Introduction
There will be no lords left in this world!
We are a band of orphans consumed by a burning hatred for the crown. You have cast us out, named us orphan’d, godless wretches, criminals and vile scum. We are banishèd shadows who live only for revenge - from now on call us Crownhaters. You will hear from us again.
In our gang, all stand as equals and we kneel to no one. Cause we are brothers and sisters in arms! No law binds us and we are truly free. That’s right! We take whatever we want, at the moment we want it. With knives and axes we have cut out that path to freedom! We know this much: one day, the rotting border walls will fall - and we shall do all we can to hasten their ruin. The counties will burn to ashes. The forts will crumble and after them - the Great Kingdom of Garling shall fall.
We swear upon this ancient Odd Stone: the royal capital shall be wiped from the face of the earth.
So be it! And let all of Garling burn to the ground!
In the darkness of night and the light of day, we bear the torch of vengeance in our hands. It’s time and now we will exact retribution from everyone — from the guards, from the greedy collectors, and from those influential nobles. And especially from the Black-hooded Sentinels of King. Let the mighty Tower Time-worn fall upon them! We have already struck a blow at the capital’s mercantile elite - at the peasants, traders, and their children. Having danced joyfully on their corpses, we fed the remains to the wild pigs. This is what hunters by blood do: avengers by nature strikes, tricksters by vocation disarm, executioners by will dig the graves, and liberators by right will judge all of you. No soul shall escape our sight, and no one shall evade punishment!
O Higher Spirits! Hear this solemn vow, sealed in blood! It will come true, for reckoning for your deeds is drawing near! And the terrible death will overtake everyone! This we swear, with unwavering resolve!
Now! Mark our names, ye bastards!
We are the skilled hunter Ruuka Crownheit, brother Tail of the Face Eaters, the reckless Euphoria daughter of Rumorife Weimraner, the horse thief Dull Dag, the maniac swordswoman Lady Gehenna and old pal Remy the Comic. Let the flames engulf the roads leading to the capital! Your damned king Till and his hangers-on, the counts cannot save anyone from the inevitable end. No force will hold back the revolt. One day, the poor shall triumph and impale your heads upon stakes! Aye, let all know now: from this day forth, ye are my enemies! Await our coming with dread, and pray - you are the next one!
...
It was the end of spring.
In the western mountains, at the gates of a majestic border post, five mutilated corpses hung, frozen in terror, tortured, broken at the back, and dried out from hunger. Maggots crawled in their eye sockets and crows feasted on their torn wounds.
***
