Karel the Robber

Karel the Robber is a semi-legendary bandit, and a popular figure amongst the poorer folk of Joraje. He was thought to live during the reign of Duke Geralt of Loren, during the middle Second Dynasty period. Featured in many tales, he is described as a brutal outlaw and killer, though he would only attack those who had wealth, and would often leave a portion of what he took on the road, as a sign of his presence in the area, and as a gift to the next traveler to happen upon the road. He would finally be captured by Baron Strom of Kanberk, and would be put to death during the reign of Duke Servel the Wise.

## Historical Basis

The historical validity of any one bandit known as 'Karel" has been called into question by historians on several grounds, such as that Strom of Kanberk died almost 20 years before Duke Servel ascended to the ducal throne, as well as other inconsistencies with the stories.

Karel the Robber is thought to be based on multiple bandits, brigands, and outlaws throughout the Second Dynasty of Joraje. There were then, much as now, many bandits operating throughout the world, and those in the Boarswrath Forest were among the most feared in all Joraje. Many of these bandits were unknown to the wider world, simply robbing travelers and occasionally raiding small hamlets. However, a few of these bandits would gain great renown, and stories would spread far and wide about their exploits.

Most of these stories would be romanticized far beyond their inspiration, often morphing the outlaw in question into a heroic, do-gooding figure, if morally questionably, which could not be further from how they actually acted. Listed below are a few possible inspirations for Karel the Robber

#### Karl the Bowman

Karl the Bowman was a famed outlaw who lived in the Boarswrath forest during the reign of Duke Fladislos I of the Second Dynasty of Joraje. He was known as the *Chivalric Bandit*, and was loved by the common folk for only robbing lords, knights, and wealthy burghers, while giving out parts of his ill-gotten gains to beggars he encountered along the roadside. Karl would eventually be killed by an unknown knight during a roadside ambush.

#### Jan Baros

Jan Baros was a knight-turned-bandit who operated across the Duchy during the reign of Duke Derell "The Unable", during a time when the duchy was falling into chaos. Jan Baros had been raised as a nobleman, yet during the chaos of Derell's reign, his castle was seized by a rival nobleman, and he was forced into banditry. Jan Baros would go on to become one of the most feared bandits in the Duchy. He would waylay travelers, and demand they pay him to let them free. If he found out that the traveler in question came from a fief belonging to a rival family, he would kill them without mercy, yet if he found that they were from his former fief, he would let them off free, often giving them a portion of what he took. Jan Baros was eventually reinstated as the lord of his keep during the reign of Duchess Janna I, though he would be poisoned the following day, along with his entire household, via the well, which his enemies had laced with a deadly agent.

#### Joahan Lepe

Joahan Lepe was a feared brigand, who lived during the reign of Duke Geralt of Loren. He was a brutal man, who was brought into Joraje as a mercenary to fight in the Darberk Revolt, though once the rebellion ended, he decided to remain in the duchy and continue his brutal ways to increase his wealth. He is known to have fought with a mace, and, it is said, took great pleasure in crushing the skulls of those unfortunate enough to resist him. He would often leave the belongings of the dead victim along the road, often tied to a post or a tree, as a trophy. He would eventually be captured by a party of men sent out to find him, and he would be hung, drawn and quartered at the court of the Baron of Zyzcoch. Parts of his body would be sent across the duchy, and would be placed at important crossroads and villages across Joraje. His skull still sits at the southern gate of the city of Kostravald.

## The Associated Tales of Karel the Robber

There are a multitude of tales of his exploits told in the alehouses and around the hearths of peasant houses, but very few have ever been recorded, most surviving through oral tellings of the tales. A few of these stories have been gathered into *The Associated Tales of Karel the Robber*, those being *The Knight*, about an encounter between the outlaw and a poor knight, *The Brigand and the Lordling*, a tale about a chance meeting between the bandit and a young nobleman, *The Robber and the Lady*, a tale of Karel's meeting with a young noblewoman while sneaking into Samospeze, and *Karel and Strom*, a story of his ultimate capture and defeat at the hands of Baron Strom, as well as a number of anecdotes too short.

### The Knight

One Day, in the Boarswrath Wood, the Robber Karel was waiting on the road. At the same time, a poor knight was coming from the South, to go to a tourney held at Samos Field. By chance, the met each other on the road.

Karel hailed the knight: "You there! Why do you travel this most dangerous road?"

"I shall be partaking in a tourney this day, good sir! " the knight responded.

"Ya don't look quite the knight to me..." said Karel, looking at the man's armor, and his lack of traveling companions, "...Tell me, what is your name, and why are you going to this tourney?"

"I am Sir Ezen, and I am going to this tourney to win, both respect for my skills and wealth for my family. Whilst it pains me to admit this, we are quite destitute."

"Well, Sir Ezen, I shall advise you to come off your horse, and hand over your money, arms, and armor," Said Karel, brandishing his mace.

"W-what?! I cant give you my arms and armor! They're my livelihood!" Ezen responds.

"Then, you shall die" Karel states.

Ezen takes up his sword, and the two begin to duel.

Sir Ezen fights well. His sword sparks off Karel's vambraces time after time, Karel barely able to bring up his wrists in time to block the rapid assaults. Yet, Ezen tired fast, and his attacks became slower and more sluggish as time went by. Karel, seeing this, feinted left, but struck. Ezen fell for the ploy, and took a heavy smack to his arm.

Ah!

### The Brigand and the Lordling

On the Southbound High Street, Karel stood. He had heard in the alehouse at Zemos that there would be a wealthy party coming through the region, and he was going to be the first to find them, before some other bandit could get his hands on them. Back in those days, travelers, lords especially, would be commonly robbed on highways, so he wanted to get him first.

South of him, on the High Street, came up a Tandemy prince. Jen van Mons was his name, and he was the heir to a wealthy lord in the southerlands. Lavishly dressed, his company was heading to Joraje to work on a deal with Duke Geralt. Little did he know, his party wouldn't make it to its destination, at least not intact.

There, they came upon Karel, standing in the middle of the road, facing them. The noble company kept walking, but Karel refused to move.

"You there!" the knight at the head of the procession hailed him. "Move off the road! Cant you see we're coming through?"

"Are you the Tandemy company that's comin' through 'ere?" Karel responded.

"What's it to you?" the knight replied.

"Nothin'." Karel stated, "Just wondering 'ew's in that coach there."

A window of the coach opened suddenly, and a man in a purple hood stuck out his head. "Oi! Why have we stopped? What's the hold up?!"

"There's a man in the road, milord! He refuses to move!" the knight responded.

Jen van Mons, registering the bandit, replied with "Tell the sellsword to move, or I'll have his head!" before ducking back into the coach.

"This is your last chance, peasant. Move, or I shall have to run you through!"

"Ah, so ya are the Tandemys. Well, for your lordship, I suppose I 'ill move, then." said Karel, before backing away slightly, only to double back, and smash the knight's horse's head with his mace, killing it instantly, and sending the knight to the ground. Before he, or any of the rest of the lordling's company, could respond, Karel brought the heavy head of the mace down onto the side of the pinned knight's helm. The iron crumpled like cloth, as did the knight's skull beneath it.

"You lot 'ave one choice!" Karel shouted, snapping the rest of the prince's company out of their shock. "Either lay down you arms and surrender all your wealth, or die!"

"What the blazes is going out here!" the window opened again, "Sir Wensil, I said to be rid of this unwashed peasant! What's the hold...." registering the crumpled body of Sir Wensil, his tone changed, from anger to fear. "Bring me his head!" he ordered to his retainers, before retreating back inside.

The first to come was a spearman. Karel, with the weight of his mace, threw the spear to the ground, and smashed him in the side of the head, making him fall to his knees and vomit. Karel killed him with a strike to the face, caving it in, and killing him.

Following the spearman was another knight. Though well armored, he was not a particularly good fighter. He was probably more used to tourneys than he was to actually fighting people who wanted to kill him. Dancing around a field and bowing and not going until your opponent is ready isnt anything like a real battle. Karel doubled him over with a hit to the stomach, and sent him to the ground with a kick.

Now came in a swordsman. He was far more of a challenge than the last two. He was fast, and he hit hard. Left, right, right, up, left, down, right, left, his attacks came from all directions, a flurry of blows, difficult to parry and harder to dodge. Karel's trust mace was no good for this, so, in a flash of intelligence, he dropped his mace, ducked down to the ground, and grabbed the broken spear from the road. He brought it up, and, taking a painful slash to his arm, drove it through the visor of his helmet, and into the swordsman's eye. Taking pity on the man, he drew his dagger and slit his throat. Better a mercy killing than to die slowly like that.

"An'one else?" Karel asked, looking at the men in front of him, while wiping the blood off his knife.

One by one, the remaining men threw their arms to the ground.

"Smart men, now, if you know what's good for you, you will run. Me, however...." Karel continued, "I've got a noble to rob."

Karel went to the door of the coach, and knocked politely.

"Did..." a voice came from inside, "...did you get him?"

"Not quite, milord. A shame, too, 'at was some good armor 'ey were wearing, probably cost a couple groschen. In fact, its probably almost as much as you'll be paying me for ransom!" Karel replied sarcastically.

"Damn you, I'll have your head for this, you bleeding peasant!" Jen van Mons burst out of the door, dressed in lavishly dyed clothing, and a jeweled sword in his hand. "I'll show you the proper way to treat with a lord, especially for someone of your status!"

Jen took the sword, and with a terribly aimed strike, swung at Karel. The swing went wide, and Karel was able to deflect it away with his vambrace. Following this up quickly, Karel wrested the sword's blade from Jen's grasp, threw it to the ground, and backhanded the spoiled little lord into the coach. Falling to his knees, Jen said "I'll never give up my dignity, and surrender to the likes of you!"

Karel knelt down over the panting prince, and said "You 'aven't got any dignity to give!" and slapped him across the cheek. "Now, tell me, where is it!"

"Where's what?" Jen replied, with a bleeding lip.

"Where is the gold, your lordship? I don't just attack anyone for naught, certainly you must know this!"

"I haven't got any gold!"

"Aint got no gold, 'ave ya? Don't play the fool with me, boy! You're on a diplomatic mission to the Duke of Joraje! O'course you would have some gold with ya! How ever would you convince 'im to ally with you, given your well and truly evident lack of charisma and tact, eh?"

"I am telling you, I have no gold here, in my coach, or in my baggage train!"

"Hmmmmmmm.....thats a rather pretty shirt on you. Purple, that is, must have cost a fortune to get it." Karel said, leaning menacingly over Jen. "Looks like there's gold embroidery in that hood there too. Would be a shame if even more blood got on it, it would take forever for me to get it all out." Karel said, before hitting Jen in the jaw once more, knocking him flat to the road. "Well, I suppose that after I find this gold anyway, I could just hire a few servants to get it out for me. Oh well, whatever the outcome, you-" Karel said, gesturing toward the lordling with his dagger "- most certainly wont be around to see it!''

"Do Prdele! You damn peasant! Fine! If you must know, its in the trunk in the coach!"

"See, was that so hard? This all could have been avoided. But no bother." Karel chided, looming over the little lord, before climbing into the coach.

The coach, while pretty on the outside, was beautiful on the inside. Curtains and drapes from Aranyshami, carved figures from Amastre, and model ships from Tanderland were to be seen at every corner, and the entire coach was covered in paint with flakes of gold. As the foot of a great bed imported from Amastre lay a large trunk. Karel opened it, and found his prize. Three large sacks of gold. Ripe of the taking.

A floorboard creaked.

Karel spun around in time to catch Jen's sword as it descended from above, and threw it from the pompous prince's hold. "You don't know when to stop, do ya?" the Brigand asked the lordling mockingly, and knocked him out with a single punch, sending him falling to a cushioned bench.

Karel grabbed the sacks of gold from the trunk, and the prince's bejeweled sword, and draped them across a pack horse from the prince's train, before leading it off into the forest.

Thusly, Karel would become famed as the man who robbed the Tandemy Coach. Jen would go on to meet with the Duke of Joraje, and Karel would become one of the most wanted men in the duchy. This attack, which at the time appeared to be one of the greatest heists ever pulled off in the world, by a single man no less, would ultimately prove his undoing.

### The Robber and the Lady

Samospeze, by then a bustling town near the Boarswrath, was a hub of trade and travelers, and often, bandits could be found lurking in the taverns and alehouses there, listening for any talk of caravans coming and going through those dangerous parts. There, outside the walled town, Karel the Robber found himself, awaiting his opportunity to infiltrate it, and listen to the local rumors.

In he snuck, one figure among many, and made his way to the Woodsman's Spring Inn. As always, there were several wagons in front of the large building.