locustofcharon
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An Overview
Introduction
“Well son, there she is.” The older man said to his eldest son. Stroking his salt and pepper short beard slightly, the carriage draws to a stop. The man was still dressed sharply in a ceremonial uniform as he had attended the small coronation. After all, it was important the man of the hour is present. “It certainly has seen better days, hasn’t it?” His father replied in line with his own thoughts. The castle was a bit rundown and needed to be repaired in patches. But the design was still sturdy and solid. As the scent of burning cedar filled his body, it flooded back memories of that day.
The thirty-ish-year-old man now stood on the balcony of that very castle, looking out at the view of the city that swells into the distance. The once-small castle-town had grown under a kind yet firm ruler. Wiping a small stream of tears that were just about to fall from his eyes he says, “You’d be proud of it, father.” It had been three years since the old Baron had passed. Yet the bold ambition of his father did not die with him. Instead it – as his title, passed on to his son, Baron Tanelli of Kol.
A small patch of the sky became devoid of clouds in the early morning sunrise as a crisp, cool breeze tosses about his beaded necklace. It was about time he made his way to see his ministers and advisors, even if he didn’t wish to. He had to place the people above himself, that is if anything was to curtail the homelessness that had become apparent in his city.
Out in the courtyard, a large statue is being erected of the holy symbol of Nethelianism as workers scurry to and fro. He was going to have to meet his advisors soon, yet the first to meet him on his walk was Betheleth Geller. She was the granddaughter of Alistair Geller the IV. She was his military advisor, the Knight-Captain of his personal guard, and commander of his entire garrison. “Good morning to you, Baron. Did you sleep well?” She asked him as she stood to the side, bowing generously. Tanelli stopped for a moment and clutched a metal plate in his hand. He stood next to her and took a deep breath, not replying to her intentionally. The crisp air had a bite to it, yet made him remember his childhood. “It’s the nature of time that the old ways must give in.” He said to her as she raised her head and looked at him in confusion. Tanelli felt the heat from the tender backhand as he pressed the metal plate into her hand. “Here, take this gift.” He smiled and continued to walk. Betheleth just gazed at the silvery looking polished metal in confusion. This was the first time he gave her a gift, and the inscription was in some kind of language she didn’t read. Now out of earshot of his advisor, he chuckled slightly and said to himself, “Bethe – leth, the mountain castle.”
History of Dadeth
The once tiny castle-town of Dadeth has grown in its near ninety years of existence. The foundation day of the barony creeps closer by the moment with bated breath by those who reside inside its sphere of influence. A rugged past has helped shaped the mountain barony into what it is today.
A mere confederation of tribes, in the beginning, the ancestors was nomads and natives of the area. The hill people gradually came into the small villages built around the mouth of the Isul River out of curiosity first. As the children of nomadic travelers from some far off island and native hill people played together, the first years were spent in prosperity. Farming was difficult in the terrain, but with help from the natives, the nomads were able to cultivate various types of fruit and vegetables. In kind, the nomads taught the natives how to mend and make clothing, leather armor, and crude but effective hunting tools.
This peaceful era continued until the short and violent reign of Alistair Geller the IV. The local population had lived in fear of the natives who were growing more aggressive as competition for the scare mountainside resources led into skirmishes near villages. A tribe of natives led by Twail Fedesh, made the terrible mistake of taking captive some villagers after the villagers refused to give them what little food they had. The tribe of Fedesh was in a perpetual state of war with other tribes of the mountains and because of this, famine had run rampant throughout their tribal villages.
Alistair Geller the IV had been critical of the natives and their “backward” or primitive ways, including how they worshiped various gods. These religious tensions only grew within him as he seen the tribute given to tribal chieftains and demanded that they show him the same respect. This met with failure and anger as the tribes seen it as an affront to their religion, many priests of which, were the chieftains themselves. Geller, the once most powerful house in the barony, soon lost favor with the other houses that see him as jealous and power hungry. However, after the kidnapping, he began to turn the nomads against the natives by spreading lies and propaganda. By embellishing on the attack of the village itself, Alistair gained the support of the people – who in turn, forced the great houses to back his plan for retaliatory strikes.
In secret Alistair had his generals kill the children of tribes after the men were lured out of the tribal villages and took women to be his personal slaves, many of which were inducted into Alistair’s private harem. A war was now on, as the natives squared off against nomads. The war was brutal, often entire villages were razed to the ground and what remained was nothing but corpses and ashes. What Alistair started was ill-advised by the other great houses, but they were forced to fight along with the Baron. After natives sacked the outward villages, they began to encroach inwards to the lands where the castle now sits today.
Alistair’s fortified palace offered little protection from thousands of natives who had been antagonized by the slander and reprisal attacks by nomads, often not knowing what tribe they were attacking. The hit-and-run tactics of the natives often left Alistair’s army little time to get ready for an attack, however in a village just outside of the palace walls, the natives massed. In a show of union of tribes, they lined the ridges, hills, and gathered in the Lost Valley, known to them as Lurd Verrairr. Meanwhile, in the palace, Alistair was almost assassinated by a native who had been hiding in a villager’s home during a speech to his army. Alistair chooses to lead his troops into battle, fearing his life was not safe back at home.
At the end of the five days of fighting, Alistair’s troops came out on top, however; it was without their leader. An arrow that pierced his throat had killed him. No one knows exactly who fired the fatal shot; some claim it was from natives while others argue it was from his own men. In his death, he left the barony to his young three-year-old son and a regency council. At the head of this council, which was made up of members of other great houses, was A’kiir Kol.
It was under A’Kiir Kol that the war with the natives finally met its end. During the peace talks, the barony formally apologized to the native people and agreed to shelter, clothe, and feed the survivors of the war, including their families. This was enough to begin rebuilding the destroyed trust and land. During the regency of A’kiir, the barony absorbed the tribes of those who wanted to stay as citizens. The age of rebuilding was not an easy one and over his lifetime, A’kiir toiled to get the land rebuilt and the township faced rations, riots, and public protests.
This did not cease, even with A’kiir’s death. As his son, Kristoph Kol was named Baron, he would inherit the suffering from hungry and angry people from his father. The reforms became loose laws that were followed. Even though the land had mended, people’s hearts and minds were not so easily healed. Kristoph sent many natives to work in the logging industry while many of the nomads seen them as second-class citizens. As political turmoil plagued the barony, Randus, became of age. He had been of age for some time but had shown no interest in being Baron until then. He claimed that the Kol house had usurped the title that rightfully belonged to his family. Kristoph Kol abdicated the barony allowing Randus to become Baron.
However, Randus raised taxes and used his newfound power to make the suffering of the people worse. It wasn’t until Randus ordered the arrest of every member of the house of Kol that people begin to revolt. It was a massive uprising and without support from the other great houses, Randus stood no chance of winning. He hired mercenary natives to protect him during state functions and fight skirmishes with any rebellious groups that popped up. A military coup d'etat lead by Randus’ uncle deposed the brash, arrogant Randus. A trial was set and Randus was executed at the age of twenty for crimes against his people, and against the crown as he hadn’t paid any tribute to his highness, the King.
Kristoph once again was named Baron. Since then the castle-town has become a booming sprawling city. Kristoph was older and fighting illness as his second reign was marred with the signature of famine. After his death, three years ago – his son Tanelli faced the same problems of his father. Tanelli created a co-union of natives and nomads, claiming them all one people, and established several trading companies within the city walls. He led an initiative to organize farms and public stores in hopes of stemming the famine. This seems to have worked and the community yet grows. But the people will not soon forget the bloody history of the barony. Paranoia grows even now and distrust of natives who are easy to distinguish because of their more bronzed skin tone or strange colored eyes, are mixed with that distrust of the government.
Homelessness, poverty, and racism split the city into sectors, and allegiances are drawn. Only time will tell how history will see this time of turmoil and strife.