The Kingdom of the Emerald Hills

"The visit to the Glen seemed to go very well, wouldn't you say Draeven?" Forest asked as they rode on towards Artus Pass.

"Well?! The citizens were set upon by giant ants that forced us to abandon camp and left most dead. They are in a state of disarray and still have to find a way to reclaim their homes from the beasts. How is that going very well?" Draeven yelled.

Forest smiled and looked up to the sky for a moment before answering. "Draeven, you are too old in this world to think so narrowly. The ants are but a temporary nuisance. The Glen will reform and drive them out now htat they know the strengths and weaknesses of the beasts. The royal healers tended to the wounded and many of the dead, so they are not without able bodies. The Glan will survive, they always do. But there was infornmation gathered and passed at the Glen today. If you saw the subtle clues, you saw a lot of information."

"Such as?"

Forest smiled again "Such as people who are hungry for a reward. People who are willing to cross Delphos to earn it. It seems that the people are willing to support their Czar after all."

Draeven grimmaced as if he had just eaten a lemon "Let them try. But I swear that I will get him first!"

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

The trip to Artus pass had not yielded results. It had been a pleasant trip and Forest had enjoyed gettign to talk to the poeple of the pass. As expected however, someone was missing. He smiled, wondering if the other hunting party had caught him off guard.

As the caravan road on towards home, a lone rider approached bearing the mark of King's Point. His horse was all but dead and he was bleeding from a wound that had disabled his left arm. "Your Majesty, ill news, please..." With that he fell from the horse, his ragged breathing letting the Czar's party know he was unconcious but alive.

"Tend to him!" Forest barked at Draeven "And see what it is that he carries."

Draeven began tending to the wounds as another guard picked up a letter that had fallen to the ground along with its bearer. He handed it to forest who turned it over. It bore no seal. Something had gone wrong at King's point. Had the portal spewed forth some evil upon them? Or had some of its members turned against there own to defend a criminal. Or....or had those who sought to claim a reward gone too far?

Forest broke the seal and read the letter, only to find his fears confirmed. The letter was unsigned but indicated an attack on the court of the Point by a group bearing the mark of the Saracens. Warriors and servants alike were hewn down as they searched for Delphos, but he eluded them. Many were dead and wounded and the talk was that Forest himself had ordered the attack.

He crumpled the note and looked to the messenger. "Draeven, use your magic and revive him. He needs a fresh horse as well. I want him to take messages to both King's Point and Mourningwood Glen. I will have answers and King's Point will have justice."

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

To King's Point:

"From Czar Forest and Regent Terrik:

We have heard of the attack on your people and we hear your demand for justice. Those who brought you this suffering will answer for it. Send your envoy to the Midreign gathering to meet with us."

To Mourningwood Glen:

"From Czar Forest and Regent Terrik:

We have heard of the assault on King's Point by members of your populace. We had warned that such attacks would not go unpunished. Bring your envoy to the Midreign gathering to meet with us."

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

To Czar Forest and Regent Terrik:

From Baroness Cynisca:

Mourningwood Glen and Her people had nothing to do with this "attack". If some of Her people took your orders to "leave no stone unturned" in their hunt for Sir Delphos a little too literal, one would think you would be glad to have such thorough subjects. Please remember which barony was found harboring the fugitive when we meet at Midriegn...


To King's Point:

From Baroness Cynisca:

Please cease and desist all slanderous rumors against the Barony of Mourningwood Glen and Her populace. If you were attacked, it was not by the populace of Mourningwood Glen, but by loyal subjects of Czar Forest acting under orders to capture Sir Delphos. Hopefully this will deter you from harboring a fugitive in the future.

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member of Luna Lobos
I Otta B daughter of Alby
Girl Turtle of the Turtle Clan

Forest did his best not to laugh at the note. "It seems I am to believe that MWG and her people are innocent of any involvement in an attck in which some of MWG's people hunted for Delphos. Well, this note at least makes it plain that the Saracens of MWG were behind the attack and their baroness knew of it. I still can't figure out why they attacked KP after I directly told Kenta not to."

Everlast simply shrugged his shoulders "Perhaps they only understand the sword, and they need a good talking to."

"I hope it doesn't come to that, but if need be, we will speak to them in such a way."

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

To Czar Forest and Regent Terrik:

From Cheiftan Exile:

Your Majesty as per your request we have captured the fugitive Delphos. The manner in which the capture was made all be it.....messy was none the less very effective as per your instructions we left no stone unturned nor body we had to insure that no one would be able to stand to help Delphos please do not hold the populace of the Glen of Morningwood, her Baroness nor Sir Kenta as the persons responseable as the final orders to take the lives of the populace of Kings Point were mine, I felt the need to remove the ground that delphos had to run to including convincing the populace to fight for him or warn him of his impending capture, please notE after the capture we did heal and tend to the injured of Kings Point. If some one is to be blamed for what happened at Kings Point let it be me.

Your humble servant
Squire Exile
Cheiftan Tribe Templar of the Saracens

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Exile
Squire to Sir McFadden
LT. IK Warspeaker of the Saracens

Fionnigan pulled the quill from the small jar of black ink, and began to scrawl the letter onto the page.

To His Grace King Sir Forest Evergreen
First of his Name
The Dragon Czar
King of the Hill
and Ruler of the Emerald Men,

Your grace, I hope this missive finds you well. I have some new information that I must inform you of at once. The information that I have could be of great importance to our fight. Please send word by currier to me here at my country manor letting me know when you will see me.

In Service,
Fionnigan Hellblazer

Fionnigan allowed the parchment to sit long enough for the ink to dry. He than rolled it up and sealed it with black wax. He than pressed his family signet ring into the wax. He would send for a currier, but he needed to write one more letter.

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"A mind needs books as a sword needs a wetstone, if it is to keep it's edge.”
Tyrion Lannister

I do not suffer fools gladly, and fools with white belts never.

Mortem proditoribus.

The messenger waited nervously at the base of the wizards tower. As Finn approached, the man seemed to shrink away. He had never been comfortable around wizards, and this one was not to be messed with.

"A letter from Czar F-f-forest." he stammered.

"Give it to me and leave before you lose control of your bowels on my doorsteps!" Finn barked.

The man alomst fainted, but managed ot maintain his composure long enough to hand off the letter and make a hasty exit.

Finn broke the Royal Seal:

Wizard Fionnigan Hellblazer,

I will see you immediately. I await you at the Royal Hall. The wards have been attuned to allow you to teleport inside, but will block any others from coming with you. time is of the utmost importance.

Czar Forest

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

A pigeon steals its way into the court of Czar Forest rudely during supper. Upon command of their leader, the royal guard disposes of the nuisance and prepares to ready it a new entree. However, Forest notices the thick roll of paper tied to its right leg. Unraveling the crude parchment neither sealed with wax nor enveloped properly, he studies the contents.

"Addressing the Wyrms of Emerald, from the Hills whenceforth they come"

Is this person a fool, or merely ill-mannered, or both? Of course Czar Forest should have his own introduction. Whoever wrote this needs a serious etiquette lesson.

"I am Marvin Broadcloak of the Hivelands. I send this message to inform you of our budding young dutchy, and to inquire of the political position which we stand. My Commander, Lord Bumblebee is deeply troubled by the disputes that wrack the Emerald Hills, and I believe we would all like to share a peaceful agreement. I myself, despite my scrying and other various knowledges, have not come to a suitable conclusion myself.
I would ask that you please forgive my lack of appearance, as well as that of Lord Bumblebee, as we are still not certain of whether we are friend or foe.

The emissaries of the Hivelands sent to Midreign, known to you as the Bumblebees (of which I was included), mistakenly walked into the midst of a conflict between the Seracens and the Green Dragons during that time. Seeking to maintain a neutral position in this conflict, we asked to withdraw, and were met with the ultimatum of "Join or Die". When we fled, we were met with armed conflict in the form of a small skirmish that claimed some wounded. I am aware that this could be seen as an act of war in many nations. I am doing what I can to keep this from occurring in as many nations as my pigeons can carry to. I am also speaking to Lord Bumblebee on the matter; he too does not wish war, though he is quite grieved at the aggressive nature of the Green Dragons. The Bumblebees seek only to better their own skills, as well as clear out the savage beasts that seem to spring forth from everywhere to terrorize the populace. Lord Bumblebee refers as well to a process of "leveling up", but I do not yet know of what he speaks.

Regardless, I would like to believe that despite our differences and disputes, there can still be peace in the Emerald Hills, and I shall eagerly await your response, and hope that it is a pleasant one."

-Marvin Broadcloak, Traveling Scribe and Story-teller

To Marvin Broadcloak:

If you have an issue with the Green Dragons, I suggest you take it up with the captain, Juju Hex Mojo - Jaguar King of the Wetlands.

As for the recent events. The royal court was attacked by the Saracens. I ordered that they be brought to justice. When your members approached us, armed for war, we asked your intentions and were met with vague responses. If you are going to present yourselves as a fighting company, I suggest you learn to act like one. In the face of battle, you pick a side. When pressed for an answer, again you would not state your intentions, so you were given a choice, by me, to declare your support for the Monarchy and again you refused to do so. Thus, you were dealt with in the manner you deserved. You were an armed patrol, you were dealt with thusly.

If you want peace, then next time help quell the outlaws who seek to sew dissention. Otherwise, kepp off the field of battle if you and yours are unable to decide where your loyalties lie.

Czar Forest Evergreen

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

Without title, no courrier service would be provided for the Squire. On horseback he rode to the court of the Mighty Oak to confer with his Grand Knight. Short of a day's ride, he arrived just as the evening sun began it's retreat. His horse was tended to with exchange of a silver which allowed the saddle sore Sleight to trek the rest of the way on foot.

Upon the arrival at the doors, Skullband had greeted him. Although the Guardsman had no need to speak the command, he did so.

"Disarm yourself before---" Skullband was cut off, noting Connor had already offered up sword and dagger.

"You should carry more steel when you travel." Skullband chided the younger. It wouldn't be normal if he didn't.

Connor just shook his head and walked in ahead of him and the herald. He wished for no announcement and did not ask for an audience. He just casually entered and called out, "Sir Forest! The Northern Midreign is nigh and I need to know if the entirity of the Saracens are outlaws or just Sir Kenta's tribe."

Rude and invasive was his interjection, but to the point.

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Squire to Sir Everlast of Buttercup

"Grandsquire, it is good to see you as well. Yas I have been doing well, thanks for asking." Forest said. grinning.

"Sorry for the bluntness of my question, by time is pressin and I need an aswer to take back on the morrow."

"I have no quarrel with those who had no hand in the injustice. So long as they do not take arms against us, or seek to raise a rebellion, I see them as peaceful members of the Kingdom.

But should they think they have need to seek retribution, I trust that you will have ample support to quell such thoughts."

"I do indeed." Connor replied.

"Good, but try to do so without bloodshed should it come to it. The celebration in Dreedmoor's honor should be a time of joy, not of anger." Forest bid Connor farewell and went back to his chambers. He hoped that the issues in the South would not breed dissent in the North.

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Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

As Sir Forest retired the Squire turned on heel to exit the Hall. He was met by the herald and Skullband. The first had a scowl on his face while the latter had a grin that reflected Connor's own. With the retrieval of his gear, he stood upright and received a buffet in the ribs from the Green Dragon. He knew what it was for and didn't inquire why.

"I will see you soon at Banner Wars, travel safe."

"Yes you will." Connor replied as he stepped away towards the bailey and stables. After reclaiming his horse, he looked to the road heading north and set his horse, Taur'Quessir, into a slow cantor towards home. Once he was clear of the Commons he would pick up speed to make ready for the preparations of the Dreadmoor Midreign. Trouble on the roads? Who knew? Not many made the trek to the North.

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Squire to Sir Everlast of Buttercup