The Year of the Sea Serpent

1734RJ
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This marks the first cycle of the 14-year cycle of whereas every 14th year from this year is dubbed "The Year of the Serpent King"


At his coronation, the Serpent King referred to himself as

The Dove who ridded the world of the Raven
. He later, however, embraced the moniker after he [forcefully] obtained the meaning of a song he overheard from a street bard which contained the lyric: "the serpent king has bit the wing of Lankhmar's favorite raven". The bard's song was part of a story called "The Serpent King". After the bard told the story and sang the songs associated with it, the Serpent King smiled and said "If the people choose to see me as a serpent, then a serpent I shall be. This city is full of unwashed and ignorant swine, hardly a place for a dove. The swine of Lankhmar will see how the fangs and venom they claim to me will benefit them". At that, the Serpent King beheaded the bard and drove his head upon a spike placed alongside the road leading to the Grain Gate. The Serpent King was not wrong in his interpretation of the bard's tale as being a tool for political insurgence.   The "Story of the Serpent King" as told and sung by the Bartholomew the Bard goes as follows:  
Before he assassinated his brother the Feathered King, The King of Serpents openly accused him of worshipping the Goddess Tyaa and ushering "The Cult of Tyaa" into Lankhmar. This accusation was unfounded and without proof; while it was true that the Cult of Tyaa was certainly an evil following, the Feathered King had nothing to do with its founding nor had any knowledge of its activities.   song:
for what can a man or child, or a King of young or a King of olde; know of a bird so vile, as Tyaa's ravens so bright and bold; but every man and child, and King of young and King of olde; knows of a snake's revile, who strikes and leaves a body cold
  Regardless, the Serpent King made a false connection between the cult's signature creature, the Tyannic Raven (scary music played)... which are a superior species of raven that serve the Goddess Tyaa! And! .... the Feathered King's favorite animal form he took when he Wildshaped, the Red-Tipped Raven. (waits for crowd's reaction, encouraging any disapproving gestures and remarks)   And this!! Found in historical text!! (the bard pulls out a long scroll written in theatrical gibberish and reads out loud after clearing his throat dramatically)   The Serpent King pointed out:
the Feathered King would have known about the cult and his claim of ignorance to the cult's activities are a lie! I, a mere Prince of Lankhmar, with profoundly less resources and access to the intel of the city and Kingdom of Lankhmar, know ALL about the vile Tyaan Cult and its horrid Ravens! How can you say that my brother, The "Feathered" King of Lankhmar, who takes the FORM OF A RAVEN every day to survey the city and look over "his empire" would not have encountered these Tyaan Ravens? Not even once? How DARE he insult our intelligence!
  As such, the Serpent King managed to sow enough doubt that when his unsanctioned assassination occurred, the City Council of Lankhmar managed to marginally approve his regency. As a fervent follower of the Temple of Issek, the Serpent King, before being thusly named, likened himself to a dove, the soft gentle animal associated with Isseks followers.   song:
A tale so new and yet so olde, as always there are craven; the Serpant King has bit the wing of Lankhmar's favorite raven; So listen friends and family alike, and take up sword and rake; for 'neath the feathered coat of a dove, could lie the heart of a snake!
  Nehwon's Calendar

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RJ (Reiches Jahr - Current Era) (article)
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