The Game of Thrones... (The Beginning...)

The history of the Seven Kingdoms tell of a time called 'The Great Upheaval,' the time when Lady Kamla of the Orange House did endeavor to challenge the Mad King for rule of all the Kingdoms, but first she had to slay her father the Silver Lord, known to the peasants and the field hands alike as the Drunken Master. And it came to pass that she did come to slay him and claim his Throne, and all his allies and former

Banner-men, including Sir Roodal and Sir Suruj both Orange by birth, Sir Vassant and Sir Tim, men without color or allegiance, and Sir Anand (who would later become Hand of the Queen) all swore allegiance to their new Queen; and in the final act the Orange colors were torn down and her own Yellow flag raised upon the ramparts, declaring herself Queen of the East. They say it was this move more than any other that caused the remaining loyalists to capitulate, all swearing loyalty to Lady Kamla but many also in secret to the Dark Knight, from whom it was known her new power flowed. With the former King's Banner-men now loyal and at her side, and together with the armies of the Dark Knight, Lady Kamla mounted a surprise attack on the Throne. The defeat of the Mad King was swift and severe, his armies routed, his Balisier pennants torn from the castle walls and he himself injured in the battle, fled to the Kingdom of the South to hide in exile while the Yellow flag was raised all over the Seven Kingdoms.

But that is not the whole or the end of our story, for the Great Upheaval had not yet begun.

It was written that three harvests into the reign of the Yellow House omens would appear heralding the coming storms, where birds of prey would fall dead from the sky in their hundreds. At that time the Dark Knight was dethroned by his former banner-men now turned enemies and, badly wounded, swore loyalty to the Yellow Queen even as he began to make plans to challenge her for the Throne. The house servants and the field laborers in despair over the confusion threw their lot behind Sir David and made him their Peasant King to challenge for the Throne for the new peasant army, but it is said the Queen had a spell cast upon him to keep him disoriented and unable to lead. His allies, the Knights of the Round Table gathered to swear to common cause under Sir Keith of the Rowley House, loyal servant of the South and heir to the Mad King's armies, together with Sir Ramesh, the former Hand of the Silver King and promised Hand to Sir Keith should he secure victory for the South against the Queen, agreed to common purpose.

It is here our story begins.

Under advice from the Queen, Sir Wade, Leader of the Hallowed Hall did announce an open season on the Seat of the Dark Knight and it is said the very next evening the moon went dark in the sky. Now the Great Upheaval began in ernest and the people of the Center, those formerly of House of Orange
and also of late newly sworn fiefs of the Yellow House found their loyalty commanded from both sides. The Royal Fool Prakash from the Jester College, whose own loyalty was always available to whoever held most power, made a play for the Center but was quickly humbled by the Queen and made to swear fresh loyalty or face exile. Like the Small Fool of the Smaller Court Anil of Columbiana before him, he left the Queen's audience disgraced, freshly gelded and a threat no more. The Peasant King Sir David, seeing the ease with which the Fools were dispatched bowed out of the challenge for the Seat of the Black Knight, abandoning his former allies of the Round Table to face him on their own.

Now with the chief players assembled to lay claim the Seat of the Orange House, and with the gauntlet firmly thrown, the line was drawn in the sand; Sir Wade announced that ninety days hence, the games would begin, the winner would take claim the House of the Center and would be welcomed to a Seat in the Hallowed Hall, if not in service to the Court or the Queen. With this new development the Queen ordered that a public meeting be called and, in the company of her loyalists and Banner-men, put out a call for her strongest champions and bravest Knights to make themselves available to do battle with the

Dark Knight and his armies.

They say that the tomb of Lord Rienzi, the founder of the Orange House shook violently that night, and the peasants, seeing the signs that were written down and passed from hand to hand across generations, found themselves in a frenzy. Now it was begun, and as the Dark Knight stood alone outside the Orange Court waiting for his challengers to be announced, preparing to do battle with foe and former friend alike, the people braced for the coming storm.