Week of the Wasp

Political event

In what most outside observers have come to conclude were a series of plausibly concealed political assassinations, three prominent royals in the Corran line of succession met with accidents in 848WA.   Emperor Optimus Overmere had a stroke at sea in mid-summer of 848 while en route back to Maulden after a diplomatic mission to improve relations with the recently vanquished Marsher Lords. Sons Kern and Sylvio Overmere were commanding troops in Portavia at the time of his passing, and his heir, Ericus, was ruling the capital in his absence and mentoring his younger brother Numerius who was likely to be created Count of Evenshire in due course.   Within a few days of Optimus' passing, Ericus (now Emperor without his knowledge) fell from a rope bridge in a suburb of Correhal and plunged into the sea. His body was recovered the following day, leaving Kern the Emperor by right. Numerius, disconsolate with grief at the loss of his beloved brother, is said to have dressed in commoners' clothes to go on a bender.  It is reported that he picked a fight in a local tavern and was killed; however several observers have noted that Numerius hated the common people, never drank, and was six feet and four inches of raw explosive muscle with six years in the XIV Legion, leaving it as the literally decorated primus of a veteran unit.  His claim to fame was his skill at arms in the most dangerous position in the Legion.  In whispers, some dispute the claim that Numerius could have gotten into a fight with a willing adversary at all, let alone doing so without racking up a body count.   When word of Ericus' death reached the Portavian front, the XIV and XVIII legions hailed Kern as Emperor, and he returned the salute. The historical record seems to omit that Sylvio, then already captain of the XIV would undoubtedly have been the one to have initiated the salute, likely with a speech. It is unfortunate, given the gravity of the moment and Sylvio's reputation as an orator, that no such record exists.