Molotov

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News of Year 4382, First Lunar Cycle



The dawning of the year has, as most years, brought a good deal of turmoil and changes with it. The most important events can be summarized below, in no paritcular order.

-Lord Antidas attempts to push through trade reform within Teron. This effot meets significant pushback from the Commercium, who see this efforts as a threat to his bottom line. Most Commercium merchants refuse to cooperate with the attempted reforms, nor provide information to assist in making them. Rumors spread of Commercium agents passing bribes to House Daratan guards to get beyond what measures Antidas has managed to put in place, though nothing can trace back to anyone specific within the organization, and certainly no one of importance. All in all, the effort results in a minor loss in economic productivity for both House Daratan and the Commercium.

-Two House Daratan forces leave Teron to attempt to deal with local bandits. Thr effort is nothing short of a disaster. Learning of the approach well in advance, the raiders in both target encampments prepare their defenses and take positions. To the village north, this results in nothing short of a bloodbath for House Daratan. As the soldiers march upon a seemingly desolate town, they are pelted by arrows, seemingly from nowhere. Before they can gather their bearings, they are assaulted from all sides, as raiders come out of hiding and slaughter the tired and ill-prepared soldiers. In the confusion of battle, the commander is slain, and the raiders make short work of the rest of the men. The real kicker is not this defeat, however, but that two entire units ultimately surrender and defect to the raiders once they realize their commander is dead. Losses on the raider side are negligible, and easily made up for by the new manpower and materials they've received.

-Those heading for a local encampment hardly fair better. Approaching the encampment exactly in the direction the raiders expected, the forces are assaulted by a barrage of arrows. Pressing on, the forces soon arrive at the entrance of the camp, only for a force of raiders to hit them in the rear, cutting them off from escape while disorganizing them and taking them by surprise. When the fighting dies down, only one man is left alive. He is tortured, then sent back to Lord Antidas with a message. It is simple and to the point- send an agent with two thousand imperials, and the band of raiders will release the relative and forgive the attack on their camp. If this is not received within the next few weeks, the man will be killed, and the raiders will move on. To show they mean business, their messenger is sent with a freshly cut hand belonging to the nobleman.

-An agent acting on behalf of Lord Antidas is badly beaten whilst on an unspecified mission in Teron. He had evidently crossed paths with a local gang who had little care or belief for who he was working for, and acted accordingly. Though managing to escape with his life, the man is in no condition to perform many more tasks, and the one he had been sent upon can be considered a failure.

-The Commercium, having recently declared a head Guildmaster for all it's affairs, begins setting up a permanent headquarters in Maadoran. With shrewd negotiating and clever exploitation of zoning laws, Guildmaster Zek is able to begin overhauling the Merchant Plaza at a premium. Those already residing in the area are either forced to leave or pay for the privilege of remaining. The security and profit potential of the location is massively increased, and only for the price of 7,500 imperials.

-A meeting among the most important figures of the Commercium is held within a secure location in the Commercium HQ. Though there is no word of what took place within, those who leave seem to have not been terribly moved one way or another. Though it seems likely that the rest of the Commercium is behind Zek, it is cautiously and tentatively.

-News buzzes about Maadoran about a surprising deal having been made between the Commericum and the local chapter of the Boatmen of Styx. Though the Boatmen have made no secret of their profession in killing people for money, they have always remained an independent agent. Recently, however, they have come into an agreement with the Commercium which would result in the two organizations working far more closely together, apparently to their mutual benefit. Some speculate whether this will truly be the case, or if the Commercium is already moving to make the Boatmen little more than their personal hitsquad. Either way, people are much more keen to pay back the Commercium on time now, given the increased likelihood of a Boatman being sent after them in the event of failure.

-Caer Tor finds itself upgraded from an encampent to a fortress overnight, under the watchful eye of Dux Goku. Though they say the best defense is a good offense, it never hurts to build walls in case that might fail. As such, Caer Tor has been evolved into a much sturdier locale, to the painful tune of 10,000 imperials. With any luck, the investment will be well worth it.

-The so-called civilized world finds itself in for a rather rude awakening one morning. In the dead of night, a force of Ordu warriors launches a surprise attack upon Harran's Pass. Though the fortress had been expecting reinforcements and improved defenses, the skeleton crew on hand is left to fend for themselves as the Ordu attack from all possible sides. Arrows rain over the walls whilst Ordu storm the gates. Some brave men even try to scale the walls and open up a new avenue of pressure. Though reinforcements do eventually arrive, the battle has already gone too far in the Ordu's favor for it to be much good. Every Imperial Guard on hand is slaughtered, though each fights firecely, and a good deal of Ordu warriors are taken with them. When the sun rises, the Pass has been taken, it's guards slaughtered, and the Ordu alive, but at a little more than half their previous strength. Many are beginning to wonder out loud if the Imperial Guard has the power to protect the land when they've failed to hold off the Ordu.

-Khan Alaric, bravely taking to the frontline during the storming of Harran's pass, is maimed in battle, taking a spear directly to his right eye. Though he survives the wound, the damage is permanent. [Stat-wise, this has the effect of permanently reducing Alaric's Perception by 1.]

-In Ganezzar, what has come to be known as the Creed has recently found itself codified, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Brother Meru. Officially the document is called "A Set of Guidelines on Godly Thoughts and Divine Living," though it has come to be more popularly known by adherents and detractors alike as "the Book of Meru." The response to the so-called book is lukewarm- the faithful either find it unnecessary or outright antithetical to their view of the Creed, whilst the secular population of Ganezzar sees it only as another means for Meru and his fellow nuts to further drive Ganezzar and House Crassus into the ground. Still, technically being the Lord of the city, none dare to speak out against it in public.

-Anti-religious sentiment is sparked in Teron by the arrival of a preacher from Ganezzar. Accusing House Daratan and the people of Teron of moral degeneracy, he manages to enrage some memberws of an assembled crowd, resulting in him being attacked. Out of either sympathy, as an excuse, or purely mob mentality, others join them, and soon the preacher is slain, along with five other citizens of Teron who had professed sympathy for the Creed. All this takes place while House Daratan Guards stand back idly, unable or unwilling to intervene. Some argue that, due to the seditious nature of the preacher's comments, the response was entirely warranted. Wahtever the case, relations between House Daratan and House Crassus are likely to be strained.

-In Maadoran, the Creed is taken more peacefully. Though there is some pushback against arriving preachers, violence is minimal and negligible, all the while a small following of the faith begins to build, especially within the Slums. The Creed does tend to be more attractive to the downtrodden and dispossessed, so this is hardly a surprise.

-Something of an incident occurs between House Aurelian and House Crassus, as House Crassus scouts are spotted near an Aurelian encampment, and are captured and questioned. Though no action is taken, Brother Meru receives a stern letter from Lord Gaelius warning him to keep out of his House's business, particularly when old world relics are concerned.

-Much to the surprise of even the most devoted of followers, House Crassus begins an effort to improve the lowest levels of Ganezzar. The shantytowns that had developed begin to see themselves replaced with proper dwellings, much of the squalor is cleaned up, and a number of crucified heretics are finally moved to make way for fresher sinners. Costs are kept down through the use of zealot labor, resulting in a cost of 3,000 imperials for the current efforts. Though a big investment for an already finnancially strapped House, it has gone a long way to reducing the tensions in the lower districts, and has begun to give those residing there the chance to be productive members of society. This, however, does have the side-effect of attracting yet more of the dispossessed to try and make something better for themselves.

-A merchant by the name of Gracius arrives in Teron. Those who know him also know he is a free trader, and as such, will likely not survive the night. What makes this event noteworthy is that he, apparently, possesses a tribute meant for Lord Antidas. Whether this news reaches him, and how he responds, remains to be seen.

-Several men are reported missing in Teron, including a Daratan praetor. Investigation soon discovers them to have fallen victim to some sort of trap, whereby they would be lured to an abandoned house, before being killed and stripped of their valuables. The mastermind of this scheme has not been identified, and is presumed to have skipped town.

-Scandal befalls House Aurelian as Serenas, cousin to Lord Gaelius and next in line for the throne, is seen in public courting a prostitute. Though his exploits have been well known up to this point, never has he been so bold as to perform them so openly. Many wodner out loud why Lord Gaelius has not done anything about this man's behavior.

-Stability seems to be returning to Ganezzar. Many merchants and noblemen find themselves sighing with relief and silently thanking Lord Meru, thanks in no small part to his apparent role in their good fortune. A group in the lower levels had been, for some time, extorting money from various traders and merchants on the upper levels, using threats of violence to get what they want. With the recent rennovations to Lowtown, however, this has, at least for the moment, come to an end. Whether the zealots are satisfied, or simply too distracted by rennovations to be able to make any moves, things seem to be clearing up.

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News of 4382, Second Lunar Cycle





As time continues to turn, new developments grace the land.

-Humiliation graces House Daratan once again as a spy attempting to integrate himself into the midst of local bandits is found out and badly wounded. While he manages to escape with his life, he nevertheless returns with a message- this is Lord Antidas' last chance to deal before they kill his relative and move on.

-Further humiliation, however, strikes with the attempted introduction of a farming endowment. Though marginal, some scammers nevertheless manage to fast talk their way into getting the lion's share of the investment and make off without using a single coin of it for it's intended purpose, leaving the officials who were in charge of the transaction red-faced.

-In more positive news, word spreads of an interesting endeavor taking place under the auspices of a House Daratan loremaster, who has been not only steadily been teaching a number of scribes, but has managed to teach said scribes to educate others. An efficient scheme for education and enlightenment has begun to develop, which, if nothing else, has begun to increase the literacy rate of Teron.

-In less glamorous news, the captain of the loremaster's personal guard has taken to visiting the local tavern, rather than study tactics. There is little doubt this will have the opposite of the hoped effect on troop performance.

-Several missonaries are turned away and banned from Commercium buildings after they attempted to begin converting merchants. The guildmaster in Ganezzar has reportedly expressed grave concerns about the "attempted infringement of religion on business and private venture." Whether or how the organization as a whole will respond to the attempted conversions remains to be seen.

-The dedication and zeal of the faithful have taken a notable upturn in the recent month. It has become popular and common amongst the devoted to make a pilgrimage to Ganezzar so that they may here Brother Meru speak, whilst local leaders organize the hungry and disposessed and give them what they need, claiming guidance and inspiration from the highest professors of the Creed. Ganezzar itself begins to see a radical change from a divided city to one where all the citizens are looked after and cared for, which only increases Meru's moral standing, even in the eyes of the skeptical. The only downside is that the effort, particularly in improving the condition of the city, cost about 3,000 imperials.

-In less encouraging news for Meru, an honor guard that had recently been trained and assembled turns out to be little more than an organized mob, given to cursing and roughousing at the slightest provocation. They seem to be faithful and loyal, but are hardly in much position to be very honorable.

-Things, however, still seem to look up for Ganezzar and the faithful. Thanks to an effort by House Crassus forces, the area around Ganezzar is made safe and livable. Commerce receives a slight boost thanks to an increase in trader confidence, and people have begun to start settlements in the zone around Ganezzar, secure in their ability to carve out a decent living without fear of raiders.

-Combined with a tacit effort and the safety provided by recent patrols, House Crassus begins an effort to mine the nearby hills of Ganezzar. Though the gain from this effort isn't incredible, and 1,000 imperial are used in starting the endeavor, it does manage to net the city a new source of income- badly needed to fund all the recent public works and chairty efforts.

-Recent investments into a banking system by the Commercium begin to pay off very quickly. Aside from quickly garnering a 5,000 imperial profit from loans, the loans are put to work stimulating the economy of Maadoran, resulting in a net gain to all those involved.

-Experiments in banking likewise receive great success in Teron and Ganezzar. At a profit of about 7,000 imperials, the Commercium sees it's initial investment around halfway paid off. Once again, local economies are stimulated, resulting in an increase in commerce and trade, which also manages to tie back into the Commercium's coffers. All in all, everyone involved seems very satisfied with the present arrangement.

-Due to shrewd business practicies, profits begin to increase in Maadoran for the Commercium, without having a serious impact on sales or customer satisfaction. All in all, the organization has been doing exceedingly well for itself.

-In a move that shocks the region, the Imperial Guards offer a deal to the Ordu, rather than respond to the recent incursion with force. The deal, apparently involves relocating the Ordu into a village in the southern lands. Though men on both sides of the agreement seem restless by this sudden change of heart, there is no overt protest against it. With no response forthcoming from Lord Gaelius, the known world is left to wonder what House Aurelian intends to do about this.

-In a surprising and, apparently, unexplained move, the bandit encampent near Teron martials an attack against a nearby Aurelian outpost. The encounter is bloody but quick, leaving the bandits to plunder the encampment, before stealing away, their motives and reasoning remaining a mystery.

-The free trader Gracius is found murdered in his inn room. As expected, he hadn't been welcome in Teron. All his possessions save for the clothes on his back were apparently taken from him prior to his death, leaving little for scavengers to reclaim.

-An astounding change begins to take place within the slums of Maadoran, as local converts to the Creed begin to clean up their section of the city, both literally and metaphorically. Seemingly inspired by their new religion, they've begun to work on improving the living conditions of their home, for themselves and those around them. This has also resulted in them butting heads with the local Forty Thieves chapter. To the frustration of those in charge of the guild, their activities have been severely hindered by the converts in a number of ways, few of which they can actually respond to without agitating the problem. This has effectively resulted in segments of the Slums being abandoned by the Guild, to be taken over by an enclave of Meru's loyal followers. Many believe Lord Gaelius would have much prefered the thieves.

-A minor noble by the name of Lord Verus makes news in Ganezzar, as he publically renounces his title and converts to the Creed. While the faithful take this as a sign of their moral superiority, those who still hold to the hold ways see it as madness effecting the highest echelons of society. Whatever they may believe, this is certainly a small victory for the devoted of Ganezzar.

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