#mongke

Back on my rare pair bullshit. June and Colonel Mongke from the Rough Rhinos are the ruthless mercenaries in love we didn't know we needed.

We see Azula (perfidy of her false surrender and torture of prisoners of war. you can get into it about whether using hypnotized people count as slave labor too.), Ozai, Zhao, Yon Rha, even Zuko (especially article 33. But civilian hostages, purposeful targeting and assault of civilians as an intimidation tactic, wanton destruction of civilian property, targeting civilians, perfidy) (And this is if you don't even consider trying to wipe out the last airbender as conspiracy to and intent of genocide, even though I personally think it counts) all commit things that the Geneva Convention classifies as war crimes in 4K on the screen.

Iroh wrote a letter bragging about razing cities to the ground. Article 6(b) of the 1945 IMT Charter (Nuremberg) lists “wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages, or devastation not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” as a war crime.

Iroh was also Mongke's direct commanding superior, and is thus jointly responsible for the actions he took against Jet's people. Which was more destruction of villages and attacks on civilian populations for the purpose of military terrorism and intimidation by an occupying force.

Fire Nation has also historically carried out False Flag operations under the guise of airbenders (perfidy) prior to the genocide (also a war crime), and conspired to commit genocide against the Earth Kingdom.

THE THRONE ROOM OF GREAT KHAN MÖNGKE AND THE SILVER TREE OF QARAQORUM

The throne hall of Qaraqorum is one of our best described parts of the entire city. A particularly detailed account comes from the Franciscan Friar William of Rubruck, and mostly corroborated by other contemporaries like Juvaini. All agree in its splendour, and they mostly relate the appearance of the hall during the reign of Möngke (r.1251-1259) who refurbished much of it.

Möngke's throne sat on an elevated position at the northern end of the hall, facing south. His chief wife (Qutuqai Khatun) sat beside some, slightly lower. Three sets of stairs went to them, to which servants walk to bring them meals. To the Khan's left, sat the women of the court; to his right, the men.

Of course, the most famous feature of court is the Silver Tree; Rubruck is the main source for this, but it is alluded to by other sources and similar alcohol "fountains" were features of other Mongol courts (especially Khubilai's). The Silver Tree was a new part of the court; a Parisian goldsmith captured during the invasion of Hungary, William Bouchier, designed and built it (perhaps shortly after Möngke's enthronement). It consisted of a silver-covered trunk with conduits running through it that came out as gilded snakes twisting in the branches; qaraqumiss, bal, grape and rice wines pour from them into containers below. At the base, four lions pour airag/qumiss from their mouths. At the top was an angel, which would blow air through a horn to sound the signal for the drinking to begin.

On the banners behind Möngke, I have also placed his personal seal, his tamga. Finds of his coinage with the seal have been found in Qaraqorum's environs.

You can learn more about Qaraqorum's role in Mongolia's production networks in my latest video on nomadic blacksmithing:

A belated birthday sketch for the ever-inspirational, world-building whiz, @wyrd66 ! Here’s Julian and Mongke, since I’ve been meaning to draw the two of them for a while now. It’s true I need to draw more humans and paski!