Nocturnal Crusader (Defiant)
'Nocturnal Crusader' is a Dark Armour/Dual Blade Tank on the Defiant server (EU).
1092
The Crusades in Leon were grim indeed. The Church and England were losing the battle in the south west and all the armies of England sent there could not penetrate the vast bastions of the Turkish Muslims. One such army leader was Sir Bernard Richardson (Earl of Glastonbury), the favourite of King William the 1st or, as he was better known, William the Conqueror. Sir Bernard was in such dire need of help, for fear of losing the Kings trust, that he turned to the only man he thought strong enough to turn the tide in their favour. The Earl of Wareham, Sir Donald Buckholder.
Sir Donald the Nocturnal (as he was known) was a man, and county, unto himself. So much so that even King William asked of him no taxes as any collector he sent there never returned.
Sir Donald’s prowess on the battlefields were second to none. Many times he was heard telling that he was the leader of armies, not of countries. This was, most probably, the only reason he never looked to usurping King William and taking the throne. He enjoyed pitting his wits against the greatest of enemies. For the thrill of the battle as well as the raping and pillaging.
Sir Bernard knew that Sir Donald was stationed at this time in his castle in Wareham as all ports at that time were far too busy for Sir Donald to ship out on another battle search. He sent a messenger (about the only people allowed into Wareham without fear of not returning) with a letter explaining the plight of his army in Leon. He promised Sir Donald in this letter, to remove all his troops from the area to allow Sir Donald the freedom of the land for him and his 1000 Nocturnals.
A week later, the messenger arrived back in Glastonbury with an answering letter. Sir Donald told Sir Bernard that he would leave that very night for Portsmouth and to have four ships at his disposal to leave immediately. The letter finished, however, with: "I ask that my payment not be made to me in gold or jewels. I demand, in return for this service I provide you, that all the land and all that is on it in Dorchester be mine upon my return. As you are aware, I take with me no caravans and only ten horses upon my travels, hence we march on foot for Portsmouth, which I estimate to take me 6 days and 7 hours to reach the ships. If, when I arrive there, there are no parchments declaring the land be mine upon return, I will turn my 1000 men around and march upon Glastonbury to seize your land and all upon it under the banner of the Nocturnals.
Yours
Sir Donald"
This certainly surprised Sir Bernard some what for such a thing to be demanded. He knew full well that Sir Donald would not go to battle for the love of his country and was prepared to go to the King for such a payement. But to be told that he either give Sir Donald this land, which was not even his own, or forfeit his own land and estates? This was bad news indeed.
Sir Bernard left that very afternoon for Dorchester to see his cousin, the Earl of Dorchester, Sir James Richardson, to explain this unfortunate turn of events. It took Sir Bernard 6 hours on horseback to reach his cousin and, upon arriving there and knowing he had only 6 days in which to come to a solution, he demanded an immediate audiance with his Cousin, Sir James.
After explaining the situation to his cousin, Sir James was furious that Sir Bernard had made such a foolish mistake in asking for help from such a tyrant as Sir Donald. After calming down, however, he could see that the deed was done and could not be undone. He knew his cousin, Sir Bernard, was foolish and bull headed but did not want to see Glastonbury burned to the ground. He also knew that Sir Donald now had his sights set upon expanding his land and it would not be long before he marched upon Dorchester and took that also. The options were then that they either legally pass over all deeds for the land of Dorchester or, deny Sir Donald the land of Dorchester and prepare for battle when Sir Donald had the power of both Wareham AND Glastonbury. All this aside, there was also the fact of losing favou with King Williams who would not look kindly upon civil war in the south of England when the Crusades were underway. All this and both Sir Bernard and himself would be turned out into the cold by The King for allowing such a matter to exculate in Leon without either his knowledge OR his approval at seeking out the add of a man hated by the King in Sir Donald.
