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The efforts of the King's brother to bring order to this chaotic land are undoubtedly noble. It seems to me though, that he and his army have somewhat strayed. |  | |
| - Sir Divish of Talmberg to Markvart Auliz | |||
Sir Divish of Talmberg (Czech: Diviš z Talmberka) is a main character in Kingdom Come: Deliverance. He was the Lord of Talmberg from 1390 to 1415. His coat of arms were two silver water-lily leaves on a red field.
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| 0 | 9/12 | 18 |
Biography[]
In 1391, Havel Medek of Valdek conquered the castle of Talmberg, burned the village of Pribyslavitz to the ground and captured Divish, imprisoning him for seven years. Finally, his devoted but much-younger wife Stephanie and his loyal friend, the Lord of Skalitz, Radzig Kobyla managed to raise a ransom and freed him. While Havel Medek was condemned for his actions, he was not punished for his actions against Divish.
By 1403, Divish was living peacefully in Talmberg with Stephanie and his loyal captain of the guard, Sir Robard, when a horse-rider named Henry galloped through the gates in Run!, with several Cumans in pursuit.
An injured and exhausted Henry reported dire news - King Sigismund and his general Markvart von Auliz had, without warning, brought an army down upon the peaceful mining town of Skalitz, and killed everyone who was not able to escape. The surviving citizens, including Sir Radzig, were holed up in the castle, with seemingly no way to escape or fight back against the marauders.
Divish looks down on a wounded Henry
Divish ordered Sir Robard to prepare Talmberg for war, concerned that Sigismund would turn his attention to them once he had dealt with Skalitz. Unfortunately, he could not risk his small garrison to intervene to help his friend, admitting that they would be nearly useless against the Cuman army.
That evening, amidst a heavy storm, the scouts reported a large group of people approaching the town. Under orders from Divish, the guards on the battlement prepared themselves for an attack.
Luckily, it was only Sir Radzig, leading the survivors of Skalitz, who had managed to slip out of the castle without notice. With Talmberg Castle ill-suited for a siege, and hoping that Sigismund would not waste his time or his men in a quarrel with Divish, they decided to keep heading south to Rattay, in the hope that the acting Lord there, Hanush of Leipa, could give them shelter. Divish wished his old friend luck, and promised to keep a still-recovering Henry from leaving town - leading Henry to embark on the quest Homecoming.
Divish negotiates with Markvalt
The next morning, the people of Talmberg awoke to find Sigismund's army outside their gates, having put Skalitz to the torch. Markvart approached the city wall to parley with Divish, speaking politely but with the clear threat demonstrated by the army at his back.
Nevertheless, Divish was able to defuse the situation without explicitly submitting to Sigismund's demand for loyalty. At the very least, he convinces Markvart that Talmberg is of no threat to the crown, and denies knowing where Sir Radzig is. After he points out that only a fool would abandon a defensible castle like Skalitz to hide in an indefensible location like Talmberg, Markvart seemed satisfied and the army moved on.
Divish would later make several requests of Henry, such as asking him to investigate the death of a stonemason at Sasau Monastery in A Rock and a Hard Place, who was allegedly killed by a falling piece of stone from the Talmberg Quarry. Henry would also approach him during The Sport of Kings at the request of Zora, to find out why he no longer purchases horses from Neuhof. Sir Divish explains that he is not confident in a woman's ability to be a stable-master, and it is up to Henry to convince him to hold a horse-race and show the steeds are still of the highest quality.
Hanekin Hare clears his name
Henry might also learn in Hare Hunt that fifteen years prior, Divish had helped his friend, Hanekin Hare, after he was accused of murder. Divish, believing him to be innocent, had freed him from the dungeon. When Hare returned in Cherchez la Femme, he and Henry are able to get a signed confession clearing his name, and present it to Lord Divish.
During Baptism of Fire, Henry, on behalf of Sir Radzig, comes to Talmberg to ask Lord Divish to send a garrison to attack the bandit camp at Pribyslavitz. Divish himself does not accompany them, but sends Sir Robard to lead the attack. The battle is a success, and the bandits and Cumans are driven out of Pribyslavitz, and Divish resumes ownership, sending his Master Locator Marius to determine what sort of condition the village was in after being so long abandoned, and then occupied by the enemy.
A short time later, he would request that Henry go in search of Marius, who is several days overdue, beginning Lost in the Woods. Once Marius has been recovered, Divish decides to appoint Henry as Bailiff of Pribyslavitz, and tasks him with rebuilding the village in A Place to Call Home and Supplies.
Divish and his loyal captain, Sir Robard
One day, Henry arrives in Talmberg during Payback. Divish realizes that the young man has figured out Sir Radzig's secret - that he is Henry's father. But Henry has more urgent news - they have discovered the bandits are hiding out at Vranik, under the command of Sir Istvan Toth and Sir Hanush and Sir Radzig request his immediate aid. Sir Divish immediately begins preparing for battle, and they all march to Vranik. That evening, the Lords launch their assault, and are able to defeat them - but there is no sign of Istvan or Erik. Henry searches the homestead and finds a clue, a letter, which mentions that Istvan will "soon succeed in seizing the castle". At that moment, the soldiers drag up a bandit that they've captured alive, who laughs at them and mockingly asks which castle they left unguarded. As Divish realizes with horror that Istvan has marched on Talmberg, Hanush kills the laughing bandit with a swift blow from his mace.
Divish realizes where Istvan has gone
Together with Henry and Radzig, Divish rides to Talmberg, but it is too late - Istvan has already entered the castle, murdered the guards, and seized Lady Stephanie. In Out of the Frying Pan, the men launch a desperate attack to try and breach the castle before the enemy can roll up the drawbridge, but Istvan appears holding a knife to Stephanie's throat, and revealing he has also captured Radzig, who had raced ahead and was knocked unconscious.
Sir Divish was unaware of Henry's possible dalliance with Lady Stephanie in At Your Service, My Lady, and they had grown estranged after his long imprisonment - especially after their subsequent attempts to conceive ended in nothing but stillbirths. However, he clearly still loves her, and even after he is shot in the arm, rendering him unable to fight, he is determined that they find a way to recapture the castle and set his wife and friend free.
After a brief discussion about how to rescue Radzig and Stephanie, Divish agrees that someone should be sent in covertly to attempt to try and smuggle them out - and Henry, of course, volunteers.
Codex entry[]
Diviš z Talmberku (Sir Divish of Talmberg) owned Talmberg Castle in the years 1390–1415. In 1391 the castle was conquered and Diviš was taken captive and by his neighbour Havel Medek of Valdek, though we no longer know how the dispute arose between them. Due to the king's inability to settle the matter, Diviš was imprisoned in his own castle for seven long years while his young wife, Stephanie, attempted to raise the ransom to free him. Thanks to the help of friends - including Racek (Radzig) Kobyla - he was finally liberated and Medek was condemned for his actions as a rebel. From 1400 onwards, Diviš held the office of Prague Burgrave and in 1401 moved his seat to Prague. Meanwhile, Talmberg Castle was repaired and he gave it to his wife. Diviš returned there in 1414, and in 1418 his son Oldřich governed the estate. According to some sources, Diviš died in 1415, while others attest that in 1418 Jan Jankovský sold him Jankov Castle, where the Talmberg family lived until 1702. Diviš had three sons – Oldřich, Vilém and Mikuláš, who governed Jankov from 1433 onwards.
Quests[]
- Run!
- Homecoming
- A Rock and a Hard Place
- The Sport of Kings
- Hare Hunt
- Cherchez la Femme
- Baptism of Fire
- Lost in the Woods
- Payback
- Out of the Frying Pan
Gallery[]
