The Trials of Castan were a set of challenges situated on and around Trialmount which a claimant would have to overcome in order to claim the mantle of Emperor (or Castan) of the ancient empire of Castanor. Starting from Castan II Beastbane onwards, each trial in the set is said to have been added by a Castanorian Emperor in order to ensure that each successor would theoretically be better then the last. Allegedly, every ruler of Castanor would have to pass the Trials of Castan in order for their rule to be considered unquestionable.
History[]
The Trials was established in 618 BA following the death of Castan the Progenitor, who was allegedly slain during the First Great Cleansing years after defeating a gnollish invasion headed by the demonic Xhazobine, resulted in a prolonged interregnum [DURATION?]. The interregnum was ended by the ascension of Castan II Beastbane, who would only formally assume the role of Emperor after establishing the Trials of Castan. Theoretically, each successive Castan would have to pass the Trials set by their predecessors, while adding their own test to the Trials at the end (following their success?). However, this was not closely followed.
Due to the meritocratic nature of the Trials, the death of a Castan would typically trigger a scramble for the Trialmount and the Trials as aspirants competed for the right to become the next Castan. This custom persisted until the Gerudian Ebonfrosts seized control over the Trials and Trialmount during the reign of Castan XLIX Ebonfrost and instituted a policy whereby only the direct heirs of the Ebonfrost dynasty would be permitted to ascend the Trialmount and take the Trials, though this only took effect in practice after Castan Ebonfrost's successor, the non-Gerudian Castan L was deposed after two years of rule.
The Trials became defunct during the War of the Sorcerer King, with the Battle of Trialmount being the site of his defeat by a band composed of Free-Realm heroes and their elven allies. The Trials were irreparably damaged during the battle, with its magic[?] being drained, severed, or otherwise rendered useless.
Trials[]
| Trial # | Instituted by | Description | Remarks? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Castan XIII the Quiet | Standing at the foot of the rock, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] is to shout a rally cry so loud that the garrison from the North Citadel could hear clearly and raise a response. | |
| 2 | Castan V the Great | At the precipice of the ridge was a massive stone desk, with the outline of the entirety of Cannor meticulously scratched on. With a light touch to the unnaturally cold stone, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] found that a thin white line appeared wherever they traced their fingers. To move past, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] must draw Castanor's borders as they currently are, and then as they SHALL BE. | |
| 3 | Castan III Dwarf-friend | Using the magically-preserved forge located in a cave carved out of a hillside [on Trialmount?], forge an item to be given as a gift to the dwarven contingent that would be present at the coronation of every Castan. | |
| 4 | - | Oathstone | |
| 5 | Castan IV Realmbuilder | From a distance, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] makes out a peculiar structure.\n\nA motley mix of variously sized stones and precious gems seemingly mashed together at random and held together with magical energy, this could only be the 'crown of mankind'. Though likely a striking monument in the days of the early Castans, the later emperors had clearly put less and less thought into their offerings, and now the structure was in dire need of upkeep and a rearranging.\n\nTo progress past this Trial, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] is to add their own piece to the structure. | |
| 6 | Castan XIV the Conciliator | Help two forest spirits solve their feud | |
| 7 | Castan XXXVI Dragonfriend | Befriend a wyvern | |
| 8 | Castan XXII the Eccentric | Jump around a rock ten times | |
| 9 | Castan VI Giantsbane | Defeat a magically enhanced immortal golem. If you disarm it, he will sever his own head, kneel before you and stay there until you die, at which point he will come back to life and repair itself. | |
| 10 | Castan II Beastbane | hunt down a beast in the Trialmount forest, bring its carcass to the very slab of stone in this nondescript clearing, and craft something useful from the beasts remains. Luckily, [Root.castanorTrialsNameIdentifier] had come across the tracks of a young basilisk nearby, a worthy beast to fell for this trial. |
Oath[]
"I pledge to defend my land and my people to the end of my days,
but will not bring unjust strife unto the world.
I pledge to hold back corruption and sin both worldly and divine,
and speak the truth evermore.
I pledge to remain steadfast in Castanor's darkest days, for I am its guardian'
May the gods listen to my words and deem me worthy of their divine majesty, and that they may bless Castanor long after I am gone."
Oathstone houses the oaths and pledges of previous Castans, which were carved into the rock