If I am defeated in a duel to surrender, I shall support and enact your decisions in the councilmembers and lordships of Trenton. You shall instruct the distribution of regions between the two realms to your pleasure. The two realms will perpetually federate in joint-recognition of your imperial authority over the Vale and defend itself from foreign invaders, including Fronen. At your pleasure, Trenton will serve as a buffer state to IVF, gradually returning more southern regions as it moves into IVF's enemies.
If I am victorious in a duel to surrender, you shall cease your use of imperial titles. We shall unite in alliance against foreign invaders. We shall unite in support of many diverse city-state Vales, with an overarching cultural institution uniting them under your direction. One such being an arrangement for the far eastern regions of Trenton and some far western Riombaran regions to form a new Vale around Ete.
Roleplay from Raziella I Himoura Nifelleisca (12 hours, 27 minutes ago)
Message sent to all nobles in the region Iato (8 recipients)
Raziella had been defending the walls of Iato, but after her defeat and upon the arrival of Ivory's Court, the people of Iato had fled to the city center, occuping the palaces, keep, and city hall. Eventually a district somewhat more appreciative of her was found for the day. Many letters continued flowing to and fro, handling realm business. But also a long-awaited duel challenge.
As the sun set, the fate of the Vale rested in the swordarms of two women with supreme confidence in their ability.
Roleplay from Selenia JeVondair (12 hours ago)
Message sent to all nobles in the region Iato (8 recipients)
The city was hers. Her nascent Empire was growing. Selenia could feel it in her bones, taste it in the burnt smell of the air. With the battle for the walls done and the city occupied and in anarchy, the Empress was about different business today.
Today she wore her dark green dueling leathers, her sun-bleached blond hair braided tightly to her scalp, swirling in the interesting patterns native to the Desert of Silhouettes which she'd adopted from her late husband, Dead some 15 years now. Her tawny arms, more muscled than a pampered lady's should be, were bear to the wind. Her twin kukris were sheathed at her sides and a snowline cloak thrown about her shoulders. The blasted thing was both hot and heavy, but it looked good. And in the Ivory Court, Appearances were important indeed.
She knew the city well, and little had changed. Her men were engaging in freedom celebrations, but she was escorted by the other members of the Ivory Court that wished to witness the event.
She strolled confidently to wear her scouts reported Duchess Raziella had holed herself up...
Roleplay from Raziella I Himoura Nifelleisca (7 hours, 22 minutes ago)
Message sent to all nobles in the region Iato (9 recipients)
Raziella had paid some local street children to watch for the advance of noble retinues. And so it was that Selenia and Raziella met within the ruined gardens of Iato.
Raziella donned her Valiant Helm of Protection, having finished many sacrifices to a variety of gods she had ever come across. Somewhere, a piano played in a distant window, unaware of the ambience he was setting not far away. Perhaps one of the conquering soldiers had picked up the ability and found an abandoned piano? Perhaps a local attempting to ease his neighbours' anxieties?
The two ladies approaching each other, swords drawn. Selenia attacked first, aggressively, with Raziella mostly moving more nimbly around Selenia.
At one point, Raziella attempts to pull something from within her clothing, but cannot find it, even muttering, "Where did my long-lost hammer go?" It had only recently been found and she could've sworn it was upon her as she set out. Fortunately, she noticed it within a flower bed and was able to strike Selenia with the hammer a number of times and with enough consequence to cause painful bruising ranging from knees to shoulders.
In the end, Selenia was able to remove the Valiant Helm of Protection and knock Raziella unconscious with it.
Awakening near a hastily-piled group of human, undead, and monster heads left as ammunition for the Himouran Head Hurling Horde, it was apparent that someone from the Ivory Court had confiscated both Helm and Hammer. Yet again that long-lost hammer was lost again.
As she groaned awake and moved to her feet, her unit returned some men shorter, but overall much healthier than she had left them before the duel. Groaning again, less this time from headache but realization of what was next, she fetched some pens.
Roleplay from Selenia JeVondair (just in)
Message sent to everyone in the region Iato (9 recipients)
It was a very different fight for Empress Selenia.
Sweat began to line her palms, heart fluttering as it always did before a fight. She stepped lightly, using the balls of her toes rather than her heels, as she approached Raziella. The Duchess was resplendent in her Valiant Helm of Protection as she stepped into the impromptu arena. She was a nobly born woman, of that there could be no doubt. Her towering birth was evident in her refined poise, while her relative inexperience as a killer was evident in the weapons she brought...a sword and a rather large hammer.
Vassals took the snowlion cloak from her shoulders, which she loosened and rolled like a languid predator. There were no speeches, no taunting, just the silent ringing of anticipation. It tingled along the hairs of her arms like an electrical current. Selenia brought her Kukri's up and crouched. Even wrapped in protective cloth as they were, they were still dangerously solid in her hands, even as her mind was wrapped in morbid thoughts of aggression. The the rest of the world fell away from her, tunneling to show only Raziella.
And then the Duchess moved.
Selenia would never remember if Raziella has simply been shifting, or trying to speak, or any other of a thousand non-threatening things, but the Empress was upon her like lighting to a tree, dancing about with a strength and agility that surprised the other woman, but Raziella was nothing if not stubborn. Though she lacked Selenia's veracity, she made up for with the curious ability to redirect the energy of Selenia's attacks either to her own advantage, or at least away from her, which slowly frustrated the Empress as precious seconds ticked by.
The parity did not last long. Selenia noticed that Raziella's bag of trick moves was only so deep; she was starting to repeat herself. A twist here, a thrust there, and Selenia manipulated Raziella right where she wanted her. Raziella counterstruck with the her sword to ward off Selenia's Kukris. Instead of stepping back, however, Selenia ducked underneath Raziella swing. Catching her opponents arm safely in the crook of her own, Selenia bashed the pommel of her kukri into the pit of Raziella's elbow, forcing her hand-muscles to spasm and drop her sword. But before Selenia could go for something duel-ending, Raziella spun away, disoriented, cocking her head as though listening to music even as she grouped for her Hammer.
Selenia approached casually, confident now in her approaching victory. That cockiness, however, nearly cost her the match as Raziella surprised her with a swift and powerful swing. At the time, Selenia did not actually feel it connect, but she was flung of balance and fell to the ground hard, forehead popping off the stone...
The forest is dark. The children were screaming, but it is quiet now. Too quiet. death stalks the woods, fat and happy. Supreme in it's mastery of the dark places. She stalked Death itself. The death of innocent children stolen from the northern Morekian village. The Maddening was in the ascendant, driving her forward. desperate to help, but knowing in her soul that it was already much too late...
SNAP! A twig, a branch. To the left, did that shadow just move? No, behind! Something there, watching, hunting...HER. Breath, fetid, blood, congealed. That of Children. But how could she know that for sure? She didn't, and yet she knew.
It's not so big, but strong. It's outline blurred in the dark, always the dark. She's on the ground, her head hurts. She rolls just as it's meaty fist crumbles the ground she had been lying on. She springs up. Dancing to a music only she could here. The Head. Go for the Head. End IT. She does. Grabs the horns. The neck feels weak...good. She twists, a popping sound. Chortled rage and fear. She holds the head in her hands, but the body is still moving, somehow screaming. She's lost her blades, but it doesn't matter. She'll pulverize with it's own evil skull. She'll beat it bloody so that it will never hurt anyone again. Never Again. NEVER AGAIN-
The forest reached out to her, moaning. Roots grab her arms, sholders, wrapping her tight, wrenching the head from her, pulling her from the beast. resolving from roots to hands, from wood to flesh. Night in the woods becomes day in a scarred city. The ruined peace of a crumbling garden. Blurry Vision; tears. Tears ruining the makeup Mavia insisted she wear, even to a fight. Shouting in her Ear.
"YOUR MAJESTY! STOP! STOP! Damn it, you fools, don't just stand there! Help me get her off the Duchess! This fight is OVER!"
