Karameikos - Vaults of Pandius

Strolojca and Draconiusyounger than Vanyarine, was given the rankof General by Stefan and put in charge oforganizing an unit of his new army. Vanyarinewas asked by Diomedes to help him; resentfulwith the younger Diomedes for the higherposition he held, Vanyarine did so with scarceenthusiasm. Despite this the two did a goodjob organizing the fledgeling recruits and themercenary companies into a proper anddisciplined army.In the meantime, Diomedes managed tosecure a profitable marriage soon after hisarrival in Traladara, marrying in AC 971Romana Vorloi, one of the sisters of PhilipVorloi, the wealthy merchant who wasfinancing Stefan Karameikos’ takeover ofTraladara. While he and his cousin were inthe town of Vorloi attending the celebrationsfor the marriage, the Marilenev Rebellionbroke out in Specularum, only to be quicklycrushed by the Grand Duke, with theinstrumental aid of Desmond Kelvin. Even asDiomedes and Vanyarine rushed to theirliege’s side as soon as possible, the hotterfights of the rebellion had already takenplace, and they could only contribute to putdown some additional uprisings which hadtaken place in the capital’s countryside.Desmond Kelvin never passes up theopportunity to remark on Diomedes’ absencefrom the battlefield that day.In the following years, while Diomedes wasbusy maintaining control over westernKarameikos, and building or improving theGrand Duchy’s fortifications on that border(Radlebb Keep and Riverfork Keep),Vanyarine left active military service andentered the Ministry of War under LuciusHyraksos; he was charged with patrolling theeastern coast of Karameikos, south of theDymrak Forest, and overseeing the buildingworks of the Eastron Road to protect themagainst bandit and goblin attacks.While Diomedes’ marriage with RomanaVorloi produced three sons in a row(Xentarion in AC 973, Zenon in AC 977, andGratian in AC 979), Vanyarine tried toimprove his social standing throughmarriage as well. In AC 977 he married themuch-younger last heir of a dying Traladaranfamily, Andjela Grogosula, who brought as adowry her family lands, located on theeastern coast of the Grand Duchy, west ofRugalov. Vanyarine named these landsGlucynthos and received from the GrandDuke the Landed Lord title for them, inreward for his past services, in AC 978. Thisunexpected gift by the Grand Duke lessenedhis resentment toward Stefan Karameikos,and also his nephew, who now was a stepbehind him in the social ladder.VANYARINE S CHILDRENMeanwhile, Vanyarine’s first son, Bessarion,married a Thyatian adventurer and priestessof Valerias, Adrianina Lastarthus, in AC 972.Along with her brother Demetitus, also acleric, she had followed Olliver Jowett’sideas to found a new church in a new land,and had come to Traladara. Unfortunately,this great love of Bessarion died duringchildbirth two years later, leaving him with adaughter, Stephania. For a time, Bessariontried to take care of Stephania himself, butthe pain evoked by the memory of Adrianinawas too much, and he began leavingGlucynthos for longer periods of time,adventuring in the Grand Duchy. Duringthose years he perfected his martial skills,helping both the ducal forces and thepopulation in many areas of the country.102THRESHOLD: The Mystara Magazine Issue #1