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[Weirdsound]

"I could fix it easily," you respond, glancing down at the festering wound, "but the Imperial Church frowns upon using divine magic to extend the life of a King. I will not risk my salvation for the sake of my body."

"But sire!" The cleric responds, "its already too far gone for mundane medicine! If you don't accept Agusta's aid you will die! And whatever weeks you have left wont be pleasant."

"YOU THINK I DON'T KNOW THAT!" You roar, "I'M BETTER TRAINED IN THESE MATTERS THAN YOU ARE! GET OUT! Tell the Bishop I'll take something for the pain, but nothing more! NOW GO! I have much to consider and not much time..."

---

Its finally happening. Its not dying that worries you. You always considered yourself a holy man first and a King second, and have no doubt that you have secured yourself a place at Agusta's side. Your concern is that for the first time in three generations, the realm will face the holy tradition of partition.

Your grandparents avoided splitting the realm by disinheriting all their spares and sending them away to reestablish the Mahallo high priesthood. Your father had only two sons, and you had initially renounced your birthright to join the clergy of the old Imperial Faith; Even if your brother Tyrus hadn't been struck down in a duel the Kingdom would have stayed whole.

But now... you have seven sons, and to ensure that no mortal man ever leads a realm as mighty as Agusta did before her ascension to godhood, it is your sacred duty to ensure they all receive land as independent equals. You are positive your death will be followed by some amount of civil war and fratricide, but such events are the will of the church and cannot be avoided.

Your only true regret is the probable fate of your youngest son, born four years ago to your beloved second wife. As his mother was lowborn, it is required that he be given the worst realm to be carved from your own, and as he is ten years younger than the next brother, he will be at a great disadvantage should his fellow heirs turn their ambition against him.

The Parcel of land your son is to receive is the Petty Kindgom of New Mahallo: the southern frontier of your own realm. He will only border one of his brothers to the north, and for his benefit you will ensure those lands go to the least aggressive and ambitious of the lot, but that is the extent of the protection you can give him from his neighbors. New Mahallo borders the forest realm of the aggrieved Moon Elves, the desert domain of the mighty Lich Texulchimum, and the orc-blooded fortress on the Bloodstone Plateau.

To make matters worse, the people of New Mahallo are culturally, ethnically, and religiously different from the rest of the realm. Traditionally, the Mahallo they have tolerated imperial rule, as your grandfather both married their last queen and graciously allowed them to settle the reclaimed frontier following the volcanic destruction of their island homeland. But historically they have been mostly allowed to govern themselves, paying only light taxes. There is no telling how they might react to a culturally imperial Monarch ruling them directly.

The land itself will offer your son little to work with. Some large farms are operated on the river bank, but most Mahallo survive by subsistence farming and raiding the neighboring elves. The local druids also produce some fruits and livestock native to their destroyed homeland on a small scale as luxuries.

You worry new Mahallo wont be willing and able to protect your son until he comes of age, but there is little more you can do for him. As you finish the map of how the realm is to be divided, all that is left is to sort out a regent and education for the boy, to give him the best chance of surviving his minority and flourishing as an adult. You can think of a few options.

Possible Regents-
Queen Anne Stonebrook of the Volcanique-Imperial Kingdom: The boy's own mother. As your propagandists tell it, after the death of her first husband Anne dressed up as a man and joined the army to support her family, eventually being appointed to your elite guard and winning your heart. Although she is better with a crossbow than most of your soldiers, this is not true. She was simply a prostitute attached to your army camp that you became enamored with. Anne is quick witted, but lacks any skill or experience in ruling. The main advantage she provides is that she can be counted on to be loyal to her own child. Her regency will also ensure the boy grows up with a family; If Anne doesn't have the power of a regency to protect her, you are positive that she and her other children (two daughters by you, and two lowborn sons from before you met her) will be gobbled up and scattered to the winds by the political machinations of your other heirs.

Prince Felix 'the Soprano' of the Volcanique-Imperial Kingdom: Your second eldest son. Felix is one of the greatest soldiers the Kingdom has ever seen, impressing as both a knight and a general. Unfortunately his only defeat let to him being captured and eventually castrated by Orcish raiders while assisting a neighboring Kingdom, thus rendering him ineligible for inheritance. Employing Felix as his half brother's regent will ensure that the young Petty King will have the best army that New Mahallo can muster waiting for him when he reaches ruling age. It could also lead to conflict; Felix is not the type to build an army and leave it sitting idle, and although his hatred of Orcs is understandable, it can cloud his judgement and lead him to make irrational decisions from time to time.

Henri of Rain Valley: Your brother-in-law and steward, sibling to your late first wife. Although insufferable at times, Henri is considered one of the smartest men in your whole realm. A genius when it comes to matters of investment and development, if anybody can make something out of the barren lands of New Mahallo over the course of a decade or so as regent, it would be Henri. At the very least, he would likely ensure that your son starts his reign proper with a healthy treasury. There are, of course, some risks involved with naming Henri regent. The man is infamous for his disagreeable nature; It is probable that his time as regent will stir up some descent among the Mahallo people. And although Henri is often aggressively overcritical of all your adult children, they are his blood. It is possible he could turn out more loyal to them than his ward.

Archdruid Tamar: The last living child of your grandmother, Queen La'akea 'The Savior' of Mahallo, and your grandfather King Geralt 'The Heartless'. Despite being your uncle, Tamar is only a few years your elder and in good enough health that he is likely to survive the duration of the regency. Tamar has been, more or less, the defacto ruler of New Mahallo for longer than you have been king, having fully embraced his mother's culture and religion. Naming him regent would ensure the Mahallo people the smoothest transition possible from relative self determination to the direct rule of a monarch. A deeply spiritual man, Tamar dislikes the thought of taking more than the land is willing to give him. As such it would be unwise to expect any serious economic or military development under his regency.

Possible Education-
The Imperial Clergy: The most traditional education option open to humans of high birth is to invite several clerics of the Imperial Religion to reside in the pupils home and tutor them in literature, math, history, philosophy, theology, politics, and other skills important to the management of a realm. Although you personally are an exception, it is generally frowned upon to teach the divine magics of Agusta to somebody who is already a ruler or heir, so it is unlikely your son will learn anything supernaturally this way. It is, however, quite possible for some of the young king's lowborn friends and peers to be inducted into the spellcasting priesthood should clerics be in his home to teach.

The Mahallo Grand Temple: Although you are a cleric of the Imperial religion, your faith teaches tolerance toward other human religions, and the blood of the Mahallo people runs through both you and your child's veins. Historically most Mahallo monarchs have also been Druids in the service of the spirits that their people worship. Such casters exert power over nature, often specializing in the manipulation of fire and water. Embracing the ways of the people he is to rule would also make your son a more popular ruler... as long as he doesn't choose to expand his domain beyond New Mahallo.

The Imperial Academy: Founded by Agusta herself and located in the distant city state of Green Harbor, the Imperial Academy is the premier military school for humans of Imperial culture and religion. Here your son will be taught chivalry, strategy, riding, and swordsmanship. He will also get to rub elbows with his peers from across the human world, which could be a rare opprotunity for somebody fated to rule a petty kingdom on the frontier cut off from civilization by the realms of potentially hostile half-brothers. For better or worse, attending the academy would remove the young king from his realm until he is old enough to rule it.

The Court of Texulchimum: There have been many necromancers throughout history to achieve lichdom. Texulchimum is the longest lived and arguably the most powerful because he is wise enough to cultivate positive relations with civilized folk, and do most of his hunting for souls to eat and bodies to experiment upon among 'savage' people with few friends or allies to avenge them. Although he jealously guards the secrets of necromancy, his court is a popular place for young nobles to learn and socialize; Texulchimum's desert domain serves as the gateway between the world of man and the realms of more exotic beings. It is not uncommon for young nobles to return from his court with all sorts of strange skills, gifts, and friends in tow. Texulchimum's desert also happens to neighbor New Mahallo, so even though the lich refuses to directly involve himself in wars between mortals, he could still be useful ally for your son.

---

It has been a scary few days. You have been told many things by many people. Your father is dying. Your brothers will try to kill you. Your mother and little sisters will be taken from you. You will be shipped off to live as a hermit in the barren frontier. Your father is dying.

You walk through the halls of the royal palace, your mother. To meet your father. Apparently he has something important to tell you.

Inside his office, your father sits tall at his desk. Perhaps they were lying about him dying. You work up the courage to ask.

"Everyone is dying, my child, but yes. I'm afraid my death will soon be upon us. You must be brave." He gives you a kind fatherly smile, before continuing in the tone of a King, "Scripture and tradition forbids any human realm or dynasty growing to a size or power that might challenge the Empire built by Agusta before her ascension to godhood. It is my sacred duty, therefore, before I die to divide my realm among my sons so that they may fight and kill to ensure the righteous destruction of that which my grandfather, father, and I have built."

He nods, and a well dressed servant approaches, kneels before you, and unrolls a scroll. "This document will grant you the Petty Kingdom of New Mahallo. Your first act as King will be to select a regnal name for yourself, and use it to sign the scroll, thus accepting the grant." His voice then softens again, "The servant will assist you if you cannot spell the name you desire, child."

Another servant approaches with a pen and well of ink. You stare into your father's eyes, for perhaps the last time, pondering what you will call yourself. You hold his gaze for nearly an entire minute before coming to a decision and dipping your pen.

[IronyOwl]

Queen Anne Stonebrook of the Volcanique-Imperial Kingdom. Starting off with a few siblings will be invaluable for initial allies, political marriages, and just having somebody to keep us company.

The Court of Texulchimum. Rubbing elbows with a necromancer and his exotic house guests sounds like exactly the kind of edge a doomed princeling needs to defy his fate and become a force to be reckoned with.

King Geralt. After our grandfather, of course, whose noble bearing and visionary gaze we share. Obviously.

[cronos5010]

Casting my vote for Henri as the guardian, and the Mahallo Grand Temple as his education.

 My inner CK3 player tells me that getting away from the non imperialist heavy partition culture will be an absolutely amazing idea. And it would be a lot easier to build tall and smooth things over with the natives if we understand them.

I have no ideas for a name.

[Shadowclaw777]

Queen Anne Stonebroom, we don’t need to have our family separated, though having a large army is nice.

The Mahello Grand Temple, I wonder what kind of powers Druids can entail in this world, maybe even shapeshifting?, classically necromancers and clergies don’t see eye to eye, and that can make things difficult for us. Though I hate that the natives are anti-expansion

Name: King Omnipotent because that what we are going to become.

[Weirdsound]

Queen Anne Stonebroom, we don’t need to have our family separated, though having a large army is nice.

The Mahello Grand Temple, I wonder what kind of powers Druids can entail in this world, maybe even shapeshifting?, classically necromancers and clergies don’t see eye to eye, and that can make things difficult for us. Though I hate that the natives are anti-expansion

Name: King Omnipotent because that what we are going to become.

It is less the natives are anti-expansion, and more humans of the Imperial religion/culture might not appreciate being ruled by the member of a foreign faith's clergy. Sorry if I didn't make that clear.

[VoidSlayer]

Queen Anne Stonebroom

The Court of Texulchimum

Name: King Arawn

Blood and Bones.

[King Zultan]

Queen Anne Stonebroom

The Court of Texulchimum

Name: King Arawn

Blood and Bones.

+1

[micelus]

Henri of Rain Valley
The Court of Texulchimum
Name: Bakossi III (Bakossi II was a well-regarded monarch known for his infrastructural projects and relative mercy, castrating and employing his siblings rather than killing them)

[chubby2man]

Queen Anne Stonebroom

The Court of Texulchimum

Name: King Arawn

Blood and Bones.

+1

+1

[mightymushroom]

Prince Felix 'the Soprano'
The Imperial Clergy
King Geralt

Much as I like the idea of keeping our mother and sisters close, she has no skill except ironclad loyalty; with threats predicted on at least two sides, if not three, a decent army will be invaluable. The likelihood of angering the orcs is probably like adding 50% to something that's already 90%.

For education, I expect that the "least aggressive" brother will either target us anyway or himself be a target of the other five. Although I do regret passing up the chance for personal magic, I feel like we would do better in team-ups and alliances (even if only as long as convenient) with some of our fellow siblings if we share a similar background. In addition, since the local Druids are "in the service of the spirits" then I don't know how they would react to a necromancer king, who presumably turns that relationship upside-down.

And Geralt because I like IronyOwl's suggestion.

[Powder Miner]

Queen Anne Stonebrook (she probably has her brooms maintained a bit better than that)
The Court of Texulchimum
Bakossi III

The way I see it, having a loyal regent to prevent getting undercut from above, we can cultivate the shiiit out of our relationship with Texulchimum and probably get a lot of mileage out of it. I also like micelus’ name.

[Weirdsound]

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.

[Powder Miner]

A Skeletal Rider, Dipping his Lance to Charge against a Crimson Background
Thieves Guild

they'll call us Skull McDuggery

If we want to go FULL-ASS in on necromancy (and I do), whether or not we want to be bloody conquerors, it sounds like having the Thieves' Guild on our side would get rid of potentially the biggest internal disruption with New Mahallo, and we'd already be doing dirty disreputable shit to an extent - I don't mind having a bit of a bad reputation, since my plan is to use fuckery to defuse the problems it brings.

I choose the skeletal rider mostly because it is very cool

[IronyOwl]

A Skeletal Rider, Dipping his Lance to Charge Against a Crimson Background. If we're gonna be Saint Arawn, let's be Saint Arawn.

Architect Advice: Keep the bone motif. It's probably going to be one of our hallmarks moving forward.


Raid Leaders. I'm severely tempted by almost all of these options, but I feel like getting in good with what passes for a military will be important at some point.

Merchant Families would probably be my second choice, since getting in good with the Lich's court and trade networks sounds very nice. But I'm concerned we lack sufficient ties to our subjects at the moment, and we are surrounded by potential military threats.

[Fluffe9911]

A Pineapple Sitting in a Basket, Surrounded by Other Decoratively Arranged Exotic Fruits and Fowl Against a Light Blue Background (although if its clear this wont win put my vote towards shadows coat of arms)
Merchant Families
Regal purple/byzantine asthetic

Our kingdom to put it bluntly is currently a loosly controlled poorly developed land of dry grass and brittle trees Its important we do something to start preparing for increasing the economic prosperity and development of our kingdom and nothing would help with that better right now then befriending the merchants I would also be down with Exiled Low Nobility though.

I choose the basket of fruit cause it sounds extremely aesthetically pleasing and very open ended in interpretation which future generations will be able to easily spin for their own goals.

Finally byzantine aesthetic cause very aesthetically pleasing and matches the color theme of our kingdom

I also disagree with both Thieves Guild due to the long term consequences that will have both on our public image plus corruption and Raid Leaders because while experinced their expertise is in NAVAL combat which isnt very useful for a kingdom that is land locked also they are just the what passes as generals locally im sure the merchants could help find us experinced foreign generals more apt for land warfare plus relying on the clans military may severely hamper our military development in the future should the clans decide to push back against change.