Fourth Adventure 08: Beginning of the End

Snarg bolts upright in the saddle, becoming very serious as he is shouted at from the crowd. He twists and turns in the saddle to face each direction that the cries emanate from, looking very confused and scared. As someone nearby cries out at him, he stops the horse and hops down, landing in front of the crier.

"What's goin' on?!? What ya yellin' 'bout? Why ya goin' on 'bout betrayin'? Tell me ya ain't sayin' what I'm thinkin'!" he shouts over the crowd at the crier, a fearful and frantic look on his face.

Spoiler:

Best read while listening to this.

Tabran:
You discover from various people here that the residents are in an uproar due to the unique nature of the current circumstances. For the last several weeks the faculty and students have been in a state of peaceful protest over the possibility of war, of any kind, let alone against their Sho neighbors. The universities nearly closed over the issue. However earlier today, February 8th in the year 348, for the first time in known history war was declared. Against Stonehold.

The Sho and Naverre have announced a formal alliance, their ships and armies already poised to crush Stonehold into the ground and divide the conquered lands between them.

This came as a shock to everyone. The two sides had been playing a shadow cold war against one another after leaders from both sides met and realized a third party was manipulating them into hostilities against one another. It is their stated and official belief Stonehold is behind these deceptions, and they have been preparing for full scale war ever since.

Tol'Tarn, the Governor, was outraged at the deception against not just him, a State Governor, but against the people in general. Many people are upset, for many reasons. Most agree the war is a horrible thing regardless, some believe Tol'Tarn was in on it and are calling for his removal, some think it's despicable that a nation would lie to its own leaders, some think it's unforgivable a nation would lie to its own people. Tol'tarn is in fact not in Al-Jalima right now having taken his personal, private Airship to Yaraq for an emergency meeting of the Ministry. There are only rumors of reactions in Aluvia or Osteth at this point.

Underneath all the anger and yelling there is a strong undercurrent of very real fear. Such an act might mobilize a war amongst the Four Nations anyways, or something even worse.

For all Rory knew, someone might attack preemptively, and unless he could find a way to an outlying nation, he was a sitting duck. "Shit. We need to get to the hub, now!"

tab says in a low voice almost a whisper
"non of this makes sence, non of it pointed to stonehold what must they's guy have been feed?"

Tabran Cole wrote:tab says in a low voice almost a whisper
"non of this makes sence, non of it pointed to stonehold what must they's guy have been feed?"

"Doesn't matter. Right now, we're in the middle of a shitstorm waiting to happen. We have to go!"

Zeiss found the group. He discreetly joined them and listened to what Tabran told them. He is in deep thoughts. Then, he goes to get his horse. He turns towards Z and says :

"Thank you."