The Empresses' sudden arrival and the silent takeover of the Undelm Domain served as major points of contention, not only for the more well-known royals whose positions could have been upended by the sudden influx of ruling powers from the domain but for the lower noble families, both those residing under the umbrella of the Vauzem as well as those who knew the comfort of the Empire through the last several decades. The common populace has experienced a massive paradigm shift as well, with many families who were once separated by the war now free to reunite, and children who had never seen the sun able to bathe and play in it's unfiltered light.
Write a short story from the perspective of one of those affected by the recent upheaval in Kiast, whether you're telling the tale of intrigue between the Noble Houses at the revelation of the demise of three of the Dukes of Undelm, or the experiences of families reuniting after extended absence, or something as simple as witnessing the sun without the haze of the caustic atmosphere and a dome overhead for the first time in nearly fifty years.
Entries will be graded using the Fiction Grading Rubric 3.0 and the top scoring entries will be, with permission, retained for a Clan Fiction update relating to the return of Undelm and future storyline updates.
This competition is also part of the An Empire Reunited Competition and will earn points based on participation and placement, using the following guidelines.