Skaist
Bailiff: Sir Garith Kaphin
Liege: Sir Shernâth Mirdârne, Constable of Jédes
Skáist, with its adjacent hamlet of Déshìnes, is the largest bailiff-held fief in Asólade. Clan Kaphin have been bailiffs since Sir Torbris, father of the current bailiff first received the post in 681, after escorting Prince Miginath to Jedes two years earlier. Among the prince’s retinue was Torbris’s sister, Lady Erisa, who returned to Chybísa after falling pregnant. She refused to name the father, leading to much speculation as to who in Torastra’s court was responsible. The child, Dame Erila, is now Miginath’s mistress and the Lord Privy Seal
Sir Garith inherited the office from his father. Thanks to his efforts, Skáist is one of the most efficient and productive manors in the hundred. Skáist and Déshìnes produce a small excess of barley, mustard, oats, and wheat. For the last fifteen years the Constable of Jédes has been able to rely on the prompt delivery of his dues from Skáist and Déshìnes. However, Skáist manor is now home to nine nobles, more than the bailiff can support in comfort. Few residents have any privacy. The majority of the manor servants, including the teamster and the bonded clothier, sleep in the great hall.
A small local market is held in Skáist once each month on the 29th. Most months there will be a number of itinerant masters in attendance. The hideworker Laldyne of Kariune from Jédes usually attends as do both the salter, Darya of Narbath, and the woodcrafter, Fraken of Bett, from Cálsite.
Sir Garith Kaphin, Bailiff of Skáist
Sir Garith is a devout, scholarly worshipper of Sávè-K’nôr. He is thin, in his mid forties, and has black hair and a black beard. Sir Garith is blunt, plain speaking, and abrupt to the point of rudeness.
As a boy, Sir Garith was tutored at Juz abbey, near Thay in Mèlderýn, where he learned several innovative farming techniques. Upon his return, aged 18, he first visited the Sávè-K’nôr temple in Tashál, where he met Lady Hyrmya Valdacy. Within three years, they were married.
Since becoming bailiff, Garith has made many changes to the management of the fief, improving its efficiency. Despite his lack of martial experience (he has never even fought in a joust), he is a close friend of his near neighbour Sir Torbris Vaén. He considers his cousin Erila’s son a fool.
Lady Hyrmya Kaphin, Lady of the Manor
Lady Hyrmya is a foot shorter than her husband and rather portly. From an early age Lady Hyrmya has been fascinated by numbers. Her father took her to the temple of Sávè-K’nôr in Tashál, where she was tutored in mathematics. It was there she met her husband.
Lady Hyrmya is a daughter of Clan Valdacy, born and raised in Bethel, in Meselýneshire, where the Valdacy hold land from the sheriff, Maldan Harabor. When Hyrmya married into Clan Kaphin twenty-six years ago, Lady Erila was well-established as the king’s mistress. Around the same time, the sheriff appointed Lady Hyrmya’s younger brother as bailiff of Brin. Clan Valdacy were made aware that this position remained secure only so long as Lady Hyrmya writes to her brother of goings on among clan Kaphin. Sir Garith often assists his wife with these letters.
Squire Aspin Margant
Aspin, 14, is the youngest brother of Sir Uthel Margant. Bad-tempered, cruel, and vindictive, he hates Asólade Hundred and its people. He abuses the manor servants and mimics their accents; recently he beat an elderly chambermaid who failed to get out of his way quickly enough. He is currently suffering from a severe rash.
Sir Erath Kaphin, Knight of Skáist
Sir Erath, Garith’s eldest son, looks remarkably similar to his second cousin, Sir Tulath Kaphin, though the king’s bastard son is nearly a year younger. The two have been mistaken for brothers, and for each other. As a consequence, Sir Erath has shaved his beard and now wears his hair cropped extremely short. He dislikes Sir Tulath.
The active, intelligent, and ambitious Sir Erath works hard to prove his worth; his ambition is to be appointed Sheriff of Ósel, though this is unlikely. Like his father, Sir Erath was tutored at Juz.
Lady Sioda Kaphin
Lady Sioda is the daughter of the Lord of Douny, born and raised in Sémethshire. She met her husband at the Royal Chélebin Tournament in Ólokand three years ago. Sir Erath, who is much more physically active than his father, wore her favour in the joust with some success. The couple were married last year in a Sávè-K’nôrian ceremony, to the annoyance of Sioda’s father, a devout Laránian.
Lady Sioda is of medium height with fair complexion and brown eyes. She often wears her dark brown hair tied back with colourful silk ribbons.
Sir Uthel Margant
Clan Margant hold the manor of Gentes, in Meselýneshire, from the Earl of Vémion. Sir Uthel, the second son of the Lord of Gentes, spent two years courting the pale, sickly Lady Tavia, Sir Garith’s eldest daughter, hoping for a royal appointment through Lady Erila. They were married last year. At the wedding, Lady Erila made it clear to the groom that she had little time for her Asólade kin and he should look elsewhere for his fortune. Sir Uthel had little enough love for Tavia before; now he loathes her. He spends most of his time in Tashál, returning to Skáist only to ask his wife for money, which he usually receives. He knows better than to approach his father-in-law.
Lady Tavia Margant
Tavia is a pale, thin, unhappy lady. Her ardent, chivalrous, and gentle suitor turned into an uncaring boor within weeks of their marriage. Worse, her parents warned her that this would happen. Never a healthy woman, Lady Tavia rarely leaves her room, pleading illness to avoid contact with anyone. Even her mother is barred.
Sir Ardan Kaphin
Sir Ardan is the second son of Sir Garith. Slightly shorter than average, Ardan is well-proportioned, strong, and active. His parents had him tutored at both the Sávè-K’nôr temple and the Enclave of the Holy Oak in Tashál, in the hope that he would enter service at one or the other. Both institutions, unable to curb his cheery good humour or loudly expressed opinions, expressed regret at his unsuitability as either an acolyte or a herald.
Sir Ardan is an excellent horseman and intends to compete at this year’s Royal Chélebin Tournament. He has recently begun to attend Laránian services at Jédes. His parents are concerned at this turn of events, but will likely let their son follow his heart.
Ayla Kaphin
Nine-year-old Ayla is Sir Garith’s youngest child. Ayla is tutored by her mother and is literate and numerate. Quiet and studious with a heart-shaped face and long, dark brown hair, Ayla is fascinated by plants. She collects and presses flowers, carefully cataloguing them. Many of the manor servants bring her rare and unusual blooms.
After Squire Aspin beat one of the chambermaids, Ayla asked the servants to collect several plants, which she then dried, crushed, and mixed together. She suggested to the head chambermaid that scattering the mixture in Aspin’s bedding would better fragrance it, but cautioned her not to touch the plants. Within days, Aspin broke out in a rash.
Ayla is good friends with Louran Hargalen, the 11-year-old daughter of the bailiff of Cálsite, and Edora Ercamber, the 9-year-old half-sister of the Lord of Yeáshim. She often travels, unaccompanied, to Déshìnes to meet her friends.
Chamberlain
Koromyr of Garand is in his mid thirties. He is tall with long, greasy, brown hair and an unkempt, poorly trimmed beard. Formerly an acolyte at the Tashál Sávè-K’nôr temple, Koromyr is lettered and well read and could have become a litigant had he not chose his current profession. He is honest, keeping scrupulous records, and can remember the manors crop yields field by field for the past ten years. Koromyr is also forthright, surly, and rude. The reeve hates him.
Teamster
The young Coloth of Rothlar is swarthy, dark-haired, and of average height. Sir Garith employs him to take grain to the markets in Hútop and Kolôrn, where it fetches a better price than in Jédes. Coloth also carts grain to the mill at nearby Déshìnes. In addition, Coloth transports goods for Sir Torbris Vaén, bailiff of Belgie, with Sir Garith taking a percentage of any additional profit. This arrangement suits both bailiffs.
Bonded Clothier £££
Elen of Darion was born in distant Getha, in Nephshire, where her brother is a freemaster clothier. As a journeyman she travelled to Tashál but hated life in the city and so sought work as a bonded clothier for a noble household. Sir Garith hired her twelve years ago, during one of his infrequent visits to Tashál. Elen had no idea where Skáist was when she took the job, though she has since discovered a distant cousin, the potter in Jédes.
A slim brunette in her mid thirties, Elen has never married and has not lost her strong Serelin accent. All the manor residents, from Sir Garith to the youngest kitchen servant, call her Neph.
Sir Garith employs three men-at-arms, all light footmen. Rolamar of Lunn is a brother of the village beadle and is senior man-at-arms; he sleeps in the small guardhouse. Myren of Lunn is the third son of the beadle. Shakassa of Abrall is the daughter of the village shortbowman.
Medium Foot (Beadle)
Dersaer of Lunn has kin across the shire. His wife died two years ago and he now lives with his second son, Hodar, and Hodar’s family. Dersaer is of middle height and, though he is in his early fifties he is still fit and active and shows no sign of wishing to hand over his duties. His eldest son is a member of the constable’s guard [Jédes p25].
Medium Foot
Alveric of Lyne is ten years younger than the beadle, but is unfit and unwell. Wounded in a brawl at the Jédes Horse Fair three years ago, Alveric walks with a limp and is in constant pain. He drinks heavily to deaden the pain. His wife, Felyss, and two teenage daughters work hard in the fields, but it is unlikely that Alveric will be able to carry out his feudal duties this summer. Felyss intends to visit her son, a guard at Jedes keep [Jédes p25], to see if he can help the family.
Shortbow
Jarym of Abrall the head of his clan and a commoner of Tarwyn. He is also one of the finest bowmen in Asólade. He last won the archery contest at the Jédes Horse Fair four years ago. Since then, he has been beaten by Nyal of Karlis, a yeoman from Dithend. Now in his late thirties, Jarym stubbornly refuses to acknowledge that the younger man is now his better. He practices constantly, sometimes to the dereliction of other duties.
Metalsmith £££
Jaskal of Garst is a hard-working family man. His first wife died in childbirth five years ago. His new wife, Vergyl, the ostler’s daughter, whom he married last year, is heavily pregnant. Symon dotes upon her and his six young children at home. His eldest son, 11-year-old Foram, is apprenticed to Walt of Ardin, the metalsmith at Dithend. Symon employs an apprentice and a journeyman.
Ostler £££
Farrath of Kleve is a prosperous horse-breeder and a commoner of Tarwyn. He has six children. Skort, the eldest, himself married with two children, assists his father as journeyman. Gordyn, the second son, is the bonded ostler at Asólade manor. The eldest daughter, Jahna, ran off with a troupe of travelling players several years ago. Farrath’s second daughter married the metalsmith. The youngest son, Harlin, has recently gained journeyman status, but has yet to find employment. The youngest child, Alayna, is entering her sixteenth year.
Reeve
Hannrik of Dorsh has been reeve for four years. He is in his early thirties and has a young family. He is still trying to establish his authority over the other serfs. Unfortunately, on all aspects of his work he is advised, whether or not the advice is sought, by the chamberlain. Recently, in front of about a dozen villagers the chamberlain countermanded Hannrik’s orders for planting.
Herder
Jorj of Klevan lives in Deshines where he is also under-reeve.
Woodward
Padar of Rystoff is a commoner of Tarwyn. He keeps both ponies and swine in the forests east of Skáist. Padar is familiar with every inch of “his” woods and is a good friend of the agister sergeant.
Priest of Peóni
Symon of Miglan is a plump man in his mid fifties. Always short of breath, he rarely moves far from the chapel and relies on the villagers to work his fields for him.
Liege: Sir Shernâth Mirdârne, Constable of Jédes
Skáist, with its adjacent hamlet of Déshìnes, is the largest bailiff-held fief in Asólade. Clan Kaphin have been bailiffs since Sir Torbris, father of the current bailiff first received the post in 681, after escorting Prince Miginath to Jedes two years earlier. Among the prince’s retinue was Torbris’s sister, Lady Erisa, who returned to Chybísa after falling pregnant. She refused to name the father, leading to much speculation as to who in Torastra’s court was responsible. The child, Dame Erila, is now Miginath’s mistress and the Lord Privy Seal
Sir Garith inherited the office from his father. Thanks to his efforts, Skáist is one of the most efficient and productive manors in the hundred. Skáist and Déshìnes produce a small excess of barley, mustard, oats, and wheat. For the last fifteen years the Constable of Jédes has been able to rely on the prompt delivery of his dues from Skáist and Déshìnes. However, Skáist manor is now home to nine nobles, more than the bailiff can support in comfort. Few residents have any privacy. The majority of the manor servants, including the teamster and the bonded clothier, sleep in the great hall.
MARKET
A small local market is held in Skáist once each month on the 29th. Most months there will be a number of itinerant masters in attendance. The hideworker Laldyne of Kariune from Jédes usually attends as do both the salter, Darya of Narbath, and the woodcrafter, Fraken of Bett, from Cálsite.
MANOR RESIDENTS
Sir Garith Kaphin, Bailiff of Skáist
Sir Garith is a devout, scholarly worshipper of Sávè-K’nôr. He is thin, in his mid forties, and has black hair and a black beard. Sir Garith is blunt, plain speaking, and abrupt to the point of rudeness.
As a boy, Sir Garith was tutored at Juz abbey, near Thay in Mèlderýn, where he learned several innovative farming techniques. Upon his return, aged 18, he first visited the Sávè-K’nôr temple in Tashál, where he met Lady Hyrmya Valdacy. Within three years, they were married.
Since becoming bailiff, Garith has made many changes to the management of the fief, improving its efficiency. Despite his lack of martial experience (he has never even fought in a joust), he is a close friend of his near neighbour Sir Torbris Vaén. He considers his cousin Erila’s son a fool.
Lady Hyrmya Kaphin, Lady of the Manor
Lady Hyrmya is a foot shorter than her husband and rather portly. From an early age Lady Hyrmya has been fascinated by numbers. Her father took her to the temple of Sávè-K’nôr in Tashál, where she was tutored in mathematics. It was there she met her husband.
Lady Hyrmya is a daughter of Clan Valdacy, born and raised in Bethel, in Meselýneshire, where the Valdacy hold land from the sheriff, Maldan Harabor. When Hyrmya married into Clan Kaphin twenty-six years ago, Lady Erila was well-established as the king’s mistress. Around the same time, the sheriff appointed Lady Hyrmya’s younger brother as bailiff of Brin. Clan Valdacy were made aware that this position remained secure only so long as Lady Hyrmya writes to her brother of goings on among clan Kaphin. Sir Garith often assists his wife with these letters.
Squire Aspin Margant
Aspin, 14, is the youngest brother of Sir Uthel Margant. Bad-tempered, cruel, and vindictive, he hates Asólade Hundred and its people. He abuses the manor servants and mimics their accents; recently he beat an elderly chambermaid who failed to get out of his way quickly enough. He is currently suffering from a severe rash.
Sir Erath Kaphin, Knight of Skáist
Sir Erath, Garith’s eldest son, looks remarkably similar to his second cousin, Sir Tulath Kaphin, though the king’s bastard son is nearly a year younger. The two have been mistaken for brothers, and for each other. As a consequence, Sir Erath has shaved his beard and now wears his hair cropped extremely short. He dislikes Sir Tulath.
The active, intelligent, and ambitious Sir Erath works hard to prove his worth; his ambition is to be appointed Sheriff of Ósel, though this is unlikely. Like his father, Sir Erath was tutored at Juz.
Lady Sioda Kaphin
Lady Sioda is the daughter of the Lord of Douny, born and raised in Sémethshire. She met her husband at the Royal Chélebin Tournament in Ólokand three years ago. Sir Erath, who is much more physically active than his father, wore her favour in the joust with some success. The couple were married last year in a Sávè-K’nôrian ceremony, to the annoyance of Sioda’s father, a devout Laránian.
Lady Sioda is of medium height with fair complexion and brown eyes. She often wears her dark brown hair tied back with colourful silk ribbons.
Sir Uthel Margant
Clan Margant hold the manor of Gentes, in Meselýneshire, from the Earl of Vémion. Sir Uthel, the second son of the Lord of Gentes, spent two years courting the pale, sickly Lady Tavia, Sir Garith’s eldest daughter, hoping for a royal appointment through Lady Erila. They were married last year. At the wedding, Lady Erila made it clear to the groom that she had little time for her Asólade kin and he should look elsewhere for his fortune. Sir Uthel had little enough love for Tavia before; now he loathes her. He spends most of his time in Tashál, returning to Skáist only to ask his wife for money, which he usually receives. He knows better than to approach his father-in-law.
Show spoiler
Sir Uthel is paid to provide information to the Earl of Minarsas, which he does through the Constable of Baseta Keep. He has little to tell and invents whatever gossip he guesses will most please the earl.
Lady Tavia Margant
Tavia is a pale, thin, unhappy lady. Her ardent, chivalrous, and gentle suitor turned into an uncaring boor within weeks of their marriage. Worse, her parents warned her that this would happen. Never a healthy woman, Lady Tavia rarely leaves her room, pleading illness to avoid contact with anyone. Even her mother is barred.
Sir Ardan Kaphin
Sir Ardan is the second son of Sir Garith. Slightly shorter than average, Ardan is well-proportioned, strong, and active. His parents had him tutored at both the Sávè-K’nôr temple and the Enclave of the Holy Oak in Tashál, in the hope that he would enter service at one or the other. Both institutions, unable to curb his cheery good humour or loudly expressed opinions, expressed regret at his unsuitability as either an acolyte or a herald.
Sir Ardan is an excellent horseman and intends to compete at this year’s Royal Chélebin Tournament. He has recently begun to attend Laránian services at Jédes. His parents are concerned at this turn of events, but will likely let their son follow his heart.
Ayla Kaphin
Nine-year-old Ayla is Sir Garith’s youngest child. Ayla is tutored by her mother and is literate and numerate. Quiet and studious with a heart-shaped face and long, dark brown hair, Ayla is fascinated by plants. She collects and presses flowers, carefully cataloguing them. Many of the manor servants bring her rare and unusual blooms.
After Squire Aspin beat one of the chambermaids, Ayla asked the servants to collect several plants, which she then dried, crushed, and mixed together. She suggested to the head chambermaid that scattering the mixture in Aspin’s bedding would better fragrance it, but cautioned her not to touch the plants. Within days, Aspin broke out in a rash.
Ayla is good friends with Louran Hargalen, the 11-year-old daughter of the bailiff of Cálsite, and Edora Ercamber, the 9-year-old half-sister of the Lord of Yeáshim. She often travels, unaccompanied, to Déshìnes to meet her friends.
Chamberlain
Koromyr of Garand is in his mid thirties. He is tall with long, greasy, brown hair and an unkempt, poorly trimmed beard. Formerly an acolyte at the Tashál Sávè-K’nôr temple, Koromyr is lettered and well read and could have become a litigant had he not chose his current profession. He is honest, keeping scrupulous records, and can remember the manors crop yields field by field for the past ten years. Koromyr is also forthright, surly, and rude. The reeve hates him.
Teamster
The young Coloth of Rothlar is swarthy, dark-haired, and of average height. Sir Garith employs him to take grain to the markets in Hútop and Kolôrn, where it fetches a better price than in Jédes. Coloth also carts grain to the mill at nearby Déshìnes. In addition, Coloth transports goods for Sir Torbris Vaén, bailiff of Belgie, with Sir Garith taking a percentage of any additional profit. This arrangement suits both bailiffs.
Bonded Clothier £££
Elen of Darion was born in distant Getha, in Nephshire, where her brother is a freemaster clothier. As a journeyman she travelled to Tashál but hated life in the city and so sought work as a bonded clothier for a noble household. Sir Garith hired her twelve years ago, during one of his infrequent visits to Tashál. Elen had no idea where Skáist was when she took the job, though she has since discovered a distant cousin, the potter in Jédes.
A slim brunette in her mid thirties, Elen has never married and has not lost her strong Serelin accent. All the manor residents, from Sir Garith to the youngest kitchen servant, call her Neph.
MILITARY
Sir Garith employs three men-at-arms, all light footmen. Rolamar of Lunn is a brother of the village beadle and is senior man-at-arms; he sleeps in the small guardhouse. Myren of Lunn is the third son of the beadle. Shakassa of Abrall is the daughter of the village shortbowman.
VILLAGE RESIDENTS
Medium Foot (Beadle)
Dersaer of Lunn has kin across the shire. His wife died two years ago and he now lives with his second son, Hodar, and Hodar’s family. Dersaer is of middle height and, though he is in his early fifties he is still fit and active and shows no sign of wishing to hand over his duties. His eldest son is a member of the constable’s guard [Jédes p25].
Medium Foot
Alveric of Lyne is ten years younger than the beadle, but is unfit and unwell. Wounded in a brawl at the Jédes Horse Fair three years ago, Alveric walks with a limp and is in constant pain. He drinks heavily to deaden the pain. His wife, Felyss, and two teenage daughters work hard in the fields, but it is unlikely that Alveric will be able to carry out his feudal duties this summer. Felyss intends to visit her son, a guard at Jedes keep [Jédes p25], to see if he can help the family.
Shortbow
Jarym of Abrall the head of his clan and a commoner of Tarwyn. He is also one of the finest bowmen in Asólade. He last won the archery contest at the Jédes Horse Fair four years ago. Since then, he has been beaten by Nyal of Karlis, a yeoman from Dithend. Now in his late thirties, Jarym stubbornly refuses to acknowledge that the younger man is now his better. He practices constantly, sometimes to the dereliction of other duties.
Metalsmith £££
Jaskal of Garst is a hard-working family man. His first wife died in childbirth five years ago. His new wife, Vergyl, the ostler’s daughter, whom he married last year, is heavily pregnant. Symon dotes upon her and his six young children at home. His eldest son, 11-year-old Foram, is apprenticed to Walt of Ardin, the metalsmith at Dithend. Symon employs an apprentice and a journeyman.
Ostler £££
Farrath of Kleve is a prosperous horse-breeder and a commoner of Tarwyn. He has six children. Skort, the eldest, himself married with two children, assists his father as journeyman. Gordyn, the second son, is the bonded ostler at Asólade manor. The eldest daughter, Jahna, ran off with a troupe of travelling players several years ago. Farrath’s second daughter married the metalsmith. The youngest son, Harlin, has recently gained journeyman status, but has yet to find employment. The youngest child, Alayna, is entering her sixteenth year.
Reeve
Hannrik of Dorsh has been reeve for four years. He is in his early thirties and has a young family. He is still trying to establish his authority over the other serfs. Unfortunately, on all aspects of his work he is advised, whether or not the advice is sought, by the chamberlain. Recently, in front of about a dozen villagers the chamberlain countermanded Hannrik’s orders for planting.
Show spoiler
Hannrik believes the chamberlain is out to get him, and he is looking for a way to get revenge.
Herder
Jorj of Klevan lives in Deshines where he is also under-reeve.
Woodward
Padar of Rystoff is a commoner of Tarwyn. He keeps both ponies and swine in the forests east of Skáist. Padar is familiar with every inch of “his” woods and is a good friend of the agister sergeant.
Priest of Peóni
Symon of Miglan is a plump man in his mid fifties. Always short of breath, he rarely moves far from the chapel and relies on the villagers to work his fields for him.
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