Cour des Miracles

The year kicked off with a bang and a great deal of trauma as Mistral de l'Or and her mercenaries kidnapped King Silvano Sadira and cut off his hand and proceeded to storm the Court, instigating L'Hiver de l'Or Terni - the Winter of Tarnished Gold. Archiduchessa Abigail Sadira's children had also been kidnapped and were recovered - but with Silvano held hostage and Mistral proclaiming herself Queen, all was far from well.

Majordomo Linden Aatte was found to be the Father of Mistral's impending children - and assumed to have been complicit in her plans.

While some Courtiers were intimidated by the new incumbents and others made their feelings known, some quietly planned and trained for an uprising, led by Kalypso Savoy.

Tensions escalated throughout January: longtime Courtier Harvey Butler was killed; the King's daughter Thyri was brutally scarred by Mistral; soon after, Shiloh Dawnbringer confronted the de l'Or Queen. It was to be Shiloh's final act as a Mother and protector. The family's feline friend Wilson found her body and led her eldest son, Alessan, to the grisly sight on the beach. The news of Shiloh's murder was soon shared within the Sadira-Stormbringer family and a funeral was given to send the Viking warrior on her way.

Through all this tragedy and turmoil Kalypso's underground forces had been honing their fighting skills in preparation to take on Mistral and the small band of supporters who remained. Under the guise of putting on a performance to please the new Queen, Kalypso confronted Mistral and Linden, whilst others held off her remaining mercenaries.

Shortly after Mistral gave birth to a pair of sons - Bennett de l'Or and Florian Aatte - she was brought before the Court and executed for her crimes. Linden was banished along with the newborns and they eventually sought refuge in Mistfell Vale.

While the Court was seemingly safer with Mistral dead the shocking revelations weren't quite over: Kalypso announced her blood tie to Silvano Sadira and her new role as Queen/Reine. While some reacted with anger, particularly amongst her newly revealed half-siblings, others - including the Archiduchessa - offered Kalypso tentative support.

With Kalypso's ascension came a change in the ranks: we introduced Specializations, a new promotion/demotion system, and switched our rank names up!

Having grown closer with Senechal Skoll Haskel during The Winter of Tarnished Gold, Shiloh's adoptive daughter Dreyma Dawnbringer (née Moineau) found herself expecting a litter. She agreed to keep the puppies for Skoll to raise and, a short time after Oberyn and Issola Haskel were born in May, Dreyma left the Court.

Also in May we saw the end of an era as former King Silvano Sadira succumbed to dementia and went to join his mate in the afterlife. His body was found by Abigail and Cicely, and the traumatic event set off Cicely's first shift.

But the Spring wasn't all tragedy: Thyri reunited with old flame Merlin, who came to join her in the Court. Cavalier Kira Raine also came to join Abigail Sadira and their children in the Court, later proposing mateship to the Archiduchessa.

Over the Spring and Summer work on the New Horizons housing project continued in earnest. Reine Kalypso gave birth to a trio of puppies by Chaska, one of Mistral's mercenaries-turned-Courtier: Athalie Savoy, Eulalie Savoy, and Isadore Savoy were born in the height of Summer. In recognition of her dilligent work on the new housing and her commitment to the Court, Thyri Dawnbringer was promoted to Chambellan - the first new councilmember in quite some time.

Meanwhile a newer face, Paloma Rovira, was charged by Kalypso with gathering intel on the other groups inhabiting the region.

The Spring and Summer saw several new faces: a blind boy named Cidro was left at the borders, found by Abigail Sadira and less established member Paloma Rovira, who reluctantly took the youth under her wing. Following the disbandment of Sapient, the Court also found itself home to several ex-members of the Northern pack: Keylo and Moon Moon Damaichu, several children, Mads Ibsen, Hibiki and Tzila Napier all sought a new home in the Court.

During the Summer the Court also held a trio of Ceremonies to celebrate its rising youth and more established members alike. There was a party shared with neighbours and longtime allies Casa di Cavalieri in August, and things seemed to be looking up. As Autumn rolled around the Court progressed to the final stages of its new housing development, with both Reblin and Harrison Alexander gaining their Mason Professions in the process.

A face from the past, Ciprian Tenebriso, lurked on the fringes of Cour des Miracles, leaving a grisly token for long-standing member Odalis; later the man returned for her and Issola Haskel was caught up in the fray, abducted alongside the Onuban. Abigail Sadira, having struggled all year with the loss of her parents, suffered a moment of inaction and a breakdown in the aftermath - and subsequently relinquished her leadership role.

In the Fall, following Krokar's sudden disbandment, members of Cour des Miracles rounded up some of the Northern pack's wandering livestock. We also welcomed long-time loner Ezra Vahn, and ex-Krokaran Ascher Stormbringer to our ranks.

With only one of Ciprian's captives finally returned home, it would seem the year has ended on an uncertain note.

What will next year hold for the Court?