Bey of Xenodar
The guests arrive at the appointed place on the Rhydin steppe by various means, magical and mundane. The weather is very mild, perhaps a gift to Xenograg from some Power. It is still cold, and several pit fires are burning around the area.
Armed turkic warriors in Darelir livery, most of them female, act as ushers. Chairs have been set up in front of a single stone block. Some of the chairs in the first row are reserved by name: Genbak Teogi-son, Amaltea and Amanda of Barsi, Mystic Suleir, Teleperien and Erwyn of Eldicor, Alais and Telemachus of Nitesong. The remainder of the first row is given to monarchs and other heads of state. All others are seated without regard to precedence. All chairs have blankets.
Xenograg arrives on horseback. He rides at the right hand of a young, well-dressed turkoman. An escort of ten turkomen accompany them. The young lord walks over and sits in the first-position chair beside Amaltea. This is Genbak Khan.
Xenograg steps up onto the stone block before the assembled crowd.
"Your Highnesses, Lords and Ladies, Friends, and Honored Guests: welcome."
"I wish to begin by congratulating my friend and ally, Genbak Khan, on his ascension to the leadership of the Rellugai and suzerainty over the other steppe tribes. Without the victory his people won this past autumn, I would not be able to bring my latest design to fruition today."
Genbak stands up. Xenograg bows his head to the young khan, and a short cheer is heard from the steppe horsemen present. Genbak resumes his seat. Xenograg gestures to the wide, flat land around them all.
"This is the southern limit of the steppe. This land belongs to Genbak Khan by right of conquest. It is decent pasturage but would be better as farmland. The tribes are all nomadic so there is only grass here—for now. Genbak Khan has ceded me a small territory centered here, and I intend to build a keep on this spot."
Xenograg stomps his foot on the foundation stone beneath him.
"In short, I am finally establishing myself in Rhydin. This holding will be a march between the nomads and the sedentary territories to the south. As I will not be nomadic, Genbak Khan is my overlord but I shall have a wide degree of autonomy."
"For personal reasons, I have always preferred the rank and title of General. The word is a translation from my native language. I was content with this translation as the title had no land attached to it. Now I have land—new land without precedent of name or title. A retranslation is appropriate for both accuracy and to mark the change. As the Rellugai are a turkic people, my new title shall reflect theirs."
"I hereby claim the title of Bey over this territory, which I name Xenodar, for myself and my heirs. I have four children, three of them male. Each son already has an existing inheritance. I am founding Xenodar for my daughter. I have further decided that this title shall descend through the female line of my blood; daughters shall take precedence over all sons."
"I now present to you my daughter, heiress, and apprentice: Princess Amanda Darelir of Barsi."
Amanda stands up, walks over to the foundation stone, and turns to face the audience. She is shorter than average for a twelve year-old human. She has dark hair and eyes like her father with a skin tone midway between that of her parents. She courtesies with a smile and says nothing.
"Thank you all for coming. I have arranged for hot tea to be served immediately, but there is no reception to stay for. Take care, everyone, and may the blessings of the gods be with you on this Solstice."
Large mugs of tea are given to all guests. Each one bears Xenograg’s sigil upon it, and is a keepsake of this event. Xenograg and his daughter stand nearby, easily approachable.
( Originally posted in the Rings of Honor web community forum. )
