Connor O'Riordain was born in 1420 in the Earldom of Ormond, or what King John called County Tipperary, Ireland. Born to a simple life he dreamed of joining the military and becoming a Knight under King Henry the VI of England. He much remembered the stories of the English Knights and soldiers who were heavily outnumbered at Agincourt. The longbow men, who fired volley after volley of arrows and cut down the French where they stood. This was what made heroes and legends, this is what Connor wanted to become.

So at the age of 14. Connor left his family and headed off to England to join the military. He became a squire. During that time he learned how to shoot a bow, and wield a sword. But most of all he learned about honor and respect. It was 1441 and England was suffering defeat from France as the French reclaimed lands formerly under English control. Connor was assigned to fight under the command of Sir John Talbot. This was Connor's first taste of battle, and a bitter taste it was. The French continually pushed Talbot and his men back and many of Connor's companions were killed. But Connor refused to surrender, he fought with great heart. Despite the demoralizing defeats, lack of food and water, very little sleep, disease and his own wounds.

Sir Talbot was impressed with Connor's heart and his talent. So in 1443 he assigned Connor to fight under the command of Anton Ravenwood. At first Connor didn't know what to make of his re-assignment. Was Sir Talbot disappointed in him? He did not have much time to contemplate this as he was thrust into battle once more. He fought many more skirmishes, some successful, some not. But he grew to respect Anton and his ability to not only lead, but to lead by example as he witnessed many times his commander fighting alongside the men.

By 1446 Connor grew tired of a life of constant combat. He desired for peace in his own life. So when the opportunity arose he effectively "retired" from service to the King. He did not return to his native Ireland however. Years of fighting over there between the English and Irish chieftains had been tearing his country apart. He did not want to go to a land where there was more fighting and the inevitable event when the Irish chieftains and the English nobles would look to him to continue the fight for their own gains. It would be a decision too difficult to make: Fight on the side of his brethren against the English to preserve their heritage, or do his duty and serve the crown of England against his brethren. In the end he chose to leave his past life entirely and start anew in a new land.

The only place he knew to go was an area his commander mentioned between skirmishes. He traveled to Cambridge, where he hung up his sword and his bow and settled down on his own little spread of land and lived as a civilian. For a while this suited Connor just fine. No fighting, no death, just relaxation and.......boredom. He started missing the excitement of combat the feel of loosing arrow after arrow upon a distant enemy or looking them square in the eyes before he cut them down with his blade. So he decided to come out of retirement and joining the fight once again.

Connor ran into a small dilemma with this idea though. It was late 1447, and a truce was in place between the English and the French. Seems his decision to come out of retirement came too late. Then he heard about a number of discharged soldiers had come into the area. Connor was aware that his former commander, Anton, had recently been made lord of Ravenwood and that he was creating a free company. This suited Connor just fine. He greatly respected Captain Anton as a commander and a friend, so he spoke with Anton about joining up. Captain Anton was pleased to have him so Connor enlisted with the Archers of Ravenwood.

In 1448, the company had gone to France to lend support for the conflict there, the truce was breaking and Captain Anton made a contract with Sir Talbot to engage the French. In 1449 fight broke out in full scale. Word passed down through the ranks that the treaty was broken by the Earl of Somerset and he had launched a full scale campaign. This action concerned the Captain but the company fought on, suffering defeat after defeat. Finally in late 1449, the worst happened. Somerset had surrendered Rouen, and placed Sir Talbot in French captivity in return for his own freedom. Word amongst the men was that our contract with Sir Talbot was due to expire soon, and with Talbot in a French prison the Captain was going to pull us out of action.

Connor and the rest of the Archers of Ravenwood were not concerned about the end of this contract. The war was still going, and other countries were seeing conflicts of their own. The ability for the company to get another contract would not be difficult.

For now the fighting is over. Connor enjoys the happiness of the members of the free company to which he also considers family. But with the war still being waged, he knows that at any moment the company will be on the move again....