Update 4 - 2003 FF The Year of Shifting Shadows
This year is overshadowed by yet another crack in the old Empire. Just as the Two Brothers split and took over the western half of Blade Coast Wu'di, the three other banished Princes took up their own rule, and now are in charge over the eastern half. The cunning triad, Malor, Trisan and Dellamar, are known for their deviousness and excessive plotting, yet somehow being able to co-operate. Having long been in opposition to the Frist Prince Crotius, they have now founded their seat of power in the remnants of Jaid. The governor who sacked Jaid, Fralwyn, now bears the rank of General and fights on the western front (see below). This sudden shift of power has unsettled the nations of Lirkland, who now must see themselves sandwiched between two or three different parts of the Empire. Cairo is also cautiously viewing the situation, as the Triad's motives and plans are still unclear and doubtful. For the rebels, the further fragmentation of their great enemy will serve them well. Or so it is believed. Many a thing has happened to the rebel nations, as we will see:
Heartlands: Sad news come from the Heartlands. The Two Brothers roused the governors, and raised a terrifying army to strike down their closest rebel nation: Lochia. This happened so fast that the defences were only partly mobilized, for better or worse. The first battle was never fought, since the Lochian forces were forced to retreat when they saw the sheer size of the Wu'di army. Ranks upon ranks of infantry and full batallions of cavalry, ready to charge with lances at the ready. At the head of it was Semnon himself clad in his ceremonial armor, risind defiantly and unafraid on the rebels. The Wu'di army did not stop, and marched straight on towards the capital Versov. Outside their city, the Lochians made their stand. The Wu'di army marched towards them, and nearly obliterated the Lochian defence. While the Wu'di Adepts dispelled the efforts of Lochian Death Adepts, the Heavy Cavalry trampled the Lochian infantry into a bloody pulp. Those who survived the carnage managed to return behind the relative safety of the city walls, but the situation is still grim. Now the Wu'di army has camped outside Versov in a siege. Food supplies are running low, and the inhabitants are getting desperate. With no rebel allies nearby, and no additional armies to free them, the garrison in Versov is miserable at best. It looks like Lochia is about to fall and be the first victim of the rithless Two Brothers... Wu'di: (-250 LI, -300 HI, -400 LC, -500 HC, -150 B) Lochia: (-3600 LI, -550 HI, -25 A, -100 RM)
Traveling Northeast, we stumble upon yet another rebel uprising. this time, the rebels struck at the neck of land south of Turin. Painfully aware of the army gathered by the Two Brothers, they waited for them to pass and enter Lochia. Then the openly declared their revolt and started their expansion. The nation which called itself Horus is lead by a forceful man bearing the name Seth Dethos. Being apparently otherworldly and of a dark and sinister nature, he has dominated the Majestic Council of Twelve to do his bidding. Now Seth Dethos plans to overthrow the rule of the Empire and forge one of his own. The people of the peninsula have yet another evil power to fear aside from the Dual Dictators in Turin. On the other hand, The rebels south of Horus have now got a buffer against future Empire task forces, since the peninsula is blocked by Horus. Naturally, the Two Brothers will not let this blatant and directly insulting uprising go unwatched, and the inevitable (armed) conflict is expected in the beginning of the coming year. What remains then of the bold and aspiring Horus (and its ruler) is yet to be seen.
Further west we find the prospering kingdom of Ramon. Its borders have now waxed to cover the entire expanse of land between the dividing mountain ranges, and their newly acquired diplomatic relations with Lirkland is promising yet more growth. Particularly, the alliance with Rollux is predicted to be of great importance if or when the Empire decides to launch another assault at Ramon. Their inland expansion is also progressing, especially their southwestern front (see below). On their eastern front, however, Ramon have met fierce resistance. When their army tried to capture the Academy City in the mountain pass, they were halted by a strong Wu'di army under the leadership of Fralwyn (see above). having abandoned their eastern front against Shaba (see below), the garrison was greatly strengthened. It is apparent that the Triad in Jaid did not wish to lost the Academy to the hands of the rebels. The Ramon army laid siege, and tried to rain arrows and fire onto the city, but their efforts were stalled by Wu'di Adepts from within. Then the defendants broke out and charged at their attackers. Thier numbers were far beyond what Ramon had expected, and the Ramon army was routed. Despite their several attempts to pick off the Empire Adepts with the bowmen, the famous archers were too often disturbed by Empire cavalry and could not reach their mark after retreating. In the end, the Empire garrison stood victorious, but did not give chase to their defeated enemies. Empire: (-600 LI, -400 HI, -300 LC, -50 HC, -5 A, -200 B, -50 LB) Ramon: (-1400 LI, -150 HC, -5 A, -200 B)
The Borderlands: delenlor is continuing its advance in the southern reaches. They sent a task force to capture the city to their northwest, and met little resistance on the way. Upon reaching, the garrison had dug themselves in and a siege was set. The city was rained down by arrowfire and battered by hurricane force winds, but the Empire forces determinedly stayed fortified. Then the local governor received news of Ramon forces marching from the north. He saw no other way that surrender, and did so to the sieging Delenlor forces. The divide between Western and Eastern Empire has now widened greatly. Delenlor did also expand a bit to the east. Here, the resistance was minimal, and many governors were more than happy to change sides. Being fellow Borderlanders, these territories have been snugly incorporated into Delenlor. Small pockets of Empire loyalists are quickly wiped out from the countryside, with minimal losses. Empire: (-300 LI, -100 B) Delenlor: (-100 LI)
The Western Shelf: On the Western shelf, all is quiet and peaceful. The three nations of Westshire, Bellfern and Shaemar have come together in an alliance to secure their newly won freedom. Hopefully, it will last long enough for them to prosper. trade has also started across their borders. Bellfern have started planting forests and glades in their wildlands in order to make their Nature Magic more effective if ever attacked again. Westshire has expanded greatly inland as the good news spreads of independence among the local population. The Empire's rule over this land is not only broken - it's crumbling to dust. Many frontier regions are now completely cut off from Empire rule, and are effectively without a central government. Still, the Two Brothers are marching steadily towards the rebels, and are determined to strike down every one to regain what they claim as theirs (which is nearly everything).
The Steppes: In the vast Steppes, Shaba is still growing in might and extent. Since most of the eastern front was abandoned by the Wu'di, they had free room to move their armies and grab territories. This vast growth is only overshadowed by an unexpected turn of events. First, a sudden rush of nomad Karaim raiders attacked one of the Shaban cities. Then they vanished, only to ride into the Gardens itself and wreak much havoc. The local militia which was just a congregation of commoners with metal hats were baffled and completely useless in halting the nomad raiders. Then, as the Karaim riders were harassing the palace guards, an abrupt commotion spread from it's heart. As officers and councilmen alike gathered, they discovered their illustrious leader, Luxares Crowfort, dead - his throat cut open with one quick slash. It was clear that he was assasinated by outlander agents, and the Triad is suspected, although no clear evidence can be found. In any way, Shaba has lost its much loved leader, and must now face both the Eastern Empire and the restless Karaim nomads alike. Luckily, this recent outbreak has led to several of the Bajuim tribes joining Shaba as a gesture of goodwill and to distance themselves from the Maurauders as the rogue Karaim now have been named. Now the size of Shaba rivals that of even Ramon, but the faced with the adveristy of the treacherous Triad, Shaba is still far from it's final victory and peace.
The Islands: Out in the vast ocean, Felaskhar continues to...exist. Their raids on the Empire coast has had little effect so far, since the locals have moved inland and into the cities to avoid them. No new dissidents have joined their ranks since most of the outer islands are still closer to Everdrop than to Felaskhar itself - and they have yet to prove their strength in battle if they are going to convince anyone. So while Felaskhar continues to amass a fleet, the Empire continues to ignore them and go about their own matters. How long this can continue is not sure. But it cannot go on forever.
The Spine of the World: Far far in the east, a barbarian nation is forming. The budding tribal chiefdom of Konahn, led by Konahn who resides in the capital named after him - is expanding. They are gathering fellow forestdwellers under the banner of Konahn with the promise of great glory. They seem to be bent on fighting the Westerners and to forge a domain as large as the Empire itself, but for now, they are far away from any interest at all. In fact, no "Westerner" has heard of them at all, and it is not likely that they will do so in the near future. But the barbarians are uniting rapidly, and the effects of this may be felt by some of the frontier nations over time...
Lirkland: In Rollux, the Adept rulers have begun a terrifying project. They are turning every citizen over to mindless undead with their Death Magic. It is said to be a punishment for not completing their Eternal Tower in time. Now they are being turned into controlled slaves in order to avoid being unproductive and causing delays in the future. The people are naturally panicking, and a stretch of the borderland to Galadinia has split away, and many more are fleeing. This does not seem to discourage or stop the Lich Adepts or Rollux, though, who have begun killing and raising any refugees they find. The horror witnessed here is amplifyed by a strange and terrible prophesy from the Oracle of Traz in Galadinia: The King Hardot IV is to go insane. This has caused a burst of physicians and Adepts to examine the King of Pashawan, who would very much like to be alone and have the whole thing forgotten. He does have a point, since Divination has of late been very shaky and unclear...
In the recent past, Divination has yet again been hindered by a Fog. This one appears to be a far greater disturbance than the prophesy of the Fall of Wu'di. Although all of the Adepts in the Oracle of Traz are aware of it, noone dares to breach it out of fear that they too will die a premature death. The only thing that can be gleaned from the future discurbance is that it will come from the East...