Just two years into King Wolfswinkel's reign, a shocking scandal gripped the streets of Seregon and nearly derailed the fledgling monarch's credibility. Pamphlets, printed anonymously and distributed throughout the city, claimed that the king had secretly commissioned an experimental royal yacht, the Prinses Albertina, costing a staggering 114,582 gold pieces—a sum so astronomical that it sparked immediate outrage among the citizens and nobility alike. The yacht, while an impressive fusion of luxury and military might, became a symbol of royal excess at a time when Seregon faced significant threats from cults of the Old Ones.
The Pamphlets and Vexilar the Vile
Though it was never conclusively proven, many in the government and the public suspected that the scandalous pamphlets were the work of Vexilar the Vile, a notorious rabble-rouser known for his underground press and anti-royalist rhetoric. The pamphlets meticulously detailed the extravagant costs of the Prinses Albertina, as well as alleged underhanded dealings between the king and the Assembly to secure its approval.
There was circumstantial evidence linking Vexilar to the publication, as the style and inflammatory language bore striking similarities to his previous works, but no hard proof ever surfaced. Regardless, the pamphlets were devastating, painting a picture of a self-indulgent king more concerned with personal luxury than addressing the real threats facing the kingdom—namely, the increasing influence of cultists worshiping the Great Old Ones.
Public Outcry and Government Distracted
The scandal created a political uproar that reverberated through every corner of the city. Citizens of Seregon were furious, demanding answers as to why such an exorbitant sum was spent on what was essentially a pleasure craft at a time when many believed the funds should have been spent on defending the kingdom. Many wondered how the Assembly had ever approved such a purchase, given its sky-high price and questionable necessity.
Rumors quickly spread that in exchange for the Assembly’s approval, King Wolfswinkel had signed off on dubious laws or backroom deals—perhaps allowing some corrupt practices to slip through in return for the funding. The mistimed scandal left the government distracted, delaying its purge of the dangerous Old Ones’ cults that had been steadily gaining influence in the city and the surrounding regions. By the time the scandal began to fade from the headlines, the cults had grown bolder, forcing the government to redouble its efforts to clamp down on their activity.
The Mistveil Family: Caught in the Crossfire
Caught up in the whirlwind of controversy was the Mistveil Family, elite elven shipwrights renowned for their expertise in crafting luxury airships. The Mistveils had been contracted to build the Prinses Albertina and were embroiled in the scandal due to the staggering cost of the ship they had created. While their craftsmanship was beyond question, the extravagance of the commission made them a target for public scorn, with many accusing them of inflating prices or engaging in shady deals with the crown.
Worse still, the Mistveil Family had been negotiating the construction of a second ship, the Prince Aldert, which was intended as a training vessel for the king’s unborn son. This smaller but nearly as capable ship was meant to prepare the future prince in seamanship, providing an early education in the art of command. However, when the Prinses Albertina scandal broke, all plans for the Prinse Aldert were scrapped by the royal court, eager to distance themselves from further accusations of wasteful spending.
The Prince Aldert: A Ship Without a Purpose
Despite the project’s sudden halt, the Mistveil Family had already begun construction on the Prince Aldert, and rather than abandon it, they chose to complete the ship in hopes of attracting a private buyer. The Prince Aldert, a 50-foot, 50-ton sloop, was nearly as advanced as the Prinses Albertina, though smaller in scale. Equipped with six 9-pound cannons and requiring a crew of 20, it was a well-armed training vessel—capable of serving as a scout ship or escort vessel in more dangerous waters.
The Mistveil Family immediately put the Prince Aldert up for sale, even before construction was fully completed. They hoped that its smaller size and combat readiness would attract a wealthy merchant, adventurer, or perhaps even a military commander seeking an agile, defensive vessel. However, the ship remains unsold, with many potential buyers wary of becoming entangled in the scandal that tarnished its larger sister vessel.
Lingering Effects of the Scandal
Though the Prinses Albertina continues to serve the royal family, primarily as a royal barge along the Lula River, the scandal has left a lasting mark on King Wolfswinkel’s reign. The public’s trust in the monarchy was shaken, and the Assembly has since become more cautious, scrutinizing royal requests for large projects with intense scrutiny.
For the Mistveil Family, their reputation has been somewhat damaged, though their expert craftsmanship remains in demand among the wealthy elite. The Prince Aldert, meanwhile, sits waiting for a buyer, a symbol of opportunity and excess, its fate still uncertain.
Though the Prinses Albertina has continued to sail the Lula River, carrying the king on his visits to Kishar Fields or the Greylight Citadel, the memories of the scandal linger. The Prinses Albertina scandal stands as a reminder of the complex balance of royal power, public perception, and the shadowy influence of figures like Vexilar the Vile, whose hand in the affair—whether real or imagined—still casts a long shadow over the kingdom.