The Consort

As the time of her ascendance to the throne of Sadaren draws near, the young Princess Crysta has come to realize something. While she's certainly got the respect of the noble houses, and more than the respect of the military, there's one thing she doesn't have. A Prince Consort. As the Queen, one of her duties will be to ensure the line of succession, preferably by blood. Unfortunately, she's also going to be picky.

It's not so much that she wants to, but that she feels that she must. Sadaren's little demon problem means she may not live as long as she would like, and that her daughter may need to walk the same path she does, for the sake of her people. Knowing that traits tend to breed true, she has every intent of picking the father of her children carefully. Furthermore, her husband needs to able to bring the child up as befits a princess in a nation at war, and should she be claimed, he will need to protect the child.

Because she feels she needs a warrior, a fighter, many of the nobles of Sadaren are unsuited, being mainly merchants. Likewise, she cannot draw from her army, for fear that the men courting her could sow dissention amoung them, the last thing she needs in troubled times.

One night, however, shortly after an encounter with a party passing through the city, it dawned on her. Reminded by contact with it that an outside world existed, she realized an adventurer could be the perfect sort. It's unlucky for her that most of the more local adventurers don't seem to last very long in the tainted landscape. And so, any adventurers from outside are to be sent to her. After a short interview, they are often asked to perform an appropriate task in the defense against the taint, and should they survive, the more martial men in the party will be examined more closely. She's looking for an honorable sort, preferably with a sense of humor. Should one of the adventurers be attractive to her, she will challenge him to a duel to subdual. Should she lose, she will do what she can to keep the man in Sadaren, in an attempt to court him. Should she win, or should she reject him for other reasons, she will send them back into the world, sometimes with instructions to return when they're strong enough to beat her, or to send those who coud beat her to her. Lower level parties are most likely to recieve the second.

An exceptionally potent warrior, defeating Princess Crysta in battle is no mean feat. Marriage to her will mean settling down out of the adventuring life, however, it's not without its rewards, assuming that the Princess and the Prince Consort are able to solve Sadaren's demon problem, with or without the help of his adventuring party.