Alright, I finished up the background information for the unit of Swordsmen. This covers why the musician is wearing armor while the rest don't. He seems out of place, but there is a reason for it. This is a big unit of 25 Vesperro's Vendetta figs. I love them and they are one of my favorite units in my army. This background is about 60% from an old D&D character I played about 8 years ago. When I decided to build an Empire army and had the unit of Vesperro's Vendetta figs, I knew immediately what their background was going to be. Of course I only had Vesperro, 5 of the duelists, Johann the Knife, and the Reikland Captain at the time. So it took a while to track down and purchase all the figs. Sad, but I spent more on them that I did for a 20 man unit of Goldswords!
Without further adieu, here is the background of Delthos' Drunkards.
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Delthos Mahkee is a young spoiled noble from Marienburg. He is a duelist and ran a dueling school there. Prior to opening the school he spent time adventuring in the Old World. There he met many friends; among the closest are Armon Biermann, Wilfred Brauer, and Haydn Dietrich. Their three favorite things are drinking, swordplay, and women…in that order.
Armon Biermann is one of Delthos’s oldest friends. They met when both were young. He is the son of a merchant in Marienburg. He and Delthos quickly became friends when Armon helped Delthos out in fight when they were in their early teens. Delthos had made a pass at a comely girl and this made her suitor mad. The girl’s suitor was older and bigger than Delthos and Armon saw him start tearning into Delthos. He jumped in and helped kick the tar out of the guy. They became instant friends. Delthos taught him all he knows about dueling and he became Delthos’ second when he opened the dueling school. Armon regularly leads the schools training while Delthos is away on other business. During their adventures Armon purchased a jade mask from a merchant who said it was magic and from far off Cathay. He called it Hui Lung’s Jade Visage. He was transfixed by it and never goes to battle without it. Delthos thinks he paid too much for the silly thing, but what are you going to do?
Wilfred Brauer is also the son of a minor noble from Reikland. He is overweight and loves drinking. Delthos and Armon met him on their adventures. He was a disappointment to his father, but his love of drink and bawdy drinking songs endeared him to Delthos and Armon. He easily decided to accompany them on their adventures. He’s never even thought of returning home. He already had some weapons training, but due to his weight, he’s just not able to fight using the Mahkee dueling style. Because of this he wears a suit of armor and shield to protect himself, instead of protecting himself with the fighting style. In battle he sings the bawdy drinking songs they all like to hear.
Haydn Dietrich is a reformed thief. Delthos and his friends met him on their adventures while passing through Altdorf. He had attempted to rob them, but the problem is he isn’t as a good of a thief as he is good with his many daggers. Delthos caught him in the act and fought him. He put up a good fight, but Delthos is the better swordsmen and beat him. The duel ended when Haydn was wounded with a vicious cut from above his right eye, across his nose, and below his left eye. This would leave a large scar, which Haydn covers with a mask. He seldom goes anywhere without it.
Delthos saw something in him, something that could redeem him. It stayed his hand and he didn’t finish him off. He offered Haydn a chance at life in exchange for teaching him and his friends what he knew about fighting. Haydn fought with skill beyond what a bumbling thief should have and with a style unlike any Delthos had saw before. He used his large cape to distract, catch, block, and parry attacks. Delthos incorporated these into his dueling style. They came to respect each other and eventually even became friends. In battle the Drunkards rally around his large cape that is easily spotted while he spins and twirls with it flowing through the air.
Unfortunatly Delthos had to leave Marienburg. As already said, he likes women just about as much as drinking and swordplay. They can be very dangerous when combined. He was caught in a drunken dalliance with one of the more powerful Marienburg noble’s wife. Delthos was known to the noble and the noble wants him dead. Delthos was able to get out of the house without getting himself or anyone else killed, but not without injury. He injured the noble and many of his guards, but he got away. The noble hired assassins and had Delthos’ school burned down, Delthos even foiled one assassin’s attempt on his life. He couldn't walk the streets for fear that he would be apprehended. Eventually Delthos came to realize he would either have to kill the Noble, or leave Marienburg. He didn't want to kill the man, but he couldn’t hide out forever.
He decided to leave. His father has a brother, Bren Mahkee, a minor noble, in the Ostermark. His father made arrangements for Delthos to move to the Ostermark, where a Marienburg assassin wasn’t likely to find him. In exchange he and his unit would have to go into service in the Ostermark army. Delthos would be made a captain. Delthos agreed as it was far better to have a sword stuck in you by an enemy you can see than from an enemy you can’t see.
Delthos and his Drunkards made their way to Bechafen where they were assigned to General Wolfgang Atrius Ghent’s command. Here they were met with a cold reception due to their reputation as drunkards. True as it may be, Delthos was offended, as they only get drunk at night, not during the day. He has a long way to go before their skill will outshine their reputation.
Unfortuntely for Delthos, he has other unknown problems. His uncle has ties to a heretical cult. Hopefully he won't get caught up in it as well.