thestewards: (Default)
the stewards ([personal profile] thestewards) wrote2018-12-09 07:30 pm

story summary




IN THE BEGINNING…
There was death. The Blood died first in the Cataclysm that swept across the land, and then in the Great War with the landens. The landens, too, died in devastating numbers. With no thought for the future, only the hunger for survival in the present, the two peoples warred with each other. Blood from the dead saturated the land, and where it fell, no crops grew.

For nearly 5000 years, the Realm of Terreille has struggled to inhale its next, wheezing breath. For 5000 years, it has been dying.

Now, in the city of Draega in the Territory called Hayll, Queen Fayura has sent out a desperate plea into the universe: help me save my land, my people, and I will embrace the Darkness inside of you and weave your dreams into flesh in return for your faithfulness. She draws heroes to her side in the hope they will stand with her. In the hope that they will support her and her cause.

These Strangers wake in her residence with the dark power of the Blood to aide them, but the decision is theirs. They may assist the strange, eccentric Queen who claims to want to revitalize the land, or they may choose to throw in their lot with the two factions who want to squeeze the last drops of power from the world for themselves.

Everything has a price, and there is Darkness in all of us.

FIRST MONTH
In first month, Queen Fayura summons a group of people called Strangers from myriad other worlds. Though she told only the twelve males of her First Circle the morning of the summoning, somehow the Hunter Guild heard of her intentions. They struck against the Queen's Residence in the middle of the summoning, presumably in an attempt to stop the Queen. They failed, and were met with angry (if somewhat disoriented) Strangers, who quickly repulsed their attacks.

While some of the Strangers remained at the residence to help tend the wounded, others went into the city with Prince Allairavar. To cover their escape, the Hunter Guild lit parts of the Old Town Bazaar on fire. Strangers helped save the trapped and injured, and they assisted in putting out the fires.

In the aftermath, Grand Master Niall condemned Queen Fayura, who had vanished, for acting on her own without consulting the Guilds or the Ebon Council. First Chair Councilman Grejor Shamael paid lipservice to the Strangers by claiming them as brothers and sisters to the Blood of Draega.

Some of the Strangers later took an opportunity to speak with Queen Fayura. To some, she explained her world, and to others she explained her reasons for summoning the Strangers, but all of the Strangers who spoke with her were able to see how severe a cost she paid with her health to bring them to Draega.

For the remainder of the month, the Strangers agreed they should exchange information where they could and try to play all sides for the time-being. They helped rebuild and repair the damage of the fires, as well as accomplishing various tasks around the city to aide Draega's people.


SECOND MONTH
Another group of Strangers arrives at the Queen's Residence, which catches Queen Fayura by surprise. While she goes to investigate how this unexpected development occurred, the Strangers settle in and learn about their new (and hopefully for some) temporary home.

Throughout the month, the Blood and the landens tangle with each other. Tensions rise and ultimately the Blood strike out against the landens by sabotaging the power plant just outside the city. While the power plant burns, a young landen man approaches The Last Meal with a group of friends and confronts Councilwoman Vera while she goes to dinner with her family. The young man shoots Vera before fleeing the scene.

Strangers rally together. A few help talk down tensions between the Blood and the landens in the Old Town Bazaar, but many more rescue landen workers from the power plant. This gives the Guilds a not inconsiderable amount of power throughout the city, especially with the Stragners' apparent support.

In the aftermath of the killing, Queen Fayura reaches out to the Strangers. She explains her difficult decision: turn the young man over to the Blood for justice, and the Guilds will riot (particularly dangerous with their new sway in the city); turn the man over to the Guilds and deny the Blood justice for the murder he committed. The Strangers offer her many unique suggestions for how to deal with the young man, from conveniently forgetting about him to arranging an accident to forming a tribunal. This last intrigues the Queen, and she decides to form a tribunal of three Blood and three landens. They will listen to arguments from both the Blood and the landens about what happened and attempt to piece together the truth.



NAVIGATION