quietmounds | (no subject)

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[The sun doesn't so much as rise as flick on with the sudden, glaring brightness of noon. Whatever time keeping device you have on you says its about 8:14am when this happens.

The power's back, but the time on your timekeeping device never really make sense with the position of the sun as it moves across the sky.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

:Quite a few cities! Yes, there aren't nearly enough Heralds to cover every problem area. That's why many of them switch off and ride circuits.:

Do the uh, other countries have their own Heralds?

:They do not. They're only in Valdemar, since the Companions came to Valdemar alone.:

[her eyes are sparkling; it's interesting to view this from an outsider's perspective for once]

:Shall I tell you the story?:

Sure, let's hear it.

:As our oldest records tell it, King Valdemar, then Baron Valdemar, fled with his liegepeople from the retribution promised him by the ruler of a very old and very powerful empire to our east. Beset on all side by troubles, he journeyed long and settled at last in the place that's now known as our capital city, Haven. Over time, he and his people built a fine town, and the little villages and hamlets all around saw his success and came to swear alleigance to him in exchange for his protection. Before he knew it, he had the seed of a Kingdom, and had been crowned. I understand that it must have been a great trial to a man who was suspicious of kings and emperors, and feared corruption on the highest levels. He was an honest man, and perhaps his son was an honest man, but what of his great-grandsons? Who could he trust to tell him the truth when all wanted his power?

So he decided to ask the gods for help.:

[her tone grows... more ironic here...]

:And once he'd knelt down and called on every god of every faith he could think of, what answer do you suppose he got?:

Uh, either Heralds and Companions, or possibly a "deal with it yourself."

:I'm a bit surprised it wasn't "deal with it yourself," but no-- it was Companions. We Choose Heralds, and they serve the Kingdom... with our help, of course.:

So if there's a bad heir do you like... kick him out, or just run major damage control.

:We simply don't Choose the bad ones. The law says only a Herald can be in line for the throne, so the crown goes to the next eligible heir. It's happened a time or two in our history, to be sure!:

Huh. Nice system! Definitely one-of-a-kind as far as I've ever heard.

[pleased]

:It certainly helps keep things running smoothly, though there are other problems.:

[it also means that all major choices in the kingdom are filtered through divine horses, but. details]

How do the neighbors feel about it? Like, jealousy man I've got to get a sweet deal like that, or wow weirdos.

[p. pfffft]

:I think, "wow weirdos," on the whole! But they mostly accept that we're trustworthy, if they're our allies. They have their own arrangements with the gods. Rethwellan has a singing sword.:

A singing sword sounds very King Arthur-y. I think I'd go for the Companion system instead, though.

:I've never heard of King Arthur, but my bias agrees with your judgment. It's an easy way to make sure a good ruler has a large number of allies in Court, as well.:

Guy who got his proof of kingship by pulling a sword out of an anvil and a rock.

Does the king's Companion get a crown too? That'd be rad.

:No, we keep mysteriously silent and mostly out of the public light, except as the most recognizable sign of a Herald. I admit, it's rather coy of us... but we're supposed to be helping, not taking the lead.:

That makes sense if you don't want the spotlight... But uh, besides your obvious good looks and charm, how does the average person tell a Companion from a white horse?

:Blue eyes, silver hooves, bell-like tones when we step on anything solid... we can mute it down, of course, when we're trying to be unobtrusive.:

Bells??

[she splits away from him to step deliberately on the sidewalk instead of the grassy verge; instead of the dull clop clop of horse's hooves, it's a ringing noise]

Whoa, it seriously is bells. Fancy!

[demurely]

:Part of the deal. We can damp it down when we're trying to hide, fortunately. Less so with the coat. We've had complaints about disguising blinding white horses before.:

I can only imagine! You'd need a fortune in hair dye.

:It fades too fast, besides. We could use your illusion skills.: