[Oakarch Court] [writing + leveling thread]

[Knickknacks]

Oakarch Court
prompts thread

False friends and open enemies, steadfast friends and hidden foes... all these and more hide behind smiles at the city in the trees. Be careful where you place your trust.

Hiya! This thread will house all my writing and development for the Hunter's Woods arpg. Though some of my cats aren't very nice, I assure you that I am- and I'd love to chat about stories/development sometime!

[Knickknacks]

❧ current level:: five

❧ progress to next level::

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{25/500 exp}

[Knickknacks]

❧

The gilded walkways and false smiles of the Oakarch Court are all Lionel has ever known. As the firstborn child of the previous High Lord, Alexander Brookleafe, he was placed in a curious role from the very beginning. His father was not popular- even as a child, Lionel was able to understand this, able to tell that some of the gracious smiles his father received, even some of the homage paid to he himself, was insincere. In this way, Lionel was truly a product of his environment- in the Court, where you could never be sure who was really your friend or how long they might stay that way, it didn't ever end well to be too trusting.

Still, in his younger years, Lionel did enjoy his life at the Court. It was beautiful, and even if those simpering smiles were all false, they were still polite- and, so long as he didn't tread on anyone's toes (not that he ever would, for Lionel was nothing if not careful, having the upbringing and parents that he did.), he didn't have a target on his back.

His father most certainly did, however: Lionel was barely into adulthood when the High Lord Alexander Brookleafe met a violent end. The position of High Lord was thrust upon his son who, despite his obvious intelligence and keen understanding of Court politics, seemed to have no aspirations whatsoever to lead. This ruffled the fur of many seemingly implacable nobles- how could one cat be so ungrateful when given such a noble position? Obviously, something would have to be done to inspire Lionel- and, if all else failed, he could always be removed.

It wasn't that Lionel was ungrateful for the position- it was merely one he had never wanted. He had been well aware of the unscrupulous and murderous tendencies of certain courtiers for years now, but had never been struck this close to home. The fact that he wasn't (and still isn't) certain who committed the deed made the false smiles around him seem all the more threatening.

The city he had once seen as beautiful had lost its luster, and he was awakened to the fact that he was, in reality, surrounded by enemies, with precious few friends to cling to. He is under no illusions that the Court is a prison, and intends to either shatter the corrupt social web that led to his father's death- or die trying.

[407 words]
[+250 base exp; +50 extra words exp]

❧

[Knickknacks]

❧

The Oakarch Court isn't the only inhabited area in the great woods- outside that glittering bloodstained city in the trees, there lie a number of small villages, populated by cats who are, on the whole, much less prone to murder. They are everyday cats, and though every generation there seems to be at least one bright-eyed youngster who aspires to accumulate enough wealth to gain a spot at the Court, for the most part these outsiders are glad of their separation from the Court. They've heard the stories, the tales of intrigue and betrayal, and that's enough to ward most away from their own sense of curiosity.

The enterprising among them occasionally conduct trade with these glittering aristocrats, supplying them with food and jewelry and coming away with much heavier pockets for it. By and large, those who dwell outside of the Oakarch Court are more than fine to continue doing so- especially with the recent news of the High Lord's murder.

[161 words]
[+100 exp]

❧