It was dark… nothing in sight but darkness… but a voice could be heard. It’s hard to make it out, then the child opened his eyes. From his eyes, he finds his parents waking him up by saying, “Getting up Herman, time for farm work today.”
This boy’s name is Herman Beckete, a boy of 15 of black hair with blue eyes and white skin but covered in dirt as baths are hard to come by these days. He lives in a world of magic, knights, feudal systems, serfdoms, holy wars, fantasy creatures, dragons, and every once in a while a wide spread plague that kills a lot of people. One could call this world a dream and others would call this nightmare; Herman is born a peasant boy to woman name Emilia and a man named Fredrick Beckete. He was born and lives outside of a town called Mittweida in the Kingdom of Saxony.
Herman to his parents is smarter than a normal peasant as the lad headed to the barn to his latest invention. When the family isn’t using the field to farm in the winter, he used the opportunity to dig a hole in the ground to find the water of the well to build pipes and pumps to bring the water up to the ground. With this invention, he started pumping the machine and the water started to come up the pipes in the field to water the crops. His father who is feeding the horses, “You know son, I think we might have a better harvest this year than usual thank to that thing you made.”
Herman still pumping with his hands, “I need to improve it to where it can pump itself.”
His father jokingly, “But then I wouldn’t have a strong boy here.”
Herman asks his father, “I need a few things from the town.”
His father smiling, “What is it this time?”
Herman asks, “I need some saltpeter, can I have some?”
The man turned to his son, “That’s a weird thing to ask… sure, I guess.”
Fredrick getting on his horse, “What do you need it for?”
Herman replied, “I want to use it for an experiment.”
Fredrick then headed to town on his horse while Herman was thinking of how to make this pump work by itself. The boy would like to do less chores around the house so he can spend more time with his thoughts like most boys his age. Though Herman was an outcast to most people in the town because how he saw things. He didn’t believe in the gods of the world, he believes all intelligent life is equal, women are equal to men, and slavery should be abolished. These values get him in trouble a lot to where he is ban from visiting the town which is the lightest punishment they could offer.
Herman brought up many radical ideas to the town that the church saw as acts against the church. He gave an idea that the world is round 3 years ago which is what got him ban, but they haven’t excommunicated him as they believe when he reaches 16 then he will mature and ask forgiveness. Herman however doesn’t care about forgiveness and just wants to understand the world he lives on. After he spends 2 hours pumping, he finally stopped and then proceed to the part of the barn that he made stuff.
Herman went to the table to grab a bag of black powder, “Let’s see this again.”
He put the powder in metal tube with one end sealed, then puts a lead ball in as he writes in his book, “The wooden ball didn’t work and the iron ball works but what about lead.”
He takes the lube out back behind the barn and puts a long fuse in the tube then points it towards a tree. He grabs a torch and has it next to the fuse, “The black powder test: 36, will now begin.”
He then lights the fuse then puts the torch to the side while the fuse burns its way in the barrel. Then he picks up the tube and aims it at the tree then the powder explodes, and the lead ball came out of tube at a high speed and hitting the tree. Herman drops the gun as the tube was hot, “Fuck! That’s hot!”
He looked at the tree, “At least lead works, I wonder if I could find a way to be able to use this without burning my hands.”
The boy walks over to the tree he shot at to examine the impact, “Wow that went in deep.”
As he was examining it, he then had an idea, “What if I use wood to make a stock for it like a crossbow.”
10 years later…
The sound of gun shots could be hear outside the town as the people watches a man walks into the tavern to get a drink. The man was Herman but taller, older, with better guns, and black coat as it was fall, grey hat, white shirt, black pants, and black boots. The bartender gave him some ale, “You know that you shouldn’t drink on today because the church…”
Herman asks, “Do you see anyone enforcing it, Hans?”
Hans shrugs, “Fair.”
Then group of men came through the door in knight’s armor as the leader spoke, “It’s time to collect taxes.”
Hans grabs a bag of silver, “I hope this is enough.”
The leader grabs the bag and looks inside, “Yes it is, have a pleasant day.”
The men left as Hans sighs, “They increased the tax again.”
Herman in annoyance, “We aren’t at war and there isn’t any disasters going on. They have no reason to increase it.”
Hans cleaning the pints, “We are just peasants while the lords and kings tell us how much to pay and how to live.”
Herman rolls his eyes, “The system is bullshit.”
Then Herman pulled out a device then places it on the table, the device had a hand crank on the side which he whined it back then let go of it. The device then slowly started making noise, but the noise was soft and calm. Hans humming to it, “I like this thing you made, what do you call it?”
Herman drinking a little before saying, “A music box.”
Hans asks, “You think you can make one for my daughter, I can pay you of course.”
Herman smiles, “Sure thing, my price is to be able to come here to drink.”
Hans laughs a bit then asks, “How has your mom been doing since your father died?”
Herman replies sadly, “She has been lonely and doesn’t want to leave the house.”
The door opens to reveal a figure wearing a black cloak to hide their identity. Hans looks at the figure, “Hey remove the hood, I don’t like shadowy character who like to hide their identity under a cloak.”
The figure looks at Hans as they removed hood to reveal to be a female elf with long white hair and green eyes. Hans continuing to clean his cups, “What do you want?”
The elf in shyly replies, “Just a room for the day.”
Hans tosses a key to her, “Third door on the left upstairs.”
She caught the key and sits on the bar stool, “You got anything to eat?”
Hans replies, “I can get my wife to cook up a chicken with some vegetables but that will be 50 gold.”
The elven woman places 50 gold coins on the table and Hans grabs them then headed to the back. Herman asks, “What is an elf doing being in a land this far south from home?”
She replies, “I came to see a man who made a new weapon.”
Herman in interest, “What kind of weapon?”
She thinks for a moment before thinking, “Well according to the stories, the weapon makes a loud noise as it makes a small stone fly… the stone is going at a speed that goes through armor and kills the target or wounds them. The weapon can apparently be used by anyone and I want to know if the stories are true.”
Herman turns to an empty bottle on a table about 10 meters from him, “Like this?”
He pulls out his pistol and shoots the bottle which the elf in shock, “Yes.”
He put the gun away as he asks, “They actually tell stories of me up north?”
The elf replies, “Well rumors… they say that there is no magic involved.”
Herman nods, “No magic involved is correct.”
The man gets on his feet, “I got to get back to work.”
The elf woman grabs his arm, “You must help me.”
Herman in confusion, “I’m not a bounty hunter or mercenary, fighting isn’t my thing.”
She replies, “I don’t need a fighter, I just need someone could make them.”
Herman looks at her, “Well I can’t work for you either, I work for the king.”
The elf stops as Herman begins to run away, Hans came in the food, “Sorry about the wait…”
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Hans saw Herman running away, “Did he tell you that he works for the king?”
The elf looks at him, “Yes.”
Hans laughing a bit, “Well that is not entirely true, he just has a contract with the army to make them weapons. He hasn’t signed it yet…”
She shouts in anger, “THAT FOOL! HOW DARE HE LIES TO ME!”
She reveals her bow and gets an arrow and heads out the door until she turns around to her food, “I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday, I need to eat first.”
Hans writing in a book, “Can I have a name for the logbook?”
She replies, “Zylna.”
Hans asks, “Last name?”
Zylna replies, “Bernadotte.”
Hans smiling as he closes the book, “Well Zylna, it’s 5 gold a night. My name is Hans Scholz and if need anything, please let me know.”
Zylna asks, “What is the name of that fool who lied to me and ran off?”
Hans laughs a bit before saying, “Herman Beckete, he lives outside of town with his mother.”
Meanwhile…
Herman arrives at his home where his mother awaits him, “Hello Mom.”
His mother comes up to hug him as he got the house, “My son…”
Herman hugs her back until his mom asks, “Are you going to sign that contract you were offered?”
Herman looks at her, “I’m not sure… who is going to take care of you when I’m gone?”
His mother’s red and grey hair blowing from the wind which she got control of her hair before saying, “Herman, don’t worry about me. I’m going to be fine as long as you send me letters.”
He laughs a bit until he heads inside the house with the supplies his mother asked him to bring which was a few food items. He takes his shoes off outside the house first then he gets inside to put on the Pantoffeln then sets the bag on the table. His mother grabs some items out and starts cooking, “Don’t play with your tools and weapons on the dinner table.”
Herman rolls eyes, “I’m not, Mom.”
His mom looks out the window, “You should take a short nap as well.”
Herman taking off his coat, “Mom, I’m 25 years old. I don’t need to nap now.”
His mom replies coldly, “I will stop bossing you around when you get married.”
Herman taking off his hat, “Mom, I’ll find a wonderful girl one day…”
His mom ranting, “If I die and you are still not married, I will boss you around from the grave… better yet I will refuse to die until I see grandchildren.”
Herman then goes to his room and stands over his desk where his blueprints and letter on top of them. The letter from the king himself, the king saw him at the range event a month ago where he just tested out his rifle and hit the target further than anyone with a bow. The letter asks if he could make more of them and train soldiers how to use them. Herman came a long way from the tube that shot a ball of lead to a rifle that can shoot up seven rounds before reloading.
The king did promise good pay and he was thinking, “But what would he do with this weapon?”
He looks out from the window to see a man in a black cloak and military officer hat on a black horse riding to the house. Herman in surprise and shock, “It can’t be…”
He runs outside to see this person was the person he was thinking of as the rider was getting closer. The rider starts waving to Herman and he could now see the rider’s face better, it was his uncle. Herman asks as the rider slows down 20 feet from him, “Uncle Heinrich?”
Heinrich stops the horse and jumps off the horse, “After all this time, I didn’t think you would remember me. What has it been, 6 years now?”
Herman shakes his uncle’s hand and Heinrich in joy, “My you have gotten stronger than the last time we met. How has it been?”
Herman smiling, “It’s been great…”
Then he got a little sad, “Dad died a year ago.”
Heinrich nods, “My brother was a good man and raised a good son.”
Herman asks, “What brings you here?”
Heinrich grabs his shoulder as he leads the young man inside, “I have two weeks off, so I wanted to visit the family.”
Herman in confusion, “Don’t you have a wife and children?”
Heinrich sighs, “Sadly no, I spent so much time in the military that I forgot to do that. I hope you don’t do the same.”
Herman rolls his eyes as the two headed inside, Heinrich looks at Emilia, “You are still the beautiful woman my lucky brother married.”
Herman’s mother turns to see Heinrich, “You are not dead yet?”
Heinrich laughing at her dark humor then sitting down, “Have you been keeping up with taxes?”
Herman sitting down across from him, “Yes, thanks to new farming tools and system I made. How is military life?”
Heinrich removing his hat, “I’m a commander for the South Eastern Army of Prussia.”
Heinrich Beckete is from the northern kingdom of Prussia which is one of the most powerful human kingdoms in the continent. He moved to the kingdom for the Prussian ideals that Fredrick and the family doesn’t understand, Prussia is one of the human kingdoms that want to unite all the human kingdoms, grand duchies, and free cities into an empire. It was an idea that was started many decades ago when the kobolds in the west fought the continent 6 times and won 4 times. At the time the kobolds were ruled by an emperor that created the idea of nationalism and was a military mastermind. But ultimately the fey from the isles north of the kobolds with the human kingdoms, the goliaths to the east of Prussia, and minotaurs from the south of the kobolds defeated the emperor and sent him to an island far from the nation he used to rule to die.
Emilia smiles a bit, “So you are close by.”
Herman asks, “Is it true that the centaurs tried to rebel against the goliath to regain independence a year ago?”
Heinrich replies, “They did and failed, centaurs are strong and proud warriors that don’t give up hope. But they were no match for the might of the goliaths, their tsar is the tallest and strongest of them all.”
Herman shows the letter form the king to Heinrich, “The king wants to offer me a position to make weapons for the military.”
Heinrich chuckles a bit, “Of course, it would be unwise to not use that mind of yours.”
Herman showing concern, “But I don’t know if I should.”
Heinrich reaches over to pat his shoulder, “I’m real sure that you would come up with an answer when you are sure.”
Herman’s mother bickers, “Off the table.”
Herman getting his letter off the table, “Yes Mom.”
Heinrich got a good laugh from this then says, “If you want to, you can come to Prussia and I can take you under my wing. I can make you a good look man that makes all the girls fall for you.”
Emilia replies, “Well where are your women then Heinrich, I don’t see any women falling for you.”
Herman got a good laugh from that, Heinrich looking at her, “I see you are still tough as the day we met.”
She replies, “You bet your tongue, now dinner will be ready in two hours, so get to work or something.”
The two men got up and Heinrich went to get changed to not get his uniform dirty so the two can do outside work but keep his saber. Herman then headed to the fields to show his uncle how easy it is to water the fields. Heinrich looks at Herman who stood next to the pump, “Watch this.”
Herman then pumps the machine once and it continued to pump for him which Heinrich looks at the field as water starts coming from the ground to the surface, “This is amazing, but how do you stop it?”
Herman then grabs the handle to stop it and the water stops coming up from the ground. He then let’s go the handle, “Like that.”
Heinrich joking, “Are you trying to find lazier ways to do things?”
Herman then grabs his rifle, “You want to watch me shoot?”
Heinrich looks at the weapon, “I never seen a weapon like that, I’m interested.”
The two went behind the barn as Herman was explaining the rifle and this one had a lever to reload it. Herman points at a stag about 300 meters away, “I’m going to kill it.”
Heinrich seeing this as impossible, “What?”
Herman then pulls the trigger of the rifle and takes the deer down which impressed his uncle. Heinrich shock, “Do you know what you made?”
Herman smirking, “A weapon that hits things farther than any bow.”
Heinrich correcting him, “More than that Herman… think about an army where each soldier is equipped with those. The ability to be out of range of your enemies and still kill them, you saved many lives on your side but killed many more on your enemy’s side.”
He sits down on the nearby box, “A nation with that kind of army would fear no one and will use it to their advantage. New tactics will be made and change the world in their own image. In the wrong hands, the battles might be bloodier and more brutal.”
Herman asks, “Are you tell me that was I created is bad?”
Heinrich replied, “No, I’m telling you can benefit the world but for the better and worst. But only you can determine what you do with it, is it a weapon of peace or destruction.”
Herman stilling down next to him, “If I made this for the kingdom of Saxony?”
Heinrich thinking out loud, “Well Saxony have for a long-time side with Austria but maybe with this weapon, they might try to dominate them then Prussia. But knowing the current king, he will continue follow Austria which they don’t want to unite the human kingdoms.”
Herman asks, “Why? Wouldn’t it benefit them if they unite us humans?”
Heinrich explaining politics, “You see Herman, Austria already has it’s empire but it’s not entirely human. The Archduke is half human and half dark elf which came from the marriage from the dark elf kingdom of Hungary. Most of the human kingdoms and grand duchies want don’t want the dark elves, vampires, and gods forbid the orcs of the peninsula.”
Herman relaxing, “You know a lot of politics for being a commander.”
Heinrich revealing a flask to drink from, “Military life mixes with everything in Prussia, politics is something I have to sit and listen to.”
Herman asks, “Can I have some?”
His uncle passed it to him then looks out to see someone on horseback riding to them. Heinrich getting a better look, “Were you expecting someone?”
Herman looking at the rider, “I wasn’t anyone coming here.”
Heinrich pats his saber and got up as Herman with his rifle in hand and pistol in his pocket got up. The rider got close enough where they could see them which Heinrich raises his hand. The rider stops their horse about 15 meters from them as the uncle demandingly spoke, “State your business.”
The rider removes her hood to reveal herself which Herman recognizing her from the tavern, “How did you find me?”
Heinrich asks, “A girlfriend?”
Herman and Zylna quickly snapped, “NO!”
Heinrich with his hand off the sword, “Either way, welcome to Bechete Residence. I’m Herman’s uncle, Heinrich Beckete.”
Zylan looks at him closely, “Well I’m here for your nephew…”
Herman shouts, “Don’t say it like that!”
Heinrich poking fun at them, “Oh my, you are quite popular with elvish girls. Your father would be proud, if your mother were out here right now, she would demand the grandchildren now.”
Then Herman’s mother came outside, “Grandchildren? Where?”
She looks directly at Heinrich and Herman, “I just see two lazy men with no children…”
Then she looks at the elf, “Hello, I don’t think we met before.”
Zylna smiles, “I’m Zylna Bernadotte, pleasure to meet you…”
Emilia came over to her, “Get off that horse and come inside, let these fools get back to work while we stay inside.”
Zylna being confused but not going to fight back let herself being escorted inside the house. Herman spoke, “That poor girl…”
Heinrich thinking out loud, “Bernadotte… I feel like I heard that name before, but I can’t explain it.”
He then shrugs, “Well turn off the water and what else?”
Herman went over to turn off the water, “Well the horses, cows, and pigs got food so nothing else needs to be done.”
Heinrich asks, “Did your father tell you about the secret stash?”
Herman in confusion, “Secret stash?”
He then Herman to the barn and start stomping on a certain area of the barn were the floor was made of wood. Then he stomped hard enough to break the wood to reveal a few bottles of alcohol, “This secret stash.”
The young man looks at the stash in shock, “What the…”
His uncle wasting no time grabs a bottle, “Your father and I spent a lot of time drinking when where younger.”
Herman leaning on the wall on the barn, “You know I never understood why you leave.”
Heinrich opening the bottle, “You see young man, your father taught you to be a good man like your Opa taught him. But they never taught you about the world, they never let you explore, and the Saxon Army doesn’t go anywhere.”
Herman asks, “Will you take me with you?”
Heinrich laughing a bit before saying, “Ask your mother.”
The younger man looks at his uncle in disappointment, “You know Mom isn’t going to let that happen.”
The older man jokingly, “Tell her you will come back with a wife and she might let you.”
Then the two hearing Herman’s mother calling them in for food which they followed inside. Herman asking his uncle, “What is the outside world like?”
Heinrich replies, “Which part? The north is cold, snows most of the time, and the elven women are beautiful. The south is filled with orcs and vampires either controlled by Austria or by the yuan-tis, then there is the independent dwarven nation of Greece. The east are the many species under the goliaths who live in a land where the winter season can single handedly stop an invasion. The west has our long-time enemies of the kobolds, our ally the fey, and to the south of the kobolds is the minotaurs and tritons.”
Herman in seriousness, “I mean is the world beautiful?”
His uncle nods, “No matter what, the world is beautiful."