Steven reminisced on who he used to be; a pushover, routinely steamrolled by even the most menial of people. He squandered his effort trying to make everyone else happy, never minding his own needs. He couldn't even post a raid roster without invoking the wrath of the masses. He even unlocked commenting in the discord channel, daring anyone to question him.
And that wasn't all. Last night Steven had, meekly but bravely, asked if they could get takeout instead of... he didn't want to think about what his mother was forcing together in the kitchen. She had been so hurt she'd been brought to tears, but Steven also noticed a hint of pride there too - a rollercoaster of emotions he couldn't begin to fathom.
No longer Steven the meek, he now carried himself with regality and confidence as Lord OhZone. The tall ivy-covered gates of power opened before him to reveal a sea of NPC's, players and onlookers held back by a thin line of stanchions. As he strode along the red carpet leading up to the grand entrance of the council hall, whispers exploded around him like a bomb, demanding his attention – but Lord OhZone stared straight ahead with an unyielding gaze until the castle like structure before him rose majestically into view.
The sun showered its brilliance upon the grand façade of the building, built in a Roman style. Its white pillars, twisted through with silver and granite, extended skywards to kiss the clouds. Gold-plated fixtures cascaded like liquid gold, while stained glass windows glittered with gemstones. Each wall was carved with tales of old – stories of men overcoming burden, beast, and more often than not, raccoon. Steven quickly snapped a photo before entering, thinking it would make a perfect desktop wallpaper.
Lord OhZone marched into the great hall, radiating an air of importance. The stone walls were adorned with tapestries and flags, a reminder of the many families in attendance for this momentous occasion. He stopped short when he spotted his reserved seat at the center roundtable, a place of honor amongst esteemed warriors, noble healers, and Royalty.
The crowd shifted uneasily as they focused their gaze upon him, the last to arrive by far. Everyone gawked at him with disdain and unease as he settled into his chair. Steven had read that making someone wait was a gesture of superiority, and here he was witnessing it firsthand.
Lord OhZone scanned the room, taking in every detail about the players that surrounded him. Each imposing figure warily eyed their allies who could and would become adversaries in an instant. His palms were slick with sweat, his heart pounding in anticipation.
The grand hall descended into an eerie silence as King Shas, a man just before the prime of his life and ruler of one of the three human kingdoms left in The Great Yonder, commenced the session.
“Let it be declared: the Conclave of the United Kingdoms of The Great Yonder is open.” His voice bellowed across the chamber, reverberating with an air of grandeur and power.
Agreements and affirmations echoed excitedly throughout the chamber, as all heads swiveled to face him.
"Noble comrades! The Tower of Dread has been utterly destroyed. The prophecy is teetering on the brink of disaster, and all indications are that a Raid is imminent.
Lord OhZone's guild had amassed a significant fortune, four unique items and one-hundred thousand contribution tokens, in honor of their successful decimation of the dungeon. He wisely kept the Taco Knights' part in the destruction hidden from view. Many classes pre-best were to come from the Tower, being the ones to profit from it would without doubt bring them more enemies than friends.
"Twas a raccoon that did the deed by pulling out a single gem." added Queen Langford, an enigmatic figure whose loyalty could never be certain, not with her close ties to the Masked City, "She was a Taco Knight Officer, I'm told."
Lord OhZone was speechless in disbelief as Queen Langford threw him under the bus. The hall erupted with cries of outrage.
"That sly son of a-"
"You couldn't have waited until i got the trinket?"
"Ban his account! BAN HIM NOW!!" The collective ire of the crowd built to a crescendo.
“We are here to discuss the future of The Great Yonder, not chitter like raccoons!" The King's authoritative voice had a palpable impact on the previously rowdy crowd.
Lord OhZone was impressed by the monarchs' ability to maintain-
King Shaw continued, "Your disdain for the Taco Knights and their actions, though warranted, can and will be addressed in due time!"
Lord OhZone deeply regretted ever coming to this meeting. Even King Shas, who should be single-mindedly focused on revenge against the Circle, took the time to throw him under the bus.
Lord Shas was the last living member of the Unbroken Throne royalty, and had witnessed firsthand the death of his beloved parents and seven siblings at their hands. Steven recalled the cinematic that began RotR, in which Shas was coronated over a field of funeral pyres for his family--a pretty dark twist for an expansion about raccoons, he thought, though he was a admittedly less sympathetic at the moment.
“Let us maintain caution in our judgement of the Taco Knights,” King Aran The Cruel declared, and Lord OhZone wished it was literally anyone else defending his guild. “Surely they had their purposes in taking such a sizable portion for themselves, denying the rest of us resources in war, and shamefully hiding their actions.”
Steven couldn't believe it. King Aran too? Seriously? That dirt bag had done nothing but watch as the Circle devoured every Kingdom that wasn't his own, and he was saying the Taco Knights were the bad guy?
"The prophecy couldn't be more obvious," Queen Langford declared, a woman behind her sang out in a lilting toon.
"Twisted steel and destruction loom
An average gem hides in lies
Squares make a Circle and shape our doom
Others come, to claim their prize
The Great Raccoon will Rise!"
Lord OhZone was lost in the maelstrom of nonsensical words. He cursed under his breath, aghast that someone would dare to suggest that squares could somehow become circles. That wasn't how shapes worked. Was that why the Queen was acting like a jerk? She lashing about because of her confusion over shapes?
"Could you be a little more specific on the prophecy?" demanded Lord FireStander. She was the leader of the only Role Play guild left in this world of rising raccoons, having crafted her character long before deciding to undertake the treacherous journey of RP. Regret and pain had been constant companions ever since, but she refused to lose her progress.
The ruling triad exchanged a significant look before mutually agreeing on something unspoken.
Queen Langford spoke with an air of superiority. "We can either discuss the hidden references and gossip about The Rise of the Raccoon, or consider who among you will join our ranks, should you thwart the Circle's attack."
Lord OhZone and his fellows shared a look of their own, and also came to agreement. All discussions of ancient prophecy were forgotten, and not even Lord FireStander could ignore this newfound opportunity for power.