Red Russel

Red Russel

Red Russel is a giant of a man. 7' and massively strong. A blacksmith since birth, a master since he was 18, he is just 70 years of age and doesn't seem to be slowing down. He eats voraciously.

He is the blacksmith of a warrior family and has spent many years working at the forge in castle and in the field. A traveling forge works of at least five wagons is his home in the war camps where he makes everything from horseshoes to fine weaponry. He makes chains, small knives, and eating utensils recreationally. A three piece set of tableware made by him is a treasured gift for those who receive them. The eating kit is a two tine fork, spoon and knife, a flint stone, and a corkscrew.

His apprentices over the years have gone on to be masters themselves and having been trained by Red Russel they have found their reputations greatly increased and they have found high positions of their own.

While a worksman and an artisan he has seen his share of battle. He is known to wield a might spiked hammer in battle. The rumor is that he has declined knighthood on the field several times claiming it would take him away from the forge and his true profession.

He is known to sing loudly and has a fine singing voice. His apprentices learn to sing with him. His songs are all set to rhythms of the forge. Slow hammering, fast hammering, stoking the fires, shoveling coal, cleaning the forge out, packing the wagons, unpacking the wagons and setting up the forge. His might singing voice has been part of the warcamp memories for whoever has served huis lord. Many enemies over the years have commented that they knew Red Russel was in the enemy camp by his constant singing.

He has been imprison for over a year and has no idea why. He thinks his songs may have gotten to political making jest at the king and his lord sought to silence him. He feels betrayed by a lord he honorably served his whole adult life. He thinks if he can get free it may be time to see more of the work and find a new forge far from this land. Where he has no idea.

Rats have learned that entering his cell is death. He can hear them skitter and is deadly accurate with a throne rock. He has no problem eating them raw either, to keep up his strength.

He keeps up his spirits hunting rats and singing, loudly.

Notes

Red Russel was working for the Princess Irena of Fiorn. (A small independent state in the region. Her brother had been killed in the Royal Palace just over a year before.) Fiorn was fighting with the Marquis de Calablé - over a piece of land claimed by both, but outside the Kingdom. You found yourself arrested after singing a song about Foxes in the Hen House. It seemed to have angered both the enemy troops and your employer.

In your dreams of late, you have been hearing a constant, consistent rhythmic tapping. Not quite like metal work, but similar.

Also: the Princess had you working with steel and silver only.

Your Cells: the cells are about 3 paces wide by 5 paces deep. Each has a massive iron bound wooden door which is barred on the outside, and locked with two bolts into the stone frame from within the door. There is a pallet of stone built into a side wall, typically the leftward from the door. At about 10' above the floor, on the side opposite the pallet are 1 or more massive iron rings which are used to mount chains and manacles when there is a need for extra security or punishment. high up on the wall away from the door, or sometimes in the ceiling, there is a barred window about 4 feet down a stone shaft. The window is at most two foot by two foot. The window, or the barred 'window' (about 8"x8") at 8 to 9 feet up on the door, is the only source of light. About once a season, you are allowed a lamp or candle with which to read scripture, or to read/sign a confession. There is a corner of the cell, slightly lower than the others, with a very small hole which is apparently for waste. The guards use buckets filled with cold sea water or warm other liquids to wash the cell about once a month. You are often 'washed' during this.

You were all 'arrested' or detained at some point. What followed was a windowless carriage pulled by 7 black horses arriving, and you being placed within. The Carriage Ride took about a full day. Maybe more, maybe less. The Carriage spent the vast majority of the trip alone on the road. Sounds of other transport or people occurred at most three times during the trip. At the end, you were removed from the carriage in a stand of trees, with a cloth screen blocking your view. At this time a velvet bag was placed over your head, and secured with cord. You were led on foot for some distance, until you were guided into a wooden vessel of some sort. You could feel a freshening breeze, and smell salt air, and sea. You vessel was rowed for a time, perhaps an hour? and upon disembarking you walked across, sand, gravel, and paving stones. You passed through two or more gates, and then were led indoors. From here it was hurried travel in sooty, foul smelling corridors, going up and down one to three stairways, until you were placed in your cell, the hood was removed, your escorts backed away, and the door closed with what at the time was a terrible finality.