The world had been isolated and small for centuries, no man could look up from his meagre existence for all he saw above him were dark skies, enough darkness to drive him mad. The day the sky went dark, the black snows began to fall and a winter to end all winters came dooming all the crops in the fields. The church tried to keep order proclaiming that the divinity of kings and lords must be obeyed. After years of starvation the church could not keep the common folk pacified and they rose up en-mass and threw down the nobles in their castles. Left to their own devices these folks left the overworked fields and high maintenance lands of their lords and formed tribal communities in the mountains and far away valleys. In the year 847 the skys softened slightly, the dark clouds seemed to wain and the temperatures rose. While wary of this elevation from the harsh elements a new bounty of food and prosperity began to wash over to poor masses of the world. They began to form more complex tribal societies, leaders who won their titles through diplomacy, trade or force were thrust back onto the world stage.
Into this world Thomas was born, as a boy he roamed the dirt roads between huts and fields of his tribe in Genevois. He was not wanted in his home and he never knew who his parents were, if they died or if they simply abandoned him. Thomas managed to survive on his strength and cunning, even as a child he was shrewd and had nimble fingers. He learned when crops were to be harvested and managed to sneak some from collection baskets or convince someone to take pity on a poor orphan. Seeing his strength, a blacksmith known as soothy Robin took Thomas in and set him to work as an assistant. At age 10 Thomas had had his fill of the simple tribal life of a smith and taking what supplies he needed from the smith who raised him, left for a grander life.
Thomas first travelled south along the old roman roads to the seat of the holy see and spent two years in the eternal city. Over these two years Thomas learned to lie, cheat and steal, spending his free time exploring the old Roman city ruins and marvelling at their creations. He also spent much time charming his way into the hearts of holy women and when spending time in their monasteries learned to read their ancient tomes and records. It was here that Thomas learned of the legendary Griffin and where he decided on the insignia and name of the house he vowed to create one day. Thomas promised that he would one day return the world to the glory it knew under the Romans. He began to proclaim this to any who would listen and began to amass a small following cutthroats and ambitious men who saw a chance for power in the young Thomas. For Thomas was a tall and well-built boy who could inspire loyalty in those he met, his easy charm and good looks would set many at ease and tales of his strange and daring exploits in the city were widely known. During a small rally of his followers Thomas got into a scuffle with the local militia and was driven out of the city. At only Age thirteen Thomas took his followers north and spent the next three years moving from town to town acting as a small mercenary force and growing his numbers. Thomas travelled, spread his name and honed his skills as a tactician and leader of men. Finally at sixteen and considered a man by the standards of the time Thomas returned to his home tribe on the edge of Lake Léman and in a bloodless transition he took power from the local chief Charles Durfort and settled his followers in the surrounding lands. From here Thomas planned to make a new capital of the world and set his sights on his neighbour tribes.
It was a crisp January morning when Thomas rose from his bed, a poultry mattress of straw and small woollen blanket to keep out the worst of the cold. He groaned as he rose, but it was better to have soft straw than hard earth under his head at night. Pulling his tunic over his head and fastening his axe to his belt Thomas made his way out from his room at the top of his earthen hillfort that he built following his takeover of Genevois. Coming to the courtyard outside his wooden halls Thomas came to survey the training of his forces. Adémar his oldest friend and the closest thing Thomas had to family was in command the training of his forces. Adémar was a quiet man but once he opened up he could be truly ferocious, Thomas had learned to wield Adémar as a blunt tool of intimidation in difficult situations. Adémar did not see Thomas approach from behind and when Thomas simply spoke up from behind Adémar nearly struck him. “Jesus Thomas you know better than to sneak up on an armed man surely!” he yelled, stumbling back a little. Adémar was flustered, Thomas could see the veins popping out on his neck and knew he was about to be Chastised.
A mocking smile curled across Thomas’ lips “Well I like to keep you on your toes, I need my martial to be aware at all times Adémar what if we were attacked?”
With a deep sigh Adémar turned back to the men he was training, these were the best equipped men in their army and would march with Thomas in the vanguard. “So we ride for Vaud today then my chief?” Adémar loved to mock Thomas by calling him chief, it kept Thomas grounded, made him remember he was still in the dirt with the other chiefs.
Thomas gave little more than a grunt in reply, he had not fully risen yet but neither had the sun, so he felt justified in his grogginess. “prepare the man I want to be marching in an hour” Thomas knew that Adémar would see to it and with mobilisation taken care of Thomas could fill his belly and switch his brain on properly.
The sun was just cresting over the mountains in the East as Thomas’ force crossed over into Chief Eustache’s lands. He had sent advanced parties to neutralise watch towers in the border regions hoping to surprise Eustache. While his scouting parties reported success Eustache still had enough warning to rally a large force of tribal warriors to him and take up a defensive position in the valley. Eustache was attempting to fortify a hill overlooking the lake hoping to bait Thomas into attacking outright. Knowing he couldn’t bypass the force or leave it on the hill and allow them to flank Thomas’ force he encamped his forces under the midday sun and devised a plan with his captains.
“we shall make a concentrated push on the hill under my banner” Thomas looked at the faces of the men around him as he spoke, trying to gauge their reactions. “We will pin down their forces with our infantry while our skirmishers make the high ground an unsustainable position, once they break our cavalry will charge them” Nods of agreement and grunts of approval met his words. There was no debate about the plan, none of them knew any better they had never fielded armies this large, they were used to small skirmishes. Leaving the hastily raised command tent, Thomas and his captains gave orders to the men to assemble and ready themselves to advance on the hill.
This was the first of many trials, Thomas knew that but there was more excitement than dread in his mind before this battle. When his forces reached the base of the hill, Thomas guessed there could be no more than 800 men at the crest. Turning to Adémar Thomas looked from him to the hill and back again before saying “Sound the advance” With a Nod Adémar raised his hand and the horns sounded the advance.
The Earth began to rumble as one thousand men moved in unison, a chant began to go up among the men, a simple dull beating of axe against raised shields. As arrows began to rain down from the hill the screams of the dying were drowned out by the continuous “HUP, HUP, HUP” of the men marching in time. Halfway up the hill now Thomas could feel the march building naturally to a charge, the chanting of the men becoming quicker and quicker. The gap between lines was closing with every second and Thomas knew there was a small window for his charge to have the maximum effect. Another step, "HUP", the tension in the air was electric now it was surprising to Thomas that arrows could fly so cleanly through the air with it being so palpable now. Another step, another "HUP" and the hairs on the back of Thomas’ neck stood on end as small tears welled in his eyes before he blinked them away. Another step and Thomas inhaled sharply as he looked at the line of men ahead of him, these men of Vaud, he could see the whites of their eyes behind their shields. “CHAAAAARGE” he screamed at the top of his lungs and a resounding roar went up among his men as they charged at the wall of men and steel ahead of them. A new roar answered them from the men of Vaud, Thomas barely heard it as he rushed into a breach his men had carved into the shieldwall of Vaud. Hacking and slashing frantically at foes with his axe Thomas locked eyes with a young man, well-armed and imposing they began to circle one another before Thomas lunged with a resounding crackle of splintering wood as his axe connected with his opponents shield. He followed it up swiftly jabbing at the sword-arm of his opponent with his own shield, knocking the weapon from his opponents’ arm, then Thomas kicked out with a ferocity that almost dislocated his own leg. His opponent, now sprawled on his back in the mud of the trodden hill began to beg for his life. Blood caked the sides of this man’s face and as he begged Thomas could see that the battle around him was becoming a rout. Thomas had lost all sense of orientation in the fray and for a moment didn’t know whether it was his or his enemies forces that were running. Thomas looked back at the man on the ground again, if he was to be captured it might be useful to have a representative “to your feet” Thomas extended a hand to the prone man but kept his blade at the ready.
As the man rose he staggered a little and looked around at the carnage “well you’ve won sir” then collapsing to one knee he blurted out in haste “I Géraud of Vaud promise to serve you till my death sir”
Looking now Thomas could see that his men had won the day and his cavalry was crashing into the fleeing forces but as instructed, being careful not to overextend. When all was said and done the battle was a resounding success and casualties for the enemy were triple that of his loses. They could now push onto the fortress where Eustache de Joinville was holed up. The first move in his grand campaign was done and Thomas was eager for the next.
