Dawn of New Covenant
Suggested Music: Dream Theater - Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence CD 2: Overture
Ascending Water 5, R.Y. 768, Covenant, Frostgate
Severnaya awoke to a sound she hadn't heard in a while: birds singing, announcing the morning sunlight. Dawn had just broke and sunlight began to pour over the mountaintops into the palace's guest room. The last thing she remembered was being on her back, looking up at Ragara Kitono, with an essence bomb in one hand and a flamepiece in the other. Her body ached from the injuries the incurred the day before; somebody had tended to her wounds, she realized, as she felt the bandages. She sat up in the bed.
"Oh good, you're awake," a servant said as he entered the room. There was no time to rest, she thought as she spoke, "I need you to spread word that I will be giving a major speech at Zenith." She thought for a moment about which location would be the most symbolic for the words she was to deliver. "In Scytheholde, outside of City Hall."
"As you wish," the servent said, bowed, then quickly departed.
Kirkland 23:25, 13 May 2010 (EDT)
"Citizens of Covenant," Severnaya called out, catching the attention of the hundreds of people that had gathered outside City Hall in Scytheholde. She walked along the rooftop of City Hall, and the crowd, realizing where the voice had come from, turned their attention to her. The murmurs quieted, and there was no wind to disturb the silence. It was overcast and a light snow was falling.
There was no time for preparing an elaborate spectacle for the speech. Many of the workers were busy re-building sections of the city that were devastated in the attack the day before. There was no podium, no guards, no ceremony. It was just Severnaya, on the rooftop, addressing those that turned out.
Haraku and Frost heard about the speech from the people, and had not spoke to Severnaya directly about it. They listened from a distance, curious how someone as fiery as her with so little experience in the public eye was going perform.
Kirkland 22:40, 20 May 2010 (EDT)
"Three months ago, Covenant was a quiet mining town controlled by the Realm. The reason for the town's founding was nothing more than a legend passed down by previous generations. A legend that the Empress herself saw a special purpose for this place, that its location was of strategic importance to the Realm. The Empress disappeared, but Covenant marched on. Its population continued to grow, and though taxes were high, commerce continued to thrive. But the population was oblivious to the impending danger, and Covenant would become consumed in an epic struggle for its survival."
A silence lingered, then Sevenaya continued, "Satrap Ragara Dawendae was in league with a Deathknight with the intention of laying waste to Covenant's population for his own personal gain. Knowing this, a resistance movement was founded. With the White Leopard as our symbol, the movement began to gain support in Covenant while our investigation continued. Beneath these mountains," Severnaya made a subtle gesture to the mountaintop that had been blown off when they disabled the artifact, "lay a powerful artifact, the very reason the Empress sought to control these lands. Dawendae planned on using it to create a ghost army with the souls of Covenant's deceased."
"Although the deathknight was able to kill the White Leopard, his spirit lived on in our quest to liberate Covenant from the danger it faced. With the cunning investigative work of Mnemon Chronus and the heroic efforts of Adamant Frost Lord and Ferem Haraku and his army, we succeeded in disposing of the artifact, slaying the deathknight, and driving the Realm out of Frostgate."
The crowd was growing larger and larger as her speech continued. The sun broke out through the clouds, and the light snowfall stopped. Severnaya began pacing on the top of the roof. "Our first order of business is to create a government, based on democratic principles and rule of law. But first, a few rulings I think we can all agree on. Ascending Water 4 was a defining day in the history of Covenant and will be remembered as such. It will become a Frostgate-wide holiday; next year's celebrations will be a resolute reminder to the Realm of our success and independence. And this city, hence forth, will be called New Covenant, the prefix being a hallmark of our reconstruction and reformation."
There were a few claps from the crowd as Severnaya stopped pacing and turned to face them. They were captivated by her speech. She began its conclusion, "The resurgence of New Covenant begins today. Every ounce of jade the satrap had hoarded within the palace will be spent on the reconstruction effort. In memory of those that died defending this great city, honor them by helping New Covenant rise to prominence!"
The applause that erupted from the citizens below was just what Severnaya needed to ease the nerves of giving that speech. The pure elation she felt was both motivating and reassuring. Nobody expected someone like her to make it in public politics, but with few alternatives she was thrust into the spotlight and rallied the people behind her. She was under no illusions, rebuilding and protecting New Covenant would be an arduous task, but she and the other Exalts had become the people's champions. She accepted that responsibility with pride, and with an eye on future ambitions.
Kirkland 01:03, 26 May 2010 (EDT)