First quarter of February, border of the Emerald Coast and the Midlands, Aurelia, 4901... Caleb spent the entire night on the stoned pathway towards the Midlands. He's been enjoying the calm surreal night sky and the quietness of the nature. [b]"How strange..."[/b] he tought to himself regarding the fact that no local patrols were around this night. Usually the authorities patrol the pathways, especially at night. Nevertheless, he continues. By the morning, his eyes were pierced both by tiredness and by the rising sun from the East. He had already entered the Midlands, judging by the terrain. [hider=Sunrise at the Midlands] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/2b27c7d7-b63e-42ef-8128-f00b0084986d/d52p2bd-ee0b1d49-00ad-4737-a0ab-80255b47c0e2.jpg[/img] [/hider] Caleb reaches into the satchel hanging by the horse's mount. He rolls open the paper and takes a look at the province of Aurelia, placing his gaze around the local area that he was in.[b] "Just a little more until we reach the village of Viris, Tommy boy."[/b] said Caleb, ironically speaking to his horse, Tom. Indeed, after half of an hour or so, Caleb manages to arrive at the welcoming gates of Viris. How to describe Viris? Not big, neither small...for a village that is. Typical houses made of low quality bricks dot the atmosphere of the village. You could see the steam leaving the numerous vents of the buildings, gently rising and dispersing itself into the air. It was a beautiful morning. Caleb provides his name and reason for arriving to the guards at the gate and proceeds to pass inside. Standards of Yllendir could be seen hanging from walls here and there, the stone pathway, with it's shiny small grass around the cobblestone, looked like it was still wet from last night. [b]"Seems it rained here last night."[/b] poured into Caleb's cheerful mind as he was on his way towards the nearest tavern. [hider=Viris village] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/ade1aab9-6c65-4333-b598-bf515280d9cd/dskskq-db91b87e-e0e0-43f6-ab2a-55d8d5f0fb33.jpg[/img] [/hider] Arriving at the tavern, he couldn't help but spot the rounded roofs. "Tavern Lunaria" was inscribed at the top of the door, on a wooden piece hanging lazly from an iron support. He proceeds to steer his horse into the tavern's stables, tie Tom down and then head inside. The tavern wasn't much, but it was tidy and comfortable, especially after an entire night of galloping from the Emerald Coast to the border of the Midlands. The faded lights on the cellar, coupled with the rising smoke from the cigarettes of the clients at the tables, made the atmosphere very interesting indeed. Hanging from one of the wooden bars across the cellar from the entrance towards the bar was the sign "The Grey Shade". Caleb heard this name before, it was a famous cigarette brand. The smell of tobacco didn't stop him from going straight to the bar. For a morning, the atmosphere was pretty busy and cheerful. There wasn't any elf around, only humans and dwarves at best. As he goes through the tables, Caleb hears constant "Cheers!" through and through. [hider=Inside Lunaris Tavern] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/7a2114b9-8215-4579-8232-2de8d52f4405/d9073ya-4bfb7d06-77e3-434b-a398-be8de3366baf.jpg/v1/fill/w_1439,h_555,q_70,strp/shattered_rpg____the_grey_shade__tavern_by_rhysgriffiths_d9073ya-pre.jpg[/img] [/hider] [b]"What could these people cheer about so early in the damn morning?"[/b] muttered Caleb under his nose, making sure nobody hears him. As he reaches the counter of the bar, the barman asks him [b]"What'll be?"[/b] [b]"Sorry...I need the coi-"[/b] but before finishing his sentence, one of the happy fellows next to him at the counter tells the barman [b]"GIVE THE LAD ONE ON ME, JERRY!"[/b] Caleb looks at the guy with a visible confusion. After the barman pours some strange liquid inside a small glass, Caleb grabs it and goes straight to the generous man and asks [b]"Thanks..but, uh, why?"[/b] in a typical surprised teenager voice. [b]"Tell me you didn't hear?! Ayleris be praised, the bloody elves are killing eachother, haha!"[/b] replied the man, happly. [b]"What are you talking about?"[/b] said Caleb, even more curious. [b]Boy, you need to get one of those radios some day. The Emperor is dead, my friend, and his sons have just began fighthing for the throne. They call it 'The War of the Twins', figures. Every human who heard the news is celebrating, my friend.[/b] replied the drunken man, with a neverending smile on his face. Caleb proceeds to slide the hard liquor down his throat, making a weird facial expression. Indeed it was strong. He paid immediately the barman for a room, renting it for a day, and went straight upstairs, carrying his satchel eagerly.Toughts like "So that's what father warned us about before I left...but what role do I play in this? What's written in that scroll?" pierced through his mind, so many questions. He decided to just rest for the rest of the day. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile in the same day, evening in the capital, Aurelia.... The city is mumbling with life. The main boulevard is adorned with black flags, a symbol of mourn for the recently deceased Emperor. Across each corner of the streets, you could definately spot a child shouting "ECRUIR AND OLARTH, READ ALL ABOUT IT TODAY! EMPEROR ASSASINATED! WAR OF THE TWINS! READ ALL ABOUT IT TODAY!". [hider=Crown Boulevard, provincial capital of Aurelis] [img]https://articles-images.sftcdn.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/08/the-order-1886.jpg[/img] [/hider] A well clad dark elf steps out of his carriage and is escorted by the imperial guards into the Imperial Governship Building, a large building, adorned in the standards of Yllendir. This elf was Vulre Pazana, governor of Aurelia. He steps into the great chamber, greeting many as he heads towards the podium. [hider=Governor Vulre Pazana] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/df46e53e-c50a-4145-bd5e-5a5d0a25c57e/dae1lyp-3265375d-3de4-47aa-8671-283a827afe11.png/v1/fill/w_768,h_1040,q_70,strp/kimmuriel_oblodra_by_kaligodark_dae1lyp-pre.jpg[/img] [/hider] Vulre clears his throat and begins his planned speech [b]"Gentlemen, I trust all of you heard the news from the past days. It's true, Yllendir is plunged, as of now, into a civil war. I came here today as Governor of this province in order to discuss, together with you all, the matters at hand. We can remain neutral for so long. We MUST pick a side."[/b] The room was full with barons, counts and other influential elves from all across Aurelia. The chamber was full of whispers and chit chat, obviously the civil war has put everyone on the edge. You could hear them arguing with eachother mindlessly on and on... [b]"It's clear we have to ally with Ecruir. He's still in power in the Crownlands, which means he will surely win the war, he has all the resources at hand. To think otherwise would be political suicide!" "What about the province? You're not in the Crownlands, you're here. Your assets are here, your riches are here, your family is here, back in the Crownlands you are worth nothing! Same goes for all of us!" "Ecruir is the true heir to the emperor! He's been declared so in the capital itself!" "Gentlemen! Think about the stakes here, not only in the Crownlands! Allying with Ecruir's delusions of total purity will ignite the spark of rebellion among the humans and elves? MUST I REMIND YOU THEY ARE THE ONES WORKING THE FIELDS AND MINES OF THIS PROVINCE, NOT TO MENTION THE BULK OF THE POPULATION!? EVERYTHING YOU HAVE HERE COMES FROM THEM, WE HAVE TO KEEP OUR SLAVES OBEDIENT! SUCH A REBELLION AT THIS POINT WILL PROVE DESASTRUOUS FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE EMPIRE!" "SIT DOWN YOU OLD FOOL! YOU'RE SCARED OF SERFS, PEASANTS AND MINERS?" "HAHAHA!" "LET HIM SPEAK!"[/b] It's a hot debate, one of many that will come in the following days, even weeks. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Next day, Viris village, Midlands..... Caleb suddently wakes up after an entire day of well deserved sleep. He reaches for his clothes, prepares himself and proceeds to head downstairs back to the bar area. The bar was empty aside of the barman. He heads outside, unties his horse and hops on, proceeding to head into the city, towards the other gate that leads further North. As he makes his way through the village's center, Caleb could spot a large crowd of people gathered infront of a wooden podium. Three figures were hanging, strangled, with a guard overlooking the crowd, carring a speech "Let this be a reminder to any future dissidence..." Caleb briefly stops with his horse by at the edge of the crowd and asks one woman about the affairs. She proceeds to debrief him on the events leading to the hanging. The three strangled persons were convicted of treason against the Empire because, supposedly, the town's keep found them trying to ignite the local baron's estate as an act of terrorism against the elven administration. Caleb makes his way by the podium and spots the revealed face of the hanged men. Caleb widens his eyes, as he recognises one of them being the man who just yesterday gave him that drink at the bar. It was obvious to him that someone heard too much and reported him to the authorities yesterday. Caleb knew he could not afford to spend more time in Viris, he could became a target soon. He hastly made his way towards the exit of the village. The gate was relatively lightly guarded, with a few guards here and then chatting or overlooking the outside. Before Caleb could reach the gate, a guard on foot approached him with a [b]"Halt! Who are you? Documen-"[/b] Before the guard could finish his sentence, in a moment of panic, Caleb slammed the leather handles of the horse as Tom raised in the air, making the guard plunge backwards. He immediately galloped towards the gate before the other guards could figure out what happened, hearing in the background as he began to distance himself from the village [b]"AFTER HIM!"[/b] Caleb forgot about anything in the world for the moment. He had to run as far away as he could. The local authorities were after him. After tremendous efforts, Caleb only lost his pursuers by heading through the forrest, away from the stone pathway. [hider=Forrest landscape] [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/intermediary/f/d97c2c08-ff29-452f-9720-7b7e084c0ebb/d30jken-8e43f88d-1804-484c-982c-46308127a3f0.jpg[/img] [/hider] As the horse struggled itself to gallope in the harsh terrain, due to exhaustion, Tom broke it's ankle, splitting the skin open and causing the horse to cry out in pain, throwing Caleb aside into the water. His vision blurred by mud, he got up with a loud grunt and switched his gaze towards his satchel, which landed on grass out of luck. He switched his gaze back at his horse as he was laying down in water and mud, heavily breathing out of pain. Blood was like a reddish dust forming inside the water. [b]"Oh, I'm sorry Tommy....this shouldn't have happened...."[/b] said Caleb, leaning down next to his horse, catching his breath. Tom has been the horse of the family for a good six years. His father loved this horse. Caleb knew it was his responsability to end Tom's suffering, and so he reached into his pocket to grab the pistol he found when he first went away from home. He loads six rounds inside the small revolver, pulls the safety off and aims towards Tom's head, proceeding to pull the trigger, ending his companion's suffering. With a tremendous pain in soul, Caleb grabbed his satchel and proceeded to continue by food in the forrest. He knew that he would spend the next couple of days or even the week inside the forrest.