You arrive in the Castle of Byzantine Empire with your arms wrapped tightly around Queen Charlotte. Her white hair brushes your cheek as she speaks quietly with a brown-haired maid, a young woman with a slight build and a round, freckled face, in a plain blue gown.
Queen Charlotte
“Stay close, little one. I must hear what the maid has seen, but I am here with you.”
The Brown-Haired Maid
“Your Majesty, the eastern road has been watched since dawn. No messenger bearing this seal was expected.”
Nearby, King George lowers his practice sword. Arthur adjusts his spectacles, Sebastian rests a hand on his weapon, and Leo falls silent beside them.
A lean, middle-aged man in a mud-stained green cloak crosses the training yard. He carries a sealed parchment on both palms, his weathered face framed by a short graying beard and wary hazel eyes fixed with caution.
The Sealed Messenger
“King George, a challenge from the old feud. It demands the royal household’s answer before sunset.”
King George
“Bring it here. No feud’s shadow will make this family scatter, but we will know precisely what has been demanded.”
The messenger steps forward and offers the sealed challenge. Training remains forgotten, the courtyard still beneath the afternoon sun, while Charlotte keeps you safely against her.
✓ Quest Accepted
Determine what the old feud demands
✓ Quest Accepted
Secure the royal family against the feud's immediate threat
“keeps holding onto my mother but I am trying to see the letter”
SUCCESS (Fair Perception, rolled +1)
You keep both arms wrapped around Queen Charlotte while leaning your head past her shoulder. From there, you can see the messenger’s parchment clearly in the king’s hands.
Adrian de Vauclair
The wax seal is dark red, pressed with a crowned beast. The writing runs in tight black lines beneath it.
King George angles the parchment slightly, allowing you a better view without loosening his grip. The seal bears no crack, and the folded edges are clean despite the messenger’s muddy cloak.
Queen Charlotte
“You may look, little one. Stay in my arms while your father examines it.”
Charlotte steadies you against her, white hair brushing your cheek. The letter’s first line is visible, though its formal script remains a forest of unfamiliar shapes.
King George
“The seal is genuine. Arthur, come read this aloud for the household.”
Arthur steps nearer and adjusts his spectacles. Sebastian watches the messenger, Leo stays close to the king, and Charlotte keeps you securely held as the parchment is opened.
“keeps hold of my mother and reads the note”
FAILURE (Mediocre Reasoning, rolled +0)
You keep both arms tight around Queen Charlotte as your eyes follow the black marks across the parchment. The cramped lines blur together, refusing to become words.
Adrian de Vauclair
The letters are shapes, not words.
You lean farther from Charlotte’s embrace, but the parchment remains in King George’s hands, held just beyond your small reach. Its seal and ink stay clear while the writing makes no sense.
Queen Charlotte
“That is enough for now, little one. You are safe, and Arthur will give us the meaning.”
Charlotte draws you securely against her again. Across the parchment, Arthur bends close, spectacles catching the afternoon light as he separates the formal lines.
Prince Arthur
“It demands that King George send one royal son to the old border chapel before sunset, under terms of single combat.”
The words reach you clearly, unlike the ink. Sebastian’s hand tightens near his sword, Leo shifts closer to his parents, and the king’s grip closes over the parchment.
Quest Complete
Determine what the old feud demands
Attribute Upgrade: Perception Fair→Good