Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2017 2:44:49 GMT
Boemund Tancredi
"Helmets!"
 | Nickname: Bo, Tancred, the Black Earl Age: 30 Gender: Male Race: Human Origin: Native Role: Count |
Character Traits
Hair Color/Style: Shoulder length, usually pulled back in a tail, and auburn in colour.
Eye color: Gold
Skin Color: Well tanned around the face and hands, but quite white everywhere else.
Body Type: Boemund is quite tall and graceful. Though he stands at 6'4", his body is slender enough that he doesn't look his height unless you stand close to him, and he doesn't have the massive intimidation factor that some men do. Instead of brute strength, Boemund is built for agility and endurance. His athlete's body and well developed sense of balance serves him well as both one of Nova's best jousters and on the battlefield in full armour.
Clothing - Detailed Appearance: Boemund, for all his nobility, prefers to dress simply. That's not to say he dresses poorly, but he does away with gross ostentation unless he's attending an important function. He wears all black, trimmed with braid made from thread of gold and fastened with golden buttons. His coat, which he habitually wears without an undershirt when at home, is made from the finest satin and lined with the finest wool. His trousers are made from tiretaine and are similarly dyed black, with gold braid around the bottoms of the legs. He completes the ensemble with a black suede leather belt that has a gilded latten buckle and holds his riding sword in its scabbard.
In formal court settings, Boemund wears a fine ermine mantle, as befits his rank of count and station of knight, and his coat is made from black silk brocaded with thread of gold in the form of a snarling wolf. His trousers are much the same but, instead of the worn and comfortable shoes he wears under normal circumstances, Boemund wears brightly polished black boots with gilded buckles and small, gilded spurs that are purely for show. His belt is also not the usual leather item, but a knightly belt made from golden plaques and holding the boiled leather sheath for his court sword.
One very important part of Boemund's appearance, however, is the large scar just below his left cheekbone, where an arrow one buried itself. It is what most would consider a disfiguring scar, drawing part of the lip up in a sneer, as well as being large enough to be unsightly rather than distinguishing. Boemund makes no effort to hide the scar, nor his aloof disdain of those who consider it a disfigurement. To him, it was a scar well earned, and a token of his ability as a soldier.
Personality: Boemund has well earned his nickname of the "Black Count". He's prone to moments of melancholy and brooding, and it's not unusual for him to sit and think all alone in a darkened room for a day or two, barely eating and only dealing with the most urgent of matters. In truth, he suffers from depression and only his duty to his family has kept him from killing himself so far. The only true joys he has is jousting and the hunt, though he has little chance to do the latter of late, with having to deal with increased attacks from outlaws and Hyundren tribes.
The root of Boemund's depression comes from his belief that a poor tactical decision on his part got his father killed, and he can't tell whether he made the decision to stop the beatings on account of his being gay, or if he was just inexperienced. In addition, he struggles with his sexuality and how it relates to his masculinity. A part of him feels that he is less of a man because he prefers men and, more shamefully to him, prefers to be the "bottom". He cannot reconcile these feelings with the traditional view on what a man should be and how he should act, which only further causes him to brood.
When not in the grip of depression, however, Boemund is quite a good lord. He is kind and generous to his subjects and household, but also stern and just in his judgements. His goal has never been to make the people adore him, but to have them trust and respect him. In his mind, they need to see him as a valid authority, one they can bring their problems to, but he also needs to keep them in their place in order to prevent their usurping his power and position. He firmly believes that the best way to do this is to make compromises when and where possible, ensure justice is not corrupt in his bailiwick, ensure that they don't starve and protect them from thieves, bandits and mountain raiders.
As well as being a tolerably good ruler, Boemund excels at war. His love of the joust is just one aspect of his capabilities as a warrior, but he has also studied warfare heavily on a theoretical and practical basis. He has four separate manuals written by different generals or experienced soldiers, as well as three different series on world history that go into the strategy and tactics of various great generals and rulers in detail. He draws on all of them, mixing their advice together with his own experience and turning them into practical solutions for every battle he finds himself faced with.
Likes: Jousting, hunting, hawking, men
Dislikes: Himself, his attraction towards men, "soft nobles", anyone who thinks peace is achievable.
Eye color: Gold
Skin Color: Well tanned around the face and hands, but quite white everywhere else.
Body Type: Boemund is quite tall and graceful. Though he stands at 6'4", his body is slender enough that he doesn't look his height unless you stand close to him, and he doesn't have the massive intimidation factor that some men do. Instead of brute strength, Boemund is built for agility and endurance. His athlete's body and well developed sense of balance serves him well as both one of Nova's best jousters and on the battlefield in full armour.
Clothing - Detailed Appearance: Boemund, for all his nobility, prefers to dress simply. That's not to say he dresses poorly, but he does away with gross ostentation unless he's attending an important function. He wears all black, trimmed with braid made from thread of gold and fastened with golden buttons. His coat, which he habitually wears without an undershirt when at home, is made from the finest satin and lined with the finest wool. His trousers are made from tiretaine and are similarly dyed black, with gold braid around the bottoms of the legs. He completes the ensemble with a black suede leather belt that has a gilded latten buckle and holds his riding sword in its scabbard.
In formal court settings, Boemund wears a fine ermine mantle, as befits his rank of count and station of knight, and his coat is made from black silk brocaded with thread of gold in the form of a snarling wolf. His trousers are much the same but, instead of the worn and comfortable shoes he wears under normal circumstances, Boemund wears brightly polished black boots with gilded buckles and small, gilded spurs that are purely for show. His belt is also not the usual leather item, but a knightly belt made from golden plaques and holding the boiled leather sheath for his court sword.
One very important part of Boemund's appearance, however, is the large scar just below his left cheekbone, where an arrow one buried itself. It is what most would consider a disfiguring scar, drawing part of the lip up in a sneer, as well as being large enough to be unsightly rather than distinguishing. Boemund makes no effort to hide the scar, nor his aloof disdain of those who consider it a disfigurement. To him, it was a scar well earned, and a token of his ability as a soldier.
Personality: Boemund has well earned his nickname of the "Black Count". He's prone to moments of melancholy and brooding, and it's not unusual for him to sit and think all alone in a darkened room for a day or two, barely eating and only dealing with the most urgent of matters. In truth, he suffers from depression and only his duty to his family has kept him from killing himself so far. The only true joys he has is jousting and the hunt, though he has little chance to do the latter of late, with having to deal with increased attacks from outlaws and Hyundren tribes.
The root of Boemund's depression comes from his belief that a poor tactical decision on his part got his father killed, and he can't tell whether he made the decision to stop the beatings on account of his being gay, or if he was just inexperienced. In addition, he struggles with his sexuality and how it relates to his masculinity. A part of him feels that he is less of a man because he prefers men and, more shamefully to him, prefers to be the "bottom". He cannot reconcile these feelings with the traditional view on what a man should be and how he should act, which only further causes him to brood.
When not in the grip of depression, however, Boemund is quite a good lord. He is kind and generous to his subjects and household, but also stern and just in his judgements. His goal has never been to make the people adore him, but to have them trust and respect him. In his mind, they need to see him as a valid authority, one they can bring their problems to, but he also needs to keep them in their place in order to prevent their usurping his power and position. He firmly believes that the best way to do this is to make compromises when and where possible, ensure justice is not corrupt in his bailiwick, ensure that they don't starve and protect them from thieves, bandits and mountain raiders.
As well as being a tolerably good ruler, Boemund excels at war. His love of the joust is just one aspect of his capabilities as a warrior, but he has also studied warfare heavily on a theoretical and practical basis. He has four separate manuals written by different generals or experienced soldiers, as well as three different series on world history that go into the strategy and tactics of various great generals and rulers in detail. He draws on all of them, mixing their advice together with his own experience and turning them into practical solutions for every battle he finds himself faced with.
Likes: Jousting, hunting, hawking, men
Dislikes: Himself, his attraction towards men, "soft nobles", anyone who thinks peace is achievable.
Combat & Inventory
Spells:
Spell/Ability One: Wolf Eyes
Description: It's said that Drogo, first of the Tancredi, magically replaced his eyes with those of a wolf so he could see in the dark and that this ability has been passed down from father to son. This is not strictly true, because, though the Tancredi men have golden eyes, they have no better night vision than any other human. Instead, they have a family spell that grants them to temporarily gain the eyesight of a wolf, with all the advantages and disadvantages that this implies. He becomes able to see more shades of grey, enhancing his vision in the dark, and also allowing him to pick up on movement more quickly and easily. He "sees" movement faster than humans, so to speak.
Range: Boemund has 20/20 vision, and a slightly broader field of vision
Times Per Day: Once
Extra/Drawbacks: Boemund has limited ability to distinguish between different levels of brightness, cannot see as well at range or close up as a human, and is limited to seeing shades of blue and yellow.
Spell/Ability Two: Wolf Ears
Spell/Ability One: Wolf Eyes
Description: It's said that Drogo, first of the Tancredi, magically replaced his eyes with those of a wolf so he could see in the dark and that this ability has been passed down from father to son. This is not strictly true, because, though the Tancredi men have golden eyes, they have no better night vision than any other human. Instead, they have a family spell that grants them to temporarily gain the eyesight of a wolf, with all the advantages and disadvantages that this implies. He becomes able to see more shades of grey, enhancing his vision in the dark, and also allowing him to pick up on movement more quickly and easily. He "sees" movement faster than humans, so to speak.
Range: Boemund has 20/20 vision, and a slightly broader field of vision
Times Per Day: Once
Extra/Drawbacks: Boemund has limited ability to distinguish between different levels of brightness, cannot see as well at range or close up as a human, and is limited to seeing shades of blue and yellow.
Spell/Ability Two: Wolf Ears
Description: Another family spell, this one grants the user enhanced hearing. Their hearing is sharpened to that of a wolf.
Range: Ten feet
Times Per Day: Five
Range: Ten feet
Times Per Day: Five
Extra/Drawbacks: While Boemund's hearing has been enhanced, his brain isn't wired correctly to scale the sounds correctly. The result is that, while Boemund can hear very quiet sounds, loud sounds will cause him physical pain and temporarily deafen him, the effects lasting even after the spell has ended.
( As your character buys or trains for new spells and abilities they will be placed below your original spell/ability line and placed within this section here. Remember to update this section whenever you buy a spell/ability or update it. Spell and Item upgrade tickets can be purchased in Balma's shop.. )
Combat: Boemund was raised as a knight, and as such he has all the knightly skills. He is a superb jouster, with all the excellent balance, endurance and physical strength that that implies, and is also a very capable swordsman (longsword and arming sword, with bucklers), skilled with a poleaxe and is a moderately successful hunter with a crossbow. He is capable of jumping over his horse - fully armed - with nothing but a hand on the pommel of his saddle and a hand on the neck of his horse, and he can climb up the underside of a ladder in full armour using only his arms, or use a chimney club to ascend up two close walls. Boemund has also trained to dance and run in his armour, as well as out of it, in order to improve his balance and endurance.
Inventory Bag:
Being an count, Boemund has quite a considerable amount of property. What is listed here is just what he considers important and that he has with him at the present.
The pauldrons of the armour have a narrow cut away under the right arm, only suitable for couching a demi-lance, not the heavy war lance used by most heavy cavalry, while the left is solid. As with the other prominent pieces of upper armour, the pauldrons are embossed with strong ridges. The vambraces have upper and lower cannons joined to an articulated couter, with two lames above and two lames below it. The couter, as with the pauldrons, is fluted, and a narrow plate of gilded bronze depicting running wolves is attached to either side of the upper and lower cannons of each vambrace. His armoured mittens articulate in two places at the wrist and at the knuckle, middle joint and end joint of his fingers, which means that the offer excellent protection and good mobility.
Boemund's legs are protected by good cuisses and greaves, connected to a winged poleyn with two narrow lames above and two below, much as with the vambraces. Behind the knee is a small mail voider to protect the back of this vulnerable spot, and the greaves have wings that extend down on either side of the ankle to protect the ankle bone. His feet are protected by sabatons, low cut at the ankle, and a solid plate that extends almost to the toes. This is where the articulations begin, in a manner more natural to the foot than articulations all the way down.
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( As your character buys or trains for new spells and abilities they will be placed below your original spell/ability line and placed within this section here. Remember to update this section whenever you buy a spell/ability or update it. Spell and Item upgrade tickets can be purchased in Balma's shop.. )
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Combat: Boemund was raised as a knight, and as such he has all the knightly skills. He is a superb jouster, with all the excellent balance, endurance and physical strength that that implies, and is also a very capable swordsman (longsword and arming sword, with bucklers), skilled with a poleaxe and is a moderately successful hunter with a crossbow. He is capable of jumping over his horse - fully armed - with nothing but a hand on the pommel of his saddle and a hand on the neck of his horse, and he can climb up the underside of a ladder in full armour using only his arms, or use a chimney club to ascend up two close walls. Boemund has also trained to dance and run in his armour, as well as out of it, in order to improve his balance and endurance.
Inventory Bag:
Being an count, Boemund has quite a considerable amount of property. What is listed here is just what he considers important and that he has with him at the present.
- Field Harness: Boemund wears armour much the same as any of his men, only his is made from slack quenched medium carbon steel rather than low carbon steel, and is covered with black velvet rather than left black with hammerscale. It is designed for ease of movement on foot and battlefield awareness. As such it has a sallet - which has a wolf tail attached to the top of it -and bevor instead of a great bascinent as the helmet. The cuirass consists of three parts: the upper cuirass, the plackart, which attaches to the upper cuirass, and the cuirass skirt, which includes the tassets and was buckled on at the waist below the plackart. The skirt is an infantry model, extending only down to the groin, and the front and side tassets extend down to the mid thigh. Both the plackart and the tassets have ridges for extra strength and arrow deflection capability. A dying wolf is picked out on the velvet covering of the breastplate in thread of gold, with the blood shown by scarlet thread and the spear stitched in thread of silver.
The pauldrons of the armour have a narrow cut away under the right arm, only suitable for couching a demi-lance, not the heavy war lance used by most heavy cavalry, while the left is solid. As with the other prominent pieces of upper armour, the pauldrons are embossed with strong ridges. The vambraces have upper and lower cannons joined to an articulated couter, with two lames above and two lames below it. The couter, as with the pauldrons, is fluted, and a narrow plate of gilded bronze depicting running wolves is attached to either side of the upper and lower cannons of each vambrace. His armoured mittens articulate in two places at the wrist and at the knuckle, middle joint and end joint of his fingers, which means that the offer excellent protection and good mobility.
Boemund's legs are protected by good cuisses and greaves, connected to a winged poleyn with two narrow lames above and two below, much as with the vambraces. Behind the knee is a small mail voider to protect the back of this vulnerable spot, and the greaves have wings that extend down on either side of the ankle to protect the ankle bone. His feet are protected by sabatons, low cut at the ankle, and a solid plate that extends almost to the toes. This is where the articulations begin, in a manner more natural to the foot than articulations all the way down.
- Jousting Harness: Mostly the same as his field harness, but with a great bascinet, thicker metal and larger cut out in the right pauldron.
- Knightly Belt: Boemund's belt is made up of sixteen gilded bronze plaques, a symbol of his status as a knight.
- Swords: Boemund has three swords of any value. The first his his riding sword. It is short, with a blade just 26" long, and is quite plain, with steel quillons and an ordinary steel wheel pommel. It is a true cut and thrust sword, capable of thrusting through gaps or cutting at lightly armoured foes, and gently curves into a strong, sharp point. The second is his sword of war, a short, broad bladed longsword. Although only 35" long, it weighs only just under 4lbs. The forward pivot point is right at the point of the blade, so the point stays in one place while the rear of the blade is manipulated. And, because the blade is wide, and flat with a chisel like edge, it is a superb cutting weapon. Finally, Boemund has his court sword, which is much like his riding sword, only 2" longer in the blade and with an etched and gilded pommel and spiraled quillons.
- Horses: Boemund has eight horses he considered personally his. Two are good destriers, fifteen and a half hands high, powerfully built and capable of being covered in full plate if he determines that it's required. Another two are coursers, more finely built than the destriers, but also swifter and no less capable of carrying an armoured man into battle. Two further horses are expensive rounceys, of less martial training and ability than his war horses, but still capable of being ridden into battle or on the hunt. Finally, Boemund has two white palfreys, one matched to his height and the other a small, thirteen and a half hands high, suited for a lady.
- Poleaxe: Boemund's poleaxe is typically for its kind. Nominally five feet in length from butt to head, the length is extended by a foot long spike at the top, and a smaller, four inch long buttspike. One side of the head is a small half-moon axehead, while the rear features a slightly curved spike designed to penetrate armour. The square shaft, with rounded edges, is protected for the first foot and a half below the head by langets, and a small circular guard is placed at their end to prevent any sword or polearm shaft from sliding any further down the shaft.
- Buckler: An ordinary steel buckler with a glossy black patina carried by Boemund when he is unarmoured and in court or ordinary dress.
- Clothing: Ordinary and court clothing, as described in his description.
- Bow and Arrows: a extremely well made reflexed laburnum longbow, twelve broad bladed hunting arrows, fletched with peacock features bound with golden silk, and an embossed quiver of oil stuffed leather.
Biography
History: According to the old histories, the Tancredi have had control over what is now the County of Tancred since before the Kingdom of Nova was formed. If you believe the bards, the family has lived on the land for many hundreds of years, even before that. Drogo, giver of Well-Thought Advice, was said to be a wild wizard who made himself the petty king of a small area of what is now Nova near Heaven's Pass. Though his descendants are not quite the same mythical mages, they nonethless wield some very concrete power in the form of armed men.
Boemund, the 25th head of his family according to the family histories and 11th Earl of Tancred by Nova's reckoning, was born into a time of peace for Nova, but his family has never truly known peace. Between protecting the realm against raids by outlaws and tribes of Hyundren, his family has been fighting small skirmishes and turning back the occasional large scale raid ever since the GDW ended.
When he was 14, Boemund took to the field with his father during one such major raid. Some three hundred outlaws, backed by sixty or seventy Hyundren mercenaries, made a major push into the Earldom, overruning two castles and coming close to Muntenforteresce, the ancestral home of the Tancredi. Boemund was placed in nominal command of the right wing of their forces, though Piérotin Dardot was the real commander. Mostly Boemund was there to look good and "inspire" the men with his presence. During the course of the abttle, he was struck by an arrow in the jaw, just under the left cheekbone. Though almost unable to see through tears of pain. Boemund had the shaft snapped off close to the wound, righted himself and sat tall in the saddle and stood there next to his banner, sword pointed dramatically at the enemy until the battle was over. This earned him praise from all who had seen it, though his mother and sisters were worried about the danger he had been placed in.
One good thing for Boemund to come out of the wounding was a closer relationship with his friend Thiry, a fellow squire assigned to keep him company while he recovered, that turned into love. Unfortunately, after only a few days of passion, they were discovered by Boemund's father who beat them both senseless and then sent Thiry away out of the earldom, with enough gold to support him for a year and a warning that if he ever returned he would be killed. After that, Dardinne decided that physical punishment was the best way to cure Boemund of his affliction.
Boemund came to hate his father, but he never consciously wished his death. And so, when he was 16 and led a flanking force around to the left of the enemies his father had pinned down, only to find a cliff in the way, he was devastated to realise that the delay in navigating around the cliff had caused his father's death. He would wonder from then on if he had known about the cliff and chosen to go that way in the hope that his father would die in the meantime. Fortunately, his fsther had already taught him the family spells, so they were not lost.
With his father dead, Boemund was the heir to his House, though he was under the Wardship of his uncle Mederic until he reached the age of 21 and his majority. Since then he has carried on the family traditions of defending the borders. He married his oldest sister to Robert Guiscard, a powerful and well respected baron whose barony borders Tancred, and is currently looking for matches for his other siblings. He hasn't shown much interest in marrying himself, struggling with his sexuality as he is, but Boemund has finally given into his mother's badgering and begun a journey to Nova in search of a suitable bride.
Family:
Father - Dardinne Tancredi (Dead)
Mother - Léonne Tancredi (Alive, 51)
Siblings - Mederic Tancredi (Dead), Claudile Guiscard (Alive, 25), Françouais Tancredi (dead), Rousalie Tancredi (21), Jennin Tancredi (19), Mathurin Tancredi (16)
Relatives - Robert Guiscard (BIL, 30), Louothains Tancredi (Uncle, 53), Mederic Tancredi (Uncle, 40), Isabe Tancredi (Aunt, 37)
Children - None yet.
Relationship: Single
Extra: As the Count of Tancred, Boemund posseses 120 knight's fees that he owes to the King. Rather than subinfeud them, the Counts of Tancred have always retained direct control over them and used them to fund full time soldiers. At one point they mustered a full 120 knights, but starting with Dardinne this figure has been reduced to 40. Instead, Boemund employs 120 light cavalry known as "prickers" and 60 armoured archers to fill up his quota. This gives him almost double the number of "helmets". As Dardinne said "helmets are more important than lances".
All of Boemund's knights are armoured in full plate armour, much the same as his own, but not covered and left forge blackened and made from a lower quality metal. They wear jupons over their breastplates, with their coat of arms embroidered on them, and Boemund's badge - a black enameled wolf bleeding bright red from a spear in its side - pinned to their right breast. Like their lord, they all have a wolf's tail attached to their helmets. Each has been given three horses - one for their squire, one for themselves and one for war - though Boemund technically owns all the horses, as he technically owns their armour.
Boemund's prickers are all armoured with visorless sallets and brigandines, and armed with a triangular shield that covers them from shoulder to mid-thigh, an eight foot spear and a short sword like Boemund's riding sword. They're mounted on cheap rounceys, having two each, and can function as light cavalry, but are mostly used as mounted infantry. Their brigandines are covered in black fustian, with an enameled badge pinned to it, as with the knights. Their shields also bear the symbol of the dying wolf.
The archers are armoured and mounted like the prickers, but have short swords and bucklers as their sidearms. Their bows are all imported recurve bows, drawing around 80lbs, and they mostly use the lighter, thinner arrows natively used with the bow - though with a small, barbed cutting head rather than the narrow bodkin usually used - which allows them to hold 40 arrows in their quivers. They are, however, also trained with and sometimes use much heavier broadhead and armour penetrating arrows more traditionally used by longbows. The lighter bows allow them to loose between ten and twelve arrows in a minute, while the composite recurved bows send the arrows with the same force as a high end 100lb longbow.
A further 40 men, 10 knights, 10 prickers and 20 crossbowmen are employed to garrison the five castles other than Muntenforteresce that the Tancredi. The remaining part of the garrisons are made up of knights and sergeants rotating through according to their feudal obligations. Boemund keeps his own forces at his home castle and uses them as a mobile reaction force to counter any raids and prevent them from escaping with their booty.
Apart from his 120 knight's fees, Boemund also controls a very large ruby mine in Heaven's Pass. Once, long before the Great Dividing War, it was a joint project between the Wulfric clan and the Tancredi. What happened to that joint control is unclear. The Tancredi claim that the Wulfrics broke the agreement and attempted to take control of the mine. The Wulfrics tell the opposite story. However it happened, it resulted in a very bloody conflict that neither side really won. The Tancredi ended up in control of the mine and developed a taste for hunting wolves, but they were unable to take anything else from the Wulfrics and were so badly depleted by the war that they were unable to play much of a role during the Great Dividing War.
Boemund, the 25th head of his family according to the family histories and 11th Earl of Tancred by Nova's reckoning, was born into a time of peace for Nova, but his family has never truly known peace. Between protecting the realm against raids by outlaws and tribes of Hyundren, his family has been fighting small skirmishes and turning back the occasional large scale raid ever since the GDW ended.
When he was 14, Boemund took to the field with his father during one such major raid. Some three hundred outlaws, backed by sixty or seventy Hyundren mercenaries, made a major push into the Earldom, overruning two castles and coming close to Muntenforteresce, the ancestral home of the Tancredi. Boemund was placed in nominal command of the right wing of their forces, though Piérotin Dardot was the real commander. Mostly Boemund was there to look good and "inspire" the men with his presence. During the course of the abttle, he was struck by an arrow in the jaw, just under the left cheekbone. Though almost unable to see through tears of pain. Boemund had the shaft snapped off close to the wound, righted himself and sat tall in the saddle and stood there next to his banner, sword pointed dramatically at the enemy until the battle was over. This earned him praise from all who had seen it, though his mother and sisters were worried about the danger he had been placed in.
One good thing for Boemund to come out of the wounding was a closer relationship with his friend Thiry, a fellow squire assigned to keep him company while he recovered, that turned into love. Unfortunately, after only a few days of passion, they were discovered by Boemund's father who beat them both senseless and then sent Thiry away out of the earldom, with enough gold to support him for a year and a warning that if he ever returned he would be killed. After that, Dardinne decided that physical punishment was the best way to cure Boemund of his affliction.
Boemund came to hate his father, but he never consciously wished his death. And so, when he was 16 and led a flanking force around to the left of the enemies his father had pinned down, only to find a cliff in the way, he was devastated to realise that the delay in navigating around the cliff had caused his father's death. He would wonder from then on if he had known about the cliff and chosen to go that way in the hope that his father would die in the meantime. Fortunately, his fsther had already taught him the family spells, so they were not lost.
With his father dead, Boemund was the heir to his House, though he was under the Wardship of his uncle Mederic until he reached the age of 21 and his majority. Since then he has carried on the family traditions of defending the borders. He married his oldest sister to Robert Guiscard, a powerful and well respected baron whose barony borders Tancred, and is currently looking for matches for his other siblings. He hasn't shown much interest in marrying himself, struggling with his sexuality as he is, but Boemund has finally given into his mother's badgering and begun a journey to Nova in search of a suitable bride.
Family:
Father - Dardinne Tancredi (Dead)
Mother - Léonne Tancredi (Alive, 51)
Siblings - Mederic Tancredi (Dead), Claudile Guiscard (Alive, 25), Françouais Tancredi (dead), Rousalie Tancredi (21), Jennin Tancredi (19), Mathurin Tancredi (16)
Relatives - Robert Guiscard (BIL, 30), Louothains Tancredi (Uncle, 53), Mederic Tancredi (Uncle, 40), Isabe Tancredi (Aunt, 37)
Children - None yet.
Relationship: Single
Extra: As the Count of Tancred, Boemund posseses 120 knight's fees that he owes to the King. Rather than subinfeud them, the Counts of Tancred have always retained direct control over them and used them to fund full time soldiers. At one point they mustered a full 120 knights, but starting with Dardinne this figure has been reduced to 40. Instead, Boemund employs 120 light cavalry known as "prickers" and 60 armoured archers to fill up his quota. This gives him almost double the number of "helmets". As Dardinne said "helmets are more important than lances".
All of Boemund's knights are armoured in full plate armour, much the same as his own, but not covered and left forge blackened and made from a lower quality metal. They wear jupons over their breastplates, with their coat of arms embroidered on them, and Boemund's badge - a black enameled wolf bleeding bright red from a spear in its side - pinned to their right breast. Like their lord, they all have a wolf's tail attached to their helmets. Each has been given three horses - one for their squire, one for themselves and one for war - though Boemund technically owns all the horses, as he technically owns their armour.
Boemund's prickers are all armoured with visorless sallets and brigandines, and armed with a triangular shield that covers them from shoulder to mid-thigh, an eight foot spear and a short sword like Boemund's riding sword. They're mounted on cheap rounceys, having two each, and can function as light cavalry, but are mostly used as mounted infantry. Their brigandines are covered in black fustian, with an enameled badge pinned to it, as with the knights. Their shields also bear the symbol of the dying wolf.
The archers are armoured and mounted like the prickers, but have short swords and bucklers as their sidearms. Their bows are all imported recurve bows, drawing around 80lbs, and they mostly use the lighter, thinner arrows natively used with the bow - though with a small, barbed cutting head rather than the narrow bodkin usually used - which allows them to hold 40 arrows in their quivers. They are, however, also trained with and sometimes use much heavier broadhead and armour penetrating arrows more traditionally used by longbows. The lighter bows allow them to loose between ten and twelve arrows in a minute, while the composite recurved bows send the arrows with the same force as a high end 100lb longbow.
A further 40 men, 10 knights, 10 prickers and 20 crossbowmen are employed to garrison the five castles other than Muntenforteresce that the Tancredi. The remaining part of the garrisons are made up of knights and sergeants rotating through according to their feudal obligations. Boemund keeps his own forces at his home castle and uses them as a mobile reaction force to counter any raids and prevent them from escaping with their booty.
Apart from his 120 knight's fees, Boemund also controls a very large ruby mine in Heaven's Pass. Once, long before the Great Dividing War, it was a joint project between the Wulfric clan and the Tancredi. What happened to that joint control is unclear. The Tancredi claim that the Wulfrics broke the agreement and attempted to take control of the mine. The Wulfrics tell the opposite story. However it happened, it resulted in a very bloody conflict that neither side really won. The Tancredi ended up in control of the mine and developed a taste for hunting wolves, but they were unable to take anything else from the Wulfrics and were so badly depleted by the war that they were unable to play much of a role during the Great Dividing War.
