WORLD PLOT: AUGIS 1022 A.ORDER. - Milton Krape
Milton Krape, Ranger of Guildhall
LOCATION: Nation of Holt
SUMMARY: King Justin, ruler of Holt, awards Sheriff Milton Krape a medal for courageously defending the rights of Holt in the face of Guildhall Tyranny.
DRAMATIZATION:
Sheriff Milton Krape stood on the steps just beneath the throne of Holt. Stern-faced, he gazed outward away from the great chair on which a less-than great king reposed in apparent contemplation. Krape admired the cathedral-like throne room with its tall, magnificent arches and flying buttresses. The red blood-cross of holy Eldin was everywhere, carved into the stone, hanging on banners, and worn by the royal guards and priests. A row of immense silver chandeliers with shining mana-globes ran the length of the great space suspended on polished chains from the high ceilings.
From the choir loft in the rear of the room, the organ played accompanied by the singing children. The deep bass blended beautifully with the high young voices. The choir sang of law and order, of testimony and truth. It was an old song, a song of the Five and their Way, written in the Age of Life by a Five-Sworn name Morgodia, who-ever she was. So much of the history was lost to the world when the Orcs, Klactons, and Pythians tried to destroy everything connected to the Way of the Five. They had wanted to erase the old gods and their teachings from the world.
Below, the nobles of the land stared up at him. Today, their faces were filled with a mixture of respect and admiration. That wasn’t always the case. Favor rose and fell in this court. A person could be a hero one day, and a criminal on the next, all at the whim of the King.
Krape shifted uncomfortably under their stares. A grizzled old scout didn’t belong in this room with these gilded nobles and polished generals. He was just a worn-out soldier who should be settling down to a peaceful retirement. Instead, he was once-again sucked into world-changing events.
Kendrick Kane had once said to him that world-events flowed around certain people. As former head of the Historical Society, Kendrick should know. He was responsible for recovering so much of the lost history of the realm. Kendrick called the people old souls, or was it eternal souls? They were people drawn to the places of power in the realm where mana coalesced into great nodes forming places where events rippled out into the world. Evermore, Inverness, and Solace.
The song ended and the nobles shifted in the long silence. Behind him, Krape heard the rustle of clothing, the clank of a sword scabbard striking wood, and the footsteps of falling feet. He did not turn, but he felt the hand fall on his shoulder and gently squeeze. The grip conveyed genuine affection.
King Justin, the ruler of the great nation of Holt, rested his hand on Krape’s shoulder. It was not a token political gesture. Krape knew the King truly loved him. All those years ago during the Inverness rebellion, Krape had guided the young prince to victory over the rebel Highlanders. They had forged a deep bond of friendship. In many ways, he had been closer to the King than he had been to his own sons. At that thought, Krape felt the pang of regret, but he pushed the feeling away because his sacrifice had allowed his children to grow strong and safe.
“Our nation is the most powerful nation in the world,” Justin announced to the assembly.
Most people in the room would accept the statement as gospel truth, but Krape did not. Holt was the most powerful nation in the Five Kingdoms, but two other nations in the realm could be its military equal. The Karthydian Empire under that fanatic Al’tar Shariz was vast, totally united in religious fervor, and full of ancient lore and mysticism. The Orc Empire was a military might for sure, but their bloody civil war a generation ago had lowered their population. Thankfully, it would be another generation at least before the Orcs with their greenskin allies would be able to truly be in a position to successfully conquer the world, again.
“Yet we must suffer indignation and scorn at the hands of petty people,” Justin spoke bitterly. “Long has the lands around Evermore been a training ground for rebels working against our nation. The Guildmasters of Evermore even supported the local Highlanders when they crowned a Highland King-in-Exile a few years ago.”
Angry mutters swept through the crowd. It was an old wound that Justin always liked to prick whenever the subject of Evermore came up. The king-in-exile was recognized as legal by the Guildmasters of Evermore. Justin’s lawyers and political analysts had counseled him to not push the issue with the Court of the Shields or the Council of Lore. One never knew how Guildhall would decide the matter. Best to handle things locally. Besides, having MacLaughlan as a king actually helped remove rebels from the Highlands. The most radical traveled to Evermore, and Holt scouts killed many of them on the journey through the East Past.
Justin removed his hand from Krape’s shoulder and walked forward to stand next to the scout. “The most recent insult to our national pride occurred at the May 1022 Evermore Market. The Guildmasters of Evermore passed a law to prevent our soldiers in Cross Tower Keep from acting on lawfully enacted warrants. In essence, they were no longer allowing us hunt known terrorists in the Evermore area.”
The crowd reacted with mutters, but Justin spoke loudly over their protest, “And then, moments later, the Guildmasters of Evermore immediately voted to pass a law that revoked our diplomatic status based on us violating the law they just enacted!”
Cries of outrage rang through the cathedral.
Justin shouted for silence. “This is how Guildhall does business. They’re no longer the institution that led us from the Age of Death. They have become a corrupt, economic, overlord stepping on the rights of nations. This is a clear example of Guildhall legal chicanery. Passing new legislation, and then immediately punishing those they feel have broken that law, clearly violates the due process of law! Our nation deserves better. The world deserves better.”
Krape felt the power in the room. In the corners of his eyes, he saw the faint strands of mana energy weaving through the room. Silver and goldenrod. Profane and Order. Religion and nationalism. He remembered sitting in class years ago as an apprentice and being told every energy had a physical and psychological effect that could be used for good and for ill.
This time, Justin waited for the outrage to subside. The King was a master orator with a knack for inspiring the crowd. He let the anger simmer for a time, then continued his speech using a quiet voice, forcing the crowd to subconsciously lean forward to listen better.
“At the August Evermore Market, Commandant Milton Krape traveled to the Inn at Evermore to confront the Guildmasters of Evermore over this unlawful abuse of power. He spoke judiciously. He laid out our legal arguments in a rational tone. The despots of Guildhall had to relent or look foolish in the eyes of the world. They changed their law, but they were not happy. When talk turned to the recent attack on the Guildhall Caravans and Krape offered his help, the Guildmasters despised him. When Krape pointed out that they were supporting criminals and interfering with his duty to enforce the law, he was physically attacked by the Guild Council of Evermore.”
The crowd gasped in shock, even though most of them had probably heard this story a dozen times during the priests’ sermons and in the newspapers with the headline “Tyrant Guild Council Tries to Kill Krape!”
The King continued, “Amid a frenzy of prejudice, with hate and obvious anger, Juniper MacClare Hollin, the Innkeeper of Evermore, led the attack against our Commandant”
Krape flinched. A silence casting wasn’t much of an attack. He could have dodged it. Maybe, he should have dodged it but would that have escalated the situation?
The King continued his tirade. “Pursued by the treacherous Ser Evernight of the Blood Diamonds, Krape was forced to flee for his life.”
Krape’s hands subconscious balled into a fist. The nonsense about Ser Evernight trying to kill him, truly bothered him. His report had noted that Ser Evernight had seemed to be escorting him to safety.
Justin shouted, “These Guildsmen must answer for their actions!”
The crowd went mad. The demand for “War!” rang loud through the hall.
After a long moment, the King raised his hands to quite the crowd. “War is a dangerous option for our beloved nation. We know what happens to brave people who stand alone against Guildhall. King Gunther was a commoner who tried to awake the world, but the Guildsmen of Evermore destroyed his army in the East Pass and murdered him. I will not make that mistake. Our nation will not be the first to break the peace. If we are to lead the world, we must be a people of law and order.”
Krape believed that Holt needed to be strong. He understood that Justin manipulated his court with half-truths, but the audacity to paint a murderous sea-raider as a hero rankled him. Krape sighed. His nation needed to be strong and to that end he allied with the King many years ago. He didn’t agree with Justin or even like him anymore, but there was no denying his power. This was the boy who tried many times to kill his father, yet each time he failed, his popularity seemed to grow. And when the old king finally did die, the first thing the priest did was set Justin free and place the crown on his head. The first thing that Justin did was to call back his huntsmen, and Krape had answered the call.
“I have gathered you here today for one purpose,” Justin said. “Today, we will honor Commandant Krape for his heroism. He went into the belly of corruption and came out alive. He accomplished his mission. Our nation’s diplomatic status has been restored. And for that I present to him this medal. His courage is an example to us all.”
The organ thundered and the choir sang as the medal was carried up the aisle by an honor guard of priests and knights. King Justin draped the medal over Krape’s neck and the whole chamber erupted into cheers that shook the stone.
Standing there, next to his king, Krape knew he deserved no medal. He had tried to refuse, but Justin’s eyes had turned hard, and Krape knew that not even their close relationship would prevent the King’s wrath should he refuse the medal.
Krape lowered his eyes, hoping that he looked abashed at the honor, but inside he just felt old and tired. Justin had twisted the truth. True, the Innkeeper had broken the law, but Krape knew he was partly to blame. He had lost his temper. He had probably even shouted first. The prejudices of the Guildmasters had made him so angry. Just because he wore a red cross, they would allow innocent people to suffer. He is a Guildsmen in good standing. There are criminals attacking Guildhall, and he could so easily lead the Guildsmen to their base and together they could arrest the criminals. There were only so many locations in the High Hills around Evermore to hide. He’d been to most of them. Hunting rebels over the past five years, but they prevent him from doing his lawful duty, because they hated his red cross.
King Justin had said something that caused the crowd to shout in anger. Krape didn’t need to hear the King’s words to know Justin still was working the crowd. The King shouted, “And the Guildmasters still prevent Krape from hunting Highlanders in the woods around Evermore. The whole world knows that Highlanders are attacking caravans. In fact, they ruined medicine going to the Shorians. They stole desperately needed food on its way to the Dale. People in Willowby could be starving even now. These Highlanders are not only acting against Holt but Dale and Shoria.”
The King paused to let this sink in. “The Guildmasters of Evermore are protecting criminals who are harming the Five Kingdoms. Criminals who are harming the world. Shorians may be dying. Dalesmen may be dying. All because of Guildsmen.”
Angry mutters spread around the room until someone shouted, “Down with tyrants!”
“Why are they doing this?” Justin demanded rhetorically. “Profits and power. That’s what drives Guildsmen. Profits and power. Just because they have the ability to use mana, they think it gives them the right to rule. King Gunther of Asgarn tried to stand up to the Hall of Guilds, and we all know how that ended. One day soon, the world will awaken to the tyranny of Guildhall, but until then, commoners will suffer, starve, and die as Guildsmen abuse their power to enrich themselves.”
Krape didn’t bother listening anymore. He’d heard the rhetoric too often. Guildhall was bad. Commoners needed self-rule. He didn’t believe any of it. If Guildhall fell, the nations would fight amongst themselves. The strong would take over the weak. It would be like the end of the Age of Life, a time of war, suffering, and bloodshed. Guildhall was the Age of Order, or was it?
The old and tired feeling was starting to fade as a hint of anger wormed into his heart at the realization that the Guildmasters of Evermore had actually prevented him from fulfilling his oath to Guildhall. What was their motivation? Was it just because of his red cross or was Justin correct? Why were Juniper and the others protecting the Highlander criminals? Was it just because of their cultural bias or were some of the Guildmasters benefitting from the attacks?
There had been mention at the Guildmasters meeting of someone leaking the caravan routes. The Guildsmen at the meeting had listed facts gained from their investigations. Something about catapults being spiked down and not spiked down. Some clues indicated a planned ambush against the Guild caravans, while others proved an attack of opportunity against the Dale. Carefully placed tartans. And boot prints of a certain style…
There was much to investigate, and he was here getting a medal he didn’t deserve while criminals, protected by the Guildmasters of Evermore, enjoyed their success.
