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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Joe Jolly" data-source="post: 7585141" data-attributes="member: 6870626">23 Kuthona, 4718 - 17 Calistril, 4718 - Tightening The NooseFollowing the reopening of the shipping lanes between Talingarde and the mainland, gold started flowing into the kingdom’s coffers once again. Yet the Dannisters did not rest upon their laurels. There was still much to do in preparation for the probable reemergence of Princess Bellinda. First on their list was to deal with the insubordinate Duke Hadrian of Ghastenhall. Since sending his emissary instead of coming himself to pay respects to the newly crowned King, he had remained in his castle, stubbornly refusing to repeated demands for an audience. He still payed his taxes, and every new public decree passed down from Matharyn was immediately implemented, but when his representatives were pressed as to why he would not come to the capital, repeated excuses were made about his health. Finally, Tardaesha had had enough. If the other nobles believed that such slights could be given without consequence, they might be emboldened enough to begin questioning her authority, and that she could not have. One evening, on the stroke of midnight, Tardaesha commanded Kelvin to transport the lot of them directly into the middle of Hadrian’s throne room. Instead, they appeared outside the locked front gates of the castle.“A forbiddance spell,” Kelvin observed, mildly impressed. “The man has planned ahead.”Impatiently, Tardaesha hammered on the door. When a small viewport slid aside, she snapped at the guard.“King Timeon of Talingarde demands to be see the Duke!”The guard slid the panel shut, and then after several long minutes, the gates opened.The royal entourage swept into the throne room, where Duke Hadrian sat upon his chair. He stood as his guests entered, and bowed low. Roger, his glamored armor masking his undead visage, stepped forward.“Your rightful King has done you the great honor of paying you a personal visit, an honor you have not returned. What have you to say for yourself?”The Duke was all politeness and grace. He explained that, while he was of course loyal to the Throne, the question of Timeon’s legitimacy still prevented him from publicly acknowledging the ascension. Dakota fumed at this, and it was only her sister’s firm hand that prevented her from rushing forward and tearing the Duke’s throat out. Instead, Tardaesha stepped up.“We understand you have a nephew of marriageable age,” she smiled. “Your heir, isn’t he?”The Duke looked wary.“Yes, Count Hector,” he replied. “He is in his early teens, but he already grows restless with this cloistered life.”Tardaesha grinned. “I’m sure you aware that Queen Dakota has recently given birth to a daughter?”Hadrian returned the smile. “Of course! I hope my baby gift arrived on time.”“Yes, it was lovely,” Dakota said through gritted teeth.“Obviously, Little Heaven is not old enough to wed,” Tardaesha continued, “but she can most assuredly be betrothed. If your Hector were to one day wed the crown princess, that would put you in direct line of succession. What say you?”Hadrian looked pensive for several long moments, then broke out into a broad smile.“I say, ‘All Hail the King!”___________________________________________________________________Since the duergar of Zhaansen-Kryr had aided the Dannisters at the Battle of Valtaerna, it seemed only natural to assume they would once more offer their support to the new regime. However, when Kelvin made a diplomatic visit to Thane Zargen Arzun (who had successfully poisoned his father in a coup), though the dark dwarf readily agreed to another alliance, the wizard sensed that he was holding something back. As a gesture of good will, Kelvin invited the Thane and a small entourage to accompany him back to Matharyn. The Thane agreed, and Kelvin teleported the entire group back to the Capital.The next day, a grand ceremony was held announcing both the betrothal of Princess Heaven to Count Hector of Ghastenhall, and the alliance between Talingarde and the Kindgom of Zhaansen-Kyr. The former was met with cheers and celebration, while the latter received a smattering of applause, mixed with subdued boos and hisses. After the ceremony was concluded, Tardaesha, on behalf of King Timeon, received a request for an audience from Thane Turin Brightmetal. The old dwarf lived in the Lord’s Quarter of Ghastenhall, from where he ran a successful metal commodities trading company. He held no official noble title nor position of importance, but it was well known that he was a direct descendent of the old Ansgarian kings, and was afforded tremendous respect from the dwarves scattered throughout Talingarde. Once behind closed doors, the surly-looking dwarf proved to be very vocal. He of course was disgusted about the alliance with the duergar, but that was secondary. He informed Timeon that his people had always been treated fairly by House Darius, but the problem was that the dwarves were not followers of Iomedae. Their worship of Father Mountain had been banned in Talingarde, and some of his people had even been imprisoned for following the old rituals. When the Dannisters had proclaimed that all religions could be openly worshipped once more, Brightmetal had been cautiously optimistic. Now, however, with the duergar alliance announced, he feared the worst for his people, so he had come to see the King with a proposal. Thane Turin expressed, in no uncertain terms, that he wished the establishment of an independent dwarven kingdom and a guarantee of dwarven freedom to worship. He would also love to see the duergar purged from the island. In return, Brightmetal  agreed to accept an arrangement where the dwarven kingdom would serve and pay homage to the High King in Matharyn, who would stay out of their day to day affairs. Tardaesha was intrigued by the offer, and the promise of dwarven arms and armor to equip their troops greatly appealed to her. An arrangement was made, andThane Thurin called a great convocation of the dwarven people. From all across Talingarde, dwarves gathered at Ghastenhall. After days of negotiation, titles were handed out and a new dwarven kingdom was founded. Dwarven soldiers agreed to aid the Dannisters in raiding Zhaansen-Kryr. And even more than that, Thane Turin had concocted a plan to wipe the duergar from Talingarde once and for all. He advised the Dannisters to use their “friendship” with Prince Zargun to infiltrate and throw open the gates of the duergar stronghold. The dwarves would then storm the place and answer the ancient dark grudges between dwarf and duergar in a single night of slaughter.And so it was that Zhaansen-Kryr was seized and restored to dwarven hands. The dwarves renamed it Khaazen-Turin (literally,The Vault of Turin) and made it the capital of their empire. A new dwarven kingdom was birthed in the mountains, ultimately subservient to the Asmodean king in Matharyn.___________________________________________________________________In the years since the Dannisters  had had a chance encounter with the Yutak warrior, White Tusk, the ambitious young man had risen to become a great chief among his people, still advised by the shaman, Joseph Calls-Fire-From-Water. Though the Dannisters knew the Yutak could not field an army strong enough to aid the war effort, the nomadic hunters would be very useful as scouts and early-warning spies along the Talingarde coast. Tardaesha sent Grumblejack and Katarina to the northern folk with gifts and offers of good will. White Tusk remembered the Dannisters, and greeted them as friends. He listened to their words and considered them at length. Then he made his own request.The Yutak had always been neutral in politics of the south, but White Tusk was not a typical chieftain. He dreamt of something more than an empire of ice and whale blubber. He wanted nothing less than to gain a title and land. In particular, he had seen the trad-ing town and fortress of Estyllis, the most northern Talingarde holding on the eastern coast and part of the Watch Wall, and been much impressed with its castle of stone. The last adult Baron of Estyllis, Lord Jasper IV, had died fighting the Fire-Axe. His five year-old son, Jasper V, sat on the baronial seat of Estyllis, his lands truly governed by the Bishop Clivarus, an Iomedaen priest and cousin of the baron.Katarina saw no problem with the request. That very night, she crept into the castle and smothered Clivarus in his sleep, making it look as if he had died from natural causes. The following day, she made a public declaration in the name of King Timeon, that Jasper V would be taken back to Matharyn to be raised in the royal household until he came of age. Until that time, White Tusk would be appointed as steward of Estyllis. As Kat took her leave of the town, White Tusk promised that he would speak to the other chiefs and shamans on behalf of the Dannisters, but had little doubt they would fall in line and support his request. Kat turned Jasper over to Grumblejack. The ogre and his new bride would take the boy and raise him far from civilization, teaching him the ways of Asmodeus. When he finally did come of age, he would be a prize asset to the New Order.</blockquote>

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