I am Grewie the Golden, a minor magician* who has acted as an advisor to Arcadius for years. They don't see eye-to-eye, but Arcadius knows that Grewie will say what he really believes is best for the kingdom. He doesn't want to exploit his position for personal gain, as shown by the spartan quarters he lives in. The only luxuries he allows himself are yellow dye for his clothing and excellent instruments for the lab he spends much of his free time in.
*If there's no "real" magic, there's probably alchemists or something like IRL.
Greetings, I am Kyle the court physician and librarian after the previous librarian died. I also monitor the literature that is allowed in the kingdom, normally I would mean about as much as a rock in the road but I have been the one to feed the 'correct' information to the subjects for years. It is a pleasure to see a worthy heir on the throne.
Carling "The Mad Jester" is one of the less reputable members of the Court. Filling the Position of Torturer,Executioner and Jester alike the Man is deemed utterly mad by most. And although he himself heartily agrees, there is something more about him, between the Mad Giggling the Bloodthirsty Jokes and Insensitive Jokes there lies a Cruel Cunning none would want to cross...
Lukas - with some adding the suffix "the lardy" - has been chief of the Royal Cookery and the last Kings personal food-tester for short of a decade. Valuing his life, he is said to know quite a few things about poisons. There are also some discreet rumours that knowledge about them is not the only thing he is proficient in, but if ever asked about such matters he would obviously be outraged. He displays himself as loyalist and humble, the later somewhat betrayed by his rounded appearance and occasional fit of gout.
(( Here is hope that Lord Pelagius died not of food poisoning))
Alexis is chief Blade to the king and commands the Crimson Fisk, an order of spies and assassins who answer only to Alexis herself who answers only to the king himself, they are well armed exceptionally well trained and exclusively made up of highly attractive females.
Alexis herself is a tall lithe blonde with long hair and deep blue eyes.
A world-weary but imposing man in his early 40s approaches you, bowing swiftly as he reaches the throne's base "Greetings, King Arcadius the Third. As you well know, I am Lord* Atsam of Penters, your father's former Chancellor, and now yours to use. I look forward to serving Your Majesty to the best of my capacity"
"Your noble vassals, myself included, would like to express their collective good wishes for your reign, though it is with a heavy heart that we see your father depart. The current Marshal of the Realm and Lord* Mayor will no doubt come to greet you personally... though it would seem something has them temporarily detained (...)" he says as he kneels before you, awaiting your command.
*honorary magisterial titles, no feudal rights or land attached in any way or fashion, unless otherwise stated by the King
'Magician?' Hulen mouthed, frowning. After a moment, enlightenment dawned on his face.
'Ah, you mean the, err, revered Grewie. My apologies. I always assumed he was here just for decoration. In any case - I am no mage, Your Highness. The ancestors have entrusted me with my knowledge, and they speak through me when they wish their will heard. The peasantry, a superstitious lot, would call me a spiritwalker, or a godspeaker. I find such titles a touch too... grandiose. I am a shaman of the old gods, and when I say gods, I mean 'jumped-up spirits with delusions of grandeur'.'
Hulen coughed before continuing. '...in any case. I tread the paths eternal, soar the Twilight Realms, commune with spirits and the ancients, and so forth. For your father, I made sure the land remained fertile and safe, kept the old ones appeased. The most a mage can do with a spirit is try to bind and enslave them. Never ends well. A shaman, they listen to. I know the old songs and old charms that a mage won't.'
'I, err, also happen to care for an old temple in the Highwood. Northerners, heathens as they are, practically flock to it. Very profitable.'
He glanced at the jester. 'Ah, Carling. How... nice to see you remain at court.'
Talents!Unless otherwise stated, talents give a +1 to rolls that involve them. New talents can only be acquired by event, or at the king's discretion!Grewie: Like Hulen you have the power to perform real
magic, which mostly involves summoning and making pacts with otherworldly spirits. As court magician, your job is primarily to
not do magic, because it is foolhardy at worst and dangerous at best. Your primary talent is
Natural Philosophy, and you have served the court for years as an advisor in scholarship magical and mundane.
Kyle: As a physician of many years' experience, your talents are
Medicine and
Surgery. Appropriate, really.
Carling: Your talent is
Torture and Intimidation. You are one scary motherfucker. You can also sing and play the lute with your secondary talent of
Musicianship, but that's not exactly your first love. Pulling the legs off spiders and traitors is.
Lukas the Lardy: Your talent is
Apothecary, and your secondary talent is
Cookery. You have a fine tongue for detecting poisons and a fair bit of experience brewing up antidotes, rat poisons and stimulants (for when the slightly impaired king was feeling, ahem, frisky).
Alexis: Your talents are
Spymastery and
Combat. You mostly work through other spies rather than conducting espionage yourself, but as the chief blade you are well trained in personal combat.
Lord Atsam: Your talents are
Statecraft and Diplomacy and
Romance. You're a silver fox, you are, and the man to go to when it comes to flattering vassals or wooing potential brides.
Hulen: Like Grewie, you can perform
magic through communing with the old spirits. This is still insanely dangerous for you, you just tend to go to ancient and terrifying fairies instead of ancient and terrifying demons. You are also a
Demagogue and have a natural talent for relations with the common folk. Mostly you've just used this power to get them to part with offerings and tithes.
Only the magic-using characters can try to use magic. Using magic is absurdly dangerous, so mostly they should not use it. If they try, I will handle the rolls. The danger is consummate to the power of the attempted spell, though, so if you want low risk go for very weak effects.