Consul Zwęglony de Mortis

## Consul Zwęglony

Consul Zwęglony is the constitutional monarch of Lakkos and faithful adherent to The Pit, with his origins somewhat an enigma. It is estimated by experts that Zwęglony is roughly 40 years old, born circa 35BF to parents unknown to history. Zwęglony was adopted into the Hatilian family in 15BF, soon forming the cadet branch of Hatilian de Mortis due to his rising political prominence. Zwęglony became consul in the 0AF consular elections, beating Flu by a healthy margin due largely to the scandal of Flu's relations with fish losing him many votes. During his tenure as absolute Consul Zwęglony enacted various public works projects as well as economic and religious reform in Lakkos.

## Early Life

Consul Zwęglony's youth is almost completely unknown with there being no surviving records mentioning him until his adoption into the Hatilian family in 15BF. During this time Zwęglony got the nickname "Bee" due to his hobby of beekeeping.

## Election and Reign

Zwęglony rose to extreme political prominence in the Consular elections of 0AF, where Zwęglony won with a healthy lead due to Flu's fish relations scandal. Once he became Consul Zwęglony quickly set about ordering the construction of various public works projects, such as the copper dome of the keep, Zamek Umarłych, and providing labor for the undercity via punishment stipulated in Statute 4.

In 2AF Zwęglony declared Statutes 1 and 2, making him very popular with the lower class and those who support the right to bear arms. Statute 1 set the minimum wage at 0.1 Złoty per day of labor, and a limit of 8 hour work days. Statute 2 declared that all citizens of Lakkos have the right to own and carry weaponry on their person.

In 3AF Zwęglony passed Statute 3, the presumption of innocence in the eye of the law. This made it so that in criminal trial defendants now needed to be proven guilty of the crime rather than prove their innocence.

In 4AF the majority of the construction of Zamek Umarłych took place with deepslate from The Pit. Also in this year Zwęglony instituted his coinage reform that massively stabilized the economy which is still in use today.

In 5AF Zwęglony made a controversial decision in declaring Statute 4, a reaction to the growing amount of individuals going against Pit worship as well as doubling as a solution for the labor shortage in the undercity. Statute 4 made it criminal to worship any entity other than The Pit, punishable by death. It also decreed that anyone housing heretics would be sent to work in the undercity as penance. Statute 4 was reasonably effective for the time it was in effect, seeing the undercity's excavation continue quickly and Zamek Umarłych completed in early June.

## The Rocketing June Attack

On June 27th, 5AF Zwęglony was making a trip to The Hive teahouse, a personal favorite establishment of his due to it's ownership by Lepido-Lakkosian Octavio and it's overall Lepidopteran theme, when on the road though the Oldtown District of Lakkos a rocket was shot at him by a anti-pit radical in an assassination attempt. Luckily for Zwęglony the rocket barely missed, blowing off his left leg instead of his entire body. Immediately after the rocket was launched Zwęglony's guard, the Strażnik Republikański, provided suppressive fire against the radical while 1st Lieutenant Markos Salleas dragged him out of the line of fire where Jan Sobiesky could administer a health potion to save Zwęglony's life. Once Zwęglony was safe 1Lt. Salleas and Cpl. Ilias Mirellis pursued the radical who fired the rocket at Zwęglony, chasing him for 21 minutes until the radical, later identified as Cesare Bertola, made a dash across the main street and was killed by a shot to the chest and one shot to the head, killing him instantly. With the would be assassin dead 1Lt. Salleas quickly returned to Zwęglony while Cpl. Mirellis secured the body of Cesare.

After the attack Zwęglony was quickly brought to the Consular Palace, Kupferpalast, where his injuries were fully documented and secondary aid was administered, though Zwęglony was in a coma. As of August 24th, 5AF Zwęglony was still in a coma, though kept in The Pit after being transported there in an emergency during the Unsleeping Night. Soon after many Zwęglon worth of gemstones were brought to The Pit to be used in the Phoenix Ritual. The Unsleeping Night is seen with some controversy due to the extrajudicial enforcement of clear roads and rooftops with the use of physical force by the Strażnik Republikański, with the left wing claiming it to be a violation of the new Magma Carta, with the right wing claiming it to be a necessary safety precaution due to the precarity of Zwęglony's condition. There is currently a class action lawsuit filed against the de Mortis estate due to the actions taken this night, though it is uncertain if they will see trial due to the royalist Antonin Koschevsky being the current High Judge of Lakkos.

## The Night of Sacrifice

On the night of January 12th, 6AF, after 199 days of Zwęglony's coma Jan Sobiesky began the Phoenix Ritual with the guidance of an ancient Pit manuscript provided graciously by Doug Pitman the day before. The night set the record low temperature in Lakkosian history, with frigid rain pouring down on Jan Sobiesky and the Acolytes of The Pit that were assisting in the ritual. It is unknown what the ritual's verbal and somatic components are, but in material it cost many Zweglon of gemstones as well as a fair portion of coal from the original Pit. Zwęglony's body was lain in the center of a circle of powderized coal and gemstones as Jan and the Acolytes began the ritual. As the ritual reached it's crescendo purple trails began to spin around Zwęglony as a yellow beam came from the heavens, going directly into his chest. Jan Sobiesky then uttered the final words of the ritual: na wieczność, "For Eternity", subsequently a loud ring rang across Lakkos as the beam brightened briefly before disappearing, lighting up the sky like a full moon. With the ritual complete Jan Sobiesky lay lifeless where he once stood, and Zwęglony was now alive, though extremely delirious and with his body smoldering like the embers of a fire. The Acolytes then quickly carried Zwęglony inside The Pit, where he was then carried via wagon to Kupferpalast to make his recovery, though on the way physically changing into something not entirely human.

## The Day of the Phoenix

On January 16th, 6AF Consul Zwęglony began a parade through all of Lakkos to celebrate his revival and to give food to the nearly starving masses due to grain shortages caused by General Publiann's trade interdiction as part of the Dual Islands War. The parade column was headed by the Strażnik Republikański clad in their ceremonial purple cloaks. They were followed by veteran musicians from units that served in the Dual Islands War playing "Ride of the Strażnik", a patriotic and pro-monarchist song written in response to the failed assassination of Consul Zwęglony that was foiled by the Strażnik Republikański. In the center of the first half of the column was Jan Sobiesky's sarcophagus, made of copper and lined with sapphires and carried by four officers of the Strażnik Republikański. In the middle of the back half of the column Consul Zwęglony himself rode upon his prized steed Krol Kon, flanked by four members of the Strażnik Republikański. As the column moved throughout the city the Strażnik Republikański was seen on many rooftops to ensure the security of the Consul.

### The Courtyard District

The procession began in the courtyard district with the Strażnik Republikański clearing a route through the gathering crowds. The procession itself consisted of four parts, the first was a marching band consisting of veterans from the ongoing Dual Islands war dressed in resplendent purple and black ceremonial uniforms whilst playing Ride of the Strażnik. In the second segment of the procession was four members of the Strażnik Republikański carrying a copper sarcophagus lined with sapphires that was clearly recently made, being completely free of any oxidation. Inside the sarcophagus was Jan Sobiesky's body, later to be interred in Zamek Umarłych. In the third segment of the procession rode Consul Zwęglony himself, astride his diamond clad skeletal horse Krol Kon. Zwęglony himself now looked like a completely different person, skin black as char from the lightning and with the head of a deer's skull, though he still wore his characteristic purple cloak tailored to fit his now larger stature. Next in the procession was various wagons loaded to the brim with bread, salted meats, as well as some vegetables. The wagons were the most well guarded part of the procession, aside from Zwęglony himself, in order to prevent a mob rush to the food and that it was distributed fairly to the nearly starving lower class.

### Old Town

The procession's route through Old Town was very brief due to it's state of being almost completely demolished by order of the Transition to Greater Labor Act. Zwęglony looked at the empty cobbled floor where Old Town once was, and seemed contemplative. Zwęglony looked up at The Pit, the very place his life was brought back from the brink by The Heralds of The Pit and Jan Sobiesky. He looked longingly at the purple of the Amethyst embedded in the side of The Pit as he contemplated Jan Sobiesky's sacrifice in the ritual just a mere four days earlier. He also thought on what his new physical form meant, was it a punishment from The Pit? Perhaps a symbol of his second chance in life? There wasn't any way to know the meaning, only up to whatever significance and meaning Zwęglony assigned it himself. Zwęglony was taken out of his train of thought as he saw a small child, no older than 8 but clearly having missed too many meals asking for some of the food in the procession but going overlooked. Zwęglony quickly turned Krol Kon around and grabbed a loaf of bread and a wedge of swiss cheese from the leadingmost wagon, and handed it to the child who excitedly thanked him before running back to their mother, nearly tripping in their excitement on the haphazard cobbles that once led to homes, and soon would lead to factories where the poor would be forced to toil more to make the same pay as before. With this thought Zwęglony cantered Krol Kon back to his spot in the procession, passing under the arch of the gate and entering Little Serenus.

### Little Serenus

As Zwęglony entered Little Serenus the cheers were noticeably lesser, and the crowds much less dense as angry eyes looked though shuttered windows. The procession noticably picked up pace in the district, going through it quite quickly while going slow enough to still hand out food to those that wanted it. A middle aged Serenusi man threw a stone at Zwęglony, narrowly missing Zwęglony's head as a Strażnik quickly shoved him hard, causing him to fall over the railing and into the Little Serenus canal. Various jeers were shouted at Zwęglony himself, eventually coalescing into a chanting of the phase "Allontanati dal demone!" meaning "Begone with the demon!" when translated to Lakkosian. This display only served to solidify Zwęglony's opinion on the hatred corely part of Potatoan worshipper's dogma, despite any legitimate fact present in such a belief. Amidst the borderline chaos of the crowd Zwęglony saw a pleasant and familiar face, Octavio, the owner of The Hive. For him Zwęglony took out not bread or meat, but a bottle of original Miodu wine. The Lepidopteran quickly covered it under his cloak to bring it safely to The Hive's cellar. The rest of the leg through Little Serenus continued much like how it started, with minor spats of attempted assault against Zwęglony but primarily just shouting and jeering until the procession reached Urbe Tineum, the primarily lepidopteran, but small, district of Lakkos.

### Urbe Tineum

Upon entering Urbe Tineum the cheering returned as Zwęglony went down the street, looking in interest at the short cherrywood buildings of the district. Zwęglony saw the lighthouse also made from cherrywood, surprised a wooden building could be so tall, and built so quickly given that the entire district hadn't existed before the Rocketing June attack. Urbe Tineum however seemed to be the most neglected district out of all of Lakkos, given how new the Lepidopterans were to the island and thus their lack of banked wealth to fall back on when food came in short supply during the Dual Islands War. Zwęglony noticed that the district seemed to be predominantly faithful to The Pit, with even the presence of a small chapel dedicated to The Pit built in similar gothic architecture to The Pit. After a short time Zwęglony reached the shore where a small ship waited for him, carrying Jan Sobiesky's sarcophagus and four musicians from the procession.

### Zamek Umarłych

Zwęglony calmly brings Krol Kon to a stop and dismounts, boarding the ship via the gangplank and taking a seat next to Jan Sobiesky's sarcophagus and across from Doug Pitman, who will be giving Jan's last rights. Zwęglony looks across the small ship at Doug Pitman as the ship glides nearly silently across the calm bay with the water softly lapping at the wooden hull, asking him a question of deep import;

> "Why did he do it? Why give his life to save mine? I don't understand."
>
>
> "That is the thing about faith, sometimes it is difficult to understand the faith of others. Despite this difficulty, I believe his intentions are made clear through his actions. He made a choice, then took the painstaking steps to put his plan into action. Such things can only come about from conviction, inner-strength and, most of all, care."
>
>
> "I see, I guess it's just hard to process him being gone in a way, and to blame myself somewhat for his passing. I keep thinking what it would be like if I hadn't gone through Old Town that day, how things would be different, everyone who would still be alive... like the thousands dead in Kundrall in order to put our flag in more lands."
>
>
> "Such is the way for most monarchs; ascending to the throne after death or usurpation of a close relative. It is one of the burdens most royals must bear, but his sacrifice shan't be in vain. As for the war in the Dual Islands, well, the time for the people to lead Lakkos has come. For better or worse, it will be the will of the voters to decide where our republic goes and how it chooses to conduct itself. All leaders like you or I can do is help guide this land to the proper path, for all our sakes."
>
>
> "I suppose, though it doesn't make me wish any less that I still had actual power, the ability to take Lakkos by the hand and steer it's way. What future does Lakkos have when led by politicians who lie to their people? Who lie to each other? Who argue for hours to accomplish nothing? Already with the first president Lakkos has tore down Old Town, let heretics run rampant, and killed thousands of our own people."
>
>
> Zwęglony takes a deep breath, mentally refocusing himself before saying,
>
>
> "To be honest, I'm scared. I'm scared for the future of Lakkos."
>
>
> "It is true that some rapscallions have come forth to take advantage of Lakkos in this time of metamorphosis. Despite this, I still see good people doing prodigious labor. Working, laboring, digging, excavating, striving toward a future that is brighter for all. These good people will win out, they must win out, and we will help them realize their ambitions. Hope is going to be a most valuable resource in the times to come, and we mustn't lose hold of what we still have to accomplish."
>
>
>
> "I'm sure you're right, though change is always scary when you're not the power making it. I'll do my best to lead the people to the right path."
>
>

With these words the ship stops softly at Zamek Umarłych, and four people carry Jan Sobiesky's sarcophagus inside to be given his final rites and to be lain to rest. The group's footsteps lightly echo in the empty building, eventually reaching the recess in the wall that is their destination. The musicians begin playing a quiet, somber song as everyone present looks to Doug Pitman to read Jan Sobiesky's final rites.
Pitman stands before the gathered crowd, clutching a dark, leather-clad tome in his left hand. His clear, deep voice echoes through the deepslate hall as he begins his eulogy.

> "Jan Sobiesky has left this mortal coil, and ascended to a place of well-earned rest. A good leader brings comfort and hope in times both good and bad. A stalwart servant stands as a firm foundation to his lord, like a pillar of marble, immovable and immutable. A good man stays true to himself and makes decisions that conform to his sense of morality and justice. Many struggle to reach any one of these lofty archetypes, yet Jan Sobiesky achieved all three. Like tempestuous waves against the shores of our great island, troubles never cease to wash over our land. We can only hope that men of Sobiesky's caliber will be around to assist us in troubled times. He was true to his king, true to himself, and true to the ideals of Lakkos."
>
>

Mourners solemnly watch the eulogy as the wind lightly flows through the spacious necropolis, the soft sounds of weeping can be heard over the light hum of the string quartet quietly playing a funerary concerto.

> "I now inter the remains of Jan Sobiesky to their final resting place, so that he may forever lie in a place of honor amongst the greatest of Lakkosians and watch our progress. All we can hope is that, PIT willing, we can live up to the exemplary standard set by this great man."
>
>

Pitman raises and extends his right arm, beckoning the pall bearers to bring forth the sarcophagus, which glimmers in the dim candlelight. The sarcophagus is brought forth with care, set in front of the recess in the wall to be slid inside as the string quartet continues it's playing. As the soft moonlight shines down in an array of colors through the stained glass, and the concerto echoes through the large interior of Zamek Umarłych the sarcophagus is pushed into Jan Sobiesky's final resting place to stay, hopefully, eternity. With this final interment various candles are lit and placed in front of Jan Sobiesky's sarcophagus, their soft light glinting softly off of the warm orange hue of the copper. Everyone present slowly disperses, with Zwęglony being the last to leave and return to the small ship that had brought them. Jan Sobiesky now rests, as Lakkos stirs evermore wakeful by the day.

## War Crime Investigation Commission (WCIC)

June 23, 6AF, His Majesty Zwęglony announced an independent war crime investigation funded by the de Mortis estate and led by the Strażnik Republikański to ascertain the validity of claims that the Lakkosian army committed many severe war crimes in Kundrall during the Dual Islands war. This effort was sparked at Zwęglony's impulse in reaction to Mugsy Caccione's breakdown in Publiann's trial, where he seemingly exposed many war crimes committed during his service. The investigation is led by Sir Magdoros of Oldtown, the Princeps Posterior of the Strażnik Republikański who is the head of the Triarii Battalion. Already various ships have left metropolitan Lakkos to Kundrall, and various Strażnik have begun hunting for veterans willing to provide evidence and testimony in exchange for amnesty from prosecution via Zwęglony himself not pressing charges and being the only one with the evidence, a highly controversial offer as it fairly blatantly bypasses the federal legal system. Zwęglony has defended this by stating that offering amnesty is the only way to reliably get testimony from Lakkosian veterans.