Eternal
While you toy with the idea of creating a book telling the complete truth, but decide it would probably be better to just do one as a partial propaganda piece. People have enough excuses to complain about you, no need to add more sticks to the fire.
“Sounds like that might be for the best. So are you going to still start from the beginning?” Brenda asks.
“Well I’ll briefly touch upon some of my time serving the Empire, but I’ll mostly deal with when Nalin broke away from it and beyond. Obviously I’ll focus on the most memorable parts, not the times where I just sat around reading skirmish reports.”
“Still going to take a while you realize.”
“I know it’s not going to be in one night, but I feel like a lasting record of us should exist. I mean after we’re gone, who’s to say that we won’t be forgotten soon after? I mean I understand what Edgar was trying to do, but sadly I don’t think he’s going to be remembered in the scheme of things. I don’t think the Eternal Dominion is even going to survive too much longer now that he’s dead.”
“Hmm, you might be right about that. So you don’t mind that the book might be excessively biased?”
“Brenda, ALL history is biased in favor of its victors. Why should we be any different? Besides, I’m sure people will make up more than enough lies about us to make up for it when we’re gone.”
“Heh, you’re probably right about that too. Okay then, let’s get started, I want to make sure I’m in a good portion of this history as well.” Brenda says with a smile.
You and Brenda immediately get to work on your project. You and her take turns doing the writing for the most part, but the pressures of ruling sometimes get in the way, so it takes longer than it probably would have if you both didn’t have other responsibilities.
Your ambitious project takes more than a few years to complete, but when it is finally finished you definitely feel a sense of accomplishment. It may not be conquering an enemy or territory or anything like that, but if this goes the way you want, you will have achieved much more than simple victory. You will have achieved a kind of immortality.
The huge tome immediately copied several times when it is complete. The great thing about being a ruler is you’ve got underlings that can do this. You make sure to keep the original writing for yourself. The first copies go out to a few Naleen schools, libraries and other places of higher learning where you decree that it is to become required reading. (Another great thing about being in charge!)
In time there probably isn’t a single citizen that hasn’t at least heard of the book, if not read it. There are a few criticisms about the book from intellectual types claiming that it is little more than the usual propaganda, but such people don’t voice such opinions for very long or they quickly shut up about them. For the most part though, the book brainwashes the masses enough that you at least never have to worry about any possible uprisings again.
Year 101
“Brenda…did you say that our book Eternal Vigilance has reached lands outside Naleen?” you ask.
“Yes, I have been told as much, but from what I’ve heard it isn’t popular like it is here. It’s been dismissed as little more than the fat musings of tyrants…that would be us.”
“Ah, I suppose everyone’s a critic. Well I guess we at least we’ll probably be remembered by our subjects, for however long that lasts.”
“You shouldn’t worry about such things right now, it’s not important.”
“I know Brenda. I suppose it was just a last foolish attempt to keep the Empire alive. I know it sounds odd, but even though the Empire fell long ago, I still felt like it existed in a small form as long as we original Eternals lived. Silly I suppose.”
“No, it was just something that you believed in. No sillier than any of the gods that people worship.”
“Hrm. The gods. We never were a religious bunch were we? I wonder after I die if I’ll meet any of the gods if they even exist.”
Brenda gets a bit quiet at that last statement, you don’t mean to upset her, but you’ve got to be realistic at this stage.
“Brenda, I love you.” You say.
“And I love you.” She says back and squeezes your hand.
For a moment the two of you are just silent for a while. You’re were getting tired anyway, but the both of you don’t really need to speak to communicate. You know each other better than any two people could. You’ve been through a lot together and this is will be your final journey with her.
As you begin to get sleepy, you surprise Brenda by making a small chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” she asks.
“Captain Gruz…he said I would outlive everyone. I’m glad to have proved him wrong.” You say and give Brenda a smile. She manages to smile back through the tears.
Life is slipping away now. This your final battle against an opponent who has stalked you for over a century.
“For the Empire…” you whisper as your last battle cry and finally succumb to eternal sleep.
Your funeral is a big deal. All of Naleen comes out for it, and there is a lot military marching, saluting, and all of that. Various officials give several speeches in your honor about your deeds and accomplishments. Brenda says a few words, but your death has been an emotional drain on her and she saves her strength to get through the day.
You’re ultimately placed in a fancy tomb with nice statues of you and Brenda in your “warrior prime” just inside the doorway of it.
A couple months later Brenda joins you in death and she is placed in the same tomb by your side where upon it is sealed, shutting the pair of you in darkness forever.
Your place in history is remembered best in the nation of Naleen, but as time goes on as time always does, you are remembered less fondly. Eventually there comes a day when the latest rulers have your books burned altogether as to establish their own cult of personality. Your book never reached many other far off lands and if it did, it wasn’t wide spread to cause any significant impact.
The nation of Naleen goes through various changes of government systems as decades pass by and you and Brenda ultimately become just “names” of past rulers and not much more than that.
Ultimately when it too ceases to be (Conquered by the great kobold/usksha alliance three hundred years later) you are forgotten altogether. Though the kobolds and usksha still stay far away from the graveyard ruins of your tomb, fearing it to be cursed and believing that disturbance will cause the vengeful spirits of the Eternals to rise up.
“Sounds like that might be for the best. So are you going to still start from the beginning?” Brenda asks.
“Well I’ll briefly touch upon some of my time serving the Empire, but I’ll mostly deal with when Nalin broke away from it and beyond. Obviously I’ll focus on the most memorable parts, not the times where I just sat around reading skirmish reports.”
“Still going to take a while you realize.”
“I know it’s not going to be in one night, but I feel like a lasting record of us should exist. I mean after we’re gone, who’s to say that we won’t be forgotten soon after? I mean I understand what Edgar was trying to do, but sadly I don’t think he’s going to be remembered in the scheme of things. I don’t think the Eternal Dominion is even going to survive too much longer now that he’s dead.”
“Hmm, you might be right about that. So you don’t mind that the book might be excessively biased?”
“Brenda, ALL history is biased in favor of its victors. Why should we be any different? Besides, I’m sure people will make up more than enough lies about us to make up for it when we’re gone.”
“Heh, you’re probably right about that too. Okay then, let’s get started, I want to make sure I’m in a good portion of this history as well.” Brenda says with a smile.
You and Brenda immediately get to work on your project. You and her take turns doing the writing for the most part, but the pressures of ruling sometimes get in the way, so it takes longer than it probably would have if you both didn’t have other responsibilities.
Your ambitious project takes more than a few years to complete, but when it is finally finished you definitely feel a sense of accomplishment. It may not be conquering an enemy or territory or anything like that, but if this goes the way you want, you will have achieved much more than simple victory. You will have achieved a kind of immortality.
The huge tome immediately copied several times when it is complete. The great thing about being a ruler is you’ve got underlings that can do this. You make sure to keep the original writing for yourself. The first copies go out to a few Naleen schools, libraries and other places of higher learning where you decree that it is to become required reading. (Another great thing about being in charge!)
In time there probably isn’t a single citizen that hasn’t at least heard of the book, if not read it. There are a few criticisms about the book from intellectual types claiming that it is little more than the usual propaganda, but such people don’t voice such opinions for very long or they quickly shut up about them. For the most part though, the book brainwashes the masses enough that you at least never have to worry about any possible uprisings again.
Year 101
“Brenda…did you say that our book Eternal Vigilance has reached lands outside Naleen?” you ask.
“Yes, I have been told as much, but from what I’ve heard it isn’t popular like it is here. It’s been dismissed as little more than the fat musings of tyrants…that would be us.”
“Ah, I suppose everyone’s a critic. Well I guess we at least we’ll probably be remembered by our subjects, for however long that lasts.”
“You shouldn’t worry about such things right now, it’s not important.”
“I know Brenda. I suppose it was just a last foolish attempt to keep the Empire alive. I know it sounds odd, but even though the Empire fell long ago, I still felt like it existed in a small form as long as we original Eternals lived. Silly I suppose.”
“No, it was just something that you believed in. No sillier than any of the gods that people worship.”
“Hrm. The gods. We never were a religious bunch were we? I wonder after I die if I’ll meet any of the gods if they even exist.”
Brenda gets a bit quiet at that last statement, you don’t mean to upset her, but you’ve got to be realistic at this stage.
“Brenda, I love you.” You say.
“And I love you.” She says back and squeezes your hand.
For a moment the two of you are just silent for a while. You’re were getting tired anyway, but the both of you don’t really need to speak to communicate. You know each other better than any two people could. You’ve been through a lot together and this is will be your final journey with her.
As you begin to get sleepy, you surprise Brenda by making a small chuckle.
“What’s so funny?” she asks.
“Captain Gruz…he said I would outlive everyone. I’m glad to have proved him wrong.” You say and give Brenda a smile. She manages to smile back through the tears.
Life is slipping away now. This your final battle against an opponent who has stalked you for over a century.
“For the Empire…” you whisper as your last battle cry and finally succumb to eternal sleep.
Your funeral is a big deal. All of Naleen comes out for it, and there is a lot military marching, saluting, and all of that. Various officials give several speeches in your honor about your deeds and accomplishments. Brenda says a few words, but your death has been an emotional drain on her and she saves her strength to get through the day.
You’re ultimately placed in a fancy tomb with nice statues of you and Brenda in your “warrior prime” just inside the doorway of it.
A couple months later Brenda joins you in death and she is placed in the same tomb by your side where upon it is sealed, shutting the pair of you in darkness forever.
Your place in history is remembered best in the nation of Naleen, but as time goes on as time always does, you are remembered less fondly. Eventually there comes a day when the latest rulers have your books burned altogether as to establish their own cult of personality. Your book never reached many other far off lands and if it did, it wasn’t wide spread to cause any significant impact.
The nation of Naleen goes through various changes of government systems as decades pass by and you and Brenda ultimately become just “names” of past rulers and not much more than that.
Ultimately when it too ceases to be (Conquered by the great kobold/usksha alliance three hundred years later) you are forgotten altogether. Though the kobolds and usksha still stay far away from the graveyard ruins of your tomb, fearing it to be cursed and believing that disturbance will cause the vengeful spirits of the Eternals to rise up.
