A decade passes of an
uneasy truce. At Scetpremass only the riders of Szalai send a
delegation to pledge their allegiance - but the King is too weak to
punish both houses that stay absent. Finally the King devices a plan
to change the power balance in his favour. He grants the Knights of
the Brotherhood their own holding in the Southeast between the
rebellious houses where the Cult of the Mother has almost vanished
but resistance to the rule of house Barow remains strong.
Farkash Citadel
From a winding path
across the hills, or from a boat exiting the river delta, you can
spot a milky stone tower glimmering in the morning light. All around
it rises a large citadel on a terraced hill, featuring the same light
stone and white marble, embraced by stout walls and tall towers.
Gated docks overlook the quiet lake. From up close the
former splendour vanishes, crumbling walls, some towers toppled and the
marble of the citadel cracked. Only the keep stands as tall as before
and guards over the empty stalls in the overgrown courtyard.
 |
| The Citadel before extensive renovations |
In the spring of next
year a delegation from Oakfell, a small dwelling to the North,
arrives on timber rafts. At the docks they are greeted in her
typically reserved fashion by Jitka of Urban, the newly appointed
Steward. After short negotiations they agree to sell their timber on
Farkash's market in exchange for protection. The woodcutters haven't
forgotten the Gilded Knight who adjudicated justice in Oakfell some
years ago and keep asking about the bright young lad who had
accompanied him then. As a gesture of goodwill Eliska, a skilled
carpenter, stays behind to fix the stalls in the bailey and the roofs
of the dock. Later that year Timea visits the keep and establishes
the trade of timber and fish through the Guild. The first steps of
the brotherhood's rule over the domain begins promising. As the year ends the storerooms of the citadel are full of
salted fish and produce from fields all over the domain. At
Kindlemass everyone meets at the Grand Hall where Zofia of Barow has taken
care of the reliquaries house Altenburg had left. A wondrous place even
on normal days with numerous niches and alcoves holding the bones of
long deceased Seers and illuminated by hundreds of candles. Today
though the Hall is filled not only with light but polyphonic chorals
giving praise to warmth and friendship.
.jpg) |
| Kindlemass in the Great Hall |
Thanks to Timea and the
Merchant Guild, the river route is restored and news of the new
holding spread fast. Masons and carpenters start working on the
repairs of the old abandoned citadel, as an improvised market is set
up and starts drawing commerce from the region around the lake.
Heldris follows the works eagerly, although he always passes Winter
time in Karpat Fortress, in order to spend as much time as he can
with Hedwig and little Annegrit, who is growing into a healthy and
curious kid. Jitka of Urban takes on the role of Steward, and
attentively overlooks the works on the citadel and the docks. She
haggles skillfully on supplies, organises intelligently the work
week, and overall manages to run a tight ship. A young Waldochian,
Vojtech, joins the court, and spends Spring and Harvest riding
through the region to spread word of a new castle and a promising
market. The Dove Knight sets himself up in a modest chamber, with a
large window overlooking the gentle lake, but slightly away from the
teeming docks. He enjoys the stillness of the natural landscape
outside, joined by the faint echoes from the market below. He has a
wooden library built beside his bed, to hold a little collection of
music scrolls. When Hedwig visits, they often spend their time
playing some of this music together. With little Annegrit, they visit
the aviary on the white marble tower, where the homing pigeons nest.
The kid feeds them and learns their names, as she sees them setting
off for distant regions, then always coming back home
Lady Inga sheds tears
over the troubles of Kranach and the adopted home she grew to love
over her time there. Despite the deep wounds of conflict, few in
Kranach can hold a grudge against this daughter of Svenrik - and
fewer yet would dare voice such a thing where those who cherish her
might hear. Notably absent is their travelling companion, the Pigeon
Knight, who once called Kranach his home. When Perilake asks Inga to
accompany him to Farkash Citadel, yet more tears are shed but so too
is the weight of regret. The servants and the court of Kranach pay
their respects as Perilake and Inga depart for Farkash.
As Kranach watches
their figures from the battlements, they spy a figure clad in a
tattered cloak, who joins the couple as they disappear over the
horizon towards their new home.
In Farkash, they find
joy unburdened by sorrow. They send word to Kranach, asking for the
assistance of two rather different courtiers; Sorina, once of Szolok,
whose eye and ear for people and their lives will serve her well as
Sheriff, the troubles of the region never far from her attention. It
is testament to her nature that Istvan of Kranach comes; even the
man's fierce distrust of Svenrik cannot hold against her care, and he
answers the call for his martial prowess to serve Farkash as Marshal,
as it once served Zigmund and Ulrich. His hopes to serve their heir
are plain for all to see, but the Pigeon Knight spends scant seasons
in Farkash before flying onwards. Sir Perilake and Inga privately
believe the admiration of Oakfell and the bitter pride of Istvan to
have driven Zoltan onwards as much as his oaths.
.jpg) |
| A humble marketplace |
Lady Inga dedicates
herself to the restoration of the marketplace, more often found
within its humble grounds than the bright citadel above. With the aid
of Jakub the smith, she restores the bas relief of the merchant guild, and the
docks are reopened to trade with Timea and beyond. When the
woodcutters of Oakfell hear word of the Gilded Knight's holding and
send their delegation, she prepares a feast of fish to celebrate
their new pact. With each season, Inga nurtures the simple yard of
the marketplace in to a hub of commerce and trade, bustling with
merchants and produce.
The visits of little
Annegrit are beloved by more than her father, though the Gilded
Knight often comments on the Dove Knight's newly soaring spirits. Sir
Perilake is often seen carrying her atop his shoulders as Lady Inga
dotes on her with treats from the sellers of the marketplace. As
Farkash stands renewed, the Gilded Knight and his wife welcome their
own child; little Avert is often passed from stallholder to traveller
to tradesman as Lady Inga works, the quiet bright gaze of his blue
eyes bringing peace to all manner of quarrel and dispute.
The Salt Knight rarely
enters the marketplace, preferring to spend his time in the keep. He
tends to diplomacy with the Crown and its loyalists in House Szalai.
Free from the responsibilities of fatherhood, he spends much of his
time discussing minutiae of ruling with the Council, or reading
Istvan and Jitka's histories of the Realm.
Never unkind, but often
solemn, he allows himself the occasional show of pride when Zoltan or
Gundhilde visit the citadel. Otherwise, he can often be found in the
great hall, lighting candles for the futures that never came to pass.
.jpg) |
| The Myths awake again |
It seemed as if the
Myths lay dormant for an Age as the citadel was restored and trade
routes were established and the domain prospered … But sometimes a
low rumble can be heard deep underground or a lone wanderer finds
dire warnings cut into the rock to the life of all Knights. And with
every year the Brothers of the Black Fleece become more restless and
during the day they have visions of strange spires in the clouds and
at night wild dreams of The City as if a burning god passed through
them in their sleep leaving ambers behind within their minds and in
its glow they see a city like a nexus of a thousand roots that drink
in silence.
And so the wheel of
time grinds forward once more ...
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
