LORE - The Crystal Queens

The Crystal Queens
 
To the East of the main city of Verdant lies the Queens Tomb. The final resting place of an unbroken line of queens, their bones and mummified bodies remain. Each queen is given her own niche in which to lie. Bedecked in the raiment of their office, the accomplishments carved neatly into the rock, they are tended to by the Bearers in a manner which befits their station in life. Notable generals and other hero's of Verdant's legends are also kept here as a reward for their deeds, offered a place beside the royal household. However, even among these resplendent dead, four stand out. Known as the Crystal Queens, their bodies reside in different areas of the tomb, each one covered in a thick blanket of crystal that has clung to their bones. There they lie, glittering in the torchlight, their bodies casting prisms of color through the cavern. Their names, cracked and faded from the etchings, are no longer known, yet stories abound as to how they could be so blessed as to have their bodies shrouded by such beauty. Some think one maybe be Tiamati herself, as she is said to have lived in human form for a time during the founding of Verdant. But as to the other three, tales are told to young girls as they near their trials in hopes of inspiring them to be like the Crystal Queens were. Passed down through the generations, these are their stories.   
 
The Famine Queen   
 
In a small niche close to the back of the catacombs lies a skeleton bedecked in crystals which give off a distinct green coloration. Upon close inspection, it is smaller than the others and very very old. Thought to date back near the founding of Verdant, it attracts a great deal of attention. Every so often, an oddly large mantis has been noticed by the Bearers, sitting there next to the body as if paying a visit to it. It is not bothered by any other visitors and seems annoyed if someone tries to shoo it off. Her story stands as a reminder of the dedication expected from a Queen to her people.   
 
In the years after Verdant was founded, many of its people still struggled to scratch a living from the rocks. They were forages and hunters, taking what they could to survive in this desert land. The years were hard toil for little pay, and many went hungry. When a blight struck the land, destroying crops and making herds vanish overnight, they had no stores upon which to sustain themselves. The fledgling nation was in danger of being brushed away. The people feared hunger, and they went to their queen, begging her to do something before it was too late.    
 
The Queen consulted with her councilors, known for their shrewdness and practicality, and asked what they thought ought to be done. The councilors told her to hoard the food in granaries to ensure that she and then they would have a full table to see them through. She raged at them, stunned by their callous selfishness, and cast them from her sight! Then she called to the priestesses, who were known for their kindness and generosity, and asked them what she ought to do. The priestesses told her to fall to her knees and weep to Tiamati, who surely would open her arms and aid them in some manner. The Queen dismissed them as well, for the goddess would do nothing for them that they were capable of doing for themselves.   
 
It was then that a witch came to the palace, demanding food and wine. While she frightened people, it was said that women of her skill were known to bring good fortune to those who were kind to them. The Queen demanded she be brought in and given hospitality. After she had eaten her fill, the witch sat back and smoked from her pipe, telling the queen that she knew of her troubles, and indeed that was why she had come. "This land has not always been ours, nor was it always the orcs before us. But they knew how to treat with those who claim this place. We have been negligent, and the monster who calls these sands it's own is angry with us. It has sent a blight to this land, driving the animals away and making the fruit rot on the branch.”

The Queen had heard rumors of strange entities which prowled the wild areas of the world. Even had she not, she would not have doubted the witch's words. “What must be done to atone for our transgressions?” she asked, pouring the woman another cup of wine.
 
The witch pointed to her. “Only you can atone. You are the Queen, and you speak for all of us when you open your mouth. Go to the place where the grass grows thick as pudding and bring with you a white goat to sacrifice. Call to the beast that lies there and see if it will speak with you. Do what it asks, and perhaps it will find mercy in its heart." The Queen thanked the witch and had fine clothing and gold brought to her as payment. But the witch refused. "I'll have payment enough in a warm belly if this works. If it does not, no amount of silken cloth or gold coin will save us." And with those dire words, she took her leave.   
 
The Queen headed off immediately. Dressed in her finest and baring a pure white goat with great curved horns, she went alone to the place where the grassland shuffled into the desert. She found where the grass grew the thickest and took a knife, slicing through the goat's neck and letting the rich blood pour onto the ground. The Queen then called out. "Great creature who dwells here! I, the Queen of Verdant, plead with you to be merciful! We did not know we had trespassed upon your land! We would make restitution if it would be amiable to you!"  
 
For a moment nothing happened. The Queen began to feel like a fool covered in blood, yelling in the middle of nowhere. Just as she began to turn away, the winds picked up, and a twister of sand and grass shot up into the skies, holding her on the mound! From amid the storm came a creature, strange and unnatural in nature. A human face was set upon the body of a praying mantis, its wings stretched out as if controlling the storm. It looked are her through eyes like pearls, white and empty, and leaned in close to speak with her. "This place is not for you. For decades you have squatted on it, building your stone towers and killing as you wish. Not once have you come to me and asked that I keep this land one of plenty. You should leave, and seek your civilization elsewhere." It instructed.    
 
If the Queen was frightened, she did not show it. She stood there proudly, unwilling to let herself be beaten so easily. "We were ill-informed. Now that we know of you, promises can be made, bargains can be kept. There is no need for us to leave if we can only be offered the opportunity to prove we can be accommodating."    
 
The great mantis listened to her and considered her words for a time. Then it closed its iridescent wings, and the sandstorm began to quiet itself. "For the next year, there will be many deaths. Hunger will strike at the heart of your nation. This is in reparation for your ignorance and selfishness. Yet it is not without the hope of better things to come. You, Queen, must go without in order to sustain your subjects. You must prove that these people are worth the effort." It came close to her, it's grabbers touching her shoulders. "And you must do as I say. When the bodies fall, the flesh has value. Bring the dead here and bury them in the earth. Let them nourish the land so that it may nourish them in return. If in one years time I find you have obeyed my words, I will consider bargaining with you." In a fluttering of wings and sand, it was gone, and the Queen stood alone on the mound.   
 
The Queen set herself to her task. She took her stewards and her guard, and all food in Verdant was gathered to be accounted for and stored. She emptied her own larders and kitchen, and for one turn of the seasons, she fed her nation first, and herself last. Week by week, season by season, the Queen ate little so that that others could be fed at all. Some died, as was only in the nature of things, and she instructed their bodies to be interred in the manner the creature had described. Beneath the sands, they would lie, feeding the earth as they rotted. At the end of the year, the Queen returned to the mound, her limbs frail and her body weakened. Yet she went, taking another goat with her to entreat the great beast to speak.   
 
“We have kept our word, great one. We will bury our dead in the fields from this day forward. We will remember to keep the land well and not take for granted what you give willingly.” She managed, her lips dry and hunger in her belly. “Will you bargain with us? Will you permit us to remain?”
 
Once more the sands whipped about her, and once more the strange face appeared. Only now it looked more pleased by far, it's wings fluttering gently. “You have done well, Queen. I am impressed beyond my expectations.” The creature bent low to her, and presented berries and fruits, fat with juices, for her to eat. The Queen fell on them, the sweetness running down her arms as she feasted for the first time in months. “From now on you will come to me once a year, and we will speak on the keeping of this land.  Keep it well, and I will ensure it is replenished. Keep it poorly, and I can take it away all too easily.”

The Queen regained her composure, satisfied that things had been well handled. For many years she came to the mound, always with a goat in tow, and Verdant began to flourish. The once sparse grasslands renewed themselves till the soil beneath them became black and rich. Animals returned to the area, and the hunting was good. The Queen kept her word, and stewards were put in charge so that no person in her nation would ever go without food in their bellies. The nation began to prosper, and grow. The world was good, and the people found faith in their Queen through her willingness to give from herself.
 
The Broken Queens

Lying together, arms entwined in an eternal embrace, the Broken Queens are known as such for the way their ribs are shown to have been broken as if by a spearhead. Though their bodies are largely encased by crystals, their skulls remain untouched save for brilliant blue sharks that cascade down their cheeks. As if they can not stop weeping, even in death. Their story stands as a reminder against blind ambition above duty.    
  
The power of Verdant lies in it's Queen, she who is said to be a descendant of the goddess Tiamati herself. As such, the right to rule is not merely a right of blood lineage, but one which must be earned just as Tiamati earned her freedom. Not all who are born as princesses may aspire to the crown.    
  
In centuries past, there was a great schism within the ranks of the royal family. Though it was rumored that the Queen had decided which of her daughters was to succeed her upon her death, she had passed from this life before she could announce this to her Houses and declare it publicly. Because of this, two of the princesses stood out as clear contends. One was favored by the Houses and the nobility as the rightful ruler, while the other was much beloved by the people and even the thralls.     
 
But as the court bickered as to who should take the throne, the two princesses met in secret. They had grown together as friends and had supported one another in their ambition to rise. Both insisted that if their mother had any intention to announce one of them as Queen, she had not let them know. They were determined not to let this drive a wedge between them, for they felt for certain that together they could rule equally and share power rather than let the world make enemies of them. They made a pact with one another and sealed it with blood, announcing their intentions to their court. While the politicians were aghast, what could they do that would not risk starting a civil war and splitting the nation? It was decided that, for the time being, the Princesses would rule jointly, though they denied both of them the crown until a clear successor could be determined.    
  
For many years, things went surprisingly well. One princess was clearly suited to martial matters and promoted a strong military to defend the borders and ensure the safety of the cities. She drove back the Yenya menace into the Red Wastes, clearing trade routes for caravans and returned with many thralls to work in making Verdant a strong nation. The other princess was more adept at diplomacy, brokering the agreements with the orcs that kept them on their side of the mountains with assurances that Verdant would leave them there. When the Minotaur refugees came, she found places for them, making the bovine people a worthy addition to Verdant's splendor and glory. Though they were often at odds, they remembered their blood pledge, and somehow managed to work through.     
  
Until the princesses, both came to be with child.     
  
The troubles started small. It was suspected that, along with the throne, the princesses shared a concubine between them, who had made himself an indispensable part of the court. It was often said that they 'reconciled' after a fight by calling him to their chambers. So it would have come as no surprise to find out that their children shared very similar features to the man in question. But as time wore on, it became clear that the princesses were tense over the concubines supposed preference to one over the other. Eventually, they decided to do away with him entirely, sending the concubine away from the capital city to ensure he would not be a distraction. But it was clear to the court that resentment had begun to grow between their rulers.    
  
As their daughters began to grow, and the two mothers watched them progress in their studies with immense pride, new trouble arose. They had assumed that a clear contender would make themselves known sooner or later as a prime candidate to be named heir. Yet both daughters excelled in all areas. Both were astute in diplomacy and war, economics and religion. As the court began to press for a decision to be made, the princesses took to their chambers to discuss the issue in private. But how could they pick? Each daughter was sublimely fit for the throne. However, unlike their mothers, the daughters saw one another as competitors and were unwilling to share the ultimate prize. Blows had already been struck, and the princesses knew that no matter who was chosen, the other would need to be sent away.    
  
This brought old resentments to the surface. Neither mother wished to lose her child, and each had perhaps a little seed of ambition to see her own child rise to power. Even the Houses were evenly split, with the Masters of each seeing nothing to define which of the girls would make for a more fit Queen. Finally, after much deliberation, it was decided that the girls would undergo trial by combat. They would duel until one cried "I yield." and the other stood victorious. The combat would take place before the court to ensure it was witnessed and no rumors could be spread arguing the outcome.    
  
But each princess was determined to see her daughter win. Before the day of the fight, each princess went to their child in secret and told her what to do. They then found one another and joined hands, smiling like serpents as they sat side by side to watch the outcome. Each felt in their heart that, armed with this knowledge, their own child would succeed.     
 
The fighting began, and it was clear to all who witnessed that each girl was truly worthy of the title Queen. They fought with strength and cunning, evenly matched as the dust flew and their swords clashed! The sun rose to the center of the sky, and still, they fought on as the crowd cheered them on, eager to see a victor. The daughters spun and danced around one another, each trying to land a hit on the flesh of the other and narrowly missing! Each was determined to take the throne, whatever the cost, and as the shadows vanished and the crowd held their breath, the young women charged one another. A flurry of sand and dust surrounded them, and there was a terrible stillness to the world.    
  
The princesses sat up in their chairs, both trying not to give away that they thought themselves the victor.  
  
The scream that tore from the women shattered the very stones as their children knelt, their blood flowing out onto the sand. Each girl had a dagger embedded in her vitals, baring the emblem of their aunts and dipped in venom for good measure. Even as their mothers ran to them, the daughters were gone long before anyone could reach them. The crowd watched as their princesses clutched the bodies of their children, weeping as their skin grew pallid and lifeless. This treachery marked the highest violation of Verdant law, tampering with the line of succession, treason of the worst kind! Not even an honest, open-faced challenge, but poison? The houses and nobility were in an uproar, and the princesses were locked in their chambers and placed under guard until it could be decided what was to be done. Their blind ambition stood to destroy the very foundation of the Queenship, and all feared this would split their nation further.    
  
But when the doors were opened, the princess's were silent. They lay on the bed next to one another, fingers entwined, each dead by the other's spear and following their daughters. As a final act of contrition, they had penned a statement declaring one of their elder sister to be Queen uncontested so that the line might continue unimpeded. Though there was some argument on the matter, most of those in attendance agreed it was best for the issue to be put to rest as quickly as possible so that everyone could move past this ugly incident.    
 
The Thrall Queen

After the rise of Sygiana, there were many concerns among the royalty and nobility that thralls, which until that point had been considered little more than slaves, represented a very real threat to Verdant's stability. Many felt that appointing a thrall to such a highly respected office would promote feelings in others that they might be able to rise above their position and threaten the order of things. This glittering niche is marked both with the symbols for Queen and thrall and stands as a reminder that even the least among Verdant's subjects are still a part of her nation.   
  
The smell of rebellion was in the air. It was one thing to make a proclamation declaring thralls to be deserving of the most basic of necessities. It was entirely another to put into action the reality to ensuring basic conditions for an entire population which, until that point, had largely been regarded as lesser. As the houses debated among themselves and attempted to soothe their ragged tempers at having a thrall included in their number, those remaining in service waited for food, water, clothing, and shelter. Small wonder that they were beginning to lose patience.     
  
The Queen saw the dangers in this and found herself unwilling to wait it out until her council had decided what would be the best course of action. She was still a virile queen, but from among her children, she had four fine candidates whom she felt might be worthy to carry on the line of succession. Unknown to the nobles or the houses, the Queen has, in her wisdom, given them the task of deciding how best to handle the thrall issue. They were given a year by which to do their investigations and then to return to her with their advice on how to solve their considerable problem.     
  
Each knew that the potential for Queenship was being placed on their shoulders, and they each decided to take their investigations along a separate route. One princess chose to join herself with the House of Trade, for she believed that the best solution would be to sell half of their thralls and use the funds to ensure the remaining thralls could be accommodated. One wished to follow with the guards and army, for she believed that if there were sufficient enforcement in place, the thralls would cease their demands and get back in line. One princess felt certain that if they instilled a strong sense of fear in the thralls, they would be able to control them regardless of their circumstances, and began to formulate a plan to turn the mines into a place of punishment for thralls who presented a problem. Each of these felt sure that their plan would make for the best solution, and so set themselves to their work.    
  
But the final princess has her own considerations. She believed that the best way to ensure that the thralls of Verdant felt accommodated was to ingratiate herself among them. Unknown to her sisters or even to her mother, she snuck from the palace, dressed in thralls belongings. With her, she carried a script bearing the insignia of the Master of Thralls, committing herself to a year's service. She took a knife and cut her hair down in the style expected of them, and joined with those about to be assigned a place.     
  
What befell her during her time is not clearly known. Stories about her vary in every telling depending upon who is speaking and who is listening. Overseers like to tell she was sent to the mines, laboring in dark, filthy conditions that cause the lungs to burn and blister. Young girls like to say she suffered under a cruel woman who beat her for the slightest incompetence until a handsome thrall rescued her. Some stories proclaim that the princess was sold to a pirate ship that only discovered who she truly was after they were out to sea. They say she was kept for five years, and there are dozens of stories about her adventures with a roguish pirate captain before she returned to take the throne. While these are among the most popular, they are also the most unlikely to be true. For she is said to have returned scarred, but still proud, with stories of the horrors thralls could endure at the hands of cruel or neglectful masters.    
  
The Queen was impressed, for while her other daughters had worked hard, only this princess has shown the courage to live as the meanest of her subjects and allow herself to truly understand what it was to be pushed down so low. She was declared Heir Presumptive and is said to have favored laws which allowed thralls many of the rights which are now considered standard.