Asaios

Asaios Asaios in Radagos' captivity Appears in (Travels in Calradia) Official Information Faction Southern Empire Monarch Empress RhagaeaEmperor Arenicos (formerly) Culture Calradic Empire Clan Unknown Character Background Home Amycon Background Scribe Gender Male Age 22 Parents ValicosUnnamed Kannic mother Asaios is a scribe of the Southern Empire. His first and so far only appearance is in the Bannerlord Digital Companion, where he stars as the author and narrator of the "Travels in Calradia" segment. Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early Life 1.2 Contacting the Bureau of Barbarian Affairs 1.3 Travels in Calradia and Beyond 1.4 Aftermath 1.5 Future Plans 2 Trivia Biography[] Early Life[] Asaios was born in the village of Amycon to the wealthy sailor-turned-landowner Valicos and an unnamed mother of Kannic descent. He has an older brother - also Valicos - who, as per their father's decision, is to inherit the family farm. Asaios' part of the inheritance came in the form of education, which eventually allowed him to find work as a scribe in Vostrum, drawing up legal petitions for illiterate farmers and workers. By the age of 22 he had already been working in this position for two years. Contacting the Bureau of Barbarian Affairs[] On his 21st year of life, at the recommendation of a fellow scribe, he wrote an informant's report for the Bureau of Barbarian Affairs, describing farmers' opinions on Garios, an imperial general who demanded that state land be distributed to his veteran soldiers. This report proved to be well written enough that Asaios was invited to a meeting with Istiana, an official of the Bureau, who appreciated his honesty and offered him more potential work in the future. However, just a couple of months after the meeting the Emperor Arenicos was assassinated and the Calradic Empire fragmented, with potential new assignments becoming unlikely. A year later, Istiana contacted Asaios again, explaining the long silence and offering him a new job: to travel across Calradia and its neighbouring regions, to contact local informants and file their reports. For each report, Istiana promised 100 Denars, which was significantly more than what Asaios was making as a town scribe. Despite being somewhat hesitant, Asaios agreed. Travels in Calradia and Beyond[] Aserai His first destination was Husn Fulq, a town in Aserai lands. As it turned out, some Aserai lords, still clinging to old grievances, had raided a couple of Imperial villages just some time prior to the beginning of Asaios' journey, so now the Southern Empire was seeking revenge, besieging Husn Fulq. When Asaios had reached the siege camp, he bribed an Imperial picket - Atys - for a place to sleep. Two days after Asaios' arrival, the siege camp was attacked by an Aserai relieving army, and when the town gates were open, he sneaked into the town. A few hours later he came into contact with Istiana's informant, a local coal-burner named Yatheb, who gave him the required information and directed him towards his next destination: Hubyar. On the way to Hubyar, just south of the village of Mussum, the caravan Asaios was traveling with encountered a Beni Zilal war-party. The Beni Zilal were currently at war with the Aserai, and this meant that they would not let the caravan pass. Attempting to escape the Beni Zilal, the caravan wandered into a sandstorm, but even that did not deter the pursuers. Salvation came in the shape of Emir Tais al-Qildi's warband, which was on its way from Husn Fulq. With the Beni Zilal retreating, the caravan resumed its journey to Hubyar, now with Emir Tais' protection. In Hubyar, Asaios visited the home of his second contact, a local merchant and patron of the arts named Sathan ibn Nasu. To Asaios' disappointment, the merchant was no longer as hospitable as he was reputed to be, after having been punished by the local authorities for his debaucherous lifestyle and questionable company. Instead, Asaios was given the report by a servant, and sent on his way. After sending the report to Istiana and receiving the reply some time later, he began his journey towards Quyaz. Traveling to Quyaz, Asaios remembered that his mother was originally from those lands, and enjoyed seeing her ancestral home for himself. In Quyaz he visited his third contact, the famous local physician Las al-Kani, who was a hard-working and compassionate man, but a terrible host. Despite the somewhat cold welcome, Asaios enjoyed spending time in the doctor's library. After compiling his meager report - due to a lack of information provided by the doctor - Asaios was instructed to next travel to Pravend. Vlandia Traveling the Vlandian countryside and experiencing the local peasants' hospitality, Asaios had almost reached Pravend, when he got ambushed by a group of forest bandits, who robbed him of his last fifty Denars, but allowed him to continue his journey. On the outskirts of the town, he soon found Gosard, the local hunter that he was supposed to meet, and after learning of Asaios' encounter with the bandits, Gosard went out into the forest and soon returned with the money that was previously taken. Pravend itself did not much impress Asaios, who remarked that the once legendary Imperial town had been reduced to a fortified slum. After completing the assignment and receiving two hundred Denars, Asaios bought a set of hunter's skins from Gosard, so as to appear a less tempting target to robbers, and continued his journey north. Arriving to Rovalt at around the summer solstice, Asaios met the next contact: Viddunthar, a Nord prospector. The two had shared several evenings chatting and playing tabletop games. Viddunthar also gave Asaios another four hundred Denars from Istiana. This was something of a problem, as it meant that Asaios had to carry more money on his person, and was more likely to be attacked by unsavory characters. Luckily, he had found an individual who could arrange monetary transfers, and left most of the sum with them, to be transferred to Vostrum. While still in Rovalt, Asaios befriended a few fellow tavern patrons, and together the had set out for Dunglanys. Battania On the second night of their journey they spotted the watchfires of the Vlandian army, which was campaigning against the Sturgians. The next morning they watched the Vlandians and Sturgians battling, but at the suggestion of one of the companions - the bard Fiogrin - they did not stay to see who would win. According to Fiogrin all battles are the same, and only the begging is worth watching, everything else can be improvised. As they trekked across the Uchalion plateau, Fiogrin would tell stories of the different landmarks they'd come across. One such landmark was an ancient yew grove, the center of which was sacred to the Battanians' ancestral religion. Reaching Dunglanys, Asaios remarked on the impressiveness of the Battanian fortifications, and on how many of them were apparently directed at each other, rather than the outside of town. He also decided to spend a few days there, resting from his journey and indulging in Battanian hospitality. Joining a group of peasants, Asaios traveled to Seonon, where he met Taseil, a local noblewoman fallen on hard times after her family went against High King Caladog. After a brief stay with her, he filed her report and made his way to Epicrotea. Briefly in the Northern Empire, and Sturgia Here he contacted Salion, a former legionary, and his constant companion Skioren, a former member of the Skolderbroda. The two could not remain in the service of their respective organizations and maintain their friendship at the same time, so they chose to work as mercenaries. After completing his business with them, Asaios made his way to Stugian lands. The town of Omor, Asaios remaked, was similar to an imperial town, with impressive fortifications, and the main difference between the locals and the imperials being the presence of fur hats. He observed how the Sturgians, contrarily to what they're imagined in the Empire, actually love trade more than warfare. Accordingly, his contact in Omor was a merchant named Zorgan, whose political opinions and prejudices reminded Asaios of his father. Some time later, per Istiana's instructions, Asaios traveled to Sibir. The roads, he remarked, were cleared of bandits, and the peasants were foraging the local forests before the harvest could begin. It was here that he got acquainted with the Vakken, as his contact in Sibir - Arto - was half-Vakken himself. Khuzait After leaving Sibir, Asaios traveled to Khuzait lands, to Baltakhand. He remarked how the people of Baltakhand were less nomadic than the rest of the Khuzaits, but nonetheless still maintained an image of being ready to pack up and take to the saddle at a moment's notice. Asaios' contact here was Agandios, a former imperial cataphract who had previously failed an assignment and fled the Empire on fear of persecution. The man was hospitable, treating Asaios with expensive imperial wines. But at the same time, Asaios considered the man to be unbalanced, and felt uncomfortable in his company. The road across the Devseg plateau, towards Odokh, Asaios traveled with Istiana's agent Atun, a Karakhergit woman. Like all her people, Atun was an accomplished warrior and rider. The trip was pleasant, as Asaios enjoyed Atun's company. His only complaint was the food: he was not used to eating so much meat. Western Empire and the Siege of Vostrum After saying good bye to Atun's tribe at the gates of Odokh, Asaios joined an imperial caravan, headed toward Lycaron. He was overjoyed to reach another imperial town, despite it's rather inhospitable appearance, and indulged in cuisine that he was more used to. His contact in Lycaron was a local doctor named Tacteos, who had fallen on hard times after failing to save the life of a nobleman and having his reputation ruined by competitors. He was now forced to provide his services to peasants, who couldn't afford to pay as much as his skill deserved. Despite the joyful stay, Asaios couldn't help but notice that the town was preparing for war, as Rhagaea's forces have recovered from their defeat by the Aserai and were now ready to take the fight to Garios. Leaving Lycaron, Asaios, by his own admission, got careless, and walked right into a trap set up by some bandits. The bandits' leader, Radagos, offered that Asaios arrange for a ransom to be paid in exchange for freedom. After discussing matters of logistics, among other things, they had reached an agreement. The bandits had been holding Asaios for several days when they had to break camp and flee Archon Pharon's warband. They hid in a canyon, which got flooded soon afterwards, trapping them - and their prisoners - inside. Apparently the prospect of receiving five hundred Denars in ransom made the bandits treat Asaios better than other prisoners, providing him with blankets and hot food. Eventually, the water receded, they got out and received the ransom. Asaios was then blindfolded, strapped to a mule, and left hear Vostrum. The situation in Vostrum was hardly pleasant, as it was said that Khan Monchug declared war upon the Empire and was rapidly approaching the town with a big army. Most people fled, but Asaios was too tired, as he had barely made it there after being held captive. Having reclaimed his transfer from Rovalt, he promptly buried it in an olive orchard outside of town, for safekeeping. Vostrum never invested much in fortifications, and with the bulk of the Southern Imperial army fighting in the west, there was no one to protect the city but the garrison. When the Khuzaits came, all able-bodied people within the town were ordered to help in the defense on fear of death. This included Asaios, who clambered atop the town wall with a piece of rubble, planning to throw it at the attackers. However, by the time he got there, he realized that most of the defenders were now fleeing for their lives, and having thrown the piece of rubble, he joined them in their rush for the keep. But as he reached the citadel, he learned that the doors were closed and that no one was allowed inside anymore, so he ran through the town's alleys, and eventually hid in the cellar of a tavern. In the morning a tavern maid came down to the cellar and informed him and the others that were also hiding there that the siege was over, and that it was now safe to come out. The Khuzaits had taken the town, but decided to spare the populace, as it was more profitable in the long run. Aftermath[] As Asaios went out of town to gather supplies, on his way back he was detained by a Khuzait soldier, who recognized him as a man of letters. It turned out that during the siege someone had burned the town's archives, and now the Khuzaits needed someone to re-record everyone's holdings for taxation and other means. Asaios was put to work, and for days he'd write down the holdings - real or alleged - of the different farmers, merchants, and other individuals. Some of them even slipped him money, so that he would include them in the papers. By the end of it all, he found himself with seven hundred Denars, which was about as much money as he would make in six month of work under normal circumstances. With the money from his cache, he now had enough to buy himself a plot of land good enough to be considered a respectable groom. As he was returning to town with the money from his cache, he encountered a Khuzait rider on the road. It turned out to be Atun, who decided that sometimes even the honourable Karakhergits deserve to partake in the plunder from the Khanate's enemies, and joined Monchug's war against the Empire. After some catching up, Asaios rashly proposed to her, and while she did not accept, she did say that she would consider his offer. With that, they parted ways. Future Plans[] Despite admitting that his proposal to Atun was rash, he nonetheless entertained the idea, even going so far as to say that should she indeed consider his offer, even briefly, it would be the greatest honour done to him. Now Asaios is planning to return to Vostrum, draft his final report for Istiana, settle his tavern debt, and return to his home-village and eventually purchase the land he wanted. Trivia[] The original manuscript for the Journal was written by Steve Negus. Asaios is something of a foodie, with the journal recording his tasting and indulging in several local dishes and products. Asaios is based on the real life "Marco Polo" who traveled the silk road and encountered the Mongol tribes and other Asian Kingdoms.