The kingdom of Kirai has a history in which no mortal man can remember. The books in its libraries stretch back for thousands of years, and yet its source is hidden from prying eyes and ears. but the royal family has been in power for the entire time, passing its crowm from generation to generation, without a single enemy able to usurp the throne.
the royal family is a blessed pride of half dragons decended from Rokmir himself. His whereabouts are unknown, but his brood lay dormant at the peak of Cloud Mountain, caring not for the happenings of the world as long as they are left along. The only indicator of their presence is the flock often takes to the skies in a magnificent display of aerial acrobatices.
No man has ever been able to scale its cliffs, but the royal family can call upon the aid of the dragons to whisp them away in times of need. This may also be the source for the kingdom's longevity.
Every 100 years, the crown is passed from father to son, in a glorious ceremony in which the entire kingdom celebrates in a festival of life. Travelers and merchants from across the land come to trade and feast in this bountiful time of art and music. Games are set up across the entire kingdom, and small shops and stands spring up everywhere. the royal family sees this as an indicator of how their kingdom has prospered over the years- and its reputation is still growing.
But in recent years, a dark presence has been felt by all that lives in the kingdom. the brood has not been heard of for years, something that is very rare. their display has ceased and their proud, thundering cries are now silent.
In addition, the castle itself has been feeling the pains of the dark force. The crop has been failing in recent years, and the livestock is not as healthy as before.
Many attribute this to the corrupted magistrate that has came into office a decade ago. And to the peasant's dismay, a magistrate position is held for life- and his being elven, will last far longer than any of the people who are suffering now.
But the people have high hopes for this crowning. A king has the power to reverse all decisions of the past and hopefully, this magistrate's reign will end as the new king is crowned.
throughout the land, the festival this year is known to the comon folk as "festival of Hope". Hope- something that they have not had for almost ten years now.
The festivities has begun days ago. People have gathered from far and wide to view that spectacle that is the coronation.
Every hundred years, the passing of the crown is signified with a metaphoric theme that is manifested through the people and the kingdom for the next century. This year, the theme was chosen outside of palace walls, but the recent events have led the royal family to adopt the theme of Hope: hope for a better future, hope for a new age of prosperity, hope for a new heir.
The royal family has been plagued with still births for the past ten years. tradition dictates that the first prince to produce a female heir will be crowned king. The end draws ever closer, and no daughter was born. This has caused many conflicts in the oryal fam,ily, none of which has reached the public, but a secret hardly able to be kept secret.
the traditions of Kirai is more peculiar than any other kingdom. The crown is passed through daughters- not sons. And it is her duty that she finds the best suiter to rule the kingdom. Her choice is absolute, and no other can persuade her decision. The first daughter of the royal brood that produces a female offspring will be crowned queen, and she will pass the crown through her bloodlines.
But at present, because no heir is produced, any of the four sons may be crowned, and the choice has torn the palace apart. Alliances were built and destroyed to gain power, and the three eldest brothers war against each other to win the favor of their mother and father. And because the four sons have no blood ties with the family, but related only by wedding the daughters, they have no loyalties to the kingdom exept their own selfish motives. The daughters, however, feel an obligation to support their husband in this race for the crown.
All three princesses are pregnant at present, which is why the forth prince does not feel the need to contend for his wife has not bore a child. The first to come out a girl will be crowned.
The kingdom is eagerly awaiting this news. There are even parlors and speak-easies that are taking to betting on who gets the crown, and what will happen to the other brothers when the crown is passed.
But no matter what happens, the crown is set to pass on two weeks. If a daughetr is not born by then, the crown will be passe to the eldest son- Mandar a half elf/half dragon. Keeping with the bloodlines is the main reason why he was favored in the lineage. the other three sons is Dryka-dark elf, Underwood-elf, Bob-human. The human being the least favorable, because he is unable to rule a kingdom for 100 years. He bears no chance in gaining the throne.
Semirhage:
[Can we get a little character description on the son-in-laws? I'd like to know how they act before I decide which one I am helpling.]
Vriseya paces silently around her private office in the Royal Library of Kirai. As a special adjunct to the library, she'd been given the offfice and a quarters in the city when she chose to use them. Her little coterie found the Royal Library to be very handy as neutral ground for meetings. In a few hours, her political contacts would arrive, and they would have to decide which of the sons to support.
It had already been a feat to arrange for the ceremony to continue and the crown to change, since the magistrate had tried various things to get the ceremony cancelled or post-poned. Vriseya knew that something was up, but she wasn't sure what.
As far as a child was concerned, it hardly mattered what the mother bore, so long as Vriseya and her colleagues were there, they could arrange to change the child's gender with a little well-placed magic if it were necessary. But keeping the other mothers from having children first... that was the important part.
All three women were practically bursting. Two were already overdue, and the third was approaching her term. Vriseya shook her head, glad that their agents and likely, numerous others had managed to keep the women out of labor.
She wondered briefly if Thamior had been able to locate all of the foods she'd asked him to purchase. There would be a range of tastes and species at the meeting later, and it would be poor etiquette not to offer a wide selection, even if her own tastes were quite different.
She would actually be seeing a few of her old apprentices at the meeting, which turned her thoughts to Niro. The boy certainly had talent and interesting ideas. His studies, which she hadn't had time to read, but had briefly skimmed, might provide interesting insight into Planar beings and mechanics. She shook her head. She shouldn't think of him as a boy, but it as so hard with humans. By the time they were old enough to think of as adults by her standards, most of her apprentices were dead... or undead, which she found mildly distasteful.
And what about this Kayindar? She'd heard that her rival *Raynorm* was fond of using Simulacrums to do his dirty work, especially anything that was dangerous. Kayindar could provide useful intelligence on his actions.
She shook herself, then walked to the window of her office and flung it open. The Festival of Hope drew nearer. Her meeting would soon be upon her and she felt...exhilarated, anxious. She whispered the words of her favorite spell and slowly took the shape of a raven. Such a bird would hardly be noticed, since they were so common in the city. She took wing, deciding to do a little reconaissance. She could relax a bit before the meeting and work out some of her anxiety.
the royal family is a blessed pride of half dragons decended from Rokmir himself. His whereabouts are unknown, but his brood lay dormant at the peak of Cloud Mountain, caring not for the happenings of the world as long as they are left along. The only indicator of their presence is the flock often takes to the skies in a magnificent display of aerial acrobatices.
No man has ever been able to scale its cliffs, but the royal family can call upon the aid of the dragons to whisp them away in times of need. This may also be the source for the kingdom's longevity.
Every 100 years, the crown is passed from father to son, in a glorious ceremony in which the entire kingdom celebrates in a festival of life. Travelers and merchants from across the land come to trade and feast in this bountiful time of art and music. Games are set up across the entire kingdom, and small shops and stands spring up everywhere. the royal family sees this as an indicator of how their kingdom has prospered over the years- and its reputation is still growing.
But in recent years, a dark presence has been felt by all that lives in the kingdom. the brood has not been heard of for years, something that is very rare. their display has ceased and their proud, thundering cries are now silent.
In addition, the castle itself has been feeling the pains of the dark force. The crop has been failing in recent years, and the livestock is not as healthy as before.
Many attribute this to the corrupted magistrate that has came into office a decade ago. And to the peasant's dismay, a magistrate position is held for life- and his being elven, will last far longer than any of the people who are suffering now.
But the people have high hopes for this crowning. A king has the power to reverse all decisions of the past and hopefully, this magistrate's reign will end as the new king is crowned.
throughout the land, the festival this year is known to the comon folk as "festival of Hope". Hope- something that they have not had for almost ten years now.
The festivities has begun days ago. People have gathered from far and wide to view that spectacle that is the coronation.
Every hundred years, the passing of the crown is signified with a metaphoric theme that is manifested through the people and the kingdom for the next century. This year, the theme was chosen outside of palace walls, but the recent events have led the royal family to adopt the theme of Hope: hope for a better future, hope for a new age of prosperity, hope for a new heir.
The royal family has been plagued with still births for the past ten years. tradition dictates that the first prince to produce a female heir will be crowned king. The end draws ever closer, and no daughter was born. This has caused many conflicts in the oryal fam,ily, none of which has reached the public, but a secret hardly able to be kept secret.
the traditions of Kirai is more peculiar than any other kingdom. The crown is passed through daughters- not sons. And it is her duty that she finds the best suiter to rule the kingdom. Her choice is absolute, and no other can persuade her decision. The first daughter of the royal brood that produces a female offspring will be crowned queen, and she will pass the crown through her bloodlines.
But at present, because no heir is produced, any of the four sons may be crowned, and the choice has torn the palace apart. Alliances were built and destroyed to gain power, and the three eldest brothers war against each other to win the favor of their mother and father. And because the four sons have no blood ties with the family, but related only by wedding the daughters, they have no loyalties to the kingdom exept their own selfish motives. The daughters, however, feel an obligation to support their husband in this race for the crown.
All three princesses are pregnant at present, which is why the forth prince does not feel the need to contend for his wife has not bore a child. The first to come out a girl will be crowned.
The kingdom is eagerly awaiting this news. There are even parlors and speak-easies that are taking to betting on who gets the crown, and what will happen to the other brothers when the crown is passed.
But no matter what happens, the crown is set to pass on two weeks. If a daughetr is not born by then, the crown will be passe to the eldest son- Mandar a half elf/half dragon. Keeping with the bloodlines is the main reason why he was favored in the lineage. the other three sons is Dryka-dark elf, Underwood-elf, Bob-human. The human being the least favorable, because he is unable to rule a kingdom for 100 years. He bears no chance in gaining the throne.
Semirhage:
[Can we get a little character description on the son-in-laws? I'd like to know how they act before I decide which one I am helpling.]
Vriseya paces silently around her private office in the Royal Library of Kirai. As a special adjunct to the library, she'd been given the offfice and a quarters in the city when she chose to use them. Her little coterie found the Royal Library to be very handy as neutral ground for meetings. In a few hours, her political contacts would arrive, and they would have to decide which of the sons to support.
It had already been a feat to arrange for the ceremony to continue and the crown to change, since the magistrate had tried various things to get the ceremony cancelled or post-poned. Vriseya knew that something was up, but she wasn't sure what.
As far as a child was concerned, it hardly mattered what the mother bore, so long as Vriseya and her colleagues were there, they could arrange to change the child's gender with a little well-placed magic if it were necessary. But keeping the other mothers from having children first... that was the important part.
All three women were practically bursting. Two were already overdue, and the third was approaching her term. Vriseya shook her head, glad that their agents and likely, numerous others had managed to keep the women out of labor.
She wondered briefly if Thamior had been able to locate all of the foods she'd asked him to purchase. There would be a range of tastes and species at the meeting later, and it would be poor etiquette not to offer a wide selection, even if her own tastes were quite different.
She would actually be seeing a few of her old apprentices at the meeting, which turned her thoughts to Niro. The boy certainly had talent and interesting ideas. His studies, which she hadn't had time to read, but had briefly skimmed, might provide interesting insight into Planar beings and mechanics. She shook her head. She shouldn't think of him as a boy, but it as so hard with humans. By the time they were old enough to think of as adults by her standards, most of her apprentices were dead... or undead, which she found mildly distasteful.
And what about this Kayindar? She'd heard that her rival *Raynorm* was fond of using Simulacrums to do his dirty work, especially anything that was dangerous. Kayindar could provide useful intelligence on his actions.
She shook herself, then walked to the window of her office and flung it open. The Festival of Hope drew nearer. Her meeting would soon be upon her and she felt...exhilarated, anxious. She whispered the words of her favorite spell and slowly took the shape of a raven. Such a bird would hardly be noticed, since they were so common in the city. She took wing, deciding to do a little reconaissance. She could relax a bit before the meeting and work out some of her anxiety.
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