Nicolette of Rochelet

Name: Nicolette of Rochelet

**Birth year:** 4976 GE

**Factions:** Brotherhood Red Bands Mercenary Company, Kingdom of Euraxia

**Allies:** Enrico de Ravena

**Rivals**: Rennes d'Chateau Noir

#### **Early Life**

Nicolette was born in the walled city of Rochelet in the year 4976 from Renne d'Rochelet, a wealthy member of the cobbler guild. Being the third born of a minor merchant her prospects for marriage weren't great. Likely to be wed to a less important business partner of her father in the guild (as the more important one was married to her elder sister, Beatrix). Nicolette grew up idolizing the knights she heard about in minstrel tales in Euraxian taverns, and her family comfortable wealth allowed her to take fencing lessons, which her father took to be a harmless hobby. However, through consistent dedication and practice, in time she was able to outmatch her first tutors, who weren't the best available, being willing to teach women. Her father eventually paid for better tutours, including actual knights in need of coin for a reason or another. Often to pay ransom for their armor and horse lost in a tourney. Nicolette's laser focus and single minded dedication to the art of fighting and sword earned her much praise from her tutors and ensured her continued education in swordplay.

#### **Career**

At the age of 20, in 4996 GE, she fled from home, and took the road to LaBaton. In the way she'd fight and duel man for money, which she used to by cheap piecemeal armor and have it fit. By the time she arrived in the capital, she was able to write herself in the Grand Tournée as a mystery knight, a time honored Euraxian tradition. And while she couldn't afford a warhorse and proper armor for jousting, she was able to enter the Sword on Foot competitions, in which she cleaved through the least skilled opponents and even defeated more experience swordsmasters.

During the prize ceremony, where it's traditional for Mystery Knights to reveal themselves, her identity was cause of upheaval in the court. For many, it was more about her status as a commoner than her gender, but the nobles called for her immediate arrest, and the Louis X, the current King, saw his hand forced to have her arrested.

She was given the honor of house arrest in the residence of a Noble who agreed to host her as guest in his manor in the capital until her father could be brought to the capital from Rochelet to speak for her at the upcoming trial. Being a man of means, Renne was able to push for a lenient punishment, which Nicolette was able to avoid entirely by calling for a duel to the first blood against Jean du Chateau Noir, the court appointed champion. Jean fought well and Nicolette was given a run for her money before she managed to weave through his steely defenses and nick him in the arm. Honor of courts satisfied, and nobles appeased, King Louis X now could express his open admiration for the young lady's bravado and boldness and granted her the title of Dame of the Crimson Blade, making her an honorary knight, though granting her no lands. The name coming from her sword still having some of her counterparts' blood at her naming. She took it as her coat of arms, a red sword over a field of checkered azure and white, which was the color of the dress in which she attended court that day. Collecting her prize from the tourney, now that she was a full fledged knight, she was able to purchase a set of high quality plate armor and embark with a Veranese mercenary company that had come to attend the tourney and make connections, the Brotherhood of the Red Bands. From there, she sailed to Araxia, paid by Vashian coins, to participate in a raid against the Sarcian Mountain tribes. Ever since she has been travelling with them and making a name for herself and the company.

#### Personality

Nicolette is known as a hot headed swordswoman, a brave warrior though prone to impulsive, risky decisions. This means the Brotherhood of the Red Bands both respects her martial prowess but also is often vigilant that the woman doesn't get herself or her companions killed by pushing too deep in a fight. Nicolette is a loyal soldier of the mercenary company and while she is impulsive, she's not stubborn and will often listen to reasons, albeit begrundingly, when pointed out whatever course of action she had in mind was too agressive or dangerous.

#### Private life

Nicolette private life is subject to much speculation among minstrels, troubadors and historians. The Brotherhood of the Red Bands doesn't track the private life of their recruits and second hand accounts can be untrustworthy. Many stories that paint her as a loose harlot who is as likely to bed men and monster as she is to slay them have become popular across the eastern shore of the Westrasi Sea, and particular Bertranox where said cheap books are printed. However it's doubtful there's much truth to those stories.

#### Trivia

Nicolette is among the few women to hold the title of Knight officially, though like her predecessors, she only has a honorary title and no lands that come with it. So far in Euraxia, no woman has been a landed knight.