Valens de Saint-Loup

Valens de Saint Loup, Duke of La Rochelle

### Ancient times

In times long past, La Rochelle did not exist. In the times of Ancient Rome and ancient Greece, though what would become a jewel of the atlantic coast of Frankia was already inhabited by celts, then alans- it was not until the XII century that the city would start to look like the city we known nowadays.

Originally built by fishermens , the humble village became the capital of l’Aunis by the Xth century.

In the XIth century, the city was expanded with the castle of Vauclair , built by the lords or Mauleon and Rochefort.

Afterwards, it is under Guillaume X, duke of Aquitaine, that the city finally became as it is know today, with large expansions from 1130 to 1150, leading to two more castles to be born within the city, and the town to be surrounded by a high rempart.

The city would become a free city at his death.

### Recent times

During the campaign of Unification by King Owen of Frankia of the Great House of Cerulean, the city resisted as well. During it’s siege, the late uncle of Valens de saint-loup, Raymond de saint-loup, would prove his worth by being the first on the wall, and despite horrendous wounds that would never fully heal, would secure a foothold on the remparts.

*Raymond de Saint Loup on a mythologic beast. Painting realized by Morkarrius de Northus during the 13th century. Certains freedoms were taken, though the lord can be recognised easily with his own heraldry.*

At this, because of his now inaptitude to rule, Raymond de Saint-Loup called back his nephew Valens to come back, and return from his travels to Frankia whenever he could.

### Map of La Rochelle

Vast, and rich, though small in size, and lacking manpower- La Rochelle is a city being repaired from the last siege. The coffers being emptied at the end of the siege in order to repay for it’s resistance to king Owen, it was nonetheless awarded as a reward to Raymond de Saint-Loup, knight of Frankia who had distinguished himself throughout the siege, and during the last storming of the remparts.

Once the city back into his hands, the lord had to endebt himself to the king of Frankia, rendering him both vassal twice, by honor, and by monetary means.

On the other hand, with this considerable amount of money, la Rochelle was rebuilt. It’s walls repairs, the streets cleaned of the dead and the blood.

Thanks to it’s position, la Rochelle was able to recover slightly more easily than other cities suffering from the safe fate. It’s defensive position, it’s value as an harbor for the frankish fleet, and the vast swathes of lands surrounding it being fertile -allowed a return to normal after three years. And with trade, came rich ressources from the mediterranean transiting trough Iberia, or Frankia.

When eventually, Valens de Saint Loup would return, it would be to find a great sea-side city. Though it’s main import was originally food- the peasants retourning to the field to find a renewed peace under King Owen of Frankia leadership, and regular trade with nearby cities were able to change the import from food to furs, linen, clothing. Once this was once more produced within the city itself, or in the surrounding villages- and forges were running to build tools, or weapons of war, while stables were breeding horses- trade would be established with the kingdom of Krisi to be able to buy moroccan horses, spices, like curcuman, pepper- while salt was recovered nearby, in brittany in the salt swamps.

On the other hand, one the greatest import that would ever come from the east would be the return of Valens himself.

### Valens' Journey

Upon returning, Valens spoke about his discoveries. While he spoke langue d’oïl, langue d’oc, Valens also spoke latin, and greek. He now had the opportunity to speak persian while away, in his travels -both as pilgrim, and simple traveler.

In Constantinople, and Bagdad, the man read both long tomes, treaties of medicine, stories of wars long past, and long gone.

Travelling as much east as Bactria, he stumbled upon depictions of the ancient macedonians conquering the world, of Alexander the great, and of great lumbering beasts he stumbled upon during his travels.

Theses beasts, called elephants, were enormous, three to five times the height of a horse, strong as ten bulls, with great ivory tusks- and in india, like Bactria, they were raised for war!

While he did return at first from Bactria without an elephant, to it’s great sadness, he did not return empty handed- as he would find an old treaty, in ancient greek, speaking about armours of linen. Though in Valens language, this armor would translate roughly to “Torse de lin”, which became in la Rochelle language “Torselin”, in greek, the word was “Linothorax”.

This torso armor, while old in design, was easy to make, cheap to manufacture, permitted to swim without trouble, was light- and resistant to arrows and swords slashes. In short, this armor was perfect for mariners of la Rochelle. While in Bactria, he also rode great treaties on Alexander army- of the sarissa, and the phalanx. Like all men of Europe, taught about these great heroes, he came to idealize them.

While Valens did eventually return later in Bactria, later on, it would be as negotiated for La Rochelle to be able to participate in the Silk Road grand trade union.

At the end of the negotiations, Valens once again, spoke of the great lumbering elephants.

After one year of service faithfully to the lord of Bactria, Valens would come back to la Rochelle, a towering war elephant in tow. During nine years, Valens would have traveled the world, to eventually come back.

Reasons for him, despite being apparent heir, was that Raymond had other heirs before Valens- but the death of two to sickness, and three others to the battlefield, and the last to a horsefall, led Valens,, being his nephew, to be the apparent heir.

Upon returning with this exotic beast, after an exalting journey, Valens was to meet King Owen in it’s capital to receive La Rochelle both from his uncle, and his new king, to which he swore undying fealty. Inheriting duties, honors, and debts of his uncle who now works as counsilor to his younger nephew, Valens de Saint-Loup has become the new lord of la Rochelle, vassal to King Owen of Frankia, and as well to the Cerulean House.

*The Torselin infantry marching to battle against a renegade british lord, supporting the armies of the noble lords of eastern England, loyal to the house of Caerulean*.

*Cults and Worship:*

Though the worship of Cerulean, Dragon God ruling over the seas is common in La Rochelle, he is not the only god to be worshipped. Epona, goddess of Lakes, Horses, mules and donkeys, also possess a thriving worship since lord Valens brought it back from Galatia.

Also worshipped as goddess as fertility, and of spring, she is immensely popular amongst Knights and peasants- while fishermen and sea traders prefer the worship of Cerulean.