The Kingdom of Toparia
Founded Year 847
Queen Edda The Drunk
b.940 d.987 - r.972- 987
Queen Edda, also known as 'The Drunk', left her mark on Toparian history not with ink, but with the cold bite of steel. She was born in 940. In 972, Edda became the ruler, displaying a strong desire for power and a distorted sense of honour that was fiercely loyal to those close to her. She was known for her contradictory behaviour and often dressed in crimson robes.
Although Queen Edda was determined to resolve important issues, she also had a reputation for excessive drinking. Her most famous pastime was drunken sword dancing, during which she would impress and terrify her courtiers with her combat skills. Unfortunately, her mistreatment of her child, Kennet, was a subject of court gossip..
The Iron Heart of Toparia Tested
In 975, the court grew concerned about a shortage of halytan steel, which was essential for the production of Toparian weapons. To ensure future weapon production, Edda formed uneasy alliances with rival kingdoms, exchanging land for the vital resource.
During her visit to Manuya to discuss these matters, the Queen caused a stir by drinking into the early hours of the morning and falling asleep in the fountains of the main gardens. Although attendants found her quickly, enough people knew about it to make it the gossip of the week. As usual, Edda laughed it off as "having a good time".
A year later, Edda's reign was threatened by a secret that was recently discovered. The parchments revealed that Edda's grandfather, King Olaf, did not die at the hands of bandits as previously believed. He disappeared while conspiring with the neighboring kingdom of Estora against Toparia. Edda orchestrated a campaign of document forgery and silenced people because she feared that the revelation would shatter public trust. Loyalist writers revised history throughout the night.
Faith Forged Deception
In 978, the religious council challenged Edda's marriage to King Jone, claiming that his identity was a fabrication and that he was a puppet raised by usurpers. Edda turned the tables with a staged trial, exposing the council's blasphemy through false witnesses, coerced confessions, and fabricated documents. This solidified her control over the religious order, but left a bitter taste in the mouths of her detractors.
In 980, the common people were deeply unhappy because of oppressive taxes, forced labour in the halytan steelworks and mines, and a famine caused by resource depletion. Ragnar, a blacksmith, rallied the peasants by promising fairer land distribution and decent wages. He held a flaming torch in his calloused hands as a symbol of the people's fury. Edda recognised the need for appeasement and promised reforms, but she did not mean a word of what she said. She infiltrated the rebellion with cunning spies, sowed suspicion, and offered amnesty to defectors. This strategy, coupled with swift executions of key leaders for supposed crimes against the realm, bled the uprising dry.
A Knight Against the Queen
Sir Valen emerged as a significant threat to Edda's regime in 983. The young knight was full of idealism and political acumen. It appears that he was present during one of the Queen's impromptu drunken fashion shows at the palace. The Queen showcased her collection of elaborate and eccentric crimson garments. He left the event in disgust.
Disillusioned by Edda's behaviour, authoritarian policies, and the widespread suffering, Valen, a former scholar, effectively mobilized a small but dedicated force of peasant-knights. Valen's movement gained support by strategically engaging in skirmishes throughout the countryside, gradually eroding Edda's public image and authority.
Instead of relying on brute force, Edda focused on targeting the leadership group of the rebellion and exploiting existing internal divisions within Valen's movement. She enticed Valen to hold talks by offering stability, potential influence, and amnesty with the possibility of integration into her court. Valen arrived at the castle with 40 knights. Queen Edda ordered their slaughter in the courtyard, ending Valen's rebellion that day.
A Legacy Forged in Blood and Betrayal
Queen Edda "The Drunk" (940-987) presided over a turbulent period in Toparia, marked by resource depletion, internal dissent, and external threats. While her steel-fisted leadership navigated these challenges, it sowed seeds of discontent within the court, even among her own family. In 987, this resentment erupted in a chilling palace coup led by her son, Prince Kennet.
Contemporary accounts suggest that Kennet's motives were based in political ambition and long-held grievances. Edda's ruthless tactics and her alleged involvement in conspiracies had poisoned their relationship. Capitalizing on these simmering tensions, Kennet cultivated a network of loyalist supporters within the courts.
No clash of steel or defiant roar marked the queen's final moments. She met her end at the hands of her own kin with a sigh. The iron queen, who held Toparia in her grip, succumbed not to external invaders or rebellion, but to the blade of betrayal, her legacy forever marked by the blood of her own family.
Thus fell Queen Edda "The Drunk".
The unmarked tomb of Queen Edda
Heirs
Prince Kennet (b.964 d.?)
Long live King Kennet! (U+4,D+1,W+3 - Kingdom in Fall)
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