Emperor Valerian
First Post
Its been a while since I've written an actual story (as opposed to a campaign story hour), so I'm going to give it a try.
This is a completely fictional writeup about the children of the characters of the original, "Into the Icy Darkness," which can be found here. The players gave me vague descriptions of their PC's kid's personalities at age ten, so I've extrapolated out some six years later...
This is being written and evolving as its posted. Feel free to comment, critique, etc. as you see fit.
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Chapter 1a - Friends... and Enemies
“Ouch!”
Raven winced as skillful hands pulled tight the corset around her waist. The green eyes of the apprentice mage squeezed shut, and a sharp inhalation came through her pursed red lips.
“All done!” Vintressa’s familiar soprano voice said, a smile completely filling the sound. “Go ahead, open your eyes!”
Raven did as she was told, and gasped when she looked in the mirror.
Many others would have let out such a noise had they seen her already slim, elegant figure, or her seemingly perfectly formed face (save a small mole on the right side of her chin, which annoyed Raven to no end). Some would have been amazed at the poise and confidence the young 16 year old carried herself with, or how her dark, midnight black locks continually threatened to break loose from their overly elaborate hairstyle and fall back to their natural, hanging forms down to her waist. Many would have been lost in the green eyes that now looked into the mirror with wonder, but Raven’s eyes were locked on the blue and white dress that now clad her frame.
“Happy?” her bunkmate and friend Vintressa laughed. The other young woman was already clad in a beautiful yellow and cream strapless dress, a tiara with sapphires and rubies that matched her own blue eyes (and their red flecks) in her locks of blonde hair. The Princess had ‘commandeered’ the dress for Raven as a surprise... the young woman had been invited to her first Imperial gala by Raven’s mother, the Empress, and Vintressa wanted her friend to look the part.
“Very happy!” Raven spun around and gave her friend a hug. The lunge knocked the two of them partway across the small space that was their joint room at the Imperial Mage’s Academy. They’re parents had arranged for them to be bunkmates for the previous three years, to the delight of the girls. “Its gorgeous! How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing!” Vintressa waved off the request. “It was a gift... father bought it for mother way back just after he took the throne! It didn’t cost me anything, other than sweet talking my mother’s chambermaids.”
“You... you didn’t ask your mom?” Raven began slowly. “You know she’ll be there-“
“Oh, stop worrying!” Vintressa scoffed. “Mom would love it if she knew her dress was being worn by as pretty a girl as you!”
“Really, you think so?” Raven asked again, spinning back to the mirror and spinning around. For the moment, the magical textbooks on their desk, the impending tests of doom from the wizard Aergrifyr, and the fact Raven hadn’t seen her parents in two years disappeared. An Imperial gala was what dominated her mind.
“Yes. Maybe even you’ll attract Val’s attention! Wait, I ought to muss something up on you then!” Vintressa joked, causing Raven to laugh.
“Yeah, wouldn’t want his sorry behind looking at me!” Raven laughed. It’d been years since she’d seen Vin’s brother, who supposedly had become somewhat of a looker. From Vin’s descriptions of him from her frequent visits to the Imperial Palace, his personality left much to be desired.
“Then again, he might consider you under his station,” Vin lifted her nose high, and pranced around the room, “I am Valaron the Brave, magical warrior of the Palace steps!” she said in a halting, drawn out mockery of his voice. “I spar with midgets and gnomes, and know the secrets of the super-duper flaming katana of DOOOM!” Vin roared bombastically. Raven burst out laughing, only to discover the corset hurt if she laughed too hard.
“Stop! I can’t breathe!” the dark haired girl wailed. “Vinny, you’re too funny! Stop it!”
“Alright,” Vinesstra’s whirling dervish of humor slowed to a halt, though a massive grin still played across her face. “Though seriously,” she suddenly leaned close to her friend, “if he makes a look at you, just saunter up to him... you know, like you want something, and then lean very close... and ask him loudly about the time he shat all over his baptismal font!”
“He WHAT!?” Raven gasped in laughing shock as the two slowly wandered out of their rooms. Vintressa had arranged for a carriage to be waiting below to take them to the palace. As Vinny told her the full story, Raven’s laughter continued to peal through the courtyards of the Academy, until they were on their way to the palace.
“Vinny?” Raven asked quietly as the two girls lined themselves up along with the other young nobility being introduced at the function, “Do you think Val will actually be here? I mean, with him being a playboy and all practically, why would he show up to a mere social function?”
Vintressa gave her friend a long, hard stare. “Don’t tell me that after you’ve only seen the few paintings of him along the wall, that you’ve fallen under his spell too.”
“No! No I haven’t! I was just wondering,” Raven said quickly, before adding with a devious smile, “if he was here, we could prank him...” Vintressa’s face quickly changed to an evil grin as well.
“Excellent...excellent!” Vintressa rubbed her hands together maliciously.
“And, perhaps along the way, I can hook you up with a fine young noble or prince?” Raven asked before ducking away from Vintressa’s inevitable swing... a swing that never came. Instead, Vintressa’s face grew deep red, and after a quick glance around, she leaned over close to Raven.
“You know about me and Royukgan?” she asked quietly, almost causing Raven to giggle. She’d seen the princess and the young man from Ak Konylu slip off between classes. It was quiet and discreet... Vintressa was the queen of quietness and discretion when it came to matters outside her brother; a trait she’d inherited from her grandmother and father, not her mother the Empress. Raven had to admit the boy was a looker... if anything because the colorful orange, black and white patterns on his skin looked so exotic... the remnants of his mixed ancestry, undoubtedly.
Part of it made Raven laugh... that the cool and controlled Vintressa was the one that had fallen head over heels for the boy that was off-limits... no matter how open the Princess’ parents may have felt about letting her select her future husband. After all, it would be poor form for one of the twin Heirs to the Empire to be caught sneaking around with the young Prince of Han... one of the Ak Konylu kingdoms that some sixteen years before, had invaded the Empire.
And been crushed by Vintressa’s own father in battle... not the best way to start family relations, obviously.
“H...how did you know? Please,” Vintressa’s eyes went wide at her friend, reading the knowledge in Raven’s eyes, “don’t tell anyone! Anyone!” The Princess’ hand caught Raven’s hand held it tightly, pleadingly. The crowd around them twittered on about their own subjects, not listening at all to the conversation... Raven did not have to see her friend’s eyes darting about to know that the Princess’ senses were still acutely aware of the situation around her. If she got the slightest hint someone might be listening, Raven knew this conversation would suddenly become stillborn.
Yet she wanted to hear her friend out. Wow... things must be serious... Raven thought, her own mind in a slight state of shock. She’d seen the way the two looked at each other, even fleetingly, while some droll wizard was delivering a boring lecture. The love was apparent in their eyes... easily readable. Even then, Raven had assumed her friend’s dalliances had been mere flirtings.
She raised an eyebrow at Vintressa.
“Please Raven? If anyone other than mother and father found out...” Vintressa’s dsoft whisper trailed off, even as she looked straight ahead.
Raven looked deep into her friend’s eyes, and saw a look of particular desperation; her eyes kept cutting back to her friend’s, despite trying to look directly ahead. How serious did things get? Raven’s mind wondered at first, before the panic in the Princess’ eyes caused her to finally speak.
“Yes, I know,” Raven said quietly. “Your secret is safe with me... and yes, he is a cutie,” she grinned, trying to allay Vintressa’s worry. It was rare her normally collected friend worried about something so deeply, and usually it would have been Raven that would have jumped into something that could have started a mess... she had fallen for boys often, until the most recent incident. Raven’s mind immediately jumped back to the incidents of only a year prior, and a frown danced on her face.
I’ll never let anyone drop me like that again! And I’ll never stoop to allowing someone to fawn and pawn for me just because of my position!
Her thoughts preoccupied her mind as Vintressa gave a soft sigh, its short, brief release letting forth a massive amount of relief. The Crown Princess gave a slight grin, and looked to her friend, only to see Raven’s face twisted into a slight frown, her eyes staring ahead as if focusing on a distant memory.
“Still reflecting back on Raote?” Vintressa asked quietly, snapping Raven back to the present.
“No! No no no,” she shook her head furiously. Her hand reached for her hip, to find it devoid of her normal spellpouch and whip... instead there was only the laced furrows and silk of a fine dress. That irked her, and the look must have become apparent on her face, as Vin gave a grin. Relief spilled on Raven’s face to see Vintressa’s alarm go back to normal.
“Mother specifically invited you, Raven, so I’m guessing that should the actual dancing prove tedious, there’ll be other things there,” she tried to comfort the increasingly annoyed girl.
“Are you kidding me?” Raven whispered back, “It’s an Imperial Ball for the children of the nobility! This is nothing more than organized match-making and politicking!” Raven cast a look around at the others in the line around them. All were near the age of the two girls, 16 years old, but the others twittered about in proper, patrician manners... the boys with their chests puffed out, the girls twittering and muttering about the latest poofah fashion. Raven’s eyes then went back to Vintressa. “I hate match-making and politicking!”
“You are best friends with the Crown Princess, dear Raven,” Vin smiled sadly, “I’m afraid you’ll get a massive dose of both over your life!” Sadly, I have to put up with an even greater dose!
Where is she?
The young man, his black locks cut longer than normal, stood off to the side of the ballroom, near the line of ornate tables and divans set to the side for those who wished to sit. Orange glow, pleasant and carefree, beamed down from the massive chandeliers and mirrored ceiling above onto his decidedly pale flesh. His tall frame compared favorably with the silken tapestries and paintings that adorned the carved walls of the ballroom... indeed, his comparatively long nose and hawkish face was vaguely reminiscent of the features of some of the other great rulers whose ancient pictures adorned the walls.
Nervously, he fidgeted in the pockets of his red suit-coat, flashy and festooned with buttons as it was, until he found the signet ring in his pocket. Carefully, he brought it out, and stared at it in his flat palm.
It was beautifully made, its golden form encompassing three serpents intertwining, their heads coming together on the ring’s top. The eyes of each were jeweled, one eye a flawless emerald, another a priceless ruby, and the third a sapphire of perfection. In the middle of the three was a large diamond cut to perfection.
Air, fire, earth and water, the voice of his father rang in Simeon’s head as he rolled the ring around, flipping it casually. These are the three elements that make all things, boy. By themselves, they may seem mundane, weak... but each serves a vital and important purpose.
Without water, we would all thirst. Without fire, we would all freeze when the winters come. Without air, we would suffocate, and without earth, we would all starve. Each serves a purpose...
Just like each person in the employ of this family, House Erelion...
Part of Simeon thanked his father for that lesson so many years ago... when the boy was merely eight. The small speech detailing why spies and assassins were important, simply explained so the mind of a child, a future Duke of Erelion and possible Emperor, could understand why it was necessary to have persons capable of murder deep within one's staff.
It was only a few months later that Simeon's father rose up in arms, and that the ‘March of the Dragonwings’ shredded through the Imperial countryside, shattering the old nobles that rose against the New Order being imposed by a beardless boy and his desert demon of a wife.
The events shattered his father, leaving the proud man Simeon could remember nothing more than a grizzled wreck left to rot in a prison cell... a cell where he remains to this day, some twelve years later. House Erelion, the House of Three Serpents, had been crushed by House Caladron, the House of the Silver Dragon. Their lands had been split apart, their Duchy stripped from their hands.
Yet House Erelion survived. They had been merely weakened, and thanks to some of their alert and cunning ‘dark retainers,’ skillfully used, House Erelion would likely rise yet again…
Now WE have the advantage! part of Simeon wanted to chuckle, but his nervousness drowned out the urge. His sister, of course, had opted for the more ‘dramatic’ course to entangle the Imperial Family, and possibly intertwine the two eldest heirs to the Empire into the mess...
Simeon kept fidgeting with the ring, as his eyes stared off into the crowd of younger, gossiping nobility, all strutting and puffing themselves out to jostle for position.
“Simeon, why do you stare off as if you are sad and lost?” a melodic soprano voiced asked from behind him, and the young noble quickly put the ring back into his pocket.
His sister had arrived.
This is a completely fictional writeup about the children of the characters of the original, "Into the Icy Darkness," which can be found here. The players gave me vague descriptions of their PC's kid's personalities at age ten, so I've extrapolated out some six years later...
This is being written and evolving as its posted. Feel free to comment, critique, etc. as you see fit.
=====================================
Chapter 1a - Friends... and Enemies
“Ouch!”
Raven winced as skillful hands pulled tight the corset around her waist. The green eyes of the apprentice mage squeezed shut, and a sharp inhalation came through her pursed red lips.
“All done!” Vintressa’s familiar soprano voice said, a smile completely filling the sound. “Go ahead, open your eyes!”
Raven did as she was told, and gasped when she looked in the mirror.
Many others would have let out such a noise had they seen her already slim, elegant figure, or her seemingly perfectly formed face (save a small mole on the right side of her chin, which annoyed Raven to no end). Some would have been amazed at the poise and confidence the young 16 year old carried herself with, or how her dark, midnight black locks continually threatened to break loose from their overly elaborate hairstyle and fall back to their natural, hanging forms down to her waist. Many would have been lost in the green eyes that now looked into the mirror with wonder, but Raven’s eyes were locked on the blue and white dress that now clad her frame.
“Happy?” her bunkmate and friend Vintressa laughed. The other young woman was already clad in a beautiful yellow and cream strapless dress, a tiara with sapphires and rubies that matched her own blue eyes (and their red flecks) in her locks of blonde hair. The Princess had ‘commandeered’ the dress for Raven as a surprise... the young woman had been invited to her first Imperial gala by Raven’s mother, the Empress, and Vintressa wanted her friend to look the part.
“Very happy!” Raven spun around and gave her friend a hug. The lunge knocked the two of them partway across the small space that was their joint room at the Imperial Mage’s Academy. They’re parents had arranged for them to be bunkmates for the previous three years, to the delight of the girls. “Its gorgeous! How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing!” Vintressa waved off the request. “It was a gift... father bought it for mother way back just after he took the throne! It didn’t cost me anything, other than sweet talking my mother’s chambermaids.”
“You... you didn’t ask your mom?” Raven began slowly. “You know she’ll be there-“
“Oh, stop worrying!” Vintressa scoffed. “Mom would love it if she knew her dress was being worn by as pretty a girl as you!”
“Really, you think so?” Raven asked again, spinning back to the mirror and spinning around. For the moment, the magical textbooks on their desk, the impending tests of doom from the wizard Aergrifyr, and the fact Raven hadn’t seen her parents in two years disappeared. An Imperial gala was what dominated her mind.
“Yes. Maybe even you’ll attract Val’s attention! Wait, I ought to muss something up on you then!” Vintressa joked, causing Raven to laugh.
“Yeah, wouldn’t want his sorry behind looking at me!” Raven laughed. It’d been years since she’d seen Vin’s brother, who supposedly had become somewhat of a looker. From Vin’s descriptions of him from her frequent visits to the Imperial Palace, his personality left much to be desired.
“Then again, he might consider you under his station,” Vin lifted her nose high, and pranced around the room, “I am Valaron the Brave, magical warrior of the Palace steps!” she said in a halting, drawn out mockery of his voice. “I spar with midgets and gnomes, and know the secrets of the super-duper flaming katana of DOOOM!” Vin roared bombastically. Raven burst out laughing, only to discover the corset hurt if she laughed too hard.
“Stop! I can’t breathe!” the dark haired girl wailed. “Vinny, you’re too funny! Stop it!”
“Alright,” Vinesstra’s whirling dervish of humor slowed to a halt, though a massive grin still played across her face. “Though seriously,” she suddenly leaned close to her friend, “if he makes a look at you, just saunter up to him... you know, like you want something, and then lean very close... and ask him loudly about the time he shat all over his baptismal font!”
“He WHAT!?” Raven gasped in laughing shock as the two slowly wandered out of their rooms. Vintressa had arranged for a carriage to be waiting below to take them to the palace. As Vinny told her the full story, Raven’s laughter continued to peal through the courtyards of the Academy, until they were on their way to the palace.
“Vinny?” Raven asked quietly as the two girls lined themselves up along with the other young nobility being introduced at the function, “Do you think Val will actually be here? I mean, with him being a playboy and all practically, why would he show up to a mere social function?”
Vintressa gave her friend a long, hard stare. “Don’t tell me that after you’ve only seen the few paintings of him along the wall, that you’ve fallen under his spell too.”
“No! No I haven’t! I was just wondering,” Raven said quickly, before adding with a devious smile, “if he was here, we could prank him...” Vintressa’s face quickly changed to an evil grin as well.
“Excellent...excellent!” Vintressa rubbed her hands together maliciously.
“And, perhaps along the way, I can hook you up with a fine young noble or prince?” Raven asked before ducking away from Vintressa’s inevitable swing... a swing that never came. Instead, Vintressa’s face grew deep red, and after a quick glance around, she leaned over close to Raven.
“You know about me and Royukgan?” she asked quietly, almost causing Raven to giggle. She’d seen the princess and the young man from Ak Konylu slip off between classes. It was quiet and discreet... Vintressa was the queen of quietness and discretion when it came to matters outside her brother; a trait she’d inherited from her grandmother and father, not her mother the Empress. Raven had to admit the boy was a looker... if anything because the colorful orange, black and white patterns on his skin looked so exotic... the remnants of his mixed ancestry, undoubtedly.
Part of it made Raven laugh... that the cool and controlled Vintressa was the one that had fallen head over heels for the boy that was off-limits... no matter how open the Princess’ parents may have felt about letting her select her future husband. After all, it would be poor form for one of the twin Heirs to the Empire to be caught sneaking around with the young Prince of Han... one of the Ak Konylu kingdoms that some sixteen years before, had invaded the Empire.
And been crushed by Vintressa’s own father in battle... not the best way to start family relations, obviously.
“H...how did you know? Please,” Vintressa’s eyes went wide at her friend, reading the knowledge in Raven’s eyes, “don’t tell anyone! Anyone!” The Princess’ hand caught Raven’s hand held it tightly, pleadingly. The crowd around them twittered on about their own subjects, not listening at all to the conversation... Raven did not have to see her friend’s eyes darting about to know that the Princess’ senses were still acutely aware of the situation around her. If she got the slightest hint someone might be listening, Raven knew this conversation would suddenly become stillborn.
Yet she wanted to hear her friend out. Wow... things must be serious... Raven thought, her own mind in a slight state of shock. She’d seen the way the two looked at each other, even fleetingly, while some droll wizard was delivering a boring lecture. The love was apparent in their eyes... easily readable. Even then, Raven had assumed her friend’s dalliances had been mere flirtings.
She raised an eyebrow at Vintressa.
“Please Raven? If anyone other than mother and father found out...” Vintressa’s dsoft whisper trailed off, even as she looked straight ahead.
Raven looked deep into her friend’s eyes, and saw a look of particular desperation; her eyes kept cutting back to her friend’s, despite trying to look directly ahead. How serious did things get? Raven’s mind wondered at first, before the panic in the Princess’ eyes caused her to finally speak.
“Yes, I know,” Raven said quietly. “Your secret is safe with me... and yes, he is a cutie,” she grinned, trying to allay Vintressa’s worry. It was rare her normally collected friend worried about something so deeply, and usually it would have been Raven that would have jumped into something that could have started a mess... she had fallen for boys often, until the most recent incident. Raven’s mind immediately jumped back to the incidents of only a year prior, and a frown danced on her face.
I’ll never let anyone drop me like that again! And I’ll never stoop to allowing someone to fawn and pawn for me just because of my position!
Her thoughts preoccupied her mind as Vintressa gave a soft sigh, its short, brief release letting forth a massive amount of relief. The Crown Princess gave a slight grin, and looked to her friend, only to see Raven’s face twisted into a slight frown, her eyes staring ahead as if focusing on a distant memory.
“Still reflecting back on Raote?” Vintressa asked quietly, snapping Raven back to the present.
“No! No no no,” she shook her head furiously. Her hand reached for her hip, to find it devoid of her normal spellpouch and whip... instead there was only the laced furrows and silk of a fine dress. That irked her, and the look must have become apparent on her face, as Vin gave a grin. Relief spilled on Raven’s face to see Vintressa’s alarm go back to normal.
“Mother specifically invited you, Raven, so I’m guessing that should the actual dancing prove tedious, there’ll be other things there,” she tried to comfort the increasingly annoyed girl.
“Are you kidding me?” Raven whispered back, “It’s an Imperial Ball for the children of the nobility! This is nothing more than organized match-making and politicking!” Raven cast a look around at the others in the line around them. All were near the age of the two girls, 16 years old, but the others twittered about in proper, patrician manners... the boys with their chests puffed out, the girls twittering and muttering about the latest poofah fashion. Raven’s eyes then went back to Vintressa. “I hate match-making and politicking!”
“You are best friends with the Crown Princess, dear Raven,” Vin smiled sadly, “I’m afraid you’ll get a massive dose of both over your life!” Sadly, I have to put up with an even greater dose!
Where is she?
The young man, his black locks cut longer than normal, stood off to the side of the ballroom, near the line of ornate tables and divans set to the side for those who wished to sit. Orange glow, pleasant and carefree, beamed down from the massive chandeliers and mirrored ceiling above onto his decidedly pale flesh. His tall frame compared favorably with the silken tapestries and paintings that adorned the carved walls of the ballroom... indeed, his comparatively long nose and hawkish face was vaguely reminiscent of the features of some of the other great rulers whose ancient pictures adorned the walls.
Nervously, he fidgeted in the pockets of his red suit-coat, flashy and festooned with buttons as it was, until he found the signet ring in his pocket. Carefully, he brought it out, and stared at it in his flat palm.
It was beautifully made, its golden form encompassing three serpents intertwining, their heads coming together on the ring’s top. The eyes of each were jeweled, one eye a flawless emerald, another a priceless ruby, and the third a sapphire of perfection. In the middle of the three was a large diamond cut to perfection.
Air, fire, earth and water, the voice of his father rang in Simeon’s head as he rolled the ring around, flipping it casually. These are the three elements that make all things, boy. By themselves, they may seem mundane, weak... but each serves a vital and important purpose.
Without water, we would all thirst. Without fire, we would all freeze when the winters come. Without air, we would suffocate, and without earth, we would all starve. Each serves a purpose...
Just like each person in the employ of this family, House Erelion...
Part of Simeon thanked his father for that lesson so many years ago... when the boy was merely eight. The small speech detailing why spies and assassins were important, simply explained so the mind of a child, a future Duke of Erelion and possible Emperor, could understand why it was necessary to have persons capable of murder deep within one's staff.
It was only a few months later that Simeon's father rose up in arms, and that the ‘March of the Dragonwings’ shredded through the Imperial countryside, shattering the old nobles that rose against the New Order being imposed by a beardless boy and his desert demon of a wife.
The events shattered his father, leaving the proud man Simeon could remember nothing more than a grizzled wreck left to rot in a prison cell... a cell where he remains to this day, some twelve years later. House Erelion, the House of Three Serpents, had been crushed by House Caladron, the House of the Silver Dragon. Their lands had been split apart, their Duchy stripped from their hands.
Yet House Erelion survived. They had been merely weakened, and thanks to some of their alert and cunning ‘dark retainers,’ skillfully used, House Erelion would likely rise yet again…
Now WE have the advantage! part of Simeon wanted to chuckle, but his nervousness drowned out the urge. His sister, of course, had opted for the more ‘dramatic’ course to entangle the Imperial Family, and possibly intertwine the two eldest heirs to the Empire into the mess...
Simeon kept fidgeting with the ring, as his eyes stared off into the crowd of younger, gossiping nobility, all strutting and puffing themselves out to jostle for position.
“Simeon, why do you stare off as if you are sad and lost?” a melodic soprano voiced asked from behind him, and the young noble quickly put the ring back into his pocket.
His sister had arrived.
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