Sharing a short excerpt from today’s worldbuilding exercise: I’m writing a concise history of Atualon.

The Wyvern’s Rebellion

Solarus ap Serpentus ne Atu, during a visit to the capital city of Khanbul, abducts the young Imperial Princess Zhaolin and installs her as his Consort. Emperor Pu Yet Sin seds his fifteen-year-old son Ghanzhi as an Imperial envoy to Atualon to secure her release or, failing that, demand an Imperial dowry and instatement of Zhaolin as Sa Atu. Ghangi, against his father’s explicit orders, demands his sister’s immediate and unconditional return, but Serpentus laughs in his face and tosses the Imperial Prince into the dungeons of Atukos.

When the Emperor learns of his son’s disobedience he disowns the boy and refuse to pursue the matter further. Imperial Prince Tiachu is named Heir and immediately challenges his father to mortal combat, which he wins. Emperor Tiachu then raises an army and sends it west to Atualon.

The Matreons of Atualon, fearing war, demand that the Imperial Prince and Princess be returned immediately to Sindan, and reparations paid as well.  But Solarus has already defiled the girl and it is reported that the boy prince has taken wetlung and is not expected to live.  The Matreons are divided in their responses to this outrage; some demand that Solarus be stricken from the line of succession, others that he be allowed to succeed his father but required to install the girl as Issa Atu and pay reparations to the new Emperor.  When Serpentus refuses to negotiate with the Matreons, the Matreons return to their Houses and take up the matter with their Patreons.

Several of the Houses issue a Denuntiatio, or formal intent to remove House Serpentus from the throne.  Serpentus declares all titles and lands belonging to the families whose Patreons have signed the Denuntiatio forfeit.  Houses Ursos, Equos, Corvos, and Wyvernos raise the standard of rebellion.

And that’s all I’m going to tell you, for now.

Jai tu wai!

Debi