Karkken Crisis
The Karkken Crisis was a significant political crisis in the Fire Nation, primarily centred aroud the capital city of Fenixholm. The crisis took place entirely during the War of the Flowers, which overshadowed its coverage in news coverage in the Fire Nation, but the implications of the crisis could have been similarly stark. The crisis culminated in a near-fatal assassination attempt on the Firelord and the total collapse of House Karkken. Notably, the crisis was almost entirely handled by Snigelsekret, the Firelord's wife, as Firelord Alweglim was leading his armies in battle. This factor likely contributed to the early Karkken boldness, as they underestimated this relatively unknown political player. Snigelsekret's response to the crisis was likely the only thing that prevented Alweglim from losing his throne.
Background
House Karkken was one of the most powerful noble houses in the Fire Nation, having gambled successfully on expansion towards the south with the consolidation of Askhamn and other fertile lands. The port at Askhamn also let them wrestle control over trade with the Air Nation from other houses on the land border, rapidly expanding their coffers. This income was quickly spent on consolidating influence with the royal family with lavish expenditure on Church of Fire proselytization, the construction of the new capital at Fenixholm, and buying many new friends. As the War of the Flowers approached, the Karkkens were matched only in power by the Firelord's family and had connections at every level of court.
Karkken resentment to the royal family began with an informal contest between aristocrats, priests, and military generals over what was to be done with tribal lands upon the end of the war. House Karkken led the aristocratic faction, intending to divide the land into estates with Othii tribesfolk held in a legal status akin to slaves. This would have consolidated yet more influence at court for them as they would reap the lion's share of the gains from conquest, but also would have continued to grow their significant powerbase in the south of the country. The priestly faction requested that proselytizers would access the land immediately upon military securement of the territory in order to establish legal status for the Othii territories within the church, while the military faction intended to conquer all tribes and suspend this debate indefinitely. Snigelsekret bucked the trend of Karkken growth by siding with the priests, pleasing the church and the overall popular will of the nation. House Karkken's plotting began at this point.
Adding yet more fuel to the fire, Baron Bigby Branson of Even Newer Mexico successfully acquired a great deal of military power and oversight for the upcoming campaign as per the Firelord's decree. This incident further infuriated the Karkkens, seeing the Baron as little more than a Mexican thug, and also showed that the Firelord was willing to fight wars in the Karkken's backyard without reward.
Events
The crisis truly began with a relatively benign incident. The heir to the Karkken family, a boy only 16 years old, seduced and impregnated a daughter from the much weaker House Varni. The Varni have a powerbase largely concentrated in the densely forested north, but their small numbers are proud warriors. The girl's father, leader of his house, had an illustrious military career before retiring to his estate and thus demanded an Agni Kai or marriage in order to legitimize the child. Uninterested in such a domestic option, the boy chose to fight. At this point, his father acted as the head of House Karkken by proposing a compromise wherein the Varni would be permitted to send a weaker champion so that it might be a fair fight and the All-Father's will more fully discerned. Snigelsekret disagreed with this unorthodox proposal, and insisted that the challenge proceed with the champions as selected. While the official preparations for the Agni Kai began, Snigelsekret's attention was diverted due to the disastrous interaction of Senerii emissaries with the guards at Fenixholm (War of the Flowers/Tribal reactions ).
The outcome of the Agni Kai was difficult to determine before the engagement. A classic example of youth against experience, the Varni giant against the youthful Karkken. The Blaze Bulletin's Sports column reported on the match as such:
MASSIVE Agni Kai Upset!
The much feted competition between the elder Varni and the youngling Karkken took place today, and what a doozie! A lot of money ran on the bets between youth and experience, and the duel was personal too - we have an exclusive reveal that the Karkken boy has impregnated Varni's daughter yet refused to marry her! Needless to say, the men's firebending wasn't the only thing burning hot in the arena this morning.
Varni's experience in the Mexican War showed initially, with some fireblasts that could floor a man twice Karkken's size. Karkken appeared to be remarkably frail, despite his training with some of the nation's most elite firebenders, and seemed incapable of striking back beyond the odd spark. Backed up to the corner of the ring, he had nowhere to go as the elderly fortress pushed closer and closer, a firebending machine.
BUT WAIT! At the last minute, a sneaky trick! Karkken sprawls, spitting fire directly on to Varni's ankles! Collapsing with a howl, debate rages over what happened next. Some eyewitnesses claim Varni simply rolled off the stage, whereas others claim Karkken kicked him in the ribs to ensure the win. We remind our readers that the use of body parts without bending is not permitted in any Agni Kai. One thing's for sure - the Varni-Karkken feud is more alive than ever!
This incident massively enflamed tensions between the two houses and also turned a great deal of court opinion against the Karkkens, whose fighter was alleged to have cheated. Due to the widespread allegations of cheating despite an official pronouncement of Karkken victory, this incident threatened to delegitimise the institution of the Agni Kai as a legitimate interpretation of the All-Father's will or the Church of Fire's ability to interpret such events. As a result, Snigelsekret called upon the High Priest of the Fenixholm chapel to pray for guidance on the matter. This attempt at theological debate did not last long, however, due to the High Priest's assassination.
Lockdown
With a figure of such prestige lying cold on the castle grounds, it was clear that the insubordination in Fenixholm far transcended a petty dispute over a bastard child. As a result, Fenixholm entered lockdown. All gates were shut and all properties inside the walls were systematically entered and searched, with all considered suspect. While lockdown ensured the threat could not escape, it also ensured that the victims were locked inside with them. As the Church began formal investigations within the clerical system of justice to root out the murderer, the crisis expanded as the Senerii captive and his translator, both held under Snigelsekret's personal custody, were kidnapped by men who wore Varni insignia. The two kidnappers and their captives were soon found and interrogation began.
While the Senerii and translator complied entirely and were soon released, interrogation of the kidnappers did not reveal a great deal at first. This changed with the threat of excommunication, whereupon they revealed a very minimal amount of information concerning some sort of plot involving the Firelord. Their employers and specifics were not mentioned. Word reached Firelord Alweglim at this time of the lockdown in Fenixholm, but he did not interfere in what he saw as the necessary actions of his regent. As interrogation verged into torture, one of the kidnappers confessed to working for the Karkken. Despite this, one more night continued and it became clear that something was going to happen in Askhamn to a prominent member of the royal family. While all the information still had not come out yet, a warning was sent at the greatest haste to the Firelord's camp.
Assassination attempt on the Firelord's life
At this time, the Fire Nation had recently won the Battle of the Four Armies. Firelord Alweglim returned to the site of the Battle of Mount Alweglim to give a speech to the fallen. With Snigelsekret's messenger only minutes away, someone in the crowd fired a crossbow bolt into the Firelord's back as he stepped off the podium. The Firelord was urgently transported to Askhamn for medical care, as news swept the nation of this unprecedented catastrophe. As Runelord returned from the Carnii front to see to the Firelord's protection, Snigelsekret set to work in Fenixholm. All members of House Karkken were promptly arrested and placed in the dungeons, while priests held public prayers to calm the masses.
With the Firelord's fate on a knife's edge, Snigelsekret had acquired immense political capital to prosecute the Karkken suspects. Unfortunately, one of their retinue had escaped arrest - their heir. The boy successfully escaped arrest by leaping out of his window into the wilds, from where he fled into the wilderness. Inside the dungeons, House Karkken's leader would watch his family members be executed one by one until he fully confessed to the scope of his plans, as the future of his family literally died in front of him. The preferred method of execution, although not stipulated by Snigelsekret, was drowning in icewater. This was due to its implication of being the furthest one could be from the light and life of the sun, and therefore cursing the deceased irreparably. While some children were killed with this method, this practise soon ceased out of fear that the house's patriarch would be driven insane and therefore not reveal any useful information.
The crisis appeared to spill out of the castle at this time, as Runelord's camp for securing the Firelord's health was in Askhamn, the heart of Karkken territory. Some nearby villages refused to aid the camp or assist in any meaningful way. Runelord wrote to Snigelsekret asking for information on how to handle this, which led to a negotiation between the hostile villages in order to prevent a civil war breaking out.
During the period between regaining consciousness and being fully able to rule once more, the Firelord entered correspondence with Snigelsekret. They communicated on a variety of matters, in particular the war, the assassination plot, and the recent arrival of similar tribes in the Air Nation.
Confession
It was at this point that the Karkken patriarch unravelled. Revealing the full extent of the plot - the resentments against the Mexicans, the pretensions of the Varni to equal status, and the Firelord's seemingly demented governance. Accordingly, he had concluded that the Firelord had lost the right to rule and therefore could be overthrown in a palace coup with blessings from the All-Father.
"My mighty house, snubbed from command by Mexican thugs! Petty earls like the Varni, daring to insinuate that the rulers of some trees could equate a family with ties to the founding of Fenixholm! The Firelord can't be a messenger of the All-Father, for the All-Father is merciful and good. And yet my house was ruined through his choices to support the foreigners and the idiots! The impostor had to be replaced by true devotees... but that foolish son had to get that girl pregnant. The rest was never intended - we just needed to get to Alweg and you kept putting up obstacles. These deaths are on your conscience, not mine! The Firelord is dead and I have had my justice!"
Initially, it was unclear if this was a true confession or if the head of the disgraced Karkken had simply lost his mind. It was decided that questioning could resume, but the Firelord's wish to personally execute the man who had ordered his assassination would be respected. Therefore, no torture would be permitted lest the old man lost the will to live. The man who had actually fired the shot at the Firelord was arrested in Askhamn around this time, and both were to be executed simultaneously.
The Karkken heir was located by the search parties upon crossing the Air Nation border to claim asylum. Air Nation border officials promptly handed over the boy to Fire Nation soldiers upon the Grandmaster hearing word of this incident.
The Karkken crisis ended with the three most important figures - the patriarch, the heir, and the assassin - being brought in front of the populace of Fenixholm in chains. The patriarch and assassin were both beheaded personally by the Firelord, with their blood allowed to spill into the soil outside the city. The heir was promptly put on trial, in order to establish a legal basis by which the vast wealth of House Karkken could be fully dismantled. Some Karkken soldiers on the Carnii front, having heard of the crisis, formed a mutiny and seized control of a formerly Carnii village shortly after the tribe's surrender. They were promptly caught and executed.
Outcome
While the War of the Flowers had acted as a major catalyst to the crisis, it is probable that the scale of the events that took place in the crisis were a far more serious threat to the stability and wellbeing of the Fire Nation than the southern tribes ever were. Had Karkken plans succeeded, the Fire Nation would have entered such a turbulent period of civil war that it is unlikely the kingdom would still exist.
The power vacuum left by the destruction of the Karkken's left a major opening. These were partially filled by the ascendant vassals of Even Newer Mexico, who acquired great prestige during the war by sustaining large casualties during the Battle of the Four Armies against a far larger Senerii host and by acquiring the submission of the Carnii. Additionally, for his service in protecting the Firelord's life, Runelord was granted a vast quantity of land to the north. House Rune would soon share the former political influence of the Karkken with the Even Newer Mexicans.
Previously known primarily for her leadership in the construction of Fenixholm and sponsoring church projects, the crisis revealed the scope of Snigelsekret's power as a political player. Having good reason to claim she singlehandedly saved the Fire Nation from internal collapse, it can never be said that the Fire Nation's power emanates solely from its Firelord.