Long live the Duke.

[KIIWIKILLA 342]

The flags in Istria’s fiefs had been lowered to half mast. The news of young Philip de Sola’s death had swept across the land like a plague. Though it was not only Lord de Sola that the men mourned, but also Lord Philip de Capua. Both men had a greatness about them. Traces of the late and great Titus ‘the Bloody de Sola left within them. The last Istrian noble, Arthur Roswell, gathered his belongings before departing to Dour Watch to prepare for the funeral. 

As the guests piled into the keep to attend the service there were no voices; only a deep pain in the atmosphere. It was clear that many had been moved by the deaths of Lord de Sola, and Lord de Capua alike. Emperor John, the kinsman of the late Philip de Sola attended the ceremony with his entourage, all deeply saddened by young Philip’s brutal death. Lord de Sola had been a man of only seventeen when Rendon Vimmark plunged his blade into him, draining the life from him in front of his cousin de Capua. A great search had been called to find Rendon and bring him to justice, but it had came to a pause when the funeral ceremony had started. 

Lord Roswell attended to all of the guests, greeting them all with a solemn smile. He had been up well into the night to organise the funeral of the two men. He had been a personal friend of both, as well as the previous guardian of Lord de Sola. As the funeral progressed, Lord Roswell reminisced on the times he had spent with both men in these halls. The great excitement he had felt when his good friend the Emperor had informed him of Philip's arrival. 

At the end of the ceremony, a wake was held in the great hall of Dour Watch. The guests ate and drank to the lives of both men, and stories were shared. Towards the end of the night, the topic of succession was raised. There were many opinions for the next Duke, but most present supported Arthur Roswell. After much discussion, Lord Josef Vladov raised from his seat. He moved to Arthur with great haste, taking the Ducal crown from the table. Lord Josef placed the crown upon Lord Roswell’s head, offering a smile as he did so. He turns to the guests, proclaiming “Count Arthur Roswell has the support of you all here. His Imperial Majesty even offers his support to him. I believe that here sits the man who can make Istria flourish, as for too long it has sat desolate and barren.” The room erupted into applause, people standing to shake the hand of Lord Roswell. Emperor John was the first to raise, offering a smile to Arthur. “Congratulations Duke Roswell, you have earned your title.” After a few moments of shaking hands and exchanging words, Arthur Roswell stands from his seat to address the congregation of people before him. “I thank you all for your support in this matter. Each of you have my utmost respect for the faith you have placed on me to take Istria to the standard it should be at.” He turns to Emperor John, before taking a knee. “I gave my pledge to you as a Count. Now I make my pledge to you as a Duke.” After he reaffirms his pledge of allegiance, he raises back to his feet. “My first action would be to install Vespasian de Sola as Baron of Dour Watch. This is not my hold to keep, nor should it go to anyone other than de Sola.” After the guests had departed Dour Watch, Lord Roswell returned to his home in the County of Pompourelia to inform his family of their new position. 

[The Great Mongol Khan 1110]

William Karduin cheers, "Long live Duke Roswell! Long live Emperor John! Long live the Empire!"

[CheekyNolan 5420]

Ser Roke lurches up at the end of the ceremony, clapping his hands together whilst offering a beam of jollity. "Well done!"

[Jonificus 2751]

Philip de Capua smiles down upon his friend's well deserved promotion.

[Guest]

 

"Hey good job Roswell" says dead de Solas

[Burkester 1247]

Lord Josef Vladov smiles the sun's smile while he stands to the side of the newly appointed Duke of Istria.

[GloriaPreussens 798]

John the Lesser stands in his father, the Emperor's shadow, carefully watching the procession

[Kaelan 1918]

A grin spreads on Julian Argansi's face, but he is unable to overcome the urge and bursts into laughter when he looks down upon the scene from the Seven Skies. "Roswell could not even inspire the respect of the Larians when he asked them to train under him, what makes the Emperor think that he will be able to manage an entire Duchy?" he says shaking his head continuing to laugh.

[KIIWIKILLA 342]

7 hours ago, ZipZapMan said:

A grin spreads on Julian Argansi's face, but he is unable to overcome the urge and bursts into laughter when he looks down upon the scene from the Seven Skies. "Roswell could not even inspire the respect of the Larians when he asked them to train under him, what makes the Emperor think that he will be able to manage an entire Duchy?" he says shaking his head continuing to laugh.

Lord Roswell recalls what happened to the Larians as a consequence of the lack of training. They could not even save their own Lord from having his head removed in the middle of his own hold.

[Lima 774]

 

The proud Istriot Male, Vespasian de Sola would be perched within the keep he had been making progress on restoring, having just commissioned the removal of the hovels that the Falkenraths erected and called 'homes' ten years prior. With the announcement that Lord Roswell would rise to be the duke he had no quarrels with the matter, and indeed quite openly supported it.

The trueborn de Sola was a young man and had an eye for business and industry, not the stewarding tracts of land. It would be no small statement to declare he was not prepared for a Ducal title while still young in his years. Never the less, the meeting a week earlier that established Roswell as the duke of Istria had declared Vespasian his inheritor; Dour Watch was a education for the young de Sola.

So when it came to the discussions in the later hours of the night, after the service seeing off his younger cousins, Vespasian loudly cheered at the appointment of Arthur Roswell. 

He knew next he would cleanse the repugnant filth the Falkenraths scarred Istria with; all in preparation for his greater, grander purpose.