Post by Grothier on Oct 27, 2008 22:09:56 GMT
Maybe it was the constant, and ultimately frustrating, bliss and harmony that was seen in the cities of Corona. Or maybe it was the occasional sin. Or maybe it was just the gods that were bored. The inhabitants couldn’t see the reason for the curse that fell upon them.
Mortheos Grothier was a man with a rare gift for the sword. The world knew this man long before he took over the big kingdom of Corona. After all, he had travelled the world and he made sure no one failed to notice his presence. He did not need a big army like the one he had faced. Instead he had at his side the strongest men ever known. These men were trained by none other than their master Mortheos, to be immune to pain and fearless of death. With time, the men who first felt threatened by him, were now strong and heartless warriors that were stopped by nothing to fulfill the destiny Mortheos set out for them. They had been carefully picked out during their master’s long search for talent, no mistakes were allowed and no mistakes had been made.
The man everyone now called King was a cold ambitious man, with only himself to please. There was nothing stopping him from having the Corona he always dreamt of. An injured Corona, covered in blood and suffering. It was no longer the land once respected by its previous king and its inhabitants were condemned to a life of despair and oppression.
Many grieved over the death of Richard II, not only because he was what had once meant peace and calm in Corona, but also because he had been the greatest king they ever knew. What the inhabitants did not know was that Mortheos had him imprisoned right after he took the throne. He wouldn’t be just satisfied with the man’s death, he had to suffer. This was of course kept secret from the people, because although it was an example of what would happen if defying the King, it would also give more reason for revolution and hope. And Mortheos wanted none of that.
Many new laws were implemented to make sure the population was exactly where they should be. This meant no rights, no freedom, no anything. It meant every man and woman had to work without pay. Children under the age of four were taken out of their homes to be taught the art of combat. Children proven to be worthless for this purpose were immediately killed. This made many couples choose not to have children. Inhabitants no longer were owners of their land and possessions or even their lives.
Mortheos did not believe a happy population was an efficient one. He believed people would only learn how to behave properly if they feared what would happen to them if they broke the rules. Even the smallest offence should have severe punishment.
If one spoke profanity, he was silenced. Stealing caused one to lose their hands. If one would try to run, legs were cut off. If too curious, left blind. Traitors were killed by methods depending on their offence. And so on. Never was there a punishment considered acceptable in the previous ruling.
Although the faith in the gods was injured, the inhabitants still chose to reach out for them for help. In such a harsh environment, a tendency to anything good happening was considered rare, so whenever it did, credit went to the unknown power. But as time went by, the system “perfected” itself and rare happiness became almost unachievable.
…
This all happened two years ago. The present wasn’t too far from what it was back then. This would have been completely true if what happened five months ago was but a mere theory made up by the inhabitants.
This “theory” consisted in the existence of a rebel group that hid in the many vast forests in the lands of Corona. Supposedly this group was planning on overthrowing the king and was gaining more and more support. Their whereabouts were unknown and never discovered by the powerful ones.
The Ordernaries did their best to make the population believe this was but a theory. The truth was that there was no proof of the existence of a rebel group. Many believed it, to be able to hold on to something, others because they claimed to have seen them. Others did not believe in such a group because their hope in a better future had been lost forever. The control the King and its followers had over whole Corona had become indestructible, so the possibility of a rebel group was very unlikely.
Mortheos Grothier was a man with a rare gift for the sword. The world knew this man long before he took over the big kingdom of Corona. After all, he had travelled the world and he made sure no one failed to notice his presence. He did not need a big army like the one he had faced. Instead he had at his side the strongest men ever known. These men were trained by none other than their master Mortheos, to be immune to pain and fearless of death. With time, the men who first felt threatened by him, were now strong and heartless warriors that were stopped by nothing to fulfill the destiny Mortheos set out for them. They had been carefully picked out during their master’s long search for talent, no mistakes were allowed and no mistakes had been made.
The man everyone now called King was a cold ambitious man, with only himself to please. There was nothing stopping him from having the Corona he always dreamt of. An injured Corona, covered in blood and suffering. It was no longer the land once respected by its previous king and its inhabitants were condemned to a life of despair and oppression.
Many grieved over the death of Richard II, not only because he was what had once meant peace and calm in Corona, but also because he had been the greatest king they ever knew. What the inhabitants did not know was that Mortheos had him imprisoned right after he took the throne. He wouldn’t be just satisfied with the man’s death, he had to suffer. This was of course kept secret from the people, because although it was an example of what would happen if defying the King, it would also give more reason for revolution and hope. And Mortheos wanted none of that.
Many new laws were implemented to make sure the population was exactly where they should be. This meant no rights, no freedom, no anything. It meant every man and woman had to work without pay. Children under the age of four were taken out of their homes to be taught the art of combat. Children proven to be worthless for this purpose were immediately killed. This made many couples choose not to have children. Inhabitants no longer were owners of their land and possessions or even their lives.
Mortheos did not believe a happy population was an efficient one. He believed people would only learn how to behave properly if they feared what would happen to them if they broke the rules. Even the smallest offence should have severe punishment.
If one spoke profanity, he was silenced. Stealing caused one to lose their hands. If one would try to run, legs were cut off. If too curious, left blind. Traitors were killed by methods depending on their offence. And so on. Never was there a punishment considered acceptable in the previous ruling.
Although the faith in the gods was injured, the inhabitants still chose to reach out for them for help. In such a harsh environment, a tendency to anything good happening was considered rare, so whenever it did, credit went to the unknown power. But as time went by, the system “perfected” itself and rare happiness became almost unachievable.
…
This all happened two years ago. The present wasn’t too far from what it was back then. This would have been completely true if what happened five months ago was but a mere theory made up by the inhabitants.
This “theory” consisted in the existence of a rebel group that hid in the many vast forests in the lands of Corona. Supposedly this group was planning on overthrowing the king and was gaining more and more support. Their whereabouts were unknown and never discovered by the powerful ones.
The Ordernaries did their best to make the population believe this was but a theory. The truth was that there was no proof of the existence of a rebel group. Many believed it, to be able to hold on to something, others because they claimed to have seen them. Others did not believe in such a group because their hope in a better future had been lost forever. The control the King and its followers had over whole Corona had become indestructible, so the possibility of a rebel group was very unlikely.