Lyn Ityqu

Lyn Ityq°e "Uarzec" (RL. "Straw-hair") born circa 1656 somewhere in northwestern Elwynn, is a Laqi commander in the Ŝḥenĉeł'yhe.

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 appearance led him to be selected to serve as a house servant for the prince's retinue, as an amusement.

The boy earned his first count of ł'yġe at the age of 9 years, disarming an inexperienced retainer of his prince, Baryś Qetyžq°e 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 Qetyžq°e's dagger, still in his possession, as proof, he claimed to be a free Laq of Clan Naśenin, an unaffiliated Black Laqi clan whose territory lay in the northeastern disputed zone near the Mishalan frontier.

Upon deposit with Clan Naśenin, 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 Naśenin and others in the disputed zones were invited under a banner of friendship to Stonetree. At the convening of this expanded Dolmen, the Ḥek°yryne 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 Teuycože identified Lyn's dagger as the one he had fashioned for his nephew, Baryś. Members of the Ḥek°yryne 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 Naśenin 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 Ḥek°yryne after he had regained ł'yġe in the border skirmishes in Lywall.

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

Ŝḥenĉeł'yhe

In 1680 AN, the Laqi clans of southwestern Benacia received word of interest in recruiting mercenaries to fight for Kaiseress Salome. The Prince of Naśenin, 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'yhe, and registered their entourage as fighters. Lyn and his entourage were registered into the Myćyiereh.

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'°eh 'Azeh during the expansion and professionalization of the Ŝḥenĉeł'yhe into the Kaiseress's elite fighting force.

As part of preparations for the invasion of the Guttuli Protectorate, Lyn became personally acquainted with Mamyr Aslanpx°e. He served briefly in Ahim Dźasbatyq°e'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'°eh 'Azeh, under the field banner of Mamyr Aslanpx°e.

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'°eh 'Azeh participated in the street fighting in Tippil and Gaton, and swelling the POW camps through its capture of Guttuli Corps patrols.