Prologue
The kingdom of Intyal was large and prosperous. The fields were fertile and easy to farm; the forests were filled with game. Mages—marked out by their varying shades of grey hair—earned a good living and were well respected among the people. There were the rare, but not un-heard of, sightings of mythical creatures. A few even befriended humans, bringing good luck to them. The tribal, dark-skinned Ciarian that dwelled in the Southern Desert were friendly, if distant. The kings granted more pardons then punishments for crimes and were well loved. Peace reigned throughout the land.
Then King Argin took the throne. He was, as described by his first wife, a “paranoid, sneaky, disgusting, lying little rat of a man”. Most people agreed, but not aloud. His second wife was wise enough not to call him anything at all. Those who spoke badly of the king aloud were soon found guilty of very serious crimes against the crown and sentenced to death. There were many changes during King Argin’s rule. Wars were fought, the land was ravaged, prejudice grew, and sentences for crimes grew harsher.
He became one of the most feared rulers in all the history of Intyal. He decreed that hanging was to be the punishment for all crimes, from murder to picking pockets to what he called “treasonous thoughts”. Many people went into hiding while others hurried to the royal court, eager to show their loyalty to the king.
Argin became very greedy. He would arrest those he disliked and seize their land and possessions for himself. Those few who dared speak against him or his actions became even fewer, until none remained to contradict him.
He despised mages, even the few he employed in the castle. Some said he feared them, knowing he wasn’t a mage himself and couldn’t control them. Whatever the reason, mages soon began to find ways to disguise themselves. None wanted to risk the king’s wrath.
While mages were scurrying to avoid King Argin’s treacherous gaze, he turned his hatred towards the Ciarian tribes in the south. They were too powerful, he knew, to scare into hiding, but he made sure everyone knew of his dislike for them, and turned the common people against them. Ciarian became as despised as mages, but not feared. They were seen as savages, less then human and not deserving of any respect.
Argin was a fan of hunting game for sport. His favorite game was the mythical creatures that lived in Intyal. He gave rewards to those who could bring one down and give him it’s skin. Even the more human ones, such as elves, mermaids, centaurs, and fairies, were considered little more then animals, and were to be hunted as such.
The king’s hatred and fear soon spread to the nobility, and from them on down the classes to the lowest criminal. Mages were soon not just feared and hated by the king, but by nearly everyone. They became the outcasts, forced out of jobs and homes because of the prejudices of the people. Mages were kicked out of the towns they had worked in and helped for years, blamed for whatever misfortune had befallen the town. Ciarian were hated, despised, mistreated. Many were captured and sold as slaves. The Ciarian became a distant people, hardening their hearts to the “white men”. Elves, mermaids, unicorns, and all other mythical creatures soon disappeared from human sight, afraid for their lives.
Despite all the danger, there was one haven where a person could speak their mind about the king. This supposed haven? The Crooked Court. The Court consisted of the realms most dangerous criminals. Every imaginable type of criminal lived there, from pickpockets to assassins-for-hire. One man, the Crooked King, ruled all of the criminals of this court. Many said he was fairer then King Argin. The criminals of the Crooked Court owed their King their loyalty, and he made sure they knew it. He ruled them strictly, but not cruelly, at least by his standards.
A new Crooked King took the throne near the end of King Argin’s reign. His name was Bryant. Under his rule, the Crooked Court grew, in both size and power. He was not content with just his one Court in the kingdom’s capital, Magyin. He spread his reach to all the major cities of Intyal, appointing trusted members of the Court to watch his extended branches of the Court, though he made sure everyone knew that there was one man in charge, and that was him.
Bryant had many plans for his Court. Only a select few knew just how big they were. The rest only knew that they would obey him, or they wouldn’t like the consequences. Despite his strict rule, he gained loyalty through many means, but never dishonest ones. He was thought odd, as he didn’t just force his subjects to obey him like past Crooked Kings had. He made sure his people would willingly follow him to death and back, just to prove they could.
Bryant stayed mostly in the tavern in Magyin that housed the Court and it’s members. He kept with him there the best and most dangerous criminals, personally selected from other Courts in other cities, even a few from other countries. He gathered those others shunned, even in the Crooked Court. He had mages who would work for him, some people from the Ciarian tribes that would fight for him. All of them were the elite of the criminal world, ones famous in the underground world. They were loyal to Bryant and Bryant alone, and with those treacherous allies, Bryant knew his big plans for Intyal would be realized, and during his reign. He would make sure of it.
Then King Argin took the throne. He was, as described by his first wife, a “paranoid, sneaky, disgusting, lying little rat of a man”. Most people agreed, but not aloud. His second wife was wise enough not to call him anything at all. Those who spoke badly of the king aloud were soon found guilty of very serious crimes against the crown and sentenced to death. There were many changes during King Argin’s rule. Wars were fought, the land was ravaged, prejudice grew, and sentences for crimes grew harsher.
He became one of the most feared rulers in all the history of Intyal. He decreed that hanging was to be the punishment for all crimes, from murder to picking pockets to what he called “treasonous thoughts”. Many people went into hiding while others hurried to the royal court, eager to show their loyalty to the king.
Argin became very greedy. He would arrest those he disliked and seize their land and possessions for himself. Those few who dared speak against him or his actions became even fewer, until none remained to contradict him.
He despised mages, even the few he employed in the castle. Some said he feared them, knowing he wasn’t a mage himself and couldn’t control them. Whatever the reason, mages soon began to find ways to disguise themselves. None wanted to risk the king’s wrath.
While mages were scurrying to avoid King Argin’s treacherous gaze, he turned his hatred towards the Ciarian tribes in the south. They were too powerful, he knew, to scare into hiding, but he made sure everyone knew of his dislike for them, and turned the common people against them. Ciarian became as despised as mages, but not feared. They were seen as savages, less then human and not deserving of any respect.
Argin was a fan of hunting game for sport. His favorite game was the mythical creatures that lived in Intyal. He gave rewards to those who could bring one down and give him it’s skin. Even the more human ones, such as elves, mermaids, centaurs, and fairies, were considered little more then animals, and were to be hunted as such.
The king’s hatred and fear soon spread to the nobility, and from them on down the classes to the lowest criminal. Mages were soon not just feared and hated by the king, but by nearly everyone. They became the outcasts, forced out of jobs and homes because of the prejudices of the people. Mages were kicked out of the towns they had worked in and helped for years, blamed for whatever misfortune had befallen the town. Ciarian were hated, despised, mistreated. Many were captured and sold as slaves. The Ciarian became a distant people, hardening their hearts to the “white men”. Elves, mermaids, unicorns, and all other mythical creatures soon disappeared from human sight, afraid for their lives.
Despite all the danger, there was one haven where a person could speak their mind about the king. This supposed haven? The Crooked Court. The Court consisted of the realms most dangerous criminals. Every imaginable type of criminal lived there, from pickpockets to assassins-for-hire. One man, the Crooked King, ruled all of the criminals of this court. Many said he was fairer then King Argin. The criminals of the Crooked Court owed their King their loyalty, and he made sure they knew it. He ruled them strictly, but not cruelly, at least by his standards.
A new Crooked King took the throne near the end of King Argin’s reign. His name was Bryant. Under his rule, the Crooked Court grew, in both size and power. He was not content with just his one Court in the kingdom’s capital, Magyin. He spread his reach to all the major cities of Intyal, appointing trusted members of the Court to watch his extended branches of the Court, though he made sure everyone knew that there was one man in charge, and that was him.
Bryant had many plans for his Court. Only a select few knew just how big they were. The rest only knew that they would obey him, or they wouldn’t like the consequences. Despite his strict rule, he gained loyalty through many means, but never dishonest ones. He was thought odd, as he didn’t just force his subjects to obey him like past Crooked Kings had. He made sure his people would willingly follow him to death and back, just to prove they could.
Bryant stayed mostly in the tavern in Magyin that housed the Court and it’s members. He kept with him there the best and most dangerous criminals, personally selected from other Courts in other cities, even a few from other countries. He gathered those others shunned, even in the Crooked Court. He had mages who would work for him, some people from the Ciarian tribes that would fight for him. All of them were the elite of the criminal world, ones famous in the underground world. They were loyal to Bryant and Bryant alone, and with those treacherous allies, Bryant knew his big plans for Intyal would be realized, and during his reign. He would make sure of it.