The ceremony:
The Funeral begins under a low gray sky, typical of this cold dreary summer. The city is packed with uncounted thousands lining the grand promenade that will lead from the prepared platform outside of the High Temple of Stasis. The route is well known and well ordered with hundreds of soldiers and constables. The body was brought to the Temple of Han-Sui last night (although the public does not learn it is not the High Temple of Stasis until the morning). The ceremony will be brief but there will be speeches, an ode, a lament and then the party will process back to Castle Gemblade.
The list of prominent Icefians on the platform is extensive but a few bear mention. All of the lesser monarchs are present. Oliver Westrom, the King of the Midlands is a man of average height for a human, just under six feet. He may be as young as 40 but could be in his fifties based on his gray hair and weathered face. All of you recognize that he carries a longsword bearing Kovan's mark on his belt. He looks uncomfortable in full armor. His wife is beside him. She is clearly much younger and beautiful but does not look like a noble woman.
The Queen of the North, Irene Degalas Gemblade is unaccompanied and dressed in a black gown. She is in her late forties or early fifties, still one of the most beautiful women in the kingdom; her dark hair showing no grey but her face marked by grief.. He slain husband was the King's only brother.
Cyrus Whiteknight, the King of the West is incredibly aged, well into his eighties but appears at least ten years younger. It is remarkable to you who met him, how much he looks like Garland. He is dressed formally with a sword but no armor. He too is unaccompanied and Irene sometimes leans on his arm during the ceremony.
The Queen and King of the Sea, monarchs of the smallest realm, its seat in Tripsea, are figures of great mystery and this is the first they have been seen in the capital in years. Tanya Peerless is a woman if indeterminable age and unremarkable appearance, though beautifully dressed and made up for the occasion. She has silver hair and blue eyes and after looking at her for only a moment you feel as if she is looking back at you. It is very unsettling. Her husband is shorter than she and roguish looking, with a rapier, high boots and pantaloons. He is in his fifties but quick. It is well known that he was a privateer and abandoned his name for her royal name when he won her hand.
The King of the Elves, who more and more your hear referred to as Rose Elves rather than Northern Elves here in Icefia, is Tanissal Rosetree. There is no doubt of his royalty and all of his fellow monarch greet him warmly. He has long blonde hair and green eyes, his armor is mithril and longswords rest on both hips. Amusingly to some and touchingly to others he stands with the other full demi-human monarch, Gramble Firepeak, Thane of the Dwarves. He is old for a dwarf but not ancient and getting a bit plump; the straps of his plate armor look a bit too long for proper adjustment and the hammer on his belt tilts out from his waist but otherwise he is finely dressed as well. Neither Tanissal nor Gramble are accompanied by a spouse or consort.
Last is the wealthiest child in all of the Kingdom: Samantha Goldenseas, the Queen of the South in waiting. Her guardian and regent is a serious, scowling, woman named Darva Starger, reportedly a cleric of Mouser and former agent of the Ministry of Security. The King of the Dwarves and the Queen of the Elves are also on the platform.
There are few members of the Royal Family on the platform. The only one you recognize is Alara, the Captain of the Knights of the White Sword. It is interesting to see the assembled members of the royal family, for in some there is no resemblance to the image of Stasis, or for those that have met him, Gideon, his son. But others such as Alara, Arion, and even Darscon, could be children of Stasis, not five centuries removed.
The platform otherwise has few recognizable faces. You come to learn the identities of a few: Howland Crystalsmyth, now the Steward of the High King's lands and responsible for the war and the Council of Succession. He is a middle aged man with black hair, streaked with gray, slicked back all around and a goatee. He is wearing a breastplate with a black sash and appears genuinely upset during the service. Beside him at all times is a person all recognize: Martine Vanyar, the High King's Champion and one of the most dangerous men alive. His champion's mantle is also covered by a black sash. Behind them are Thale Blazingem, the High Mage, a String Mountain Dwarf, Strydus Archir, the Nippit high noble, Winston Summers, High Admiral of the Navy, Jeremy Eldsmith, High General of the Army, said to be the architect of the strategy of the current war and Amana Rosetree, High General of the Army and daughter of Tanissal and last Julia Parkstone, high noble and herself a half Rose elf.
The ceremony is performed by Eynas Coldsprings, the High Cleric of Messada and by extension the Kingdom. It is well known that he is not the most powerful cleric of Han-Sui in the kingdom. Cantrav Windbourne, cleric of the temple in Phiam is generally presumed to hold that distinction, but he is perceived by some to be too liberal. He likely would not even hold his position but for the scandal of the Temple in Cape Tolya where the previous high cleric of the Kingdom, Garret Culdown broke with the church over the persecution of the cults and is now considered an apostate but still has the protection of the Kingdom. He now runs a small shrine in Cape Tolya devoted to both Han-Sui and Stasis. Coldsprings is accompanied by Welton Anolion, the high cleric of Gruweas' small church in the Kingdom. He is a wealthy man from Phiam and is reputed to be among the most miserable people one would ever meet. To Coldsprings' right is Michael Steelsmyth, the High Cleric of Stasis, Steward of the Church of Habololy. Michael looks as miserable as Anolion's reputation before and after the ceremony; a combination of grief and humiliation, for Darscon was his lifelong friend who still sought his counsel until the very end.
The honor guard is formidable but understated. The King's horse is led by John Toppin, the captain of the Royal Guard. Toppin is the largest human any of you have ever seen. He is well over seven feet tall and in full plate looks as if he is broader than any two men. He carries a massive great sword on his back. Rumors say he took it from a fire giant he slew and had it ground down to a useable size. Given its size it is not out of the realm of possibility. Behind him are Haida Degalas, sister of Irene, Thelan Eramu (Commander-General) of the High King's Legion. It is rumored that she was slain in the attack against the High King. A much harder looking woman than her beautiful sister but not unattractive. She is armored with a breastplate and wears two longswords. She is the woman who rode out to meet the orcs. She too looks crushed with grief. Next is Alexander Caladrian, the High Constable of the Kingdom, his mighty warhammer on his back. The casket floats between them. Last are three Captains of the Knights of the White Sword: Wilar Tel'cu, the ancient, dark green, Sakor'akai, Kaelan Eramu (Major General) of the Guardian Brigades, his mask painted black and his white sword sheathed between his wings. Next is Lord Anthony Sunfall, a Destroytian nobleman who wears the symbol of Stasis on his left shoulder guard and Han-Sui's on his right. He too wears a black sash. Finally, at the rear is Thammolly Pratt, his face unreadable, in a navy blue robe with the symbol of the symbol common to the Kingdom, the Order and the Royal line emblazoned on his chest win platinum thread.
The procession moves silently up the promenade but as it approaches the High King's gate a sound builds through the crowd. A murmur, then a hundred thousand words spoken together and then a common scream of fear. The clouds above have taken the shape of a great gray dragon. There is instant chaos and the crowd begins a stampede but as the threat is above they move in all directions. Wizards place walls of wind and water in their way to prevent them from rushing the procession; some get through and are put to sleep. The cloud shape lasts only a minute before it is dispersed but the panic lasts until spell casters calm the crowd with augmented words and other more direct spells. It takes over an hour to truly restore order, collect the wounded and mark the dead. The clerics of Dedestroyt who arrive are told to leave or be arrested. One resists and is beaten unconscious by constables before the crowd can kill him.
