Year of the Seven Kaisers

The Year of the Seven Kaisers was an series of unfortunate 'incidents' in which six kaisers, of the Dwarven Imperium, lost their lives in the year 638. Clan Ivari of the Kingdom of Wal-Rauvar claims responsibility.

## Description

### Justinian I

In the year 630 kaiser Justinian came to the thrown, looking to reconquer the heartland of the old Dwarven Imperium. In 8 years time he gathered a grand army and set out to march on Wal-Rauver, except he would never reach the lands. The dwarven legion was ready and headed out of Tyria Rupes at the front of the legion Justinian rode on his trusty Cave Beetle. The army approached a narrowing passage with cliff towering above them on one side. As soon as Justinius I set foot in the passage a large boulder came tumbling down, crushing him and a few bodyguards. The soldiers panicked at the dead of their kaiser and fearing that more rocks may crush them they retreated back to Tyria Rupes. Stopping the army dead in its tracks.

### Justinian II

About a month after Justinian's I death, Justinian II son of Justinian I was elected as the new kaiser. Swearing revenge on who ever did this he reunited the army and set march once again. This time making sure to check every cliff for any loose rocks. No rocks were to be found, yet he would still meet his demise. After reaching the border of the Dwarven Imperium it was decided that the army should rest before heading out. Justinian II being a bit arrogant and brave decided to spend the night in the most luxurious tavern in the border town. Somehow an assassin had made his way inside and was waiting besides the door of his room, as he entered the assassin sneaked behind him and stabbed him in the back. When the kaiser was found his blood had spread in all the little cracks of the stone floor.

### Didius Julianus

After a quite short election Didius Julianus was elected as the new kaiser. He started to notice a pattern and decide it was best not to march out and instead stay in Tyria Rupes, surely things would be safer here. But it would not be the Year of the Seven Kaisers if he did not reach his demise as well. Didius Julianus went out one early morning to check the market square before it became to busy, fearing that the busy streets would make it easier for an assassin to blend in with the crowd. As he was walking through a street a poisoned dart hit him in the back of the neck, falling instantly to the ground. It is said that the assassin hid in one of the many barrels lining the street.

### Tiberius

A while later Tiberius Tywinus was elected to the throne. He saw that even the streets of Tyria Rupes were not safe and decided to keep to the castle. One day after eating a hefty meal Tiberius badly needed to go the toilet. While (probably) taking the biggest dump of his life he was confronted by the assassin. The assassin had a crossbow ready and drawn at hand, Tiberius tried to reason promising all the riches of the Dwarven Imperium. The assassin simply replied saying that they lost their riches already, referring to the lose of the Dwarven Imperium during the Troigh Leud. A bolt struck the kaiser in the gut, then the assassin reloaded and shot an other bolt right in the hart.

### Argus

When Argus was elected security was severely heightened in the capital. He did not even get a proper coronation ceremony and instead decided to hide in a secluded location. With only being served food, drinks and books by the guards. Yet hiding would not safe him. There were some logistical problems with delivering drink to the area, safety inspections and all. However Argus had become thirsty for he went without alcohol for a whole week, he demanded that the guards bring him a drink immediately or their heads would be chopped off. So the complied with the kaiser not knowing they would be brining down a barrel of poisoned ale. Argus greedly drinked the whole barrel within an hour, ingesting even more poison than necessary to kill him.

### Septimius Serverus

Septimius Serverus had become outright paranoid when he was elected as kaiser. He feared that the guards were in on a conspiracy to kill him, or that the imperators elected him because they wanted to kill him. He looked himself in a different area of the castle not knowing that the guards feared the would give him poisoned food. The guards feared this so much that they refused to serve any food by even the most trusted cooks. When the kaiser came close to starvation they brought down a meal anyway. But the kaiser refused to eat it and instead starved to death. While not directly killed by an assassin of Clan Ivari, it is still counted as a indirect kill for them.

### Gaius

Gaius would be the first kaiser to not be killed. He hid but nothing happened, finally he thought the series of assassinations was over. Slowly he came out of hiding and entered public life. Yet he still was not killed. Gaius felt confident and started sitting proudly on the throne again, when on a day a bolt struck his crown knocking it off. On this bolt a message was attached reading: We are watching, *Signed* C.I. Gaius went into hiding and came to the conclusion that this all started after trying to invade the Kingdom of Wal-Rauvar. He sent a deligation to the kingdom, saying the Dwarven Imperium would not invade for the next 100 years. Seemingly after that the assassinations stopped for a while, until other prince-elects were murdered that is.