Written By Niklas
April 25, 2021, 2:33 p.m.(5/11/1015 AR)
I had the great good fortune to meet Prince Patrizio Pravus in the Salon this morning. The end of a long day for me, the beginning of one for him, I presume. I felt a resonance there and though we spoke only briefly, a new note sings to me on the horizon. Something -- not the war -- is coming. Something beyond the. I pray for those facing the battles to come as I retreat to fight in my own manner, a Knight of the Plume.
Gods be with us all.
Gods be with us all.
Written By Niklas
Dec. 13, 2020, 6:26 p.m.(7/23/1014 AR)
Relationship Note on Jaenelle
To save time from now on I will refer to Princess Jaenelle Velenosa as Jaenelenosa. If anyone has any other ideas to make life more efficient please let me know. Note that we should avoid portmanteaus that just make things confusing. Prince Mayson doesn't work. Princess Caithtrax saves time in writing, but not speech.
Written By Niklas
Dec. 9, 2020, 2:43 a.m.(7/13/1014 AR)
Relationship Note on Sabella
Always and forever.
Written By Niklas
Nov. 14, 2020, 11:26 a.m.(5/19/1014 AR)
Relationship Note on Zyanya
I don't believe I called you a name.
However, your false appeal to pity flies in the face of your decision to use a time of great mourning in the Compact to sell people on moving across the sea to your home. You've chosen to exploit fear and pain in service of your Emperor.
A well-trained dog let loose from the leash can also be trusted to hunt in service of their master.
I'm not calling you a dog, Mistress Zyanya. I'm just saying that when you wear shackles so readily they don't even need to exist to bind you.
You talk of ages of peace in the Empire, and I do not doubt it. It's easy for there to be peace when everyone lives under writ. But perhaps the things I've read are wrong. Did Weijin choose to join the Empire? Was that a peaceful transition? Did no one ever chafe under the yoke of an empire and push to return Weijin to being a sovereign nation? If so were they listened to and reasoned with? How often does the Emperor take audiences with people from his provinces who have complaints about the way the nation is being run?
And Mistress Perronne, if you have been working as a merchant in the Compact for more than a half-dozen years then you too have enjoyed the fruits of misery and servitude. You do not need to hold the whip or own the debt to benefit from the lower cost of spirits crafted by hands that did not own themselves or textiles spun by slaves who could not do otherwise. The blood on your hands may not be so dark nor as fresh as on mine or on Duke Valdemar's, but it's surely there enough to make one dubious when seeing your response to someone who was made welcome in the Compact and who now uses that welcome to try and convince people to leave it.
However, your false appeal to pity flies in the face of your decision to use a time of great mourning in the Compact to sell people on moving across the sea to your home. You've chosen to exploit fear and pain in service of your Emperor.
A well-trained dog let loose from the leash can also be trusted to hunt in service of their master.
I'm not calling you a dog, Mistress Zyanya. I'm just saying that when you wear shackles so readily they don't even need to exist to bind you.
You talk of ages of peace in the Empire, and I do not doubt it. It's easy for there to be peace when everyone lives under writ. But perhaps the things I've read are wrong. Did Weijin choose to join the Empire? Was that a peaceful transition? Did no one ever chafe under the yoke of an empire and push to return Weijin to being a sovereign nation? If so were they listened to and reasoned with? How often does the Emperor take audiences with people from his provinces who have complaints about the way the nation is being run?
And Mistress Perronne, if you have been working as a merchant in the Compact for more than a half-dozen years then you too have enjoyed the fruits of misery and servitude. You do not need to hold the whip or own the debt to benefit from the lower cost of spirits crafted by hands that did not own themselves or textiles spun by slaves who could not do otherwise. The blood on your hands may not be so dark nor as fresh as on mine or on Duke Valdemar's, but it's surely there enough to make one dubious when seeing your response to someone who was made welcome in the Compact and who now uses that welcome to try and convince people to leave it.
Written By Niklas
Nov. 13, 2020, 11:02 a.m.(5/17/1014 AR)
Relationship Note on Zyanya
A well-trained dog can be let loose from the leash and still be trusted to come when its master calls.
Written By Niklas
Oct. 4, 2020, 7:30 p.m.(2/22/1014 AR)
We are getting close to the Bloodmoon! With so many masquerades this year I have to decide if I want to wear the same mask to each so as to cultivate a mystique for the character or wear a new mask every night so as to avoid predictability. Or possibly commission a dozen masks and then change throughout the night!
Written By Niklas
Sept. 20, 2020, 8:18 p.m.(1/22/1014 AR)
Veils aren't hats, they're necklaces that are being worn too high.
Written By Niklas
Aug. 16, 2020, 5:13 p.m.(11/8/1013 AR)
Relationship Note on Porter
I never would have expected it, but I'm proud nevertheless. Now that I'm related to a godsworn I have someone to go to for every stupid question I have!
Written By Niklas
Aug. 14, 2020, 10:47 p.m.(11/4/1013 AR)
Relationship Note on Tikva
I wondered where Sheldon had got to!
Written By Niklas
Aug. 8, 2020, 7:48 a.m.(10/19/1013 AR)
Relationship Note on Tyrus
I recently had cause to say "death to slavers". A phrase I still stand by. Tho it did not fail to occur to me that I was once a slaver. As were you.
So obviously things can change. We see it in the movement in the Isles and we see it in our new friends from Eurus. Still, I do think there is probably a cut off point where someone has to say, okay, things are changing for the better and that's great but the slaves probably deserve a little decisive action right now.
Of course maybe it's metaphorical. A stop to the concept of slavery and a metaphorical death to those who own the chains.
But really, if someone wants to pull Duke Ivan's skeleton out through his face, I'm not going to be too concerned about the ethical ramifications.
So obviously things can change. We see it in the movement in the Isles and we see it in our new friends from Eurus. Still, I do think there is probably a cut off point where someone has to say, okay, things are changing for the better and that's great but the slaves probably deserve a little decisive action right now.
Of course maybe it's metaphorical. A stop to the concept of slavery and a metaphorical death to those who own the chains.
But really, if someone wants to pull Duke Ivan's skeleton out through his face, I'm not going to be too concerned about the ethical ramifications.
Written By Niklas
July 28, 2020, 1:36 a.m.(9/25/1013 AR)
Relationship Note on Piccola
As the great Giovinazzo Pravus once wrote, politics is the continuation of war by other means.
Written By Niklas
July 26, 2020, 8:59 p.m.(9/22/1013 AR)
A genuine and profound thank you to everyone who made a dream of nearly a decade come true this past year, culminating with this evening. My cousin (and protege) Lord Rorik did a wonderful turn as Lord Chevron. I take tremendous pride in seeing Mistress Nina Autumndale take the stage as Lady Chrysanthis. Lord Dariel is certainly one to watch, as he truly lived the wicked role of Lord Phoebus. Sabella went far outside of her comfort zone and made audiences everywhere hate her and love it as the Eastern Princess. And, of course, the singer of freedom herself, Princess Sorrel Thrax, bringing Tala Everfree herself to life. To say nothing of my good friend, the Nightingale Gianna Delvecchio, as the Chorus, bringing audiences to their knees or raising them out of their seats with merely the opening notes of any song. Further thanks to our hosts in the Mourning Isles: Princess Caith Thrax in Maelstrom, Countess Carita Darkwater in Darkwater Watcher, Duke-Regent Aethan Kennex, my own cousin, in Stormward, Lord Dycard Blackshore in New Hope, Baroness Ember Redreef in Redreef Shores, Duchess Margot Tyde in Tydehall, Lady Ingrid Grimhall at Grihem's Point and Lord Cyril Melaeris at Astarrea. Unfortunately we did miss Escuma. Perhaps next time! Thanks also to the leadership of the Liberators, Father Aureth Grayhope and First Liberator Aleksei Morgan. And most of all, thank you to Prince Victus Thrax, without whom this dream would not have been realized. When I first proposed the play it was deemed too controversial in the Isles that were. Now I hope it can be seen as a part of the story of the change in Islander traditions.
Further thanks to the audience. We (with the help of a certain benefactor, for whom I do wonder if we can thank for keeping the show afloat during a difficult part of our run in the middle) raised over two million silver thanks to the auction after the show. Lady Thea, Lady Zoey, Princess Sorrel (who apparently decided she could not give up her own outfit from the show), Princess Liara and a mysterious benefactor.
Death to slavers.
Fuck Duke Ivan Helianthus.
Further thanks to the audience. We (with the help of a certain benefactor, for whom I do wonder if we can thank for keeping the show afloat during a difficult part of our run in the middle) raised over two million silver thanks to the auction after the show. Lady Thea, Lady Zoey, Princess Sorrel (who apparently decided she could not give up her own outfit from the show), Princess Liara and a mysterious benefactor.
Death to slavers.
Fuck Duke Ivan Helianthus.
Written By Niklas
June 10, 2020, 5:31 p.m.(6/14/1013 AR)
Queen Triscali's hat is without a doubt the second finest hat I've ever seen.
Written By Niklas
June 7, 2020, 9:31 p.m.(6/8/1013 AR)
I am very proud to be working with Baron Norwood on his project to equip his armies with fashionable and practical Crownlander ironwool. Soon Duskshire will have the most fabulous army in the Compact, if not all the world!
Written By Niklas
May 31, 2020, 5:13 p.m.(5/22/1013 AR)
Congratulations to Nightingale Gianna on a truly astounding five years with the Bard's College. I could not be more proud of the things she has accomplished.
Written By Niklas
May 26, 2020, 8:50 p.m.(5/12/1013 AR)
There is considerable drama and even humor to be had in a tale of love and affairs. I myself have written a play containing such. The humorous aspect melts away, however, when an oath is involved. Make no mistake, to joke, or to casually make insults, about the extramarital activities of someone who has taken an oath of fidelity is to call them an oathbreaker. There is no temperament so genial or jolly as to take such a suggestion lightly.
Written By Niklas
May 23, 2020, 9:41 a.m.(5/5/1013 AR)
I always find it odd when a noble boasts that they're a pirate.
It's so distasteful.
The point of being a noble is that you don't have to have a _job_.
It's so distasteful.
The point of being a noble is that you don't have to have a _job_.
Written By Niklas
May 14, 2020, 8:31 p.m.(4/16/1013 AR)
What's a Byrne?
Written By Niklas
April 26, 2020, 5:24 p.m.(3/8/1013 AR)
Dauntless, my opera about the last stand of Sir Erec Redhill, is certain to be my greatest achievement yet.
Which is why I'm sad to say that it's being delayed so I can work on a separate project. However, I have faith that this new play will be of tremendous value to a great number of people.
To new endeavors!
Which is why I'm sad to say that it's being delayed so I can work on a separate project. However, I have faith that this new play will be of tremendous value to a great number of people.
To new endeavors!
Written By Niklas
April 22, 2020, 10:53 a.m.(2/27/1013 AR)
Relationship Note on Gianna
I find it funny, if not necessarily amusing, that a house which has been declared 'great', and whose members frequently position themselves as too busy saving the world to engage in petty squabbles, dedicates so much work, time and money week after week to attacking a commoner who has dedicated her life to beautifying the Compact and spreading a tradition of story and song throughout Arvum.
I find it funny, and definitely amusing, that despite having a great house pour down their calumnies on her she still comes through unburnt, with other great houses speaking their approval of what she does, along with some of the finest institutions in the Compact. If anything, she's more beloved than she was before.
Who knew Nightingales were fireproof? Gianna, the Tempered Whisper.
I find it funny, and definitely amusing, that despite having a great house pour down their calumnies on her she still comes through unburnt, with other great houses speaking their approval of what she does, along with some of the finest institutions in the Compact. If anything, she's more beloved than she was before.
Who knew Nightingales were fireproof? Gianna, the Tempered Whisper.
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