In the flesh

People of Dawn: Earls, nobles, and yeofolk all.The great and the good, the highest earls of our nation, doubt my Earldom, and my very status as a Dawnish noble. Yet only one amongst them sought to ask the most important question: what was my test, and to whose house was I tested? I salute the Enchantress de Carsenere for having the good sense to ask these questions of my retainer. Perhaps our nation has not grown so weak, dependent on morsels of power from the Highborn Empire. Let me answer their questions first of all.My earl was once Penni DuBlanche, who long ago quested into the Barrens where I dwelt as a nameless monster, in order to test himself against me. A friend of mine had advised him to seek me out, you see. He threw off the venom of my sting and asserted his own superior will. He subdued me through rare brutality, terror and cunning - I, a manticore of ancient days - and gave me the choice of death or testing into his house as a noble. I chose the latter. His test was simple: "make me Monarch of Dawn through any means necessary". I agreed. I succeeded.Your history books now call him Penni the White, do they not? I served as a noble of Dawn by his side for ten long years, until love betrayed him, the people rejected him, and the fools of Dawn murdered the greatest monarch they have ever had. I retreated in disgust and named myself Earl of my own manse, here in the Groves, where I have remained ever since.Dawn is not what it was in days of old. Once, we understood Glory truly, and did not resile from strength and power. Now you bind yourself to a Highborn yoke, and virtue's weakness saps your glorious hearts. Your Earls doubt me: I in turn doubt your strength. How shall we move forward? As, indeed, they did in days of old. I invite Enchantress de Carsenere to my home as guest of honour at a tourney I am throwing, to which all are invited, to partake in a traditional test of arms. Finally, we can see each other for who we are.I know that there are those who plot to do me harm because they are afraid of what I represent. I invoke the ancient geas of hospitality. My rivals, too, are welcome - if they can respect guest-laws.All who come must wear the guise of a glorious guest, and I the gracious host. Let us all swear that no undue harm will come to those who do not ask for it during the tourney. I will discipline my bannerfolk on this matter, if necessary. I expect the same from you.The test of arms will consist of two parts. First, a grand melee, open to all nobles of Dawn and errant knights who wish to test themselves, those loyal to me and those who revile me and every other. The winner will be the last one standing.Second, will be a single elimination competition for 8 pairs of warriors. 8 Dawnish knights from the small houses of the Barrens who are allied with me will fight, and I invite 8 Dawnish knights from Anvil to face them.Fights will continue until only one side can still fight, or the fight is clearly over. No potions may be used in the arena, and no outside interference barring replacement of shattered weapons. Under the rules of hospitality, no execution will be permitted. Bring chirurgeons and ensure that they can tend to dying on both sides.I offer prizes to the winners, both material, and the glory of victory under the gaze of the manticore Earl. I understand there are those also who wish to ask for Tests of Mettle and Ardour: Caius Smith and Temperance Forger in the former case and Alexandria Aeris Du Froste and Brahmms De'Tournesol in the latter. We will discuss this matter before the bouts begin, but an Earl of Dawn cannot refuse a Test, and I have no intent to do so.A word of caution to all who partake. I am not known for my patience, and I wish to see the best you have to offer. Fight swiftly and with glory. Please the crowds with your spectacle. I lack the inclination for dull and drawn out affairs.To those who would question my nobility, know that I have the favour of my King still, if you need some proof. If Dawn has truly fallen so far that it accepts not the word of an earl in matters of nobility, then I will allow it to be examined by trusted weavers and the like as suits.Now. Come to Tournament Square in the Untrod Groves in the Barrens, at quarter past five on the Saturday of the upcoming summit. I will be waiting.The Earl of the Groves

Overview

In the winter, a glorious expedition ventured deep into the heart of the Untrod Groves in the Barrens. The Groves are the furthest extent of the Great Forest of Peytaht. They are badly understood and barely mapped, as the name suggests. There, they encountered the legendary Earl of the Groves, an inhuman monster - a manticore - who makes its dwelling there. Stories of this "Earl" have been sung by the troubadours of Dawn for a long time, but its true nature was never clear - until now.

While the Earl of the Groves furiously defended its territory - inadvertently aided due to the complex interaction of hearth magic with the protective wards of Spring magic - since then it does not appear overtly hostile. Indeed, it has reached out to minor Dawnish houses in Hope's Rest and Bitter Strand to talk to them of its shared ideals - of glory and Ambition and how the small houses of the Barrens might collaborate to become more powerful. Some of these houses have begun to accept the Earl as a peer.

Not so the major houses of Dawn who attend Anvil. The Earl's Council, the gathering of the earls of Dawn at Anvil, rejected outright the idea that the manticore could be recognised as Dawnish in any way. Certainly, it cannot bond to the egregore - but some are beginning to ask whether the egregore is truly the arbiter of Dawnishness? After all, Dawn existed long before its egregore, or the Empire. Those who take this say that if this manticore is truly a noble of Dawn, it ought to prove it - but if it has passed an earl's test... there have always been nobles of Dawn who were unpopular, perhaps even monstrous in spirit, if not in flesh. But this did not stop them being glorious...

While the earls were clear in their view, and that has carried some weight, it has not yet ended the debate amongst the people of Dawn. Perhaps because it gets away from the difficult questions of state and nation that have bedevilled Dawn since the conquest of the Barrens, questions of unicorn and gryphon, and grapples with questions of glory and monstrosity - always fine topics to discuss. The debate only begins to intensify during the spring season when news spreads that the Earl of the Groves has declared a tourney at its manse in the heart of the Groves.

The Tournament of the Groves

The Earl of the Groves has written an open letter to the people of Dawn. Distribution of the letters seems to be being organised by one Alys Retainer and her brother, Tristan Reeve. They are clearly senior yeofolk to the Earl of some kind - possibly the same ones who attended Anvil on its behalf. There are, notably, no nobles of its house in evidence - except the Earl itself, of course, if you believe a manticore can be Dawnish.

The letter starts with a short account of the Earl's history and some more specific claims about its nobility, before laying out the rules of a two-part tourney that is to take place at the Earl's manse, with one Enchantress de Carsenere as guest of honour. It seems anyone who wishes to attend is invited, and the civil service confirm that there is, indeed, a conjunction to the time and place the Earl names - which saves having to clamber through the Untrod Groves.

The tourney consists of a grand melee open to all combatants who are noble or knights-errant, followed by a single-elimination tournament. Up to 8 knights from Anvil may enter and face off against 8 knights who are support the Earl of the Groves. The Earl itself will not be fighting

(OOC Note: The text of the Earl's letter is at the top. It has been copied many times and distributed across the nation, so any character may choose to have a copy if they wish, though you will have to prepare such a prop OC yourself).

Times Long Past

The Earl mentions "Penni the White" in its letter. Penni the White is the most infamous of the monarchs of Dawn. In the stories, he is said to have seized the throne with the assistance of heralds of the Winter Realm. Accounts do not mention a manticore, but some suggest that these beings may well have been creatures in service to Agramant, and manticores, while creatures of the mortal realm, have a strong association with that terrible power. Little is really known about Penni, but historical research would undoubtedly reveal more.

Penni's rule lasted a bloody decade; he slaughtered the orcish enemies of Dawn, but legends claim he killed as many Dawnish as orcs. With terrifying strength drawn from the Winter realm, Penni's knights challenged and slaughtered any who opposed their liege. If the Earl is to be believed, it seems that by his side may have been a monster wearing a human guise. His rule was finally ended when Simone of House Fayer, a knight-errant charged with ending tyranny, seduced the king and murdered him in his bed.

The Earl mentions a favour in its story and has offered to allow the Dawnish to investigate it magically. They are presumably confident this will confirm its account. While Penni was a brutal and terrifying monarch, he was, unquestionably, a monarch of Dawn. That might make the Earl's nobility legitimate... assuming nobility can be truly conferred on an inhuman monster at all. Historical research into House DuBlanche - according to the Earl, Penni's house - or House Fayer, or both, might well uncover more information. The Earl has revealed that Penni defeated it: not an easy feat. If legends are to be believed it is said to be difficult to slay.

Why the Earl of the Groves has returned now may well be something only Leviathan knows.

Allies of the Golden Sun

Last summit, the Golden Sun was attacked by opportunistic bandits hoping to raid its baggage train. They failed - through the efforts of those who travelled through the Sentinel Gate, but they were aided by some of the "vassals" of the Earl of the Groves. These vassals, are people who have fallen victim to the manticore's venom and become conduits for the Earl's will, dead in spirit if not in body. These vassals - who speak with the voice and mind of the Earl itself - expressed the desire to join up with the Golden Sun.

Since then more vassals have sought to join the army, and the Earl has also encouraged knights and yeofolk from those houses allied with it to sign up. In all it amounts to an extra 50 soldiers this season on top of what was expected. The Early appears to be committed to an ongoing campaign to improve its reputation amongst the people of Dawn amongst the ranks of the army and their efforts are bearing some fruit. While it's far from all, a portion of the lower-ranked soldiery and yeofolk serving with the army have become open to the Earl and its message of glory through brutality and strength.

The Earl of the Groves shows no sign of stopping being helpful in this way. Unless the General of the Golden Sun specifically orders their soldiers not to fraternise with the Earl and its vassals, they will stay with the army - and provide a similar benefit the next time it resupplies. If the General does include such instructions in their order, then the Earl will take its vassals away. That would stop the Earl's influence spreading further, but it won't end the existing bonds that have been forged.

To deal with that will be a more difficult matter. The Synod could speak out against the Earl. So far they have focused on the matter of discussing virtue with it - a sentiment that does not seem to be reciprocated in any way. If the Dawnish Assembly passed an inspiring statement of principle with a greater majority that directly addressed the matter of the Earl of the Groves it would carry great weight if the wording stirred people's hearts.

The people of Dawn are eager to hear what their assembly have to say on the matter. The Earl has been absolutely clear that it is loyal to Dawn, Should the Dawnish Assembly question the Earl's loyalty... or the loyalty of those who offer it their support? Should houses accept the support of the Earl of the Groves? Is that any different to the relationship many Dawnishfolk have with the eternals and heralds of Summer? Is it a problem to have an inhuman monster stand with Dawn, if that means it also fights alongside Dawn?

Rise of the Bandit King

Last summit, the so-called Wit - or perhaps Witch? - of the Silver Woods, a herald of Jaheris (possibly the same one who has as of late been seen in Sermersuaq, though she denies this) invited the Knights-Protector of Dawn and their companions and allies to join her in a chamber to discuss the Earl of the Groves, who is an old personal enemy of the Unicorn Prince. The Wit is found across Dawn for much of the months that follow, a mysterious figure of shifting form, joining her fellow heralds in their celebration of Dawn's embrace of the Summer Realm.

She has occasion to tell the story many times of what transpired at the meeting. It seems that the Wit, commanded by the Lord of Despite in his guise as the Patron of Rivalries, has agreed to facilitate confrontations between the Knight-Protectors and an eternal from their corresponding realm with which the Earl is in alliance. This is all in aid of somehow stripping the Earl of power it has been granted by these eternals, power granted via the gift of a favour to each.

News about the first such confrontation emerges near the Spring Equinox. A lone herald of the Hawk Lord - the only one to appear in Dawn this season - makes her way to the Castle of Astolat. She has a message for the Knight-Protector of Summer. The Bandit-King has received from Jaheris an insulting message which suggests that he is too weak and frankly too scared to face the Knight-Protector.

The Peerless Warrior bids the Knight-Protector to attend the Hall of Worlds just before half three on the Saturday of the Spring Equinox. There, he will offer them a challenge, a hunt! If the Knight-Protector can run down a herald bearing the favour of the Earl of the Groves before the Outlaw Prince catches up with them then they may leave with the trophy. Otherwise the Gryphon Knight will make sport of his rival and deliver the body to his kin. The hunt will take place in the Windswept Woods on the edge of the Badlands where Hayaak now dwells.

Some of this is a little confusing. Bandit-King, Masterless Warrior, and Outlaw Prince are somewhat unfamiliar sobriquets for Hayaak, who was until recently believed to be serving in Eleonaris' court. Something has clearly changed there - and the Badlands is a part of the Summer Realm relatively unfamiliar to the Empire, too. Nevertheless, it seems the terms of the challenge are clear - Hayaak, clearly smarting from Jaheris' missive, has thrown down the gauntlet. It remains to be seen if Rhydian de Rondell, the current Knight-Protector (or his chosen champion) will pick it up.

Obviously this is all very exciting from the point of view of the ordinary citizens of Dawn - the Knights-Protector, the Earl of the Groves, the Eternals, these are all romantic figures out of ballad and song. As such it seems the people of Dawn are paying attention to this... contest, or set of contests!

The Little Bones of Grandmother

Anushak, the huge raven that often acts as a go-between for Wise Rangara and the Empire appears in Anvil with a message for the Empire. After being fed strips of dried meat, they reveal that "Tuki of the Little Bones" wants a word with one Alistair de Vere. Anushak claims Tuki is particularly interested in the Earl of the Groves, and has been taken with Alistair de Vere, "who it seems has been pursuing quite a novel line of thought with regards to the beast".

The bird advises that Alistair de Vere bring friends also interested in the matter with them, "though best not any Archmages or Knights-Protector or anything like that, as that little beast does scare quite easily". Anushak - in return for one more meat strip - warns that Tuki will, of course, demand a price for the knowledge and advice it can offer. Apparently friends of the late Ravadi Founder's Dance might be able to advise on precisely what that will entail.

It seems the stars are right for such a meeting. At twenty minutes to midnight on the Friday of the Spring Equinox, a conjunction has opened to the Cave of Bones in Pakaanan's Pass in Skarsind, where presumably Tuki will be waiting.

Tuki of the Little Bones is a somewhat obscure figure who appears in the occasional Varushkan story. A strange creature said to dwell in warrens under the hills of Pakaanan's Pass in Skarsind, where it makes its nest amongst ancient bones which form the gates of a minor regio. This "Cave of Bones" is said to be its preferred haunt: for whatever reason, Wise Rangara does not suffer it to remain in her presence for too long. This may have something to do with certain rumours about disappeared apprentices, and how exactly it got its name...

Whatever the truth of these slanderous tales, Tuki of the Little Bones is a minor figure in many traditional tales in the region, and it is said to be keen to offer its aid to those who seek lost things which have accumulated lore and stories around them, or who seek to achieve novel acts from which, perhaps, lessons could be learned. In the stories, heroes often leave a dish of fresh milk or a tightly-sealed jar of pickled cucumbers outside the doorway to its cave.

Further Reading

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