Lord Theodore Banick, Head of House Banick, passed quietly on his deathbed, and then the struggle for power began.
It should have been a smooth succession. Cecil Banick, long speculated to abdicate his ascension to Head of House, did indeed do so. This left Walter Banick, Theodore's second born son, as the next heir. Though recently disgraced by the loss of his title of Ostia Anir, he nevertheless was a competent man with a history of successful military command. He had his detractors, both inside House Banick and among House Banick's allies, of course, but the succession was his upon the abdication of Cecil and none were explicitly vocal about it. The ceremony was scheduled, and all House Banick were set to attend.
Until, a few days prior, Garron Banick, came forward with a discovery. He proclaimed that it had come to his attention that Theodore had a vault, hidden in the Banick estate in Vel Anir, where he stored all his most precious keepsakes. Indeed, others his age remembered such a vault as well. So the question arose: might he have stored in there a secret will? In his final days, Theodore was so gone from his mind that he could not confidently speak on any such matters; and, in any case, the vault out to be checked, and its keepsakes given out to those who survived him. So Garron, along with other leading Banick men and women, went to this vault (truly, a small safe) together. They opened it.
Inside, among other things, there was a will...which had writ upon it Theodore's wish that Garron be the new head of House Banick. Garron, more than anyone, was shocked (though not as shocked as he might have been, had he not commissioned a master forgery of this will be done and surreptitiously placed). Walter was outraged.
And here the rift began.
Walter had his friends and allies along with his enemies and rivals. Garron, a meticulous schemer, had his own friends, "friends," and supporters. House Banick soon fractured right down the center: half throwing in their lot with Walter, the other half propping up Garron. The supporters of Walter accused Garron of never having held any true leadership role and averting responsibility to pursue pleasure, supporters of Garron smeared Walter for an embarrassing incident during his Canal project and for his recent disgrace in the eyes of the Republic. The arguing and division continued up until the day of the succession ceremony.
In the grand hall where the ceremony was being held, the Banicks of both camps stood on opposing sides of the room, murmuring their discontent for the other and slinging insults. Finally, Walter and Garron and their retinues approached one another. Each declared their right to the succession. And then Walter demanded exactly what Garron hoped he would:
"We will settle this in the ways of old. Gather what scraps of men you can muster, and we will see each other again on the battlefield."
Garron smirked. "Now that, dear Walter, is something we can agree on."
They selected an area outside of the Republic's jurisdiction. They selected a time frame. And the battle was set, its outcome to decide the future of House Banick.
Kristen Pirian had never before seen Alistair's actual home, the Estate of House Krixus. But she hadn't the eye, nor the time, to even take it in; no time to ponder the differences in fortunes of minor Houses and the Great Houses; no time to let the moment properly settle in with her.
She was dressed in her armor, and over it all wore a traveler's cloak. She'd a horse by the Estate's gates and travel gear packed onto it. And, furthermore, she looked exhausted, as if she had spent the whole day riding hard to reach the city and the Estate. Dual full moons overheard cast their ghostly light and the shadows of her hood concealed much of her face.
Kristen lifted a hand. Looked to it. Noticed that it was shaking.
She let out a shivering breath.
Then knocked as hard and urgently as she could on the front door.
Alistair Krixus
It should have been a smooth succession. Cecil Banick, long speculated to abdicate his ascension to Head of House, did indeed do so. This left Walter Banick, Theodore's second born son, as the next heir. Though recently disgraced by the loss of his title of Ostia Anir, he nevertheless was a competent man with a history of successful military command. He had his detractors, both inside House Banick and among House Banick's allies, of course, but the succession was his upon the abdication of Cecil and none were explicitly vocal about it. The ceremony was scheduled, and all House Banick were set to attend.
Until, a few days prior, Garron Banick, came forward with a discovery. He proclaimed that it had come to his attention that Theodore had a vault, hidden in the Banick estate in Vel Anir, where he stored all his most precious keepsakes. Indeed, others his age remembered such a vault as well. So the question arose: might he have stored in there a secret will? In his final days, Theodore was so gone from his mind that he could not confidently speak on any such matters; and, in any case, the vault out to be checked, and its keepsakes given out to those who survived him. So Garron, along with other leading Banick men and women, went to this vault (truly, a small safe) together. They opened it.
Inside, among other things, there was a will...which had writ upon it Theodore's wish that Garron be the new head of House Banick. Garron, more than anyone, was shocked (though not as shocked as he might have been, had he not commissioned a master forgery of this will be done and surreptitiously placed). Walter was outraged.
And here the rift began.
Walter had his friends and allies along with his enemies and rivals. Garron, a meticulous schemer, had his own friends, "friends," and supporters. House Banick soon fractured right down the center: half throwing in their lot with Walter, the other half propping up Garron. The supporters of Walter accused Garron of never having held any true leadership role and averting responsibility to pursue pleasure, supporters of Garron smeared Walter for an embarrassing incident during his Canal project and for his recent disgrace in the eyes of the Republic. The arguing and division continued up until the day of the succession ceremony.
In the grand hall where the ceremony was being held, the Banicks of both camps stood on opposing sides of the room, murmuring their discontent for the other and slinging insults. Finally, Walter and Garron and their retinues approached one another. Each declared their right to the succession. And then Walter demanded exactly what Garron hoped he would:
"We will settle this in the ways of old. Gather what scraps of men you can muster, and we will see each other again on the battlefield."
Garron smirked. "Now that, dear Walter, is something we can agree on."
They selected an area outside of the Republic's jurisdiction. They selected a time frame. And the battle was set, its outcome to decide the future of House Banick.
* * * * *
THE ESTATE OF HOUSE KRIXUS
THE ESTATE OF HOUSE KRIXUS
Kristen Pirian had never before seen Alistair's actual home, the Estate of House Krixus. But she hadn't the eye, nor the time, to even take it in; no time to ponder the differences in fortunes of minor Houses and the Great Houses; no time to let the moment properly settle in with her.
She was dressed in her armor, and over it all wore a traveler's cloak. She'd a horse by the Estate's gates and travel gear packed onto it. And, furthermore, she looked exhausted, as if she had spent the whole day riding hard to reach the city and the Estate. Dual full moons overheard cast their ghostly light and the shadows of her hood concealed much of her face.
Kristen lifted a hand. Looked to it. Noticed that it was shaking.
She let out a shivering breath.
Then knocked as hard and urgently as she could on the front door.
Alistair Krixus
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