#queen tildrum

[m0th-gh0st]

I'm gonna be real with y'all I can't remember the last time Ive drawn traditional art with a pencil.

[saratogaroadwrites]

For King and Country (121/122)

For King and Country | saratogaroad rating: T total wordcount:  280,466 characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Batu, Tani, Lofty, Leander Aristidies, Bracken Meadows relationships: Roland Crane & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Aranella & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane & Aranella, Batu & Tani, Batu & Evan, Tani & Evan, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum & Lofty, Rolander other tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Mother-Son Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Place Slowly Becomes Home People Slowly Become Family, Found Family, For Want of A Nail warnings: none

Pulled from his world by mysterious powers, former president Roland Crane finds himself caught in the middle of a coup meant to take the life of the young King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum. Joining forces with Aranella, the pair of them set out to aid Evan in making his dream of a kingdom where everyone can live happily ever after a reality.

But the road to peace is a long and treacherous one and there is no promise of success in a world where darkness spreads ever thicker with each passing day. If they are to stand a chance, they must stand together, for king and for country.

(A retelling.)

=

The gala was in full swing. Roland meandered his way through the crowd, keeping an eye on everyone as best he could. While most of the private citizens were out in Evermore’s streets enjoying the festive atmosphere, the ballroom of the castle had more political delegations than anything else. Groups from every nation mingled and chatted, munching on plates of Floyd’s finest or dancing to the lilting notes of Nereus’ music. Everyone from the normally stoic Hamelin Ambassador to the outgoing, friendly Al-Mamoonian Consul, was happy.

It was a relief to see them all getting along. He hadn’t wanted to say it out loud, especially to Aranella, but he’d harbored some reservations about if everyone would be able to get along in such an enclosed space. Stopping at the edge of the crowd, Roland allowed himself a moment to breathe. He reached out through the Bond to check on the others; despite lingering nerves from Aranella and maybe a little too much annoyance from Bracken, they were happy. Content.

Everything was just fine.

“I was wondering where you had gotten off to,” Leander’s voice came up beside him. Roland turned his head and smiled. “Is everything alright?”

“Seems to be.” Roland replied easily, scanning the crowd. Nereus’s lilting song had changed into something much more upbeat, pulling people out of their chairs all over the ballroom. He watched as Ambassador Sui threw a hand up and got out of her chair, grabbing the still chattering Al-Mamoonian Consul and tugging him onto the dance floor. He had to laugh; for being an old woman, she sure could move! He turned to Leander. “How are things outside?”

“Quite well.” Leander stepped closer to be heard over the music. Roland leaned into him, tracking the streaks of color that was a group of Higgledies as they ran off with an entire plate of pastries, Lofty rushing in their wake. The pair of them watched them go and shared a smile. “I hear that the Goldpaw retinue is going to set off a fireworks display in the hills very soon. Something about celebrating the new year in style?”

“Yeah,” Roland chuckled softly, “They do that. Apparently the new year festivities in Goldpaw can go on for a week or more.” He shook his head. “I think Aranella would blow a fuse if that happened here.”

“She would have thrown whomever suggested such a thing into the moat.” Leander said sternly, though a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “Perhaps we ought to be grateful that it was Queen Nerea who sent aid and not Master Pugnacius.”

“Tell me about it.”

The two of them stood there for a few more minutes, simply enjoying one another’s company as Nereus and his band played their energetic songs. Roland watched Evan and Tani go twirling past, holding onto one another’s hands as they spun each other around, laughing the whole way. A flash of blue over by Nereus caught his attention, but by the time he turned his head the master musician was already instructing his band on the next song. The upbeat notes shifted down into something softer, and something that caused Leander to raise his head.

“This song…”

“You know it?”

“Oh, yes,” Leander nodded, “It was very popular in Hydropolis, once upon a time. There is a certain dance that goes along with it, actually.” He stepped forward, then turned and offered Roland a hand. “Would you do me the honor of sharing a dance with me, Roland?”

Roland’s cheeks grew hot, his heart skipping a beat. When had he fallen back into the routine of a lovestruck teenager? Laughing at himself, he reached forward and slipped his hand into Leander’s. He was warm.

“I don’t know the steps.”

“That is hardly a concern,” Leander replied, pulling him onto the dance floor proper. “Just trust me.”

“Always.”

The dance was familiar, in a way; soft and gentle, it reminded Roland of the waltz lessons he had taken so many years before. Their hands were clasped at shoulder level, free hands anchored at one another’s waists as they took simple, swaying steps. They were close enough that the tails of their coats swayed into one another, pushing and pulling with every twist and turn. It was a simple dance, and Roland soon found himself relaxing into it. He laced his fingers with Leander’s as they took another turn; Leander smiled at him and squeezed his hand. Neither of them needed to say a word. There was nothing to say that they hadn’t already said, or that they didn’t know through the bond.

For a few precious minutes, the rest of the world simply faded away. It was only them, the music, and the promise of a brighter future. He could have stayed in that feeling forever.

But, like all good things, it had to end at some point. Nereus’ band was well trained and slipped into the next song without skipping a beat, but it was clear even to Roland’s untrained ear that the music had changed. He stared into Leander’s eyes for a few seconds longer.

“Well, you two were certainly a sight to behold.”

They both jolted, hands still clasped as they turned to face a smiling Queen Nerea. The other dancers flowed around them as she looked to their hands, then to Leander’s flushing face.

“I haven’t seen such skill in so many years. Oh,” her smile grew, and Roland felt a bit like the prey before the predator. The answering ring of fond aggravation told him Leander felt much the same. “It was truly wonderful.”

“Your Majesty—”

“Oh, Leander,” Queen Nerea shook her head, “One of these days you simply must learn to take praise when it is given.” She eyed Roland pensively and added, “Though perhaps another time. I do apologize, Consul, but I must borrow Leander for a moment.”

Roland squashed the impulse to tell her no. He didn’t quite feel like sharing at that moment in time, but to say that aloud…well. He had a feeling she already knew. Leander certainly did, because his eyes were full of fondness as he turned to Roland and said,

“We’ll pick this back up in a moment, Roland,” He squeezed their laced hands, then pulled away. Roland had to keep from reaching forward, palm still warm with Leander’s touch. “I shouldn’t be too long.”

“Take your time,” Roland said with a soft smile. There would be plenty of time, he told himself. They had nothing but time now. “I’ll be here.”

Well, in the room, at least. Once the two of them were out of sight he slipped back into keeping an eye on things. He made his way out of the crowd and took another look around as he went. Lofty and the Higgledies had vanished with their pilfered pastries, Bracken had Zip in what looked like rousing discussion over a bowl of soup, and Tani was dancing on Batu’s feet, the big man’s eyes misted with proud tears. Roland smiled, glad to see his family happy, but where had Evan gotten off to?

And for that matter, where was Aranella? He reached out with the Bond to find them, sure that she and Evan had slipped out of the ballroom, but no. They were both still here. In fact…

“You know,” he said to her, “Having the bond means you can’t sneak up on me any more.”

“Who said anything about sneaking?” She asked, coming up to stand beside him. “It would hardly be my fault if you were too…distracted to notice someone coming up to you.” She didn’t meet his eye, looking out over the dance floor. “Was that you and Leander I saw dancing just now?”

“You might have,” Roland said teasingly. “Were we that bad?”

“If no one had their toes stepped on, I think you can safely call it a victory,” She retorted, and the two of them had to laugh. She tucked a loose lock of hair back behind an ear. “Though you certainly did look pleased. It was almost as if you were off in your own little world.”

“Maybe we were,” Roland said softly. He could still feel the warmth of Leander’s hand in his palm. Gods, he really was lovestruck all over again. He had to laugh at himself once more, shaking his head. “It did feel like that for a while.”

“They could have dropped a Manticore on our heads and you two wouldn’t have noticed.” Aranella said teasingly. He turned to give her a look and found her smiling, one eyebrow raised. “Excuse my curiosity, but when in the world did you two have time to consider courtship?”

Was that what this was? Roland shrugged up to his ears. “Last night,” he said, and fought back a smile at the look of consternation that passed across her face. “We had a long talk. Sorted ourselves out.”

“Of course you did.” Aranella sighed. Roland didn’t bother to worry; her affection was plain on her face and in the bond even as she shook her head. “And here was me thinking I’d have to lock you both in a room at some point!”

Roland laughed. “Aranella,” he scolded, “We’re hardly that hopeless!”

“Leander? No.” She agreed, “but you…”

“Oh, thanks!”

The two of them shared another laugh before she shook her head, reaching out to lay a hand on his forearm. She squeezed gently, expression affectionate, and his heart swelled.

“Congratulations,” She said, “You two make a fine pair. And it’s good to see you happy.” She eyed him knowingly. “Truly happy. You’re not holding yourself back any longer, are you?”

Was he? He didn’t think so. It wasn’t that he didn’t still have things he wasn’t telling them, or things that he just didn’t want to talk about, but the days of holding himself one step removed from everyone else, of being cautious with his heart…those days were gone. Because of all of them, and their trust and love. He shook his head, reaching up to lay a hand on hers.

“No,” he said, “I’m not. I’m good.”

He was. It was a soft realization, one that sank into his lungs with every breath he took. He was good. He was home. A soft smile spread across his face.

“You know…I don’t think I ever thanked you.”

Aranella huffed. “For what? Not having to meddle in your love life?”

“No.” He paused, snorted, “Well, yes, but—that’s not what I meant.” Roland shook his head. “For trusting me, back when we first met. It must have been a lot to swallow.”

“Oh, it was.” Aranella agreed, “A man appearing out of nowhere, with no clue as to how or why he was there? It’s something out of a storybook.” She inclined her head. “But there was something about you…Evan saw it first, I feel. After that, you certainly proved yourself trustworthy.” Her eyes went soft as she added, “Things may not have begun under the best circumstances, but I’m glad we met, Roland. Truly.”

“Yeah.” Roland smiled back. “Me too.”

There was no point in wondering about the what-ifs or about how things might have turned out differently. Not anymore. They had a future to look forward to, to build, and there was no one else he would have rather done it beside. Aranella opened her mouth to say something, only to stop and shift her weight.

“Where’s he going?” She asked softly. Roland turned, looking over his shoulder in time to see Evan slipping out of the room through one of the side doors, the thud of wood covered by the rising music as Nereus shifted into another upbeat song. “That’s not like him…”

No. It wasn’t. Roland reached out through the bond, wordlessly asking Evan if he was alright, but the reassurance that Evan sent back was shaky at best. Aranella must have gotten the same sensation because she frowned deeply. Roland shook his head.

“I’ll go check on him,” He said, and turned back to Aranella. “I’ll reach out if something’s wrong. Hold down the fort?”

“When don’t I?” She retorted, but let go of his arm. “Go on. Let me know how it goes.”

With a nod, Roland slipped away along the edge of the crowd. Voices and chatter filled the space around him as he made his way to the door, and without looking back, headed into the hall after his son.

[the-local-oddity]

A trio of young scamps, they're royals and they have mischief planned. Well, one has mischief planned, and she's got two friends she can rope into it.

So, basically imagine if Leonhard, Mausinger, and Evan's mom were all friends as teenagers and they just got up to nonsense, all the time, mostly lead by Evan's mom. Leonhard always dragged Mausinger into it as well, and he was usually the brains of the group.

[maqui-chan]

a buncha furry nnk2 doodles

[defiant-firefly]

Kuni Doooooodles

[kaikaykoa]

h

here it is

[incorrect-ninokuni]

Nerea: This is exactly the kind of social situation I'm not comfortable with.

Evan: What kind of social situation are you comfortable with??

[gamerspacefox-blog]

Ni No Kuni II - Playstation 4 Off to Hydropolis :)

[wyrmy]

A Light in the Dark

Chapter 25: Wrapping Things Up

AO3 || DA || FFN

Characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Tani, Lofty, Batu, Runcible the Righteous, Wiff-waff the Wafty, Frumious the Flammable, Chingis, Niall, King Mausinger, Vermine, Ratja, Persha, Bracken Meadows, Trey, Leander Aristides, Queen Nerea

Pairings/relationships: Mausinger & Vermine, Ratja & Persha, Trey & Bracken

Summary: The party report back to Niall, bringing him up to date with everything that transpired, drawing the incident with Goldpaw to a close.

Warnings: None

This was also the perfect point to catch up with the other nations, instead of hitting us with a cutscene right before we stepped in the door.

[kingforevermore]

Ni No Kuni world / lore notes!

I will include a link to this in my about aswell, but this is just a list of useful things to know about Evan’s world if you’ve never played the game before! And uh if it wasn’t obvious, some spoiler warnings for the games. 

It’s long but I tried to keep the bullet points as short as possible and keep this all rather generalized instead of focusing specifically on evan or  a specific detail. You’re free to ask me for more information though!

The first thing to know is that the concept of more than one ‘world’ existing is a thing in ni no kuni! 

The first game’s plot revolved around traveling between two worlds. As the the two worlds are connected, if one is in danger so is the other. 

I hate this but the two worlds are the ‘modern’ one known as ‘Ichi no Kuni’, this world is similar to our own. ‘Ni no Kuni’ is the world Evan resides in and is a fantasy world. 

Between these two worlds there are ‘soulmates’, people who souls are connected. Everyone in ni no kuni has a soulmate in ichi no kuni and vise versa. For example Evan’s ancestor and character in the first game - Tom Tildrum XIV - had a soulmate in ichi no kuni that was a literal cat named  Timmy Toldrum.

However this concept is more of a myth/legend in Evan’s time. Evan knows it to be fact because his chief Consul, Roland, was soulmates with Doloran - the antagonist of the second game. 

It’s also hinted in both the first and second game that there are more parallel worlds. 

The world map: 

The Five Major kingdoms:

Ding Dong Dell

Ruled by King Mausinger

Evan’s old home / kingdom

Has a lot of mouse and fish statues, a lot of water runs through the kingdom aswell.

Cat and Mice -like people along with humans live here.

Top Left on the map in the grass area

GoldPaw 

Ruled by “The Grand High Roller” Pugnacius

A city based on chinese culture

always seems to be night time, has lots of neon lights

It’s a town that relies on ‘lady luck’, has a lot of casinos, fortune tellers, etc.

Mostly dogfolk live here

Bottom left of the map - the red icon.

Hydropolis:

Ruled by Queen Nersa

City in the sea

Was trapped in a time loop by the queen who was trying to proven the city from getting destroyed by a underwater volcano. Was in this loop for 300+ years.

No longer in the loop but the kingdom has yet to be destroyed.

Mostly merfolk and humans live here.

Bottom center of the map next to the whirlpool

Broadleaf:

Ruled by President Zip Vector

The closest place you’ll get to ‘modern’ tech wise - and even somewhat more advanced.

The entire nation is literally a tree - a mechanical one. Has three major floors, then broadleaf inc’s factory. 

Sadly the environment around the nation is pretty much destroyed but they’re working on it.

Humans and robots live here mostly. 

Right of the map above the desert area

Evermore:

Evan’s kingdom!

People from the other kingdoms have come to live here so you can see every single type of race- including greenlings (tho there’s only one, niall evan’s minster of finance. these are people from the forest of niall and are more or less human besides pointed ears and green skin)

the icon selected on the map is where Evermore is, it’s more in a plains area that’s close to the sea - but not close enough to have a port connected to it - but it’s within walking distance.

Each Kingdom has a Kingmaker. A guardian creature to protect it.  Evan’s kingmaker is Lofty - who unlike the other Kingmakers is a fairy so appears very small and unthreatening but he holds tremendous power. The bond between King and Kingmaker is similar to that of a Wizard and a Familiar - but much stronger and much more impact as the state of the relationship between these two can affect the entire kingdom. Your character is welcome to not believe it seeing Lofty for the first time but some of the other kingmakers are as big as castles so .

PLEASE READ HERE FOR MORE ABOUT KINGMAKERS

Evan’s inner circle:

I might reference these characters a lot so I thought I would list them out with links to their wiki pages if you want to know more info.

Roland Crane - From ‘Ichi No Kuni’, Evan’s Chief Consul, goes back to his world at the end of the game’s story. A president in his own world, he gives a lot of advice to Evan.

Batu - Minster of Defense, Boss of the Sky Pirates from Cloud Canyon, him and his sky pirates were the first to pledge loyalty to Evan after he rescued Tani from Wyverns. 

Tani - Heiress of the Sky Pirates / Batu’s daughter, doesn’t have an official title but works in the mining camps mostly in evermore.

Bracken Meadows - Minister of Ingenuity, Chief Engineer of Broadleaf Inc, Works mostly at the armor and weapon smiths in Evermore but also helps out in other areas. 

Leander Aristides - Junior Consul, Future King do Hydropolis (engaged to the Queen), Plans to officially settle down in Evermore at some point but until then sort of hope between the two kingdoms. 

Niall - Minster of Finance, isn’t a member of the actual party but important enough to include cause he does get a fair amount of screentime considering his role. He’s normally seen around the castle in evermore. While he’s good with Evermore’s budget he’s bad with his own and is known to gambler.

Major plot points to know:

Evan was going to be the King of Ding Dong Dell after his father died, but on the day of his coronation there was a coup and that’s when he ended up leaving and starting the nation of Evermore. 

The five kingdoms are in a treaty known as ‘the declaration of interdependence’. It’s pretty much a peace treaty. The order they signed was Goldpaw, Hydropolis, Broadleaf, then Ding Dong Dell. Almost every time Evan would gain a new party member. Batu and Tani right before goldpaw, leander after hydropolis, and bracken after broadleaf.

Evan has the ‘sword of unity’ which is an ancient and powerful weapon used to slay ‘the horned one’. He both uses it in battle but also as a ceremonial sword. 

the horned one was the final boss of the game and a GIANT creature, enough that it had its own ecosystem inside of it. It has since vanished and the ruins of Doloran’s kingdom’s kingdom Allergoria are the only things that remain (the crescent shaped island in the middle of the map). Doloran is attempting to rebuild his kingdom there - peacefully. Him and Evan are in contact. 

Doloran’s plan was to corrupt the rulers of each nation, steal the physical manifestation of their bond with their kingmaker (their kingsbond) and use it to awaken the horned one and bring back his destroyed kingdom but Evan and Co stopped him.

Roland went back to his world after the final boss. So post game evan might talk about him a bit but he won’t actually be there in evermore. 

Evan’s motto for Evermore is that it’s a kingdom where everyone can ‘live happily ever after’ and invites anyone he possibly can to his kingdom so that they can have that if they wish.

I will probably add to this as I think of things / people ask me for details!

[saratogaroadwrites]

For King and Country (118/122)

For King and Country | saratogaroad rating: T total wordcount:  280,466 characters: Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane, Aranella, Batu, Tani, Lofty, Leander Aristidies, Bracken Meadows relationships: Roland Crane & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Aranella & Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, Roland Crane & Aranella, Batu & Tani, Batu & Evan, Tani & Evan, Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum & Lofty, Rolander other tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Mother-Son Relationship, Father-Son Relationship, Place Slowly Becomes Home People Slowly Become Family, Found Family, For Want of A Nail warnings: none

Pulled from his world by mysterious powers, former president Roland Crane finds himself caught in the middle of a coup meant to take the life of the young King Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum. Joining forces with Aranella, the pair of them set out to aid Evan in making his dream of a kingdom where everyone can live happily ever after a reality.

But the road to peace is a long and treacherous one and there is no promise of success in a world where darkness spreads ever thicker with each passing day. If they are to stand a chance, they must stand together, for king and for country.

(A retelling.)

=

“We have the final reports,” Roland said, placing a thick ream of parchment down in front of every ruler sitting at the conference table. He shook his head faintly when Evan looked up at him. Oh no. “Of the four thousand troops that went to the Isle, thirty-five hundred are still in combat ready shape. Three hundred are still under medical care, and two hundred are dead.” Tucking his hands behind his back, Roland took his place a pace behind and to the right of Evan’s chair. “It could have been a lot worse.”

“It could have been a lot better, as well.” Evan sighed. He picked up the paper, eyes skimming over the first few pages of accounted for names. His heart grew heavy as he came to the part of the report that detailed the dead; just one would have been too many, but two hundred? His ears folded back. It didn’t help that some of the names on this list were marked missing, presumed dead. They hadn’t even found remains for their families. Knowing the Horned One’s power as he did, Evan doubted they would ever find anything. He traced their names with his fingers; he would need to write letters of condolence to their families as soon as possible.

Glancing up, Evan looked over the four rulers as they read through their own copies of the report. Dim winter sunlight filtered through the high windows of the conference room, catching on the bags under their eyes and the pinched expressions on their faces. They all looked as exhausted as he felt; three days to recover from the battle had clearly not been enough for any of them.

“Yes…” Master Pugnacius was the first to speak, setting his report down. “It certainly could have been better. That it was not worse is proof that Lady Luck was smiling upon us all that day. That our warriors were so skilled as to lose so few against such a foe…let us all give thanks for such a thing.”

“And thanks to King Evan as well.” Queen Nerea added. “Both for his guidance and his care these past few days. Our people have been able to recover from their ordeal, thanks to you opening Evermore to all of us.”

“Of course.” Evan nodded. “I just wish that there was more we could do. We never would have won that battle without you; you’ve all helped us so much, but all we could offer was a place to sleep and good food?” He frowned. “It doesn’t seem like enough.”

“Never underestimate the power of a warm meal and a soft bed, King Evan.” King Mausinger said. “And what good is a Union if it does not work together? No. There is no need to blame yourself. All we require is time to recover, and it is time that you have given us. We can discuss any other matters afterwards.”

“Yeah, like tracking down that Doloran idiot.” President Vector sat back, tossing his report to skim across the table. “I still can’t believe he just up and got away like that! And where the hell’d he go, anyway?”

Evan’s tail twitched. When the Delegation had rejoined the armies at the beach, none of them had seen any point in lying. Doloran was gone, lost to parts unknown, and they simply had no idea where to even start looking. They still didn’t, and no one had the manpower to spare to hunt him down. Closing his eyes, Evan took a steadying breath. Now came the hard part.

“I don’t know, but perhaps it is best if we don’t find out,” He said. The rulers all stared at him, eyes wide or eyebrows raised as he continued, “Doloran is no longer a threat. Without the Horned One, his powers are just that of one man, and he is.” Evan paused, considering his words carefully. The Soul Mate bond between Doloran and Roland was gone. What happened to one now wouldn’t affect the other, but did that mean that Doloran didn’t deserve some measure of mercy? That he didn’t also deserve to be left in peace to mourn his dead or the life he had lost? Evan didn’t think so. “He is to be left alone. Evermore will be leaving him alone, and I ask that you all do the same.”

“What?!” President Vector erupted, “Are you insane?! Leaving a guy like that out there to do whatever the heck he wants?! What’s to stop him from coming back and destroying all of us?!”

“He doesn’t have a reason to.” Roland said softly before Evan could reply. President Vector glared at him, but Roland didn’t blink. “He was doing all of this to resurrect his people, and he knows that’s not going to work anymore. He wouldn’t gain anything but going on the offensive again.”

“But he is a man with nothing left to lose.” Queen Nerea said. “How certain are you that he will not attack one of us, perhaps even all of you, out of revenge? Is the risk truly worth it?”

Roland’s steady assurance rang down the bond as Evan nodded.

“I believe so,” Evan said, “He was manipulated by the Darkness as well. It twisted his goals, his reasoning, until he could see no other way.”

“Well, too bad for him.” President Vector snorted. Evan closed his eyes to keep from rolling them as Bracken let out a quiet sigh. Her frustration rang through the bond, causing Evan to fight back the urge to squirm. “Whatever he was doing this for, Doloran still caused a hell of a lot of trouble. Are we seriously just going to let him walk off like this?”

“For the moment, yes.” Evan said. “I understand your frustrations, President Vector, but please. Leave him be.”

“You would offer him forgiveness?” King Mausinger asked, head tilted. His eyes were dark and Evan frowned. “Knowing what he has done, what he has caused, you would have us forgive him?”

“No.” Evan shook his head. “Never. I cannot ask any of you to forgive him, and I would never ask that of you. If he comes to you and surrenders, or offers recompense, of course you should take it! You all deserve it.” He looked from one serious face to the next. “I am only asking that you leave him be until then. There’s been enough blood shed this past year. We don’t need to add any more to that.”

The rulers exchanged serious glances, wordlessly mulling it over. For a few moments, no one on either side of the table said a world. Then, slowly, Master Pugnacius nodded.

“Very well,” He said, much to the surprise of his fellows. “So long as he leaves us in peace, Goldpaw shall not hunt him down.”

“Are you certain?” Queen Nerea asked, one arched eyebrow raised high. “He manipulated you for months. Surely you would have him pay for such a crime.”

“He did, and there is much that I wish to say to him about his methods, but…” He inclined his head. “He was also the Mandarin, who was a dear and trusted friend for all of those months. That cannot have all been a lie. If there is some good in him, perhaps…” He sighed, whiskers trembling. “And are we not the same? We all fell to Darkness for the sake of our peoples. Any one of us could have easily gone as far as Doloran himself. Should we not be understanding of that, if nothing else?”

Silence fell over the room once more as they thought it over. Evan scarcely dared to breathe. He couldn’t cross his fingers due to his hands being on the table, but oh how he wanted to.

“King Evan,” Queen Nerea looked at him, “You say he did all of this for the sake of his people?” When Evan confirmed, her shoulders slumped. “…Perhaps we are truly not so different after all. Very well. So long as he leaves us in peace, Neo Hydropolis shall leave him be.”

“Well, Broadleaf won’t.” President Vector snapped. “Are you all serious about this? It doesn’t matter what he was trying to do, what he actually did was nearly end the whole damn world! We can’t just let him get away with that!”

“Is living with his failures, with knowing that his people are gone and there is nothing he can do, not penance enough?” King Mausinger asked. He would know the most about that, Evan thought. President Vector stared at his colleague as King Mausinger continued, “I agree with you in part, President Vector: he cannot simply be allowed to escape justice. However, Doloran is a powerful sorcerer. Perhaps the most powerful alive, even without his Kingsbond. None of our armies are in any shape to face such a thing.” He closed his eyes and stroked his beard. “Perhaps, when we have recovered, we can seek him out. Whether he deserves mercy is up for debate, but he has the right to speak for himself. We will not take that away by hunting him like some common monster.”

“That’s—” President Vector looked down the table, at the still serious faces of his colleagues, and slumped in his chair. “Ugh. Fine. But this is gonna bite us all in the butt. I just know it.”

Evan took a steadying breath. Drawing strength from the pulse of the Bond, he smiled faintly.

“Evermore will accept full responsibility if it does, President Vector. But thank you—all of you—for your understanding. Truly.” His smile got a little wider. “I could not do any of this without all of you.”

“There is a saying among the armies of Goldpaw,” Master Pugnacious said, “The strength of the dog is in the pack.” He chortled around a smile. “It is a rather old way of saying that we are stronger together than we could ever be apart. You have shown us this as well, King Evan, so do not sell yourself too short.”

“Indeed.” King Mausinger nodded. “There is much yet to do, and we will need your help to do it. For the moment, however…” He stroked his beard once, twice, then said, “There is much cause to celebrate. We ought to use it while we can.”

Evan sat back, frowning. Cause for celebration? Well, they had survived, that was true, and both Doloran and the Horned One were no longer a threat, and the Declaration had been signed between the five great nations, but.

“Is this really a good time?” He asked, “So many have been lost. Wouldn’t it be better to offer the survivors more time to mourn?”

Queen Nerea smiled softly at him. “Your heart is as kind as ever, King Evan. Yes: they should have all the time they need to mourn, but they also need reason to celebrate being alive. The new year begins in three days, and the world stands united. What better reason to celebrate being alive than to step forward into a new, united future?” Her smile grew sharp. “Of course, Evermore is the only place such a celebration can be held.”

A pace behind and to the left, Nella squeaked. Evan didn’t have a chance to look back at her.

“Event?” He asked, “I suppose we could hold something to signify the signing of the Declaration, but—”

“Oh, no!” Master Pugnacious waved a hand through the air, “Nothing so small! A victory such as this calls for something grand, something exquisite!” He grinned. “It calls for a Gala, my good King Evan. Dancing, good food, better company, all the sorts of things worthy of being called a true celebration.”

Evan blinked once. Twice. Three times. A gala?! He’d only ever seen one of those happen before, some summer festival turned celebration. The castle in Dell had been flung open to the public, mouse and cat and human alike, and the staff had worked for days to make it all happen. There had been food, and music, and dancing, and for a while it seemed that no one had cared what species they sat next to. It had been wonderful fun, though he’d really been sent off to bed too early for his then ten year old self to enjoy it.

Things were different now. Nella’s connecting string rang with her hurried disapproval, but Evan simply beamed.

“Yes!” He nodded, “Yes, I understand! That’s a wonderful idea—” He turned to look over his shoulder, still grinning, as Nella took a deep breath and clearly fought back a grimace. He sent reassurance down the bond towards her, the others amusement causing his smile to grow a bit wider as he turned back to the rulers. “On the first day of the new year, we shall make our announcement to the peoples of our great nation that the world stands united, and there shall be a gala that night as well. Everyone will be invited!”

Now even President Vector had to smile. Evan got to his feet.

“We will handle the preparations,” he said as the others stood up, “So please, go and rest. Be with your people. We’ll let you know when everything is ready.”

With that kindly dismissal, the four rulers headed out of the conference room, speaking amongst themselves as they went. Only when the door had closed behind them did Nella turn on Evan.

“Three days?!” She wheezed, “Three days, Evan!? Three days is hardly enough time to plan anything worth doing!”

"’Nella,” Bracken reached to steady her, “We just saved the whole world with even less time than that to plan! I think we can pull off a party!”

“Not a “the whole world’s invited” kind of party, we can’t!” Nella pulled away, pacing back and forth. “We’ll need to not only choose on a proper decor but actually decorate at least the ballroom, choose a menu and prepare the food, find a dance that everyone knows and musical accompaniment—”

“Lady Halimede will no doubt be happy to help with the decor,” Leander interrupted, “She has quite a way with colors and fabrics. And I do believe that Floyd and his staff have been looking for a challenge as of late. As for music,” He adjusted his glasses to hide his smile. “Nereus has recently informed me that he and several other musically inclined sorts have started a symphony. They would no doubt be glad to have such an audience for their first true showing.” Lowering his hand, he didn’t bother to hide his smile any longer. “You needn’t fret, Aranella. You don’t have to tackle this alone.”

“And I’m very grateful, thank you,” Nella responded tightly. She stopped pacing and took a deep, deep breath. Everyone watched her for a moment as a soft smile crossed her face. She shook her head. “…I’m being a bit foolish, aren’t I?”

“A little.” Roland shrugged one shoulder. “But with how long it took for you all to get the idea that I’m not alone through my head, a few minutes of panic’s not the end of the world.” He paused, shared a smile with Evan, then added. “Finding a dance that everyone knows…that’s another story.”

“Ugh.” Nella buried her face in her hands. “Don’t remind me.”

“Hang on—” Tani interrupted, “This is a right proper party, right? With dancing and music and—well, everything?” When Nella nodded, a huge grin spread across Tani’s face. “Does that mean I’ll finally get to wear that dress you made me?”

“Oh—yes.” Nella looked up. She glanced at Roland and Leander, who both took shimmying steps away from one another. Evan’s ears folded back as Nella narrowed her eyes. Oh, no. He knew that look. They were going to be in for it. “We’re all going to need formal wear for this one. I’ll need to get fabric and actually make us all something and, oh…” She shook her head. “Three days! We couldn’t have even had a week before this?”

“Sorry, Nella.” Evan laughed a little sheepishly. “I got caught up in the moment…”

Nella just sighed exasperatedly. She shook her head again, smiling warmly at him. Just like that, he knew all was forgiven. He’d have to help her, of course, but it was still nice to know that she wasn’t mad.

“Ah—one question, Miss Nella,” Batu shifted his weight, boots slipping across the carpet. “This fancy frippery yer talkin’ ‘bout. Does it involve…sleeves?”

“Yes, yes it does,” Nella nodded, hand waving through the air as she spoke, “And a vest, and proper trousers, and a hair tie or two.” She cupped her chin in her hand. “Thankfully I still have all your measurements written down so it shouldn’t take too long.” She turned to Batu, blinking when he wasn’t where she’d last seen him, and turned a little more. “We’re on a very tight schedule here. When do you think you’ll have a chance to come by for a fitting?”

Halfway to the door, Batu took one more step back, then another. “Let’s say never,” He said, turning on his heel and bolting. “Ye ain’t gettin’ me in sleeves ‘gain, woman!”

“Oh, yes I am!” Nella shouted, taking off after him as he bolted through the door into the hall. “Batu, get back here!”

Everyone stared after them. Roland snorted into the back of his hand to hold back his laughter, while Bracken and Lofty didn’t even bother with that. The shriek of a startled maid echoed back into the throne room, and Leander shook his head. Warmth settled into Evan’s bones as he gave in to a snicker of his own. Some things would never change. It was good to see that.

“You know,” Tani cocked her head to the side, listening to the chaos. “I think that Miss Nella’s gonna have a bigger problem than getting the Boss in something with sleeves.”

“Oh?” Evan smiled at her. “What might that be?”

“He can’t dance!”

[kyndaris]

The Constraints of Leadership

What does it mean to be a leader among men? Many of our more prolific politicians in recent times have been individuals with larger-than-life personalities but with very little substance. Anyone can look to the 2016 election in America to see how much the world has changed. In Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom, our modern day issues are explored through the vehicles of a simple fairy tale. While it may be heavy handed at times, Revenant Kingdom also provies some much needed social commentary for a world gripped in paranoia and fear, before steering our gaze towards the hopeful horizon.

The game begins with a bang. Roland, our erstwhile deuteragonist, witnesses the destruction of his country as two nuclear warheads fly overhead. As he lays in the refuse of his crash, he is mysteriously transported into the magical world of Narnia Ni No Kuni just as a coup is underway. There he meets young Prince Evan Pettiwhisker Tildrum, a half human and half Grimalkin child that appears if he had just emerged from childhood. Their first encounter is fraught with surprises and misunderstandings, but the two cooperate and escape through the sewers. As they emerge into the predawn, they find themselves at a crossroads, bereft of what they once held dear (although truth be told, Roland handles being potentially dead/ in an entirely new world quite well).

So begins their unenviable task of building a nation from scratch. While it is a little surprising how easy Evan manages to recruit people to his cause (along with their willingness to be assigned roles in kingdom management), it was an enticing opportunity to see both Evan and the budding country of Evermore grow.

While there are many similarities with Wrath of the White Witch, Revenant Kingdom is set several centuries after Oliver’s initial journey. His story is one passed down as legend although it was still nice to see how Ding Dong Dell has evolved over the intervening years. The music too, also serves as a reminder to the first game. But despite the nostalgia, one needs not be familiar with the first to dive into this new adventure.

The world of Ni No Kuni is vast. And the troubles facing each of the other major nations unique. As Evan builds up the kingdom of Evermore, he sets his eye on uniting the world with the banner of peace. Matters are complicated with the appearance of Doloran, a man who had once been king of the fabled Allegoria, but who sets about corrupting the ideals of the world leaders before stealing their Kingsbond (a MacGuffin of sorts that is an indication of the ruler’s bond with the people) in the hopes of reviving his own Kingmaker and restoring his lost kingdom. 

There’s much to unpack in regards to each of the four other nations in Ni No Kuni, but let us start with the first one that Evan and Roland stumble upon just as they’ve claimed a new land to call their own: Goldpaw.

To one that has grown up in a world where taxation and government policy is dictated behind closed doors after vigorous debate is undertaken (at least, one does hope), Goldpaw’s reliance on the whims of Lady Fortune to decide on matters such as legal cases is quite puzzling, if not a little arbitrary in its rulings. But the people have put their faith in the roll of the die and its decisions are final. Games of chance are such an integral part of the culture in Goldpaw that many of its government officials are also those that run the casino. Overseeing the entire administration of Goldpaw is the noble Grand High Roller Pugnacious. While he was known for his honesty and ensuring that each and every result from the statue of Lady Luck seated in Fortune Square was not tampered with, his desire to lift his kingdom from the brink of poverty led to manipulating the populace as his greed grew and rose to new heights. Though his initial intentions was to the benefit of his people, the underhanded ways he tried to achieve his goals led to a loss of faith, leaving Goldpaw vulnerable. But perhaps the lesson here, though, is not to rely on Lady Luck to determine how the nation is run.

The second nation that Evan assisted was Hydropolis. With its strict laws, many of its denizens chafe at the restrictions but also fear the punishments meted out by Queen Nerae. What would it be like to live in a society where to act of love is forbidden or even falling ill. This tyrannical hold of the entire nation serves as a catalyst for Nerae to lose her Kingsbond to Doloran. Once her Kingmaker is defeated, it is however, revealed that the Queen had only declared such ludicrous legislation in the hopes of keeping her city and people alive. Laid low by a volcanic explosion, any change in the population would mean that the spell she had carefully weaved would be broken. But Evan helps her realise that clinging so tightly to the past is not without its own repercussions and she finally decides to let time pass as it should. It’s an interesting exploration of security versus personal freedoms but this theme is touched on only lightly. And as everyone who has watched Thor: Ragnarok or a heartfelt film of family knows: a kingdom is not the grand palace or the infrastructure. A kingdom is the people. And without the trust and the support of the people, can a king or a queen claim to be their leader? That power is not simply passed down from birth. It has to come from others relinquishing their own.

Third to join their name on the Treaty of Interdependence was Broadleaf. What had started out as a small company of three son became a mega-corporation that could be viewed as a nation in its own right. Presided over by President Zip Vector, its citizens were also its employees. But where once Zip cared for those under his employ, his obsession with building the largest fission reactor to benefit the world reaches a fever-pitch. He forces many of his workers into overtime, not caring should they collapse from exhaustion. His ambition balloons to astronomical heights under the influence of Doloran. But while his work might prove to be of great help in the future, should it come at the cost of others? When do the scales tip? 

It’s a common issue facing our current society where workplaces expect to hire less people but have them complete the jobs of ten others. Overtime is the norm rather than the exception. Is it any wonder that many of the staff at Transport NSW threatened to strike? In Japan, this is an ongoing issue known as karoshi where people have actually died from the result of overwork. Mental illness is also an ongoing problem due to the stress placed on the shoulders of employees that are struggling to make a living in our capitalist society. Worse still is the model many of our businesses rely on and their inherent focus on profits. Both private corporations and governments are eager to cut down costs to maximise their return. Hard working individuals constantly face the risk of being made redundant as roles shift and change. But this often comes at the cost of efficiency and service. When should we step back and look at the carnage left behind in our pursuit for profit? 

The return to Ding Dong Dell is a hard road to travel. But Evan does so, hoping to bring the nation he once called home into the fold of the Interdependence Treaty. What plagues Ding Dong Dell is another problem that we often face in our current society: racism and oppression. King Mausinger, the leader of the coup, led his forces in the hopes of bringing equality to the kingdom and elevating Mousekind from their position as second-class citizens. Yet in doing so, he, much like Killmonger from the recent Black Panther film, seeks to rectify injustice with his own brand of terror. The Grimalkin are ousted from their positions of power and sent scrambling, treated less than dirt by their new mice overlords. By chapter’s end, however, Mausinger turns over a new leaf when he discovers the faith that had been placed in him by the previous king (the one who had appointed him chancellor and had considered him a friend, only to be poisoned as doubts settled in Mausinger’s mind about Leonhard’s intentions). But racism as our current society now stands is a hard problem to solve. While we have taken steps in the right direction, memories of prejudice still run deep.

All in all, Revenant Kingdom served as an enticing game that, on occasion, held up a mirror to the ills of society. But like any fairy tale, many of the solutions found within were simple and tied up with a bow. If there is anything to be learned, however, it is this: anyone with the right qualities can found a nation. But even the best of intentions can lead you astray.

But let us not worry about the difficulty of claiming independence and all the bureaucratic red tape that comes with actually building up a nation from nothing. Will you, dear reader, join me as I create my own kingdom in the heart of the world? I may not be a blonde-haired, blue-eyed cat eared boy but I do have some wonderful plans. 

[maqui-chan]

this one’s another oldie but here’s a hair swap between the blunt bangs sovereigns 

[defiant-firefly]

Kuni Dooooodddllleeeessss

[kaikaykoa]

comin into Hydropolis and some guard struts over yelling “PILLAR NO. 5 RESPECT YOUR NON-STRAIGHTS”

[raraeaves]

Journal 3, Entry 2

Well, I did get 5 gold from Delilah. But that’s far from the most interesting thing that’s happened since we left. I’m beginning to think this tiefling is unaccustomed to interacting with others on any level. We went to the bar. I made my way toward the back, in case this sticks character planned on running. I tried to keep it low-key and be careful, but this tiefling. This bombastic, haughty fool. Well, he got sticks, out of the crowd... tried to scare the bar into giving him what he wants. All it did was draw out some orcish guy name Tom Tildrum. Big guy in a kitten mask. I tried to be quiet for the whole exchange between them, but, eventually I had to do something, so I stepped in and explained that we were only here for sticks, to get the stolen goods, and had no intention of causing trouble. Strictly business. I didn’t get a good view, but I think Sticks tried to run? The short one helped out. He and the tiefling got a hold of Sticks and tried to interrogate him, so I took the opportunity to make a calculated risk. Things were going to head south, at this rate, but these people were my ticket to Laxman’s research, so I had to do something to keep them alive or it would be lost forever, and there is no way I’d let an artificer’s work be lost, or abused. So I told this Tom something to the affect of “I don’t even really know these people, so I’m gonna leave” and walked out while the others were still chatting up Sticks. Seemed to work. I sure don’t know them, and I left, but they’re my ticket to advancing my craft, so when I got outside, I lined up a shot on the orc through a window, to be safe. I still don’t trust these people, but I wasn’t about to actually leave them. I need the help. And, from that showdown earlier, they probably need discretion on their side. But wouldn’t you know it, the fucking tiefling lit the whole fucking bar on fire. What am I supposed to do then? This fucking idiot... burned a bar down. And I can not fathom the reason why. Well, they ran for it, so I did, too. Somehow, we managed to grab Sticks after that. Turns out, Sticks is a god-fearing man. I guess the halfling is a patron of the Raven Queen? Works in our favour. He seems terrified of the prospect of having stolen from her in some way, so he’s singing like a raven. He led us to Fort Avenir, where the gang is hiding out. The fish played music on the way, at my request! And that was... really nice. I got to listen to some proper music, even if it was amidst these events. I’m not sure what the plan is, now. We could try diplomacy, but I get the impression these people are more mercenary than diplomats.