Chapter I: Waldemar
Waldemar Halfgiant was Lord Greycloak of 'Last Stone Giant's Castle' who was respected amongst the northerners and even the southern folk held the gentle lord in high regards despite the multitudinous battles that has occurred between the two lands.
Waldemar's castle had crimson stone tiles for the flooring and large jaded carpets, and a few banners bearing two Snow dragons on a grey field. The room was filled with two long tables that was coated with cheeses, meats of different creatures, mead, wine and a small bottle of blood for creatures such as vampires, Shapeshifters and a few men and women, of any nobility or name, with the blood of wolves commonly known as werewolves and a few cousins of his, whom were Giants who dwarfed his lady wife's family.
There were Lords and ladies of Yukimura and Wakahisa (houses from the Far East of Seasmoke, centre of the realm), Řezník and Gavrilyuk (South of Seasmoke), Sørensen, Skjeggestad (North of Seasmoke, which is full of Northmen, women and Giants and creatures such as Yeti).
Lord Joukahainen Skjeggestad arrived, drunk as ever, dressed in a crimson cloak with a grey dragon and a silver sword emblazoned on his left side, with Lady Adolfine Snigmorder, dressed similar except for chainmail dyed red. Other lords and ladies attended later bearing the sigils; grey krakens on red, rising giants and a black hooded assassin with a silver skull and a dagger on the left side.
The people within the keep were; His lady wife, Aurelia, his daughters, Tara and Jana and his son, Jyck and a few servants, Lara, Sara and Lars and the two guards, Klara and Mors, two of the most ruthless yet occasionally peaceful fighters in all of Seasmoke. At tourneys, Klara outdrinks most men as long as it's spiced mead.
The towns' folk were gathering around the great hall. The walls were decorated with banners of all houses and guilds with many bright colours.
The towns' folk was excited about the tourneys and feasts that was arranged every year by Lord Waldemar as sign of love and tranquillity among the towns' folk, lords, ladies and the wildest of giants from Greater North and Lesser South whom attended each year with meads and foods of their people.
The folk of the east never visit much. Majority of the folk from Seasmoke come to the eastern parts as pirates, common sellswords or advanced military companies such as Last Storm, Twinblades and a lot more besides.
Waldemar found himself thinking of his father, Vladko back in Kraken's Way, where it's rumoured that krakens were controlled by the Ocean Kings of old, with his mother, Gwendolynn still alive declaring war on The Stone King, a stone elf with an unruly kingdom. Then he drifted to his dead grandfather who dwarfed his father. His Grandfather, Olaf was a sellsword of renown and he even founded his own Company, 'Crimson Kings, of Wynter'.
Waldemar found himself clutching his smooth crimson tinted velveteen tunic. He straighten his grey fur cloak and sheathed his steel, which he was unconsciously toying with, and walked back into the great hall and saw his see to his Lady wife win her 9th tourney in a row, and commanded the feast to begin.
Waldemar and his family sat on the long wooden benches with the town's people, instead of his bronze throne with gold dragon statues rising from the front, his wives' silver and crimson throne with gold wolf statues.
Waldemar tapped his silver goblet and the phosphorescent great hall went silent "I have done this festival for fifteen years to bring us all together, lords, ladies, farmers, blacksmiths, giants, pijavica, lycanthropes and a few people from the east.
I know we have had our disagreements and wars but I want to bring us altogether and make us, not only a strong force to be reckoned with, but a unity of races, man or woman, highborn and lowborn. Would you like to rekindle and be a part of something bigger than any of us?"
A roar of 'UNITY!' and shouts of 'Yukimura and Wakahisa, Řezník and Gavrilyuk, Sørensen, Skjeggestad and other minor houses and guilds such as the Assassins Guild which is split into Sisterhood and Brotherhood.
Waldemar and Aurelia awoke to the sounds of servants cleaning the chambers of the formal guests. There was a knock on the door to which Waldemar replied "Who is it?" in his calm voice. "I was sent by Lord Voltan Silvercliff, self-proclaimed King of the Northern clans, milord." Waldemar's bulking muscles tensed and his body turned cold. This is madness, how can he do this, he is my cousin, my blood and I entrusted him with land and he wants to start another warthought Waldemar.He got up and walked toward the brown oaken door and turned the silver handle and yanked "King of the Northern clans? Does he mean to start war?" The boy is a thin lad and probably worried of what might happen to him, poor lad. "Milord, Voltan wants to invade the south and wants you to fight with him against the southerners".Waldemar rested his hand on his pointed goatee and tried to hide the sour taste of betrayal he felt by his cousin, Voltan. "Tell Voltan that I cannot join him in the war against the south as I have finally made an allegiance with them and so should he". The boy glanced around nervously before replying "Yes, milord I'll deliver King Voltan, your terms". He turned and walked out as quietly as he came in.
Waldemar and his wife arranged a meeting with their advisers about the message that threatened their allegiance with the south. The council consisted of; Lester Gryme, an ex sellsword dressed in a crimson cloak with a silver hauberk and bronze cuirass (Bronze and crimson being the colours of Gryme, a newly founded house). Lord Wade, an old wizened man known for his bawdy jests, who worked for House Greycloak for 60 odd years since the age of ten as a quire then worked his way up as a Lord. Cletus, who has connections to many free companies and minor houses. And lastly Lady Ragna Vilhjálmsson, who was donned; leather gloves, cloak, boots and a dusky metallic skull mask, she has links to the Assassins Guild and her ancient House has served Greycloak since the founding of both.