Mythodea / Bluthatz 3 by Dagger

The Bluthatz serves as the first hunt of the year. The first blooding. A right of passage some could say. The Bluthatz offers battle, drink, song, dance, hunt, and blood.  There have been four attempts thus far at the Bluthatz and three were successful.  This time was no exception. 

Two weeks ago the East Blackwood Embassy and East Blackwood Company joined the Blutpakt and the Fire Dancers of the Artist’s Guild (Künstlergilde) on the hunt.  The raiding party met at Karlstadt and from there marched South into Undead Flesh territory known as the Hohld. The Ambassador and Leader of the E.B.Co wanted to give the Embassy Guard a chance to gain some combat, if not very dangerous, experience as well as speak with his contact in the Artist’s Guild and also better understand the intentions of the Blutadler, a Blutpakt Clan, concerning the Realm of Roses (Reich der Rosen.)  

Everything that was attempted was achieved but not without cost.

The Blood Jarl

As reported by the Mitrasperan Herold, Jarl Aegir Mc Roth of the Blutadlers may have had an interest in conquering at least part of the Realms of Roses or attempting to become Archon. Naturally, the words both spoken and written would have Rosen folk on edge after the death of their beloved Archon so, the Embassy saw it fitting to search for the validity of these statements during the annual Bluthatz. There various clans and friends of the Blutpakt would band together and travel south via Karlstadt into Undead Flesh territory to hunt for blood and honor. There, the Embassy would find the Blutadlers.

Ambassador Dagger, Varn of CrestGrath, Medina "Layla" Delany and Djako Kaevh took a ship from the mainland of the Western Seal hiring a mercenary, Ricardo, along the way. Upon arrival, a woman, thought to have been of the crew, was hired on as Master of Ships to the East Blackwood Company as well. After the Warband pushed deep into enemy territory and secured a small town there, they set up camp and prepared their defenses for whatever retaliation would come. It was then during the days that followed that Ambassador Dagger and Representative Djako were able to speak with various members of the Blutpakt, including warriors of the Blutadlers, to learn the true meaning of the words put to parchment a month prior.

In the first few conversations, the general idea that the Jarl himself was in no state to "conquer" anything let alone challenge for the title and position of Archon was made clear. In fact, a chance encounter with the Jarl seemed to suggest that that assumption may be true when Dagger found him drunkenly brawling with various Pakt members outside a local tavern.  Longer conversations, later on, suggested that the writer of the Herold article was no one of import, in fact, no one of consequence. It was presented that perhaps the author of the article was just trying to stir up some chaos. One such quote that put the Embassy at ease was as follows, "Have you met the Jarl? Do you really think he is capable of anything like that?"

Still, none of the conversations had pointedly declared that everything that was voiced was false even if the words quoted were likely spoken by the Jarl in drunken jest. When deep in one's drink one often speaks truths. So while it is the opinion of the Ambassador that nothing serious will come of the words recorded in the Herold, it is always prudent to be careful of one's potential enemies as well as one's friends. 

Photo By Marco Winter

War brings with it the casualties of soldiers, mercenaries, and civilians alike.  In war, death is unavoidable.  In war loss is imminent.  Some call it the ultimate sacrifice.  Some even wish for a glorious death at the hands of a foe.  Too often do we play down the value of life in our minds when we think or speak of war.  However righteous the cause the stakes are always high.  Even in victory, the reality of loss will strike hardest those who have been so nieve to think, to believe, that war is without the pain of fallen comrades in arms. 

During the third Bluthatz into the Hohld, Ronja Damotil, daughter of Boromil Damotil, paid for her service with the ultimate sacrifice, her life.  Ronja was not a warrior but a seeker of knowledge and a scribe.  In life, she served her people as Chancellor of Knowledge of the Märkischer Bund and was the scribe for Lucan Vilkai, the leader of the Freedom Banner last year, who accompanied him to meetings with the Banner Council (Bannerrat.) She was also a good friend Xykara Jamen AlDuara Alfannan and her family, they called her little sister...

Ronja followed her friend Xykara, a fire dancer of the Artist’s Guild (Künstlergilde) south into the Hohld and fell in battle within the first couple of days of the Hatz and her life was celebrated shortly after.

In the center of the village, previously owned by the Undead Flesh, a funeral pyre was erected.  Ronja’s body was bound in cloth and rope and placed upon it.  Clans of the Blutpakt, the East Blackwood Embassy and Ronja’s Artist’s Guild friends attended the funeral.  Kind words of friendship, family, love, and respect were spoken by various members of the gathered war band. Representative Djako Kaevh of the East Blackwood Embassy as well as Ambassador Dagger of the same both spoke and gave offering to the life and passing of one of Mythodea’s fallen heroes.  

Ronja will be remembered

Ronja will be honored

And blood will run in Ronja’s name!

- Dagger of Blackwood

The Bluthatz

The combined war band of the Blutpakt, Artist’s Guild Fire Dancers (Künstlergilde) and the East Blackwood Embassy and East Blackwood Company marched south into the Hohld during the dead of night.  The Embassy Guard took up the rear guarding the supplies while the Blutpakt formed the ram that would punch its way deep into enemy territory.  The region traveled was wooded which restricted movement yet the file pushed on with haste.  The column halted just before the stench of un-death when the scouts reported the siting of a village at the foot of the woodland trail the band had taken.

Fighting erupted a few moments after the file had stopped to scout the area.  Door to door, ally to ally, the hunters hunted yet the hunted stood their ground.  Raiders the war band was but the enemy was not about to go down without a fight.  The initial push was heavy and chaotic.  Order and discipline quickly vanished before the violence of battle.  This may have been a hunt but it was not deer and elk being hunted, it was Undead Flesh.

The Embassy Guard quickly found themselves approaching the last building yet to be cleared, a wooden tavern raised off the ground by a tall foundation.  Inside, undead soldiers in full military dress.  Dagger knew that the guard’s chances were slim to none but perhaps if they could hold the enemy back long enough by blocking the door, aid from the Fire Dancers and or the Blutpakt would come.  But it was not long enough.

The heavy infantry of the Undead Flesh pressed into the presented shields of the Guard pushing them back allowing them freedom of movement and freedom to flank.  Ambassador Dagger noticed the predicament and did what he could to buy more time yet even that was near not enough.  Ambassador Dagger, the old soldier, went down and his personal guard Madina with him.  They were saved only by the arrival of Blutpakt warriors.  The Guard upon Captain Varn of the Guard’s orders withdrew from the engagement and regrouped with the Artist’s Guild.  

Dagger’s wounds were tended to but the chaos of war continued a while longer.  Even the mighty Ing mistook the Ambassador of Blackwood as a foe, nearly removing his arm from his body.  Luckily for Dagger, that was the last push of the Undead Flesh until the next morning.

Fighting in the Hohld continued much as it had begun over the next couple of days.  Battles were fought, injuries earned and life lost.  After a time it became clear what had already been understood.  This was a hunt and hunts end.  A day or so after the funeral of Ronja Damotil the war band packed up their tents and marched home.  

Honor had been won but at a cost...