Chamber : Draw
Dramatis Personae
Lucan Mehnot
Audric Loiren
Chamber : Draw
Bleddynia had watched the draw for the last Catu Samonii with her family, in the comfort of the great manor, excited to see the matchups. This time she simply felt uneasy. Instead of gathering around a lavishly decorated far-sighted-speech-place known as the nemeton with Lou or her sisters, she was seated next to the beast that was Rodoric Maur. Ever so often his braces would actually let off a shock of static as if he were trying to force the headgear off, and she couldn’t help but shudder. She was only glad she didn’t have to witness it with her eyes.
“Those who achieved a rank of E,” she continued, “are eligible for any position equal to the Sencatua rank…”
Bleddynia knew her name wouldn’t be called at this rank- no, and she’d be lucky if she made rank I either.
“Here we have a surprising entrant- one from the wilds of Kargast and the Coalfields. Congratulations, to Rodoric Maur, of the Pompila, for his placement in Team Oak. He brings with him years of hard living in the minefields of Threatening Valley, and… oh, how interesting. Did you know he was educated with a full scholarship to Atelier Benjoin Karkebi?”
Corotica spoke up for once. “Rodoric Maur is among the few Pompila to achieve the title Maur from military campaigns, though its legal value has been stripped since the Heno occupation of Kargast. This could be a big moment for him, but can he and his men afford it?”
“The fuck?” Rodoric exclaimed, and Bleddynia wrung her hands in anticipation of his reaction. “Are they clacking about me?”
“Shh,” Bleddynia hissed.
“It seems he was recently married to the disgraced princess of the Constellariim Court, the conjuror Bleddynia Lacona.”
“Perhaps she’s fallen on hard times,” Lalaba said, like an open ended question..
“I’ll show that smart-ass cunt a hard time,” Bleddynia muttered under her breath, standing up with a huff and marching away. She didn’t pay attention to the rest of the announcement, but halfway from fleeing the area, she stopped cold when a familiar name was announced-
“Our next prospective Sencatua from rank E is Chirugia Hyxonia Andemona, a Pompila who has settled in San Gwern, a market town between the Gloynbyw Coalfields and Meld’s Mouth. Chirugiae Hyxonia hails from the Court of Resinous Pine, where she specializes in both support and offensive combat. She has been assigned to Corios Behgos, known as Team Beech.”
Lucan chuckled. “Let’s see if talent can make up for those dire resources with Hyxonia. Running a three patient clinic in Sarn Gwern is no way to pay the landlady, darling.”
Unable to take another step, Bleddynia’s hands joined her face as she massaged the pain and stress from her chiten and muscles. Hyxonia, her sister, had been in Sarn Gwern this whole time. She had been just a train ride away. Would things have gone better if she’d foregone her link to the Lagona and taken sanctuary in her sister?
Hyxonia had always been difficult to read, had always held high standards for herself, which is why she had left after creating Blodaiweth. She didn’t enjoy court games like Bleddynia did or liberal arts and philosophy like Hithwenia. When they announced the next name, of someone she didn’t recognise, the spell broke and she ran for the cavern where Rodoric kept his oracle machine and his extra body parts. Rodoric didn’t keep her from leaving, as he had a crowd of retainers to quell in his encampment because of the surprise announcement.
“Wow, would you look at this, King Lalaba! He’s your cousin, isn’t he? And a man whose friendship I have come to treasure- yes indeed, I’ll be cheering for Equita Runara Audric Loiren, of the Sinnox Loar people.”
“He is indeed my cousin, and a strong competitor,” Lalaba cheered. “A prominent member of the royal guard at Caer Sidi and the Court of Black Gold, congratulations dear Audric! Let’s take a look at these stats… with an overall score of 35 out of 50, Audric’s lack of military resources and reliance on the Ostrales for funding leave him lacking the needed leadership for a Camula. But his political affiliations and talent with Rock Oil make up for that in spades. Welcome to Team Juniper, Equita Runara!”
Even though Bleddynia couldn’t see, she could smell the familiar metal and bodies. It was a place she often came to, because deeper into the mostly collapsed mine, there was the entrance to a cavern with a small, geothermal spring, possibly powered by the raging fires beneath the spoil pits. Rodoric was too large to fit through the small entrance, as were many of his subjects, but a Lagona like Bleddynia could squeeze in. It helped her feel safe, to have this chamber to herself.
She didn’t know how long she was in the chamber. There were no days and nights for her anymore, just a cruel darkness and throbbing pain where the parasitic fungi had grown froIm Blodaiweth’s interference. Each dry sob felt like the pressure of a dam ready to burst. She listened to the trickling of the waterfall, felt the steam from the geothermal spring beside her.
Rodoric Maur
Assignment: Team Oak
Talent: 9/10
Political Influence: 8/10
Charisma: 7/10
Military Insight: 6/10
Resources: 5/10
Total Score: 35/50
Final Grade: E
Hyxonia Andemona
Assignment: Team Beech
Talent: 10/10
Political Influence: 9/10
Charisma: 8/10
Military Insight: 6/10
Resources: 4/10
Total Score: 37/50
Final Grade: E
Audric Loiren
Assignment: Team Juniper
Talent: 8/10
Political Influence: 8/10
Charisma: 7/10
Military Insight: 6/10
Resources: 6/10
Total Score: 37/50
Final Grade: E
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