from travelers, and he sought to learn how he could gain power.

Chapter 3: The Bandit at University

Even among intellectuals, Welgon never really fit in. He was a towering 6'1", among a sea of 5'5's and 5'6"s. This had the opposite effect of his childhood. Instead of being mocked, he was feared. He was a major distracting factor in classes, but people soon got used to his presence. However, despite his upbringing, he was a natural at absorbing information. He took a special liking to history and engineering classes, studying the rulers and revolutionaries of old, people who sought a nation governed not by kings, but by charismatic demagogues, beholden to no lords. He had good grades for the time he was there. As for friends, he was quite popular. The tall, strong, Kherigit foreigner, was the object of interest for many people, especially the ladies.

It took him a long while to get used to the customs of Swadian life, as opposed to the wandering steppe life he grew up for. This was made clear at one point in his young adult life, where some young noble threw a long list of insults against him because of his Kherigit heritage. This noble claimed that Welgon was a rapist, a bandit, a "filthy savage", and other such claims. In response, Welgon simply picked up a nearby crate and smashed it over his head. While his fellow students saw his actions as justified, the noble used his influence to have him arrested, and kicked out of university. He remained in jail for 12 years before being released.

Chapter 4: A Raider is Made

After getting out of jail on February 12th, 1257, Welgon swore vengeance against the Swadian nation, especially its nobles. He left, and took a caravan back to Narra, of the Kherigits. He was attacked by an unknown individual, possibly one of his childhood bullies. Welgon simply shot him in the face with a crossbow he had built during his college years. While in town, he met up with a merchant, who gave him some money and put him up with a job. While in town, he designed an emblem, which had two crossed swords, and a leaf. The flag he made would later become one of the most feared symbols of the 13th century. He went out to start his recruiting. He found a small group of Kherigit bandits in a nearby village, as well as some mercenaries in the town of Tulga. He carried out his quest of rescuing a merchant's brother, but found the reward to be rather minuscule. Despite this, he went around, picking up everyone from Vaegir and Nordic slavers, Kherigit bandits, Mercenaries, and other unscrupulous people. He managed to round up an army of 50 people, from all over. However, this large army was almost unsustainable with his current budget. In a desperate attempt to make money, Welgon simply marched his soldiers into Swadia, and attacked a local caravan. In this first battle, the man known as Beardehof Welgon found his calling. From smashing caravan guards with a mace, to rounding up prisoners for the slave auctions, to selling the ill-gotten goods for thousands, for bringing large feasts for his men, Welgon found his career. It was the greatest day of his life. However, it was also the worst day for the people of Swadia.

Chapter 5: The Hammer of Halmar

Welgon was feared by the Swadian government. He could raid any village he wanted. From Rduna to Yalibe, his banner was known and feared. He looted towns constantly. He would rarely kill any villagers, but he would render them denarless. He stripped their goods, their food, everything they owned. He'd then travel to a city, and sell his goods. Rumors have it that he once made 3000 on a single raids.

For caravans, it was even worse. He would capture almost everyone involved, and sell them into slavery. There was also nowhere safe. From the snowy north of Curaw, to the mountains of Veluca, to the deserts of Durquba, caravans would constantly be attacked. It got so bad that many caravan guards quit their jobs with the Swadians, and joined Welgon's army. However, despite what many thought, Welgon was no friend of common bandits. He regularly liberated many Kheregit villages from bandit control, and made many friends, and many more new recruits, for these anti-bandit raids.

Beardehof Welgon was a man made by his gear, and by his army. His shield could block any attack, even though he rarely used it. His armor, unbreakable. Most attacks would barely scratch him. His hammer could knock out any soldier in a single blow. His crossbow, a beastly thing, could blow a hole the size of a cannonball in an unarmored target. His weapons were enough to strike fear into any town, but his armies sealed the deal. He would rarely be caught without an army of at least 50 on him at any time. Mercenaries, bandits, slavers, political radicals. All were welcome in his ranks. He could defeat any foe, no matter how bad the odds seemed.

Chapter 6: An Unexpected Turn

However, despite this, Welgon thought he wasn't doing enough to hurt Swadia. So, on April 4th, 1257, he decided to try something daring. With a coalition from the Northern Slaver's Guild, the Swadian Republican Army, Mercenaries from all over the world, and soldiers from over 100 different Kherigit tribes, Welgon marched on Rindyar Castle. Despite being outnumbered 3-to-1, Welgon's forces utterly crushed Rindyar's local defenses. Using this castle, and the nearby village of Rduna, as his base, Welgon used his flag as not "a rallying cry for savages", as he put it, but a symbol for a new nation: The Bandit Republic of Khergia. The nation built by a Kherigit-Swadian man, founded by Bandits, against a monarchy.

Chapter 7: The Strange New Nation

The Bandit Republic of Khergia was a small nation, governed by Beardehof Welgon and his band of close allies. Jeremus, a doctor, Bunduk, a former militia commander, Lezalit, a drill captain, Artimenner, an engineer, and Borcha, a bandit, formed his circle of advisors. His policy was influenced by gangs of bandits, slavers, and mercenaries. Despite this, Welgon was seen by his people as a good leader. Instead of using his raiding money for fueling a war machine, he used it to build schools and mills for his villages. He raided only when necessary, instead of trying to build a dragon's hoard of wealth. For the first time in his life, Welgon felt like he had a real purpose, instead of just doing what he was simply good at. However, despite not focusing on it, Welgon's war machine swelled. Slavers flocked to Khergia to practice their trade freely. Radicals from the Rhodoks and Swadia flocked to join Welgon's cause, angry with the state of political affairs, longing for a leader who wasn't born into his position.

The Bandit Republic of Khergia was not an idle nation. It expanded quickly, given the short time Welgon ruled over it. Reindi and Tibault fell quickly to his hand. Lords like Doru and Asugan, fleeing controversy in their homeland, joined up with Welgon, and governed regions under him. Many Swadian lords challenged Welgon, and despite being outnumbered over 6-to-1 in most instances, Welgon was victorious in most battles. He had never been defeated in most instances, either fleeing battle before he could be captured, or simply by winning. Welgon sought to bring his army to Dhirim, and to take a proper capital for his nation. However, Welgon's victories didn't last long.

Chapter 8: The Fall

After a few bad raids, where over 300 Swadians would all rush against Welgon's troops, it was discovered that a group of five crossbowmen, all firing in rapid succession, could keep Welgon at a distance long enough to eventually subdue him. This lead to Welgon being knocked out three times during the latter days of his reign. After a while, Welgon sought an end to the fighting. On November 19th, 1257, took 50 soldiers, all his companions (except for Borcha), and rode out to Praven in an attempt to seek an end to the fighting. When he reached there, he was met with Harlus's army, and over 400 soldiers. Harlus wanted no peace, and simply attacked Welgon on sight. Surrounding Welgon with cavalry and charging him, his army was utterly crushed. It was the first real defeat Welgon had ever suffered, one where he was captured. The slaughter was immense. It was recorded that, after the battle, the field where it took place was stained red with blood for months on end.

Jeremus, Lezalit, and Bunduk were put into Suno's dungeon, and left there for many years, until they escaped. Artimenner bribed a few guards to let him go, and he ended up fleeing back to the Bandit Republic of Khergia. Welgon, however, wasn't so lucky. He was captured, chained up, and paraded around the halls. His armor and weapons were taken from him, and put on display in Praven, in Harlus's chambers. He was humiliated for days on end. Until, on November 24th, he escaped. On that day, he decided to retire from adventuring, and try for a simpler life. Borcha took control of the Bandit Republic of Khergia, where it eventually blossomed from a dictatorship, into a semi-functioning democratic state.

Chapter 9: What Happened After?

Beardehof Welgon ended up retiring to a life in Bduna village. He set up a tavern on the outskirts of town, where he told many tales of his time as a Bandit Chief, and leader of his own nation. He even wrote a book about his life, which is corroborated by many people who knew him. He ended up marrying a farmer's daughter, and becoming the father of 12 children. He died on June 28th, 1278, leaving behind a wife, 12 children, and 56 grandchildren.

Jeremus used his battle experience to develop many new medical inventions and theories, which were tested on the field of battle. He ended up founding a university in Rindyar, and named a wing of it after his friend, Welgon.

Lezalit joined the army as a drill captain, and kept the armies of the Bandit Republic of Khergia in good shape. He was known as harsh, but effective.

Bunduk also joined the army, but as a militia captain in Amere. He ended up leading a revolt there, which lead to the town joining the Bandit Republic of Khergia. He governed the town as a military dictator for the rest of his life.

Artimenner designed an ambitious infrastructure network across the Bandit Republic of Khergia, connecting the nation together. It was only implemented centuries after he died, but was still named after him in his memory.

Borcha lead the Bandit Republic of Khergia for a decade after Welgon retired. He set up elections, organized the factions which lead Welgon into political parties, and even turned Rindyar castle into a larger city. He is quoted as saying "It isn't Dhirim, but I think he would like it".

Submitted March 26, 2019 at 01:21AM by Mitson_Malak https://ift.tt/2FAmC6b