Bonus Lore: Crowns of Old, Part IV
[ Part I | Part II | Part III ]
Hey everyone!! I finished this series on Patreon ages ago but forgot to post the final Crowns here, so I decided to do some catch-up. No 11th, 12th, 18th, 19th and 20th Crowns here since you get to read about those in-game already (Zana, Ardashir, Keybanu, Piruz and Ferzan).
The Thirteenth Crown: Goldstained Sorgul
Being Ardashir’s successor, Sorgul inherited many projects Ardashir had started, but had been unable to finish before passing away. Most important among those was the Provincial School System, ensuring a public school in each province in order to provide education for all Arsurians.
These schools were no small expense to fund, especially as the years went on. The nobility had always been opposed to the idea, but Ardashir had been too strong-willed and beloved by the people to successfully oppose. His political allies were many, the entire court was supportive of him, and the nobles who fell outside of that instead turned their attention on his successor instead, hoping to influence her.
They were successful. Perhaps feeling overshadowed by her predecessor, or motivated by fundamental disagreement with Ardashir’s idealistic approach, Sorgul also did not fully approve of the schools. She could not get rid of them entirely, as that would risk a public revolt, so instead she limited entry to those who could pay an entrance fee as well as imposing an entrance test. It’s speculated this was to offset the costs that building and maintaining the schools had cost, but it also became a convenient tool to keep those of lesser means out of the schools.
Furthermore, the schools became singularly focused on magic. Before, they were also intended to teach basic knowledge and skills, but that was no longer the case. Subjects like literature, geography and history were no longer taught; students were expected to have prior knowledge of these things in order to pass the entrance test. This meant that even poorer applicants who managed to scrape money together were easily turned away for their lack of knowledge.
Sorgul’s successor took his cues from her, and would add an additional tuition fee on top, at which point it became almost impossible for the average person to get into one of these schools. Yet, Sorgul never managed to leave a lasting mark on history of her own, aside from unraveling the legacy of her predecessor. In the later part of her reign, she came to resent her title; she isolated herself in her palaces, leaving the court to run itself for many years until her passing, speaking only to her successor.
She was thus mockingly referred to as “goldstained”: a Crown that never should have been.
The Fourteenth Crown: Bêdeng the Glutton
Following after the disastrous reign of Crown Sorgul, Bêdeng seemed to have learned all the worst lessons from his predecessor. Where Sorgul did her utmost to dismantle Ardashir's legacy as much as possible, particularly regarding the Provincial Schools, Bêdeng took it one step further by adding tuition fees to their admission, which essentially would bar the vast majority of the populace from being able to apply.
He was similarly avaricious in other areas. Taxes and tithes for commoners were at their peak during his reign. Even neighboring nations were not spared; Bêdeng was known for being utterly cutthroat during trade negotiations, which won him few allies and set back several relations with other monarchs in the region.
But what did Bêdeng do with all that accumulating wealth? The answer was simple: he merely collected it. Riches alone for the sake of them was something that appealed to him, and while he spent vast amounts of coin on personal luxuries, for the most part, a majority of it remained concentrated in the Imperial Vault. His insatiable desire for wealth and power led Arsur into a dark period marred by economic exploitation and social unrest. The Imperial Vault became a personal hoard for Bêdeng, as he amassed riches at the expense of everything else.
The people of Arsur struggled to make ends meet while the nobles reveled in opulence. Bêdeng's extravagance knew no bounds, and his insensitivity to the suffering of his subjects fueled discontent across the provinces. The stark contrast between the lavish lifestyles of the nobility and the hardships faced by the commoners sowed the seeds of dissent.
As Bêdeng's avarice reached new heights, whispers of rebellion began to circulate. The disgruntled commoners found an unexpected ally in Crown Bêdeng's designated successor, Kanî. Recognizing the unsustainable path that Bêdeng was steering the empire towards, Kanî decided to take matters into his own hands. His sense of justice remained intact despite Bêdeng's best efforts to corrupt him, and as his predecessor's greed proved insatiable, Kanî became more and more disgusted by his mentor's corruption.
At the very young age of sixteen years old, Kanî, backed by a coalition of like-minded nobles and sympathetic military commanders, orchestrated a carefully planned coup to oust Bêdeng. The commoners, tired of their exploitation, silently supported this covert rebellion, hoping for a change in leadership that would bring about a more just and equitable rule.
In a swift and unexpected turn of events, Kanî confronted Bêdeng, presenting evidence of his excessive greed and the widespread discontent among the population. With the support of key figures within the Empire and the Imperial Court, including influential nobles who had grown disillusioned with Bêdeng's favoritism, Kanî compelled Bêdeng to abdicate power. When Bêdeng protested, the words Kanî spoke to him were subsequently immortalized in history: "Die in disgrace, or embrace the mercy of being forgotten. This is my last kindness to you, my dear teacher."
Bêdeng, faced with the possibility of execution and the loss of support from those who had once benefited from his policies, reluctantly relinquished power. Tradition dictates that the successor cannot formally take the throne so long as their predecessor is alive, but in essence, Kanî came to rule as regent, while Bêdeng was imprisoned in the dungeons of the Royal Palace. He remained the Crown in name only.
Stripped of all the opulence he so adored, Bêdeng eventually died in confinement, silent and forgotten.
The Fifteenth Crown: Heartsick Kanî
Kanî was, for all intents and purposes, a competent ruler. He deposed a corrupt Mîr that his predecessor had let run rampant, solidified diplomatic ties with neighboring nations, and even got rid of the tuition fee required to the Schools of Magic—though he did not manage to get rid of the entrance fee.
While his reign was looked on with approval and he was judged a fair ruler, in his personal life, Kanî was rather miserable. The cause of his problems being the Mîr he deposed, or rather, his daughter. During the early years of Kanî's reign, he had engaged in a long, arduous political battle with Mîr Rubad, who had reigned over the province of Penawar like a tyrant.
Kanî’s predecessor had been almost as corrupt as Mîr Rubad, only encouraging his tyranny, and the people of Penawar had suffered for it. During this fight with Mîr Rubad, however, Crown Kanî met his daughter, Xeyal, and ended up falling deeply in love with her. Xeyal herself was a kind-hearted girl who was gentle in nature, delicate in her mannerisms, charming to anyone she met—but also very timid.
Whether Xeyal was too scared to go against her father or was content in quietly benefiting from his tyranny, she was still complicit in turning a blind eye to her father’s misdeeds. Kanî soon realized that he would have to punish Xeyal along with Mîr Rubad.
Eventually, the situation escalated to civil war. Kanî was forced to mobilize the Imperial Army to oust Mîr Rubad, with heavy heart. Once he was apprehended, there was no choice but to execute him for his misdeeds, but that left Xeyal to be dealt with.
While Kanî agonized over what to do, Xeyal quietly accepted her fate. Kanî tried to delay rendering judgment on her for as long as possible, instead keeping her prisoner in the palace. Xeyal herself even pleaded with Kanî to execute her as he did her father, the expected punishment, but Kanî could not bring himself to do it.
When Kanî tried to avoid that fate for her, however, the public grew increasingly restless. During an outbreak of protests in the city, diverting Kanî’s attention, nobles from Penawar who had been ousted by Mîr Rubad used the opportunity to break into the dungeons and assassinate Xeyal.
Once Kanî discovered what had happened, he was so overcome with grief that he fell ill for five years. Even after his illness slowly abated, Kanî never fully recovered.
Decades later, on his deathbed, it was still Xeyal he called for.
The Sixteenth Crown: Silver-Tongued Xebat
Crown Xebat assumed the throne of Arsur during a period of simmering discontent in the province of Şevan. Born in the heart of the capital, Xebat brought with them a reputation for their silver-tongued finesse and charisma. Their reign would be defined by the art of negotiation, and a resolute stance against those who sought to sow discord within the empire.
Şevan, a province known for its rich cultural tapestry and history that preceded even the old Kingdom of Ardia, had become a hotbed of dissatisfaction among the populace. Unrest festered due to perceived neglect from Crowns past, letting nobles run rampant with exploitation, coupled with the machinations of discontented nobles themselves who harbored ambitions of secession and independence to rule over Şevan themselves. When Xebat ascended to the throne, they inherited a province on the brink of rebellion.
Rather than resorting to force, Xebat embraced the path of dialogue. They initiated a series of comprehensive negotiations with representatives from Şevan, inviting both nobles and common folk to voice their grievances. On the surface, this appeared to be token attempts at mediation, but the true purpose of these negotiations were to stall for time. While Xebat distracted and diverted attention through charismatic addresses and gracious meetings with nobles and commoners alike, they used spies to identify the nobles fomenting the brewing rebellion, uncovering that even the Mîr and the military commander of Şevan had been corrupted, and planned to aid the nobles in a military coup.
Overnight, to the eyes of the unwitting public, Xebat's opponents all seemed to either change their tune or vanish entirely. As ostensibly tolerant as Xebat appeared, they were in fact one of the more ruthless Crowns in history: dissent was not tolerated, rebellion even less so. Especially when this rebellion would only cost Şevan's citizens dearly; the commoners would be the foremost victims in this thinly-veiled grab for power. They had not asked for something so extreme as secession, only for their concerns to be listened to.
Though the negotiations were not all for show: Xebat managed to uncover the nuanced grievances of Şevan's residents in the process. Economic disparities, neglect, and a perceived lack of representation were at the forefront. Xebat knew well that the best way to quell the concerns of the populace was to tend to their needs, and redirected the Empire's resources to Şevan's languishing infrastructure.
Still, Xebat could not stamp out the idea of Şevan's independence among its ruling class, despite their best efforts. While effective in preventing a revolt in the short term, eventually, it became known what had happened to the dissenters among the nobility. The subsequent generations of nobles, in turn, harbored resentment for many decades after Xebat's rule... and would continue to cause problems into the reign of even the Twenty-First Crown of Arsur.
The Seventeeth Crown: Gulreng the Explorer
Crown Gulreng ascended to the throne of Arsur with a fervent curiosity that set her apart from her predecessors. Born in a small coastal village in Avdin, Gulreng's early years were shaped by the rhythmic ebb and flow of the sea. Her fascination with distant lands and diverse cultures became the guiding force of her reign, earning her the epithet she is now known by.
From the outset, Gulreng prioritized international relations, recognizing that the prosperity of Arsur could be amplified through global connections. Her court was a melting pot of diplomats, linguists, and cartographers, all working tirelessly to establish bridges with nations far beyond the Empire's borders. Gulreng's vision extended beyond conventional alliances, as she sought to weave a tapestry of friendships with civilizations yet unknown.
One of Gulreng's most notable initiatives was the dispatch of diplomatic missions to the far reaches of the earth. Explorers, well-versed in the art of diplomacy, were sent to uncharted territories and distant nations, bearing gifts and extending invitations for cultural exchange--and, of course, beneficial trading agreements.
One such expedition reached the islands of Balatik to the far east, across the treacherous waters of the Seafarer's End, where the people lived in harmony within vibrant jungles that stretched for miles. The Arsurian diplomats were welcomed with curiosity, and the ensuing cultural exchange enriched both societies; Balatik formed an entry to the rest of the far eastern continent, enriching Arsur's trade tremendously. A great example of the mutually beneficial relationship between both nations is Balatikan artisans sharing their mastery of unique natural dyes produced from their native flora, which became highly sought after in Arsur, while Arsurian magi introduced innovative irrigation techniques that bolstered Balatik's agriculture.
Gulreng's commitment to exploration was not limited to diplomacy alone. She commissioned ambitious voyages of discovery, equipping fleets to navigate the seas and uncover new lands. These journeys, documented by skilled cartographers, expanded Arsur's understanding of the world.
Her dedication to fostering connections with foreign nations was not without challenges. Traditionalists within Arsur questioned the need for such extensive outreach, arguing that the Empire should focus on consolidating its own lands. Yet, Gulreng remained steadfast in her belief that the strength of Arsur lay not only in its military might but also in the bonds forged with nations far and wide.
Keybanû, who was her successor, often cited Gulreng as a source of great inspiration for the ideals she subsequently reigned with. Gulreng's emphasis on building relations with other nations is often seen as the reason for Keybanû's treaty with Ivia. Her intentions were to protect the territory from being conquered by Thalloi city-states, yet, one might wonder if claiming it as a vassal state was the right decision in the long term.
And that's all the Crowns!! For a handy overview, here's them all in chronological order:
blakekathryn
stormborns
vaporwave
titsay
kaledo-art
