Queen Anne Stonebroom
The Court of Texulchimum
Name: King Arawn
Blood and Bones.
You consider your options and sign your name as
Arawn. Even at your young age, you understand that your father is throwing you to the wolves in the name of his faith. In the stories your father and the other clerics tell, Arawn was once in the same position as you: A son of the God Empress who was but a mere child at the time of her ascension. Arawn lost his share of the empire to his brothers before he could even come of age, but escaped capture. He then learned many terrible magics, including necromancy, and devoted his life to killing his brothers, tormenting their subjects, and slowing the spread of the young Imperial Church. Ironically, after his death, he was named a saint for his righteous efforts to ensure none of his siblings would ever equal his mother.
The servant hands the scroll back to your father, and the king reads it and chuckles.
"It seems you have a better understanding of your situation than I anticipated, King Arawn. Very well. The servants will help you pack your things. You, your mother, and the rest of her children leave for New Mahallo tonight; The roads will not be safe for you once your brothers take control of them. Since you will miss the funeral, I shall arrange to have some of my affects and remains sent to you, so that you may properly mourn or celebrate my death however you see fit."---
The journey, although long, is far from unpleasant. They royal carriages are comfortable, and the company is great. Your mother spends most of her time alone with the baby, leaving you and your three other siblings in a carriage to yourselves with no adults aside from the occupied driver present to tell you what to do or how to speak. You have always gotten along well with your six year old half-brother Andre and your three year old sister Pennete, and even the usually aloof 9 year old Anders is pleasant. Perhaps it is because you are to be his king, or maybe there is just nobody closer to his age in the convoy to keep him company.
It takes four weeks for the convoy to reach the Titian's Maw, a massive fortress at the mouth of a canyon marking the boundary between civilized lands and the frontier of New Mahallo. From there, it is another week and a half traveling on poor roads through sparsely populated savannah and scrublands to reach the city of Bride Price, the capital and only major population center of your new Kingdom.
---
When your great grandfather King Geralt 'The Heartless' claimed the frontier for his wife's landless people by purging its Orcish inhabitaints, you wish he had been more through. Much of their architecture and infrastructure still stands in the city he renamed Bride Price. Doors, stairs, and surfaces are all just a bit too high for human comfort, much of the art consists of primitive and savage orcish depictions of hunting and battle, and (often suspiciously humanoid looking) bone is incorporated into many pieces of older furniture.
This applies to your home as well, a large and ugly looking brown clay fortress near the center of town. Officially it is named Nalanie Keep, after Geralt and La'akea's first born daughter, but locals (including the servants who live and work in the building) simply call it 'The Orc Turd'. Your new home has lots of room to play around in, and plenty of children your age to play with, but deep down you can't help but be unsatisfied. Your oversized bed is far from comfortable, and you know in your heart of hearts that a king of your stature has no business ruling from such an unsightly and poorly named building.
Luckily you will not be staying here long. When the temperature drops in a few months, and it is safe to brave the southern desert, Andre, Anders, Pennete, and yourself will travel to begin your education at the court of the Lich Texulchimum. Before he died, your father had arranged and paid for you and your siblings to live in a luxurious manor right outside the Lich's palace until your 17th birthday.
---
One day your mother summons you to the throne room, and has you sit the throne to meet a guest. The old scrawny man introduces himself as Giovani, an artist and architect that your father regularly patronized. He explains that he has two tasks to perform in your service.
First and foremost, the lands which you hold have never been independently ruled by a human of Imperial Culture before, and thus the Petty Kingdom of New Mahallo requires a coat of arms. The man impresses upon you the significance the design: Any human from this point forward who rules a Kingdom from the City of Bride Price will fly some variation of what you pick. Also, if historians and your descendants determine your reign marks the foundation of a new noble house, those who come after you will fly your banner from wherever they might rule.
Giovani's servants then bring in several designs that he has already taken the liberty of crafting for your consideration.
Possible Coats of Arms-An Orcish Head Impaled on a Spear Against a Dark Tan Background: The coat of arms traditionally born by Knights of your house. The background color has been changed from a light purple to reflect the dusty terrain of New Mahallo.
A Crowned Human Head Impaled on a Spear Against a light blue Background: A variation on your houses coat of arms that boldly announces that you intend to take what is rightfully yours from your brothers.
A Crowd Fleeing an Erupting Volcano Against a Light Gray Background: Traditionally the Mahallo People did not use coats of arms, but warriors under your great grandmother Queen La'akea briefly flew this design between her arrivial in imperial lands and her marriage to King Geralt.
A Skeletal Rider, Dipping his Lance to Charge Against a Crimson Background: The coat of arms used by your namesake, the historic Saint Arawn.
A Pineapple Sitting in a Basket, Surrounded by Other Decoratively Arranged Exotic Fruits and Fowl Against a Light Blue Background: A design inspired by the coats of arms that represent lower noble houses founded by the Mahallo people since their migration to these lands.
A Naked Woman of Great Beauty, Holding an Oversized Crossbow to Tactfully Cover her Sensitive Areas, Against a Light Blue Background: A coat of arms that honors the story of your lowborn mother's ascent to royalty through her martial prowess and feminine wiles.
As you take your time examining each design, Giovani informs you
that he would take no offense if you rejected all of his suggestions, and that he would gladly take any feedback, suggestions, or direct instructions you have to offer into consideration for his next batch of proposed designs.After you consider the coat of arms situation, Giovani explains that he will also be working to renovate and redecorate the Orc Turd over the next decade while you are away at Texulchimum's court. He refuses to promise any miracles; His knowledge of Orcish design and building techniques is rather lacking, so he fears any major structural changes may cause the whole fortress to come crumbling down, but he does assure you that at the very least your home will look better by the time you are ready to rule from it as an adult.
He then asks if you have any preferences or input regarding the aesthetics of Nalanie Keep that he might keep in mind while he works.---
The anticipation is killing you. An undead vulture landed on your windowsill today, and dropped off documents depicting the layout of the manor you will be residing in at Texulchimum's court. It is quite a bit bigger than anyone had expected.
Initially, it was just going to be you, your siblings, and a few of the servants' children that you have befriended since arriving. But now you know that you can clearly invite more. Since pretty much all your friends are already going, your mother suggests that you pick some adults and children of political significance to tag along so that you may build useful friendships and alliances as you grow up. She offers a few suggestions as to groups you might take along, noting that there is probably only room to pick one.
Possible Housemates-Extended Family: The children of La'akea and Geralt who were not destined to rule were shipped to New Mahallo to become druids. Although Druidism is a tradition for that branch of the family, not all the descendants of your great aunts and uncles have proven fit for the clergy. Socializing with those not chosen to become divine casters might help build bridges with those who were.
Exiled Low Nobility: Already the city of Bride Price is attracting highborn lords who suffer from a serious lack of favor with whichever of your brothers was assigned to rule over them. These people know the lands you may one day seek to take from your brothers, and may prove quite useful if your goal is to rebuild your father's kingdom.
Raid Leaders: Although your Kingdom lacks a true organized military, the Mahallo people are quite famous for their canoe raids. In the past, they could strike almost any coastal location in the world from their island home, but from landlocked New Mahallo their only target are the Moon Elves down river. The clans who organize these raids represent the closest thing you have to proper Knights and Generals.
Merchant Families: Although there are safer and more direct routs from the land of Texulchimum to civilization, some trade does pass through New Mahallo. Cozying up to the merchants responsible for this trade could be beneficial for several reasons; Many of them are already familiar with the court of the Lich, and could help you in navigating your new life. It is also never a bad thing to have rich friends.
Thieves Guild: Since arriving in Bride Price your mother has discovered that the remote and historically under-governed city is home to some serious organized crime. Someone of your stature aligning with such cutthroats would be extremely distasteful to say the least, but your rule would be much smoother without them actively opposing it. Their underhanded tactics might also be useful against your far more powerful brothers.