Karik walked into the courtroom. It was opulent, decorated with pillars and ornaments. Today was the becoming of the new queen. Rows of seats lined the floors, with a second layer on top of those. A line of carpeted stairs led up to the seats while nobles walked up to them. Karik looked at the usher, "Where might I be sitting today," He asked, "Second row, top layer, 4th seat to the right," he said.

He walked up the stairs alongside the crowd and went to his seat. All of the nobles were wearing colorful clothing. The noblemen were wearing lavish capes and cloaks embezzled with jewels. While the ladies were wearing vibrant dresses of all colors. When Karik sat down he could see the whole room. A massive chamber the size of a ballroom that was circular in shape and centered around the podium in which the new queen would have her becoming.

Karik could also smell a hint of what seemed to be lavender. Lavender was almost exclusively worn by those of House Kanfut. Looking to his side, he saw Rupred Kanfut. "Rupred, it is nice to see you," Karik said, "Yes, as to you," he said. "I did not realize you were coming, I thought your heir would be seen," Karik explained. "Yes, however, Ruik was sick today and I would not want him spreading the disease." Rupred said, "While we wait, may as well catch up. How have you been?" Karik noticed something in Rupred's tone of voice, a subtle hint of secrecy as though he was hiding something, but he ignored it and carried on, "I have been good, I also have some information for you." Karik said with a tone of intrigue. "Go on," said Rupred. "I have knowledge that the new empress is a Kandwe and that she has paid her royal guard a hefty sum. Do you see what that spells out?" Karik asked, "Danger," finished Rupred. "If the royal guard were to do the same as she did, then they would be paid," Karik said, "and if they are paid every time a new lord comes along," Rupred continued, "then the position of emperor just became a whole lot more dangerous," Karik finished.

Karik could see that this information shocked the lord, "I suggest that we ally, before the coming storm," Karik said, "Agreed, I will have Shuki schedule a meeting. Does ten hours after dawn sound good?" Rupred asked. "Yes," Karik said. "Shuki," Rupred called out, "Yes, master?" Shuki asked, "Schedule a meeting with house Zhala in Kanfut Tower at ten hours after dawn tomorrow," Rupred answered. "Yes master," Shuki said.

The ceremony started as they finished up, music flared triumphantly as the new empress walked out into the center podium. She had a priest on one side, four royal guards surrounding her, and two peasants on either side that kept her cape from the ground. Finally stopping, the empress said, "I thank you all for being here at my becoming. I hope that the kingdom lives in prosperity and fortune." The crowd cheered and clapped, afterward silencing down. The priest stood in front of the altar facing away from the crowd, while the empress stood towards the audience. She would have to take the three oaths.

"Alezna Kantwe, will you do everything in your power to serve and protect this kingdom?" The priest asked, "I will," the empress said back. "Will you use your power to further the goals of the state and not your own?" The priest said, "I will," the empress said again. "Lastly, will you spread the religion and influence of Salktum across the Two Continents?" The priest said, "I will," the empress said one last time. "Then I proclaim you Lord Empress Alezna, First Named, True Ruler of the Two Continents, Purity In All Forms, Master of Seven Magics, and Fifth Kandwe of Khuykir." The priest announced. The entire room arose into an uproar of cheering and applause.

The empress walked out of the room along a red carpet through the door she came from. The uproar quieted down and every person in the chamber got up and out of their seats. Walking down the stairs and through the door, daylight blinded Karik as his eyes readjusted to the sunny day. Thirty palanquins carried by multiple slaves each sat adjacently to the path out of the building. His palanquin, decorated in green and red --his house colors-- lay towards the exit of the ballroom with four Kalmgy servants. The Kalmgy were a short and stout people with small legs and feet, big eyes, as well as mushroom-capped heads. These four had orange, purple, and yellow caps. The Kalmgy also had true white skin. They were essentially mushroom people. Karik stepped up the stairs of the palanquin and rode off.

Going down the path, he was one of the first in the line of palanquins. Karik could see the entire city from where he was on this mountain, an extravagant city covered in buildings with fifty opulent towers each half the size of the mountains. All of it was surrounded by a valley that protected the city. This valley had protected the city for a century and would continue for much longer afterward. Karik could smell many things. These stenches came from the market, cinnamon, saffron, and garlic; the spices of Karik's home province. Karik always had a knack for different smells. It was one of the magics he used, to heighten his senses. 

This world was full of these magics. A man had gone around the world once, to document them all. However, he only found ninety-two of them, out of thousands more. This was thousands of years before and magic had become ever more prevalent since then. The magic of this world ranged from simply enhancing the senses, to even reviving the dead. To master the magics of this world was to become ever more powerful in the political landscape. The empress had only seven magics, the lower end of the different ruler's magics. Most rulers had over a dozen. This new empress was strange on that front. However, given the upcoming storm, she would soon not be strange as she was now.

Karik looked to his other side and could see between the gaps of the mountains. Desolate fields around the city, wartorn grasslands with patches of short grass. They told of a dark past in ages long ago. Wars fought, bodies lost in battle, and structures alight. The dead seemed to come alive when among them. Karik had visited the place once, but he no longer thought about it. Even the idea that he walked among them on a bet gave him chills.

Each of the towers in the city was owned by a different house. The tower that stood tallest of them all was the Lords' Tower. It was at the center of the city and was the flashiest. It was covered in the Salktum banners, a blue lion and a red wolf fighting off purple swords on either side with a yellow background. The Zhala Tower, Karik's tower, was made of red brick and green stained glass and stood as one of the taller towers. It carried banners of a green elephant on a red backdrop, with the house motto spread nicely along the banner, "Stampede Through Discord and Keep Your Tusks Abow." Most of the other towers were similar. With the color of the bricks and glass being stained as the colors of the different houses and the banners flown all along each structure.

Karik took out his spyglass to view the fields with a closer look, nothing for miles. With the spyglass, he could see the tops of mountains on the horizon. They blocked Karik's view of his home region, the Capital East. Each region was seen as a modification of the Grand Capital Valley as it was known. Within each one there were provinces, and each province was controlled by a noble family.

Karik took out a small book he carried with him at all times, and glanced at the title, "Salkin Lore, History, and Myths, by Shakel Jygari" it read. He opened the book to a dog eared page, and read the passage.

In the lore of Salktum, there were archetypes for rulers. A noble leader was a Jairyzhu, they would lead the kingdom to glory and greatness. A calm leader was a Marazu, they would keep the kingdom in said glory, and build the infrastructure to bring it even more. Lastly, a chaotic leader was a Kandwe. Their reign would have the highest highs and the lowest lows. They would start wars on a whim, and end wars started by other Kandwes. These archetypes are determined by a private test of faith that happens before the lord's becoming.

This new empress was a Kandwe. The storm was coming, Karik and Rupred knew so.

They finally reached the banquet hall, having gone a fair distance in a short time. Four Kalmgy servants were able to go fast. The building appeared to be as large as the Becoming Chamber but rectangular. Karik walked through the door and into the banquet hall. He was almost right, the room was slightly smaller. However, it seemed to hold even more guests. The walls had large windows and pillars; with it all leading up to a high ceiling. The room contained twelve long tables stretching across the entire room. All of which were aligned in a row. A chandelier hang above half of the tables. At one end of the room, there was the hallway leading out of the building. At the other end were the four thrones. It reminded him of a passage he read inside of his small book.

Salkin lore suggested that the Lord of Salktum shall bear only a daughter and a son. The son would be the captain of his Lord's royal guard. While the daughter would be an extra heir to that position, only becoming the next captain if the son is unavailable. However, a weird quirk in said lore states that the Lord of Salktum chooses an heir to his throne that is unrelated to himself.

Karik walked up to another usher who wore an identical uniform to the one at the Empress' becoming. "Where will I be sitting?" Karik asked, "You may sit anywhere. The banquet is a social event and should be treated as such," the usher said. Karik sat down next to Zakra Valazim, a noblewoman from his home region. The food had not been brought in yet, so they had time to talk. "Zakra, it is nice to see you again," Karik said, "Yeah, I agree," Zakra said. "I have knowledge on a plot," Zakra said. She wanted to talk to him, so she sat in a place that Karik would have easily seen. "A plan to assassinate you and I has been made. I have spies in House Jakliai. They plan this for the later year. I suggest a counter-plot," Zakra explained.

By this point, the food had been brought out, and everyone had begun eating. In front of them was a plate of roast chicken, with a side of bread rolls. Karik started eating while Zakra continued talking, " We would need a reason to lure them into a trap, say, a feast?" Zakra said, "That sounds good," Karik said. "We shall plan it for the mid-year, to throw Zhrulaz into chaos," Zakra said, "We should set a puppet in her place," Karik said. "That is a good idea," Zakra agreed. "I will have whisper masters replace the spies that House Jakliai has placed on us. They will tell them that you and I are throwing a feast and that House Jakliai will be invited," Zakra explained. "What will I do?" Karik asked. "You will need to secure the funds," Zakra said.

The feast was extravagant. The first course had been of poultry and bread. The poultry was juicy and seasoned, the bread perfectly made. The second was of crab and wine. The crab had been buttered and salted perfectly, while the wine was sweet. The third was of various pastries. The cake was strawberry in flavor the pie was apple and the Kuiki was berry blue. Kuiki was a flat pastry often stuffed with berry blue.

The entirety of the guests had drunk heavily. Men were dancing on tables, and women were drunkenly singing. Karik also joined in on the song and dance. They sang a song known by most, used to keep up the soldiers' morale. The song was jolly and sung sloppily.

"Far to the west,
And far to the east,
Deep in the center capital,
Sits the king on his high, high, throne!

Yet we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down,

Yes we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down!"

The whole hall joined in the song, singing another verse.

"Far to the west,
And far to the east,
Deep in the center capital,
Sits the king on his high, high, throne!

Yet we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down,

Yes we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down!"

Even the empress and some of the servants joined in on the singing, doing a final verse.

"Far to the west,
And far to the east,
Deep in the center capital,
Sits the king on his high, high, throne!

Yet we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down,

Yes we are the best!
Out here on the battlefield,
Right in the middle where it all goes down!"

With that, Karik passed out on the hardwood floor.