[b][u]The Ceremony of the Choosing[/u][/b]

[i]Lord Marek[/i]

While other Lords and the Lady of Enea chimed in, Marek nodded in turn. "[i]Two great candidates have arisen, it seems. Perhaps each in turn might discuss the great threat to our South, the Orcs of the Blackmouth. They have been quelled, even if at the cost of life of our King*, but what should the future of the threat of Orcs be under a new monarch? As the Lord Stolt might tell you, the Blackmouth have a great many brutal, barbaric warriors at their behest, it is only their constant infighting and lack of leadership that keeps them from swarming our very borders.[/i]"

Marek's eyes turned first to Duke James Conrad, then in turn to Lord Aldwyn Garentius. "[i]Still yet a great many things are decided before casting your vote so quickly, Lords and Lady. The future of Osteria should not so easily be decided, but once a majority is established, Osteria's throne will have a new ruler.[/i]"

[hr]

* [b][u]Battle of the Arches[/u][/b]: [i]The last battle between the Kingdom of Osteria and the Orcs of the Blackmouth and part of the [b]Southern Crusade[/b]. The Battle of the Arches occurred when King Timault of the House of Osteria led a force of 41,000 soldiers, including 8,000 cavalry and a host of feudal levies under Lord Jerran Gades Stolt, Protector of the Southern Reaches into the Southern Reaches hoping to catch a massing horde of orcs before they could meet with a much larger host in the East.

The Osterian Black Army, while traveling through a valley called "The Arches," was ambushed by one of the many chiefs of the Blackmouth, Gorguth the Swift. During single combat, Gorguth slew King Timault. 27,000 Osterians were killed or wounded. A minor victory, Lord Stolt of the Southern Reaches was responsible for the death of Gorguth's son Groth, who he similarly slew in single combat.[/i]