Dinh AaronMk

Vassals to an empty throne

As the speech came to a close and the celebrations and commemorations of the changing of the crown drew to its next stage, William sat over rich bounty of food set before him by the staff of the palace. From the corner of his eye he watched the new Emperor stiffly retire from the banquet. The man who had entered a peafowl rooster, with all the boistrous color of imperial selection and musical announcement slipped out from the hall as quietly as a mouse. William noted his slouch, his low shoulders, the hobbled and tired way he was walking. Whatever it was that held the prince aloft was clearly failing to William's eyes.

He lifted some food to his mouth and reached for the glass of wine as the prince left. His eyes scanning across the opulent golden tables being continuously loaded down with all types of plates and dishes and their ravenous, gluttonous guests. No matter the status of those here, they poured themselves out on the table as any rude peasant may, no matter how daintily they held their utensils William thought to himself. With outreached arms they sought after the largest leg of goose and duck they would in searching for the choicest opportunities in intrigue. As they would spill the blood of soldiers and levees, they spilled wine and punch from their goblets. They fought over the stuffed fowl and birds as they would a city or a town on the border. There was a struggle over the table as there were struggles over rivers. While they held themselves to be polite, the struggle to put one's self over the other was a shadow puppet's play against the white marbled walls of the great banquet hall.

“Th' sword is th' extension o' courtly negotiations. Th' reaching hand at th' banquet between nobility is th' same. Watch as they carry out their custom and are polite. But from here, from this table y'can see it clear: they hate each other. Th' Empire in all its evil has been th' only thing keeping them from gutting one anothe'. But th' hubris of th' high is their own downfall. They will smile an' apologize but all th' same it is naught but another moment t' impress the others and organize themselves according to th' percieved superiority; one against th' other. This is nothing alien to either of us. You are lord as th' rest of them. And perhaps – look to th' side, the left an' th' right – see your neighbors. Are they better? Are they worse? Ay', you have a good family, a good court. Perhaps not th' best. There are those here as good. But it is know, we have seen th' Emperor. He is weak.”

“Shut up.” William said in a low voice as he beat his beak into a leg of goose. Hot sweat juices spat into his mouth. He could feel it drip, he dabbed the underside of his beak with the back of his hand. Sweet honey, crisp rosemary. There was an added flavor of wood smoke, perhaps maple. The skin broke with a crisp salty crackle. He could feel the small feathers of his hackle raise in the rich delight. It was always a pleasure.

“Pardon m'lord?” Mathias said from behind William, having barely caught what it was William had said. He leaned forward, clutching close to his chest the wrap he had made for himself from stuffing some flat bread.

“Nothing.” William said dismissively. But he could see from the corner of his eyes that his children had caught something and were looking aside as to discover what happened.

“Nah good king William it is not a good idea to ignore what y'know. All bad things stem from th' intrigue of man and creature. But the far reach of their capers are blunted by imperial shield, whose hammer smashes all 'fore it's built. But when th' imperial mallet is softened? What then becomes o'th' spears an' th' knives. We are not yet finished.”

There was a sudden sound of a horn that cut the banquet and everyone stopped their singing and their talking to turn to the imperial signal. Standing off to the side in the elaborate livery of the palatial nobility the court steward stood erect and proper with his hands clasped in front of him. His tunic and cape appearing unruffled. And though he kept a steady face, there was a troubled disposition nested softly in the manner of his flush cheeks and pronounced jowl. “Honored guests.” Drakon-Al announced stiffly, “Unfortunately there has been a security incident and the palace has been placed under lock down until further notice. You will not be able to leave the grand hall. Please enjoy the food and wine.”

There was a murmur of confusion among the dinner guests that turned to shock and a spark of horror as guards and soldiers began filing into the banquet hall with spears raised high. Their heavy armor rattling out its martial songs as they took up position. Mathias looked out at them disturbed and stunned. William could only sit frozen, a morsel of food hanging from his fingers. He felt his appetite drain from him, as if he had any to speak of and was not eating out of the ceremony. The princes themselves were visibly disturbed.

In the coldness of the back of his mind William could hear the voice say, “Th' seem of history has been cut. Th' yards are free.”

What are you reading?

Phenomenology of Spirit

What Are You Listening To?

[REDACTED]boy memorial thread

Where we commemorate the living [REDACTED]boy, fighting for our posting every day in every place.

Vassals to an empty throne

Kingdom of Arkron

Arkronia

Silence fell on the banquet hall as the emperor arrived. Rising in respect the gathered nobility and their hosts rose to their feet to bow to the crown prince as he moved to the base of the towering throne. Peering up through the corner of his eyes King William could not miss the weakness in his majesty. He looked to be steered by something outside of himself. And while the player sought to hold him up and strong there was a deep frailty within him, a deep aura the emanated from his spirit that no sick man missed. At a distance William thought he could smell the acrid putrid pestilence of the decaying spirit inside of Rakon-Da.

“He doesn't look s'good, father.” he heard Coffey whisper. It was evident. Something was terribly wrong. No wonder the situation was rushed. William briefly pondered if perhaps in some secret bed chamber the priests had rushed a marriage simply to conceive an heir if Rakon-Da were to die and cut short the legacy of his house. William looked away from the ascendant emperor to the young prince and found Coffey was far from formally bowing. There was a wavering suspicion in the room and the formal reception William sensed was mixed. Catching the princes eye Coffey sensed his father was not angry at the lack of formality and eased a little. William looked out over the banquet hall, some seemed to have foregone extending the formalities all together, the former rebel alliance having released their bows entirely. Yet just as many if not many more – particularly of the more minor and vulnerable provinces – seemed to bow even lower, as if their faith in the Emperor could entirely save him entirely from the curse.

“This is a day of something more than just a national consecration. And I am certain that on this day my fellow Mycorian expect that on my coronation as monarch of Arkron, supreme ruler of the realm, I will address them with a candor and a decision which the present situation of our realm impels.” spoke the Emperor. And by the old Gods and the Spirit of The People of Lake Hemden his voice sounded weak William remarked to himself secretly. He projected it, but there was a dry weakness lingering at the back of the emperor ascendant's throat. In previous days, William had known the emperor to be a strong speaker and straight and quick like an arrow. But his voice seemed to waver in its stress as he fought to keep a modicum of simulation to his old voice.

“It is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing the conditions in the Kingdom of Arkron today. Our great nation will endure, as it has endured and will help the realm of Mycoria to endure.” the emperor continued on.

So first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is chaos itself. Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror caused by disease and the ambition to take advantage of those who are struggling.” and by the god there was the confirmation. The explanation for the secret isolation of the Arkronians and the entire haste of the ceremonies. The conditions of the emperor: the rumors borne true. There indeed was a plague and it was a race to see how far they could all get before the Gods struck down the dynasty and the realm.

As the emperor continued William remembered the Fox and he began to scan the room for him. He searched for Peatyr Bretnach, the one who did not belong. Mathias noticed his lord's unease and the King began to step from the table. Mathias cast his attention about, but all seemed to be looking up at the Emperor with their full morbid attention. Gripping William by the shoulder Mathias steadied him, and a cold shot went down the king's spine. Leaning in the knight whispered: “M'lord you act up. Pray, what is t'matter.”

“A fox is in th'chicken coup.” the king answered him under his breath, “I answer your prayer, a trickery is under foot. I can feel it in m'veins. You have your sword?”

“Ay, that I do m'lord. But for what reason you need t'know” he said, his voice held as low as the gentle rush of autumn winds.

“If something goes t'shit, I may have t'fight out with a candlestick or a table knife. Let us hope th' plead for reconciliation unites this realm then t'kill the assassin where ever he might be.”

“Who, then?”

“A damn fox. Why else would t'sneak try for m' ear!”

The Wickedness of Man

Me and The Boys riding out to save Gorgenmast from mod tyranny to save this RP.

Current Mood in One Gif

My mood for freeing Gorgenmast goes beyond simple gifs.

It's just meat fumes

settle down lorehead

Vassals to an empty throne

Kingdom of Arkron

Arkronia

William stirred in his chair after the Vulpin sulked off. He had heard of Peatyr Bretnach before, that he owned one of the larger bath houses in the city. Some called him a connoisseur. But he always felt wrong about him, he watching him from the corner of his eye he could not help but feel he felt off. He didn't belong here, he thought but was mystified as to why no one else seemed to notice. Were there not ceremonies outside for him to partake in?

“Who was that?” Henry asked under his breath, leaning in.

“Just'a fox.”

His gaze drifted over the other tables, watching the odd machinations of power and he thought it odd their hosts did so little to maintain some semblance of order. The interactions between the Vulpin and the paladins from the north appeared to him heated. He leaned over to Matthias and whispered: “Keep an' eye out their way. They might pick a'fight.”

“'an what'll ye want me t'do if they should?”

“Keep us out of it.”

“Yes m'lord.”

Vassals to an empty throne

Kingdom of Arkron

Arkronia

(A short co-op post between myself and @Blandina)

The streets of the royal city were awash with the color and spectacle of celebration as the coronation came ear. Having rested at the royal apartments for the Kingdom of Cor, the royal family with their attendants paraded out to the palace, bringing with them in tow the long train of brandy they had brought as a gift and party favor for the celebrations to be. The wagons, weighted high with more than enough alcohol for everyone were decorated with fine livery to match the occasion and a certain show was put on that the Corvids had brought presents for the new king and court. But still, despite the fanfare and the turning out in the city there was a presence of something indistinguishable. A phantasmal presence defined more not by its absence and uncertain shape. For the duration of the trip, William had heard stories of a plague and a disease that effected the Arkronian people. The state however seemed to have gone to great lengths to hide it. As such the streets, while packed felt empty felt empty. The jubilant gray of the Arkronians of the city themselves turning out en'masse felt muted. While many cheered, William noticed just as many who did not cheer and merely turned out to the spectacle of the Coarsecrane family and attendants dressed in their fine ceremonial regalia and knightly armor. These spectators did not cheer them, but neither did they strictly jeer them. William felt himself more at the center of a quiet spectacle to many of the city's residents whose lack of enthusiasm did little to comfort him.

His children felt the presence of lack less so. They looked out in excitement of being in the shadows of the great beautiful city of Arkronia with its elaborate bunting and banners and streamers flying high in the air. They saw the city for what it was dressed up to be: great, open, resplendent and full of life. Where ever they looked there was nowhere without spectators. Though all of them human and Arkronian. Very rarely did they notice anyone else of the other races of the Empire, the fox-faxed Vulpins, the stoic primal Rhaetian, of the sly and calculative Saa'kaleed hard to read. The looked up at the buildings into the tall windows from which the people leaned out of waving flags and handkerchiefs and cheering. Passed the bath houses where silver streams of heated steam flowed into the cool spring afternoon air. It appeared even more to them, that for the occasion the trees had even been forced to spring into bloom by the power of the Empire as they burst with colored streamers of green, pink, red, and blue.

When they arrived to the palace the princes who had never been there were stricken by the sight. Its immensity soared into the sky. Its walls braced by immense columns of finely masoned stone heavier than ancient oaks and taller than mountains. Its gate houses, portals, foyers, and halls being more than enough to contain the entire processions that came from all over the realm to mix and mingle within its entrance ways. And as they gazed up through it, they saw that while the halls were well lit by innumerable candles and limitless windows the very peaks of the ceilings seemed permanently shrouded in shadows and dim light, from which barely indistinguishable images looks down, their presence hidden as if in a dream, hidden behind the cover of a foggy early morning haze and shadow that eclipsed the ability to see and muddied the capacity of the mind's own ability to reflect. It was easy then to look up and see these images and wonder if these were the gods of the Arkronian people manifesting in the cast shadows of the internal buttresses and rafters of the great hall to spin a window into an alien world to look upon the actors in the assembled spectacle and if they were ready to cast judgment and blame for what they were about to do.

In such splendor it became easy to forget what was going on and for time to lapse and very soon they were being summoned by the staff to file in and to join the ceremonies. William declared their gift, and chamberlains came to set aside the gifted whiskey and to shuttle it off for the banquet. And as swiftly and easily as they came and disappeared with that, the royal family soon found themselves in the great ceremonial chambers of the imperial crown, whose throne rose high as a mountain above all: empty of its majesty to be as all began to assemble. William and his companions, and all those slowly began to take their seat.

---

As the procession made its way through the marble streets the two junior triarchs couldn't help but be amazed by the splendor of the city and the discipline it could command from its inhabitants. The sight was still impressive to the elder of the three, though he couldn't help but feel that something was different from the last time he had been there. The celebrations seemed a bit more complusory, the smiles a bit more stiff.

Regardless of the slight discomfort of the crowds the procession had gone along smoothly, all the tributary goods had been taken from the harbor and taken wherever the Arkronians saw fit, and now the Triarchs were being brought into the inner chambers of a palace which could only be described as gargantuan by even the boldest of men. Despite swarms of bureaucrats and administrators, the process of seating everyone was a fairly quick one as the Skekarii found themselves ushered to a table with a small host of ruline, a few of whom Vahn had met before. Between the feathered Avan and the scaled Ruline the table seemed to the triarchs to be an odd mix, though the brightly colored and perfumed fashion senses of the Skekarii court might have seemed just as strange.

"King William of Cor, I believe? It's been some time, it's nice to see you again. I'd like to introduce you to my partners, King Mahd and Queen Haster."

The triarchs were, of course, dressed in their finest though Haster had taken that to the furthest extent, opting for a shaped gown in the traditional turqoise and gold colors of her clan, complete with jewelry and heavy embroidery depicting various types of birds and other wildlife native to the Skekarii jungles. This was the first true meeting with foreign leaders in her time as a triarch and it was fully her intent to show her peoples rising position. Vahn and Mahd were both dressed a bit more conservatively in more simple robes traditional to the Skekarii court, loose fitting in order to accomade the heat and leaving the left shoulder exposed, Mahd in the cyan and blood orange of his clan and Vahn in the light pink and green of his.

"T'is a pleasure t' meet you both." William said in his usual sullen tone. Rubbing the inside of his pipe with a thumb he asked, "How is the homeland?"

Haster decided she’d be the one to respond, “Senald has blessed us, commerce has been on the uptick and our weather is warm, it’s hard for a Skekarii to complain. How’s Cor been fairing? I’ve heard the southern mountains are beautiful. Hopefully the hegemon’s victory will bring some trade to that side of Mycoria. I take it these are the princes?”

"Yes, these are m'sons Henry, t' oldest," William said, moving so that he may now to the Triarchs, "Coffey, n' Edward."

The triarchs returned the bow with the simple curtsy more common in the Skekarii court. Vahn took up the conversation now.

"It's always a privilege to get to meet some of the future leaders of Mycoria, I would have brought my own heir had it not been for pressing matters at home. Perhaps you'll be able to make your way to Wyacannae one day, we'd be honored to show you all our hospitality, though I fear it's not quite so well funded as the Arkronians."

“I happen to like our brand of hospitality, it's sweet. . . It may not be my place to say it, but everything about this city has given me the impression of a gilded cage, though perhaps that's a conversation better left for other times."

"Agreed, for the moment let's enjoy the splendor and the company. I've met very few Avan before, only a few merchants and representatives that were present when I was crowned." Haster waved her hand towards one of her entourage who promptly brought a tray of glasses filled with deep red liquid.

"Would you care for any? Straight from our vineyards, we brought several casks as tribute, but we made sure to keep a few for our villa."

"Don't mind if I do." William said, and looking aside to invite the princes to partake of they so choose.

With a jubilant sound of horns the procession of imperial subjects began to draw to a close. The party goers exchanged pleasant salutations and made sure to give the proceedings their upmost attention.