Part 33: 1431-1432-The Breach of Myrror
The Breach of Myrror
1431 passed peacefully, and over the year both Caradas in Secondmonth and Crownsail in Tenthmonth grew to sizes that they could truly be considered towns. In Twelfthmonth, as the year was closing, news spread of a great earthquake in Beilhalle that caused a barracks for the town's defender's to collapse, killing a number of the fighting men of the town. And so time continued on to 1432.
In Firstmonth of 1432, three companies of high man priests from the Fairlands passed through the Sixth Tower on Northerland, marking the first incursion of an Arcanian realm into Myrran territory in the modern era. They were not the last to pass through, for over following months a band of lizardfolk settlers and a group of high man knights and combat magicians also passed through the Tower.
In Sixthmonth, the High Queen Dagmaer finally completed a mighty adamantine helm to complete the suit of armor provided to Hrodvaldur the Chosen. This helm not only closed the armor, sealing any point of vulnerability, but it tied the enchantments of motion on the armor into the very thoughts of its wearer, so that the immense strength provided by the armor could be wielded effortlessly and gracefully in battle, striking blows beyond even the greatest of mortal strength. The helmet, too, was enchanted so that Hrodvaldur could gaze through it as if it were transparent as glass, allowing him unobstructed vision in battle to react swiftly to any foe.
Two months later, in Eightmonth, Hrodvaldur was enchanted by Sorcery so that he and the Army with him could be borne aloft by the winds in travel, allowing the mobility to respond where they would be needed yet more swiftly.
With this armor, sword, and helmet, Hrodvaldur should become an EXTREMELY formidable foe, capable of taking on some of the toughest enemies in the game single-handedly. Wind Walking, as we saw previously, allows a whole stack to fly, which will help the Army to move to other lands as a defensive reaction force or cross to enemy lands as an attack force.
Meanwhile, in Seventhmonth, evidence was uncovered of a gang of coiners that had been operating for some time in Pyre, striking counterfeit coins debased with lead. Though the coiners were hunted down and imprisoned, their assets seized and their equipment destroyed, the damage had already been done. They had stolen an immense quantity of wealth through passing debased coins, and it would no doubt prove years until all the counterfeits had been found, melted down, and removed from circulation. The crown and many merchants found that much of their holdings in coin were of greatly reduced value, not containing the metal they had previously believed.
Over these two years, Dagmaer's puppet-spirit in Arcanus continued its explorations, uncovering more of the seas and charting some of the southwestern coast of the Fairlands. New villages and homesteads of lizardkin had been established in the north of their island, starting to cultivate new lands under the rulership of Horus.
The Kingdom of Nine Crowns as of Twelfthmonth 1432
The revenues supporting the crown have continued to increase as the kingdom has prospered, although between the losses inflicted by the coiners, the costs of alchemy, and the great financial support laid behind the new towns, the treasuries of the crown and of the Merchant League are nearly empty at the moment. Horus the Holy holds the Sixth tower with a company of sacred knights and a company of combat magicians, while the priests and settlers that have entered Myrror earlier have passed beyond the vision of the ship guarding Northerland.
Crownsail has had no expense whatsoever spared on its development over the past year, and, although it is still a small town, it has become a thriving center of trades, mining, crafts, and learning at the center of a small but well-cultivated district of farmsteads. Its position should be critical to future development of the Great Archipelago. Though it has developed swiftly, it has yet to levy any militia, as the town's leaders have been more concerned with other priorities for the moment and they feel assured that the town is safe for now.
Caradas, being chiefly inhabited by beastkin, has grown more swiftly, although it has not prospered as swiftly and completely as Crownsail. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant town with many of the fundaments needed for its people, working to develop a stronger timbering industry. It has levied its own local militia to guard and patrol the district. It has been connected by a major road to Bantanu, and the Royal Engineers have been building a whole network of roads in preparation for later towns that may be founded on Sutherland.
Tensions between Horus the Holy and the Kingdom of Nine Crowns have grown, and it seems likely that soon the oaths of peace that have bound him shall be shattered. Still, they yet endure. The High Queen works to replenish her stores of power, which were greatly depleted by the work to complete Hrodvaldur's armor.
The last two years have passed without open war, but misfortune has struck the kingdom and the peace with Fairlands is as brittle as glass. It seems that soon there shall be fighting, one way or another. As 1433 approaches, let us hope the kingdom endures in strength and safety.