House of Pentiwichen

Aprēa's Chosen

Listen, daughter, you and I carry the blood of legends blessed by God herself. As my father proved to the world, we are destined to rule and there is nothing that can hold us back. Even if the realm were to fall, whether from another outbreak or whatever else, then I am certain that either you or one of your descendants will rise from the ashes with renewed passion and ambition stirring within.

— Emperor Hânsil II to Crown Princess Sohhia Pentiwichen

The House of Pentiwichen is the mighty and influential imperial household of the monarchs of the Empire of Pallernen. Founded five centuries ago by Tiyla, a Blessed of the Faith, who struggled through poverty and hardships to overcome her challenges, rising to become the Queen of the Hartilians and establishing a dynasty of her own. Her amber gold eyes were viewed as a sign of Aprēa's favour and those eyes are still a symbol of legitimacy among Tiyla's descendants. The current head of the house is Sohhia, the young Empress of Pallernen who has inherited the throne from her stern and tyrannical father, Hânsil II.

Rise to Power

The graceful fields of Penti have soaked in the blood of our kin for too long. Lands of such beauty cannot be allowed to suffer under the oppression of shirtless savages that no little of love and compassion.

— Tiyla

Tales of the first Pentiwichen date back to the early days of the 11th century, back when the present-day lands of Pallernen were but a vast collection of squabbling kingdoms and the realms of vicious warlords. In a small irrelevant village, somewhere in the lavender-covered plains of the Fields of Penti, lived a young girl along with her loving parents. Their folk lived close to the Wehorians, a semi-nomadic people who periodically came in force, demanding tribute for what they claimed was their protection. Aware of the dangers of provoking such ravenous men, the villagers did what they could to set aside a portion of their harvest for the payments, yet a day had still come when that hadn't been enough. Something had offended the raiders, provoking them to sack the settlement and murder all they could come across.

Tiyla's Kingdoms

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Tiyla the Blessed

While her friends and neighbours were slaughtered around her, Tiyla managed to escape, hiding away in the thick fields of lavender close to her home. She had seen her parents pushed into their home as the raiders set it aflame, and it had taken all she had to keep quiet and stay hidden. As the fires ravaged her home, she made her way through the fields as quietly as possible until she was too tired and thirsty to continue.
Upon awaking from her weary slumber, she had found herself sitting beside a warm campfire and a kindly old woman in white and gold clerical robes. The Hillenist seria fed and cared for Tiyla as they made their way to the kirevesi of Alechvêr, the capital of the Kingdom of Motilich.
Despite her earlier struggles, Tiyla thrived in Alechvêr, working actively with the local clergy until she eventually ended up representing them at the royal court. While others in her position would have kept to their tasks and held their head down, Tiyla pursued the opposite. Her clever ploys and schemes won her the support of powerful lords, while her charity and benevolence secured the hearts of the commonfolk. With those two she had what was needed to see herself elected queen after the previous king had died.

The Three Kingdoms

Year after year, our realm continues to crumble as our borderlands fall to one warlord or another. With the Motilichers uniting with the Hartilians to our west, what hope is there in retaining our sovereignty? Would it not be reasonable to freely swear our allegiance to this new queen and hope that she is as compassionate and generous as the travellers claim?

— Adelsil Vellek, King of Latolia

Fortunes favoured the newly established House of Pentiwichen, named after the fields from where Tiyla hailed. The connections she had built over the years prior to her election gave her much sway over the Hartilians, a devout and hardworking people native to the mouth of the river Pallern. The people there were without a king of their own, yet they were ready to put aside their differences to unite and fight the same raiders that had murdered Tiyla’s family. It had not taken much to convince the Hartilian people that their best hopes lied in unity with the Motilichers, but they were as proud as they were diligent. In exchange for their oaths of fealty, the Hartilians requested that Tiyla adopted the title Queen of the Hartilians. The new title would take precedent over her existing ones, and the city of Aûrkustel was to become the new capital of the united realm.
The demands caused some offence among the Motilichers, especially once Tiyla had announced that she has agreed to them, but eventually the additional military and economic strength provided by the Hartilians eased most of the concerns. In addition to her two existing kingdoms, Tiyla Pentiwichen had also come in possession of the Kingdom of Latolia before she even had time for a proper coronation. The decaying kingdom had been on its last legs after decades of economic downfall and military defeats on their western borders. The formation of a new united realm under Tiyla to their east had been the final nail in their coffin. Believing that the new queen would inevitably invade their lands, the Latolians swore fealty voluntarily, hoping that it would let them gain the queen’s favour and provide them with protection.

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Kingdom of Motilich

Kingdom of the Hartilians

Kingdom of Latolia

Hartilian Hegemony

Queen Tiyla the Blessed’s 46 year long reign brought prosperity and security to her subjects, securing them from the economic turmoil and foreign raiders they had all feared. She remained true to her faith and its teachings until her dying breath, refusing to engage in reckless wars of conquest. That’s not to say that the Hartilian people were entirely at peace for half a century as their monarch was fond of pledging her forces to assist neighbouring peoples in their struggles against tyranny and death. Many of those that received the queen’s assistance ended up as client states, which offered tribute to the Kingdom of the Hartilians in gratitude for their protection.

Flag of the Empire of Pallernen

Conquest and Consolidation

Unlike the founder of their house, the descendants of Tiyla I were a lot more eager to spill blood in the name of territorial expansion. It took all but a century for the Kingdom of the Hartilians to sweep across Tellaiti and absorb their client states and enemies alike. By the reign of Hânsil I, Tiyla’s great-grandson, the House of Pentiwichen had proclaimed themselves emperors, establishing the Empire of Pallernen. The new title had done little to quench their thirst, however, and they continued their military campaigns with the pursuit of more land, glory and riches.

Rustilian Revenge

Oh, what a slaughter it had been. Never had I, nor any of my kin, witnessed a valley so drenched in blood that our boots felt soaked. I still sense the faces of those I lost and those I killed, lurking at the edge of my sight, haunting me from dawn to dusk.

— Uin Ikkermál, the former King of Rustillan

Âldal I, the successor to Hânsil's imperial throne, wasn't content after bringing the last defiant realms of Tellaiti to heel, and his attention had fallen on the growing threat to the east, the Kingdom of Rustillan, or Rustilenlân in the Pallernic tongue. This rising realm had recently united with the people of the Hârdilinen and its expansion further to the east into the lands of the Klenti had brought them to the outskirts of Âldal's empire. In 1207, Emperor Âldal, along with his younger brother Ruibreh and the crown prince, assembled a vast army, the size of which outshined all that had come before.

March to Lúdalstá

The war had initially gone as Emperor Âldal and his military advisors had expected. Although their adversaries had done their best to prepare, the armies of Pallernen had achieved victory after victory as they advanced toward Lúdalstá, the capital of Rustillan. Confident in his forces, the emperor began his march through the Rustilian highlands in hopes of striking their foe down with haste. His son had advised against such a reckless push, but his warnings fell on deaf ears. The war had already lasted a little over a year, and everyone was eager to return to their homes and families.

Kingdom of Rustillan

Âldal's Anguish

Ready to make their final stand in the mountain valleys, the Rustilian forces had laid an ambush for the approaching invaders, and despite the crown prince's warnings, the Emperor of Pallernen walked straight into it. The slaughter that ensued was tremendous. Within the first minutes of the fray, before the Pallernians had understood what had befallen, their emperor had fallen from his steed, an arrow piercing his cheek. Crown Prince Âldal the Younger had tried rising to the challenge of restoring order, but he too had been struck down by an enemy soldier, his body griveously wounded and mangled. As hope had all but seemed lost, another Âldal, the son of fallen emperor's brother, rallied the men and dealt the enemy a terrible blow.
He had hoped to rescue his father, Prince Ruibreh, but he had been too late. Instead he found the enemy king standing atop his father's corpse, seperated from his men and volunarable. The Pallernians were able to subdue the defiant king and with that, the odds had finally turned to their favour. The Rustilians admired their monarch and many surrendered believing that if they continued the fight their leader would end up without a head.

Consolidation

The realm wept along with their new empress, lamenting the loss of brothers, sons, and fathers who had fallen oh so valiantly in the fight to fend off the Rustilian aggressors, neglecting to realise that they had been the ones marching away to a foreign land.

— Karl Uliswik, Rustilian soldier

The Battle of the Perilous Pass had been devastating for both sides, but in the end, the forces of Pallernen had emerged victorious. Crown Prince Âldal the Younger had become the Broken, and his wounds would claim his life before his father’s crown could be bestowed upon his brow. Nevertheless, the soldiers still referred to him as their fallen emperor, alongside his dead father. In accordance with the line of succession, Tiyla, sister to Âldal the Broken, was in line to become the first empress of the realm. As messengers were sent out to inform the court in Aûrkustel and return the bodies of the fallen monarchs, the other Âldal, son of Prince Ruibreh, finished the war in Empress Tiyla II’s name.

Tiyla II and Ianichel

Empress Tiyla had not been educated in the art of governance and courtly politics as much as her brother. She had instead been married off to Melbrich Ekejt, the son of an influential ruler among the Rittalians, so that the empire could have greater influence in the region. Despite her lack of experience, she did a fair job and held the empire together during a tumultuous time, keeping the newly gained territories from seceding and internal dissidents from rebelling.
The greatest blows to her legitimacy as the rightful monarch were her olive green eyes. Every previous monarch had Tiyla I’s amber gold eyes and called themselves Aprēas Chosen, but without the right eye colour the empress had no right to the title and there were many who wondered whether she had any right to be Empress of Pallernen or if the crown would be better off in the hands of the surviving Âldal who had already proven himself during the Conquest of Rustillan.
Tiyla’s reign would be tragically short, however, as she died giving birth to her son, Ianichel, only five years into her reign as empress. Immediately after her death, a regency council was established with Âldal, the surviving son of Ruibreh, as its head. Emperor Ianichel had few chances to do anything of note as he died from an unknown ailment merely a year after his birth, leaving the throne to his oldest living relative, Âldal.

Peace with the Rustilians

Following the conquest of Rustillan and the coronation of the new monarch, Empress Tiyla II married her uncle Ruibreh’s son, Âldal, to the eldest daughter of Uin Ikkermál, the former King of Rustillan. The intention behind the marriage had been to bring peace to the unstable region by improving relations and strengthening bonds with the local population.
The former king had been loved and respected and so the empress knew that his death would only serve to spark an extensive rebellion. Instead of eliminating him and his sons, Tiyla II gave him the option of living out the rest of his life on the island of Hárdilin in the eastern reaches of his old realm. Bitter from defeat, but grateful for the mercy that the empress had offered his family, Uin accepted the deal, hoping that he could be of more use to his people alive on a remote island, rather than dead.
Despite the marriage and the kind treatment of their monarch, the Rustilians were still filled with wrath. Many of them had wished that the empress had exchanged her husband for a son of their king so that the future monarchs of the empire would have both Pentiwichen and Ikkermál blood, uniting the Hartilians and Rustilians.

United Front

What a surprise it had been to hear that my sweet precious daughter, the one I had been forced to marry to the man who vanquished me on the field of battle, was all of a sudden Empress of Pallernen! Âldal, that dastardly bastard, was still the one on the big chair, but at least my blood would one day warm the bodies of future emperors.

— Uin Ikkermál, the former King of Rustillan

Âldal, son of Ruibreh, conqueror of Rustillan, and the Prince Regent of Pallernen, had been keenly aware of his position in the line of succession after Empress Tiyla II’s death and although he would never have lifted a finger against his infant emperor, he knew that his death was unavoidable. Despite having studied and prepared for his ascension as much as he could, the people still referred to him as Âldal the Unready following his coronation. To the masses, the deaths of their empress and her young son had come as a shock and so few expected Âldal to rise to power so suddenly.
The new emperor’s rise was welcomed by the Rustilians, who were glad to see one of their own as empress consort. They were especially ecstatic about the birth of Crown Prince Luhhenesil, a child with the blood of both the Pentiwichen’s and their former kings of the House of Ikkermál. The majority of Âldal III’s reign had been dedicated to fostering good relations with his subjects and punishing disloyal tributaries that had failed to swear fealty after Ianichel’s ascension.

Âldal the Unready by Midjourney

Luhhenesil's Campaigns

Emperor Âldal the Unready of Pallernen had brought great prosperity to the realm during the course of his long and stable reign. New roads had been built, settlements established and ports constructed to assist in the futher fascilitation of trade. By the time of his death in 1243, the coffers were filled with treasures and the new emperor had plans for all of that wealth. Emperor Luhhenesil had access to the best arms and armour money could buy, the hardened and well-experienced soldiers and generals that had proven themselves on the fields of battle.
The man had a love for maps. He would often stand in front of them for hours, contemplating where the natural borders of the empire ought to be and with a crown on his head, he finally had the power to make his dreams a reality. His 26 year reign was one of rapid expansion and constant victory and glory. Those neighbouring realms that had previously retained their nominal independence in exchange for regular tribute to the empire were all given a final ultimatum. They were to willingly swear their allegiance to their emperor or suffer the consequences of defying the House of Pentiwichen.

The Lost Heir

Death had arrived far sooner than they could have ever imagined.

— History of the Interregnum

Luhhenesil’s conquests would not last forever, as the man had met an untimely end as a result of an unfortunate accident while returning from a military expedition. He was succeeded by his young son, Ianichel II Pentiwichen, but much like the first monarch of that name, he too would reign for but a year. A great plague had arrived without warning in the ports of Pallernen, bringing death and devastation to the land. The imperial court had been quick to suffer the ill effects of the Ocher Outbreak, as not even the mighty emperor himself was spared from its wrath.

The Uncrowned

Ianichel II, as he suffered on his deathbed, gave the Hartilian Guard, the protectors of his household, the order to take his son to safety far from the capital, hoping they could avoid the outbreak. Crown Prince Âldal was to avoid the court until the Guard deemed it safe. Not long later, the emperor had died and with none to sit upon the throne, his brother Âldiwel, sought to usurp the throne. For a week he and his supporters ruled, but loyalists to the true heir had put an end to the traitor before he could be crowned. With the realm in chaos and without a leader, the councillors that advised the former emperor created the Final Council to govern what was left of the empire in Âldal’s absence.

Interregnum

The year 1270 marked the beginning of the 226 long and bloody years without an emperor to warm the throne. Crown Prince Âldal, or Âldal the Lost as the commonfolk called him, never returned to the capital to claim his birthright. He and the Hartilian Guard were aware of the precarious position that the House of Pentiwichen lied in. As far as they all knew, he was the last of his house and so announcing his presense would have painted a large target on his back. The chaos that had erupted in the realm and torn it apart was a joy to all the lords and ladies that seeked to establish free and independent realms of their own and the fractured nature of the realm led to a plephora of weak targets to invade.

Deeds of the Exiles

• Âldal the Lost - Focused on rebuilding his family and making sure that he had heirs of his own.
• Ihleich the Sword of the Dusk - Adventured with his mentor from the Hartilian Guard and fought servants of corrupt rulers and aberati cultists.
• Âldirich - Established contact with imperial loyalists throughout the fallen realm.
• Ianichel of Nêikinge - Accumulated a significant amount of wealth to prepare for the reclamation of the empire.
• Âldiwel the Red - Fought as a mercenary captain in several wars, earning a name and reputation for himself.
• Îta the Swan of the Dawn - Prepared her son to claim the throne and assembled all the contacts and resources her forefathers had assembled.

Generations of Adventurers

For six generations, the rightful heirs to the throne were forced to live out their lives in hiding, keeping their identities secret from all but their most trusted companions.
Each of the heads of the household took their claim and imperial blood extremely seriously and they lived their lives doing all they could to prepare for a future in which one of their descendants could gather the wealth they had accumulated and call upon the favours they had earned so that they could announce their presence to the world and reclaim what was once lost.
To help reaffirm their legitimacy and claim to the throne, Gal Ûlwel Echewichen, the Commander of the Hartilian Guard who had served under Emperor Ianichel II, wrote the Letter of Legitimacy, a small document claiming that the man or woman in possession of it is the rightful heir. Protecting the letter and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands was as important of a task as defending the imperial family itself.

The New Dawn

Servants of the empire, lay down your arms and bend before the rightful Emperor of Pallernen, Âldal, of the House of Pentiwichen, Chosen of God and the Blood of Tiyla

— Ihleich Sôlwech, Commander of the Hartilian Guard

Âldal the Daybreak by Midjourney

Return of Âldal

When Âldal the Lost went missing and the interregnum began, rumours and tales started to spread, claiming that a day would come when the rightful emperor returned to take back his seat of power and to restore order throughout the plague-ridden and war-torn land. They all expected the returning emperor to be Âldal, but when decades passed without a whisper of the imperial family, hopes began to dwindle.
Over the generations, the tale was slowly forgotten by most, yet there were still those who held to the belief that an Âldal would come, although not all were certain that it would be a Pentiwichen.

Reestablishment of the House

On the 20th of Bricteril, 1490, a young heir to the throne of his forefathers, Âldal of Aûrkustel, entered the decaying imperial palace where the Final Council still reigned, letter in hand. Reading the contents of the letter and seeing the man flanked by supporters and soldiers in the armour of the old Hartilian Guard, the council acknowledged his claim and proclaimed him Lord of Aûrkustel and Duke of Hartil.
The House of Pentiwichen had at long last been reestablished, but the empire itself was still gone with shards of it in the hand of various pretty lords that squabbled among one another. Duke Âldal began his long reconquest of the empire, starting first with the core heartlands which led to him reestablishing the Kingdom of the Hartilians upon which he became known as Âldal the Daybreak. Either through the use of force, diplomacy, coercion, or a combination of all three, the various warring lords were brought to heel. Âldal had reaffirmed the House of Pentiwichen’s right to rule over the land, putting an end to the centuries long interregnum.
Âldal the Daybreak was considered a friendly and humorous man, at least when around friends and good company. The man abhorred all those who denied his claim or questioned his legitimacy, trouncing them for such acts of treason. Besides reuniting the realm, the emperor had also launched an invasion into Talhenogh, temporarily occupying the land until the Talhenogh League had successfully ousted the imperial forces.
Another impactful action of his was the empowerment of the Inquisition of Athe by providing them with lands and resources, and the consequential banning of vitality magic. Such acts eventually led to a mass exodus from the realm led by Karl Herwik, a Rustilian man who would go on to establish the Kingdom of Enliten.

Recent Times

Despite all their complaints, it is a Pentiwichen that keeps us united. Her will is that of God's and her right to rule can be questioned by none.

— Ulea, Kireseria of Setaik

Succeeding the charismatic and humorous emperor was his second son, Hânsil, a stern and stoic man who sought to bring his empire and its loyal subjects into a new golden era of prosperity and military might. The world had changed much since the days before the interregnum and new powers had risen who sought to challenge the empire's hegemony over land and sea. In addition to the enemies that lurked beyond their borders, there were also those who plotted against the imperial family, hoping to break the realm apart once more as to make use of the chaos for their own ambitious goals.
Before Hânsil had been born and the empire had been completely reunited, Âldal the Daybreak had another son with a different woman, his lowborn wife Frederikke of Herike. Their son, Ûlwel, had been groomed to take on his father's role, but a cruel and deceitful plot had put an early end to both the 15-year-old child and his mother. Hânsil's elder half-sister, Âldheid, had been the only surviving child of that former marriage.

League of Lipsig

The two greatest achievements of Emperor Hânsil II's 18 year reign were his humiliation of the Grand Duchy of Yegri, forcing the neighbouring realm to pay tribute to the empire, and the League of Lipsig which he signed with the Peasants' Republic of Aussel to secure their military cooperation in the Mettelagen. The alliance was so crucial to him that he even agreed to strengthen ties by marrying Aliczylle Vehlow-Boerk, the granddaughter of an important Ausselian politician.

Empress of Pallernen

Having died of a tumour a little over half a century into his life, Hânsil’s throne passed to his firstborn daughter, Sohhia. The young empress has had few chances to leave a lasting impression, as she has only recently disbanded the regency council that steered the realm in her stead, which was led by her uncle, Lehwel. As she is still unmarried and without a child of her own, the next in line to inherit the empire is her 8-year-old sister, Einilla.

Founding Date

1058 AA

Type

Family

Leader

Sohhia Pentiwichen

Founders

• Tiyla Pentiwichen

Location

Aûrkustel

Titles

Empire of Pallernen
Kingdom of the Hartilians
Duchy of Hartil
Duchy of Vesenhech
County of Ylbe

Former Titles

Kingdom of Talhenogh
Kingdom of Motilich
Kingdom of Latolia

The Pentiwichens and their Client States

Heads of the House

• Tiyla the Blessed (1058 - 1117)
• Âldirich I (1117 - 1125)
• Vôhil I (1125 - 1176)
• Hânsil I (1125 - 1187)
• Âldal I (1187 - 1208)
• Âldal the Broken (1208)
• Tiyla II (1208 - 1213)
• Ianichel I (1213 - 1214)
• Âldal the Unready (1214 - 1243)
• Luhhenesil I (1243 - 1269)
• Ianichel II (1269 - 1270)

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• Âldal the Lost (1270 - 1341)
• Ihleich the Sword of the Dusk (1341 - 1365)
• Âldirich (1365 - 1403)
• Ianichel of Nêikinge (1403 - 1455)
• Âldiwel the Red (1455 - 1458)
• Îta the Swan of the Dawn (1458 - 1504)

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• Âldal the Daybreak (1504 - 1546)
• Hânsil II (1546 - 1564)
• Sohhia I (1564 - current day)

Empress Sohhia of Pallernen by Midjourney

Vôhil's Keep in Aûrkustel by Midjourney

Vôhil's Keep

The House of Pentiwichen has reigned from the grand city of Aûrkustel since the day Tiyla the Blessed was made Queen of the Hartilians, and while she and her son, Âldirich, may have ruled from a fairly modest castle, the current seat of the imperial household is a colossal building that was constructed on the orders of Vôhil I.
Neither Vôhil, nor his son Emperor Hânsil I of Pallernen, saw the construction come to an end as the finishing touches were still being made during the beginning of Âldal I’s reign in 1191. Since then, Vôhil's Keep has provided the imperial court with all the amenities and protection a castle of such grandeur could grant.
Dring the long and arduous years of the interregnum, when the Final Council struggled to keep hold of their lands, the keep fell into a state of disrepair. Without the wealth of a united empire to fund repairs and renovations, the governors of Aûrkustel were powerless to prevent the decay. Once Âldal the Daybreak had restored his realm and filled the imperial coffers, work began on surveying the vast fortification for damage so that it could be at long last returned to its rightful state.

Fields of Penti by Midjourney

Tiyla's Eyes

Something strange had happened when Tiyla was about to receive her new crown as Queen of the Hartilians. She had bowed in front of her loyal subjects, closing her emerald green eyes and lowering her head to receive the crown, but when she had opened them again, they had shined like golden amber instead of green.
Stunned by such a miracle, the sisters of Hillenēq Hūril proclaimed that Tiyla had been not just blessed, but chosen by Aprēa, making it clear in the eyes of all that she was a just and righteous queen who held the Lady of the Lake’s values in high regard. When her grandson, Vôhil, had also been born with such a unique characteristic, the golden eyes became associated with their divine right to rule and legitimacy.
There are many who believe that descendants of Tiyla who lack the golden eyes are either unworthy of Aprēa’s blessings or that they’re possibly an illegitimate child, both of which are a great stain on the individuals legitimacy should they be the monarch. One such unfortunate person was Empress Tiyla II, whose olive green eyes made her suspicious to those who would have preferred to see her relative, Âldal the Unready, receive the crown instead.

Aftermath of the Outbreak and the Interregnum by Midjourney

Questions of Legitimacy

There are a number of those who strongly suspect that the renewed House of Pentiwichen is a family of deceitful liars and charlatans that either fabricated the Letter of Legitimacy and acquired armour similar to that of the Hartilian Guard, or perhaps they simply killed what was left of the imperial family’s household guard, stealing the letter and their arms and armour. A third possibility could also be that the guard failed their duty to protect their lost prince and instead chose to elevate one of their own, pretending that they were the rightful heir.
How a false claimant could fool so many, especially as only those of the true blood of Tiyla have the eyes that convey Aprēa’s favour, has been a thorn in the conspirators’ side. Some have suggested that perhaps there was another who had been blessed with no relation to the imperial family, but ultimately even if people don’t voluntarily abandon their foolish conspiracies, then the executioner’s axe can clear up their thought as well.

City of Toffin by Midjourney

Uncle in Toffin

Empress Sohhia has two uncles on her father’s side, Âldirich and Lehwel. Both men hold solid claims on the throne and they could threaten the empress in the future, but while Lehwel courts the imperial army, Âldirich, the older of the two, spends his days away from the empire, serving as an advisor to the Grand Duke of Yegri.
Âldirich claims to be keeping an eye on the tributary state, making sure that the grand duke isn’t neglecting his duties to the empire, but whether the empress’ uncle’s claims are valid is uncertain.
Some of Sohhia’s courtiers have speculated whether the elderly uncle is conspiring something in Toffin, far from the eyes and ears of the court in Vôhil’s Keep. Only time will tell whether or not the uncles of the empress will remain loyal to their legitimate monarch, or strike out to fulfil their own dreams and ambitions.

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