Jaren of Vandago
Jaren, Archduke, or Grand Duke, of the Duchy of Vandago, is recounted in Lithmorran histories as Dav's right-hand man, the first to hold the title of "The King's Sword" for his work in liberating the Kingdom of Tubor for the Davite Kingdom. History paints him as an intelligent man, and one willing to make the difficult choices necessary of a Duke caught between two Kingdoms. Were it not for Dav's brilliance on the battlefield, Jaren might very well have been the mightiest battle commander of his time.
When King Dav began his Consolidation, he knew that he would have to face Jaren in battle. Jaren, too, knew this and appealed to his King, the Paramount of Tubor, for troops from the island kingdom to reinforce his own, lest he be defeated. Common legend has it that Jaren himself sailed to Tubor to speak, and was rebuffed by the Paramount. Jaren swore, in the Hall of the Tubori Paramount, that if he would not help him, then Jaren would be the one to conquer Tubor - not Dav.
Dav chose to strike first towards Vandago, knowing that if he did not quell the Duke, others would rally to the Silver Lion banner of that Duchy. Neighboring kingdoms and Duchies, already having heard word of Dav's lightning annexation of Wilhelm and Lothos on his march towards Vandago, collectively held their breath, hoping to see the two brilliant battle commanders render one another ineffectual. Jaren sent out the call to his Barons, and conscripted a massive army, composed of a mixed force of peasant levies and armored knights, to meet the Davite Army. On the plains of Vandago, between what is now called Jaren Forest and the city gates, Jaren lined his forces for battle.
Dav, resolute and determined, squared his own, larger forces off and prepared to march them forward. However, at the final moment before he gave the command to attack, Grand Duke Jaren rode forward under a parley flag. Intrigued, Dav granted him audience, and Jaren swore fealty to the King of Lithmore, asking only that he be allowed to wreak his own wrath upon the island kingdom of Tubor. Dav acquiesced, after Jaren drank from the Chalice, and augmented the armies of Vandago with some of his own levies, before turning south towards Vavard with his remaining force.
Jaren, as is known, did indeed march victorious through the streets of Tubor, but only after a drawn out series of battles, and only with the return of Dav with Charali horse to aid the troops.
