Ironsides Family/Bowie/Chapter Six
Demon of Dwilight, Chapter Six: Usurper of Aquilegia
Elite of Aquilegia
After the plague wiped out most of Aquilegia, Bowie suddenly became one of its most prominent nobles. Elected unopposed for the Holy Minister of War and the Cardinal of Finance positions, he has become a magnate of Aquilegia. Though he has lost Ashrak because of the shrinking of the realm, he has gained more in his government responsibilities.
When he sponsored the Viper Legion, he asked for leaders to step up and join his army. Both Sir Eadwulf Osha and Lady Nnaoj Urominiel volunteered to be Marshal. To determine which one deserved the position more he ordered the two to duel over it, winner gaining the Marshal and loser gaining the Vice Marshal. Though some of the realm protested, including High Inquisitor Pasha Blatkovetchkin, Lord Bowie insisted that he would not allow his army to be led by wimps or cowards. A duel, he declared, would prove these nobles were willing to fight for what they got, which would reflect their strength. He expected them to internalize the struggle of the duel as the struggle of the realm. This lesson they were then to carry with them forever as leaders of the Viper Legion. In addition to grooming his military core into powerful warriors, he demanded that the army uphold an image of strength, worthiness, dedication and experience. With such a small crop of nobles, he wonders whether or not he shall build his army or just command a group of spineless ninnies. Fearing an imminent invasion from Xinhai, and observing the desperate state the realm was in, he has decided to proceed with the promotions for Marshal Nnaoj and Vice Marshal Eadwulf without the duel, but still expects one. The Viper Legion is slowly forming into Aquilegia's fighting backbone.
Toponymist of Dwilight
Lord Bowie frequently set names for many regions of Dwilight. Eventually, in the Winter of 9 YD, he decided to designate a term for the entire eastern landmass. This he called Toprak. He further divided the land in two by the Ironsides Line into High Toprak and Toprak Minor. After this, he wrote an essay explaining the definition and meaning behind the new term. It was titled the "Identity of the Toprakian."
The Bat-People episode
Deposed from Aquilegia
In the Winter of 9 YD, refugees from the Raivanlands, including Bowie's once opponent Lady Katayanna Ogren, fled to Aquilegia. There, Bowie suspected them of treachery against him and was deposed from his positions in a crooked majority vote. His suspicions were proven right but he is unsure his next move....
Return to Grace
After the election of the refugees, the Cardinals of Aquilegia felt threatened and became as suspicious as Lord Bowie. In a swift purge, the five Bat-People (called so as followers of the Old Bat Katayanna) were expelled from the realm. Three of them were banned, Lady Thalia was protested and resigned from her position as Holy Minister, and Lady Katayanna was persecuted by the High Inquisitor and reduced to landless noble. She was also banned. After the purge Lord Bowie was returned to his positions but in a mistaken vote of no confidence (which was directed towards Lady Thalia) was taken out of the Holy Minister position. The error was corrected shortly after.
The Death of Rathan Himoura
Near the end of the Winter of 9YD, in circumstances largely unknown to Lord Bowie, his rival Lord Rathan Himoura was executed in D'Hara. A tragedy to him, he commemorated a small memorial statue in the city of Flowrestown.
Memorial Statue for Hexic Jeckyl
A short time after the execution of Rathan, Bowie's friend and dueling opponent Hexic Jeckyl, the Grandmaster of the Dueling Circuit, was killed as a hero in combat. Bowie sponsored the statue of Hexic in the Lighthouse Heights Arena in Qubel Lighthouse. It was also around this time when the Astromancy at War! series was updated with an article on the end of the Raivanlands. This article was titled "The Fall of Aegir Closes the Raivan Front."
The Assassination of Maximus Westfall
Nearing the end of the Spring of 9 YD, an infiltrator from Xinhai named Owen ConDoin sabotaged Aquilegia, then attacked the Archbishop. Bowie reported this event in his Astromancy at War! series under the article "The Assassination of Maximus Westfall."
"Raider of Huanghai"
In retaliation for the assassination of the Archbishop, Holy Minister Bowie went on a short raid of Huanghai. On his way home from the mission, he wrote up an article for the "Astromancy at War!" series titled "The Raid of Huanghai". The following is a presumed account of the affair:
Lord Bowie's Career Change
Having held the position of Cardinal of Finances for some time, Lord Bowie felt that the monthly elections were obstructing his ability to supervise the food share and organize international trade deals. Additionally, he saw the need for a realm specialist who could manage and improve the regions. By referendum in the Autumn of 10 YD he became the appointed Cardinal of Finances. With no more elections annoying him every month, he has decided to change his class from Warrior to Courtier and take on the sub-class of Trader. In this way he can fully concentrate his time and efforts to the maintenance of the realm. Not too long afterward, in the Winter of 10 YD, he submitted his second novel "He who Saw the Deep" to the Illiterati of the Arts Department in the Dwilight University.
"Usurper of Aquilegia"
Just before the winter ended, Lord Bowie led the Viper Legion in a coup d'etat against the government, which turned into a civil war. He gave a short summary of their grievances in his rebellion speech and went on to successfully take the realm. His victory was short lived as the opponents fought back. The Theocrats launched two counter rebellions, protested, fined, and exiled the Viper Legion until they were finally dissolved on the last day of winter as Bowie escaped the realm defeated. During this event, Bowie was Usurper for one day and Duke of Flowrestown another day. He lost both positions swiftly at the hands of zealot Astromancers. Though the full history of the Aquilegion Civil War is still being compiled, Dean Bowie submitted a Chronology to help clarify the affair to the Dwilight University. The aftermath of the Aquilegion Civil War saw the restoration of Vesuvis and Vos to Aquilegia, thereby ending the war with Xinhai, one of the goals of the Viper Legion.
