Difference between revisions of "Rune"

Revision as of 23:37, 14 July 2007

Landscape

Triadus occupies one of the most politically dangerous territories on the face of Gaeis. Facing imperial conquest to the west from Donya, a tentative alliance with the forest of Qaeld to the north, the Borderlords in Egund to the east, the sea of Swords to the South and under the watchful eye of Cadwal, Triadus has nevertheless managed to survive without making too many enemies.

History

When the earliest humans came to Gaeis, they settled in the area which is now Cadwal. Cooped up behind the smaller predecessors to the Great Wall they had erected, the humans did what all humans do: they quarelled. A particularly troublesome feud erupted between King Prias and one of his old friends, Mikal Triadus. The King's daughter Vela had come of age and was in need of a suitable marriage. It had always been hinted at to Mikal by Prias that their children should one day be married, and even the soothsayers Mikal and Prias visited in the mountains told them that if their children became one that they would bring about the creation of the human race's greatest defense. They told Mikal that his son was born to rule. Since the Queen had born the King no sons, Grahm was slated for the crown, permitting he married Vela. All that was before Grahm's face had been scarred by a strange dark birthmark that appeared on his 13th nameday, years later. Slowly, the King began to draw away from Mikal, but Vela and Grahm had grown to love each other and continued their courtship in secret. Mikal still stayed true to his King, but his guidance went unheeded and eventually the King sent him out from his court. The King had grown paranoid of the various human tribes to the east and west and of the strange creatures that lived in the forest. The King went west and arranged for Vela to wed the "King" of one of the more meddlesome and warlike tribes, hoping such a marriage would solidify the defenses of his kingdom. Truly, the addition of so many fierce warriors would keep the forest creatures within the borders of their own land. While Prias was away, Mikal took a journey into the mountains to seek out the soothsayers once again. He was not seen again for some time. As the King returned from the west to share with his daughter the news of her engagement, he found her in bed with Grahm. In his fury, he slew young Grahm by bludgeoning him with the crown he would never attain. The murder was covered up and Grahm was buried in an unmarked grave. It was soon after that Prias learned that Vela was with child. She was wed to the King in the West within the month. When no word of Mikal Triadus reached him for many weeks, the King's vigilance and grief began to wane. In the year that passed, children began to mysteriously vanish. All of the children were at least of Grahm's age, a coincidence the King did not fail to notice. His fear and paranoia reached new heights: he dreamed of a giant wall built around the entirety of his kingdom, to protect it from the spirit of his old friend Mikal Triadus.

The baby was newborn when Mikal appeared, seemingly out of thin air, before the King and his court in his throne room one day. As the guards moved to seize him, with one breath Mikal blew them away from him to strike against the walls and lay in crumpled heaps of armor on the floor. His voice crackled and boomed like thunder as he addressed the king. He spoke of the wonders he had found in the mountains and how the soothsayers had been right all along. He told the King of how he had learned of his son's death and of the son Vela had bourn that was rightfully his. He knew of Vela's marriage to the Western King and her death during childbirth. He seemed to know everything.

The King grew angry. He shouted that Mikal's boy had pushed himself on Vela, that she would never dishonor herself with a disfigured monster. The King had brewed his justifications in his mind and they had stewed there for so long that he couldn't remember the taste of truth anymore.

Mikal simply smiled. "I will give you a choice," he told the King. "You may reach for your grandchild or you may reach for your sword. I will allow you only one." The King was still. With a growl, he reached for his sword, intending to cut Mikal in half and keep his baby to boot. When he turned to face his old friend, Mikal stood with the babe in his arms, smiling at the little boy. "I know you would cut down my loved ones to get what you want, but I don't think you will cut down your own, but you may try to kill me if it is worth it to you." The King dropped his sword. Mikal walked toward him and kissed him on the head. "Since you have lost yourself to fear I will relieve you of it. You will never be pierced with sword or arrow. Your body will heal all hurts. You will not age. Poison will taste as sweet as honey and have no more effect. Death shall have no hold over you. I give you this as a Gift. You shall be King as long as you like. Yet you shall beget no more children, and your lust will fail you. The only one who will release you from this life is me, and now I leave you."

The place where Mikal had kissed the King's forehead burned faintly.

"All the sons and daughters of Triadus are mine now." And Mikal vanished.

High in the mountains, the House of Triadus was born under the guidance of Dragons, the ancient and powerful guardians of magic. It was decreed that all of those without a family, all bastards and unwanteds, and those who were touched by Gaeis to be different would have a home. Mikal and his followers prospered until the day when the King brought an army into the mountains to capture them and force Mikal to release him from his Gift...

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Triadus is a nation in southern central Gaeis.

Its standard is the Dragon on a black banner.