Corvo the Black: A Dark Reign

'I am the monster this life made me.'

In 1852, Corvo overcame the coup instigated by Delilah Kaldwin, massacring his way through her conspirators before slaying the witch himself. Yet when all the traitors lay dead, his dear daughter Emily still remained as she had been cursed, a frozen stone statue. All manner of resources were called upon, from physicians to experts on the occult, with Corvo even trying in vain to reach The Outsider, begging him to restore his daughter. But no answer came, no resolution was found.

Corvo would spend days alone in the throne room, in utter silence as he watched, and waited. He had bared much in his life, and had never bowed down to defeat. Yet everything had been taken from him. The woman he had always stood by and loved with every inch of his being had been brutally murdered before his eyes, with himself being blamed for the crime. And now his daughter, his only daughter who he had gone through Hell and back to save time and time again, was lost to him. His grief was overwhelming, but even more so was his anger and rage.

## Birth of the Tyrant

It had been less than a week since Delilah had been defeated and her grip on the Empire severed, but already the Lords were lining up the potential successor to the throne. With no apparent heir, it had been concluded that the throne must be passed on to another family with the closest connections. Corvo was furious at the notion, accusing them of abandoning Emily to her eternal fate. A great row ensued between the chamber, until Corvo ended it by slicing the throat of the head delegate in a fit of rage. He then turned on the remaining members of the chamber, threatening to end their lives if they continued down this path of disrespect. And so it was agreed, or rather forced, that Corvo would serve as Lord Regent until the time that a cure was found for Emily, or until his passing.

Corvo tried to rule with restraint and fairness, handling duties in a concise manner. Work was swiftly carried out to undo the damage wrought by the usurper. Parliament was reconvened, relations between the Isles were mended, and the reconstruction and renovation of parts of Dunwall were made a high priority during the Months of Nets and Rain. Concerns that another tyrant like Delilah could rise to power spurred members of parliament to advocate for reforming the Empire's government towards a more democratic institution and dissolving the Imperial Throne. Corvo again was infuriated by the notion, seeing it as yet again, the nobility failing his daughter. No blood was shed this time, but he strongly reprimanded those responsible, and made sure they knew their place.

Amidst this debate, the anarchic Rat Gang, led by the sadistic Luella Price, a zealot set on the collapse of the monarchy, launched a campaign of terrorism across Dunwall in an effort to seize power from the Imperial government. They targeted multiple reconstruction work crews and bombed various buildings and landmarks, including the famed Clocktower. When the Rat Gang was finally suppressed and Price apprehended, parliament suggested condemning her to hard labour, in an effort to both aid the city's restoration and to show that all were on a united front. Instead, Corvo had the girl publicly executed, wielding the blade himself.

There was a clear split among the city emerging. Those who supported cracking down on criminals and all who would disrupt society, still feeling the ripples of Delilah's rule, and those who were opposed to such a display of authoritarianism. Several members of parliament feared Corvo's rage and bloodlust, and behind closed doors, set about a plan to remove him from power.

One night, the palace was infiltrated by several masked assailants. They made their way through the halls and rooms, leaving all alive and untouched in an uncanny manner, taking no spoils nor engaging in any thievery. For their target was Corvo. Reaching the Royal wing, they were surprised to find the Lord Regent nowhere to be found. Until their deaths came, one by one. Nine assassins had entered. None had left.

## Seizing the Throne

The next day, parliament reconvened in the chamber, assured of the demise of the Lord Regent. After all, they had hired the best of the best, failure was impossible. And yet they were left stunned when Corvo strode into the hall, the picture of health. Revealing to them that he had expected such a plan, he announced his intention to no longer serve as Lord Regent, but as Emperor of the Isles, effective as of immediately. There was uproar in the chamber, with many of the Lords demanding his head and that he be struck down by the guards. But to their horror, the guards turned on them all, wounding and maiming them as Corvo led a procession through the streets of Dunwall, with the paraded bodies of the still alive politicians held aloft for all to see, moaning out with sobs and cries of pain. Corvo announced to all his intention to dissolve parliament, and for the role of Emperor to no longer just serve as the head of state, but as an absolute monarch. And any who disagreed would die.

Never again would he suffer loss. Never again would he be the subject of betrayal.

## The King in Black

Corvo quickly established his new reign, with the help of the military and the City Watch, many of who held a great respect for him as a hero, and detested the nobility infested parliament. With his monarchy absolute, he ordered missives sent to the other nations of the Empire to inform them of the change, and that they would all now swear their fealty to him, or face consequences. During this early period, he personally hunted down individuals who had torn apart his life, such as the assassin Daud, and executed those who had once been close to him, with Billie Lurk confessing her sins to him shortly after, and receiving no mercy.

There was still much of Dunwall to restore, with Corvo quickly introducing conscription into aiding in the rebuilding, rounding up many of the homeless and unemployed. The City Watch was formed into an even more ruthless unit than it had been under the previous Lord Regent, with crime being clamped down on severely, and guards issued with the right of being judge, jury and executioner.

The missives soon returned, with Tyvia, Morely and Serkonos refusing to bow to an absolute monarch. And so military campaigns were launched, with Corvo using Gristol's might navy and army to overwhelm the other nations by force if necessary. Each day it seemed the Corvo slipped more and more away from his humanity, only showing a shred of the man left inside of him whenever he was in the presence of his petrified daughter.

To strengthen his military might, he announced further conscription of the population of Dunwall and Gristol at large, before forming his own person new guard, the Justiciar. Whereas before, the Emperor or Empress had been assigned with a single Royal protector, the Justiciar were comprised of several individuals of the highest skill and caliber, who served as Corvo's bodyguards, enforcers and assassins. Answering only to Corvo, none else were above them, and they were given full authority on all matters of state.

## The Dark Reign

Several years had passed since Corvo announced himself as absolute monarch of the Empire. Many wars still wage, and civil unrest is at an all time high, with much of the population split in their beliefs towards the new system of law and rule. There are those who welcome the new regime and support the militaristic Empire, while there are those who renounce if, even if it results in their imprisonment or death.

And still Corvo sits alone on his throne, basking in the silence, waiting for the day his daughter comes back to him...