Roleplay from Karibash ka Habb (13 minutes ago)
Message sent to everyone in your realm (31 recipients)
In the Shrine of Seeklander, Karibash oversees construction of the third walls. The Shrine was built long ago by the native Mountainmen to honour some unknown god; when the Everguardians came to Dwilight they were compelled to find the Shrine and when they did the Shrine was little more than a small, barely maintained stone circle and packed earth walls with but a few dozen souls living there. They claimed the land and built over the original Shrine with a temple exalting Tor, God of War. They then built the original keep and stronghold walls which still remain today. The walls and surrounding city were built into the mountain to resemble the old Toren Stronghold, the narrow streets designed to confuse and disorient foes. After the Shrine fell to Astrum, the temple of Tor was demolished and the new Astroist temple was built over it. Three tall towers were added to the keep to symbolize the Bloodstars, and Astrumese revisions to Toren architecture were made. They were not to last however. Though most of the keep and stronghold was scrubbed clean of Toren imagery, the design of the buildings was far superior to the Astrumese, who had been influenced by Morekian castles on the plains in the east. Toren architects were found to complete a new set of walls, making the Shrine nearly impregnable. Presiding over their completion, he couldn't help but be proud. So he needed to build a third wall. These walls would be even bigger, 25 feet tall and 4 feet thick of granite from the mountains. Karibash personally oversaw the design process. As the last walls were a testament to the Duke Kihalin, these walls would be a testament to the lasting power of Astrum, the Toren people, and himself.
The Shrine has been a flurry of activity as of late. Using his considerable wealth he has funded many projects and using his considerable influence has convinced minor nobles, the burghers, and serfs alike of a destiny for the Shrine, a vision where they will grow strong. Though the Astrumese nobility has been a touch reluctant of the words of the ancient Duke, the Toren nobility have embraced him as have the largely Toren burghers while the Mountainmen serfs remain divided. The Astrumese of the Shrine are almost exclusively nobles or priests. They either came with the Astrumese conquerers or shortly after and quickly gained domination over the Shrine much to the distaste of the old Toren nobility. As lands and posessions were seized and given to the Astrumese, the number of Toren nobility quickly fell. Now the Toren nobility are but a handful compared to the Astrumese but the few who remain are extremely powerful: Astrum opted to placate them rather than risk rebellion. The burghers for the most part are Toren as foreigners do not last long in the culture. They have made their name as smiths, architects, engineers, and warriors. Unsurprisingly some Toren can be found as priests in the Astroist temple, an homage to their fiercly religious past. A few Astrumese merchants exist to peddle jewellery, but they tend to keep their heads down. The serfs are largely mountainmen, with some Toren miners. The Mountainmen either work as shopkeeps or labourers for Toren burghers, as farmers on the little arable land, but the majority live in the mountains as hunters. They come to the city only to sell their wares, but can make extra gold by taking Astrumese nobility on hunts. They accept the Toren as fellows from a far land, sharing some culture points and they have even started to intermarry. They experienced great hardship under the Astrumese though, taken to work in mines or sent abroad to work fields, and largely resent them. It is advisable for Astrumese to not stray too far outside the city or off the main road, nor to mingle with the impoverished Mountainmen. It is hard to track the number of Mountainmen around the Shrine; they view the mountains as one region and tend to travel about following the herds of deer or aurochs.
It was on this particular day, while watching a crew of Mountainmen labourers moving a granite slab, supervised by an Astrumese noble, advised by a Toren architect that Karibash had a most peculiar lapse. He lost where he was for a moment, forgot what he was doing, and in general could not remember for the life of him a few things, most particularly his age. Turning to his good retainer Edward, he speaks:
"Edward?
"Yes milord?"
"What are we doing?
"Observing construction of the new walls milord?"
"New walls?" He looks around, "Why in the world are we building new walls at the stronghold?"
"The... stronghold?"
Karibash laughs "The stronghold! Toren Stronghold! The centre of our glorious people!"
"Milord-"
"Who are those people over there? Why is there an Ikalakian here?" He strolls over to the assembled workers, patting the Astrumese noble on the back. "Greetings Ikalakian friend!" The Astrumese has a look of bewilderment, being approached by a Duke of Astrum, "I'm glad we are co-operating on repairing the walls after those damned Tassies damaged it." He strolls over to the Toren architect, speaking in Toren. "Greetings brother!"
"...milord Duke it is impolite to speak Toren in front of outsiders."
"Oh, of course," He finishes with a forearm handshake and a firm gaze.
"Lord Karibash are you well?" Edward approaches worried.
"Well? Edward, I've never been better! Those peasants there, their beards are unkempt for good pious Toren men. See that they are tended to." He looks away from the Shrine, out towards the countryside. He is quiet for a moment. "Edward. We're not in Toren anymore are we."
"We haven't been in over 30 years milord."
Karibash is quiet for a moment as his memories rush back. The South-East sinking, Everguard, monster hoardes, the Stars, the damned arthritis in his knees, the pain he has in his stomach, Astrum.
"Oh."
He turns back to Edward, shaking his head. "Remind me, are we at war?"
"Yes milord, with Aurvandil and her satellites."
Karibash ponders this for a moment. "Because their God-King is an arrogant fool, no?"
"Precisely."
"So why don't we kill him?"
"Milord that is precisely the aim. The armies of Astrum and her Allies have already been on one expedition to the south."
Karibash shakes his head smiling, "No, no. Why doesn't someone challenge him to one on one combat, kill him, and watch Aurvandil crumble?"
"Well... I'm not sure. Who would be fool enough to do such a thing?" Seeing the smile, Edward is aghast, "Milord... you can't possibly...?"
"Edward, bring me parchment and a quill. I wish to write this letter myself."
