In the year 556 of the Runtallian Calendar, a war broke out in the eastern frontier of the Kingdom of Runtallia between the eastern overlord, Duke Gaverone Walruse of Regalia, and the barbarian chief-thane known as Dariun Drunzelle of the Shiradonii tribe, one of the Four Great Tribes of Norsmund, a nation that borders the Kingdom, deemed to be the land of brutes and savages. As the Duke of Regalia marches with his army to defend the disputed land of Kurlon, the barbarians have taken such an opportune moment to launch another incursion near the eastern border of Regalia near the town of Flendle, with the intention of dividing his army. However, despite accepting the town and the surrounding local lords' territories as lost cause in the war in favor of Kurlon– a newly discovered territory bountiful with veins of iron and other minerals– the Duke tasks his third son, Lord Velmund Walruse, along with his retinue, the Order of the Raven Knights, to fend off the attack. 

Now faced with the plight of defending the border town against a 5,000-strong Norsmundi army with his few yet skilled knights, along with an ill-equipped and undermanned militia, Lord Velmund has no choice but to fulfill his duty as a noble, relying upon his wits and his few but capable retainers to survive his first battle at the tender age of sixteen summers and winters. Contrary to his timid, youthful, and innocent appearance, however, lies his sly and scheming nature, evident by his fondness of dark magical arts specializing in illusion spells. Nevertheless, he himself has no idea of what he is capable of, and what he is destined to become.

Meanwhile, further east at the frontier with Norsmund, a plot hatches to ensnare the Duke within the clutches of his treacherous vassals. Not only his life is threatened by these schemes, but his sons Theo and Varus as well. With this scheme put into motion, the Duke and Velmund's siblings, Varus and Theo, would taste fate's twisted humor, with the former meeting his demise in a blaze of glory amidst the field of battle, and the latter two vanishing in incidents shrouded by mysteries. With the death of the patriarch of Regalia and his heirs' disappearance, the young lord who was initially third in line for the succession of the ducal seat became its temporary occupant. And thus, the tale of him and his court begins…

CHAPTER RELEASE:

January 1st at 12:00 UTC

In the great hall of the Raven's Nest, a castle situated upon a hill that oversaw the farmsteads in the outskirts of the city, nobles of great stature were congregated to celebrate the ascension of House Walruse's new patriarch to the ducal throne. Among these nobles was the Count of Frundle, Lord Ash Ashenford, who bore an amicable façade as he mingled with equals and those of his lesser in the feudal peerage. Once hailed as the Knight Lord of the King's Hastilude, he learned to offer meaningless platitudes to uphold etiquette, as well as to conform and blend in high society, despite knowing his place would always be among the rowdy soldiers of his domain. Under normal circumstances, a man who favored frequenting the training grounds and the barracks had no business in a fancy banquet he was currently attending or any event of similar nature, but in the Kingdom of Runtallia, being chastised by the aristocratic society was a fate worse than one's domain being invaded by barbarians.


Chapter 180 - Chapter XXXV: A Feast of Poison [4]