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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 3022212" data-attributes="member: 3448">Before the next update, I think it's worth noting that the campaign has started becoming darker and involving more mature content, in a moving from PG to PG-13 kinda way.  There isn't a lot of onscreen unpleasantness, but there is some very unpleasant offscreen but important stuff.  So if you have a low tolerance for ick, you should be forewarned.  This update doesn't include any of the unpleasant stuff, but others coming up soon do.----A few moments later, a thin noblewoman with surprisingly ordinary features entered.  She curtsied deeply.  Her expression was respectful, but her eyes were active, darting around the room and studying each of Alistair’s companions closely.  “Your grace?”“I understand that you were the representative of the Mouth on the mission to Tarsh.”Lady Cecilia nodded, know understanding why she had been summoned.  “Yes, your grace.  Such a trying expedition…”“Why did the Archduchess even make the expedition?” asked Kit.  “Tarsh has valuable trade, but it’s so far away, on Khamista.  Surely the trade between Canberry and Tarsh is minimal.”“All correct, Dame Katherine.  Trade negotiations were the ostensible reason for the state visit, but actually a very minor concern of Amelia’s.  Her concern was about the stability of Tarsh.  The Blood War, when the various noble families fought amongst themselves to determine who would rule the Empire, was terribly destructive and left Tarsh weakened.  The current Emperor, while reasonably secure in his throne, does not have a stable empire to support him and his eventual heir.”“But how can the stability of a realm on another continent affect Canberry?”“Directly, very little, Dame Brionna.  But just as the fall of the South Kingdoms gave the forces of evil a much stronger advantage on Drucien, even though the South Kingdoms were never an active force for good, so Tarsh helps to stabilize the situation on Khamista and deny the skaven, Shadow, and other forces the opportunity to expand.  The goal of the embassy was to shore up the Empire of Tarsh as a bulwark against those forces.  Our trade will help some.  But our support and recognition for the current emperor will help more.  And Amelia always was one to think about things beyond just the Archduchy.”“What can you tell us about the visit?” asked Alistair.  “Anything unusual?”“Indeed, your grace.  Even before Brenda’s death, there were signs of trouble.  I think there was some sort of evil magical effect.  It had something of the appearance of a disease spreading among the dignitaries, but I believe that it was more than that.  The King of Stream’s End had been sickened, but also began acting strangely.  He may have briefly lost his mind.  On the same night as the King’s worse sickness, the Knight Guardian took ill-- some sort of stomach flux.”“Why did you suspect magic instead of simple illness?”“A comment by the Ambassador from the Eldar Wood.  He mentioned that one of his wood elf companions was made ill by the ‘aura,’ although he himself was immune to its effects.  And then poor Brenda simply died in her chambers.”“Did you notice any other effects of this ‘aura,’ Lady Cecilia?”“I’m not certain, your grace.  There were other things amiss, but that may have been from more mundane causes.  Our Ambassador to Tarsh has not been faring well.  He had definitely drifted from the light, and he was a weak-willed man.”Kit frowned.  “It doesn’t seem like the Archduchess to appoint an ambassador with a weak will.”“No, Dame Katherine.  In his youth, when he was appointed, no one would have described him thus.  He is a Tusslefield-- Aaron Tusslefield.  He angered his family greatly many years ago; he refused to participate in the political marriage they had arranged and eloped instead.”“So the Ambassadorship provided a convenient way to use his skills, honor his family, and keep him far away and out of sight.”“Exactly, your grace.  An honorable exile of sorts.  But he’s a changed man, whether from the aura or from other causes.  Clarence-- Bishop Williams-- ordered that a new chaplain be sent from Canberry, hoping that more vigorous religious guidance would help.”Alistair glanced at his friends.  “Bishop Williams is the reason we asked you here, Lady Cecilia.  He was murdered two nights ago.”Lady Cecilia sucked in a deep breath.  Pain showed around her eyes, but her face retained a certain sense of focus and her voice did not waver.  “I see.  Do you know who killed him?”“We’re not certain yet.  But we think that it had to do with the embassy.  The Knight Guardian has also been killed.”Lady Cecilia nodded.  “I can see why you would draw that conclusion.  The few of us on that embassy grow fewer by the day.  Unfortunately, I can think of little more to hint at the details of the killings than what I have already mentioned.”“Do you know… how powerful would an assassin have had to be to kill Bishop Williams?”“It would depend on the circumstances, Dame Brionna.  Bishop Williams rarely wore his armor or prepared for battle, but he could command extraordinarily great powers through his faith.  If he had the opportunity to use his spells, it would take a mighty attacker indeed.”“How powerful were his spells?”“I have seen him invoke Miracles when extreme circumstances demanded it.  If I were planning an attack on a comparably powerful priest, my goal would be to prevent him from ever having the opportunity to cast.  It would be the only reliable way to succeed.”“Thank you, Lady Cecilia,” said Alistair.  “If you would wait in one of the adjoining chambers… we want to keep you safe and may have further questions.”“Of course, your grace.”</blockquote>

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