Last night, the last High Council meeting before the winter break was held. Max Von Bayer, the elected Chancellor, had returned from being away and resumed his position from care of Vice Chancellor Willa. The meeting started out on a sad note, as the box that had been delivered to the Newcastle Abbey during the Holiday Get-Together was revealed to contain the chopped-up remains of Acting-Justicar Illidan. He had apparently met his fate at the hands of the Shadowlord Nosfentor. A note, soaked in Illidan’s blood, was found amongst the remains…
“Greetings
Once again the High Council and the BAF were not able to protect their Justicar. Being that he is the one that dispenses Justice, we felt it was out turn to dispense Justice. Did you know that when you cut up a body, the person can still scream after you have removed his tongue? You are not safe; we can take you at any time! Here are his body parts, minus his head. I have decided to keep it as a trophy. You will be able to see it at Castle British on the wall as one of my hunting trophies. Pleasant dreams.
Nosfentor” |
The Britannian Armed Forces vowed to avenge the Acting-Justicar’s murder, and see to it that no one on the Council would meet this fate again. Unfortunately, Illidan is the second Justicar to have been abducted and murdered by the Crimson Order in recent months. The previous Justicar, Woodrow Call, had also been murdered in a similar fashion.
When I investigated Illidan’s abduction today, I found that it had occurred several weeks back, during the Minoc Elections when he Crimson Order disrupted the proceedings. An eye witness, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the Acting-Justicar ordered the Yew Militia to eject the interlopers, and was refused. When a skirmish did ensue, Illidan was quickly grabbed and whisked away. When I asked why this information hadn’t been reported, the man blanched and refused to answer any more questions. I am troubled that this had not come to light before...
As the Council moved on to the appointment of Kemmler to the position of Acting-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Drakal a member of the Royal Britannian Kilted Police rushed into the chambers. He bore an urgent message from Alec DeLeon, Commissioner of the RBKP:
“Plea for Help
To: High Council
Lords and Ladies of the High Council, I write to you with an urgency for the developing situation in Britain. Much of southwestern Britain has pillaged or burned. We stayed too long during the evacuation and were left with no choice but to hole up ourselves up within our National Headquarters. The local arms depot has been modified by the Dread Lady Nosfentor and she has used it to lay siege to us with cannon.
With each passing week, more of our defenses weaken and it is only so long until there is a full breach. Our time is short and we plea for you to come to our aid. If it is not soon, then I am afraid none of us will escape with our lives.
Regards,
Alec DeLeon
Commissioner of the Royal Britannian Kilted Police” |
Chancellor Von Bayer quickly passed the message to Lord DaKaren, the Minister of Virtue, and then on to Lord Polynikes of the Yew Militia. Drakal was urged to remain with the B.A.F. to help them plan the retaking of Britain. Kemmler was swiftly voted into the Acting-Minister position.
The next agenda item was an amendment to the Constitution allowing the B.A.F. to be led by a Military Presidium instead of requiring the leadership of an individual GrandMarshal. It swiftly passed as well, lest the military be bogged down with bureaucracy during this time of war.
Next, the floor was opened to anyone with items needing the Council’s attention. First up was Vosh, a citizen of occupied Cove. He brought news of the family of Kellor, Cove’s Ambassador who was slain recently in Newcastle by a Shogun of the Tokuno Empire. Kellor had been slain for attempting to tell the High Council that the Crimson Order has its new Britannian subjects (read: slaves) collecting blackrock for an unknown purpose. Vosh stated that the family’s home had caught fire under suspicious circumstances, and that Kellor’s widow perished in the blaze. Kellor’s daughter is presumed to still be held by the Crimson Order in Tokuno, with the other children from Cove and Britain.
Lord Polynikes then challenged a shrouded man who had just arrived and taken a seat in the back row of the gallery, as shrouds are banned in the Chambers. The man turned out to be Kael Ashtar of the Crimson Order, sent as a messenger of Nosfentor. He produced a ‘gift’ for the Chancellor, and placed it on the podium in the center of the room before being escorted out. Inside the somewhat soggy, bloodstained box were the remains of several humans. And a note:
“High Council
Britain’s rep decided to get a little too close to the High Council and started poking his nose into things he shouldn’t have. Like trying to find the children. They are our children and shall stay that way. If you come to Britain this will happen to all the children.
Nosfentor” |
Occupied Britain’s Ambassador, the now late Thor Zuel, had pledged to discover the whereabouts of the missing children and relay it to the Council so that the B.A.F. could rescue them. The box was quickly taken away and added to an ever-mounting pile of war crimes evidence against the Crimson Order.
The last person who wished to speak to the Council was Rex Silverwood; he wished to apply for the Justicar position. The Chancellor asked that he give Vice-Chancellor Willa his application, but Rex had left it in the saddlebags of his mount. He left to retrieve it from the stables next door, and quickly returned in a panic claiming he had been robbed. He stated that his assailant accosted him in the stairwell, and had been dressed much like a Royal Knight of Redemption. Before he could say much more, a figure dressed like a Knight stepped out of the shadows and killed Rex with a flamestrike. I used my forensics skills and determined the murderer’s name was Ramon, a warrant was later issued for his arrest.
Councilor Maelmordha of Newcastle, and later Prafectus Oona of RKR, denied knowledge of any Ramon within the ranks of the Knights. They also stringently affirmed that no one within their ranks would commit such a heinous act. Whoever this Ramon was, he was an imposter. It was stated that there had been another man dressed as the Knights, but nobody had paid him much heed. The final consensus was that these men were infiltrators sent by the Crimson Order to sow terror in the hearts of Britannia.
A search was ordered between the stables and the Council Chambers in the Civic Center for any clues relating to the crime. Akela of the Yew Militia retuned shortly thereafter with a small tome written by Rex, his application for Justicar. Unfortunately, the pages of the application had been torn out – leaving its true contents a mystery.
With much to consider, and security compromised, the Chancellor concluded the meeting. Council members were escorted home from the Civic Center by a B.A.F. detachment.
Two Justicars brutally slain and a potential applicant struck down shortly after his request to be considered for candidacy. The most dangerous position on the High Council remains unfilled. Violence and death had the floor throughout the Council meeting, the only glimmer of hope being B.A.F.’s plans to retake Britain.
Watch your backs, lock your doors, and hold your children close my friends. May the Virtues protect us in these dark times!
Martyna Z'muir, LofS
