Kalmar Family/Kole/The Tales of Kole

The Tales of Kole

Within are many accounts of the life and work of Kole Kalmar, Count of Croton and Justicar of Virovene.

The Fifth year after Dwilight's Colonization

1st Entry, Spring, 5th yrar after Colonization

Kole was in court when the messenger came bearing news of the Kaisers death. He immediately ended all court activities and rushed on foot to the palace.

Outside the palace a crowed was forming, rumours flitting from mouth to mouth. The guard had formed a cordon around the palace, but parted on seeing the Justicars robes. Kole proceed through the palace to the throne room, where a frightened group of nobles and courtiers had gathered. On the throne steps the body of the Kaiser lay, a dead white, his glorious robes ruined by stab wounds.

The Captain of the Guard arrived and Kole took him to one side, 'Get these people out of here, then get a priest to come and oversee the body, it needs to be taken it to the morgue. I also want a full meeting of the council of the Kaiser later today. Also, I want you to send out a massive, close all the boarders and send out patrols, I want the assassin found'. The Captain left, ushering the couriers and nobles out of the room.

Kole was left alone with the body. The silence of the room was unsettling. He walked to the corpus, kneeling down. He took the Kaiser's hand, 'There will be vengeance for this, I swear it'. He stood turned, and walked away, leaving the body to rest in the room of its life’s rule.

5th Entry, Winter, 5th year afer Colonization

Kole watched as the door of the prison coach slammed shut. The day had come, Neel was being taken to the ship which would finally remove the enemy of Virovene from the shores of Dwilight. However, it was not a celebrated occasion. Many had gathered to see the fallen Emperor led from the jail to the coach. But there were no cheers, no cat calls, no thrown fruit. Guards lined the courtyard, but were unneeded in the end. It was less the march of a condemned man, but the observance of a fallen ruler. All remembered when Springdale stood tall under a benevolent ruler, a liberator, before the descent into power struggles, lies, hatred and heresy. It was and an end of an era, and many regretted its passing. But Kole needed to be a force for justice in Virovene, had had not regretted signing the orders to deport Neel. It may be the end of an age, but its time had come, and Virovene was travelling forward into the future. The coach stated forward on the long journey to the docks, Kole sighed and turned from his vantage point back to the long line of people needing the realms justice. One could not dwell on the past when travelling into the future.

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4th Entry, Winter, 5th year afer Colonization

Kole was walking through the echoing corridors of Nifelhold’s fortress when he realised suddenly there were far too many guards to be usual. They were every ware, around every corner and in every alcove.

He walked up to a guard he just passed guarding a stairwell, tapping him on the solider, and almost leaping out of his skin as the guard rounded on him, unsheathing his sword. The Guard then noticed Kole’s robes, and realised he had been about to eviscerate the Justicar of Virovene. He turned a pale Greenish colour and saluted, dropping his sword on his foot in the process. Kole took a moment to compose himself. "If I many be so bold, can you tell me why there are so many guards around, and why you felt it necessary to show me what my innards looked like?" If possible the guard grew paler "I'm sorry milord, the Kaiser has business in the tower, and no one is allowed to go up there under pain of death." Kole looked curious "Really, did he say why?", "No Milord", "Hmm, anyway, I have papers I need him to sign, and half the royal court is wondering where he is, are you sure I cannot see him." "I'm sorry Milord, the Kaiser was very specific, I could tell him that you visited if you like." the guard suggested "Well, it will have to do," Kole said. "Get a runner to see me when he is done." "Yes Milord".

Kole went to turn away, but stopped and spoke "One other thing guardsman..." The guard spoke "Sir?". "Try not to kill council members, These robes are a pain to clean" The guard looked vexed as Kole turned and went back the way he came, chuckling all the way.

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3rd Entry, Winter, 5th year afer Colonization

Kole sat in the temporary courthouse of Nifelhold, the original one currently sitting under a boulder after the siege. He rubbed his wounded shoulder, an unfortunate memento from a disgruntled citizen during a court session. He looked over his papers. Even now the new people of Virovene were having trouble adjusting to a new rule. He rubbed his eyes. He was losing sleep over some of the horrible cases he was hearing from the populace.
As he sat with the court papers his squire ran up, holding a missive and smiling. He stopped and saulted smartly at the desk. Kole looked at Rupert, who was still smiling in a way that Kole was beginning to find mildly annoying "Are you waiting for me to announce you, Rupert?" he said.
Rupert looked confused "What? Oh, no sir, we have had word from some guards in Mt. Black Nastrond", he handed over the message.
Kole read it quickly, then stopped, going back, reading it more carefully. he spoke "Is this report accurate".
"Yes sir, it's from a man I trust".
"Then, my friend, you have something to smile about, we have caught Emperor Neel"

---

2nd Entry, Winter, 5th year after Colonization

Justicar Kole strode through the breached gate of Nifelhold and looked around at the destruction. Still his heart felt only joy. They had taken the city. At long last, the tyranny of Springdale had ended, the heretics silenced. Today was a new day for Virovene. Upon the ground lay a flag of the false Emperor Neel, trampled and muddied by the feet of the many troops streaming into the city. He picked up the offending item and, with great relish, threw it into a burning building.

From the stronghold calls a voice, raised high in jubilation. " FOR VIROVENE! FOR THE STARS!". Kole couldn't agree more. Now came the rebuilding, but that would be tomorrow. Today was a time to celebrate, The war of Succession was over, they had won.

---

1st Entry, Winter, 5th year after Colonization

Kole looked up from cleaning his blade, sitting in the firelight outside the large tent his office allowed, as the sun finally set, out of sight behind Mt. Black Nastrond. Further down the slope sat Nifelhold, a city under siege. The days and weeks of the siege had left the city as a virtual ruin. The township around the walls was almost completely destroyed, only a few walls remained of what was a bustling community. The walls were ragged, strewn with holes and cracks, with blood smeared along the tops of the walls. Even the mighty spire at the cities centre was riddled with cracks, and looked to be leaning slightly. Fires burned through out the city, smoke curling lazily skywards.

Kole looked then to land before the city, which had until recently been a field of battle, lifeless and barren, devoid of all plant life. Standards of many companies still stood where they had fallen, surrounded by the bodies of the deceased. Although priests moved among the dead, blessing and removing the bodies, it would be long before the bodies had all been removed. Even then they could not remove the blood, which now stained the ground so thickly that the mud ran red whenever it rained.

Even now the few siege engines that were left fired boulders the size of carts into the city, sending screams raising from the within the city. They would have to stop soon, their ammunition was limited until the supply trains reached them on the morrow. Many units were battered from this long siege, but the brutality of the attack was winning out. They would hold the city soon, Kole was sure. Kole finished cleaning his blade and stood, sheathing his sword and stretching his arms. It was truly dark now, the city bathed in a baleful orange glow, like the depths of the abyss. Yes, it would be over soon. At least, he could only hope.