Bato
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 Per pale Or and gules, a griffon segreant contourny argent maintaining an acorn proper and a sword argent and on a chief sable two crescents argent. Date added to Roll: N/A | |||||||||||||||||
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Date added to Roll: N/A |
SCA History
Bato has recently changed from his nearly 20 year old persona as Ruland von Bern during the pandemic when he began to research and learn about his own Filipino cultural history.
Highlights and Accomplishments
- Knight (Preferred title Ritter as Rolund von Bern) - Roland was knighted by King Amalric Blackhart at An Tir September Crown 2006.
- As Rolund von Bern he was an officer in a war company called Die Fahnlein von Stockschmerz or more commonly known as the "Company of Stickpain".
Reigns, Championships and Offices
- Datu (Prince) of the Summits reigning with his inspiration Dayang (Princess) Emma von Bern
- 4th Baron of Terra Pomaria
- Served as Defender of the Principality of the Summits
- Twice served as the Baronial Defender of Terra Pomaria
- Served as defender of the Shire of Briaroak
Interests
In the SCA Bato enjoys tournament combat and the occasional war. He is also interested in many different arts and sciences including but not limited to armor making, leather working, woodworking, making garb, and cooking. While he is focusing on studying and recreating Filipino culture for the foreseeable future he loves most traditional European cultures and time periods, in particular the 14th century, 16th century German landsknecht, and Norse culture. They are all cool and he’s like a kid in a candy shop.
In Persona as Bato
Bato is an early to mid 16th century Visayan member of the Tamawo class (Warrior class.) He is middle aged on March 16, 1521, when Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan, attempting to sail around the world for Spain, reached the Philippine archipelago. Bato is from the Eastern Visayas and is of the Warray-Warray ethnic group.
In Persona as Rolund von Bern
Father: Charles von Bern
Mother: Fillipa of Portugal
Date of birth: Sept. 9, 1494
Place of birth: Bern, Switzerland
Prelude
In the year 1493 a child was born that would change the world forever. His name was Maximillion I of Habsburg, the hier to the Holy Roman Empire.
Chapter 1 - Cheating at the Rusty Arquebus
During the autumn of 1514 in the shire of Cour du Val, near the city
Augsburg, the cold biting wind announcing the coming brutal winter to
come, stripped the bright red and gold leaves from their branches, to
reveal the dark green fir trees that will rule the landscape during the
long winter months. A wagon drawn by oxen rolled slowly through the mud
and the muck that had just weeks before had been a bustling road of
commerce. The wagon carried kegs of beer and other goods to be
delivered to the Rusty Arquebus, a small tavern, frequented by the local
rabble and low of station. The sort of place the nobility had no use
for and preferred to pretend did not exist. It was far removed for the
opulent palaces of the Holy Roman Emperor, where burnished gold and fine
white linen were common place. The rain fell steadily making it
difficult to walk and for the heavy laden wagon to move. With each step
of the great oxen the road was churned more and more.
Inside the dimly candle lit tavern was heard the sound of music and
laughter. The crashing of dirty trenchers and crockery. The sound of
heavy tankards of beer being placed soundly upon the sturdy oak tables.
Smoke from the hearth billowed out of the chimney and filled the air as
it mixed with the smell of sausages and cabbages.
In the corner of the room at a small table sat four men playing cards.
All of them had clearly wagered more than they could have afforded to
and all of them had already had far too much to drink. The youngest of
the men, twenty four or twent five years old, was named Ruland. The
three older men were soldiers. Ruland looked at his cards and looked
nervously at the money on the table. The other three men looked
confident that they would win the wager. The first man placed his cards
on the table with a laugh, "Beat that!", The second man, smiled and
placed his cards on the table and said, "Sorry Hans, not good
enough!", the Third man threw his cards down in disgust for his
hand could not win, and he stood and stumbled his way to the bar to get
another tankard of beer. It was Ruland's turn to show his cards. He
smiled at the second man and said, "that is a good hand, Gerhardt, not
easy to beat. Do you want to up the bet, I have one gilder to wager and
make this a bit more interesting. Are you in?" Gerhardt, frowned and
said, "Show your cards!" Ruland agiain challenged him, "Why are
you afraid?" Gerhard insulted but confident he would win the bet,
grabbed his pouch to find what money he had left. With Gerhardt
distracted, Ruland slid the card from under his chair into his hand.
This was sure to improve his hand. Gerhardt finding his last coin
slammed it on to the table and demanded to see Ruland's cards. Ruland
then placed his cards confidently on to the table. Instantly, Gerhard
knew that Ruland was trying to cheat him. The Ace of spades that Ruland
had slipped in to his hand matched the ace of spaded in the hand that
Gerhardt was holding. Gerhardt was enraged and pulled his dagger from
his belt. He was drunk enough and had killed enough men on the battle
field that it would be nothing to end the miserable existence of this
street wretch. Ruland saw the glint of steel in the candlelight and
knew that his attempt to cheat at cards was now revealed and he would
have to make a run for it. Ruland quickly darted for the door. Gerhardt's friend that
had left for the bar saw what was happening and as Ruland passed by him
hit Ruland in the face with his tankard of beer. The clay tankard
shattered spilling beer all over the floor as
Shards of the tankard embed them selves in Ruland's face. He felt
his teeth shatter and tasted the blood and beer mixing as it ran from
his face. Ruland tried to pick himself up from the floor but buy then
Gerardt and Hans had began kicking him on the ground. He felt ribs
break and the air leave is lungs. Cheating at cards did not seem to be
such a bright plan now. The dim candle light of the tavern started to
fade as Ruland slipped into unconsciousness.
Chapter 2 The Falconer and his wife
Ruland awoke with the feeling of the stinging cold rain upon his face
and the slick mud covering him. The smell of oxen dung entered his
nostrils and he was surprised he could smell with his broken nose. More
surprising was that he was alive. He remembered that just as he passed
out he though he would be killed by Gerhardt and his dagger.
"Get up boy!", a voice said. " I said get up! You will surly
die if you stay there in the mud and cold." The cloaked figure
standing over him, extended a hand. Ruland looked at the out reached
hand. "I'm only going to offer it once." Ruland reached up and
took the mans hand. The man helped Ruland up and said, "your not very
good at cards are you? That is a dangerous thing to do, cheat at cards,
if your not good at it. Come with me and I'll get you a meal."
Ruland looked skeptically at the man, he couldn't see his face.
Ruland had no other options and a meal sounded good, he hadn't eaten
for days. Ruland went with the man. They walked through the back
streets and alleys of Cour du Val. They came to a small shop that
looked to be a bakery. The man looked around and then opened the door
and walked in. He beckoned for Ruland to follow. The smell of warm
bread filled the room. They walked to the back where there was a
kitchen and a woman making bread, on the fire was a cauldron of boiling
rabbit stew. The woman looked at he man and without a word said
retrieved a piece of hot bread and a bowl of the stew. She handed it to
Ruland and encouraged him to eat. She looked carefully at Ruland's
cuts and began tending to them by pulling the shards of pottery from the
wounds. The man removed his cloak and hung it near the fire place to
dry. The man then carried a string of 3 rabbits to the chopping block.
He looked a the woman and said, "that is the best bird I have ever had
three rabbits in a single afternoon." The man was a falconer and the
lady was his wife. Ruland said nothing and silently ate the hot food
despite the sting of the salt in the cuts in his mouth.
The man fetched him self a bowl of stew and a small loaf of bread and
sat near the fire. His wife returned to the chopping block to butcher
the fresh rabbits. As Ruland finished his meal and hoped for more,
despite feeling full, because he didn't know when he would eat again,
he said, "my name is Ruland von Bern." The man without turning away
from his meal or his fire, said, "I don't care who you are." His
wife shot a quick glare at her husband and looked at Ruland, with the
sweetest of smiles, "Welcome Ruland, I am Luaithrenn, I am the
falconers wife, and this is my husband Christopher. How is your
stew?." Ruland responded with a quick smile and nod of his head.
"You may sleep here in the kitchen near the fire, for tonight,"
said Luaithrenn. "and tomorrow we will take you to the Graf to see
what shall be done with you."
Chapter 3 The Graf
Ruland did not like the idea of being taken anywhere to have his fate
decided by anyone, but he was too tired and too full to put up a fight.
And the prospect of a warm dry place to sleep appealed to him at the
moment and he could always sneak away in the morning before the
falconer and his wife awoke. Ruland felt something cold and wet sniffing his face and then a
warm wet tounge licked him. He slowly opened his eyes and a small dog
stood near him. Ruland could barely see the dog because his eye was
nearly swollen shut. As he began to focus he saw that the fire in the
fireplace had burned out and was only smoldering. The sunlight was
shining in through a window and the sound of frying meat and the smell
of food filled the kitchen. "Damn!" though Ruland, he had over
slept and would not be able to sneak away now. He slowly stood up and
stretched his sore and aching body. Luaithrenn greeted him with a
cheerful, "Good morning!", as she went about her morning routine of
cooking and baking bread for the day. Ruland responded with a silent
half smile. "we will eat breakfast and then my husband will take you
to the Graf to see what he will do with you." She handed Ruland a
plate with food and he ate.
Christopher came in from the back side of the house through the rear
kitchen door. "it is all arranged." He said, " Graf Berek will
see you today." "What is this Graf Berek like and why is it that he
should decide my fate?" said Ruland. Luaithren replied, "he is a
good, kind and just man that serves the King as the royal patron in this
shire."
After they had finished their breakfast they three walked out of the
bakery to make their way through the bustling streets of the shire to
the Keep of Cour du Val. The rain was gone and the crisp cool autumn
air felt good and fresh as the bright sun warmed their facs. As they
approached the keep's tall grey outer wall Ruland saw the heads of
criminals on the end of pikes lining the roadway. The crows feeding upon
the decomposing flesh of their faces and the eyes cloudy like not quite
cooked egg whites. Their tounges hanging out and swollen as if they
were choking. The sight caused Ruland to become nervous. This would not
be an easy escape should this meeting with the Graf go poorly. Ruland
wondered if Christopher would say anything about him cheating at cards.
While it was not illegal to gamble, it was illegal to cheat at gambling.
Ruland like his head right where it was and did not fancy the idea of
having it on a pike as a warning to other potential criminals.
They entered the main courtyard of the keep through a huge stone
archway with a raised iron portcullis and thick oak doors drawn back.
There were many men training in various forms of combat, with weapons
of many kinds. There were units performing Pike drills, men fighting
with great zweihanders, men fighting with pole hammers and halberds, men
fighting with sword and shields. There were men maintaining cannons and
men shooting Arquebus'. There were men tilting at the quintain and
men marching in formation. One young man a mere eighteen years of age
was dressed in a magnificent suit of armor. He appeared to be directing
many of the soldiers and his commands were instantly obeyed. Ruland
though that the man was far too young to be the Graf. He asked
Luaithrenn, "Is he the Graf?" referring to the young man. "No,"
she said, "that is his son Johannes. He is training his men to go
off to war in the south, near Italy"
As the crossed the Court yard avoiding the soldiers, a courtier, came
forward and greeted the three on behalf of his Excellency the Graf and
he guided them to a great hall where he told them that the Graf would be
with them momentarily. The room was dark with the rich mahogany and
walnut. Great chandeliers with white candles illuminated the room.
Tapestries lined the walls depicting great battles and noble men.
Ruland could only have dreamed that he wuld ever again see such splendor
and finery. He had see such thing before, he had lived in such a place,
he had been born and raised in such a place in his home in Bern.
The great table that stretched the length of the hall was covered with
food. The feast was set for the departure of Lord Johannes and his men.
Ruland was intently looking at the food when the Graf entered the room.
Luaithrenn and Christopher bowed low in respect of the Graf, but Ruland
was far to intent on the food that he did not notice the Graf. "You
are clearly not a cultured man nor a man of manners and etiquette,"
said the Graf. Ruland spun quickly around and saw the Graf and bowed,
"My humble apologies your Excellency! I did not mean to offend..
I pray that you would grand me your forgiveness," said Ruland.
"Well maybe you are a well spoken gentleman after all. I am Graf
Berek von Langental, royal patron of Cour du val. Who are you and how
is it that you have come to have such grace but dress as a commoner?"
asked Berek .
"I am Ruland von Bern, I am the third son of a Swiss nobleman from
the city of Bern. Charles von Bern. When My father died he left all
titles and land to my oldest brother. My second brother joined the
clergy to serve the Cardnal at Worms. An I was left as you can se with
nothing. I have been living on the street for the past two years. And
now I find myself here due to the kindness shown me by your
populace."
"Bern you say?" said Berek, " know of Bern" I was born and
raised in Langental until I left to serve William the Lucky as his
squire in the West Kingdom."
" Why have you come to me?" asked the Graf.
" Your Excellency, I knew that you were looking for men to go off to
war with your son Johannes, so we thought that he may be able to serve
you in that capacity," said Luaithrenn.
"Have you been trained in the arts of war or served in the army?"
asked Berek to Ruland.
"No, your Excellency. I have not," replied Ruland
"Then you would be of no use to me. However, I do find myself not
willing to dismiss you out right. You have endured much and have showed
resiliency and determination to survive. I will have to think upon what
to do with you. Until I decide you may stay here. I h\thank you Lady
Luaithrenn for bringing this young man to me., and Lord Christopher we
thank you for the Rabits you brought," said Berek, "Ruland, my
servant will show you to your quarters."
And with that the Graf promptly left the hall and went on about his
daily business. Luaithrenn and Christopher bade Ruland goodbye and made
way for their home. Ruland went with the Graf's servant to see his
new quarters.
MORE TO COME......
Berek decides to send Roland to Terra Pomaria to serve the Baron. Shortly after Roland was sent off to serve as a squire to Sir William Percival. The Baron falls into a deep depression and goes on a crusade to find the meaning of his soul Roland was left in the care of Sir William, who sank in to an unexplained deep depression, which caused him to take up the cross and crusade in the Holy land in search of his salvation. This left Roland a scavenging street thug, who one day heard the drums of war, and fell into the service of a noble swiss family that had been displaced by the Helvetic confederacy.
Photos as Rolund von Bern
