The nation of Rosetira. Named long ago for a superstructure within it, the "Iron Rose", a screw shaped structure left partially embedded in a crumbled mountain range as if left discarded by some clumsy god of ancient times. Long ago, a small tribe took shelter within the Iron Rose from seasonal windstorms that ravaged the landscape. Soon, they established a community, and others came to them seeking shelter or work and new lives. They gave this and more to those refugees, and eventually founded a lasting dynasty.
The Iron Rose and the land immediately surrounding it became home to a city, which became the seat of a nation. Such a remarkable landmark attracted attention from the greatest minds, artists and academics of the new world, and it was only a matter of time before universities arose. They however, were too late to get first claim on many of the greatest wonders of the old world, scattered across the landscape as if from the same careless hand that dropped the Iron Rose. No, the first to claim most of those artifacts were the Stewards, working in cooperation with the newly established royal family.
Centuries passed, and despite no significant reserves of natural resources, little farmland, modest wealth, and a lack of mighty armies, Rosetira became an envied marvel of the world. Enough, to be coveted.
In the south, a nation calling itself the Supreme Principality conquered its neighbors. With its successful conquest, it acquired access to some of the most arable and stable lands on the continent, the most populous territories, and a large reserve of slaves. This territory was divided between a group of self professed demigods, the Supreme Princes, who nontheless marched in concert enough to be a threat to their primary rival.
In the north, the Confederacy of Clans had long united in cooperation to survive in the most deadly parts of the continent. Choking forests that humans grow sick inside of, regions with craters so deep the bottom can only be seen when the sun is directly above them, and ash strangled wastelands where plants cannot survive. A distrustful people, and the most adept survivors and warriors in the known world.
Balder's father, Freyr, had a long reign as head of the diverse Rosetiran peoples, and many children, of which Balder was a surprise quite late in his life. A man with so many well established heirs was far from worried about continuing his dynasty, and more worried about the strain that so many inheriting offspring might place on the small nation. So, he entrusted Balder, the surprise child, to you. Fourteen now, you've spent several years tutoring him in the arts and secrets of the old world. He's learned how to rig up your Glider to those precious ancient batteries that still hold charge, and how to locate those batteries with delicate instruments. He can sift through databanks for uncorrupted scraps of information, and parse a good portion of that information. He has however, nearly reached the limits of what you can teach him without either having him commit to years of advanced study, or subjecting him to the same changes that left you sterile and inhuman. There are limits to what a human mind can learn after all, without the Sacred Changes that turn one into a higher being. You had thought that Freyr might even agree to that.
That however, was all before it happened. Before the war broke out. You had taken the boy to an ancient ruin, picked clean but in good enough condition that it could make an educational field trip. A bunker, which had been built to house those hiding from the old world's superweapons, but which had never been used for its intended purpose. It made an ideal hiding place, as you had the misfortune of being close to the northern front. An enterprising General from the Confederacy of Clans had decided to use Rosetiran territory as a shortcut, to unexpectedly set upon a province of the Supreme Principality where they were less defended. The Princes decided that the Rosetirans were clearly no longer able to enforce their own territorial sovereignty, and invaded. The Clans followed suit, unwilling to allow the Princes to gain such a valuable prize. Between two superpowers, the Kingdom had no chance. For the audacity to resist, and to prevent uprisings, any member of the royal family who was found was killed. As far as you know, Balder is the only one who remains.
...
You have had to cut communication with the outside world off, for the safety of your entire party. You may have the equipment, but both the Clans and the Princes will likely be exerting enormous pressure on the Stewards, who will be able to trace your signal if they end up so inclined.
You cannot, however, remain so isolated forever. It was too dangerous to emerge before, but remaining here is merely a delayed death sentence. The location of this bunker, while out of the way and defensible, is far from a secret. Yours is not the first field trip to this location, nor will it be the last. You consider your resources, and your options.
It's equally fortunate as it is unfortunate that your party is so small. It includes yourself and your own considerable capabilities, a handful of guards, and your Nephew's other tutor. An accreddited university scholar named Talrost White, a middle aged architect who had served as a siege engineer in his youth. A model member of his profession, and one you've not always gotten along with.
You reason that before proceeding with any long term projections of the future, you ought to at least come from the perspective of a generalized modus operand i. You are, for the time being, the only adult member of your family, disinherited or not. Your decisions will impact not only your survival but possibly the survival of your conquered nation. You consider the immediate possibilities. You may attempt to find a secret base of operations, and clandestinely seek the allegiance of any loyalists, to sow the seeds of resistance under occupation. Or you might flee the country, attempting to find a ship which you might use to sail to a foreign nation. Another possibility is that you and Balder assume identities. You are as strange and inhuman as any steward, and unlikely to be recognized by most, and Balder has been outside the public eye for years now. You may be able to operate in plain sight.
There may be other possibilities you realize while examining the situation, but having a more narrow scope may allow you a plan of attack.
GM NOTE
I'll probably mostly update on weekdays, for future reference.
In the meantime, while i might like to flavor the setting more, i didn't want this post to get too bloated just yet. We're finally reaching that point though, so hopefully i'll have some opportunity to show off something interesting.
Author
Topic: Deposed: Of Tutors and Princes (SG) (Read 2079 times)