Meshuri Karamiš

Meshuri Karamiš (Born ca. 1018 AGV) is a natural born brother of Donul Bazaš, ruler of Tantorel. He is the marquis of Tantorel for 22 years since his appointment in 1036. He was a bastard of Haniya Bazaš father to Donul too, who fought tooth and nail to keep any information regarding his second son a secret.

About him it is only marked that he was brought to Karamrost in the early spring of 1020 AGV, after her mother died in the harsh winter. That time he seemed to be around two years of age. His presence poisoned an already strained, loveless mariage between Haniya and Lamati, what secured an excessive, toxic atmosphere in their residence during Meshuris childhood.

When he came the first impressions of him were positive. He was described as a well-built boy with sturdy limbs, strong teeth, rectangular face with overall childish beauty. He was told to have had dark brown eyes with curious but sad glance in them, being afraid among the grown-up strangers. It didn't took an entire day for a martial war to broke out between the lord and the lady of the house. Meshuri received a wet nurse for some months and a dry nurse responsible for his overall wellbeing before getting isolated from his raging step-mother. He was introduced to his brother, as well to the other boys who were schooled there. From that day onwards, Lamati rarely presented herself in the Public. She also did everything that could sour even pure honey in the mouth of her husband. Somewhat an outcast, Meshuri still received equal education alongside his older brother.

Their father frequently took them out to hunt, to ride, or to partake in martial training away from the city. Khalant Laviši, commander of the bodyguard was tasked with their corporal training doing an splendid job overall. He refined both students into true nobles, well-mannered, excelling at horsemanship, archery, fencing, dancing and wrestling.

In matters of intellect however the pair archieved more modest results. Both of them learnt to write, read and calculate in a decent manner. They were considered to be good orators but somewhat short on wit in more complicated manners like palace intrigues, diplomacy or alliance building. In case of Donul this shortage was alleviated by his childhood friend, Tamaron, son of an ivory trader, who was mediocre at best at fighting, but extremely intelligent.

The brethen accompanied their father when he campaigned, and decorated themselves in minor battles against rebellious fiefs, rowdy neighbours or intruding tribes from the west. The boys were both inseparable and similar as twins, not in physical appearance, but in soul. Maybe the younger found more joy in commandeering. He was shorter in temper, demanded absolute obedience but also understood how to give the best orders in a situation which quickly earned the warriors' respect. Meshuri became the dominant partner in the relationship with Donul. The older brother refrained from direct involvement in the affairs oursourcing most task to Meshuri who gladly obliged and solved them. This was a troublesome development, recognised both by Laviši and Haniya Bazaš.

After more than a decade and a half there was unison in the noble house as both husband and wife wanted the natural-born son removed from there. When the army campaigned in the west against intruding tribes around Ragod, Meshuri fell in love with the March. Endless forests, crystal-clear rivers, pristine wilderness, an untamed land largely deprived of population suited well his freedom-seaking soul. The distance from the capital, and from her tormenting stepmother coupled with the relative independence of the office increased his interest even more. Smelling a good challange he stood in front of his father, nervous as a young man of eighteen years of age can be, and asked to be the marquis of Tantorel.

To the surprise of many, old Haniya could have never been happier. He fulfilled the wish with pleasure, ennobled his son on the spot with the rank esper and last name Karamiš, awarded him a coat of arms with a five-towered grey fortress seated upon solid white rock, situated in a seablue field, and named him the Marquis of Tantorel. They have never seen each other afterwards, as Meshuri was immediately left to deal with the challenges as he found the best, and Haniya died three years later leaving Donul at the helm in Tantorel. In his own fief, Meshuri even outclassed his brother, who inherited a good situation what he upkept in every aspects. The marquis however came to power in a desolate area full of enslaved criminals or uniformed criminals impressed into the border guard. From this situation even battling his nominal subordinates at one occasion, he created a March inhabitated by nearly two hundred thousand people, secure at every corner, flourishing with trade and industry.

In the adulthood Meshuri turned into an awe-inspiring phenomenon. Towering at over six feet and some inches, he has got a well-proportioned, muscular built. Fat is completely abscent of his body. His back is broad, hiding extreme power at plain sight. Wearing his marron hair at shoulders lenght in unison with his span-long maroon and gray beard, and deap-seated dark brown eyes with a penetrating look, he breaks resistance with his single glance, forcing even the most desperate resistant into submission. In battle he likes to fight from horseback with a three-feet-long bastard sword leaving his shield behind, covered in mail and leather, or at occasions in plate. A man of easy humour, as well as easy anger, he likes to dance, to listen to music or good to jokes at feast where he eats and drinks for four, yet he never have been seen as drunk as his brother. Besides fighting and administering his own fiefdom he is a passionate hunter riding out every on or another week to catch some prey for his table.

Meshuri married almost immediately after settling in Ragod, taking the beautiful daughter of an impoverished noble of Lifili origin called Binael. He remained loyal to her and never fathered childrens by another women. They have got three children who survived infancy, two daughter Himiana (b. 1039) and Šauska (b. 1043), as well a son Teshub (b. 1044). Karamiš is a rarely seen guest outside the March, because of a lack of contact and willful decisions from his side. Only three occasions are known when he left the area or its immediate neoghbourhood. Two of them were campaigns, the third the wedding of Himiana in Karamrost in 1058.

In his lands, Meshuri is well-respected and generally liked. Widely seen as the architect of prosperity, most people are content with his rule. He nurtures an amicial relation with outlying territories. In the inside most noblemen are coming from his original entourage with unquestionable loyalty. Merchants enjoy his protection profiting from the inner order that makes overland trade both secure and lucrative. Strict observance of primogeniture inheritance keeps the yeoman class at place who are both approving of the marquis and supplying his army with fresh recruits of decent background. As such Karamiš is considered a magnate of Tantorel with immense lands and power in his hand. Only four or five nobles of similar power live in the realm, countig his king and brother Donul.