The fire roared in the hearth, the orange flames rose into the air, and the smoke billowed in the small castle chamber providing what little heat it could to combat the increasing winds, rains and frosts which began to plague the land, as they always did at this time of year. However it was not the bitter cold that sent the unnatural shiver down the spine of the monarch, it was the news that had inevitably reached his ears, rumors, prophecies, the dead, golems, necromancy, mages, and war. Was it all true? Was it just what it was claimed to be, rumors, or was it something more, something worse and real that would soon be there knocking at their doors. Zuan sighed and watched as his breath misted in front of him, running one gloved hand through his hair, while the other continued to tap on the oak arm of the high backed chair in which he sat, it was a complicated mess that was for sure.
He thought back to the prior day during which he had approached Karcier and demanded answers, it could not be a simple coincidence, that one day Karcier rebirths the theocracy of Kiene and the next threats of the dead and of mages on their doorsteps emerged. Karcier had no doubt angered someone, or something, and now if rumor was to believed they would suffer as a result. Zuans eyes returned to the fire, which was now dwindling into but a few crimson embers and greying smoke, what little it produced had died, and with it Zuan slowly lifted himself from the chair and stood, even from this point able to see from the window down into the valley's, fields and cottages that spread across the lands which he held. He would not sit by and watch. There was two possibilities. Either the rumor was true or it was false. He had two options. Prepare or Ignore. Now if he ignored and it was a rumor he would be fine, yet if it was true his people would suffer. If he prepared and it was true, then more lives might be saved, if it was a rumor, well, it never hurt to have a few extra axes anyway.
His mind made up he passed the fire and turned from the room, walking down the quiet and still corridor, which was near pitch black, only the light of the moon that penetrated the windows guided him, as he continued down towards his private study. He reached the room, and opened the door and proceeded to light the single candle that occupied the writing desk. The desk itself was old and worn, it had scratches upon the surface, and one of the legs was shorter than the others, yet he still could not justify parting from it, after all it had been the first piece of 'property' he had ever bought, and he had no plan to leave his roots at this point. Pulling some parchment and a quill from a desk he proceeded to write. His plan made up in his mind.
| To the citizens of Fenia and any other interested party, It has been brought to my attention that a series of events is about to unfold on our doorstep, information has been given to me and others through a number of sources, yet none have been precise enough to give us an exact understanding of the threat. It is believed that at the end of this month conflict will reign down upon our homes, fields, and towns, and rage like fire in a whirlwind. This conflict is believed to be between two forces of unnatural power and corporeal form. One side is believed to be the threat we faced once before, led by the corrupt mage Zachrin he will once again lead his golems into our homes and hopes to rip out our hearts. On the other, the undead, the deceased, the decayed and the defiled who might rise from their tombs, swords and shields in hand ready to ravage our lands, turn them to dust, and ourselves into their mindless thralls. The cause of this threat is disputed, yet I can think of but one reasonable source, at the start of the new month, Kiene became a theocracy, in doing so they challenged those of unnatural powers to prove their dominance over this new power, and to do so they have resorted to the one form of conflict we creatures know oh so well, that of war. I doubt we will be able to sit by and place the blame on other shoulders and point the dead and the rocks in the right direction. I imagine they will kill all creatures in their path, regardless of their guilt. We will not sit by and become slaves, nor will we die on our knees begging for mercy, we have but one choice available to us. We have the choice to fight. I cannot promise success, I cannot promise victory, but my brothers and sisters of Fenia, I can promise we will give them no quarter, we will give them no inch, and we will bury as many of them as we can before we fall. We are creatures, some are mortal, some are immortal, some fly, some swim, all think, all breath, love, hate, regret, avenge, and in the end, die. We are not gods, no matter how much some of us might claim it. Know that come the end of this month we fight gods, we fight their behemoths of stone, we fight their spectral slaves, but we do so as free creatures. There is little time to prepare, little time to make plans or to build defenses, therefore I am calling an open council, for all concerned parties, whether prince or peasant, knight or knave, holy or horrific, if you wish to fight this threat then I request you join me in the coming days, so that we can plan for the coming days. Yours with faith, Zuan. King of Fenia | ||
