Born to Rule

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Original Contest -- Do not post.

i. Early life.
ii. Fisherman's Song.
iii. The Civil War.
iv. Resurrection of a Kingdom.
v. Credits and Thanks.

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EARLY LIFE

Maris was born into a sea-side fishing community, far on the outskirts of Sul Maren. Their job was a simple one—the community caught and traded fish, and recruited young kalons and humans to go on fishing trips, be them short or long. Those who went on short trips stayed near the bay, catching fish and prepping them to be packaged and shipped off before being done for the day. Those who went on the longer trips travelled far and wide across the continent of Perithus, delivering and trading to the Far Lands and sailing for miles at a time on one of the nation’s large ships. Maris, as a young kit, always found himself fascinated with the boats that came and went, and would often watch them from the beach, eyes wide with curiosity. As a young boy, he learned to fish with his father, and he and his siblings became professionals in no time, just as many of the others in his community had done. Some called this their tradition—it was what made them members of Sul Maren. To fish was to live. Maris knew this, and followed the words of his elders, keeping their wise words in his heart.

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FISHERMAN’S SONG

As Maris came of age, he, like many of his peers, became a fisherman. He decided to join the longer hauls, and with a heavy heart, he said farewell to his family, taking only what he could carry on his back. He boarded the massive fishing vessel with his friends and neighbors, and within the next few hours, they were afloat on the massive sea that lay outside of Perithus. Being the only discovered continent, the ocean took up the remainder of the planet, stretching far beyond the horizon. Though few islands dappled the water here and there, many had been discovered with no life aside from small animals, and were oft left alone. Though the vessel drew far beyond the comforting shores of the land, there was nothing to fret as the clear sky and blue waters surrounded them, allowing for the perfect night to fish. The outer deck of the ship was brightly lit with lanterns, and that first night, Maris and his crew all spent hours fishing. By the time they retired for sleep, dawn had begun to crack on the horizon, the morning crew and captain waking for the start of the day.

Maris awoke a few hours later, somewhat groggy but still filled with the excitement of being on his own. Breakfast was served below the ship—the food was less than fancy, but he didn’t mind it much. Soon enough he got to his chores, helping the other sailors clean the deck, check the food hull, and of course, fish. By the time the boat had reached their first island, they had more than enough seafood to trade, and left with a haul of fresh fruit, vegetables, and bread made by some of the friendlier kalons of the settlements. He spent years exploring the coasts and islands, making friends with the islanders and trying new foods that he’d never seen before. It was a joyous and exciting period of his life. Though storms and quarrels came, he made their way through them, the only evidence of this the scar across his eye. With time he eventually became a first mate to the captain. At the end of his journeys he would often sign up to go out onto the sea again, spending most of his youth and young adulthood away from home. Only when the kingdom of Sul Maren had nearly fallen to pieces did he decide to stay home.

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THE CIVIL WAR

After years of being ruled by the wealthy upper class, many humans and kalons who chose to stay on land had become impoverished and malnourished. Streets were littered with filth and vermin. Maris didn’t see much of this due to his home town being a sea-side village, but once he’d been brought to the inner city walls for trades and updates with his captain time and time again, he could no longer stand to watch the decay of his beloved home. He had to do something, and fast.

After deciding to stay on land, he eventually got word of an uprising. Whispers spread through the streets, and though it took some time, he finally heard of a kalon who knew more about the rebellion. Maris followed the cobblestone paths of the city to a back alley, letting himself inside of an old shop with no name. As he stepped inside, an old kalon stood at the counter, polishing a knife.

“Don’t have much to offer. You’re better off goin’ somewhere else.” Maris shook his head, stepping up to the counter. “I heard you’re in charge of the rebellion.”

The kalon’s brows raised, eying Maris briefly as he continued to polish his weapon. “I am. It’s not gonna be easy, I’ll tell you that. We’re going to get started soon here, and there might be bloodshed. You really think you can handle it?”

“I can handle it.” The man sighed, shaking his head. “If you think so. Don’t have the energy to turn you crazy kids away anymore. Head down the hall. You’ll get a better explanation there.”

As Maris entered the next room, there were many people seated at a small table, playing poker with a small collection of coins as the prize in the center. They all stopped to look at him, though they returned to their game with little difficulty. One of the kalons ushered him over, and briefed him on what was going to happen in the next few days. Maris was surprised at how much had been planned out already. Had his home been in such bad shape for so long? It was hard to imagine, and yet here he stood, a member of the revolution, about to overthrow the government. He didn’t know what to think.

The kalons set out a few mornings later, determined to change the way their kingdom was run. The leader and a few kalons marched up to the palace, demanding that the ruling class step down, or they would rebel. Of course, these men and women didn’t think much of their threat, and told them to go ahead. With this, Maris and the others began their work.

Shops closed their doors. Workers left their jobs. Suddenly, the entire world was empty, the streets barren except for those walking home. At first, not much was accomplished by this. But as time went on, the kingdom grew further into its fall. The aristocrats, no longer being served by their maids and butlers, grew irritated. Food and cloth became scarce as no work was done. Trade routes closed down, and those who didn’t live in fishing communities had nearly no food. This went on for months. As the hospital began to fill with sick kalons and the only food that remained went bad, the aristocrats finally conceded. They left the palace and were exiled from Sul Maren, being sent off on a boat with supplies and a captain to be taken to one of the islands that held no kalons.

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RESURRECTION

Now free of the corrupt ruling class, the people of Sul Maren could begin to reform their world. Trade routes were reopened and those who rebelled were reimbursed for their hard work. The heads of the revolution put their heads together to write up a rule of law, each of them and all who were present signing the slip of paper. As they began their new rule a house of judges were put together, and each city of the kingdom was permitted a senator, someone to come to the holds of the palace to discuss problems and give their two cents on laws being passed. With time, the kingdom became a democracy.

Years passed, and as the land began to flourish, the kingdom finally decided they were ready for a ruler. Though they would be more of an icon than an actual person of power, they were important nonetheless. They would serve as a mouthpiece between Sul Maren and the other kingdoms, and attend the meetings that the queen of Naturia had proposed to ensure peace between the settlements. An election was held, and to Maris’ surprise, he’d been the most popular choice. With new responsibility and a fresh start to an entire kingdom, he happily accepted his position.

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All writing and art was done by me.
Thanks to those who read this.
uhhhh Thanks to danny devito for existing.
Have a good one, y'all.