◈ What Is Best For The Family ◈

[HeyoBiggums]

Numerous notices would be plastered on top of any leftover "Formal Announcements". The notice would read as follows, and at the very bottom, stamped with the Von Karlisle Crest.​

To the Grey Family,

Loss within family is a terrible, terrible tragedy. It is a time of mourning, guilt, and even regret. It is at that time you must stand strong as a family. Though, I ask you this, why should we all mourn over the death of someone who willingly mothered two abominations that can spread their twisted malfeasance to anyone they interact with that isn't already damned. You have sired monsters, and since the mother is now gone, you are the only one we as a people can blame.

As a woman of great culture, family values, and well educated, I felt urged to give my insight. While I may not be a mother now, I can only think about the newly inducted mothers, who now must worry about their beloved children going into a classroom with your hell-spawn. What would happen to a child if yours lose their temper and shift before their friends at a play date? What would happen if they went to school? Every child has to develop emotions, and understand them at their own rate. You cannot argue that Markenism is any easier to control. If that were the case, the Lothar Order wouldn't need to collar thousands of them.

You can claim that they'll be homeschooled, and that they'll stay away from others, but should you lock up your dear children out from the world for the sake of everyone's safety? No. Imprisoning your children will only make them resent you, and the training you gave them will all go to waste. They will grow up wanting freedom from your overprotectiveness; which all stems from you failing to protect your own wife. I say this to you now, this is a wake up call. You must do what is best for your children, and for your family's future. You have married into the peerage, freeing yourself from the financial burdens, and fear of needing coin. Your days as a commonplace tramp are over. You are a living memory to the Grey family of Lady Violet's solemn and ineffective protector.

I'll tell you what must be done. You should bring your cursed children to the Lothar Order, so that they may obtain a collar, live a semi-normal life, free from the fears of losing control, free from the fears of corrupting others. I am certain an arrangement can be made between the beast master you go to, where you may raise your spawn, and once they are of age, approach their beastmaster so they may repay the debt they owe the Empire for granting them a normal childhood with their father and family. Finally, you may have control over your Markenism, but I doubt you control your innermost desires. I urge you too, to speak with a Lothar; and correct yourself. Failure to turn in your children and yourself to the Lothar Order will result in them taking control of the situation by force. You have a chance to control your children's futures… Take the opportunity, before they ready their rifles, and their hunt begins…

Regalia is not a place for monsters. All Marken deserve proper treatment for their illness, and serve a proper role in the Empire. As you, the public can see, Lord Grey was unable to fulfill his duties to his wife, as he failed to protect her. He failed because he was uncollared, and desired to be free. Do not be selfish. You endanger everyone you touch to an incurable life of suffering and loss of identity.

May Allest have mercy upon you and your children,

Sincerely,

Lady Rhiannon von Karlisle

OOC TAGS: @Ghostified__ @AlienDark12 @ShipIt @Greenie @PaladinoGui @GRIST_ @bahmboozled @Gabigailll

 

[bwmwags3]

The Fin'ullen reads then, takes a deep breath, "Fuck, I might regret this but … this supposed pious noblewoman. This is a disgrace to the Empire, as a citizen we cannot be allowing such a disgrace to stand unchallenged. It would weaken us all."

He writes a response.

Dear Lady Von Karlisle,

As one whose meet many a Unionist, given one of our own stands as a God in your pantheon, your response is not only disproportionate, disgraceful, and born from what appears a most fervent hatred for both these children and what they were /born/. Born, my lady, they were not cursed by the Gods of any pantheon they're not heretics nor power seekers seeking this to persue some kind of evolution. These are innocent children whose mother was murdered, and as for your citation of Unionism and proper culture. As my fellow Fin'ullen pointed out to me, upon reading youe response, your actions are a contradiction of your own Goddess Ness. The emodiment of mercy and motherhood, she would be disgusted with how you take up a pen to punch down at children, a widower, and a condition the college of princes have legalized (post test).

I would hope the Wirtem culture, far more respectable and honorable than to call noble born children, hell spawn and imply they would slaughter others. You call to collar children, that's perhaps the furthest from God Empress' Ness' example one can achieve. If your culture and position leads you to believe the first response to grieving, young, and blameless children with a condition that many live and work with (such that there are entire clinics funded to teach control of it).

Then, I am thankful to have been born far from your Culture and I beg any Wirtem who wishes to explain these words far from their genuine cultural ways and beliefs, to explain such over a drink with me.

To make your first response, to a tragedy to blame a widower, a now single father, for not preventing a assassination attempt. When the dutiful House guards, metropolitan, and the Knights themselves have been dealing with numerous assassination attempts upon nobles as of late is not just cowardly, but illogical and cruel. I lend my condolences to the Count, and I offer my own aid to his house. I am a newcomer to the city, but I've lived in this Empire all my life and I would be glad to assist however I may in this time of danger and need.

Without Regrets,
Salthas Wavell​

@Ghostified__

Salthas is seen sending a copy to a certain, Wirtem Count. Perhaps believing the call to the Wirtem community will resonate with them. @Lorvikar

 

[Simslp]

Someone seems to have attached his own message or note to some of the notices scattered around the city. This in turn bears the traditional coat of arms of the commoner wirtem family of Lomstedt in combination with the House of Gwentyr.

Greetings to all who may read this,

I may not fully agree with House Grey's methods, nor with their decision to raise and partially isolate their Marken children. Nevertheless, I cannot stand idly by and read the above message without at least adding my own comments. As insignificant as they may be to some.

First, I would like to clarify some legal and scientific issues on my initial reading. Marken are naturally occurring in our plane and are a by-product of various gods doing what gods do. It may not directly affect the usual dogmatic hardliners among Unionists, but it should at least be remembered and acknowledged that even the Unionist goddess Elen created Marken in the past, which any holy man in Kintyr can tell you about. So they are not by nature a "hellspawn," whatever that means exactly, except using tactics of public fear. Even then, the concept of damnation in some sort of different afterlife is currently only publicly observed in the legally recognized religion of the Old Gods with their Vaarda and to a degree Asaredu. I will not deny that the Old Gods worship itself does not contain many nuances about the creation and mortality of Marken. However, I leave it to any Old God devotees who are kind enough to pay attention and correct this. Not that it matters all that much to Unionism.
To move on to the next point: You threaten House Grey with violence for not complying with your orders and demands. Something that is not only unbecoming of a lady like you or a noble, but also legally untenable. According to the Howling Soiree legislation of 311AC, Marken are no longer illegal and thus protected as citizens as long as they follow the paperwork and protocols in place for treating their state for the benefit of the general population. This protocol may include the possibility of Lothar Knights capturing and collaring Marken, but does not remain the absolute and only choice. I will not stand in your way of capturing Marken who are running frenzied on the streets of the Empire, but it is not appropriate to take away the free choice of these people. I am not aware of the legal status of the current Count, but if he is undergoing treatment at a de Azcoissia rehabilitation clinic or has passed the test and is thus legally suffering, he cannot and should not be forced into any collaring. If they continue to refuse without valid and legal reasons, I will not stand in your way, but until this happens and I receive written confirmation from Knights independent of your House or a de Azcoissia rehabilitation clinic that this has occurred, I will consider this an infringement of free will, aggression, and pushing your own political agenda.

Now that this is out of the way, I disagree with House Grey's actions and strongly recommend contacting one of de Azcoissia's rehabilitation clinics to find a good solution on how to prevent problems with Marken children early on, while also possibly getting advice from Marken who have already gone through this situation with their own children. However, this does not allow such audacity that forces people to be collared on threat of violence. Children at that! You may be talking about a potential fear or threat posed by this house and its descendants, but anyone threatening someone with violence to surrender their children is just as, if not much worse. We are not barbarians. We are not backwater villagers. We are in the living and breathing heart of the empire and we should act like it! This is a mockery of what we should stand for and the concept of knighthood. We are not hunting down our own people and widening the gap between the population and increasingly radicalizing groups, we are providing unity and protection! If this is truly to be the best of the Empire. Knights or nobles, then it is time for all of us to be ashamed of ourselves.

I am already expecting a witty reply trying to twist my words and invalidate my words and arguments, but that will not change anything. Be wise, be faithful, and remember that the God you look up to is watching and judging. I don't have to fight for a place in my afterlife, but maybe some will.


So may your gods guide you to a clear mind and clear decisions.

Signed,
Lynmard Lomstedt
Baron of House Gwentyr
Swordsworn Knight of the Bloodcast Order

 

[bahmboozled]

Confidant-Knight Yehor, as a Beastmaster himself, clarifies that Markenism isn't a curse, however it is well advised that Count Grey bring his children in for the 'test of patience and concentration' all legalised Marken go through. He also wants to point out to the Count that in the case that the children are yet unable to control (or be in-tune with) their transformation, and their will during said transformation, that he would not want the children to 'bear the weight of guilt should an accident truly happen that they attack someone as an uncontrolled Marken, wherein safekeeping measures must be enforced thereafter'.

The knight would also like to make it clear that while there seems to be other alternatives such as alchemy to suppress Markenism, that perhaps Count Grey would have been better off keeping the status of those children quiet from the public if he wanted to use those methods, and that it is merely just that— a suppressive method, one that temporarily keeps Markenism at bay. However, they have now put two lives (their children) in a life of mistrust, possible scorn and scrutiny till it is rest assured they are in full control of themselves.

The knight also remarks that it is fine for Count Grey to have the test administered by those not of the Lothar, if it bids him any reassurance that the results may be doctored— even if lying is forbidden according to the Knight Code.

 

[river_essence]

Only one response was posted.​

"They are infants."​

 

[PaladinoGui]

The Fin'ullen reads then, takes a deep breath, "Fuck, I might regret this but … this supposed pious noblewoman. This is a disgrace to the Empire, as a citizen we cannot be allowing such a disgrace to stand unchallenged. It would weaken us all."

He writes a response.

Dear Lady Von Karlisle,

As one whose meet many a Unionist, given one of our own stands as a God in your pantheon, your response is not only disproportionate, disgraceful, and born from what appears a most fervent hatred for both these children and what they were /born/. Born, my lady, they were not cursed by the Gods of any pantheon they're not heretics nor power seekers seeking this to persue some kind of evolution. These are innocent children whose mother was murdered, and as for your citation of Unionism and proper culture. As my fellow Fin'ullen pointed out to me, upon reading youe response, your actions are a contradiction of your own Goddess Ness. The emodiment of mercy and motherhood, she would be disgusted with how you take up a pen to punch down at children, a widower, and a condition the college of princes have legalized (post test).

I would hope the Wirtem culture, far more respectable and honorable than to call noble born children, hell spawn and imply they would slaughter others. You call to collar children, that's perhaps the furthest from God Empress' Ness' example one can achieve. If your culture and position leads you to believe the first response to grieving, young, and blameless children with a condition that many live and work with (such that there are entire clinics funded to teach control of it).

Then, I am thankful to have been born far from your Culture and I beg any Wirtem who wishes to explain these words far from their genuine cultural ways and beliefs, to explain such over a drink with me.

To make your first response, to a tragedy to blame a widower, a now single father, for not preventing a assassination attempt. When the dutiful House guards, metropolitan, and the Knights themselves have been dealing with numerous assassination attempts upon nobles as of late is not just cowardly, but illogical and cruel. I lend my condolences to the Count, and I offer my own aid to his house. I am a newcomer to the city, but I've lived in this Empire all my life and I would be glad to assist however I may in this time of danger and need.

Without Regrets,
Salthas Wavell​

@Ghostified__

Salthas is seen sending a copy to a certain, Wirtem Count. Perhaps believing the call to the Wirtem community will resonate with them. @Lorvikar

Click to shrink...

Rather than wasting any ink, a well-trained raven is left perched atop the noticeboard, to address the matters here specifically.

Croaking out with an eerily human voice, it remarks something about Markenism being an unwanted state that shouldn't be left unmoderated or celebrated- But that one should treat them with proper respect, too. Because what truly separates the Wirtem people of the rest aren't their fundamentalist views of the, yes - hellspawn, monsters and abnormal - but their ability to address an opponent with the grace and formality that they themselves lack.

The bird repeats this message a few times, and then briefly harasses listeners for berries, before flying back to whatever corner the Count von Kepler had found himself in for today's duties.

 

[AtticCat]

NO CHILD SHOULD BE SHUNNED FOR THEIR BIRTH. I PRAY YOU FEEL SHAME FOR SPEAKING WITH A SNAKE'S TONGUE UPON LIVES OF THE GODS' CREATION.

YOU WILL NEVER BE WORTHY OF MOTHERHOOD. YOU ARE DAMNED BY IGNORANCE.

- GWENFREWI MHÁRTAIN -
@HeyoBiggums​

 

[Snulfur]

It saddens me to read the replies made to Lady von Karlisle, and her concerns she actually has for the mentioned spawns and those around them.

None seem willing to touch on the subject of the very real fact of their transformation under play dates or any other kind of day to day activity around other children.
The very real risk of them lashing out and harming or worse, killing other children, servants and so on.

You folks rather risk for the day for where the news reads of feral children of Marken have drawn blood, than to let a collar stop the possibility all together.

You speak of how Lady von Karlisle should be ashamed. No, it is you, with the disregard to the spawns safety and anyone around them safety, that are shameful.

Signed, Lord Adal von Kelper~

 

[IGutTheMidasTuch]

A note written in dark crimson ink is left atop one of Von Karlisle's notices.

Glad to see I was right to target you the other night.
I'll see you again, very soon. Keep your stomach empty, Lady. I know how much you like the taste of lead.

-Tavanokh​

 

[Iyyiushi]

I have never seen such ignorance spouted as fact outside of Crookback. Yet it is here.

"You folks rather risk for the day for where the news reads of feral children of Marken have drawn blood, than to let a collar stop the possibility all together." - Lord Adal von Kelper

Lord, per Palace Scholars - this is not possible. Please open a book before spreading misinformation that can prove chaotic to the public. As per their extensive research, Marken manifestations occur at the age of majority.

"You speak of how Lady von Karlisle should be ashamed. No, it is you, with the disregard to the spawns safety and anyone around them safety, that are shameful."- Lord Adal von Kelper

These are people, infants, not spawn. Only one kind of person attempts to remove the humanity of another - the next step of dehumanizing is sure to follow.

@Snulfur

////

Lady Rhiannon von Karlisle,

Your letter is as ripe with misinformation as it is above. However, neither of you are Knights, and thus neither of you received the briefings from the palace on this subject. So, you will be educated rather than scorned where education is due. Child Slavery is illegal. Lothar taking of Children for servitude is against the functions of the Lothar. The Lothar should not be overstepping the orders of the Palace, as you are attempting to argue here. The only fear to be had is your and others' misinformation; as stated above, a Marken cannot transform until the age of majority, says the Palace.

///
To the Public,

House Grey has been briefed about the requirements expected of them. Lord Grey has already and long since been tested and passed. The children of Marken are inherently more capable of controlling their states, says the Palace. The children will be tested on the day of their age of majority.

The Lords and Ladies of the Empire are charged with protecting what is entrusted to them; they are expected to conduct themselves in service to the Crown at all hours. Speaking contradictory to the Palace, the Princes and the Crown does no one any favors.

@HeyoBiggums

In His Service,
Revna Hjortsund,
Lady-Protector
Holyarm of The Reliquary-Valldal
Countess of Fornhavn

[edit notes]
- A letter address was moved by my spellchecker, "To the Public" was put in its proper spot.