State of Affairs Update | Cylus 718
House Gawyne / Order of the Mantis (wait for it ...) / Caius Gawyne
Wealth: Declining - It was a particularly wet year in Gawyne, making already few harvests poorer which in turn led to a much larger percentage of food imported from Warrick in the arc of 717. With all of Rynmere recovering from the civil uprising, the interest in academics was much less of an emphasis for the Kingdom, and the outlawing of magic by the King that led to a cleansing of Rynmere University does not bode well for intellectual profitability for the coming new arc. That said, many rebuilding projects across the Kingdom have kept Gawyne's quarries, the heart of its economy, as busy as ever and so the Duchy has simply recognized where its profitability can be found for the time being.
Military Might: Stable - After the civil unrest, which Gawyne didn't really significantly participate in considering their military contribution is more training and naval than anything else, the isolated Duchy quite loyalist as a whole, much of the hardy northern people found a new reason to focus on martial training and the Hearth Guard, Gawyne's own militia, has found a surge in numbers this arc. While the Duchy has continued to provide loyal and skilled U'Frek's Sailors as well as offer the Kingdom's most exceptional rugged training to all its military, the firmer establishment of an internal force is seen as a bold move.
Allies: Endor (Excellent), Venora (Very Positive), Warrick (Positive)
Neutral: Andaris, Krome, Burhan
Enemies: Coven (Abysmal)
Please note that the above alliances are much more the view of the Duke of Gawyne and Gawyne as a political duchy and not necessarily an indication of Caius' personal feelings toward any houses, as he's certainly friends with a Burhan, a Krome, and a Krome-turned-Andaris. So, the above is for the purpose of updating the State of Affairs.
Non-House Personal Updates/Summary for the Curious/tl;dr: Caius has never been interested in becoming a politician in any way, shape, or form, and yet the past arc since returning to Rynmere and continuing his studies at Rynmere University, his parents, the Baron and Baroness of Umbridge, have largely attempted to give him opportunities to be the face of House Gawyne in Andaris. He's mostly just kept his nose in the library and his hands in the print room of the Rynmere Gazette instead, but he did meet with Nathaniel Endor about mining and other important topics as well as Xander Andaris. He's managed to not make a sarding mess of things, most of the time, unless it's been his face. In Vhalar 717, he met two people who have pretty much changed the course of his existence—Darcyanna Venora and Lord Inquisitor Kayled Wine. During Oliver Venora's Charity Soirée in Zi'da 717, he and Darcy made their relationship not only public, but official, although Caius would prefer to discuss matters with both families before admitting to anyone but Darcyanna their intentions to marry in Saun. As far as he is concerned, this is not a political move in the slightest, but a choice made entirely for love. So, he'll most likely hear no objections even if they are raised.
After the Soirée on the way home to Andaris, Darcy and Oliver's youngest sister-turned-bandit attacked their shared carriage and severely injured him, driving him to make the decision to pursue Valkyr and the bandits she's a part of, VII with whatever resources he has at his disposal.
More on Caius' position with the Lord Inquisitor will come with the conclusion of
this thread, which began on Vhalar 122.
Caius at the end of Zi'da
wakes up in Viden with Darcyanna and Maebella (of Viden) and they find themselves on a still in progress quest that is prophesied to be the (natural) end of him (as per his Envoy ability). So, there's that.
