Commissioned byfor our Dungeons and Dragons world: ZEYTRIA.- The Mercenary Queen Volume OneWhile there have been many famous mercenaries and adventurers throughout Eodora’s history, few have ever perhaps have managed to attain the legend around them or accomplish as much as Crimson Tanya.Believed to have been born somewhere on the border of Oberstaad and Gillidan during the aftermath of The Kings’ War, Tanya grew up as an orphan like many other children at that time. However, because of her warped bloodline, Tanya would find it difficult to find acceptance as tiefling and thus would start adventuring across Eodora early on from her childhood.In the course of her journey, she immersed herself in swordplay, frequently entering in duels and tournaments to make her fortune. Her reputation to seek out the best and challenge them despite her lack of skill gave her an air of audacity and bravado that drew the attention of other outcast adventurers. She would quickly forge close bonds with, forming a mercenary band known as the Grey Griffins, spending the next decade fighting for coin across Eodora.Eventually, a new conflict known as the Black Crusades would arise, driving many to cross the Ivory Strait to the shores of Ubara to fight against the Black Sultanate of Zakar. Tanya and her company would decline to go south, which was fortuitous to say the least, as her company suddenly became the sole defender of the realms unprepared for the arrival of the Hermit. His own origins were mysterious, as well as his goals, but his rousing tirades against the collective monarchies stirred the peasantry to the point of rebellion. The Hermit’s army began threatening villages and towns for food and supplies, turning into little more than a ravaneous mob, slaughtering and burning any villages who stood against them.Unable to stand by and see innocents get slaughtered while the kingdoms remained preoccupied with funding their war efforts overseas, Tanya and her mercenary company offered their services to the gathered rulers. Sadly, they had no gold to give them, but Tanya put forth one of her famous audacious proposals: grant them a piece of land to settle and maintain and in return, they will end the Hermit’s reign of terror. With little recourse, the rulers agreed, with the caveat that the land would be where they would defeat the Hermit.Instead of rushing out to face the zealots, the Grey Griffons took their time, waiting for them to pass through choice land they would fight for. This angered the rulers, but there was little they could do until the day finally dawned that the mercenaries rode out. Stahlland, a small region in the south of Gillindan, proved to be the battleground, a fertile valley plain on the edge of the Great Lake. Not only would it be a prize worthy of defending, but the pass into it would also bottleneck the numbers of the Hermit’s army. With a small force that was dwarfed by the Hermit’s numbers the mercenaries held fast and broke them wave by wave.For their victory, ownership of the region of Stahlland would fall to Tanya and her commanders. She would end up becoming its first queen with her close allies raised to the rank of nobility. Word of her rags-to-riches tale inspired many others to take up arms in defense of their homes, ensuring that no one like the Hermit could rampage across the land again. Soon, swarms of would-be sellswords migrated into Stahlland, transforming it into the mercenary capital of Eodora overnight.Tanya proved to be a ruler, described by her peers as a mailed fist within a velvet glove. While she personally believed she had no talent for statecraft, her time as queen saw the land prosper, allowing for the creation of the first constitutional monarchy to implemented in Eodora. Wanderlust often tugged at her, knowing greater and grander adventures awaited in far off lands, but her sense of duty and responsibility prevented her from doing so.Thanks to Tanya’s tiefling lifespan, her reign came to a conclusion after forty years, enjoying the good and weathering the bad that came with it. She would peacefully step down from her position as queen and allow for her subjects to vote for the next worthy ruler, elected from Stahlland’s nobility, an act seen as both very controversial, and yet, so bold. Once Tanya saw that her land was in good hands, she took up her famed sword Crimson Kiss and left for lands unknown.Her continuing ventures have been sparsely recorded, but she has reportedly traveled the length and breadth of the world. She remains a living legend to this day, not only to the people of Stahlland but to many aspiring adventurers.TWITTER: twitter.com/Blazbaros PATREON: www.patreon.com/blazbaros