The Chronicles, Vol.31

/--------------------------------------------------------------------\
|                                                                    |
|                   + + +                  + + +                     |
| Vol. 31            + +   THE CHRONICLES   + +          Collectors  |
|                     +                      +             Edition   |
|                                                                    |
| COVERT OPERATIONS, TONANDUIN, & A BLADE                            |
| _   _                                                              |
| |\  | injas have always been mysterious.  Their guild is extremely |
| | \ | exclusive, and very few are willing to share even the most   |
| |  \| rudimentary details about their craft with laymen.  A rumor  |
| |   | has grown rapidly that the Ninjas have allowed their mentor  |
|       faculty to teach students more of the ancient arts now than  |
| ever before in history, causing a boom in popularity that is not   |
| soon to diminish.  Hiring talent out of the guild will likely      |
| become far more appealing to Aabahran's great cabals, although we  |
| have yet to see if the demand outweighs the supply.                |
|                                                                    |
| Tonanduin is the project of the aging Karishin Jores, Warmaster of |
| the Camp.  A nigh impossible logistic challenge awaits him as he   |
| attempts to draft methods of paving another road through the       |
| Deserts east of the Ford into the ancient city of Caranduin.  He   |
| hopes there to fortify a safe haven for all, an inclusive and      |
| Empire-free bastion to house all those nomadic ghosts wandering    |
| the wastes.  With a full roster of Warmasters, agreeable standing  |
| with the Knights, and an unparalleled brute force army, it may be  |
| within reason to invest in his cause, if indeed trade between      |
| Miruvhor and Maelbrim can be reinforced by the endeavor in the     |
| long term.  The Warmasters should be contacted for more details.   |
|                                                                    |
| In other news, Raynald Blade, once presumed dead, has emerged from |
| a retreat, only to be welcomed back by bitter torment and awful    |
| persecution from the Empire.  While the Maxim rightly judges those |
| who have been given the grand ultimatum of the law, it is far less |
| transparent on the legality of killing a former Councilman of such |
| great dedication and effort.  The Heralds were given a press       |
| conference with Zoichan himself immediately after the public       |
| execution of Raynald in Miruvhor, but not a single question was    |
| freely answered -- rather, evidence that Herald assets, namely the |
| life of an owl, was presumably threatened.  We were denied access  |
| to vital information that could have assisted the image of the     |
| Empire, and instead provided the opposite -- confusing masochism.  |
|                                                                    |
| While Belderon and his Militia are no doubt quite effective at the |
| enforcement of the Law, it is outrageously obvious that internal   |
| disorder is rampant within the Empire -- where Councilmen who were |
| once so effective at dealing with the Empire's enemies, both by    |
| blade and by pen, must be treated as 'defectors' upon mere mention |
| of a noble retirement.  If indeed the situation does not make the  |
| Tribunal look like a joke, why not tell a journalist who has been  |
| faithful to the law all her life?  The Heralds are more than happy |
| to tell the truth, so long as we're given it!  More as it breaks.  |
|                                                                    |
\--------------------------------------------------------------------/