Nature speaks. When we understand its needs, the lands bloom, and life prospers. When left unheeded, nature sends a messenger to spread the word.
Pinguis Plaga
The town of Pinguis is one of many within the Serfdom. Each community works towards seeking a balance with its surrounding countryside. Each citizen works hoping their labor pays off their conception rights to their liege and nobleman lords one day. The lords, in turn, reap from the serfs their due in coin, products, and produce. The King of these lands regularly receives his due from the nobles that act to enhance their legacy. After all, the King is mortal.
Above all else, however, the Serfdom's classes maintain what they feel is a balance with nature. Some philosophies abound, explaining the nobles' need for stability. One story held that the nobility sold their souls for the wealth they enjoyed. Others say nature herself gave the King claim over the lands in exchange for a life in tune with the natural order. Regardless of your belief, Serfdom works cautiously to expand its boundaries and claim dominion over new lands, people, and animals.
Vindi Monitus
Raised within a family of town criers, Vindi knew love, activity, and responsibility. A loner by nature, Vindi liked to spend time in the forests surrounding the town. From an early age, she unquestioningly proved to the town elders she had what it took to survive alone in the wilderness. Something so profound would be sure fodder for the rumor mills, but the elders were not questioned.
Vindi, like her parents, announced the news at various points throughout the village. Once their announcements concluded, each family member set out to accomplish the tasks doled out by the nobility. Every peasant has a job; she always felt she was no particular case. Once work ended for the day, she'd bid farewell to her parents and set off for another journey.
"Vindi...Vindi!" exclaimed old man Bawb the Builder. He ran the only inn at the other side of the village. Rumor had it that he built the inn with his bare hands in a day. "We need to speak about tomorrow's headlines. There's word that new rulings from the King have reached the nobility's ears. I hear everyone's lives are about to be changed for the better!"
Bawb seemed pleased with her response and proceeded to head back into town. Nothing was left to it anymore but to see her dear friends now.
Suffocated by Legacy
King Manere Poenitens came from a lineage of nobility that sought balance and harmony between his people and the world around them. Taught to respect both life and nature, he learned quite some time ago that there were always tough choices in the life of the King. Both the nobles and the serfs knew this all too well.
Since the early dawn, the upper class crowded within the King's conference chambers, planning the subsequent realignment of crown resources throughout the Serfdom. Taking stock of your resources was always necessary lest you find yourself without them one day. In this case, one of the more prosperous villages saw fit to expand beyond their original charter. No mention was given to the crown of their plans. No lawsuit was filed by the governing nobles. Such an observation led to some conclusions:
Regardless, he authorized plans to redistribute excess villagers, resources, and property from the town of Pinguis Plaga into the surrounding villages where they lack such resources. People of Serfdom had rights ascribed to them from long ago. Yet, balance and harmony required sacrifices. They would learn to adjust. For those few who were angry during the implementation of the King's law, there were ways to prevent further disagreement.
Seeing his commander steadfastly at attention, King Manere ordered him to prepare for redistribution.
Land of the Lupos
She had known them all her life. In some ways, they were more of a family than her parents. A pang of guilt filled Vindi's heart at that thought, but it couldn't be helped. The bonds between her and the wolves were that deep. Emotions, needs, and intent passed between them without speech. She couldn't explain it.
The need to search for them wasn't even necessary. They approached each other quickly through the trees and darkness. Vindi could see as well as wolves. Once they met, they all touched their foreheads as a greeting before sitting down to enjoy the evening.
It was so strange sometimes when she thought about it. Her earliest memories were of the wolves as cubs. Now, they're as big as horses. She's never seen them hunt but sensed their ferocity during their attacks. It made her shudder sometimes, but it was as natural as anything she knew.
There was an acrid odor in the air. It reeked of burning flesh and wood. Suddenly frightful, an image of her village burning appeared. It was time to go. A sense of doom and terror filled her heart. It took hours to get here. The wolves reassured and calmed her. There was always another way to travel for her.
The Long Road
Where walking would have delivered her midway through the evening, her old form whisked her there in a fraction of the time. Buildings and bodies burned to the ground. Villagers not yet consumed by the flames fought valiantly to control them. It seemed possible that they could get a lot of the fire under control - that is, it was possible...
The Rending
Their transformation spelled doom for all life in the village. As each beast changed formed, they attacked the villagers protecting their home. The only resistance was the effort to sink teeth into flesh or claw to the chest.
In her horror, Vindi moved not as her people died in droves. There was nothing for her to do but stand in front of her forest family, defending herself. Yet, the wolves made no movement toward her. Instead, they flowed around Vindi carefully to prevent her harm. She should be screaming, yet she is not. Calm as a summer day, Vindi looked around, tears flowing from her eyes as she witnessed the decimation of her people, friends, and family.
The commanding feminine voice flowing through her mind cried out a truth Vindi had not remembered in some time. She always felt more at home in the forest with her wolves than anywhere else. Her thoughts stilled as the voice spoke again.
Searing pain stabbed into Vindi's mind as countless memories flashed before her eyes. These visions told of the horrors she had wrought in countless lives spanning thousands of years. Vindi wasn't the daughter of village town folk living their lives. She had lived in a village content with bloating their numbers regardless of the damage done to the land or wildlife around.
Vindicta Monitus
Riders had awakened King Manere Poenitens from his quiet slumber. Dark news arrived at his throne so late in the evening. The town of Pinguis Plaga had fallen to pillaging. Reports were also vague, but they described rabid wolves attacking villagers. King Manere sent word to his commander to make preparations to set out to Pinguis at first light. It was a short time from now, anyway. There may be time to save the villagers. If only he had acted...
Burning claws had pierced the King's shoulder, forcing him to be still. A woman with fiery hair and elven features flowed around the room to face the terrified King. Now he knew he acted too slowly. The covenant was broken, and as King, it was all his doing.
The Conference
Vindicta spoke softly to the terrified monarch: "Law-abiding King, your nobility has ignored nature's signs for far too long. The land began to die under your watch. The unchecked grown at Pinguis Plaga polluted its streams. Its grounds began to dry and dust. You and your people allowed it to worsen, knowing the simplicity of our covenant.
Since time immemorial, you were to live in balance with the land and take immediate action if man's activities disrupted that balance. If not, nature would run its course as I have over the millennia. Your nobles and lineage have been routed. Their blood warms the bellies of my beasts.
Take control of your Serfdom. Rebuild your nobility and take control of them as well. Do this, or we shall grant you life everlasting in the form we choose. In this, you will then serve as the message for the kings that follow.
Psyber X - Serfdom and Sorcery
The @PsyberX discord continues to grow with the improvements in the Serfdom & Sorcery text game. Messages throughout our channel have skyrocketed to levels even @JBOSS and @bobthebuilder2 never anticipated. Indeed, the PsyberX group is in awe and appreciation for the Hivians participating in the still-quite-new game.
Join the @psyberx community today! Invest in their development or hop on to their discord to learn more about the initiative today!
In Closing
Thank you for reading and following on throughout my Hive journey. If you like this article, please consider reblogging, upvoting, and following @scholaris!
