Queen of the Falls
Wetlands are not exactly prime habitat for tunnel-loving Kobolds, and yet Greymantle Marsh finds itself with several tenacious populations of them scattered around. Perhaps it is Lockhinge's policy of breaking rank with other cities by not rooting out and destroying tribes of creatures that pose no formidable threat that encourages these Kobold clans to be so boisterous, but one ambitious clan has even claimed Lockhinge City proper as its prime scavenging grounds.
The Rockybeach clan has staked out the whole city as part of its territory, emboldened by the fearless direction of their leader--the Queen of the Falls. As a gesture of goodwill, the city of Lockhinge has sent representatives to the lair of the Rockybeach clan several times to meet with and broker agreements with the Queen of the Falls, but a strange discrepancy has emerged on every one of those visits: no one quite seems to be in agreement over who the Queen of the Falls actually is.
Even for the tumultuous turnover rate that might be expected of Kobolds, the title of Queen of the Falls seems to change hands with absurd frequency.
Qualifications
Standing tallest on the Queen Rock without getting knocked down. Having friends (optional but preferred). Loud voice.
Appointment
The Queen of the Falls is appointed in the absence of the previous Queen--which was probably originally intended to mean "upon death," but has since been interpreted much more liberally. Whenever the Queen leaves the falls to lead a raiding party or handle matters beyond the lair, their claim to the title is put in jeopardy.
When another kobold feels as though they have a strong bid for the title--usually be being fierce or having lots of friends--they can attempt to seize it by climbing Queen's Rock in the heart of the lair and shouting their claim. If no one succeeds in stopping them (by getting past any squabble that might break out amongst those who are for or against this change and tackling them off of the rock) then they become the new Queen of the Falls.
Any Kobold may attempt to claim the title, regardless of gender, and they will invariably be known as the Queen of the Falls if they succeed.
Duties
It is the duty of the Queen of the Falls to continue doing what the Queen of the Falls has always done: lead the Rockybeach clan to glory through fearlessness and cunning. This had been the one proclamation made by the original Queen, Ixix Seababy, during her short reign, and the Rockybeach clan continues to live and die by this tenet.
Responsibilities
The Queen of the Falls makes all important decisions in the clan, including settling disputes and coming up with plans of operation for the raiding parties to follow. The Queen may have advisors if they so choose, or appoint other individuals to take on various responsibilities, and these individuals are assumed to continue having these responsibilities until told otherwise. Some Queens choose to keep current appointments in place when they take over, while others decide to immediately dismiss everyone and start from scratch.
Benefits
Upon claiming the title of Queen of the Falls, the new ruler immediately has ownership of everything belonging to the previous Queen of the Falls, including personal items, the most comfortable quarters in the lair, and the right to bask in the clan's hoard of treasure. The second benefit to becoming Queen is the immediate right to tell anyone in the clan to do anything they want.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
Normally, the "appointment" process occurs when the previous Queen of the Falls leaves the lair long enough for another enterprising Kobold to get brave enough to usurp them, but this isn't the only circumstance in which the title changes hands, and it doesn't always go smoothly.
If a more powerful or popular ex-Queen returns to the lair to find that someone lesser has taken their throne, or if someone holding the title is decided to be a "Bad Queen" by the rest of the clan, coups can take place. In these instances, who gets to be the next Queen is usually decided after some amount of fighting--ranging from petty one-on-one scuffles atop Queen Rock, to drawn-out battles between disagreeing gangs of Kobolds that can spill out into the territory beyond the lair.
Luckily, these conflicts--especially dangerously violent ones--are very rare. In general, the door to Queendom is a smoothly-revolving one, with rulers coming and going at a confusing but steady pace.
History
The founder of the clan and first to proclaim themselves to be Queen of the Falls was the infamous Ixix Seababy. Her singular ambition and bravery gathered followers to her side until she had enough support to found her own clan, claiming the caves behind an impressive set of waterfalls in the Silver Strand cliffs as their lair.
Ixix Seababy wowed her followers with the tale of how instead of being hatched from an egg as most Kobolds are, she was spat from the ocean itself, much like the mysterious, messy live births that mammals have. The power and horror that she wielded with that image was enough for her followers to revere her as some sort of mystical hero.
No longer would kobolds slink around the camps of larger creatures, looking for scraps. From now on... they would slink around the very largest camp of the most powerful creatures of all. She vowed that she would lead her people to glory, she set her sights on the intimidating skyline of Lockhinge City, and pronounced herself Queen of the Falls.
She laid down a few simple rules and laws that her people would abide by, including all of the duties and power ascribed to the Queen, and that this tradition should continue always--in the absence of the Queen of the Falls, a new one shall be appointed.
They took her words to heart. She rallied her keenest and stealthiest scavengers, set off on the first glorious foray into the City... and less than an hour after she departed, a new Queen was appointed.
Status
It's Complicated
Form of Address
My Queen Under The Falls
Length of Term
Unknown
First Holder
Related Locations
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