Adan sighed deeply reading the letter delivered to them by a foreigner on a war ship of terrifying size, dwarfing even the largest ones of his people. He made the effort to learn several of the foreign languages in his years and could read fairly well enough. The news that reached him had a sour taste to it, would they submit to foreign rule once more after generations of freedom or risk open war with the empire so close by, it was the hardest most decision he had yet faced, so the Summoning was announced to happen at Lightthrone peak in three days time to discuss the matter.

Three days have passed and the village elders have gathered as summoned around a stone obelisk carved by their forefathers as a standing monument to their won freedom. Each of the elders came accompanied by a retinue of bodyguards merely formally, not really needing them. The most well armed were those from Thunderward village that held the most metals, the poorest were of the village Moonlay who were for the most part pearl divers.

The high elder looked to each of his friends and begun "My friends, my brothers and sisters. We have been given a letter from one of the foreigner kingdoms that demands us to submit to their rule in exchange for "protection" or we will be marked as enemies on their crusade against beastfolk"

As he finished most of the elders were left stunned by the news, new slavery? they could not have that again. However they've come too far to risk their lives.

The elder of Thunderward, Domm spoke up first "This is outrageous!, why would we side with either them or the beastfolk! They have no right to demand this from us!"

The Elder of Sunsparrow hushed the warrior down and spoke "my friends, we must look beyond the immediate. Yes they do demand our servitude, yes they threaten with war but then again so do the beastfolk if they are allowed to grow in strength. I implore you Adan take their offer for the time being, once this war is over we will return to our lives."

For hours there was harsh debating and well made points for and against the offer but in the end Adan demanded silence and said "we will accept the offer, we don't need to make new enemies"

The council was concluded and mixed emotions went home with their elders, Adan had the difficult task of writing the response and sending his eldest son Dorne and a retinue of the best warriors to the mainland to find the king of this hostile kingdom and deliver the message.

So it was that a young man and sixty warriors set off across the sea to foreign lands.