"Without a sign his sword the brave man draws, And asks no omen but his country's cause." - Alexander Pope

The Champions of Vida's Tear Covenant

Boyko Kostov

The youngest son in an unremarkable family of farmers, Boyko has always been dour of countenance and unsatisfied with his lot. His strength and natural endurance, coupled with his lack of tenderness, led him to take a position as a slaughterman, his skill with the hammer leading to him serving the entire community. It was whilst working on one of the most remote farmsteads that he made his name. A boar, driven by hunger, attacked a farmhand in the fields and Boyko grabbed his hammer and went to the man's aid. The creature was a fierce opponent and Boyko was trampled and gored, losing an eye to the creature, before he summoned up the energy to rise up again and slay the creature. When this story got back to the covenant he was asked if he wished to take a position as a champion and he accepted, seeing it as a chance to rise sufficiently in standing to take a wife.

Since then he has carried out his work diligently although he has no great passion for it. He has however managed to distinguish himself to the current magi by playing his part in the slaying of a bear for which he now wears one of its teeth on a leather thong around his neck. He has also travelled to Varna where he bears considerable enmity to the landlord of 'The Golden Glory, tavern for an attack upon one of his comrades. While he was there he bought a sheep so that he might one day breed her and develop his own flock for the day when he retires from service.

Galin Balev

Galin's family had served the covenant as champions for many years but being born with a twisted leg it seemed to his father that it was unlikely his son would inherit his position and thus he apprenticed him to the village smith. A naturally optimistic man however, Galin never doubted for a moment that he would continue to honour his family's position and he worked tirelessly to hone his skills in the martial arts, training with the sword whenever his duties to the smith would allow. A not unintelligent man he also studied hard in the arts of leadership and barely out of his teenage years it was in one of the attacks upon the covenant that he rallied a number of the champions when it seemed that the fight was going badly and himself demonstrated his prowess in battle. Since then he has resided within the covenant and whilst his slow pace means he does not venture far beyond the village he has risen to be one of the most trusted of the grogs, honoured with the title of custos. He has continued to develop his skills as a weapon smith and has also learned a fair amount of the craft of chirurgy.

A kind man he has recently been training the daughter of Magus Lucca and has developed quite a fondness for her. It is his hope that he will be granted permission to ask for her hand and one day raise another generation of champions to continue his family's proud tradition.

Milko Sarac

Milko is a short, thin man, with a pointy weasel like nose, shaggy long brown hair and an impressive smile that seems to make up for the rest of his appearance. Born youngest son to the Sarac family, one of the largest families in the village. Milko would constantly get himself into trouble from a young age. Loud, lippy, light fingered and always forward when it came to women, there were many occasions where his fast feet, skilled fists or sheer luck kept him from the end of an angry fathers pitching fork. Always a push over for a pretty girl. It was lucky that the bellies of his frequent lady friends never became swollen. Many people in the village thought he'd never make anything of his life, more still were surprised when he was chosen to be a candidate for champion that year. However once his talents and energies where focussed in a more practicle way, the choice was clearly a good one. Far from slacking his duties as some people suspected he would, Milko took the covenants trust in him to heart. He also used the position as an opportunity to make up for his past indiscretions that had so upset his family.

Milko for fills his role in the covenant as a scout and hunter. Even after several years of discipline Milko is still a creature of habit, still a ladies man, a bit lippy, a bit of a thief and a rascal at heart, However he's also fiercely loyal to the covenant and is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. As Captain Viorel has said on several occasions, "Milko, he's a weasely little shite, But he's our weasely little shite". Over the past few years he has taken an interest in all things magical, after Magus Laertes first explained the principles of wards to him.

Toma Grubo

Toma is a short, stocky man with straggled brown hair and beard. Whilst he takes little care of his appearence, he is ofen seen waxing his bow or painstakingly crafting new arrows.

A skilled archer, Toma is very proud of his accuracy and prowess with the bow. Whilst he's a man of few words, he jumps at the chance to match his skills in competition with anyone he meets who thinks themselves a competant archer. A reasonable tracker and hunter, he came to the notice of the turb captain during one of the many attacks on the village. His skill was quickly recognised and he was promoted to the grogs. Only then was it discovered that he had the gift of second sight, sometimes allowing him to see ghosts and other invisible entities.

Whilst certainly not a recluse, Toma appears keeps himself to himself most of the time. He tends to avoid conversation because of his cleft palette, which makes it very difficult for him to communicate clearly. When he wants to listen to a conversation he will tilt his head so that his good ear (his left) is facing the speaker. His right ear was mauled by an animal when he was young, and he virtually hears nothing from that side.

Yan Balev

an is the latest in a lineage of champions to serve the covenant and is keen to ensure that the family name of 'Balev' remains well respected within the village. He is very close to his brother 'Galin' who also serves as a champion (much to the pride of their doting father, 'Sabas'). He is married to 'Rumiana' and they have a son named 'Illan' who is newly born. His only great ambition is to see his son grow up to serve as a champion like his father and uncle.

Yan is a reckless man, who often does not recognise the danger he is in until he finds himself in considerable peril. As a result he bears many scars, including a vicious one on his face which looks as if it was made by a large animal. His recklessness is also reflected in his over-generous nature. He often gives away any coin that he might earn and even give away a weapon to someone who needed it more. When outside the covenant or the village he tries to keep close to the others in his squad. He is notoriously poor at following even the most simple directions, and has managed to get himself slightly lost even navigating unfamiliar parts of the main keep.

Zvonimir

Now in his mid-twenties, Zvonimir's natural physical prowess and innate skill with an axe were such that he was declared a champion when he was only sixteen. He is a large, muscular, aggressive man with a thick shock of black hair and a plaited beard. While some of the champions may like to kick back with an ale when times are quiet, Zvonimir loathes sitting still and is always impatient to up on his feet doing something. Needless to say, when wounded, which given his reckless manner is not too infrequent an occurrence, he makes a terrible patient.

However, despite his fierce demeanour and quick temper, he remains close to his family. They dwell in the main village where Radislav, his father, is the thatcher. Although he has not taken a wife yet, he does have a young niece and a nephew whom he keeps a careful eye on.

Always in the thick of the action when a big fight occurs, Zvonimir bears his numerous scars with a fierce pride. During the major clan assault in the Spring of 1189, Zvonimir was the sole champion on duty in the main compound when the clan breached the main gate. Greatly outnumbered, he fought furiously, slaying two of the tribesmen and a bear, before collapsing from his wounds. He carries thick scars on his face as a reminder of that time, indeed it was only through magical healing provided by the magi that he survived. He also lost an ear in the autumn of 1190 when the village was assailed by a small army of the risen dead.

Yevgenni

A fat and friendly man, Yevgenni is one of the most popular champions with the village folk. As might be guessed by his status as a champion, his jolly demeanour and unfit appearance belie a doughty toughness and a capability to keep going when other men might give up. However, his fitness has been recently been undermined by a near mortal blow that he suffered during one of the many skirmishes with the tribes which collapsed a lung and now sees Yevgenni occasionally short of breath. He is a compassionate soul, always ready to lend a friendly ear if one of the villagers is feeling anxious, especially if they offer him a mug of ale or some food while they tell him of their troubles.

Yevgennis is in his mid thirties and happily married to Katarina, who has born him three children, Dragan, Yelena and Ivan. He dotes upon his family, always making a point of buying them new clothes and other presents when his service to the magi takes him to Varna or even Constantinople. Of late, this has meant regular gifts for his family for he has become the prime contact between Magus Lucca and Leonidas, his merchant contact in Varna. The versatile Yevgenni also often acts as the covenant's chirurgeon and lends the carpenter a competent hand when there is a big project to be undertaken.

Kyril

The son of the village elder, Kyril is himself entering middle-age, but though his beard is now flecked with grey, his physical prowess is as yet undiminished by time. A tall man with heavy bones and a thick hide, he is well built for the punishing life as one of the village champions. In battle, he is an inspiring figure, though this is more through his heroic savagery at the point of the conflict than any particular talent organisation or more thoughtful leadership. Prone to boasting about his exploits, Kyril is keen to test himself against any opponent, believing that his skill at arms will see him through as it has in the past. In quieter times, Kyril is known to enjoy his drink and he has something a loose tongue, particularly where religion is concerned, for he has little time for priests and their ilk.

Hristo

Hristo is a fine archer and outdoorsman, seemingly able to conjure an inviting shelter in even the least hospitable climes. He is used to hiking through the hills and forests around Vida's Tear, and he is able to set a pace that few an match for long. Hristo is gregarious and talkative by nature, and he is the source of much of the village gossip, for he has an unerring knack for uncovering secrets and circulating them around the village folk. Whether his indiscretion is malicious or unconscious is a matter of some debate, but it is well understood that he congenitally unable to keep a secret.