Dalcaria: Liberty From Death

[Lord Saethos]

Hello Again.

It's been a while since I last worked on a story in the Dalcaria universe. I intend to return to The Shadow Chancellor in due time (hopefully soon), but I feel as though I want to sharpen my skills a bit, flesh out a bit of the universe and grow into the shoes I've chosen for myself in writing this universe. Writing settings, events, and characters that are both liked by me, and any readers, is not an easy task, and as this universe of mine is one that I am very much in love with, I want to do it the service of trying to better hone my skills "off in the corner", using this side story to give you all what I hope will be a better glance into this universe, and how it might look to be someone living in it.

This will be a bit of an undertaking, so I'll be chipping away at it bit by bit, as I do with all my writing. I am intending to also begin posting some of my work on Wattpad, which I haven't started yet, but I WILL link it when I have started down that path. For now, I'll be starting here and converting it to Wattpad later, though I intend to continue to post most of my writing here still (at least before posting it on Wattpad later). I'm a little more comfortable, and a bit nostalgic, of writing here on RPG, and I'm not sure what kind of limitations I might run into with Wattpad, so I figure starting here is as good as anything else.

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The Story: Description

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The year is 1504 I.E. Grand Chancellor James Airell remains firmly in control of the Empire of Dalcaria, the Civil War that tore the nation apart, and the globe spanning war that tore the world apart, has been over for two years. Unsteady peace reigns for the time being. In most of the world.

Far away from the bustling streets of Durelieus, in the East near the Kingdom of Pays, lies the Kingdom of Austurland, though nowadays, it's more generally referred to as the "Exiled Kingdom of Austurland". The Kingdom used to comprise the lands of the island of Austurland itself, and the isle further to the south called Sudaetia. It held continental territory to its North, having occupied some of the lands of the Varkralian peoples, who have long resisted and resented the occupation, and it is in these lands that all of old Austurland and Sudaetia have been forced to resettle.

In the 1150's, a great plague wreaked havoc across the land, causing body mutilating deaths, turning men into monsters, and even bringing the dead back from their graves. The Kingdom of Austurland tried to fight back, but it was vain in the face of the hordes that swept their land. After much brave fighting, the peoples of Austurland and Sudaetia were forced to flee from their isles and take refuge in their Varkralian territories.

Some intrepid heroes and adventurers have attempted expeditions to the Old Kingdom, but none saw any degree of success, most never even returned. But times have changed, wars have changed the face of the world, and the technology of today far outstrips the petty swords and muskets of 350 years ago, and conflict and desperation has forced the hand of the Austurlanders. Constant conflict with Varkralia, famines, raids, and a population far exceeding what the land can sustain, has made it clear that the Austurlanders must return to their homelands. The consequences of not doing so would be all out war, and possibly even the utter destruction of their people.

Dalcaria: Liberty From Death

[Lord Saethos]

Part 1

The sound of a heavy rainstorm, the crackling of a fire, and the scratching sound of a quill pen. These three things were all that could be heard inside a large, sumptuous room that acted as the private study of Kaiser Friedrich Rosenstahl, King of Austurland and Sudaetia. The room was typically Austurlandian. Intricately carved dark oak panels covered the walls, only breaking where they acted as the mighty frames for a series of windows which allowed the soft glow of moonlight in, pleasantly not hidden despite the rain outside. The floors too were made of dark oak, placed into intricate geometric patterns, and covered in tactical locations by luxurious carpets of dark red with designs of golden plants weaving about.

The Kaiser was seated at his desk at one end of the rectangular room, near to the fire, and a window, with an oil lamp helping to fully illuminate his difficult work. Difficult not because of the physical strain of the task, but difficult because Austurlanders were a proud people, strong and noble, and not quick to ask for help.

And that was precisely what Friedrich was doing. Crafting a request to the Grand Chancellor of Dalcaria for immediate help.

Friedrich was only in his 50's, but his body was starting to take the form of a man closer to his 60's or 70's. For all intents and purposes, he'd lived a relatively clean life, but constant conflict, anxiety, and truth be told almost impoverished living (at least by the standards of a monarch) would have that effect on a man. He had millions of souls in his tender, and one misstep could theoretically snuff each one of them out. Perhaps such destruction had slimmer odds than he had taken to estimating, but then it's quite rare that any nation, even of small size and population, is forced into diaspora. In a sense, the Austurlanders had taken to distrusting fate, which was part of what made the Kaiser's request for help so difficult.

Many said good things about the Grand Chancellor of Dalcaria, but the Empire had been the enemy of practically the entire planet before the young man took the reigns for himself. Could he really be trusted to be so altruistic? Could Austurland trust Dalcaria not to betray them, and use their plight as a strategic opportunity? Would it even be possible that Dalcaria might try to reap the rewards of the old Austurlandian homeland for themselves? These were all considerations the Kaiser had to make, but the simple truth was that they were almost out of options.

They simply could not mount a retaking of their homelands, purge it of the infestation, and at the same time evacuate their whole people from their current Varkralian holdings. The Varkralians would seize the opportunity in an instant, and any Austurlander or Sudaetian in sight would be run down without thought. The Kaiser needed Dalcarian troops to help them in retaking their land, and evacuating their people out of Varkralia, a might undertaking that would make almost any other leader blush and get a knot in their stomach.

The Kaiser finally laid down his pen, carefully folding up the letter and placing it into an envelope before sealing it with wax and his signet. Near the entrance to the room sat an ambassador of Austurland, rather uncomfortable despite the softness of the velvet chair he was situated in. With a turn of his gaze and a nod, the Kaiser had signaled to the ambassador that his job had begun.

"Take note of the Grand Chancellor's requests, as I'm sure he'll have some. Commit it to paper as I want his words verbatim. Use as much detail as you can, even down to his body language and expressions. If I am to be granted audience with him, I need to now exactly what kind of a man I'm speaking to."

The ambassador nodded and gave a bow. "As you have commanded it my Kaiser, it shall be done."