MEMBERS OF THE KNIGHTS OF THE BLACK COMPANY

Member : Fortesque
Title : Knight
E-Mail Address : N/A
ICQ/UIN : 20634103
Profile :
By my name, I guess you can tell I was fairly well off in my youth, but
with a slight twist. I am the bastard son of Lord Elric. Father had and
still has many ‘side’ projects, and I was the result of one of them. I
don’t know who my mother was, but she was of foreign blood, hence the
unique name. Father kept me because he pitied my mother. I was raised
with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I can’t complain. It is a very
comfortable lifestyle.
I generally enjoyed the spoils of being son of a Lord, except when his
true children came around. They knew that I was different, in my hair
color, in my skin tone, and they knew that I didn’t actually belong.
Since a couple of the boys were older and bigger than me, I usually
ended up doing ridiculous tasks for them, generally designed to see if
they could humiliate me. I found that I was very nimble however, and
even when I had to complete a dangerous task, I was able to avoid the
true danger rather deftly. Some of my ‘favorite’ tasks included taking a
pile of dung from the bull’s pen just outside of town, cutting off the
tail of 3 bucks, stealing a pie every hour from the kitchen (one of my
half-brothers has a sweet-tooth, and a weight problem to go along with
it), and the last one that I completed before I left home, kill a
mongbat. Now, that doesn’t seem too difficult, but for a 9 year old
child, who only has access to a short spear or a dagger (my brothers had
connections in the armory, and that’s what they brought) I was in way
over my head. But I wasn’t going to let them get the best of me. I was
going to show those idiots what I was made of. Little did I know that I
was going to get out by the skin of my teeth. To prove I had done it, I
was to bring back the hand of the mongbat. So, I chose my weapon, the
short spear, and went out.
My father had given me a dagger for my 8th birthday, so I had a backup.
The short spear is REALLY heavy when you are just slightly taller than
it is. I had to sneak out under the cover of darkness so that I could
complete the task without anyone discovering I was gone, and with a few
quick moves, I was out the North gate. I wandered around in the forest
for a while, looking for the mongbat. I was dressed in my leather
jerkin, my boots, a decorative helmet from off the wall outside my room
(way too big, but a little defense is always welcome) and a pair of
riding gloves, dagger stuck under my belt.
As I wandered through to a clearing to sit down and rest, I saw it…the
mongbat. I was huge! On large wings, it flew up and grabbed a bird with
it’s teeth, snapping bones as it clamped down on the defenseless
creature. I decided it was time. I ran out into the clearing, screaming
and waving the short spear in the air, which, to my dismay, caught in a
branch and stayed behind as I ran further into the clearing. Realizing I
had no weapon in hand, I hit the ground as the beast swooped to attack
me. It passed over me, and I rose, drawing my dagger. It landed, and ran
for me. Having a year to practice with the dagger, I was sure it wasn’t
going to join the short spear, which was a good 20 paces behind me. I
slashed and stabbed at the mongbat, who had landed and began to approach
me. I struck first, catching it in the arm, which was a good strike,
considering it reduced his attacking power. The limp arm took my
attention too long, however, and the mongbat knocked me over with a wave
of it’s wings. I lay, stunned on the ground, as the creature, mouth full
of sharp teeth grinned over me before opening it’s mouth in order to
consume me. But, it stopped shortly, and fell upon me. I screamed in
fear, thinking something even worse had discovered us, but it was my
Father’s Personal Spy/Assassin (who is also my ward) Silk. It was Silk
who showed me how to use my dagger as a deadly weapon, and had done so,
landing the dagger in the back of the head of the mongbat with godlike
precision. He dragged me out from underneath the dead mongbat, dusted me
off, and asked me what I was doing out here. I told him of the deeds
that I was told to do, and he understood my motivation. He grabbed his
dagger from out of the mongbat’s head, and cut off the hand, which he
gave to me. “We’ll keep this our secret, but it’s time for you to move
on, living in a castle is more dangerous for you than living with
commoners.”
And that’s how I got to Trinsic. I was escorted (more like, followed in
hiding) by Silk, until I got to the town, where I was told by Silk to
take a letter he had given me to the blacksmith. I wandered the street
until I discovered the blacksmith, handed him the letter, and became his
apprentice (I guess it was a decree from Father)
I took the time to learn the craft, but it wasn’t for me. I usually
produced below quality equipment, except once, when I made a kryss. I
love it, it’s just perfect for my hand and the proper weight. I took to
fishing in my spare time, and I’ve gotten pretty good. (On a side note,
I haven’t for boots in years…)
My apprenticeship took me up to present day, where I met Claudia. I was
impressed with her stature, and her beauty. She came into the shop
looking for a forge to repair her own armor. I told her that I could do
it, but she trusted no one with it. She took it all off, and in pants
and a shirt, she began to do things I’d been trying to do for the past 9
years. I had no idea about blacksmithy I found out. I asked her where
she was going, and she said she was back for a moment to repair her
armour, then she was off to the Outpost. Being 18, and out of my
apprecticeship contract, I was free to do as I pleased, so I grabbed the
things my master had given me, and suited up as she replaced her armor
after repairing it. I told her I was willing to go along with her, if
she could bother with me. She said I could join her, but she wasn’t
responsible for me in any way. I agreed, and with my father’s dagger, a
kryss I had made a year ago, and a spear given to me by my master, I set
out to adventures unknown.

Hail and well met, friend.

January 23rd - 2000
Added Fortesque's Biography to the members section and the library

UO Journal for 01-21-00

Fortesque: Hail to all
Claudia: everyone this is Fortesque
Fortesque: *Looks around nervously*
Fortesque: *applause*
Fortesque: Pardon, milord?
Fortesque: What shall my role in service to Claudia be?
Stile: Fortesque
Fortesque: Thank'ee
Fortesque: thank goodness

UO Journal for 01-23-00

Stile: an Fortesque

UO Journal for 01-24-00

Fortesque: [Squire to Claudia, BC]
Fortesque: milday
Fortesque: Hail
Fortesque: Hail sirrah
Fortesque: the seat. milady?
Fortesque: *looks embarassed for mistake*
Fortesque: *chuckles*
Fortesque: 'Tis not a problem supporting milord and milady
Fortesque: Fare thee well

UO Journal for 01-25-00

Fortesque: [Squire to Claudia, BC]
Fortesque: hurrah!