FloatingAroundSpace
Three Thousand Club
The Color of Royalty
The kingdom of Decucis lies seemingly on an island, the sound of snarling waves familiar to every child that has grown up under the watch of the ruling family. Few have actually seen the waves or the edge of their known world, as the walls block most that live within from leaving and the soldiers that gaze upon the farmers toiling the fields prevent most from running for the shore so far away, yet so close. Those that have escaped to see the waves are hunted down and brought back in bloody chains and beaten spirits, punished for their attempt to run free of the oppression they face every day. They are thrown into dungeons and it is there that they are broken as most that leave come out with dull eyes and mouths that whisper of horrors no man can understand or comprehend. The few that do make sense seem to whisper of the guards that the ruling family keeps so close committing terrible deeds against the very nature of mankind and breaking sacred law that the earth has put forth.
Most see those that stumble out of these dungeons as fools, having lost their sanity at the hands of the cruel monarchy. But if one was to listen more closely, they would realize that their insanity holds more than a grain of truth for the guards that the rulers send to torture the prisoners are not fully human. Marked by dark swirling patterns on their skin, these guards have magic in their blood and minds. They can pull a man's breath out of his chest and shock the life out of his limbs. They can cause the light from a single ray of sun to become blinding and for the darkness around to suffocate in an instant.
The royal family themselves also have these powers that seem to defy the very nature of man. Through centuries of bloody trails and experiments, they have tapped into the strange markings on their skin and have learned how to control the elements around them. The guards they surround themselves with are ones that they have spotted baring the same marks and taken for their own purposes, teaching them limited knowledge to keep them controllable. The royal family has never been kind to their specially chosen guard and they are aware that this group may be their greatest enemy which is why they are kept so close. The guards are known as the Red Knights for their bloody deeds of quelling rebellions and executing those deemed too troublesome for the standing army to handle. To the public, they are a fearsome adversary that cannot be stopped. To themselves, they have lost nearly all sense of self and honor. The power they have been bestowed upon by the royal family has also chained them through rituals that have made their every move available to the rulers that watch over them.
But it is not just the Red Knights or the ruling family that has this power. Among the populace lies the Yellow Crows, a group that most understand less than the Red Knights. Their existence is shrouded in mystery and their actions are befuddling, even to the Red Knights. It is only the royal family that knows how deadly they are to the monarchy.
The Yellow Crows have worked to find those that are marked for magic before the royal family, stealing them away in their cribs and bringing them to their own store of knowledge that has been pilfered and stolen from the royal family. They cannot afford the bloody trails of experiments and have turned to watching the Knights train in bloody combat and to tried and true spells that they do not wish to stray from. The Yellow Crows are few in number but strong in resolve and have plotted for years to overthrow the royal family and set free those that they have captured in their own ranks. It has only been through these past few years that their actions have become bolder; kidnapping Knights to learn of the dark secrets and knowledge that the royals have kept hidden, sending their own to infiltrate the castle and find books that are only privy to the eyes of those that wear a crown. It has taken these few years for the royals to become aware of the growing problem and they are determined to put it down.
Throwing caution to the winds, the kingdom faces a brutal civil war between the royals and the Yellow Crows. The Crows are prepared to do whatever it takes to set free the inhabitants and the royals are prepared to sink their claws in and keep their power even if it means turning the streets red with blood.
Most see those that stumble out of these dungeons as fools, having lost their sanity at the hands of the cruel monarchy. But if one was to listen more closely, they would realize that their insanity holds more than a grain of truth for the guards that the rulers send to torture the prisoners are not fully human. Marked by dark swirling patterns on their skin, these guards have magic in their blood and minds. They can pull a man's breath out of his chest and shock the life out of his limbs. They can cause the light from a single ray of sun to become blinding and for the darkness around to suffocate in an instant.
The royal family themselves also have these powers that seem to defy the very nature of man. Through centuries of bloody trails and experiments, they have tapped into the strange markings on their skin and have learned how to control the elements around them. The guards they surround themselves with are ones that they have spotted baring the same marks and taken for their own purposes, teaching them limited knowledge to keep them controllable. The royal family has never been kind to their specially chosen guard and they are aware that this group may be their greatest enemy which is why they are kept so close. The guards are known as the Red Knights for their bloody deeds of quelling rebellions and executing those deemed too troublesome for the standing army to handle. To the public, they are a fearsome adversary that cannot be stopped. To themselves, they have lost nearly all sense of self and honor. The power they have been bestowed upon by the royal family has also chained them through rituals that have made their every move available to the rulers that watch over them.
But it is not just the Red Knights or the ruling family that has this power. Among the populace lies the Yellow Crows, a group that most understand less than the Red Knights. Their existence is shrouded in mystery and their actions are befuddling, even to the Red Knights. It is only the royal family that knows how deadly they are to the monarchy.
The Yellow Crows have worked to find those that are marked for magic before the royal family, stealing them away in their cribs and bringing them to their own store of knowledge that has been pilfered and stolen from the royal family. They cannot afford the bloody trails of experiments and have turned to watching the Knights train in bloody combat and to tried and true spells that they do not wish to stray from. The Yellow Crows are few in number but strong in resolve and have plotted for years to overthrow the royal family and set free those that they have captured in their own ranks. It has only been through these past few years that their actions have become bolder; kidnapping Knights to learn of the dark secrets and knowledge that the royals have kept hidden, sending their own to infiltrate the castle and find books that are only privy to the eyes of those that wear a crown. It has taken these few years for the royals to become aware of the growing problem and they are determined to put it down.
Throwing caution to the winds, the kingdom faces a brutal civil war between the royals and the Yellow Crows. The Crows are prepared to do whatever it takes to set free the inhabitants and the royals are prepared to sink their claws in and keep their power even if it means turning the streets red with blood.
The Yellow Crows
The Grandmaster -- the eldest member of the Yellow Crows, the Grandmaster has been the one orchestrating the actions of the Yellow Crows and has been planning to overthrow the royals for some time.
The Eyes -- one of the oldest members of the Yellow Crows, the Eyes have been reporting the actions of the other members of the Crows to the Grandmaster and aid them in making important decisions and keeping the Crows in order. There will be two Eyes.
The Beaks -- these members are capable of the elemental and high-impact magics like earth and are rather large in size. They tend to face down any Knights that the Crows may come across and a few know how to wield a sword.
The Talons -- these members are the thieves, able to steal the children that will grow up to be Crows as well as any knowledge and supplies they may need.
The Feathers -- these members tend to focus on the getaway, creating diversions. They usually fight from afar and tend to the wounded.
The Red Knights
The Red Knights are sorted into groups. A group head, usually the eldest, receives commands and instructions from the royal family.
The Shield -- members within this group are usually sent out to protect the royal family should they need to leave the safety of the castle to visit other lands. They are usually large and buff and are taught in the art of Light and Dark magic in order to make mild illusions around the family as needed.
The Swordhand -- members within this group tend to be the most brutal, oftentimes going out to squash budding "rebellions" and to kill anyone that the royals need dead. For some reasons, the members are usually quieter than the others or angrier, perhaps a side-affect of the brutality they have been forced to endure and see.
The Helmet -- glorified scouts, these tend to be the people that were weakest and did not respond well to training. They simply hunt the streets for signs of rebellion and report it to the royals.
Please post below for any interest/questions/comments!
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