THE COUNT HAS DISAPPEARED

[MCVDK 2830]

THE COUNT HAS DISAPPEARED;

the REGENCY OF ALDERSBERG.

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𝕿he forests surrounding Castle Aldersberg were dense and treacherous, stretching endlessly into the mist-laden mountains. For weeks, search parties had combed these woods, torches flickering against the shadows of ancient trees and the hollow silence of empty ravines. Mateusz Marcin Sarkozic, Count of Aldersberg, had vanished from his own lands, leaving his people bewildered, uneasy, and now increasingly desperate.

 

The disappearance had been as sudden as it was unexplainable. Mateusz had attended his interrupted wedding with Princess Calliope of Aaun, a union that had dissolved into confusion when she did not appear. Then, not long after, he too was gone, without warning or reason, slipping into the darkness of his lands like a whisper. At first, the nobles of Aldersberg had assumed he’d taken to some remote retreat, perhaps seeking solitude after the failed union. But as days passed and his absence lingered, concern turned to fear.

 

A band of loyal knights was sent to scour the forests, guided by woodsmen who knew the terrain better than any map. They moved methodically, searching every grove, every winding trail, calling his name into the silent night. Their torches became strange beacons in the mist, points of light swallowed by the vastness of the trees, as if even the forest itself resisted their search.

 

The people of Aldersberg watched anxiously as the search continued, but hope waned with each passing dawn. Rumors began to creep through the villages, weaving tales of the count’s disappearance into myths. Some whispered that he had been lured away by spirits of the wood, others that he had wandered too close to ancient, forbidden lands. More still spoke of the curse of a wedding broken, as though fate itself had reclaimed him for failing to fulfill his obligations.

 

Among the search party, there were those who began to doubt. They knew Mateusz as a man who bore his responsibilities with quiet resolve, who would not so easily abandon his post or his people. But as the days grew colder, and the nights longer, a darker thought took hold: perhaps the forest itself had claimed him, that somewhere in those vast, uncharted woods, the Count lay lost or worse.

 

The search continued, though the torches dimmed, and the men grew weary. Aldersberg’s people, from its highest lords to its simplest villagers, began to reckon with the unthinkable; that Mateusz Marcin Sarkozic, their steadfast count, might never return.

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DECLARATION OF REGENCY FOR THE COUNTY OF ALDERSBERG

 

Proclaimed this seventh day of the Sun’s Smile, in the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand and Two

 

By the authority vested in the House of Sarkoz and in accordance with the ancient tradition of Aldersberg, let it be declared:

 

Whereas Count Mateusz Sarkozic has vanished without trace, and despite all diligent efforts, his whereabouts remain unknown, the rule and care of Aldersberg must be preserved in his absence.

 

Thus, in faithful adherence to the customs of our house and for the security of our land and people, we hereby appoint Lady Kasandra Sarkozic, sister to Count Mateusz, as Regent of Aldersberg. She shall hold all rights, responsibilities, and honors of governance until such time as the Count returns or a lawful successor is appointed.

 

By this decree, Lady Kasandra is empowered to act with full authority over all matters of state, defense, and justice within Aldersberg, bearing the Count’s seal and ruling in his name for the good of the realm.

 

So let it be known, under witness of the Elder Council of Aldersberg and in trust of the Almighty.

 

Signed with the Seal of the Count of Aldersberg.

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[amyselia 2962]

In conversation with the Duke of Adria, Kasandra of Aldersberg finds that her blackened blood serves as the ocean on which arcs of memories past escape from a flood of betrayal, every new breath breathing vengeance into their hallowed, corrupted sails. . . 

[Gaja 1311]

Stefan rubs his furrowed brow in contemplation, the events of the day weighing heavily on the mind of the Turtle Duke...