Arnulf Andhol was the founder of the Andhol Company and the lord of Annistoft. Arnulf was the son of a minor noble, who brought the dynasty back to relevance due to the Andhol Company’s participation in the War of the Sorcerer-King.
Early Life[]
Arnulf was born in 993 in the County of Heartswood into a minor landowning noble family. He was born at the end of the Castanorian invasion of Eastern Dameshead. Because of the invasion his family would lose its small patch of land and would be forced to flee towards the court of Dameria. His father thought the only way for the family to regain its status was to fight in the war, because of that Arnulf and his brother Ulric were raised to become soldiers.
When Arnulfs father died in 1012 he would gather the remaining funds of the family in order to create the Andhol company, a mercenary company. The company would mainly consist of other Esmari refugees. Arnulf would train his mercenary company for over a year and they would go to war in 1013.
Life as a Mercenary[]
When Arnulf left for war in 1013 with the Andhol Company they would travel towards Esmaria to clean up remaining Castanorian resistance. There they participated in the battle of the Morban Flats, the battle proved to be disastrous. The only reason the company wasn’t wiped out was that Caylen Longlance didn’t fall upon the fleeing soldier.
After the battle Arnulf and the company would regroup in Esmaria, recruiting more soldiers. When the battle of Calascandur would take place Arnulf Company was still licking its wounds and was thus unable to participate in the battle.
When the company eventually managed to recover in 1015, Arnulf would lead the Company towards already liberated Corvuria. Form Arca Corvur Arnulf would lead the company into Dostans way to assist in the liberation of Castonar. Arnulf and Company would plunder and liberate their way into Escann. Eventually they would be joined by other mercenaries, adventurers and lords. In 1018 Arnulf and the Andhol Company managed to infiltrate the keep of the southern gate and they threw open the southern gates of the White Walls of Castanor.
The Count of Annisoft[]
Because of Arnulf’s valuable contribution towards the war effort, opening the southern gates, Arnulf would be given the county of Annisoft by king Lain of Anor.
Arnulf’s reign would be marked with a close relationship with the Andhol Company, many of the profits of the company would end up in the coffers of the county. With the profits from the Andhol company Arnulf managed to build up the local forestry industry.
During Arnulf’s reign he would also be in almost constant conflict with the count of Hagstow. Arnulf would constantly come close to capturing either Hagstow or Oldhaven, but mysterious circumstances would always sabotage the conflict. Some say this was due to the influence of hags.
Arnulf would eventually die in 1049. His son Eren would succeed him, but he would lose the county towards the still reigning Stovan of Hagstow. However the Andhol dynasty would continue to exists as the majority shareholders of the Andol company and owners of their ancestral land in Esmaria which they regained in 1080 after purchasing it back.