>>5995120>>5995136>>5995258>>5995568"Tell me about the powerful noble houses and their influence," you command the dusky-skinned concubine, once a noblewoman and now a harem slave.
"There are five great noble houses in the kingdom, your radiance," she begins. "They are called the Blood, descended from the five heroes who fought alongside Sumdaq the Great. Sumdaq the Great was the hero king who founded this kingdom eight hundred years ago, and King Suial the Third was his descendant."
The old tyrant was the last of a line tracing back to a mythical hero king, which lent him a supposed divine right to rule in the eyes of many. "But Sumdaq wasn't a god, was he?" you ask the concubine, seeking to understand the local religions and their influence on the people. "Did Sumdaq claim divinity?"
"No, your radiance," she replies, hesitating as if recalling her father's fate for challenging Suial's own claims to godhood. "Sumdaq was aided by the gods in his adventures and founded the kingdom with their help. In their honor, he built many temples. King Suial the Third tore down one such temple and built one in his own image, declaring himself a god and his lineage divine."
"Did any truly believe the tyrant to be a god?" you ask, probing for potential loyalists who could threaten your reign.
"There are some," she admits, "Priests of his temple, and children raised to worship his radiance as a god. They may resist your rule. However, those who believe in the old gods might see you as a liberator who killed the blasphemer."
"I see," you nod, contemplating the delicate balance of power. Perhaps it could be framed that Sumdaq the Great rose to power with the gods' aid, and his line ruled as long as they honored the gods. But when King Suial the Third destroyed the gods' temple, he lost his divine right to rule, and his line was replaced. "Tell me about the five great noble houses, and which regions of the kingdom are most likely to resist my rule."
"The great noble houses, in order of power, are Chion, Daeus, Thonius, Erenor, and Lorus," she explains. "House Chion is the most powerful. The queen, Suial's only legal wife, is a daughter of House Chion, and her brother is the current lord. If you have them as allies, pacifying the other Blood will be easier. But making them enemies will weaken your rule."
Perhaps this is why Suial never cast aside his wife, even though a woman nearing forty was far too old for his tastes. Replacing her with a younger woman could have turned her powerful family against him.
"As for the others—House Daeus and House Thonius are ambitious and may try to expand their influence in the chaos, possibly even starting a civil war. However, they have been rivals for centuries and would likely attack each other first in a conflict. House Erenor are traditionalists—they'll resist regime change but dislike civil war due to their focus on stability. House Lorus is the weakest of the Blood, and their next move remains uncertain."
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