#empire central

[thepermanentrainpress]

Gallery: Snarky Puppy @ Commodore Ballroom - Vancouver, BC Date: September 13, 2023 Photographed by: Danielle Costelo

[jazzophilia]

hoooooooly shit

[empireofwrestlemania]

The Bailey Twins (Letter 11)

Dearest brother,

Well...none of that went as expected.

I accompanied King Roman into the city today. Of course, I had to stay on high alert. If anyone intended to make a move on him, it was my job to stop them. That left little time for conversation.

One of the places we stopped at was Melissa’s bakery. I was excited to see my friend - that is, until we walked in and the King actually looked at her. I could see right away on his face, he thought her the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen! He did not stop flirting, not once in all the time we were there. Now, of course Melissa is lovely, and charming, and beautiful...but I did not expect her to capture the King’s heart so quickly!

I’ll admit that as happy as I was for my friend, I did feel a pang of jealousy as I listened to them. When we got back in the carriage, the King asked what I thought of her. He genuinely seemed to want my opinion, so I told him that she is one of my best friends - of course, then he wanted to ask question after question about her. He even asked if she was single. I answered all of his questions honestly, because what else can you do?

I admit that I am somewhat hurt... I had started to dream up this fantasy wherein Roman and I fell in love, but obviously that is not to be.

Chance sounds lovely. I hope to meet him soon.

From your downtrodden but still-loving sister,

Characters included: @she-reigns-in-this-yard

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @sonjashuterbugjohnson @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314 @oreillyskyle @imagineall-the-fandoms @helplessly-nonstop

[empireofwrestlemania]

The Adventures of Gloria Lacasa - Chapter 14

The ride from the village to the Capital City was mostly uneventful. Sasha, Tamina, and Lita took turns driving the carriage, while Gloria and Carlos stayed in the back. Whenever Tamina was driving, Lita would sit with Sasha and work on healing her injured legs. It seemed odd to Gloria that a mermaid knew how to drive a cart, but she decided not to question it. The world outside her tiny village was a strange one indeed.

The Capital City was more massive than any that Gloria had ever seen before. It stretched on for what seemed like forever, consisting of several different areas. Outside the city there were several farms, with fields that disappeared over the horizon. Several watch towers were scattered about as they neared the city, and once they reached the city walls themselves, they found themselves in a massive marketplace. Standalone stores, small stalls, and wandering peddlers surrounded them, and Gloria was more amazed than she’d ever been.

“This place is incredible,” she said. 

“I suppose it would be when you’ve never seen anything outside your small village before,” Carlos replied. “I come through here so much that it’s nothing to me but another stop on the road.”

“I feel as though this would be too big and busy a place to settle,” Gloria said. “I’d get lost.”

“I still get lost,” Carlos said with a laugh. The streets of the city were big enough that two carts could ride in them, so Lita was taking them and the cart straight to a healer she knew. Whether or not this healer could handle a mermaid, though, Gloria was curious to find out.

“We’re here,” Lita called into the back, slowing to a stop in front of a building. There was a sign hanging off the front of the building that said “Healer”.

“So...now what?” Gloria asked softly.

“Now we hire a carriage to take us to Johnsonville so we don’t have to deal with campfires and brigands and wasted time,” Tamina responded. 

“Tamina’s right,” Lita said. “Let me get Sasha in to see my friend. We’ll stop by my house and I’ll get you some gold to pay the carriage driver, and then you can get to Johnsonville safely.”

“We couldn’t accept your gold,” Gloria said, her eyes widening.

“Of course you can,” Lita replied. “You saved my life - it’s the least I can do. Wait here, I’ll take Sasha inside.”

Lita helped the mermaid down from the cart, and Sasha smiled up at them. “Thank you again,” she said softly. “You didn’t have to save us, but you did. I travel to the mainland often - I always stay at the Club Hotel. If you ever need anything, talk to the owner, AJ, and he can help you find me if I’m around, or get me in touch with you when I arrive. He doesn’t know I’m a mermaid though, so obviously don’t mention that.”

“Thank you, Sasha,” Gloria said, smiling. “I hope your legs get better quickly.”

“So do I,” Sasha replied.

She leaned on Lita, and the witch led her into the healers. The trio sat quietly in the cart, waiting and exchanging glances.

“You know,” Tamina said, “saving them might have been the best thing for us. Now we’re getting set up with a carriage and we’ll make it all the way to Johnsonville safely.”

“Considering the fact that we left our campsite behind, you’re probably right,” Gloria said with a laugh.

“You owe me a tent,” Tamina said. 

“Right,” Gloria said, nodding. “I didn’t think of that, but I’ll get you a tent.”

After a few minutes longer, Lita came out. She was smiling as she got up into the cart. “Sasha will be alright,” she said. “Let’s get you three on your way. I’m going to let Sasha stay with me - she brought a friend with her from the ocean before she was captured, a mermaid who knows nothing about life on dry land, so we need to track her down and make sure she’s alright.”

“That sounds awful,” Gloria said as the cart started moving again. “I can’t imagine how scared and confused she must be.”

“I know,” Lita said. “That’s why we must find her - she could be in a lot of trouble, or danger.”

They rode to Lita’s house, again waiting in the cart while she went inside. She came back with a small pouch of gold, which she handed to Gloria.

“Thank you,” Gloria said. 

“I’ll take you three to the stables where the carriages for hire are,” Lita said as she started to drive the cart again, heading back through the massive city the way they’d come. 

Characters included: @lisa-likes-wrasslin

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel4413

[empireofwrestlemania]

The Adventures of Gloria Lacasa - Chapter 12

While the younger woman in the cart - the mermaid - was dressed in a torn gown, the older woman was dressed much more practically. She wore breeches, slouchy leather boots, and a dirty white blouse with a corset over it. It was from within the boot of this outfit that the woman produced a wooden rod about the length of her forearm. Gloria had heard of witches and wizards who used wands to channel their magic, but before now, she’d never seen one.

Turning towards the campsite, the woman gave a wave of her wand. “Skausmo galva!” the woman shouted, and the man Eric barely had time to turn and look at her before he was clutching his head, letting out a yell of pain.

The other four, asleep around the fire, were suddenly awake. They, too, clutched their heads and let out pained wails. Whatever the magic was that the witch had performed, it was causing them immense pain.

“Run!” the witch shouted to Tamina. She and Carlos immediately took off, with Lita, Gloria, and the mermaid behind them. 

They ran for a minute as a group before Tamina spoke up. “Where are we running?” she asked, her voice shaking with her movement.

“If we follow the road, we’ll reach the capital by morning,” the witch shouted back. “The spell will only give us about ten minutes head start - and they have a carriage.”

“So maybe we shouldn’t run all the way to the capital!” Gloria said loudly. 

The group slowed to a stop as Tamina looked towards Gloria. “You’re right,” she said. “If we hide in the bushes, it should only be about fifteen minutes before they pass by.”

“I can cast a spell to hide our scent, though I can’t guarantee it’ll work as well as we’d hope,” the witch replied. “They’re werewolves, you see - very powerful ones, too.”

“Great,” Tamina muttered, and then suddenly turned to the mermaid. “Your legs?” she asked, nodding down at them. The light brown skin was covered in various cuts, scratches, and bruises.

“Apparently the blood from a mermaid’s tail has lots of magical properties,” the mermaid said in a soft voice. “I had no idea. They’ve been harvesting my blood since they captured me - keeps me from running, too, because my legs are too weak and hurt to get far.”

“I suppose that means it’s a good thing we stopped running,” said Gloria softly.

“It is,” said the mermaid with a nod. “Oh - my name is Sasha, by the way.”

“And I’m Lita,” said the witch with a smile. 

“I’m Gloria. This is Tamina and Carlos,” said Gloria softly.

“A pleasure,” said Lita. “And thank you for saving us - now, we should get ourselves hidden. We don’t have long before they come by, assuming they’re headed this way.”

The group moved into the thick of the forest along the road. They pushed through the bushes and brambles, looking for a good, hidden spot to stay while they watched for the cart to come by. Before they’d found one, though, a figure emerged from the brush ahead of them. It was a sheeple, clad in black robes and a mask, and it was staring right at them.

Sasha, Carlos, and Tamina immediately backed up, but Gloria exchanged a knowing look with Lita. The witch was thinking the same thing as the fairy.

“Come this way,” Gloria said to the others, and she and Lita started to walk towards the sheeple.

“Are you crazy?” hissed Tamina.

“It’s here to protect us,” Lita responded over her shoulder. “Come close and it will shield us from the wolves.”

The others seemed reluctant, but moved forward nonetheless. The group of them crouched at the feet of the sheeple, and Tamina shuddered.

“This is the closest I’ve been to one of these things since I fought them,” she said softly.

“Stay quiet,” Lita murmured. “I can hear them.”

It took only a moment before the rickety sounds of the cart began to fill the ears of the others, too. They all fell silent, listening closely to the sounds as they drew nearer. The sheeple that stood over them raised its arms, and the draping black sleeves of the robe enveloped the entire group. 

The sound of the cart faded as the creature cloaked them, but none of them made any move to keep going. The sheeple, surely, would let them know when it was safe. Sure enough, after a few minutes, the creature withdrew its arms. The group stood up, no longer crouching, and exchanged looks with one another.

“It’s probably safe now,” Lita said.

Nobody responded, but the group began to walk back in the direction of the road. They were uncomfortably silent, at least until they reached the spot where the road should be. Instead of a road, they were met by the edge of the forest. The trees abruptly ended, giving way to a massive expanse of rolling, grassy plains. In the distance, on the horizon, they could see the shape of a massive city.

“That’s the capital,” said Carlos, his eyes wide. “How did we-”

“The sheeple must have teleported us,” replied Lita, sounding as calm as could be.

Gloria glanced behind them. The sheeple was no longer visible through the trees, though. Instead, all she could see was the thickness of the woods, the woods that it was time to leave behind.

Characters included: @lisa-likes-wrasslin

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel4413

[empireofwrestlemania]

The Adventures of Gloria Lacasa - Chapter 13

The walk from the edge of the forest to the Capital City was proving to be long and arduous. The mermaid, Sasha, was having a great deal of difficulty walking. They were having to make frequent stops so she could rest, and several times now, Lita had performed some healing magic on the mermaid’s legs. It helped for a bit, but after the next half hour or so of walking, it would start to wear off and Sasha would have to slow down again.

Twice so far, Sasha had requested that they go on without her. Tamina had been all set to do as asked, but Gloria and Lita had both refused. Carlos simply trotted alongside the women, always content to stop and pleased to continue.

It came as a great relief when a small village came into view up ahead. It wasn’t large, but they were hopeful that they’d be able to find the help they needed in the village. Drawing near to the village seemed to give Sasha the push she needed, and even though her legs were hurting, she didn’t stop until they reached the edge of the village.

Sasha stopped when they were there, and Carlos and Tamina stayed with her. Lita and Gloria, meanwhile, headed into the village to look for help.

“Why don’t you see if any of your magic can help Sasha?” Lita asked when they were away from the group, far enough to be out of earshot.

“My - what?” Gloria asked, her eyes widening. “You know I’m a fairy?”

“Of course,” Lita replied. “We witches can sense other magical beings. Do your friends not know?” There was a kind smile on the other woman’s face, and a sparkle in her eyes that told Gloria that she could be trusted - as if she hadn’t already figured it out on her own.

“Carlos knows,” Gloria replied. “Tamina doesn’t, though. And I never learned to use my magic...I don’t even produce fairy dust. So I wouldn’t be much help to Sasha.”

“Ah...” Lita murmured. She looked like she wanted to give advice, but she could say no more. The first person they’d seen since arriving in the village - first people, actually, as there were two of them - were visible at the blacksmith’s forge. One of them, a short, stocky man with a smooth bald head and a thick, dark beard, was hammering away at some red hot metal on an anvil. The other, a younger-looking man with messy brown hair and a brown beard, sat nearby, hard at work scraping some hide.

The bald one spotted them first, raising an eyebrow as they approached. “Hello there, ladies,” he called out, still hammering the tool he was making. 

“Hello,” Lita responded as she and Gloria came closer. “We were wondering if you or someone here could help us.”

“No promises, but we’ll see what we can do,” the man replied. Using a large pair of metal tongs, he lifted the metal he’d been working on and dunked it into a tub of water beside him. Steam rose up from the tub, accompanied by a harsh sizzling noise.

“We’ve got a small group with us,” Lita said. “We have an injured woman who needs medical attention, and we’ve got three who are trying to get to Johnsonville. Is there anyone in the village who can provide medical care - an herbalist or a healer, perhaps - or someone with a cart or a wagon who can get us to the Capital?”

The bearded man paused thoughtfully, stroking his beard. “Hmm,” he said. “We’ve got a cart, but we can’t really leave - large order to fill for the Emperor, we can’t waste any time.”

“And we can’t exactly take your word that you’ll bring it back,” the other man said, putting his hands on his hips. “We’ll require some sort of payment to guarantee that you bring it back to us.”

Lita lifted her hands, unfastening one of the necklaces she wore and holding it out to them. It appeared to be an ivory ram’s head dangling from a black cord, and one of the smiths took it curiously. “That is very important to me,” Lita said. “I will return for it when we have delivered these people to the capital, so you’d best not sell it or pawn it off on anyone else.”

“Understood,” said the bald man. “We’ll go and prepare the cart for you.”

Characters included: @lisa-likes-wrasslin

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel441 @oreillyskyle

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 10

 Braun looked awkward as anything in Kiera’s small chair, his knees practically up to his chest. His large hands delicately cradled a porcelain saucer containing a teacup, as Kiera had been kind enough to prepare some tea for her two guests. Laura was finding herself nervous, silently hoping that Kiera wouldn’t accidentally reveal her as a mermaid.

“So, Laura,” said Kiera in a gentle tone, handing the mermaid a teacup and saucer before sitting down at the table across from them. “You said that you’ve lost Sasha - can you tell me what all has happened?”

“Well,” Laura began slowly, “we arrived here to get the cart, but I realized that I’d lost my necklace somewhere along the way.”

“That’s not good,” Kiera said, and Laura could immediately see the concern on the witch’s face. She wasn’t sure how much Kiera knew about the mermaids, but apparently it was enough to know the significance of the necklace.

“We went to get it, but it was dark by the time we found it. We decided to just, you know, set up camp in the woods instead of walking all the way back here in the dark, so we made a shelter out of branches and leaves. I woke up in his shack,” she said, jerking a thumb towards Braun.

“So you don’t know anything that happened between going to sleep and waking up in Braun’s shack?” Kiera asked, but Laura shook her head.

“Nothing,” she replied.

“Alright,” Kiera said, nodding before turning her gaze towards Braun. “Hello, Braun,” she said softly.

“Kiera,” he replied with a curt nod.

“I’m sure we can set aside our differences to help this young lady,” Kiera said.

“I hope so,” Braun replied, glancing briefly towards Laura. She barely managed to catch his glance out of the corner of her eye, though she couldn’t help but to smile afterwards.

“So can you tell me all that you know?” Kiera asked.

“I was down by the river and spotted her on the ground,” Braun began. “There was no shelter, and her leg was cut up real bad - one big, long gash.”

“Her leg?” Kiera asked softly, looking towards Laura. Laura nodded to confirm.

“Yeah, her leg,” Braun replied, missing the coded glances exchanged by the women. “I couldn’t really leave her there, so I picked her up and brought her home.”

“And there was no sign of her friend?” Kiera asked.

“No,” said Braun. “We went back and saw footprints. The branch she’d used for her shelter was a ways from where she’d left it, but no scuff marks - as if someone picked it up with ease. Oh, and Laura found a piece of Sasha’s dress.”

Kiera was quiet for a moment, clearly mulling over all that the pair had told her. Finally, she stood up and walked towards the window, gazing outwards. “Over the last few months,” she said softly, “there have been substantially more missing people than usual. Men disappearing from the cities, young women vanishing from small towns - a friend of mine has been trying to piece it together. I wonder if Sasha’s disappearance may be related.”

“Does your friend know what’s happening to them?” Laura asked, nervous for her friend.

“No, my dear, I’m sorry,” Kiera admitted, shaking her head. “Only that she thinks she’s close to finding a connection - she believes they’re being taken, not that they’re disappearing. She’s been trying to find out who’s taking them, and where they’re being taken.”

“Is there any way we can meet with her?” asked Laura.

“Of course,” Kiera said, smiling. “I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I didn’t intend to send you her way - she lives in the Kingdom of Gold, in the West of the Kingdom. She’s not that far away, really - you could be there before dark if you started walking now, although of course, I’m still happy to offer my cart.”

“I - I don’t really know what to do with a cart,” Laura said softly, glancing down at her feet uncomfortably.

“You don’t know how to drive a cart?” asked Braun, speaking up from beside her. She glanced over at him, blushing, and shook her head.

“No,” she replied.

“I’m sure Braun would be willing to help you,” Kiera said, glancing towards Braun. “Wouldn’t you?”

Braun was quiet for a moment, shuffling his feet. “I suppose,” he replied finally. “At least I know how to drive a cart.”

Kiera let out a light laugh, nodding slightly. “Very well,” she said. “The cart is ready to go, you’ll just have to get Sambuca hooked up and ready to go. I’m sure you remember Sambuca, isn’t that right, Braun?”

Braun grumbled slightly, not quite giving her an answer as the group all stood up. Kiera chuckled to herself, while Laura was simply confused. These two obviously had history, she just didn’t know what kind of history it was - something that had left Braun distrustful of the witch, though, and something that had to do with Sambuca, whatever that was.

Characters included: @hardcorewwetrash

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

Legend of the Beast

Everyone knows the story of the Beast. They say he lives in a lair close to the border between the Demon Kingdom and the Wooded Kingdom. They say he is part man, part monster. They say he eats children and scares grown men to their core. But how much of what is whispered is true? Is any of it even true? Is it possible for such a being to exist? Bill Goldberg thinks it is.

A retired and accomplished warrior, Bill Goldberg swears by the existence of the Beast. Goldberg served as a knight in the Emperor’s forces for twenty years, and after leaving the Emperor’s service, has worked tirelessly to hunt down the Beast and prove his existence.

Raised in a small village shrouded deep within the Wooded Kingdom, Goldberg says that the Beast’s existence was never doubted within his hometown. His town, which no longer exists due to an intervention by the current King Bray Wyatt, is most commonly known for its practice of sacrificing virgin girls to appease the Beast, in the hopes that doing so would protect them from his wrath, prevent him from eating their crops, and keep their children safe.

Goldberg, who commonly recounts this tale over several drinks at taverns across the Empire, recalls that the virgins sacrificed to the Beast were not killed - not directly, at least. Rather, they were dressed in beautiful gowns and chained to a tree a ways outside of the village. About a day’s walk away, the tree was supposedly chosen simply because it was somewhat warped and recognizable enough to be used on a regular basis. Girls who found themselves chained to the tree, Goldberg states, were never heard from again.

The practice was done annually, which meant that the villagers were constantly having children so as to guarantee that there would be virgins aplenty each year when the time came. Many young women in the town would run away before their eighteenth birthdays, too afraid of being left to the Beast. Others saw it as their duty to remain pure and give themselves up to protect their families and neighbours. Others, still, would intentionally go about trying to lose their virginity before the time came, though the men of the town were punished mercilessly if they aided a potential candidate in this endeavour.

Goldberg was sixteen when his older sister was given to the Beast. He recalls her as being a shy, intelligent young woman with the potential for a bright future. Even his father fought the decision, wanting his daughter to travel and study rather than fall victim to the Beast. There was nothing that could be done, though, and so she was dressed up and walked to the Beast’s Tree, where she was tied up and left.

Goldberg, however, refused to let his sister die like that. He decided that he was going to sneak away, rescue her, and run away with her. He recalls having no idea where they would go, only that he wanted his sister to be safe and he didn’t want her to be fed to the Beast. “Damn the whole town,” he says as he recounts the tale at the tavern, “let the Beast eat their livestock and rampage through, as long as my sister was alright.”

His family was in mourning, and he doubted that it would surprise them to wake up the next morning and find that he had run away. His only hope was that he could get to his sister and get away with her before they figured out where he had gone or what he was doing. He packed a bag, hid it beneath his bed, and when his family was all asleep, he crept out of the house.

He ran much of the way there, he recalls, so he was tired and out of breath when he arrived. His sister was still tied to the tree. When she saw him, she asked no questions, only requested a drink of water. She had been tied there for a day and a half by then, with nothing to eat or drink. He untied her, gave her some water, and told her his plan. She agreed with him, not caring what curse befell the town, only wanting to be free and safe. Off they went.

After about an hour of walking, the pair came upon a most unusual sight - a small castle in the woods, one unknown to them. They knew that it was not the King’s castle, but they also knew that they were nowhere near the Capital City or the Demon Kingdom’s Volcano City, so what castle could this be? They decided to knock on the door, to take shelter and see if the castle’s occupants could help them.

“No one answered the door, of course,” Goldberg recounts, “and my sister, she was frightened and thought we should leave, but I was sixteen and boisterous and afraid of nothing, so of course I said we ought to go inside.”

Goldberg and his sister went into the castle, but found it darkened and empty. His sister immediately refused to go any further, so they agreed to leave. When they turned back and walked out the doors, though, they saw a man standing outside.

“The man was huge - looked all human, but you could tell that he had to be some part giant, some part orc,” Goldberg describes. “He had blond hair and blue eyes and you could see murder in them. He looked like he’d been some kind of specially bred for destruction, but there’s no way - I think he was created, by some angry witch or warlock or something like that, and placed in the world to destroy.”

Goldberg says that at this point he told his sister to run, and she did. The Beast pounced at him, tackling him to the ground. Goldberg recalls being certain that he was going to die, but wanting to take the Beast down with him. He pushed with all his sixteen years of might, and managed to throw the mighty Beast off of him.

Realizing that this might be his only chance to escape with his life, Goldberg got up and bolted. He ran in the direction his sister had gone, and he knew the Beast was in pursuit because he could hear him.

“Of course,” Goldberg says, “I embellish the fight scene every time I tell it. Nobody in a bar likes to hear a story where all I do is push the Beast off of me and run away, but that’s what happened.”

Goldberg caught up with his sister, by which point he realized that he could no longer hear the Beast behind him. They slowed down and looked behind them, and sure enough, the monster was gone.

After that, they continued to flee until they found a small town near the bottom of Lake Armbar, within the Demon Kingdom. They settled in there. Goldberg eventually moved to the Capital City to serve on the Emperor’s forces, while his sister married a young widower from the town in which they’d settled. She passed away twenty years ago as a result of complications during childbirth, but Goldberg says that the life she lived was happy, full of freedom and love.

“She made the most of the time she had after I saved her from the Beast,” Goldberg likes to say. “She gave me two beautiful nieces and three handsome nephews. I visit them on a regular basis, and they’re wonderful kids - and her daughters will never have to grow up with the fear that they might one day be sacrificed to the Beast the way she did.”

Though Goldberg’s hometown no longer exists, many of its old families and inhabitants still maintain the practice of sacrificing young women to the Beast. It is estimated that at least four small villages scattered throughout the Wooded Kingdom come together annually to give up a young virgin to the Beast. What becomes of these women is unknown, as they are reported to be never seen or heard from again - but of course, it’s highly likely that many more escape and live happy, fulfilling lives elsewhere in the Empire, as was the case with Bill Goldberg and his sister.

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire