Colshar City, Lakar - Royal Parliament - Chamber of Lords
Year 214, Age of Cataclysm
What King Lidas VI was about to discuss with the 500 noblemen patiently awaiting his instruction was fear-inducing. The monarch was in a small meeting room which connected to the main chamber itself, accompanied by top generals and his trusted ally, Captain Arda. In minutes he was going to address the country and warn them of a very real and very dire threat that would bring Lakar to ruin if left unchecked. At the far end of the corridor leading out of the room was the large, intricate podium that he rarely made public mandates from. It was situated high on a set of steps that gave the speaker full view of the many rows of seats within the building. Behind the podium was a massive banner that hung from the gold-plated ceiling. It was the flag that embodied the nation, the one that carried the symbol of the sun on it without hesitation.
Colsha City was built long ago on Colsha Bay, in the far south of Lakar. It was a sunny place with large grassland fields surrounding it, and it derived its name from the rich deposits of coal below the ground. The royal palace, however, was built atop a small (yet elevated) island in the bay. An enormous wooden bridge connected this island with the rest of the city, but few were ever permitted to cross it. The parliament building sat a little ways on the eastern edge of the bay. Captain Arda became very familiar with the area during her time as a Light Raider, as she spent much of her early life as a rural peasant. She was uncomfortable in being so close to politicians who preferred arguing to action. Her free time was better spent at the Cathedral of Nhyeus, but her liege ordered her to stay for the proceedings here.
One of the generals finished the last section of his report, and the king nodded. Everyone in the meeting room stood up, walked slowly through the corridor, and stood beside Lidas VI as he readied himself on the podium. His face was that of an old man whose years of prosperity were long behind him. Now, there would only be difficult times ahead. Lakar could no longer ignore the enemy who had long plotted its destruction. He glanced at the public gallery where his loyal subjects anticipated happier news. The king shuddered to think that either they or their children would be drafted to fight in the upcoming war against Acenath. He received little solace from having remembered his speech by heart.
"Lakar is a kingdom unlike any other. The first story we learn as children is the triumph of Lidas, my forefather, who spoke with the Architect that rules over us all. It was Nhyeus who blessed this land from the very beginning, who forged heroes to his bidding in the name of all that is good. I must inform you, my loyal subjects, to whom I have dedicated every waking moment of my life, that there are dark forces who have infiltrated us. In the shadows lurk the agents of Acenath and their treacherous god, who have recently deposed their queen in a brutal civil war and installed a cruel tyrant. This madman that sits on the throne of our age-old rival has sent out evildoers to put an end to our way of life. People of Lakar, and to the people of the world, I will tell you that the Necromancers have returned from their centuries of hiding. We mistakenly assumed that they were wiped out by the great kings of old, but this was not so."
Lidas VI sighed before he continued. "Our scouts operating in Acenath have confirmed that the Necromancers have begun raising an army, an army of the undead. The number of these abominations grows daily, and we cannot delay our response. Lakar! I call upon you to fight back against the darkness before it sweeps across your beloved home. Let us be a beacon to our allies! Show courage in the days ahead, when food will be scarce and your loved ones will be fighting on distant shores. Their efforts will ultimately bring us victory, and with victory our traditions shall survive forevermore. Let your hearts move you, so that you will join me as we resist the corruption of Hyrodal! This is my declaration: that Lakar is to wage war on Acenath so that the Necromancers will not steal our very souls. There is no time for debate. Instead, I demand that parliament cooperate with my authority to conduct this war, and hopefully end it swiftly. Glory to Lakar!"
The chamber erupted with shouts, each proclaiming "Glory to Lakar!" Captain Arda was impressed by this display of patriotism. She did not expect it to last for very long, but she had more pressing matters to attend to. She would soon mobilize the Light Raiders to push into enemy territory before they got the first strike.
Accepted Characters
Esmae Vassellis - Ceystile
Aurel - Endem
Marten - Kaledoria
Bheith Luddrum - Guuj Xaat Kil
Arda of Josdon - Northern Davincia