In late 1624, Sarostip Coldeye (a former member of the Household of Death) and a group of Humakti hunted down and killed Prince Temertain for breaking sacred oaths (which he did do), but had to kill Goram Whitefang and his Telmori followers first. Sarostip slew Goram and then the Humakti killed Temertain.
Both sides called upon Humakt and their oaths to the God of Death (well except Temertain, who had broken them). Both groups of warriors were honorable and righteous in their cause. Both show the gifts and geases of the God of Death – Sarostip slew his Prince to avenge his Kingdom, and Goram upheld his oath to defend his unworthy Prince to the death. Orlanthi poets retell this story as much as they do the Dragonrise and the Liberation of Boldhome.
Afterwards, there was no Prince and no successor. Kallyr and Argrath both made their claims, but there was still a Lunar Army in Sartar, and a garrison in Boldhome. Kallyr and Argrath became Prince because Sarostip slew their kin – and Coldeye is a member of Kallyr’s Sartar High Council and on her city ring of Jonstown. The Telmori though have not forgiven Coldeye for his deeds….
It very much has the feeling of a samurai epic, doesn’t it?
