#Adrianna Liadon

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 15

“So, let me get this straight,” said the elven King, Seth, as Adrianna and Laura finished presenting their case. “You want us to send our men into another Kingdom - another King’s territory - to deal with this cart full of crazy kidnappers who we don’t even know are responsible for all these missing people?”

“Yeah, you sound crazy,” said King Dean.

“When he calls you crazy, you know it’s crazy,” King Seth said, shaking his head.

“Snake,” Dean retorted, and for what had to have been the hundredth time that afternoon, King Roman sighed deeply.

“That’s enough,” he said. “Adrianna, I’m sorry, but I’m not sure that we can help you. We can’t march on another Kingdom - that’d basically be an act of war.”

“What if we spoke to the other King, though?” Seth asked suddenly, turning towards King Roman. “Made an agreement that we could send men there to deal with the cart and nothing more..?”

“From what they say, it doesn’t sound as though we have the time,” Roman replied. “Even if we send our fastest courier to Bray’s sanctum, they couldn’t outride the cart. We’d be better off waiting for them to turn around and come back this way, and if we’re looking to save Laura’s friend, waiting is not an option.”

“What about the Undertaker’s spell?” Seth asked. “This is exactly the kind of situation he created it for - if we just cast the damn spell, then we have a direct link to King Bray. Hell, even just a link to Undertaker, he can send his fastest courier to Bray in our place since he’s so much closer.”

“We don’t need that old man’s spell,” Roman growled, shaking his head. “We don’t need any help that the Undertaker has to offer.”

“Roman,” said Dean, “I hate to say it, but I’m on Seth’s side here. People are in danger - our people. If we can’t protect them, we don’t deserve to rule.”

“If you won’t cast Undertaker’s spell, then I will,” Seth said abruptly, standing up.

“Sit down,” Roman muttered. “You couldn’t cast a spell like that to save your life.”

“Maybe not, but one of our Kingdom’s most powerful sorceresses is standing right in front of us,” Seth replied, gesturing in Adrianna’s direction. “What do you say, Adrianna, want to cast a spell for me?”

“Will it help us with what we need?” Adrianna asked, putting her hands on her hips.

“Almost certainly,” Seth said with a nod.

“Count me in, then,” Adrianna replied. “Lead the way, your majesty - Laura, let’s go.”

The two women followed the elven King out of the throne room. Laura was certain she could feel King Roman’s glare from behind them as they left. King Seth led them further into the castle, and it was less than a minute before Laura was thoroughly lost and confused.

“Why don’t you just have your court wizard do the spell?” Adrianna asked as a pair of guards opened a set of doors for them, leading them to another staircase.

“Well, ah, that’s probably because we don’t exactly have a court wizard right now,” Seth mumbled, glancing briefly over his shoulder at them. “Dean may or may not have scared our last one off.”

“I’d say that I’m surprised not to have heard from you requesting my services, but you apparently thought I was still in Johnsonville, so I’m not surprised,” Adrianna replied.

“We’ve been making do, but the Undertaker recently sent a spell to all the Kings - it’s some sort of communication spell, it’s supposed to connect our minds to this orb he’s got that will let us all speak with one another in our heads.”

“That sounds fascinating,” Adrianna said, her eyes widening. “Could that not become somewhat invasive?”

“No - he said that the connection would only take effect when one of us called on it. I wouldn’t see or hear anything from the other Kings unless one of them was attempting to reach me, and vice-versa.”

“How do you know that King Bray’s already performed the spell? You three obviously haven’t, and you may not be the only ones,” Adrianna asked.

“He’s a wizard,” Seth said with a shrug. “Casting spells is what they do. Alright, here’s the laboratory - it’s empty since we have no wizard, but everything you need should be in here. I left the spell on the desk when it arrived, since we had no one to cast it - and, you know, since Roman didn’t want to.”

Adrianna walked to the desk and picked up the scrolled-up piece of paper, beginning to read through it. While they waited, Laura glanced towards King Seth, and a blush crept across her cheeks as she saw that he was already looking at her.

“You’re quiet,” he said.

“I’m not accustomed to being in the presence of royalty,” Laura replied. “Adrianna’s the one who knows what she’s talking about.”

“She certainly does,” Seth said with a nod. “If anyone can help you get your friend back, it’s her - I’m sorry about that, by the way. It sounds awful, what happened to you.”

“Thank you,” Laura said. 

“Missing an ingredient,” Adrianna said suddenly, walking over to the chest in the corner of the room and beginning to search through it. “A rare ingredient, so I’m unsurprised that your former wizard would have had none...”

“Are you able to find some?” Seth asked, frowning.

“I can check with the alchemist here in town - if they have none, though, I know for certain that there’s some at my house. I could ride back there and get it, and I’d be back by evening tomorrow,” Adrianna said. Her gaze fell upon Laura. “It’s up to you, though - this is your friend whose life hangs in the balance. If you want me to go home and get the plant we need, I can do that - I’ll take Sambuca and ride there myself, it’ll be faster that way, and you can stay here and prepare the other ingredients for me.”

“I don’t know anything about preparing ingredients,” Laura said, her eyes widening.

“I do,” Seth said. “We could have everything ready by the time Adrianna gets back.”

“Are you going to be safe?” Laura asked. “I can’t ask you to forsake sleep for me.”

“I’ll rest a few hours when I get home,” Adrianna said. “And then I’ll go straight to sleep when the spell is cast. What do you think?”

Laura was quiet for a moment, thinking it over. If Seth was able to communicate directly with the ruler whose Kingdom was currently inhabited by the cart that had Sasha, they could rescue her faster. If they didn’t cast this spell, though, they were back to square one, and even further from Sasha than they’d started.

“Do it,” Laura said with a nod. “Check with the - the whatever it was you said here in town...and then if they don’t have it, take Sambuca and go back.”

Characters included: @hardcorewwetrash @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 14

The City of Gold was the most remarkable thing Laura had ever seen. The buildings were massive - two or three storeys, Adrianna had said, and many even extended below the earth in the form of basements. Windowsills were decorated with potted plants and herbs, laundry hung on clotheslines to dry, and crowds bustled about.

“The City of Gold is becoming one of the most populated cities in the Empire as of late,” Adrianna remarked. The two women were on foot now, having left Sambuca and the cart at the city’s stables. The roads were paved with cobblestones, and there were all sorts of people roaming around - humans, elves with pointed ears, and fairies with beautiful wings. “I can’t imagine why, though - it’s overtaking even the Capital City.”

This was what Laura had envisioned when she’d first imagined visiting the mainland. Braun’s shack, Kiera’s cabin, and the small village where Adrianna lived - they weren’t what she had wanted to see. This big, beautiful city was everything she had imagined and more, though.

“It’s remarkable,” Laura murmured, glancing towards Adrianna. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“You’ve really never seen a city?” Adrianna asked. “Where did you say you were from, exactly?”

“I didn’t,” Laura responded. “What about you, where are you from? I doubt someone could be as wise and educated as you without having first left that small village of yours.”

“More and more clever each time you open your mouth,” Adrianna said, grinning. “This city is my home, actually. I was born and raised here. About nine years ago I left to study at the university in Johnsonville. I traveled for quite some time, and once I’d sufficiently seen the world, I settled in that small town. I still travel a great deal, though, so I have few ties there.”

“And here I thought you’d be tough to crack,” Laura said.

“Trust me, my dear, you’ll hear only the things I want you to hear,” Adrianna responded. By now, they were nearing the massive castle that was nestled in the middle of town. It was surrounded by tall walls, and golden spires seemed to stretch right up into the sky. 

“So, let me guess how it goes - you want me to stay quiet and let you do the talking, right?” Laura asked as they passed through the gates, politely nodding towards the two guards that stood over them.

“No, actually, quite the contrary,” Adrianna replied. “If you help me to explain the situation, it will make me seem less crazy.”

“Oh,” Laura said, surprised. She nodded slightly. “Alright, then.”

Two more guards stood outside the palace doors, but these ones were not so passive as the first set. “State your names,” said one guard, “and why you seen entrance.”

“I am Adrianna Liadon,” said Adrianna calmly, glancing pointedly at Laura.

“My name is Laura,” the mermaid added quickly.

“We seek audience with the Kings,” Adrianna continued. “It is rather urgent.”

The silent guard moved forward to open the doors. The other one gave the two women a nod. “Enter,” he said as one side of the doors was drawn open.

The two walked in. Up ahead stood a grand staircase, two sets of steps that joined halfway-up in the middle to become one set. “Why does anyone need so many stairs?” Laura blurted out, blushing when she realized what she had said.

“Kings,” Adrianna said, shaking her head. “I’ll never understand it.”

They both headed up the left side of the staircase, though it didn’t really matter which side they chose, and at the top, they were met with another massive set of doors. these doors were open, though, revealing the throne room. 

It was nothing more than a really long, really empty room. Tapestries adorned the walls, and two chandeliers dangled from the ceiling, but that was pretty much all there was in terms of decoration. At the far end of the room, though - that was where the real decorations were. Three thrones, three men. Laura’s eyes widened as she and Adrianna drew nearer, and in her peripheral vision, she could see the lips of the elven woman curling into a smirk. “Remember, they’re only men,” Adrianna whispered. “They may be kings, but men are a copper a dozen.”

“Well, if it isn’t Adrianna Liadon,” shouted one of the Kings when the two of them were halfway across the room. He sat in the throne on the right, and sported a shaggy mop of brown hair and a cheeky grin. 

“Your majesty,” Adrianna responded with a smile. 

“What brings you here?” the King asked, leaning heavily on one of his armrests. “Last I heard you were slumming it up in Johnsonville.”

“Then I’m afraid you’re sorely misinformed, my King,” Adrianna replied. “I’m in a small village West of here now - technically your jurisdiction, funnily enough.”

“That is funny, isn’t it?” the King said. “I’m guessing that means you’re here for a favour, aren’t you? Because I’m all out of those for today - you’ll have to talk to my snake of a brother over here.”

He jerked a thumb in the direction of the King who sat on the leftmost throne. He was elven, his pointed ears protruding from beneath his shoulder-length dark hair. He also sported a beard and a frown that grew when the other King gestured his way. “Call me a snake one more time, brother, we’ll see where it gets you,” the elf said, and the third King in the middle let out a sigh.

“That’s enough, both of you,” he said. He looked to be the tallest, with darker skin and longer hair than the other two. He also, at least to Laura, appeared to be the most serious of the group. "Madam Liadon, why don’t you introduce us to your friend?”

“Certainly,” Adrianna replied, turning towards Laura. “Your majesties, this is my friend Laura. Laura,” she continued, gesturing to each King in turn as she named them from left to right, “these are the three Kings of the Kingdom of Gold - King Seth, King Roman, and King Dean.”

Characters used: @hardcorewwetrash @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 12

While Adrianna was preparing the tea, Braun caught up with Laura. The elf seemed rather unsettled when she opened the door and spotted the huge man on the other end, but after Laura reassured her that he was with her, and that he was here to help, she allowed him to enter.

Laura retold the story once again, with Braun adding in his own details as they sipped their tea. The elven woman seemed most fascinated with all that they had to say, sitting right at the edge of her seat. When they finished telling their story, she set down her teacup and returned to the table that held the large map, placing one hand on either side of the table and gazing down at the map.

“I’ve been tracking a cart,” she said in a soft voice. “Looks like a merchants cart as far as I can tell, except they never seem to stop in towns long enough to sell their goods. Nobody seems to know who they are or what they’re doing, only that they travel all across the Empire.”

“...what does this have to do with Laura’s friend?” asked Braun rather bluntly.

“Well, as I mentioned, I’ve been tracking their movements,” she said, smiling. “I know that they’re headed West in the Wooded Kingdom, at least last I heard - if my hunch is correct, they’ve got something to do with Sasha’s disappearance. The timeline is matching up - they’ve been present for countless disappearances over the last several months.”

“So this cart, you think they’re responsible for the missing people?” asked Laura.

“I do,” said Adrianna, nodding. “The problem is that I don’t have any soldiers to attack them. I thought about hiring some mercenaries to do it, but I just don’t have the money for something like that.”

“Have you thought about appealing to the Emperor?” asked Braun, raising an eyebrow. “Or one of the Kings? That is their job, after all...”

“The Emperor wouldn’t waste resources on a hunch,” Adrianna said with a roll of her eyes. “Not a lot of the Kings would, either - King Rock, perhaps, or one of the Three Kings who rule over the Kingdom of Gold. Probably King John...but none of those Kings would have much jurisdiction unless the cart was actually in their Kingdom, and last I heard, it was heading West. We’d have to wait for it to turn around and make its way back to one of those Kingdoms...”

“That would take too long,” said Laura softly. “Sasha could be in danger.”

“She’s right,” Braun grunted. 

“Well, I’m all out of ideas,” Adrianna replied softly. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t be of more help.”

“No, you were quite helpful!” Laura said quickly. “If we find this cart, we find Sasha. So all we have to do is find the cart-”

“We?” asked Braun in a low voice. “You can barely walk, and I’m almost certain you don’t know how to fight.”

“Well-”

“No, don’t say anything,” he said, shaking his head. “There’s nothing more we can do, Laura. I say you cut your losses, maybe you and Adrianna write letters to the Kings warning them about that cart, and then you go home.”

“No, I can’t!” Laura said, her eyes widening. “I can’t go back without Sasha!”

“Well, you’re on your own,” Braun said, and he moved to stand up. Laura’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest again, but he turned and left. She stared after him in surprise, slowly turning towards Adrianna.

“I’m sorry,” Adrianna interjected quickly. “You should go after him, if it will help.”

Laura was quiet for a moment, contemplating her options. If she went after Braun, that would be admitting defeat - where would she even go once she’d managed to reconcile things with him? If she stayed, though, Adrianna could help her look for Sasha. They could contact the Kings, see if anyone was able or willing to help her - she couldn’t return to the ocean without Sasha, though, she knew that much.

“I think I’m going to stay,” she said in a low voice. Part of her was hurt at having to let Braun go like this - but then again, she reminded herself, he’d already made it clear that he didn’t trust her. He was only helping her because he felt like he had to... 

“Very well,” Adrianna said. “Where would you like to start, then? We could write to the Kings, or we could travel to the capital and meet with them ourselves - the Kingdom of Gold is where the cart is most likely to go next, they’ve been through here a lot.”

“We should go and see the Kings,” Laura replied with a definitive nod. “We can’t wait for the cart to go there, though - we’ve got to get them to help us hunt it down.” Briefly, she glanced towards the door, but then shook the feeling away. She had to push her thoughts of Braun aside, had to focus on finding Sasha...but it was going to be hard.

Characters included: @hardcorewwetrash @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 13

When Laura and Adrianna left the house the next morning, they were both stunned at the sight of Kiera’s cart, sitting near the town stables. Sure enough, when Laura went to check the stables, she saw that Sambuca the demon horse was still there.

“Curtis?” Laura asked, approaching the familiar man. He wasn’t far from the stables, and she suspected he probably worked there.

“Yes, what can I do for you?” he asked with a grin.

“The man who came with me yesterday, Braun - do you know where he went?” she asked softly.

“I’m not sure,” Curtis said, glancing around curiously before scratching his head. “Saw him come out of Adrianna’s house, and then he went that way. Couldn’t have made it far, though - probably went for a walk and then came back. Might be at the inn?”

The direction he gestured was the direction from which they’d come, and Laura’s heart sank. There was no way Braun was at the inn. He’d started walking home. He was probably halfway there by now, and he was a big guy - even with the cart, she and Adrianna probably wouldn’t catch up with him.

“Oh...” she mumbled sadly. “Alright. Thank you - if you see him again, can you tell him that Adrianna and I took the cart to see the Three Kings?”

“Certainly,” he said, nodding. “Take care.”

“You too,” she said quickly. “And thank you.”

When she returned to the cart, Adrianna was already finished strapping Sambuca up to it, and was gently petting the horse. Laura crinkled her nose.

“Why does everybody seem to be getting along so well with this horse thing except me?” she asked, and Adrianna laughed.

“Not a fan of horses?” she asked, a smile on her lips. “My elven blood gives me a natural way with animals. It won’t protect us from, you know, wolves or anything like that, but horses or house pets feel more comfortable around elves.”

“That’s just unfair,” Laura said, climbing into the back of the cart. “So these Three Kings - are they nice?”

“The kindest,” Adrianna replied, climbing into the driver’s seat of the cart. “Except perhaps King John, in Empire Minora - he’s also known for being an incredibly good and kind ruler. But I assure you, if there’s anything the Kings will do to help, they will.”

“Well, alright,” Laura mumbled, not entirely convinced.

As Adrianna drove the cart, guiding them to the capital of the Kingdom of Gold, the two women chatted between themselves. Laura was careful not to say anything too revealing to the elf, though she noticed that Adrianna also seemed to be censoring herself. She didn’t mind, of course - at least, not until Adrianna called her out on it.

“You know,” Adrianna remarked after several minutes of silence, “I’m not certain that you’re being entirely truthful with me.”

“You think I’m lying to you?” Laura asked, immediately offended. She hadn’t told Adrianna a single lie. Granted, she hadn’t told her anything about being a mermaid, but she’d been honest about her situation with Sasha and with Braun.

“No, not lying,” Adrianna responded quickly, apparently catching that she’d offended Laura. “Just...hiding something. It’s alright, I won’t pry.”

Laura was quiet for another few minutes, pondering the elven woman’s words. “You know,” she said finally, “I could probably say the same to you. I don’t get the feeling that you’ve been telling me everything either.”

“Good instincts,” Adrianna said, glancing over her shoulder and smiling. “That would be because I haven’t.”

Laura nodded slightly. At this point, it seemed better not to ask questions. After all, she had something to hide, and for good reason - for all she knew, Adrianna might also be keeping secret for a good reason. She decided to leave well enough alone, and as they rode on, they continued to make small talk, ignoring the metaphorical dragon in the corner of the cart.

Characters included: @hardcorewwetrash @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Mermaid’s Wish - Chapter 11

Horses, Laura had decided, were a form of demons.

She was familiar with seahorses. They were small, delightful creatures, often kept as pets by merpeople. So, when Kiera had said the word ‘horse’, Laura had expected something similar. Instead, what she got was a large, grotesque beast that smelled worse than the murky river water.

Kiera seemed perfectly comfortable with the thing. It was a sleek black colour, and she’d gently stroked the beast’s hair while murmuring to it affectionately. It was obviously her pet. Land-dwellers were crazy, keeping gigantic pets around. What if it crushed her? Merfolk would never keep sharks or whales as pets, so why did land-dwellers keep horses?

Braun seemed a bit apprehensive around the beast, though Laura suspected it was something of a mutual dislike as the horse, named Sambuca, seemed to be glaring at him. Kiera had gently told the horse that Braun would be driving the cart, and it had whinnied its disapproval, but it seemed to know that it had little choice in the matter.

With all manner of leather straps and ropes, they’d attached the horse to the cart. It was brilliant - the large creature would pull the cart, which would roll along behind it. Laura and Braun needed only to sit in the cart and relax, and occasionally offer the beast direction.

Kiera told Braun where to go, and she told the pair to ask for a woman named Adrianna once they arrived, and then they were off. Laura was apprehensive about getting in the horse’s cart, afraid the monstrous thing might have ill intentions, but Braun insisted that she was safe and that if anyone was in trouble, it was him. So, off they went.

The ride was relatively uneventful. Kiera’s cottage was right on the edge of the forest - in fact, Braun told her, it wasn’t technically in the Wooded Kingdom. The river ended on the border of the Wolf Kingdom and Empire Central, he explained, as if she was expected to know what those were, and so they had only a short distance to travel to reach Kiera’s friend.

They soon reached the location Kiera had indicated, a small village in the plains consisting of no more than ten stone houses. There were a few people out in massive fields of plants, working - farming, Braun had murmured more to himself than to Laura. Their arrival drew attention, as the townspeoples’ heads turned. Braun slowed the horse to a stop, just as a man with brown hair approached.

“Hail, strangers,” he said, a smile on his face. “My name is Curtis - Curtis Axel. What brings you to our small village?”

Braun glanced towards Laura, clearly not wanting to talk to the man himself. So, Laura offered her politest smile. She didn’t know much about mainland etiquette, and Braun hadn’t exactly been the best teacher, but she intended to try her best. “Hello,” she said politely. “My name is Laura, and this is Braun - we were sent here to seek out somebody named Adrianna?”

“Ah, the elf,” Curtis said with a knowing smile. “Her house is that one there - she should be inside. Doesn’t come out much. Travels at night a lot.”

“Thank you,” Laura said to him.

“You’re quite welcome,” Curtis replied with a nod. “I can take your horse to the stables if you’d like, I’m sure you have important business to attend to with Adrianna.”

“Actually,” Braun grunted slightly from beside Laura, “let me join you. Horse isn’t too keen on strangers.”

“Ah, understood,” Curtis said, smiling. He moved around the back, offering Laura a hand to help her down from the cart. She took it, very much appreciating the gesture - her legs weren’t exactly willing to cooperate the way she wanted them to. Braun clambered down after her, motioning for her to head to Adrianna’s house while he tended to Sambuca the Demon Horse.

The stone house looked no different from the others, but it was the one indicated by Curtis, so Laura approached and delicately knocked on the door. She waited a moment, wondering whether the woman would answer. Soon, though, the door opened, and a woman was revealed behind it. She was lovely, taller than Laura and slender with gleaming black hair that ran down to her waist. Her hair had the potential to make some mermaids jealous, Laura thought.

“Hello?” the woman asked curiously. From beneath the shimmering locks of hair protruded two pointed ears, which must have been an indicator of her being an elf as Curtis had stated. Her gown was lovely, made of some shimmery land fabrics in a muted blue colour.

“Hello,” Laura replied. “My name is Laura. Your friend Kiera sent me, it’s regarding missing people.”

Adrianna’s eyes, silvery in colour, went wide with surprise. She quickly looked around, and then motioned for Laura to enter, stepping aside so that she could. Laura moved into the house and Adrianna shut the door quickly.

“Are you alone?” she asked softly.

“No,” Laura replied. “There’s a man with me - Curtis is just taking him to the stables with our horse.”

“Ah,” Adrianna said, nodding. “So what’s this about missing people?”

“A friend of mine has gone missing,” Laura said softly. “Along the river near Kiera’s house. I kind of need her before I can go back home, but I don’t know where she is or how to find her. Kiera said that you’d been looking into some disappearances, and that you might be able to help?”

“When did this happen?” Adrianna asked, walking through a low doorway into the next room. It was a house of only three or four houses, but it was cozy. The place was full of books and scattered papers, as well as a number of items unfamiliar to Laura.

“Just a few nights ago,” Laura replied. “The man who’s with me has been taking care of me, my leg’s been hurt.”

“Hmm,” Adrianna murmured. Atop a table in the second room was a large map. It appeared to be a map of the Empire, with coloured pins scattered throughout. Adrianna grabbed a white pin from a small basket nearby, following the line of the river with the tip before poking it in. “Tell me the whole story - oh, would you like to sit? A cup of tea, perhaps?”

“If you’re offering,” Laura replied, smiling. Adrianna nodded, gesturing towards a short sofa nearby as she wandered off into the next room. Laura went and sat down quietly, curious what kind of information this elven woman would have to offer.

Characters included: @hardcorewwetrash @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @sonjashuterbugjohnson @sisteradelaide @queenreignsempire @panic-angel3314

[empireofwrestlemania]

A Study on Religion in the Empire

A paper by Adrianna Liadon.

The topic of religion in the Empire of Wrestlemania can be a source of great conflict among the Empire’s inhabitants. While there are only a few varying beliefs, conflict tends to stem not from what the beliefs are, but from why the beliefs are held.

It is most widely believed that after death, souls from Wrestlemania travel to the fabled Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, commonly and henceforth in this paper abbreviated as the HOF, was created by the great and powerful Emperor Vince McMahon, who also works to maintain it. Only souls he deems worthy may enter. Some souls who do not enter the HOF remain in the Empire as ghosts, a fact that has been proven time and time again by witches and wizards throughout the Empire. Ghosts linger all throughout the Empire, popping up from time to time and, sometimes, finding themselves corrupted by darkness and twisted into demons.

Other souls who do not enter the HOF may enter a plane known only as Obscurity. This plane’s existence is harder to prove than the existence of the ghosts, but most insist that it does exist. Some claim that Obscurity has a stronger power over the Empire than is generally discussed; some even go so far as to claim that the plane of Obscurity has the ability to affect the emotions and livelihoods of living people within the Empire.

The Emperor holds the power to transport souls from Obscurity to the HOF, and vice-versa. Thus, if he is convinced that a soul laying dormant in the plane of Obscurity does, in fact, deserve a place within the HOF, he will ensure that they are justly transported there. Likewise, should he discover that a soul within the HOF does not truly belong there, he may send it to the plane of Obscurity, though this occurrence is quite rare.

Some living souls claim to have traveled to the Hall of Fame, though their claims cannot be verified by any means other than the words of those few and the Emperor. The most well-known of these claims is made by Ric Flair, father of Flair Kingdom Queendom’s own Queen Charlotte Flair. Ric Flair claims to have visited the Hall of Fame not once, but twice, a claim otherwise unheard of within the Empire but backed by the word of the Emperor.

Some others who claim to have seen the Hall of Fame include the famed witch Lita, a fairy named Shawn Michaels who serves as the right-hand man to Three Isle Kingdom’s King Hunter, and even a member of the Empire’s most notorious group of wandering vampires, known only to the people of the Empire as Edge. All of these claims are backed by the Emperor, who routinely asserts that the Hall of Fame is, indeed, a real place, and that magic does exist that can transport individuals there and back safely.

Those who have traveled to the Hall of Fame describe it as a true heaven; a golden palace in the middle of a flowering field exists as the Emperor’s vacation home, in a sense, as well as an administration building which new souls pass through in order to be sworn in. All souls that exist within the Hall of Fame are granted their own mansion and any wishes they could possibly desire, allowing even souls that were poor and struggling in life to be comfortable and happy within the afterlife.

It is important to note that while this system of beliefs is the Empire’s official stance and is regularly maintained by the Emperor, there are those who subscribe to these beliefs only out of fear. Many fear the Emperor, for his wrath is known throughout the ten Kingdoms, so opposing the Empire’s official stance on religion tends to be viewed as a death wish. To those who do believe, it is taken as offense that there are those who believe only out of fear.

There are also other belief systems throughout the Empire, though little is known about them. The mermaid colonies living within the sea, for example, are said to worship the moon for its effects on the ocean tides. Unfortunately, little is known about the mermaids to begin with, let alone their beliefs. A cult-like group is known to exist within the Wooded Kingdom that believes in a female deity figure known as Abigail. They are most commonly referred to as the Sisters of Abigail. It is rumored that the King of the Wooded Kingdom, King Bray, also believes in this Abigail, but the rumours cannot be confirmed and many point out that if King Bray did not follow the Empire’s official belief system, the Emperor would not have appointed him King.

Some cults exist within the Wooded Kingdom that seem to worship the Beast, their worship coming in the form of fear. As noted in last week’s article regarding the warrior Bill Goldberg’s encounter with the Beast, there are villages within the Empire that routinely sacrifice young virgins to the clutches of the Beast. Sacrifice is a form of worship, as is such fear. They believe that the Beast will destroy their crops and eat the children and livestock should they fail to provide these sacrifices - bringing upon them the wrath of a god.

It is not known what beliefs are practiced by residents of the Outlands. Some outcasts who used to live in the Empire likely still believe in the HOF and plane of Obscurity, though certainly the outcasts know that there is no place for any of them within the HOF. Perhaps some other beliefs - ones perpetuated by the Empress of Tomorrow, for example - exist out there, or perhaps they have cults as we do.

All too often whilst working on this paper, I was asked what my own personal belief is. After all, what is a scholarly elven sorceress expected to believe? It is my belief that there is too much proof in favour of the Emperor’s Hall of Fame. It is highly likely that such a plane does exist, and that the Emperor does possess the magic and powers to control it. Many people, even those who are not close to the Emperor, have asserted that it exists, and many of those have claimed to have seen it themselves.

With so many people from all walks of life insisting that the realm exists, and with the existence of ghosts and demons already confirmed by sorcerers throughout the Empire, how can we deny the existence of the HOF? My only wish is that we may prove its existence, and with that knowledge, improve the lives of the Empire’s citizens for once and for all.

Characters used: @marvelingmissselina

Tagging: @hardcorewwetrash @macfizzle @she-reigns-in-this-yard @xxshamelesspunk247xx @sisteradelaide @sonjashuterbugjohnson @queenreignsempire

[empireofwrestlemania]

Character submission! ☺ Name: Adrianna Liadon Race; Elven (Preferably high elf if thats a thing) Age; Appears in mid-late 20s. Looks: Long, waist length black hair that shimmers of blue/silver tones. Silver eyes, pale skin with almost a hint of blue. Around 5'9", slender and quick on her feet. Personality: Warm and caring, with a lot of fire in her soul. Very passionate, believes in her cause and power; A sorcerer of familial decent. Kingdom/Ships: Kingdom of Gold ; Dean/Seth/Cass/Jericho/Bray

She sounds lovely, I’m pretty sure there’s a lot I can do with her! Thank you for the submission!