winter has loomed long and unwelcome in valanya who shudders under the heavy shadow it has cast. the king's health declines rapidly, and it is with great concern that the dragova clan watch over their ailing father whilst whispers are carried far and wide across the realm of what truly takes place behind the walls of bran castle. how strange, they say, that a young girl was found at the site of a ritual made of her own blood and cries to the unknown, a member of the king's guard found drained of blood — how the family have kept the union of prince vlad and his bride lunala something quiet in all of this strangeness. what is it that they hide?
eyes fall upon the capital, and surely they will not push for the harvest celebration marking the beginning of spring. and yet. the hand of the king confirms that the festivities shall go ahead as normal, as though coňstanja does not feel a sinister place. but it is so important to hold one's head high in a time of such instability, is it not? the dragova family know this better than most.
is this not what king stefan would want? the celebrations of the great harvest each spring which reminds the common folk and nobility alike that his majesty and his divine shall always provide for the people of valanya. to invite the noble families of the land behind the castle walls for the first time in years to join in the festivities, and to raise a glass to the newly wed prince vlad and princess lunala who deserve a luscious celebration worthy of their ranking.
and so it shall happen as planned. markets spring up around the capital boasting produce collected from the spring harvest, dancers and singers line the streets, the taverns are bustling with custom and the roudina river teems with competing boat races. for the first time following a harsh and terrible winter, there is laughter on the streets of coňstanja — and excitement, too. the nobility finally arrive in the capital, their carts followed by the common folk who toss flowers in their joy to finally feel the sun upon their cheeks. what is it that brings such hope to the people? surely it is not the declining health of their beloved king?
it is on the first date of festivities that the hand attends the castle dais, accompanied by the children of the king, to address the people of coňstanja and ring in the first day of celebrations, something which has caused issue in the king's small counsil for how much coin this is costing an already struggling kingdom. as the hand speaks, a gasp ripples across the crowd, for a figure comes from the curtains and onto the dais. a figure which has been lying weak in his bed for months, who has been nothing but skin and bone these past weeks — king stefan, looking fitter than ever, greets the waiting crowd. his children are dumbstruck, slack jawed and amazed, it is clear that no one expected the king to leave his bed, let alone to look so well.
some wonder if the dragova family were lying about the king's health, or if perhaps those strange rumours of rituals are what have caused this sudden turnaround in health. but one thing is clear, there is a disappointment amongst the crowds who felt that, finally, they might live under a monarch who cares for the people, who puts the kingdom before their own personal wants and needs. that much is impossible with king stefan standing strong before the capital.
the harvest celebration *
it becomes clear that the celebrations will go forward despite this great shock for the people of valanya who had believed their king, truly, to be dying. below is a list of events which will take place over the course of seven days.
THE FEAST — each night, the great hall of bran castle will host the nobility and staff of the castle in a grand feast boasting delectable and mouth watering foods which represent produce from all over the kingdom. on the final night of the celebrations, the feast is held bigger than ever and in honour of prince vlad and princess lunala.
THE BLESSING OF THE CROPS — the solarui will offer demonstrations of their powers in the great fields in which many of them work to provide sunlight to the crops throughout the year, allowing the common folk to see the divine at work.
THE LANTERN RELEASE — every night for seven days, the people of coňstanja will line the river roudina and release lanterns into the night sky, sending thanks to the gods for sharing the divine with the kingdom.
THEATRICALS — all throughout the capital there will be street performances praising the royal family and the nobility who grace the castle with their presence for the duration of the festival. within the castle walls, bards sing during the feasts, delighting all within with their storytelling.
THE TOURNAMENT — knights offer favours to the nobility watching on as they compete in mêlée's, hand-to-hand combat, contests of strength or accuracy, and jousts, all behind the castle walls.
out of character *
we will be open for interactions from 8PM GMT! threads can then take place at any point during the seven days of festivities, as a following up plotdrop will come towards the end of the first event.
if you have any questions, please feel free to open a ticket on the discord or ask the admins in the questions channel!
chaos in the capital, the words are gasped upon the lips of the king's guard who reports what had begun as a small gathering in a local tavern. words muttered over goblets of mead, eyes darting about them for fear of the presence of a spy in their midst. dangerous words, terrible things, accusations pointed towards the king and his entire, damned line. they have had enough, and do they not outnumber the king and his army? aren't much of the common folk divine, too? is it not they who offer up their own to the army, and how many of them return to their homes? surely not close to the amount of nobility who flutter off the to north in service of the king only to return, safe as anything weeks later. it is a leader they pray for, and it is a leader they will fight for.
the ruling lady sofia of house bladyen has long been heralded as the true queen by many whose families have passed down stories of their royal rule. days in which they were lead rather than taken from, given nothing in return from a king who thinks so little of his people. when was the last time they saw his face? he is nothing like the lady sofia who speaks with her people, who had smiled during the festivals and shook the hands of the common folk who flocked to her, how they said she was like the sun. a true leader, and one whose name is whispered across coňstanja — for they want a change, and they want the usurper family off the throne.
and then there is mayhem, there are riots in the street, the common folk taking to the castle gates and demanding change. fires break out, attacks upon the guards who attempt to put the crowds at ease, break them down into submission as they are so like to do. all of it is in the name of the lady of house bladyen — and the king is furious. as the crowds break out into chaos, the nobility are pulled within the castle walls where they will be safe. all but lady sofia who is swiftly thrown into the castle dungeons where she will await trial for inciting rebellion, her family now watched daily by the castle guards, each movement made is recorded and noted.
in the days that pass, there is a noticeable shift, a change in the king's demeanour. reports are given during the small council, a confirmation that more than twenty members of the king's guard were killed in the riots. there is an air of defiance in the capital, with many of the protestors being arrested and preparing for trial, along with the lady sofia who remains, stoically, silent in her cell within the dungeons.
it is clear that something is changing in valanya, tensions are high and centuries long feuds are rearing their heads — and the king begins to wonder; who is siding with whom?
welcome to chapter 3! as always, feel free to continue threads from previous chapters and write your muses at any point within the riots.
the spring celebration has come to a close, and there should be a feeling of something joyous in the air — for the king has returned to full health, and as such, valanya should be thriving. and as they would have you believe, it is. king stefan returns to work, energised and sparkling with life as he sits upon the council meetings and offers his insights for the first time in years. despite the fear surrounding his health, he still refuses to name an heir.
all is well until the fire. an unseasonably chilly night sees the darkened spires of the academy of mircea engulfed in flames. there is chaos within the mountains as professors help their students from their dormitories, scrambling through the long and winding halls as they attempt to outrun the flames. what began in the academy's library soon rushes throughout the entire school until it is alight within the mountains of coňstanja.
by the time the king's guard arrived at the scene, the great academy of mircea was blackened and eaten away by the flames. those who survived huddled together in the cold, half mad and whispering of figures seen dashing from the flames and into the night. thankfully, most of the students survived the night, though many of the school's professor's perished within the flames. those poor, trembling creatures were brought into bran castle upon the king's orders and given somewhere the rest and recover in the infirmary, taken care of by salvator's living within the castle walls.
meanwhile, the king seems troubled. time and again those closest to stefan as what it is which plagues the king ever since the night of the fire, but he keeps his mouth firmly shut. there is a sense of foreboding surrounding him, his eyes growing shifty and a paranoia. no one can truly but a word on what is is which gnaws so hungrily at the king's mind, but he hasn't been the same since the night of the fire.
ooc information :
welcome to chapter two ! feel free to continue old threads whilst writing for the new plotdrop.
you can write at any point in the plotdrop, whether it be the night the survivors arrive or a few days later.
please use the new #event-updates channel to let us know where your muse was during the fire! did they attend the school to help? maybe they were healing survivors, perhaps they were patrolling the woods to try to find who set it off!
