The Drakeskar Collective Part Two
Yello Madlings, we are a little behind, or maybe a lot behind, which is okay. I planned on building all seven members of the Collective in one week, but spring break and my minions have sucked up time, and this is okay. What is important is that we keep on moving forward.
I am exploring different avenues of storytelling in our little world of darkness. A friend has shown interest in DMing a DnD campaign in the Obsidian Wail, which is exciting and frightening. Building a DnD story out of our world is a fun experiment.
It is Thursday, and I am trying to determine if I can complete these posts in about twenty-four hours (spoiler, I didn't). I don't know if that is achievable (it wasn't), but I will try (I didn't, spring break + dnd weekend). I want to achieve this goal because this will be our last character post. The final four tribes of Drakeskar will herald us into building our mystical locations.
My writing style prioritizes characters; background design is not my strong point. I care more about a person's "why" than what they look and dress like. The whole point of this website is to grow as a writer, and next week starts the growing pains lol.
Unbound (Envy) Leader -- The Jarl
Malik Ironbreaker (The Jarl)
Leader of “The Unbound”
Fought together with Seraphina Astralwind to free his people from servitude at the hands of the Skar Majesty.
He was a simple trader in Argentum longing for adventure when they left the Obsidian Wail.
The Unbound
The Unbound were once unnamed slaves who signed away their lives to flee the Obsidian Wail.
Earned their desired freedom by rebelling against the Majesty during the journey to Drakeskar.
The Unbound became a pirate armada and the largest fleet in the Violet Sea.
Seven vessels sailed away from the Obsidian Wail, and only six landed in Drakeskar. Not everyone who left Argentum had free will in their choice. The Majesty convinced hundreds of Argentums less fortunate onto an unnamed ship to be servants. Convinced slavery was better than death in the Obsidian Wail, so many poor souls signed away their freedom.
The unnamed vessel was chained to the Majesty and its posh nobles of Argentum. The forsaken souls managed both ships' workload daily while their "betters" lived in luxury below decks. This would go on for months until the crew revolted against their masters, rallying behind a small group of friends.
Malik Ironbreaker was the first to speak up against the injustice of their slavery. It was cruel and wrong that the crew of the Majesty believed themselves better merely because of the pedigree of their name. They were promised a better life across the sea, only to be chained and enslaved. Their captain used prettier words, but the moment the Obsidian Wail faded on the horizon, the reality set in.
Accompanying Malik in his rebellion was an insane woman, Seraphina Astralwind. Seraphina would ramble endlessly about being cursed by a dreadful woman who also put her on the ship. She would swear to anyone who listened that she didn't belong there. She should have never been born, and her death would cure the wound in the Obsidian Wail. Malik watched Seraphina attempt to end her life in many ways, but luck always prevailed, like the gods blessed Seraphina.
The crew of the Majesty was not stupid. They had precautions to prevent something as silly as mutiny. Regardless, after weeks of planning, Malik and Seraphina led a rebellion against the crew of the Majesty. Nearly a hundred souls would meet their end that evening. Seraphina, she thought sadly, was not one of them.
That night, Malik learned why The Majesty was feared in the fleet. Its Captain Victor was heavily gifted by the curse Lilith unleashed, somehow neutralizing Seraphina and bringing her close to the sweet death she craved. In a final clash between Victor and Malik, the chains connecting the ships were sundered.
Freeing the ship from the Majesty was insufficient to free the crew from their masters. The Majesty chased them for days through turbulent waters to reclaim their prize or perhaps to end their existence. Malik thanked the gods these were not war vessels with a design focused on maximizing transport. It was a stalemate until Seraphina did something stupid.
Always welcoming her death, Seraphina drugged most of the crew during breakfast to cause them to pass out. The few that resisted the poison got magically locked in the galley. Seraphina and Malik steered their unnamed ship into a massive storm system to escape the Majesty. Seraphina howled, "Death or freedom," the crew slowly emerged from the hold to assist them.
Seraphina wished for death at the hands of the storm so she could once more return to the astral. Malik denied her sweet death, the closest she had come to dying thus far. When the storm faded on the horizon, there was no sign of the Majesty that chased them.
The crew named themselves the Unbound. Earning their name at sea, they chose to remain in the blissful ocean. They were the first people to free themselves from the chains of their pasts in the Obsidian Wail. With that freedom, Seraphina blissfully flung herself into the sea to the terrified screams of her comrades.
Malik, reborn Malik Ironbreaker, led the Unbound until his death nearly forty years after Seraphina found bliss in the ocean. Malik started a legacy of longing for freedom that would outlive his physical body. Collecting every poor soul that felt used or downtrodden in Sandsoul, The Unbound had grown to the largest fleet in the Violet Sea.
It took six generations for the Unbound to join the Drakeskar Collective. In those two hundred years, the Collective splintered over petty arguments, and including a "pirate armada" sparked tensions further. Because of their history, the Skar Majesty was against the Unbound ever joining the collective. The Unbound was firmly on the side of Sirensong in Drakeskar politics. Anything that pissed off The Crown was a pleasure.
Recently, things have begun to shift within the Drakeskar Collective. As Perlysia reaches adulthood, the current Crown finds a way to bring The Unbound to heel. The once hostile relationship has become one of cooperation behind a shared mission. Luna is vulnerable, and soon, The Crown will play his hand in a game of revenge decades in the making.
Furymaw (Wrath) Leader -- The Heart
The Heart
She was born Imani Kamara to the Furymaw clan.
In her youth, she fought in the Sandsoul Colosseum merely to test her strength.
Earned the title of the Heart in a trial by combat against her father & brother.
While in Sandsoul, she fell in love with a man she now hates.
Furymaw
Their headquarters is the Fury’s Crest, deep within the Scorched Expanse.
A tribe of battle-hardened warriors with an affinity for taming the beasts that share the desert.
Significant decisions are made in combat, and every member of Furymaw could be challenged for their possessions or titles at any moment.
Brutal and honest Furymaw members live by a warrior's honor. Traitors and liars were strung up alive for the night scavengers to feast on.
The Furymaw tribe embodies the pulsating core of Drakeskar. The political intrigues of Sandsoul hold no significance for Furymaw; their focus lies solely on the desert's daunting challenges. Furymaw opted to confront the seared wilderness, establishing themselves hundreds of miles from the political impasse that was Sandsoul. They aimed to forge a dwelling in the desolate desert, which they named Fury's Crest.
Aggressive and resilient, they were the smallest tribe, controlling the largest region of Drakeskar. Roaming caravans of soldiers constantly patrol the scorched wastes, keeping the tribe secure from invaders. Anyone stupid enough to impose their will upon Furymaw would be food for the scavengers. Those who committed grievous sins against the tribe were tied up on posts along the border and left to die as a warning.
In the harsh, unforgiving desert landscape that was their home, members of Furymaw were known to engage in duels that were as relentless as the environment itself, often resulting in death. The tribe's very existence was shaped by the scorched, barren terrain they had claimed as their own, a place so harsh it was fittingly named Fury's Crest. Each day was a brutal test of endurance, a constant struggle for survival against the elements and any outsiders foolish enough to encroach on their territory. This unyielding environment forged the tribe into a formidable force of hardened warriors, each as resilient as the desert, their spirits as tenacious as the sun-scorched earth beneath their feet.
Furymaw has rarely involved itself with the Drakeskar Collective in the hundreds of years since they fled Argentum. It didn't matter to the Heart what those city dwellers did. The Skar Majesty and thus the Crown was no threat to Furymaw. They would never survive the journey across the scorched wastes to reach Fury's Crest.
One beneficial relationship Furymaw did have was with the nerds at the Reliquary. The Reliquary was the collector of knowledge and secrets, and the desert that Furymaw called home was full of ancient secrets. Long ago, an ancient battle had scorched the land. Together, the two tribes benefited from the discoveries in the desert.
The Heart wanted nothing to do with Sandsoul's politics but had thrown herself into them, choosing the death of the creature Alcmene. Believing that Atius had murdered the Heart's younger brother, her rage blinded her to the danger hiding in the shadows. The Crown was making moves to isolate the Paramour from her allies. Alcmene was the trigger that broke their truce.
Atius found himself in Fury's Crest long ago, and the sins he committed then were not forgotten. In youth, Atius knew that Heart by the name of Imani, a warrior princess who stole his affection. Both were young, and Atius made stupid decisions that led to pain. The death of the Heart's brother was the second round of sins Atius committed against Furymaw, and the whole tribe saw red.
Wrath blinded Furymaw to the real threat that was spreading across Drakeskar. Under the guidance of the Crown, Furymaw began the search for Lillian Emrys. The Heart blamed the Quill for sending Atius to them and allowing the creature Alcmene to live. The Crown spun a twisted vision that this was a plot against Furymaw. He convinced the Heart that Reliquary had betrayed them all.
Across the Violet Sea, Althea and Lucian have begun a quest to bring peace between the two nations. As peace looks like a plausible reality, Drakeskar has already started to tear apart at the seams. Once unified, the Drakeskar Collective is now choosing to fight among themselves as outside influences pull strings from across the sea.
Blazing Sickle (Gluttony) Leader -- The Harvest
Caleb Grey
Caleb was born a poor nobody in Sandsoul.
Used notoriety and fame to grow power and wealth in the city. Lavish parties and his intelligent control of goods made him rich.
He respects the Paramour for giving him his start in the city. However, he became friends with the current Crown.
Found his true love, Evelyn Wren, and will never let her go.
Blazing Sickle
Blazing Sickle is one of the four major tribes that reside in Sandsoul.
By controlling food production in Drakeskar, the tribe was the richest in the nation.
Its leader, “The Harvest,” was always the wealthiest member of the clan, and the wealthiest person generally controlled the largest farms.
Sandsoul has been a sinful place from conception. If you were willing to pray on those sins, you could be a wealthy soul. The gluttonous tribe that benefited most from sin in Sandsoul was Blazing Sickle. Sirensong had its whores that provided their Paramour secrets from corrupt nobles. The Harvest had control of the city's food supplies, and everyone needed to eat.
It was the wealthiest person in Blazing Sickle that claimed the title of the Harvest. Throughout the history of Drakeskar, there have been more leaders of Sickle than any other tribe. The title could be swapped daily, and it has become meaningless. Until one man became so rich, no one could question who controlled the people's lives in Sandsoul.
Caleb Grey convinced everyone in the city that they couldn't survive without his services. For a fee, he could facilitate any freaky desire within the hearts of the citizenry. Born an orphan, Caleb built up his empire from nothing. The Paramour enjoyed his company and provided Caleb with his first real job. Using the income and secrets he learned from the Paramour, Caleb climbed the Sandsoul ladder until he sat on the Drakeskar Collective.
Lavish parties and gluttonous feasts made Caleb one of the most famous individuals in Sandsoul. Yet, no delicacy, libation, or Sirensong partner filled the void inside Caleb. The Harvest quickly learned that most of the hundreds of people who claimed to adore him were using him for his wealth and status. Caleb grew to resent these false people, growing to hate them more every year.
Caleb focused on his work, growing his empire and control in Sandsoul when he met his muse. A random encounter in the markets introduced Caleb to Evelyn Wren, an anomaly in the desert. Evelyn didn't belong to a tribe. She was a traveler from Luna, and Caleb quickly became enamored by her. Their courtship was long, and Evelyn had a positive influence on Caleb.
Their life was perfect, and Caleb had avoided his more questionable business choices. The lavish parties full of nameless faces were replaced with moonlight strolls on the docks. Everything in their lives was perfect until Evelyn suddenly became very ill. Exhausting a multitude of resources, Caleb searched desperately for a cure for his ailing wife.
For months, Caleb searched for any way to save his love from the grasp of death, and his failure drove him insane. Evelyn's death drove Caleb into a prolonged depression that cost him much of his fortune. Losing the title of Harvest meant nothing to the obsession that was once again being with his beloved.
The solution to Caleb's broken heart came from a bizarre visitor traveling from across the sea. The Crown introduced Caleb to the woman who refused to give her name, calling herself only a mystic. As the Harvest, Caleb often sided with the Crown. Their friendship didn't fade even though Caleb was no longer in the collective.
The Mystic was a skilled necromancer from the Obsidian Wail. The Crown described her as an ally to their cause, but that meant nothing to Caleb. Together, the three devised a plan to destroy the Drakeskar collective. If it meant Evelyn was returned to him, Caleb would burn down the world.
Caleb was very efficient at his work, and breaking into the Emrys Vault was simple. The Crown sought something in the vault's underground levels, but that was his dilemma. Caleb's part in the agreement was to find a way past the barriers to gain entry, but nothing more.
Surprisingly, the Mystic kept her end of the bargain and returned to Caleb the only thing he has loved in this world. One piece of the puzzle to once again be reunited with his beloved. The following piece is buried deep within the scorched wastes.
Imani has pulled her tribe into war, chasing Lillian across Drakeskar. The Mystic has tasked Caleb with retrieving something hidden within Fury's Crest. Caleb's love for Evelyn closed his eyes to the strings guiding him from across the sea. Caleb Grey, once known as The Harvest, is now a pawn in a game over a thousand years old.
Skar Majesty (Pride) Leader -- The Crown
The Crown
Has manipulated the destruction of the Drakeskar collective in a handful of years.
Wishes to control Drakeskar as its KING!
Has experience and forbidden knowledge of all three Kingdoms that live bordering the Violet Sea.
His ambition to rule does not end in Drakeskar.
The Skar Majesty
Was a crew of nobles and lords who sailed away from Argentum.
Believed they should rule merely because of their pedigree and status in Argentum.
Only the current Crown would make serious plays to control the nation.
Controls much of Drakeskar's politics.
Long ago, in a forest far, far away, there was a girl. That girl was named Lilith, and she fucked up the world. Lilith destroyed Argentum's civilization with a naive attitude. A pathetic goddess that goes into hiding every time anything goes wrong. This legacy of failure now falls upon Perlysia's shoulders, and the greatest threat to her success is a man known now as the Crown.
The Crown swept over Drakeskar like a plague forming alliances and crippling his enemies as they presented themselves. Refusing to give his name, the man challenged both The Crown and Imani's father, the former heart, to combat in the Colosseum. The former Crown was confident in his success, and two against one in an arena under his control were excellent odds.
Darius Grimfang was unprepared for the man's brutality that challenged him for the title. Dozens witnessed the spectacle of blood; none but the Crown left the Colosseum that evening. Bathed in the blood of dozens of gladiators, the trap set by Darius, the new Crown stood triumphant with his new ally draped in black beside him.
The nameless man taking a trick from the Paramour would cover his face in a mask magically sealed to his face. The Crown had a checkered past that had led him home to Drakeskar, a past he wished to forget. As a youth, he grew up in the very tribe over which he just suffocated control. In adolescence, he was transported across the sea as a beautiful accessory to possess. As an adult, The Crown fought against the evils in the Obsidian Wail to earn the respect he longed for. Now, returning to his place of birth, he will DEMAND the respect he has EARNED!
He claimed that the lives of Darius, Jalani, and all of their servants had given him control over his ancestral home. Sudden shifts in power were standard in Skar Majesty; the ambition of the prideful often led to someone challenging to lead the tribe. This satiated the Crown for a while, but the nagging in his skull and the disrespect given to him from across the sea darkened his thoughts.
The Paramour saw The Crown for the bloodthirsty monster he had become, and they instantly became rivals in the Skar Collective. His ally had warned him never to underestimate the Paramour. He was indeed powerful, but the Paramour was feared by even his lifelong ally. He would have to outmaneuver her if he couldn't overpower the Paramour.
Lucky for the Crown, the Drakeskar Collective was already falling apart. Hundreds of years of resentment had formed between the tribes, and nearly every tribe was now hyper-focused on its desires, which were easily manipulated. First, the fool boy who thought The Crown his friend, was handed the key to becoming the Dagger, crippling Drakeskar’s espionage capabilities. That old fool of a dagger was close to discovering who The Crown was, but it was too early for that to happen.
Next, The Crown focused on the Unbound, who had long bought their freedom in blood and would never be controlled. However, it was well known that Bjorn Ironbreaker, the current Jarl of the Unbound, had one weakness. The Crown took that weakness and locked her in a cage. This was a mistake, not because the plan to control Bjorn failed. It was a mistake because Sigrid's mother, Eldra Seaheart, will never tolerate this disrespect.
Three tribes under his control gave The Crown enough power to make more significant plays, like befriending Caleb Grey. The Crown had nothing to do with Evelyn's illness. He was fond of Evelyn Wren, and she was unironically kind. However, when the opportunity to manipulate Caleb presented itself, The Crown wouldn't hesitate. His mystic ally would provide for Caleb's voracious desire for love. Four tribes now belong to the Crown.
Like the Paramour, Imani Kamara would never kneel before the Crown or support a Drakeskar King. Nor would Lillian Emrys, who cherished wisdom and peace among all people. They would need to be removed from the equation if he couldn't control them directly. It stung the Crown's pride that he would again have to lean on the Mystic to solve the problem.
The Crown followed the instructions, burying the obsidian box in the desert. Sabotaging the mechanisms he didn't understand as ordered, he couldn't have imagined Alcmene rested inside. The Mystic's confirmation of Lillian's theories frightened the Crown. It presented him with another opportunity, and politics split Lillian and Imani. As Imani chased Lillian across the scorched wastes, two more tribes were destined to destroy each other.
Lilith's legacy corrupts every corner of the Violet Sea one thousand years after she cursed the land. Emeric Solis and the Twilight Orthodoxy wish to put the spoiled Perlysia Luna on the throne as his puppet Queen. Adriana Nyxaris, seeking dominion over The Obsidian Wail, searches desperately for the Sacred Glade to claim her birthright. While in Drakeskar, the Paramour stands alone against a man whose ambition would destroy their nation.
Deep within the Undercroft, alone in her tower of obsidian metal, the hidden threat pulls the strings of these mortal fools. She has watched patiently for the moment that rapidly approaches. One thousand years ago, Lilith stole what was hers to claim.
"Do you remember your promise?" Melantha whispered as skeletal servants lifted her from bed to a sitting position. "Beloved, you can't hide forever!"
Welcome, Madlings, to the end of our journey through the lives of important characters in our world. If I did my job right, you would know all the major players in our land of madness by now. Our adventure has three critical points in time.
First, Lilith's upbringing in Argentum and her eventual failure kick start the end of the world. Second, Lilith's life in Drakeskar and how her influence on Luminara drove her to create the iceberg nation of Luna and its twin moons. Finally, hundreds of years later, Perlysia Luna will be the catalyst for bringing Lilith's sins together. I don't know where I want to start in this timeline, but I can have adventures in this world for years, and I intend to.
Now, we start building the visuals of our world of darkness. I want you to be able to live and breathe my world. Next time, we will return to Luna, from the majestic wood and crystal inlaid architecture of the Amethyst docks to the vibrant iridescent colors of Rainbow Town. Ever wonder how Luna was graced with magical aptitude?
There is still much to explore, and we are slowly assembling it. Thank you, Madlings, for stopping by my little corner of nowhere. Blessed Be!
