The Drakeskar Collective Part 1
Yello Madlings, welcome to another episode of Maiden escapism in the Obsidian Wail. Except today, we are not in the Obsidian Wail. Today, we begin a new journey. It's time to start talking about the Drakeskar Collective.
The Drakeskar Collective was my original idea for Drakeskar, which didn't have a name back then. The idea was to find a way to make a civilization that plays on "The Seven Deadly Sins." I wanted each tribe to have a unique feel or role in Drakeskar.
When the seven were born, I only had a few members in my brain (The Paramour & The Crown) and didn't have a clear vision of what to do, so I moved back to worldbuilding Luna. I slowly started thinking of adding the seven into the storyline by discovering which characters from other locations would have interacted with each Drakeskar leader.
As part of the Drakeskar collective, those who assumed leadership would relinquish their former identity and name. This was the initial conception behind the members of the Collective being known by their titles. Most inherit the title of their predecessors out of tradition. Still, some have chosen to alter their titles over the roughly six hundred years of Drakeskar being a civilized rebirth of Argentum.
This update will be a little wild, but I will do my best to wrangle random thoughts about the Madhouse. Welcome Madlings, to our third Kingdom whose shores touch the Violet Sea. Let us begin with the first character that revealed herself to the Madhouse, the leader of Sirensong.
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Sirensong (Lust): The Paramour
The Paramour
Leader of the Sirensong tribe
A shapeshifter that hides behind a magical mask that shows her patrons their greatest desire.
Lost knowledge links her to Argentum & Lilith
Sirensong
The standard of Sirensong shows a Phoenix representing the “rebirth” of the Paramour.
Most members of Sirensong wear masks to hide their identities.
A tribe of bards, courtesans, and artists.
Their headquarters is located in Sandsoul.
As the Atropos Whirlpool continued to expand, decay from the waters spread through Argentum. Every idea of how to stop the flow was exhausted. When physical means didn't work, magic and superstition were applied to the problem, only to worsen it. Ultimately, seven ships would be forced to sail across the expanse of the Violet Sea.
Each civilian in Argentum disagreed about the cause of the corruption and how the recent "powers" they were gaining should be used. Many relished the new abilities given to them by Lilith's mistakes. This chaos would fracture the kingdom quickly and lead to a mass exodus of around three thousand people fleeing Argentum, hoping to escape the madness permeating the majestic, lustrous forest.
The Sirensong, one of the seven ships that fled Argentum, left the city as a stunning ship of beauty and class. Its sleek design was a majestic sight, with intricate carvings and gleaming silver plating. A vessel of artists and bards, it left Argentum a quickly built obsidian wood, meaning each ship was nearly identical and boring. The personnel of the Sirensong would spend the voyage hanging from ropes to carve designs into the wood and paint murals of sea creatures on the side.
As the Sirensong sailed away from Argentum, it carried a garden on its lower decks. The garden was filled with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, providing a peaceful retreat for the staff. The garden also cultivated enough food to feed them across the journey. The band was known to sing so loudly that the other ships would be entranced by their songs. Their voices were enchanting, and their melodies were ballads from the home they all were sad to leave.
The Paramour, the leader of Sirensong, watched over her crew with pride. She had always been a music lover and had spent countless hours teaching her squad how to sing. Their voices were like magic to lift the spirit of every ship, and she felt proud to have such talented musicians on board.
As they sailed across the sea, they encountered many challenges. The weather was unpredictable, and they had to navigate through treacherous waters. But through it all, they remained strong and determined. They sang together through storms and calm seas, their voices filling the air with hope and joy.
The Sirensong was more than just a ship; it was a community of people brought together by their desire for freedom from the corruption that plagued their homeland. They knew they would face many challenges but were ready for anything. They sang as one, united by their love for music and desire for a better future.
Sirensong was one of the first to land on the northeastern shores of Drakeskar. Landing with "The Majesty," the tensions between the two tribes can be traced back to the beginning. Sirensong was a community of free thinkers. The Skar Majesty was full of the ruling class of Argentum, and their hatred for each other hadn't ebbed in their months at sea.
There has never been real peace between Sirensong and Skar Majesty, even after the short war that led to the founding of Sandsoul. Before the capital of Sandsoul was formed, the tribes interacted little with each other. Drakeskar was a massive continent. Most ships landed and established a starting base in different locations. Skar Majesty always believed they owned some inherent right to the services of Sirensong.
Hundreds of years have passed since the Paramour stared into the eyes of the man arrogant enough to call himself "The Crown." While they remain civil to appease the other tribes, ancient sins prevent the two tribes from ever truly finding peace. The Paramour will NEVER be a possession to be used at the whim of a psychopath.
Sirensong always cherished the arts and the beauty of the mind and body. Bards wrote elegant songs, while courtesans entertained the carnal desires of noble idiots in the Skar Majesty. This niche kept Sirensong alive and powerful in Sandsoul. Those prideful fools told all their secrets to the Paramour's masked concubines. Secrets the Paramour shared freely with her allies, like a girl born in the mountains.
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Creeping Shadow (Sloth): The Dagger
The Dagger
Has abandoned the subtlety of Creeping Shadow, turning the tribe into hired murderers.
Allied with the Crown to change the Drakeskar power struggle.
Has only recently gained the title of “The Dagger.”
Creeping Shadow
A tribe of assassins who specialize in stealth and poison.
Creeping Shadow is splintered into cells, making it difficult to know the clan's size.
Members have begun to rebel against the sudden shift in their operation style.
Many consider Thornhaven to be the “home base” of Creeping Shadow
True to its name, Creeping Shadow arrived in Drakeskar after their compatriots. It got lost along the way due to a nasty storm that separated it from the fleet. After a few extra months at sea, it finally made land on the western coast of Drakeskar.
Visible from anywhere on Drakeskar's western edge is an enormous mass of mountains known as Cordelia's Ridge. The mountain range is named after the first leader of Creeping Shadow, Cordelia Thorne. The crew built a small village named Thornhaven along the dangerous granite peaks.
Constructed near a stream that cascaded down the mountain spires, Thornhaven provided natural defenses from other tribes. The crystal water flowed into a valley of dense trees before the river snaked toward the ocean. Thornhaven would never grow to be a large village but would become a haven for travelers braving the mountains.
Creeping Shadow had always been neutral regarding the collective's politics. With Thornhaven on the opposite side of the scorched wastes, travel to Sandsoul was difficult and slow. This led many in the capital to believe the tribe was incompetent and lazy. A perception that worked for Cordelia Thorne because no one saw her as a threat.
This disregard for the negligent tribe allowed Cordelia to create a network of spies and killers. Cordelia never had to leave her home in Thornhaven to understand what was happening all across Drakeskar. Extremely patient, Cordelia was the last to assume a title, choosing "The Dagger" as her moniker. The Dagger would thwart many conflicts and schemes through silent espionage. A legacy that would continue for hundreds of years.
Sadly, the morals and standards of a woman dead for hundreds of years don't translate to a generation that believes itself better. This was the reality of Creeping Shadow when the most recent Dagger took up the mantle by force. Utilizing the strength given to him by another person, the Dagger changed the role of Creeping Shadow within Drakeskar. The Dagger embraced the Crown as the leader of Drakeskar and used Creeping Shadow to remove troublesome opposition.
However, back in Thornhaven, people still remembered Cordelia's original tenets for Creeping Shadow. One woman, in particular, had begun to realize the mistakes she had made in life. It would take decades for the Girl to learn the first scar she took into herself was the very soul that now ruled over her tribe as a ruthless killer.
The Girl was born in Thornhaven and rarely leaves, but her abilities are known throughout Drakeskar. It was rumored that a mystical woman in the village could remove negative emotions from a person. People would selfishly seek out The Girl, remove their darkness, and allow them to be reborn.
Of course, everything had a price, and that price was paid by the Girl with huge scars that would mar her skin with each person she "saved." Every regret, fear, or pain travelers felt, the Girl would soak up like a sponge. After years of this life, all that was left was a shell taking Drakeskar's many sins into herself.
Unfortunately, the Girl lived in isolation and believed that the scars she took on helped those that she freed from them. She didn't understand that freeing people of the things that held them back could lead those same people to commit atrocities afterward. The Dagger was the most egregious example, but the masked leader of Creeping Shadow was not the only sinner the Girl created.
One day, the Girl was fortunate enough to be visited by a peculiar little woman who claimed to be an assassin from across the ocean. Aurora had made a very long journey to Thornhaven and wasn't alone. She was the personal bodyguard of a woman that didn't need one.
This was the first time the Girl had met anyone from the Obsidian Wail. She had spent decades instinctually collecting the darkness and sins of others. What the Girl felt as she brushed her palm to Lysandria's cheek was so overwhelming that she collapsed before her guests. Lysandria held within her something the Girl couldn't understand in her isolation.
Somehow, Lysandria had found peace in the chaos that was her bloodline. The Girl only brushed the surface of Lysandria, and what she saw terrified her. While unconscious, nightmares flooded her mind. Terrifying images of a slender figure who seemed to waste away every second the Girl tried to focus on the woman for too long.
Lysandria Belladonna was a collector of broken things, and the Girl had indeed shattered due to a lifetime of absorbing the darkness of others. Ultimately, the Girl could not "cure" Lysandria as she had promised, and she begged Lilith's daughter to forgive her. Aurora smiled at the idea of someone concerned for others over themselves. After spending so much time in the Obsidian Wail, compassion for strangers was refreshing.
"Girl, my mistress is here to save YOU!" Aurora lifted the chin of the weeping silver-haired woman.
As the Girl looked up at Lysandria sitting calmly on a stool, she realized that Lysandria's lap was filled with non-decorating wooden boxes. The Girl was confused as Lysandria, without a word, held the black, rectangular container out for her to take. Many left pain and despair with the Girl, but no one had given the Girl a present for failure.
Cautiously, the Girl cracked the lid of the gift to reveal a white fluffy ball tucked away, sleeping in the corner. As she lifted the soft furry thing from the box, she realized it was a desert rabbit. Only the rabbit's fur was a flawless shade of white.
"I hope you don't mind; I named her Leah." Lysandria said as she rose from her stool, where she had been watching over the Girl since her attempt to heal Lysandria.
The Girl was frozen as she watched the cheery assassin and her somber mistress leave her alone with a rabbit. She had never told the travelers her name; how did they know? That night, alone in her cottage, the Girl slept peacefully. There was no restlessness, nightmare, or even the pain she had grown accustomed to.
When she awoke the following day, the Girl found Leah sitting near her feet, staring at her. Over the night, Leah had gained a dusky gray coat that grew darker the longer she stared at the bunny. The Girl was transfixed on the rabbit until it blinked, shaking its entire little body from ear tip to cotton tail.
The Girl couldn't move, spellbound as she watched Leah shake until her fur was white again. Reaching out to lift her furry companion into her arms, The Girl dropped the rabbit at the sight of her uncovered arms. Somehow, the scars she had collected from others over the years faded.
As Leah hopped away, The Girl scrambled out of bed to chase after her. When she rounded a corner, the Girl was paralyzed as she caught not Leah but a glimpse of her reflection. The Girl watched as her scars healed, and time seemed to reverse before her eyes.
First, the scars disappeared, leaving her skin smooth and youthful. Next, the silver mane of hair on the Girl's head began to change to a solid black. The Girl was staring at a revitalized version of her young adult self.
The Girl stared in amazement, unsure of what was happening, until Leah started nudging at her heel. Gazing down, The Girl retrieved an envelope that Leah proudly held in her mouth.
Boldly printed on the front were only two words: "The Girl." Inside the envelope, The Girl found a new purpose. Reading through the letter, many revelations were made. The old healer Leah was no more; now she was only "The Girl." Lifting the rabbit Leah into her arms, The Girl sits comfortably as she continues to read. One thought cycles through her mind: She must kill the Dagger!
The Girl (Day Lysandria Joined her)
Had lived a long life using her powers to remove the darkness from them.
Has a past relationship with the Dagger
The Girl & Leah
Free of the darkness and scars she had collected from her past life.
Has been handed a mission from Lysandria that will change her life forever.
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Reliquary (Greed) Leader -- The Quill
Oliver Emrys (The Quill)
Obsessively hoarded knowledge and relics from Argentum.
Cared little for the politics of Argentum that followed the tribes to Drakeskar
Respects wisdom and intellect.
The Reliquary
Values wisdom and the search for hidden truths.
The Emrys Vault is the largest depository of literature and magical relics in the known world.
It is neutral in the power struggle of Drakeskar politics.
The Reliquary’s home base is located within Sandsoul.
Argentum was a majestic city of silver and once the capital of the unified Obsidian Wail. Even those who chose to stay in the Obsidian Wail wished for their civilization to survive; they just disagreed on how to achieve the goal. The brave fools, soon known as the Sons of Cain, chose to remain in the homeland and embrace what would come. They were the vast minority, with the masses choosing to flee the Obsidian Wail.
Roughly one thousand years have passed since the fleet of seven massive ships sailed across the Violet Sea to discover Argentum. Among these behemoth vessels was The Reliquary. No boat had a more erudite crew than the Reliquary.
The vessel's exterior was straightforward, with no defining features or art to distinguish it. Its "Captain," Oliver Emrys, did not care about his ship's appearance, only its contents. Oliver was old and the chief historian of Argentum, so when he learned the plan to flee the Wail, he immediately collected every tome of value he could acquire.
Hoarding thousands of books, Oliver filled the Reliquary to the brim with knowledge. He refused to relinquish or abandon Argentum's history, and the avarice of this action caused the Reliquary to make harsh decisions. The Reliquaries crew would not only be the smallest of the fleet, but it would also be the hungriest. Oliver filled the hull with books instead of pleasantries like food or water.
Luckily, no passengers perished on the journey to Drakeskar. The Violet Sea is abundant with life, and they could fish for passable sustenance regularly. Drinkable water was a tougher nut to crack but ultimately something Oliver was able to obtain. The crew was able to design a system they could use to filter a high enough percentage of salt from the water so that it would not be fatal.
The Reliquary landed with many of its brethren ships. Reliquary's crew would be one of the four tribes that built Sandsoul. Creeping Shadows' crew was assumed dead after all contact with Cordelia and her crew ceased weeks ago. The crew of the Unbound had taken so much to sailing they decided to remain at sea. Furymaw's captain was a stalwart soul who instantly recognized the Crown's ambition.
Oliver put little value in the ambitions of a man a third of his age. What good was a crown in a Kingdom of nothing? The journey to Drakeskar made each crew into a family, each with their own beliefs and desires. Oliver decided to pull himself out of the childish grasp for power. His time was better spent focusing on preserving the knowledge of Argentum.
The Emrys Vault was constructed to contain the vast knowledge of Argentum, which many believe is lost. Oliver knew knowledge was true power, and he held that power away from the other tribes. Within the Vault, Oliver preserved everything in new texts. Taking on the title of "The Quill," Oliver mainly removed himself from the politics of the Collective.
Reliquary valued knowledge and the history of those who came before them. To be the Quill was a distinguished title one held until their deaths. When Oliver passed at the ripe age of one hundred and thirty-seven, his son took up the mantle of Quill. This tradition would continue until Oliver's ancestor, Lillian Emrys, had the misfortune of knowing Atius Lavire.
Lillian had assisted Alcmene and Atius in escaping. Many favors were called in that night to fix her mistake. Lillian believed the Collective would see Alcmene as the wonder she was, not a weapon. This mistake would cost Reliquary its neutrality status and be the catalyst that would change Drakeskar forever.
Oliver was very good at his job, and deep within the Emrys Vault are secrets that should have been destroyed. The Reliquary headquarters contains an artifact that will tip the balance of power in Drakeskar. Lillian quickly leaves and flees to the West under the protection of The Girl. The Quill carries with her the only way to access the inner vault. With an army at her heels, Lillian will need allies desperately.
Lillian Emrys (The Quill)
A prodigy to her clan, the youngest Quill ever.
Kind, intelligent, and naive she believed others would share her passion for discovering the truth behind the fall of Argentum.
She was wrong, ancient powers have protected those secrets for a millenium. An ancient mystic who has set her sights on Lillian.
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Madlings, I will always apologize because I could have gotten this one to you faster. Springbreak + Life has put me a bit behind schedule. Ultimately, this is fine as our community here is small, and I built all this as a hobby and a dream. However, I want to continue to push myself to be better and make this more than a dream but a world for everyone to enjoy. Blessed Be Madlings, as always, thank you for spending time in the Madhouse with me.
