I am Haradale and come to you with the desire to join your ranks!
I have read your codex thoroughly and I'm willing to accept it, just as I took notice of the guidelines for aspiring novices. I also spoke with several of your brethren about my intentions of joining your guild, so that I could find out a little bit more about the life as Red Rose and so that they could get me to know a little bit. But allow me to introduce myself here:
1. Character info
I'm Haradale, a wandering swordsman and adventurer. I first stepped onto these lands in the winter of the year 2008. Since the day when I took for the first time a sword into my hands I ventured far and a lot. Driven by my profession as sellsword and my personal thirst for adventure I left no occasion out to set out into world, be it to see things and places yet unknown to me or to gain fame and fortune. This is what I am bent on - adventure!
But this is not all. I also value a good time among friends and strangers, doing nothing other than relaxing, chit-chatting and enjoying a good drink. This is all I can think of that is it worth to be said about me.
I made a many friends during my life in Tibia, but most of them vanished in the course of time, never to be seen again in these lands. Foes on the other hand I have none, at least none that really exist (Read my story, you'll understand what I mean). Some of my friends were also Red Roses. Among those that are still active are Gryphis and Miujau, but I also had good relations to Lady Silverheart and Avenlia Silvershade. I also was member of a handful of guilds, most notably the Harpers. But to explain this more detailed I have to switch to OOC.
Fact is that some of you might not know me as this character. But I am certain many of you might know me under the name of Rabirius, the wandering begging monk. Before I applied I was unsure under which character I should do it, but after thorough considerations I came to the conclusion that Haradale would be the best choice. He was my very first character and thus has a special meaning to me. He is also a little bit more powerful than the weak, old monk, so that he'll be more able to follow the life of being a Red Rose. Last but not least Rabirius has already a reputation as lowly beggar that has been established through years. I don't think that he as character would be a fitting candidate for becoming a kind and noble Red Rose.
2. Why I would like to join the Red Rose / What do you know the Roses
For a long time I kept good relations to many of your members and admired your way of playing. Being mosly a socializer and roleplayer it also became soon pretty clear to me that the Red Roses would be the guild to which I would fit the best. I am certain I will fit into your guild so good as my sword fits into its sheath. Due to my long friendship with several members of the Red Roses, talk that I heard here and there and of course through reading your boards I know a lot about your guild and the Red Rose playing style. Laying down my knowledge about the guild here would be pretty long and exhausting, so if you allow it I will leave it as it is. But I invite you to question me on this matter if you still have doubts. I shall answer you the best I can. I used to play together and among with many Red Roses for a long, now I think the time has come for me to become a part of your brotherhood. These are the reasons why I seek to join you.
3. Haradale's character story
I am Haradale, son of Haradale, of the old Venorean family of Haradale. What, you never heard of the Haradales? Well, perhaps your ignorance can be forgiven, for we can neither call titles of nobility nor lands our own. Yet Haradales fought in just about every war since the founding of Venore and thus made a name for themselves in the profession of arms.
My father was a mercenary in service of Venore, who, after serving in numerous battles, acquired renown as a masterful fencer. From my childhood on he instructed me in the art of swordsmanship, just as his father taught him. It was in the conquest of Liberty Bay that he was killed.
Oh yes, you asked what brought me here? I shall tell you.
It was an usual, rainy evening in Venore. Like many other townsmen I spent the rest of the day in the tavern, drinking and hearing the latest talk of the town. Word had it that a new captain had been appointed for the town's guards, a young lad coming from a noble family of Thais.
'You see, I heard this new captain attained his rank only due to his family's status and influence', explained the man who was sitting next to me at the bar. Just as we were talking about this very topic, the door to the tavern was flung open with a loud bang. A man clad in gilded plate armour strut in, with a handful of armed followers behind him. His golden armour glared in the torchlight just as the hilt of the rapier, which dangled off his belt, and under his arm he was carrying a royal helmet with a red plume, which was hanging down and dripping due to the rain. His face was the one of a youngling, with a downy beard and a haughty look in his blue eyes. I had no doubt that this fellow had to be...
'The new captain! Make way for the new captain of the town's guard!' one of his followers exclaimed. Indeed the tavern was very full, since the rain drove the townsfolk off the streets.
And while the captain and his entourage drew the attention of the whole tavern on themselves, the initial silence soon faded and no guest even thought about offering his seat to the new arrival. Displeased about this perceived lack of respect, the group made its way to the bar, to the place where I was sitting, emptying my mug of wine and enjoying the warmth of the coal basin which happened to stand next to me.
'Begone, the captain wants to sit here and dry himself at the fire', one of the captain's followers accosted me. I decided to ignore his request and continued to sip my wine. Grabbing me by my shoulder the man repeated: 'Did you not hear, the captain wants to seat himself here, now away with you commoner!'
'Get lost. Shall he wait till I'm done.' I replied and took another sip of my mug, not being in the mood to bother with them. At last the captain stepped up and pushed his fellow aside, visibly annoyed by the fact that I haven't abandoned my seat yet.
'You dare to ignore the orders of me, the captain of the town's guard? Tell me your name, so I know who I'll have horsewhipped in the prison for that insolence.'
'Haradale.'
'Pff... what a foolish name, truly fitting for a peasant from the swamps like you...'
That was the last straw. I did not walk into this tavern to be mocked by a downy-lipped, snot-nosed princeling who dared to insult the name of my father and forefathers. Maybe it was the wine drove me to my following deed. Filled with boiling anger I sprung up off my chair, and since I had no gloves with me I grabbed the barkeeper's wiping cloth and slapped the wet rag right across the brat's face.
'I challenge you to a duel! Apologize for that offence or face me in single combat!'
'So be it!', the young noble exclaimed, having his hand already at his rapier's hilt.
Since fighting inside the town is strictly forbidden, we had to duel outside of the city walls. We left the town through the main gate and wandered to the south-west looking for a suitable place for our duel. So many thoughts flashed through my mind during the silent walk. Why did this youngling accept my challenge so promptly? It is known that nobles are not obliged to accept a commoner's challenge. What if he did not plan to fight me fairly in first place and would overwhelm me simply with all his men, dumping my corpse in the swamp? But it was too late now to duck out, moreover I could not leave his insult unpunished, come what may come. If he decides to kill me cowardly with all his men I'll at least die with my sword in my hand, defending my and my forefather's honour.
We stopped at a flat meadow, in safe distance from the town and road. The rain has ceased, but the ground was still muddy. The hour was late and the sky still clouded. The night was so dark that the captain's retinue had to give us light with torches and lanterns. We took position and one of his men, a lesser noble himself judging by his attire, assumed the role of the judge. The rest of his followers stood behind him, holdings their torches and lanterns up and watching silently.
With our swords ready we waited for the judge's sign to begin. The young captain had taken his armour off for the duel, as the customs demand, and stood there just in shirt, pants and boots, just like me, yet he looked at me with great self-confidence. The judge shot a quick glance at each of us, making sure that we both were ready.
'Begin!' he said and dropped the handkerchief.
Our blades crossed immediately. The captain attacked me vigorously, yet I warded all of his blows. I held myself back, wanting to study his skills first before going to action myself. I could see that this princeling had been trained in the art of fencing, yet his skills were no match to mine. No matter how he tried to attack me, I countered all of his strikes and thrusts with ease. His initial confidence faded soon. He has underestimated me and realized it in this very moment. He realized that I wasn't one of those citizens that carry a sword at their side just as accessory. He was neither facing an inferior opponent as he believed at the beginning, nor even one that was on par with his skill, but a clearly superior one.
I was holding myself back, just parrying the captain's attacks and just counterattacking reluctantly every now and then. A loud murmur rose from the circle of spectators as they realized in what grave danger their master was. Growing angry about how carelessly I countered all of his blows he struck with more and more fury, forgetting all of his initial form and grace, but even these violent assaults were in vain. At last he made a last desperate attempt to attack. As he lunged at me with his rapier raised I made a quick move to the side to dodge his blade and simultaneously thrusted my rapier into his exposed chest.
'Banor!' the pale young man cried out before collapsing to the muddy ground.
His men already seized the hilts of their sword, ready to avenge the death of their captain. Just the noble judge held them back with outstretched arms and shouted: 'Stand back! It was a fair duel! Be off!'
I bowed before my fallen foe and the judge, wiped my rapier and headed back to the town, leaving the others behind.
I slept deeply, exhausted from all the events of the last evening, until I was woken up by somebody knocking loudly at my door and calling my name. It was the voice of a friend of me, so I quickly got up to see what the reason was for his surprising visit so early in the morning. The moment I opened the door he rushed in.
'Haradale, listen what I just heard! The guards are searching for you! They say that you ambushed the captain and his men at night when they were patrolling the road outside of the town! The captain is supposedly dangerously wounded and currently in care of the temple's healers. What is this all about!?'
I could not answer. Thoughts rushed quickly through my head. Apparently the captain did not die in the last night after all. He must have claimed that there was no duel, but that I tried to murder him at night outside of the town, be it to cover up his shameful defeat or to take revenge upon me. Thinking of it the only witnesses of the duel were his own followers, so there was no doubt that they'd support their own captain if the case should be brought in front of the court. Even the nobleman in his service, despite being seemingly a man of honour, would probably not stand against his master. Even so one could foresee in who's favour the court would probably decide. Me, the commoner, the son of mercenary, or him, the scion of a noble and influential family and captain of Venore's city guards. Whichever way I looked at it, I'd end up on the scaffold.
I had no doubt that the guards would appear at my door soon, and I surely didn't plan to wait for them to come. I put on my chestplate, grabbed my trusted rapier and a few other belongings and fled the town. After a long journey all across the mainland I finally ended up here in Thais. Here I sit, unjustly accused of attempted murder, a cowardly and honourless bandit in the eyes of the Venoreans, unable to do anything against this falsehood right now. But I shall not rest until the truth has been revealed and until the honour of my family's name has been restored!
4. Final words
This is all I have to say. Now you know who I am and what brings me here. I swear by my honour and sword that all that I have said here is the truth and that I shall hide nothing from you if you ask me about something. So, here I stand, with nothing in my heart other than the desire to join your most noble brotherhood!
Signed,
Haradale
