Knee-Bending Pandemonium
Story Emits
Details are scarce, but word reaches Arx of a major battle in the Artshall between Laurent, Valardin, and Templar forces and two rival Abandoned groups. Does this sound familiar? The raiders, well-equipped calvary, were defeated outside of a garden, and the Abandoned tribe that fought alongside of the Compact then offered to bend the knee . . . to Marquessa Mia Riven. The Peers are aghast. Didn't this already happen at Last Oak? Why is this happening again? What is it about Marquessa Mia Riven that has random Abandoned wanting to cross wide distances for her? The tutting is certainly getting louder.
Mere hours after the news of the battle that took place in Artshall begins to filter through Arx, an exhausted runner arrives at the city gates wearing the colors and sigil of House Wyrmguard. He is close to passing out and his horse is near dead, but he manages to pass along the missive he carries before the Mercies are called. While it's officially rushed to the Ward of House Valardin, the entire contents of the message leak almost immediately:
'Wealdstone Village destroyed, half a day's ride west from Blancbier. No survivors. Guard investigating. Appears to be large animal attack, but likely shav involvement. Words left carved on broken door torn off its hinges:
"For every name, a village"'
That this massacre seems to have occurred within less than a day of the Battle in Artshall has tongues wagging, but everyone agrees it must be coincidence, as not even a single rider could have traveled such a vast distance in such a small amount of time to deliver the news from the battle, even if an armed force was actually waiting near Blancbier to carry out the attack. And no evidence of such a force appears to exist.