Guy

**Guy** is the Marquis of Arelon, a porter for the Earl of Flannings, once a page for a Merovian knight. Guy's heritage is a branch of the House of Merovia with little clout in the courts of Illyria. He served in the War of the Lost Prince though not especially distinguished by its end.

Guy is known from some parts of Illyria as being a talented swordsman; he does boast talent in fencing though has demonstrated skill in other bladed weapons. He is sometimes called the "Oyster-Sword."

## Nobility

Guy is of the House of Sherman, one of the lesser houses of Illyria. Shermans descend from Renault, the third of the Twelve Paladins. However, their nobility is matrilineal and they wed into lower gentry. The stripping of rights by Merovia resulted in their shrinking to a small estate in Twin Rivers.

After the Convention of Argo in CE 990, Guy was named Marquis of Arelon after his service to the Earl in helping him escape safely out of the besieged city.

Guy and his brother Reginald both practiced their fencing as part of the Sherman tradition of raising talented swordsmen.

## Life

### Childhood

Guy was born the youngest of two brothers in Flannings, Illyria. His father was a hereditary knight and veteran of the Battle of Agabad, and son of a knight who too served in the War of the Dragons. His father and eldest brother were accused, perhaps falsely, of being in a large conspiracy to overthrow the Exarch of Duessel. For this, both were executed and his family was stripped of proper title when he was four years old. Their estate, Twin River, was taken by the House of Merovia.

A Merovian knight, Brago des Huites, married Guy's mother and part of the former estate was repatriated. Though forced to sleep in a stable away from his mother and stepfather, Guy's older brother Reginald was a great mentor to him. They had a single copy of *True Arte of Defence* by Strauss of Arlando. With this, they were able to practice with one another and later when they were both pages for their stepfather.

### War of the Lost Prince

In preparation for the confrontation with the House of Darcedon, Guy's stepfather took him as a page at age ten. By the time he was fourteen and Merovia confronted Darcedon, Guy had learned the wield a rapier properly and ride a horse. Des Huites remarked to him that, "[Guy] is useless with a bow and has no talent for a halberd, but with a sword [Guy] is unmatched in Flannings." His promise as a swordsman was one reason he was taken as Brago des Huites' squire instead of Reginald. He was to be initiated into the Knights of the Garter after the conflict should he serve well.

In one account of the incident, Guy and Brago des Huites' retainer were ambushed and captured by the Venom Lord of Greenwall in Crotalusia. Only fourteen at the time, Guy was to become a boy slave to the barbarian tribe. However, after learning about his prowess with a blade, the Venom Lord had his own stepson of a similar age fight him in a duel with *kiriki* daggers. The Venom Lord proclaimed that for every strike against Guy, one of the other captives would die; for every strike against his stepson, one of the other captives would be freed. In an astounding fight, Guy managed to severely wound and incapacitate the Venom Lord's stepson, earning the freedom of most of the retainer and himself. However, due to a number of wounds he endured during the fight, des Huites was one of the captives killed in the bargain.

Due to the underwhelming nature of the conflict, as well as the death of des Huites, Guy once again no longer had a path to knighthood. However, because of his military experience, he was still recognized by the Exarch and granted an honorary title of "Lord of the Manor" as a method of helping him retain his estate. Guy had the title bestowed upon Reginald instead.

### Porter for the Thane

Guy sought an occupation of royal guard for Merovia, and his reputation earned him a place under the Thane of Flannings, Charles D'Ochre. Unlike the title implies, Guy is not merely a gatekeeper but typically accompanies the Thane as a personal bodyguard, and keeps his blade on him at all times.

Guy traveled with the Thane to Arelon en route to Illyria from Sar Igon, one of the few populated Saskens in Arcadia. The Arcadian tribe that met with them, the Narvidi, agreed to release a Merovian knight in exchange for a sum of silver ducats. However, this was revealed to be a ploy as their stay in Arelon was extended once the city was besieged.

### Siege of Arelon

Guy, along with a group of volunteers organized by the local bishop, helped the Thane travel through the tunnels underneath Arelon. These tunnels, which had remained abandoned for many years, saw the likes of hostile wildlife and vagrants that made attempts on their lives. Guy had the Thane hide in the Sinapine Mountains after emerging north of Arelon and traveled into Boidone.

After communicating with the Count of Montesoro and General Mattheas of House Stavia, Guy retrieved the Thane with the help of the former volunteers and brought him to Argo. For his bravery and initiative, Guy was granted the title of Marquis of Arelon and serves in efforts to rebuild it after the Siege of Arelon.