Rody 1/2
New member
Centuries ago, in the Holy Land of Lunas, the First Queen descended. With the Dawn, Sun, and Twilight runes in hand, she breathed life into the barren wastes left behind by the once mighty Ancient Dynasty, which had supposedly been burnt by the Sun Rune itself. So goes the legend of the Queendom of Falena's founding. From it are borne many curious traditions.
There are the Sacred Games, for example: since the Queen in the Sun Palace is as a goddess of war and prosperity, so was it decided that her husband should be as a god of war, the greatest of warriors. Wandering sellswords, warrior monks, and Noble scions alike can battle in the colosseum at Stormfist, and must do so to take the hand of the crown princess. But of course, there are no kings in Falena, the royal consort is, rather than his own throne, given the task of leading the Queen's Knights, the elite royal bodyguard.
But more curiously for Falena's neighbours, but as sacred to Falena as the three runes themselves, is that there are not, and never have been, any men in the royal family besides the married in consorts themselves.
This is not, of course, because the royal family is incapable of producing males. Rather, any males born of the queen, her sisters, her cousins, or any princess, are themselves simply considered princesses. In religious ritual, on legal documentation, for public appearance, during formal engagements, those who in other lands would be princes were raised to be and obliged to appear as heirs to the First Queen. All who carry the name Falenas are expected to prepare for marriage, train to be clerics and oracles at Lunas, or be groomed for the Solar Throne itself, though others have donned armor and joined the military as officers and Queen's Knights to defend their cousins and country.
In the past this tradition has run into... complications.
But for the current crown princess, Freyja Falenas, it was a blessing.
-----------
The Bearer of the Sun Rune and Queen of Falena, Arshtat Falenas, leaned back on her throne, and observed those before her: Queen's Knights Georg Prime and Kyle of Lelcar, along with her own sister, Sialeeds Falenas.
The latter finished her somewhat lengthy report on the situation in Lordlake: "Thus we see increasingly vicious monsters, rampant disease, starvation, and dehydration. As head of the Royal Inspection Team I can only suggest, sister, that is time to have the Godwins cease blocking the river."
Arshtat was silent, for a moment, processing her younger sibling's recommendation. In strictly logical terms, it made sense: the Roveres who inspired the uprising were dead, the town had been thoroughly searched for the Dawn Rune after she smote it two years ago, and most of the populace had either died or fled. It was too ravaged to ever really be a threat again and clearly the rune, if had ever been in the town itself to start, was long gone. Further punishment was meaningless, and the upkeep for Godwin's ridiculous dam/fortress hybrid wasn't worth even the relatively small percentage of it covered by the central government. It would be more valuable if torn down and sold off as raw materials, plus the show of mercy would be as useful as the show of force two years ago.
All perfectly sensible reasons to stop. To take the royal boot off of Lordlake, and turn her eyes elsewhere (perhaps on Marscal Godwin himself, for example).
And yet...
And yet...
"Ha... hahaHAHAHA!" She couldn't help it. The whisper in her mind turned to cackling laughter in reality. "They still squat there? Traitors and thieves, wasting away in such a wretched existence?" The Sun Rune glowed brighter as she spoke, her eyes widening, as she spring from her throne, causing her sister and Kyle to recoil, and for Georg Prime to just almost go for his sword (a reflex that, fortunately, he suppressed enough for the queen to not notice).
"Yes, yes, truly, it's tremendous, hysterical in fact! But also infuriating! Why, after the power of the sun itself scorched their pathetic hamlet, do they cling to it still? Out of defiance, clearly! Traitors to the throne, even now! And you Sialeeds, my own blood, suggest CLEMENCY? No..." The rune on her forehead grew brighter, "No I think it might be time for another less-"
Arshtat's tirade was cut off however, clarity returning to her mind as the rune dimmed, and she realized two hands were upon her, a firm and large one on her left shoulder and a soft, delicate one grasping her right hand.
Suddenly, Arshtat remembered where she was, who she was speaking to, who held her. One of the latter spoke, "My dear, I think you need to rest," came the voice of Ferid Egan, her husband and Commander of the Queen's Knights, causing her to turn and meet his eyes, finding instant calm in his smile. He gently reached out and grabbed her other hand, running the one already on her down through her silver locks to the small of her back. "It's been a long day. Let our daughter handle this."
"Yes mother, let me handle the rest of today's trivialities. Sleep, walk the gardens with father, do what you need to relax," came the voice of the other, still grasping her right hand. Arshtat turned and looked at the room's other, smaller throne to her right, where her Freyja sat, the long silver hair of the family running down her back, and her own guard Miakis shadowing her throne just as Ferid did Arshtat's. Her eldest child, soon to be 16 (and due for her Games, another weight on Arshtat's soul), was by far the most subdued of the women in the family, having relatively little of the fire of her mother or younger sister, to say nothing of the cheer of her father or Haswar (though she could be as snide as Sialeeds when it suited her).
Yes, her dear girl... and in front of that child, and her husband, she had again lost herself, and at two of her loyal knights and her already much burdened sister at that. "Yes, yes you're both right...." Arshtat faced her sister as Ferid began to lead her out of the throne room, "Forgive me Sialeeds, that was... uncalled for." She got a dismissive wave in return, causing the queen to slightly smile in spite of herself.
---
Freyja sighed a bit as her mother disappeared out of the chamber, then turned back towards her aunt. Another day, another episode... that thing is eating her alive... and it's going to do far worse than that eventually. But there was nothing to do about the Sun Rune at the moment, so the Crown Princess mentally pushed the matter aside with some difficulty. "The matter of Lordlake will have to be tabled for now, obviously. Father and I will try to talk to her in private later, but thank you for your report Auntie... I only wish I could have gone to see it myself."
The older woman frowned and gave a sigh of her own. "There's nothing to be gained from sending you out there personally."
Miakis piped up from behind, the bubbly native of Sauronix adding, "Also, do you want to see Her Majesty's reaction to suggesting sending her heir to Lordlake of all places? I'd feel safer suggesting we arrange for little Lym to marry King Jallat."
"A fair point," Freyja noted mildly, "nonetheless, I cannot stay locked in Sol Falena at all hours. Have to show myself to the wider populace, it's a matter of responsibility."
"Well then you should ask her to let you come to Lelcar!" Kyle, second youngest of the current Queen's Knights after Miakis chimed in. "I've not been back myself in awhile, but I can still arrange a great tour, for day and night, if I contact my old friends.
"I think your idea of a great tour wouldn't sit well with the Queen either," Prime noted.
Sialeeds cut in again, "As amusing as this all is, I've given my report and it's been a long, exhausting trip, so I'm going to turn in."
"I'll just let Lym know you couldn't be bothered to see your little niece who missed you so much..." Freyja responded in mock sorrow. "And of course Miakis will have to split that new bottle of Kanakan that came in all by ourselves.
Sialeeds, who had started to make for the main exit, abruptly froze at that last remark. Those in the room could see the mental battle being waged, the gears turning, the vices pulling against one another... until one won out. "Nope, sorry, sleep now, spoiling tomorrow." With a huff, she added, "and I'll buy my own booze!" before storming out.
The princess smiled fondly even as her aunt departed, then turned to the knights who'd accompanied Sialeeds on her journey, adopting a more serious expression and tone. "Queen's Knights George Prime and Kyle of Lelcar, excellent work as always. I thank you for my royal aunt's safety. Dismissed." Both bowed and exited, leaving the crown princess and her bodyguard alone.
The latter leaned down and faces her charge, "So... new Kanakan?" She said with a grin, which Freyja returned.
Notes:
Kind of a So You Haven't Played Suikoden V (or read the lp (https://lparchive.org/Suikoden-V/) intro chapter, mixed with just explaining what I'm doing.
So I'll get more into the specifics of politics in this Falena as time goes on (assuming I stick with this, which is never certain). Obviously, having all your royalty be, for all legal and ceremonial purposes, women (even if they're cismen, unlike Freyja), has a lot of knock on effects for politics.
There are the Sacred Games, for example: since the Queen in the Sun Palace is as a goddess of war and prosperity, so was it decided that her husband should be as a god of war, the greatest of warriors. Wandering sellswords, warrior monks, and Noble scions alike can battle in the colosseum at Stormfist, and must do so to take the hand of the crown princess. But of course, there are no kings in Falena, the royal consort is, rather than his own throne, given the task of leading the Queen's Knights, the elite royal bodyguard.
But more curiously for Falena's neighbours, but as sacred to Falena as the three runes themselves, is that there are not, and never have been, any men in the royal family besides the married in consorts themselves.
This is not, of course, because the royal family is incapable of producing males. Rather, any males born of the queen, her sisters, her cousins, or any princess, are themselves simply considered princesses. In religious ritual, on legal documentation, for public appearance, during formal engagements, those who in other lands would be princes were raised to be and obliged to appear as heirs to the First Queen. All who carry the name Falenas are expected to prepare for marriage, train to be clerics and oracles at Lunas, or be groomed for the Solar Throne itself, though others have donned armor and joined the military as officers and Queen's Knights to defend their cousins and country.
In the past this tradition has run into... complications.
But for the current crown princess, Freyja Falenas, it was a blessing.
-----------
The Bearer of the Sun Rune and Queen of Falena, Arshtat Falenas, leaned back on her throne, and observed those before her: Queen's Knights Georg Prime and Kyle of Lelcar, along with her own sister, Sialeeds Falenas.
The latter finished her somewhat lengthy report on the situation in Lordlake: "Thus we see increasingly vicious monsters, rampant disease, starvation, and dehydration. As head of the Royal Inspection Team I can only suggest, sister, that is time to have the Godwins cease blocking the river."
Arshtat was silent, for a moment, processing her younger sibling's recommendation. In strictly logical terms, it made sense: the Roveres who inspired the uprising were dead, the town had been thoroughly searched for the Dawn Rune after she smote it two years ago, and most of the populace had either died or fled. It was too ravaged to ever really be a threat again and clearly the rune, if had ever been in the town itself to start, was long gone. Further punishment was meaningless, and the upkeep for Godwin's ridiculous dam/fortress hybrid wasn't worth even the relatively small percentage of it covered by the central government. It would be more valuable if torn down and sold off as raw materials, plus the show of mercy would be as useful as the show of force two years ago.
All perfectly sensible reasons to stop. To take the royal boot off of Lordlake, and turn her eyes elsewhere (perhaps on Marscal Godwin himself, for example).
And yet...
And yet...
"Ha... hahaHAHAHA!" She couldn't help it. The whisper in her mind turned to cackling laughter in reality. "They still squat there? Traitors and thieves, wasting away in such a wretched existence?" The Sun Rune glowed brighter as she spoke, her eyes widening, as she spring from her throne, causing her sister and Kyle to recoil, and for Georg Prime to just almost go for his sword (a reflex that, fortunately, he suppressed enough for the queen to not notice).
"Yes, yes, truly, it's tremendous, hysterical in fact! But also infuriating! Why, after the power of the sun itself scorched their pathetic hamlet, do they cling to it still? Out of defiance, clearly! Traitors to the throne, even now! And you Sialeeds, my own blood, suggest CLEMENCY? No..." The rune on her forehead grew brighter, "No I think it might be time for another less-"
Arshtat's tirade was cut off however, clarity returning to her mind as the rune dimmed, and she realized two hands were upon her, a firm and large one on her left shoulder and a soft, delicate one grasping her right hand.
Suddenly, Arshtat remembered where she was, who she was speaking to, who held her. One of the latter spoke, "My dear, I think you need to rest," came the voice of Ferid Egan, her husband and Commander of the Queen's Knights, causing her to turn and meet his eyes, finding instant calm in his smile. He gently reached out and grabbed her other hand, running the one already on her down through her silver locks to the small of her back. "It's been a long day. Let our daughter handle this."
"Yes mother, let me handle the rest of today's trivialities. Sleep, walk the gardens with father, do what you need to relax," came the voice of the other, still grasping her right hand. Arshtat turned and looked at the room's other, smaller throne to her right, where her Freyja sat, the long silver hair of the family running down her back, and her own guard Miakis shadowing her throne just as Ferid did Arshtat's. Her eldest child, soon to be 16 (and due for her Games, another weight on Arshtat's soul), was by far the most subdued of the women in the family, having relatively little of the fire of her mother or younger sister, to say nothing of the cheer of her father or Haswar (though she could be as snide as Sialeeds when it suited her).
Yes, her dear girl... and in front of that child, and her husband, she had again lost herself, and at two of her loyal knights and her already much burdened sister at that. "Yes, yes you're both right...." Arshtat faced her sister as Ferid began to lead her out of the throne room, "Forgive me Sialeeds, that was... uncalled for." She got a dismissive wave in return, causing the queen to slightly smile in spite of herself.
---
Freyja sighed a bit as her mother disappeared out of the chamber, then turned back towards her aunt. Another day, another episode... that thing is eating her alive... and it's going to do far worse than that eventually. But there was nothing to do about the Sun Rune at the moment, so the Crown Princess mentally pushed the matter aside with some difficulty. "The matter of Lordlake will have to be tabled for now, obviously. Father and I will try to talk to her in private later, but thank you for your report Auntie... I only wish I could have gone to see it myself."
The older woman frowned and gave a sigh of her own. "There's nothing to be gained from sending you out there personally."
Miakis piped up from behind, the bubbly native of Sauronix adding, "Also, do you want to see Her Majesty's reaction to suggesting sending her heir to Lordlake of all places? I'd feel safer suggesting we arrange for little Lym to marry King Jallat."
"A fair point," Freyja noted mildly, "nonetheless, I cannot stay locked in Sol Falena at all hours. Have to show myself to the wider populace, it's a matter of responsibility."
"Well then you should ask her to let you come to Lelcar!" Kyle, second youngest of the current Queen's Knights after Miakis chimed in. "I've not been back myself in awhile, but I can still arrange a great tour, for day and night, if I contact my old friends.
"I think your idea of a great tour wouldn't sit well with the Queen either," Prime noted.
Sialeeds cut in again, "As amusing as this all is, I've given my report and it's been a long, exhausting trip, so I'm going to turn in."
"I'll just let Lym know you couldn't be bothered to see your little niece who missed you so much..." Freyja responded in mock sorrow. "And of course Miakis will have to split that new bottle of Kanakan that came in all by ourselves.
Sialeeds, who had started to make for the main exit, abruptly froze at that last remark. Those in the room could see the mental battle being waged, the gears turning, the vices pulling against one another... until one won out. "Nope, sorry, sleep now, spoiling tomorrow." With a huff, she added, "and I'll buy my own booze!" before storming out.
The princess smiled fondly even as her aunt departed, then turned to the knights who'd accompanied Sialeeds on her journey, adopting a more serious expression and tone. "Queen's Knights George Prime and Kyle of Lelcar, excellent work as always. I thank you for my royal aunt's safety. Dismissed." Both bowed and exited, leaving the crown princess and her bodyguard alone.
The latter leaned down and faces her charge, "So... new Kanakan?" She said with a grin, which Freyja returned.
Notes:
Kind of a So You Haven't Played Suikoden V (or read the lp (https://lparchive.org/Suikoden-V/) intro chapter, mixed with just explaining what I'm doing.
So I'll get more into the specifics of politics in this Falena as time goes on (assuming I stick with this, which is never certain). Obviously, having all your royalty be, for all legal and ceremonial purposes, women (even if they're cismen, unlike Freyja), has a lot of knock on effects for politics.
