Outremer: Blood and Faith - Sir Baldric the Mad, Introduction and AAR

It’s 1095 AD. His father fought and died in Hastings almost 30 years ago. Baldric was four years old at the time. As younger brother of noble birth, he became a squire and after years of service he have been knighted and returned home, to the small keep in south-eastern England. When the Pope called for arms, there was nothing keeping him home.

Along with his wife and few trusted servants, he set sails to France to join the Crusade. On the way, others joined his retinue.

Harry, Antoine, Owen, Baldric, Edward, Alfred and Edmund

First Encounter: Skirmish

Baldric and his retinue decided to go scout ahead of their battlegroup. When they were passing around ruins of old keep, he noticed flash of steel and gold. The enemy, the heathen Saracens!

„Brother Antoine, hide in the ruins“ he ordered to the french initiate who joined his retinue in Paris, probably in search for more wine. Then he ordered his subjects, hardly more then armed peasants, to keep the monk safe. „Alfred, come with me“. Alfred was old veteran of many battles. Though lowborn, he was like a brother to Baldric. They both fought with big two handed axes of old.

Brother Antoine claiming the ruin in the name of Jesus Christ

Antoine, along with Hairy Harry and Bald Edward took cover in the ruins of the old keep, while Edmund and Owen prepared their slings upstairs. In the meantime, Baldric moved forward, laughing. He was eager to fight, he wanted to draw blood of the heathens. He wanted to be the first to the fray. He found himself alone in the front of the charge and his opponent, the one in shiny armour with gold eluded him. He turned right to face two saracens, trying to outflank him.

Baldric is not intimidated by the archer

One of the barbarians charged upstairs and stabbed Owen with improvised spear. Downstairs in the keep, an armoured saracen warrior appeared and charged Harry and Edward to intercept them from helping the slingers. They fought valiantly with obviously superior foe. Antoine even moved in and attacked with his staff. He got cut across his biggest target – his belly and went down bleeding.

Baldric charged the archer with his sword high. The incoming arrow didn’t penetrate his solid armor. He cut the man down easily. In the small alley there was another one of the filthy scum, mumbling in their strange language and making wild gestures, he looked like a sorcerer of some kind. Baldric cleaned his sword and reached for his massive axe. This fight was even shorter then the one before. Baldric blocked the saracens dagger and smashed his head with the butt of his axe. A prisoner might be valuable.

Alfred, in his age, had no chance to keep pace with Baldric anymore. When he found himself in the open and saw his lord taking down two heathens single handedly, he ran back to the keep to help the peasants. Before he got there, the saracens withdrew and left the field of battle. The first encounter was fought.

Battle beneath the stairs

Aftermath

Baldric’s retinue got back to the camp, carrying the wounded and dragging the captured saracen. The heaviest burden, of course was brother Antoine. His injury was not as serious as it look like. He probably could have walked all the way. Owen’s spear wound also haven’t been that deep. When the healer treated the injury, he told Baldric, he will také better care not to be surprised this way next time. Bald Edward was shocked and shaken. In his villige, he was known as strong and skilled fighter but the saracen outclassed him. His confidence suffered much more then his body after this encounter.

Baldric was proud. His warriors did well in this first encounter with arch-enemy. He himself brought valuable asset to the camp – a saracen preacher. He wanted more. He wanted once again burry his axe in blood of the heathens. He really was blood thirsty now.

When a story of this great victory spread among other crusaders, young french boy approached Sir Baldric. The boy dropped to one knee and spoke french. „Sir Baldric, this young unfortunate boy asks you to accept him as a squire“ brother Antoine translated. „His name is Henri du Pré Blue“. Baldric just nodded in agreement.

-Jiron