Lyn Ityqu

Lyn Ityqu "Uarzec" (RL. "Straw-hair") born circa 1656 somewhere in northwestern Elwynn, is a standard bearer in the Ŝḥenĉeł'yh, Prince of Clan Lynnaśei, and Count of Lowbrook. He is known for his appearance, having a handsome, northern Benacian coloration, as well as being quick to anger and protective of his honor.

Ade, daheŝepq, au napem o'oteme, sem qyuhese! Heh!

—"Of course, truly pretty, but if you tell him to his face, he'll stick you with his blade! Ha!"

Childhood

Taken as a slave in 1660 as part of a ranging into northern Benacia, Lyn was sold to the Clan Ḥek°yryne. Lyn's choleric disposition and agreeable, fair appearance led him to be selected to serve as a house servant for the prince's retinue, as an amusement. It is unclear which northern Benacian ethnicity Lyn descends from.

The boy earned his first count of ł'yġe at the age of 9 years, disarming an inexperienced retainer of his prince, Baryś Qetyžqu from Clan Teuycože, and making an escape of the clan encampment at Stonetree, to avoid continued use by his prince's retinue. He was picked up over a month later by members of the Neemonim, on patrol along the Kalgachi border. Using Baryś Qetyžqu's dagger, still in his possession, as proof, he claimed to be a free Laq of Clan Naśeiyn, an unaffiliated Black Laqi clan whose territory lay in the northeastern disputed zone near the Mishalan frontier.

Upon deposit with Clan Naśeiyn, Lyn immediately pledged his dagger to its prince.

The Young Retainer

In 1667 AN, as part of the Republic of Inner Benacia's integration into the Raspur Pact, Clan Naśeiyn and others in the disputed zones were invited under a banner of friendship to Stonetree. At the convening of this expanded Dolmen, the Ḥekwryn Retinue confronted Lyn and appealed to the Prince of Naśenin for restitution. The Dolmen sat in court over the matter between the two clans.

The Prince of Teuycož identified Lyn's dagger as the one he had fashioned for his nephew, Baryś. Members of the Ḥekwryn Retinue, including those who had been released back to their home clans, were called forth to positively identify Lyn as their slave boy. More than once, the retainers declared his comely, pale, blonde-haired appearance as noteworthy.

The Prince of Naśeiyn vowed to return Baryś's dagger, but refused to return Lyn, arguing that the young man had demonstrated a Laqi heart, that Lyn had earned the necessary ł'yġe to qualify as a free member, and that the Prince had made him a retainer.

Eventually, it was decided by the Dolmen that Baryś's dagger would be returned, but that Lyn's status would be determined through the outcome of a blood duel between Lyn and Baryś, to confirm whether Lyn was deserving of ł'yġe over the noble Laq. In the fight, Lyn successfully drew first blood. In the end, Baryś decided to gift his dagger back to Lyn, declaring before the Dolmen that it had been rightfully earned, and that he already owned a replacement, gifted to him by the Prince of Ḥekwryn after he had regained ł'yġe in the border skirmishes in Lywall.

Lyn would continue to serve as a Naśeiyn retainer throughout his adolescence and young adulthood.

Ŝḥenĉeł'yh

In 1680 AN, the Laqi clans of southwestern Benacia received word of interest in recruiting mercenaries to fight for Kaiseress Salome. The Prince of Naśeiyn, expecting ample wealth from such campaigning, sent three of his brethren and several retainers, including Lyn, along with a small host of yeomen and slaves. Once there, the the nobles and retainers bought commissions in the Ŝḥenĉeł'yh, and registered their entourage as fighters. Lyn and his entourage were registered into the Myćiereh.

During the Imperial Expedition to Crestfall Lyn led with distinction at Samback and Highdown, allowing him to accumulate enough wealth, prestige, and connections to register as a Tḥemat in the Ć'eleiedźak'oh 'Azeh during the expansion and professionalization of the Ŝḥenĉeł'yh into the Kaiseress's elite fighting force.

As part of preparations for the invasion of the Guttuli Protectorate, Lyn became personally acquainted with Mamyr Aslanpxu. He served briefly in Ahim Dźasbatyqu's Middle Company, taking part in the probing of the Protectorate's Pandor Line. In 1684 AN, in part to impress his commander, he identified a route through the mountains and across the defensive line, which allowed him to signal with his bullroarer from inside the Protectorate's territory with impunity.

Shortly thereafter, Lyn was promoted to Tamtḥemat and commander of the 3rd Ć'eleiedźak'oh 'Azeh, under the field banner of Mamyr Aslanpxu.

During the Imperial Expedition to the Guttuli, Lyn's forces aided in cutting off Uvnmark and accelerating its capture by Imperial Forces, as well as counter-hunting in Salb Sefroth's rear. The 3rd Ć'eleiedźak'oh 'Azeh participated in the street fighting in Tippil and Gaton, and swelling the POW camps through its capture of Guttuli Corps patrols.

Upon arriving at the Guttulinese shoreline, it is said that Lyn suffered from a fit of tears, and could not be consoled or removed from the site until nightfall. He spoke little of the event, only that the sight of an endless ocean reminded him of a time before his childhood with Clan Ḥekwryn.

Clan Lynnaśei

Following the great victory against the Guttuli Protectorate, Clan Naśeiyn's wealth became sufficiently large to justify its elevation to a major clan, which could support several child clans and a larger patronage. The Prince of Naśeiyn authorized Lyn and two other Naśeiyn Ŝḥenĉeł'yh leaders to establish themselves as child clans in southeastern Benacia. Lyn's holdings, in both lands, people, and material wealth, was given the name Clan Lynnaśei, with him as its prince.

For much of 1686 and 1687 AN, Lyn spent the majority of his time establishing and consolidating his clan holdings in western Guttuli, as well as attending Ieśheieśu feasts in Brookshire.

Clan Lynnaśei remains closely tied to its sibling clans, Clan Naśećyže'e and Clan Ŝaġnaśei, whose holdings are located in the Meshed Lands of the Dolorous Circle.

Count of Lowbrook

In 1688 AN, Lyn was made The Count of Lowbrook and a member of the Landsraad. As part of this new role within the imperium's elite, Lyn was obliged to establish a Shirerithian-style court in the City of Lowbrook. Additionally, he acquired an agricultural estate downriver from Lowbrook, named Widburn. Here, he established a quasi-Laqi court for himself and his retinue.

In 1689 AN, Lyn took Lotilde as a wife. Her previous husband, Ervin Odilins, had been mayor of Lowbrook under the Guttuli Protectorate and executed by Imperial forces. Lyn instructed that his children would be raised in the hard-earned Laqi manner, but also with command of Shirerithian courtesy, that his house may excel in both societies.

In 1690 AN, Lyn's first son, Ashley Ć'aixwp, was born. In 1692 AN, his second son, Stanley Myźuxwp, was born. In 1693 AN, Lyn acknowledged the legitimacy of his two-year old daughter via Fidan, a Laq retiner of Prince Kwrnek of Dažein, with whom he had frequently encountered at Naśećyže'e-hosted feasts in western Brookshire. He adopted her into his household and named her Marley Golxwp.

In early 1694 AN, Lyn took his first-born son with him on a raid into Capeshire. During that time, criminals with death sentences were held in a makeshift prison in Widburn, so that Lyn may conduct their executions upon his return.