The Black Queens Steps
The Black Queen is an elf born into the Court of Dulceria (now The Court of Aurelia) in early days of Rhye. She is known as successful and powerful elf, who achieved many things she set out to do through ruthless actions and removal of those that stood in her way. The Black Queen's Steps is a two part ritual where those wishing to understand more about the use of vengance to achieve happiness first follow in the Queen's footsteps of her childhood, and then relive a pivotal moment from the Queen's past played through illusions.
An alternative version ritual is also practised, sometimes called the same name, where individuals follow a philosphical guide to the Queen's coming of age but take their own steps to achieving vengance and their own happiness.
Perhaps I should tell you of my past? I was born to this court at the founding, and have been in the west ever since the formation of the courts. I have always found that others have a tendency for over complication, especially when creativity is involved. My tastes are far simpler. I lived out beyond the land, where the eye eaters roam and the monarch birds glide, rarely seeing anything but flat frozen tundra for days. It would provide a peace that enabled me to fully embrace the encounters that I did find. I met a dragon who was looking for something lost, a hermit who claimed to see the future, and met the black and white queens when they were still young and whole. I have seen the pain that drove Dulceria’s rule, and I understand it, as I hope living in your court will help me to understand yours.
I was one of the first to take The Black Queens Steps. I began at her barren home in the Northern mountains, and took the road South. I was met by a guide with the face of a green devil, who told me that the one responsible for my pain was caused by the one who lurked on the border with capital, and made my way to the cherished ballhall. It was a busy day, and I met many courtiers learning to dance. I found the red room, and inside, I performed the rite. They had made it sound so dramatic, but I felt very little. Perhaps the cold had already numbed my skin even then. It was strange to think that this was all that it had taken for the Queen to choose such a bloody path.
The next stop is what are now the ruins in the petrified forest. Back then this was a huge manor house, between which the White and Black Queen would imagine great battles for their rule and act out the slaughter with servants. The Steps indicate that this was a time where the courts unfair preference for the weaker girl became apparent, though other stories suggest The Black Queen was already earning her now solid reputation. I did as requested, watching in silence as others ate, played, cared, and told stories with one another. The guide demands ten days of starvation, but I only managed to make four. I felt so irritable, angry, frustrated. I was ready to take vengeance on my guide had I not slipped away to the kitchens. Yet I am sure the Queen was well fed in her time here, but loneliness is suffering too.
Next came the rite of rule. I do not think I am ready to share this just yet. Safe to say, I did not do well. I came away almost ready to give in, but my guide was able to comfort me. All I learnt here is how grateful I am to be no Queen. Next I travelled to The Black Queen’s castle. It is a military like establishment, as though expecting someone to bring an army to her grounds. Tall, imposing, and of course black. I was welcomed by scarily polite and assertive staff, and made to feel as a comfortable prisoner. After two days, I was collected, and taken to the deepest part or the castle.
Five in, one out, is what they say. I myself cannot see why they would have agreed to go in in the first place. But, that is what the steps are for, is it not? To understand. It was terrifying. We all know that you cannot be hurt, but minauros, does it feel like you can. The four shades pretend to be your friend, as the legend says, while you clearly see them sneaking to find the dagger first. Despite my failure in the rite of rule, i surprised my self by my victory. I found the dagger easily - no doubt because I am used to routing around for tents or food while being hounded by hail storms that would blind me. As expected, the shades still acted as my friends, though as I drew close, they tried to take the dagger from me. I killed them all. It wasn’t hard.
The passage opened, and i walked out into light to another illusion. This of the man himself. I failed here too - it is harder to even pretend to kill when you can see your actions. Nonetheless, I had completed the steps, and the illusion morphed into The Black Queen (dressed in splendour she clearly did not own at the time) killing him. It wasn’t quick.
I felt stunned by this, rather than enlightened. The feast to recreate the celebration of all the Queen gained after she completed her revenge felt forced and wrong. I remember writing in my journal that i still couldn’t understand how that one slight against her was preventing all her glory.
It took me years to process what I had seen, and understand that it was no political or social problem that was in her way. It was fear. Fear that someone could destroy in such a way. She had to kill him to feel safe again, to feel confident, to show herself in the open. I felt a little closer to my neighbours then, though I still chose to walk alone.
Well, that seems enough for this month, no doubt these letters take up much of your time, and I will gladly suceed to those with more pressing words.
Yours,
Rippen of The Court of Aurelia nee Dulceria
The Black Queen led us from the castle to greet a group of pilgrims. They were of hunters court, and a sorry bunch indeed. Their land has become putrid, their animal friends twisted, and their crops acrid. It has been a long time since her majesty has walked the steps herself, but for such a large group, even she couldn’t resist. They admired her beauty and her clothing and her words. I do find that we have much in common with those of hunters court, who seek to embrace and not control the world.
It was refreshing to walk the steps again. I remember by own. Vengeance on my parents and brother, which unlocked my freedom to take up residence at the castle and made my soul light and burdenless.
The hunterian elves went one by one into the basement, to not confuse the numbers, and it seems *all* of them killed not just the shades who betrayed my queen but the bastard himself! A blood thirsty group, they shall do well. They did not extend their stay following the feast, despite our invitation, but went upon their way, perhaps to complete their own steps.
From Egaria of The Court of Aurelia
Inside the hotel, I was beside myself to discover that the carriage was none other than Lady Sawyer, Lady Thracede, and Lord Volluchia! Words cannot justify how beautiful they are. The grace with which they move in even the simplest gesture is like that of a meticulously practiced dance. Their voices are poetry, both in choice of word and tone. A sculptor could not make a more stunning face, and even a waterfall is not as beautiful as their hair.
They are apparently here to undertake the Black Queens Steps. A strange reason, they are so young, but they do crave adventure and thrill. Even now they are visiting the fallen gorge and plan to take a detour to see the eye eaters before they depart.
Truely, a wonderful day.
Phillisna of The Court of Aurelia
I have decided upon something. Something I know will disappoint you. I must undertake the Black Queens Steps. I must understand, experience, as otherwise I will always wonder.
I do not expect this to change anything, it is merely to silence those voices in my head. Those that tell me to deliver justice. I felt so much hope when Havok took the throne, yet it feels we have abandoned him to a pit of warthogs. I truly do not understand how our king can stand it all. First his best friends abandoned him. Now we have. He is far stronger than I.
I hope to return soon,
Leorn.
The Ritual
The Journey
The first part of The Black Queen's Steps takes the form of retracing the Queen's movements when she was a child. It begins in her birthplace in the Northern Mountains, travels to the border of hunters court, into the petrified forest, and returns to The Black Queen's Castle.The Southern Ogre Mountains
Although the original childhood home of The Black Queen is not known, the ritual begins at a nearby hotel where pilgrims are met with their guides and undergo several sermons. The travellers health is also assessed to ensure they can make the journey, or whether adjustments are needed.The Manorlands
From here, the ritual takes the traveller South along the main trade route between the Ogre Mountains and The Manorlands. The destination is the Ball Hall, a dancing school towards the courts border. It is here that the first rite is performed in the preserved Red Room, recreated from how it would have been when The Black Queen lived there. It is designed to reflect the first experience of loss, and pilgrims are encouraged to bring along an animal, preferably one of familarity, and to sacrifice it to experience the loss.The Petrified Forest
The next destination is Highgrove Park, which is currently purposed as a large dance school, but was original built to be a house to train those who wished to raise children in the ways of royalty. The second rite here involves starvation and isolation, to replicate the solitude The Black Queen felt while living at the manor. Pilgrims may also choose to undertake the recreation of The Black Queen's shattering - it involved inserting needles into the skin, to replicate the arrows that were fired into The Black Queen as a child.The Celluoid Village
The next destination is a small village to the North of what is now The Black Queen's Castle. Here, the Pilgrim is encouraged to practise the leadership that The Black Queen herself first discovered when staying here, using the power of her words to influence others into action. The rite varies from person to person, as decided by their guide, but they will always involve encouraging members of the village or provide for the Pilgrim something that they would usually not be willing to give. It is considered the hardest of the rites, and the most secretive, and many roomers talk of the horrible things the people of this village have been influenced into doing. This is the last part of the Journey step of The Black Queen's Rite, and the next destination is her castle itself.Vengance
Part two if the ritual uses illusion magic to recreate a key part of The Black Queen's life, when she killed her rivals, who were plotting to murder her, and then the killing of the man who had belittled her throughout her childhood and sponsored her rivals to murder her. This is followed by an indulgant feast, representing The Black Queen coming out from this experience able to take all she needed to be happy.The Rivals
The pilgrim is encouraged to enter a pitch dark labyrinth built beneath the castle. In here, she is made aware of four shades, who are harmless illusions representing the four rivals who tried to murder The Black Queen. An invisible dagger is hidden somewhere, and the pilgrim must find it and use it kill the shades, before they find it and in the context of the illusion murder her instead.The Lord
The final step in The Black Queen's Steps is to witness or participate in an illusion of The Black Queen taking her revenge upon Lord Violet, who was the cause of her shattering. Either the pilgrim uses the dagger to kill the Lord, or an illusion of The Black Queen will do so.The Feast
Following completion of the steps, the pilgrim is invited to join the Queen and her Courtiers in an indulgent feast, to celebrate the now unblocked route for the Queen to achieve all she had desired.Alternative Ritual
Elves with specific grievances may undertake their own version of the steps which will involve reliving the slight they are burdened by, and delivering justice to those responcible. This violent version is often spoken about with reservation due to criminal acts that are often commited as it is completed.Letters Mentioning the Ritual
Rippen's Letter
I am Rippen, a previous wanderer of the court of winter. I have now settled in Decembers Overground. This is my first time writing to you. It is hard, trying something new when I am so old.Perhaps I should tell you of my past? I was born to this court at the founding, and have been in the west ever since the formation of the courts. I have always found that others have a tendency for over complication, especially when creativity is involved. My tastes are far simpler. I lived out beyond the land, where the eye eaters roam and the monarch birds glide, rarely seeing anything but flat frozen tundra for days. It would provide a peace that enabled me to fully embrace the encounters that I did find. I met a dragon who was looking for something lost, a hermit who claimed to see the future, and met the black and white queens when they were still young and whole. I have seen the pain that drove Dulceria’s rule, and I understand it, as I hope living in your court will help me to understand yours.
I was one of the first to take The Black Queens Steps. I began at her barren home in the Northern mountains, and took the road South. I was met by a guide with the face of a green devil, who told me that the one responsible for my pain was caused by the one who lurked on the border with capital, and made my way to the cherished ballhall. It was a busy day, and I met many courtiers learning to dance. I found the red room, and inside, I performed the rite. They had made it sound so dramatic, but I felt very little. Perhaps the cold had already numbed my skin even then. It was strange to think that this was all that it had taken for the Queen to choose such a bloody path.
The next stop is what are now the ruins in the petrified forest. Back then this was a huge manor house, between which the White and Black Queen would imagine great battles for their rule and act out the slaughter with servants. The Steps indicate that this was a time where the courts unfair preference for the weaker girl became apparent, though other stories suggest The Black Queen was already earning her now solid reputation. I did as requested, watching in silence as others ate, played, cared, and told stories with one another. The guide demands ten days of starvation, but I only managed to make four. I felt so irritable, angry, frustrated. I was ready to take vengeance on my guide had I not slipped away to the kitchens. Yet I am sure the Queen was well fed in her time here, but loneliness is suffering too.
Next came the rite of rule. I do not think I am ready to share this just yet. Safe to say, I did not do well. I came away almost ready to give in, but my guide was able to comfort me. All I learnt here is how grateful I am to be no Queen. Next I travelled to The Black Queen’s castle. It is a military like establishment, as though expecting someone to bring an army to her grounds. Tall, imposing, and of course black. I was welcomed by scarily polite and assertive staff, and made to feel as a comfortable prisoner. After two days, I was collected, and taken to the deepest part or the castle.
Five in, one out, is what they say. I myself cannot see why they would have agreed to go in in the first place. But, that is what the steps are for, is it not? To understand. It was terrifying. We all know that you cannot be hurt, but minauros, does it feel like you can. The four shades pretend to be your friend, as the legend says, while you clearly see them sneaking to find the dagger first. Despite my failure in the rite of rule, i surprised my self by my victory. I found the dagger easily - no doubt because I am used to routing around for tents or food while being hounded by hail storms that would blind me. As expected, the shades still acted as my friends, though as I drew close, they tried to take the dagger from me. I killed them all. It wasn’t hard.
The passage opened, and i walked out into light to another illusion. This of the man himself. I failed here too - it is harder to even pretend to kill when you can see your actions. Nonetheless, I had completed the steps, and the illusion morphed into The Black Queen (dressed in splendour she clearly did not own at the time) killing him. It wasn’t quick.
I felt stunned by this, rather than enlightened. The feast to recreate the celebration of all the Queen gained after she completed her revenge felt forced and wrong. I remember writing in my journal that i still couldn’t understand how that one slight against her was preventing all her glory.
It took me years to process what I had seen, and understand that it was no political or social problem that was in her way. It was fear. Fear that someone could destroy in such a way. She had to kill him to feel safe again, to feel confident, to show herself in the open. I felt a little closer to my neighbours then, though I still chose to walk alone.
Well, that seems enough for this month, no doubt these letters take up much of your time, and I will gladly suceed to those with more pressing words.
Yours,
Rippen of The Court of Aurelia nee Dulceria
Egaria's Letter
Once more I write to you, Prince Aurelia, though I am not required to. This year I have seen much that would make your predecessor proud, and I share it with you now so that our ways are not forgotten by your generation.The Black Queen led us from the castle to greet a group of pilgrims. They were of hunters court, and a sorry bunch indeed. Their land has become putrid, their animal friends twisted, and their crops acrid. It has been a long time since her majesty has walked the steps herself, but for such a large group, even she couldn’t resist. They admired her beauty and her clothing and her words. I do find that we have much in common with those of hunters court, who seek to embrace and not control the world.
It was refreshing to walk the steps again. I remember by own. Vengeance on my parents and brother, which unlocked my freedom to take up residence at the castle and made my soul light and burdenless.
The hunterian elves went one by one into the basement, to not confuse the numbers, and it seems *all* of them killed not just the shades who betrayed my queen but the bastard himself! A blood thirsty group, they shall do well. They did not extend their stay following the feast, despite our invitation, but went upon their way, perhaps to complete their own steps.
From Egaria of The Court of Aurelia
Phillisna's Letter
Prince Aurelia, such wonderful things happened today! The day started so sweetly, white chrysanthemums blooming over a completely still pool. The floral scent greeted me with more love than I have ever felt before. I dressed in my best, to match the days efforts, and went out to pick flowers for the tables. When I returned, my heart rejoiced at the sight of a beautiful mahogany and gold carriage, pulled by the most exquisite silver horses (homunculi of course, but so lifelike!). They worse plumes of black feathers and bells chimed as they moved.Inside the hotel, I was beside myself to discover that the carriage was none other than Lady Sawyer, Lady Thracede, and Lord Volluchia! Words cannot justify how beautiful they are. The grace with which they move in even the simplest gesture is like that of a meticulously practiced dance. Their voices are poetry, both in choice of word and tone. A sculptor could not make a more stunning face, and even a waterfall is not as beautiful as their hair.
They are apparently here to undertake the Black Queens Steps. A strange reason, they are so young, but they do crave adventure and thrill. Even now they are visiting the fallen gorge and plan to take a detour to see the eye eaters before they depart.
Truely, a wonderful day.
Phillisna of The Court of Aurelia
Leorn's Letter
This month has been hard again, my Prince. The fear, the pain, the grief. So many things remind me of it all that I fail to brave the outdoors much these days. I feel so weak.I have decided upon something. Something I know will disappoint you. I must undertake the Black Queens Steps. I must understand, experience, as otherwise I will always wonder.
I do not expect this to change anything, it is merely to silence those voices in my head. Those that tell me to deliver justice. I felt so much hope when Havok took the throne, yet it feels we have abandoned him to a pit of warthogs. I truly do not understand how our king can stand it all. First his best friends abandoned him. Now we have. He is far stronger than I.
I hope to return soon,
Leorn.
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