Seasonal Events: Ash 120
To all Lorien players: here are the major events occurring in Lorien, in the Season of Ash, Year 120.
2nd of Ash - Shadow Over Nivenhain
After the events of Searing 84, Year 120, holiday celebrations for the first day of the new season were canceled across the Kingdom. It is said that rather than celebrating, Nivenhain's elite were instead embroiled in an arduous meeting of varied interests, including the King, the Count-Florent, the Dread-Arbiter of the Argent Knighthood and the Archlector of Nivenhain. The Archlector, Annalise Florent, supposedly demanded the continued faith and service of the Celebrant class to the bindings of the Kindred.
During this time, the proposal was raised that Kindred be officially titled as the 'angels' of the Omen, the Holy servants of the Returning King. Titling them this would make any action against them a severe act of blasphemy, and would renounce the nobility of the offending parties. This proposition was, clearly, intended to strip House Galbrecht of its legitimacy. According to leaks, the King has been pushing negotiations further and further, vetoing decisions and preventing any final determinations from being made. Similarly, it is said that the King of Lorien has been secretly engaged in negotiations with House Galbrecht itself -- though these leaks have had their credibility questioned.
14th of Ash - The Pact and Covenant
The Northern Pact and the Covenant of Mages officially form an alliance. In doing so, the Northern Pact publicly announces that it is removing itself from the Omen, no longer associating itself with the Faith as one of its wings. The Faith immediately rebukes this, and begins to form a new Pact within Nivenhain, calling upon hidden mages and offering them amnesty if they serve the Kindred's will. While magic remains illegal in Lorien, it appears a new avenue for mages to legally practice arrives as a result of the war-like dispute.
16th of Ash - A Hard Border
King Lucien Ravenlow decrees that a new wall is to be built, which separates Lower Nivenhain from Outer Nivenhain. Construction commences immediately. A team of overseers manages a workforce of hollows that work tirelessly day and night to complete construction of the wall. The purpose of the wall, which is to slow immigration into Nivenhain, is given to those that ask.
23rd of Ash - House Baringer Fractures
With House Galbrecht, Baringer's greatest ally, openly declaring war on the Kindred -- Baringer sees within its ranks a major schism. The Kindred demand for the ducal family to swear fealty and cut ties with Galbrecht, and as Baringer's Duchy is the most dominated by the Kindred (as their place of residence), they are forced to accept. As a result of this, one of the major wings of House Baringer secretly escapes to Brandt, officially allying with Galbrecht and denouncing their cousins and reigning Lords for their failure. Baringer is reduced to a dynasty of only seven members, with dramatically increased pressure upon them. The vassals of the East End begin to prepare for a potential succession crisis, as their collapse appears more and more imminent.
30th of Ash - The West End Declares
Duke Matthias Alderset of the West End convenes a meeting with the Counts and Barons of the West End, many of whom his own relatives. He petitions them passionately to join him in the war of their age: the fight against the Kindred. Simultaneously he declares unilateral peace against King Revenlow, claiming that Lorien must be united in order to deal with this threat. In the West End, the faith of the Omen is made illegal and all priests of the Omen as well as members of its three Orders are executed, burnt alive at the stake in public squares across the Duchy. Many manage to escape, speaking tales of this horror across the Kingdom, though public favor does not appear to shift after years of suppression by the Kindred, and abuse from its clergy.
33rd of Ash - Brandt and the West End
House Galbrecht and Alderset begin negotiations. House Galbrecht follows Alderset's example, and illegalizes the Omen in their Duchy, executing their clergy en masse. The religious influence of the Omen is effectively removed from two of the Kingdom's Duchies, signaling a dramatic shift in the dynamic of the country.
39th of Ash - The Segregation of the Nameless
The wall between Outer and Lower Nivenhain and its gates is complete, and all its stations are manned by Chevaliers and armed hollows. The tall castle wall spans the entire border and bares a rampart complete with parapet. Arrowslits line the walls from above; all of which face the city's slums. Nameless are denied entry into the Outer district unless otherwise summoned, and all travel between districts is otherwise halted at night. Wagons and carts are checked for contraband before travel is permitted.
47th of Ash - The Bombing of the Chantry Overlook
The Chantry Overlook, the official religious headquarters of Lorien's Omen, is suddenly hit by a large explosion on the lower levels of the building. The building, fortunately for the Omen, does not collapse -- but many high ranking Omen officials are killed. Being that the Chantry Overlook is central to Nivenhain, the act is witnessed by many and it triggers mass hysteria within the city. Speculation follows, though the source of these attacks is not discovered -- yet, at least.
59th of Ash - The First Culling
The Kindred finally perform a measured response to the war declared upon them, after coordinating for some time. Six members of House Alderset, four of House Galbrecht and one Baringer are killed on the same night by Kindred across the Kingdom. While much of the Higher Nobility moved to safe locations to hide from the Kindred's wrath, the spirits managed to discover them regardless, and after leaving intangibility killed them one-by-one, reminding many of the historical cullings of House Reizend after the Kindred's release.
63rd of Ash - The Death of Jeddoth
Jeddoth, one of the most ancient and powerful Kindred and one of the symbols of the Argent Knighthood, is hunted by the Pact-Covenant forces and is killed by the Aether Cannon. Alongside Jeddoth, three other Kindred seeking to protect him are slain. These acts are said to be in retribution for the fallen nobles, as Jeddoth was allegedly responsible for their culling. This is a moderator-prompted event.
76th of Ash - The Omen, Maintained
After incredible pressure from the Omen, from House Florent, from the Dread-Arbiter of the Argent Knighthood, and even from Von Rabe itself... King Lucien of House Revenlow reaffirms his faith in the Kindred, and declares revolutionary action against them to be treason against the Kingdom of Lorien. All members of House Revenlow are confined to the palace, supposedly for their own protection, though many Celebrant speculate that it is so they can be culled if they go against the Kindred's wishes.
89th of Ash - The Great Frost of Rostock
After a defiant Count of Enden openly declares enmity with Von Rabe, who lives practically upon his doorstep, Von Rabe unleashes an incredible blizzard upon the city of Rostock -- killing nearly a third of its population in a freeze of historical scale, with temperatures reaching over one hundred degrees below freezing for a period of days. After a frost storm encompasses the city's capital estate, all members of Enden's ruling family are found dead, frozen to death but with massive beak punctures littered across their body. The city is officially returned to House Baringer, only for the Omen to claim the city as a territory of the Faith, to wage war against heresy within the Kingdom.
