The Day of The Crimson Throne

Coup

Have you heard the tale of woe,
of the day of the Crimson throne?
Tale of family, heartbreak and treachery,
that will haunt your dreams and memory?

Tale of brothers, that raised their vengeful arms,
painted the throne with emperor's blood!
Tale of loss, sadness and rage so foul,
bloody tears cried by the Arrow Crown...

— Tale of Woe
Bardic retelling

One of the most harrowing tales from the history of Islenor must be The Day of The Crimson Throne. A bloody coup that lasted merely a day, but the bloody massacre which took place on that fateful day is still remembered with fear.

The Conflict

Prelude

Lord Farren Thelirme arrived to the Glass Palace with his brother, Lord Virric, and the men that had returned from subduing an uprising, that had taken the life of Farren's and Virric's father, Prince Lutoris. Emperor Caelathel Thelirme II, whom had sent his uncle and his cousins to the task against Prince Lutoris' advice, took the brothers in when Lord Farren would scold him.

Farren requested that emperor Caelathel to reconsider his position and show proper respects to the memory of Prince Lutoris and the demands of the islenorian people, who had been restless and having mixed feelings about the emperor's rule.

Emperor Caelathel took part of his cousin's sorrow and gave his condolences, but would firmly stand his ground. He has made his decision how his lands would be run but thanked Farren from his council.

Farren replied to his cousin and childhood playmate with a sad yet cold glare, and silently declared:

"So it shall be, milord."

— Farren Thelirme

With his mark, his men drew their arms, and with one, unexpected and terrible swing, Farren pierced Emperor Caelathel's torso, while the shock of horror painted the emperor's face. The bleeding emperor would fall from his feet, right to his throne that became soaked with his blood.

Deployment

The element of surprise was on the side of the attacker, as despite the pickering among the family, no one actually expected that Lord Farren would openly rise against his emperor. He and his men were let in without any questions, and thus they had arranged themselves so that they got the upper hand. Lord Farren's allies in the court made sure, that if Emperor Caelathel wouldn't hear Farren's plea, the conflict would be short, but nothing would prevent it getting bloody.

The Engagement

Soon after the first strike, Caelathel's son Prince Zairethar would attack his uncles, but he was soon bested. Farren's men would hunt down anyone that would oppose Farren, and not bend the knee. They would be resisted by the Palace Guard, but only for so long.

Outcome

Farren's men would siege the Glass Palace and set a dangerous precedent for anyone questioning Farren's rule. With Emperor Caelathel and his heir dead, there was very little that could be done to stop the coup. Emperor Caelathel's younger son, Prince Aroitas escaped the bloodbath, yet he was never heard from again.

Aftermath

Soon after the massacre, Emperor Farren Thelirme took the throne and the crown as his own, turning the tides of the islenorian politics. He would declare deceased Caelathel as a criminal that was selling his people to his own glory and promised to hear his people's pleas.

Responses to the violent takeover were mixed to say at least, and while Farren's rule became long, it became a rocky one, as little trust is given for such kinslayer.

Historical Significance

As much of the shock the Emperor Farren's rise to power was, it had been a long time coming. And with the context, the brutal act might be even more harrowing.

Caelathel's father, Emperor Vasandor Thelirme III, has unable to conceive a child. After his younger brother, Prince Lutoris had just had his firstborn, Farren, Vasandor approached his brother with a request to aid him to get Empress Caixina pregnant, so Vasandor and Caixina would have a child of their own. Young Lutoris agreed aid his brother, and just few years after Empress Caixina gave birth to Caelathel. For while thing were good; Vasandor and Caixina were saved from sorrow and embarrassment of remaining childless and Lutoris received his older brother's gratitude and appreciation.

The happiness wouldn't last.

The growing Empire of Islenor was having growing pains, and islenorians were getting restless and unsatisfied to the actions of the crown. Prince Lutoris and his sons would travel around the empire, doing the emperor's bidding, while Emperor Vasandor was more and more tied to capital and the complicated matters of the court. Their opinions of how to approach the politics would differe more and more, and Emperor Vasandor would tire to Prince Lutoris' council.

Prince Lutoris felt his brother had lost touch with his people and was simply trying to please the rich and the powerful he had decided to align with. He felt betrayed by his brother's disinterest in the news he brought of his travels. He felt that Vasandor was alienating him from the court and from Caelathel, just taking from him what he wanted and nothing more, and this displeasure he told to his brother both in voiced- and in written form.

Emperor Vasandor, on another hand, felt his brother was out of touch and too gullible, falling to the traps of the populists. He felt that Lutoris did not understand the pains and responsibilities of ruling and that he was preying on him by trying to guilt him to share opinions with Lutoris thanks to a son he had helped to conceive.

The relationship of the brothers became more and more bitter and distant, and this affected their children as well; when Emperor Vasandor passed on and Emperor Caelathel II paid no heed to Prince Lutoris' advice, and treated his extended family in away Lutories and Farren found disrespectful. While disagreeing how to deal with a peasant uprising, Caelathel got upset to his uncle, and demanded to know if he had any respect to his rule, and Prince Lutoris, as his last attempt to convince Caelathel to his side, agreed to do as Caelathel wished. Wish, that would bring him to a battle that took his life.

Lord Farren, heartbroken by his father's death, gave up with his cousin that day, and what he considered as a service of Justice, he came to his cousin's court to see if he would have changed his mind due to Prince Lutoris' sacrifice.

Conflict Type

Skirmish

Battlefield Type

Urban

Start Date

10th of Augor, 1555 AoS; early afternoon

Ending Date

10th of Augor, 1555 AoS; evening

Conflict Result

Rise of Emperor Farren Thelirme

Location

Glass Palace

Maps

• 

  Tel'taurn Tal

  Tel'Taurn Tal is the very capital of Empire of Islenor. It is the seat of the ruling Emperor, and home of the Glass Palace.