Otrygg watched Zarathustra intently as he spoke, turning to the other Jarls as he posed his final question. The old monk searched their faces as though his eyes could bore into their very minds, and read their thoughts. Finally the monk cleared his throat and spoke.

[i]"Though war with Gothra may be inevitable, I would not advise us to assume they are weak, no less so then us. Our treasury is dust, the throne is empty, and unrest tears away at the kingdom. What can we say of Gothra, do we really know? What we do know is that King Vlad of Basarab reigns still, controlling the kingdom with an iron fist, by all accounts, and so, one can assume, suffers not from the ails we do. I deem it wise to ponder ourselves the weaker, at this point in time.

"A wait and see attitude is not one I endorse, nor should any of you, but an attitude of strengthening and preparing for a war that seems poised to find us. Who then best to do this? Henrik or Koval? Both men I would swear to, but one over the other? I cannot say, nor will I, for it is not my place. That honour is yours, my Jarls."[/i]