Grand Empress Zeva Story One Reign of the Saint

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One Reign of the Saint
Chapter One: The Fire

Soreel
Marika,
Tarish Imperial Capital of Soreel Empire

Tarish, The Imperial Capital and seat of Empress Zeva Lisset d'Janikar; The Greysword, General of the Wolverines; Blood-Sister to the Clans; Star-Child, bringer of change; Nachish, Holder of the Oasis; Var'I'Ali'aie, Protector of the Currents Deep; Yu'en'ak'yun, First among the Firstborn; Mate of Rotas; Mother to Lucius; and Defender of all Peoples.

52 ST by the current calendar of Soreel. (ST for Seija no Tochi, Seija no Tochi translates to "Reign of the Saint")


The scene opens at dusk at a theatre production in the imperial city, seeing a play, based on a myth of the early prehistorical tale of Nakeel, the Fire Goddess.

Aravis, daughter of Karnea is taking in a play, at the ancient Ishma hillside theatre, just outside the Imperial District. Aravis came with a few acquaintances she has made since coming to live here on Soreel.

Her on-again-off-again relationship with Lucius occurred without acrimony or remorse, and over time she looked back and wondered about her place here. She is treated like a Princess consort in waiting behind the scenes, and outwardly as just a friend and longtime acquaintance. But the cold hard truth is she has begun to feel aimless and unsure if she wants to continue with the current state of her tidal engagement.

She has been coming to this decision for an age, His dedication to the shadow world of espionage has left gulfs of time that have left her unfulfilled. Her breakfasts with the Empress are painful reminders every morning. The extended period of neglect has left her wondering what she is still doing here. It has not been something she has felt she could speak with Zeva about, even with the friends she made, Aravis still feels alone. True she has tried to make the most of things and that has worked for a time, but it has become years. A decade later, nothing has changed.

Until a couple of days ago, life had been predictably the same. But now something was different. A darkness she could not define. It is not ever-present, and it is not hounding her per se. But there is also the case that on a couple of occasions, she has felt like she is being followed in public, though she has no visual confirmation of anything.

Aravis is always followed by a security detail by pretorian guards, so she is used to that, so, this was something else shadowing her footsteps. She is in a quandary if she tells her guards about these feelings, which she might normally do, but she has become apathetic with boredom, and with all its sameness she has become willing to take more risks of late. It has been years since she has left the planet, but even that has just lost its charm.

She needs something different. The play progresses into its climactic climax, she stands and joins the others in clapping for a fantastic performance. The fire dancing was a highlight.

The friends make their way on the cobblestone streets under the lamplights to a local café for espresso and enjoy musing takes on what they just saw. After thirty minutes, the friends separate, and Aravis heads back to her apartments, shadowed discreetly by the Praetorian detail. She walks with her head high, full of assurance learned from her lineage as the daughter of one of the most powerful wizards in the known Planes, as well as the betrothed of the heir to the Soreelian Empire.

Appearing to be in her early 20s, she is stylishly dressed in the fashion of the local youth of the aristocratic class, wearing a flowing, translucent silken brilliant emerald, green dress with gilded seams and jeweled details, over a sheer slip that clings to her body underneath the dress. At 5’6”, she is taller than her mother but still slightly shorter than the average human female. Her figure is fuller than her mother’s as well, with a graceful curve at the hips that has attracted the eye of more than one would-be paramour.

She wears her strawberry-blonde hair parted in the middle, with two long braids down her back ending at the shoulder blades. Her striking blue eyes and her pale complexion are both features inherited from her mother, with a scattering of freckles on her cheeks that are more prominent in the summertime.

Long delicate fingers are adorned by several rings: a magical ring of protection in the form of a simple golden band given to her by her mother, a large black diamond in a platinum setting given to her by Lucius, and a small silver ring with a flat circle of obsidian, representing her connection to Nuitari. Her nails are painted in the fashion of the ladies of the court, Aravis’ being a deep, glossy black. Her lips are similarly painted black, with the waxy pigments favored by the aristocratic class of Marika. A simple silver chain necklace hangs from her neck, with a large obsidian circle set in a platinum pendant suspended at the top of the plunging neckline of her dress.

Tied at her belt are a few pouches of spell components and an ornate dagger, but she otherwise carries no weapons or obvious magical items.

Aravis crosses the wide avenue and walks past government buildings and the giant Ferris wheel, a leftover remnant of last year's World’s Fair. She walks to the Gate of the compound to enter the Imperial Campus. She is cleared with no muss to go through, and she walks to her entrance and up the back steps. She nearly trips and almost dies avoiding stepping on the mouser cat. She catches her breath and curses the cat long after it has scattered off.

She walks into her expansive apartment. She knows it so well that she makes it to the kitchenette, before lighting her candles.

She turns and takes in how huge the sitting room is. Aravis walks through her private apartment, taking off some of her different magical items to place in special boxes. To specific keepsake boxes, gifts from her mother and father, and some she made herself. She walks past her collection of lifelike dolls into her bedroom.

A shrine to Nuitari, the God of Dark Magic., Lunitari and Solinari are represented as well, informing us the occupant is a child of Krynn, or at least one who has some ties there.

After she divests herself of all but her small clothes and slips into a silk robe that she pulls around her as she begins her bath water and prepares to soak some of her troubles away. She lights a wooden lighting stick and sets about lighting more candles, a soft warm glow fills the domicile in a pleasant astrosphere.

She ignites a few more aromatic candles then moves the skull over and places candles on the fireplace mantle and lights them. Shadows flicker on the walls and set the ceiling dancing with light.

Aravis walks past the full-body mirror to find her hairbrush. What will she do tomorrow? She could go for a short cruise out to the Islands and get some swimming in before the season changes. Monsoon season will be upon us before we know it.

She continues brushing her hair on the way past the dolls to check on the bath water. She decides that is enough and walks to the hallway mirror to finish brushing her hair.

Something is not right, Aravis stops brushing, for a moment when she realizes something strange about her reflection, her reflection stopped brushing her hair before Aravis did. The reflected Aravis takes on a haggard and deathly paled visage of Aravis, they lock eyes and the reflection smiles a scary smile of intent.

Aravis takes two steps backward into the wall and screams.

But the reflected evil-looking Aravis reaches through the mirror and grabs Aravis about the neck, Aravis looks, but she does not see the arm, but the hand is choking her out. She can see the creature in the reflection of the mirror, but not in our plane.

The door to her apartment bursts open and pretorian guards enter to see Aravis looking like she is being lifted and choked against the wall, but they see nothing being the cause of the attack.

The Pretorians attack, giving Aravis the ability to get away from the outsider creature. She grabs her belt from the rack and pulls forth her magic dagger. She cannot see her attacker, except through reflective surfaces, for which there are a few in the apartment. The dolls bear silent witness to the assassination attempt. Aravis runs through the options available to her. She is attacked, and a strike gets through and drains away levels, rending to her soul. Fetch are known as harbingers of death. Existing on the fringes of the Abyss, these creatures can only reach into the Prime Material plane through reflective surfaces, their goal is to take Aravis to the edge of life and drag her through the Mirror he will enter the material plane and turn her into a minion like him.

Aravis must end this quickly or she is done for, her list of options begins to dwindle. Trueseeing requires too much preparation time, and she begins to see only one option, The Pretorians are ineffective in this situation, she considers the risks to herself and the room, and with one last look around, she casts Firestorm on the creature in front of her.

The resulting Firestorm in the royal apartments is tremendous and devastating. The spell was centered on the creature in front of Aravis. Her Demigod status brings her through mostly unscathed, but the beast is still moving. It is picking itself up off the floor, the flames are dying out on the surface of its black body. It looks up at Aravis and she sees her visage hideously twisted face break into a terrifying grin as it comes again at Aravis.

Aravis casts Magic Missile and the missiles finally end the creature as it dissipates into nothingness. The apartment is engulfed in destructive flames as Aravis is grabbed by burnt and smoking Pretorian Guards and pulled from the burning building while the Tower Wizards arrive and begin putting out the fires.

A blanket is wrapped around Aravis as she is lowered to the ground in shock. Watching the fires blaze over the apartments she has known as home for decades burns. The wizards produce great spouts of water that fall on the flames. Soon just grey smoke rises from what was once her home.




It is just after Midnight when the empress is awakened by a distant noise. Is that muffled bells she hears in the distance? It has been a long time since the Empress has been woken up by any trouble in her realm. She lies there for a few moments, unable to hear anything more. Just as she has decided to try to get back to sleep, the door to her chambers is opened and she hears her Pretorians settle back at attention and footsteps approaching of what could only be her Seneschal.


“Well, what is it?” Zeva asks


Her Seneschal replies "I’m sorry to intrude my Empress, but the Imperial Apartments are on fire"


Zeva rolls over slowly opens her eyes and sees that it is immediately brighter in her bedroom than usual. It is then that she sees the blaze in the back apartments, that are connected to the Palace by hallways and palisades.


The Chamberlin turns around respectively as Zeva moves into her dressing room and out of view. Her Handmaidens appear and move to her and assist her in getting dressed. Zeva tells the Seneschal to bring her up to speed. Zeva slides breaches on while her ladies in waiting to help Zeva pour herself out of her nightgown and assist her into a tunic. Her ladies help her stockings and boots while her other handmaids bring her fur-lined cloak


“It is said Lady Aravis departed the royal apartments after six this evening, where she met with acquaintances of hers and they went to eat where they attended a social gathering before attending a performance on the Ishma hillside theatre before stopping at a café and her and her friends parted way and she returned to the royal apartments a short while ago. It is reported by her Pretorian detail that her scream was heard and investigated wherein the guards report an invisible assassin assaulting Lady Aravis. The altercation moved around the apartment wherein Lady Aravis continued to be attacked by this unknown creature. It is believed by the detail that it is then Lady Aravis tried to destroy the creature with fire.”


A growing panic builds inside Zeva, “Is Aravis, okay? Where is she?”


“Our pretorians pulled her from the burning apartment. The creature is reported dead, Lady Aravis is on the campus at the current moment. We think she is in shock. She is being treated by the clerics. The fire is being put out by the Tower Mages. We don’t currently believe there is a danger to the Palace, but I wanted to make you aware of the situation.”


“You did the right thing,” Zeva tells her Seneschal as she straps her sword to her side, and they depart her chambers while a pretorian detail falls into step behind her. The Empress’s main mission right now is to find Karnea’s daughter and put her somewhere safe.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva Reign of the Saint
Story One: The Great Peace
Chapter Two: Countdown

Soreel
Marilka
The Imperial Campus at Tarish


52 ST


Crowds start to gather in places that give the best view of the fire, an event not seen in living memory. Speculation abounds.

Aravis is indeed in a sort of shock. The thing rent her soul. She can still feel the strike even after she has been healed by the Palace clergy. She knows this will spread across the empire; the Great Peace is shattered, all because of me.

Aravis sees a Inspector arrive and groans inwardly, its Inspector Dantivo, the very last person she wants to talk to tonight. It appears he is interviewing the pretorians that were inside the apartments.

I would love to hear those interviews. No doubt Lucius will hear them. An Invisible creature was attacking her and only she could see it in reflections. Very convenient that, Aravis laments, how am I ever going to be able to explain this was a nightmare?

He will probably come… I feel like this might bring him out.

She looks around and sees the Inspector coming closer to her, eyeing her every few minutes. Her anxiety starts to manifest, and she starts taking deep breaths to calm herself.


Grand Empress Zeva walks out of the palace and onto the campus, along with her entourage of handmaidens, guards and advisors struggling to keep up.

Zeva can see the crowds building up as well and can only guess what the press will publish in the morning, she sends a messenger to Army Command and tells General Yanna to deploy the city garrison and let’s get these crowds under control, and send word to my son that he should get down here to the campus, right now, if he wants to have a hope in salvaging things with his relationship.

She does not know if either one knows what they want, only they were very much in love at one time, and then the engagement has gone on now for years.

But now, it's only a matter of time before Karnea arrives, the countdown is already on. Zeva sees Aravis huddled under the blanket, watching the blaze being put out.


Aravis sees The Empress, and in the nick of time, just as Inspector Dantivo arrives to question Aravis. He bows before the Grand Emperess and says


“I was just about to question Lady Aravis, your Highness, may I continue?”


Zeva looks at Aravis and tells him he can come to the Palace and Lady Aravis will be happy to answer you questions then, let's give her some time to recover, give us three days, come at noon.


Dantivo opens his mouth to say what he really thinks about that idea but can only bow to the Grand Empress’s wishes and watches as the Empress offers her hand to help Aravis up.


Zeva looks her up and down and asks Aravis if she is, okay.


“Yes, … I’m sorry- “


Zeva puts up her hands and says “Don’t say it, it’s alright. I’m just glad you are okay. Have you ever seen or heard of such a creature before?”


Aravis exhales, shaking her head. “I’ve never encountered such a beast; I don’t know anyone that has. It was insanity, I could only see it in a reflection, no one else could, just me. I don’t know if that means it picked me or I was targeted.”


Aravis sees Zeva looking around nonchalantly, it makes her wonder if she is looking for the same person she is.


Aravis can see her guards are insisting they get Zeva out of the open and the Empress turns them away. She is stalling for time Aravis realizes.


Some time passes and the fire is out. The Military has been turned out to take over the campus and herd the crowds away.

Now Zeva knows her orders have been heard, but now she wonders about her son.



Aravis !!! yells a voice from across the campus.



A range of emotions play out over Aravis’s face, though she can be very stoic, this outreach touches her. For now, wondering if it is too little or too late is immaterial at the moment. Aravis looks down and is gladdened to hear his voice. She moves with small steps, that move a little faster until Aravis is embracing the person, she has long desired, but could never grasp. A Ghost of the Underworld


Their collision reignites their close bond, allowing her to forget, for the night anyway, the inner hell she has been going through.


Well, Zeva feels her work is done here, she chances a word with them and tells them to come into the Palace and she will order up some Hot Sakhar.

Though it only dims the spell they came under, both of them see the sense of Zeva’s suggestion and walk back to the Palace, hand in hand.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva:
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Three: The Return of Karnea

Soreel
Marika
Imperial Palace at Tarish

52 ST by the current calendar of Soreel. (ST for Seija no Tochi, Seija no Tochi translates to "Reign of the Saint")

It is nearing Midwatch, Three days after the attack. Aravis was unable to rise from bed, feeling drained from her experience. Her muscles are tense from the fight for her life.

Aravis sits across the table from the Empress, nursing a glass of white wine from Arimal and pretending to nibble on the chilled fruits on the platinum platter between them. Lucius has already returned to his offices after some quiet but tense words with his mother. The Inspector is due to arrive momentarily, and Aravis is still trying to think of a way to describe the other night’s attack in a manner that makes her sound…less insane. A magical creature that only she can see, coming out of a mirror, one guard killed and two more wounded, and an entire wing of the Imperial Apartments burned down over it.

As if right on cue, the Inspector arrives with the chiming of the bell tower and is announced into Her Majesty’s presence. Zeva insisted on being present for the questioning, and Aravis was not going to argue with the Greysword. The servants silently clear the platter and wine glasses and replace them with Kava and a tray of light pastries. The inspector pays his homage to his Empress, while steadily looking at Aravis.

He’s already decided, Aravis thinks. He’s just here to place the blame.

“Lady Aravis,” the inspector sneers. “I am Inspector Dantivo with the Imperial Investigation Directorate. Thank you for your participation in this inquiry. I’m sure that with your help, we can clear this matter up and find out what really happened.” He reaches into his satchel and withdraws a sheaf of papers, thumbing through them. “I have the statements from your guard detail, those who survived, that is to say, and I’m a little unclear as to what exactly it is that you think was attacking you.”

“With all due respect, Inspector…” Aravis begins.

A commotion from outside the room cuts her off. Raised voices of the guards in the corridor, and suddenly the door is thrust open. The visibly agitated form of the Empress’ Seneschal enters the room, bowing deeply. “Begging your pardon, my Majesty, but a visitor is without, insisting that she be admitted.” Glancing back at the doorway, he straightens to his full height and clears his throat as the diminutive figure crosses the threshold. “Your Majesty, the Lady Karnea Dragonbane of Daisen Parrish, and of Krynn.”

The inspector gapes as Karnea enters the room, and belatedly remembers to rise to his feet, as is proper when a noblewoman enters the room. Zeva, of course, remains seated, a wry grin on her face. “My old friend, welcome,” Zeva says, gesturing towards the table. “We would be pleased to have you join us.”

Karnea stops and pulls back her hood. Effecting a small bow of deference, she raises an eyebrow at the Inspector. “Forgive my unscheduled appearance before you, Your Majesty. I hope that I am not interrupting anything…significant?”

“Nothing that cannot be dealt with.” Turning to look at Dantivo, Zeva says “Inspector, I’m sure that given the circumstances, a written statement from Lady Aravis will be sufficient, will it not? Unless, of course, you are planning on charging the heir of a noble house of Unari with a crime…”

“I, uh, Your Majesty, that is to say, the fire, the damages, very expensive and err, suspicious…” Dantivo stammers, flushing under his high collar.

“So you intend to charge the intended partner of the Heir Apparent with arson, Inspector?” Zeva asks, her voice dripping with curiosity.

Looking at each of the people in the room, Dantivo takes a deep breath. “No, Your Majesty. You are, of course, correct. A written statement will be more than sufficient to conclude this investigation.”

“Very well, Inspector. Lady Aravis will submit a statement to you as soon as she is able.” Glancing at the door, she inclines her head ever so slightly. “You have leave to go now.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” the Inspector bows deeply before being ushered from the room by the Chamberlain. Watching the door close behind the Inspector, Zeva sighs. “You always did know how to make an entrance,” she says to Karnea.

Karnea simply shrugs as she walks over to the table and looks Aravis up and down. “You look pale,” she tells her daughter, taking her chin in hand and turning her head back and forth. “What manner of creature attacked you?”

Pulling her head back from her mother’s grip, Aravis smooths her gown.

Zeva stands, clearing her throat slightly. “I’ll give the two of you the room, to catch up,” she says, walking towards the door. “You are both welcome to stay in the palace. Emil will see to your accommodations.” Zeva leaves the room and closes the door behind her.

Aravis stands, taking a few steps to gain some distance from her mother. She looks her mother over. “I’m fine, Mother. Just tired, and drained. It came through the mirror…it looked like me, but different, changed.”

Karnea frowns. “It is less important what the creature was, than where it came from and who sent it. Rest assured that will be determined.” She absently picks up one of the mugs of kava and sips at it. “The important thing is that you are ok.”

“Yes, well, now that you’ve come all this way to find that out, I’m sure that you’ll be going,” Aravis scoffs, turning away from Karnea. “I’m sure that you have more important things to concern yourself with.”

“Yes, Aravis, I have come a very long way indeed to see to your well-being. I would have been here even faster but for the meeting of the Conclave. I’m sure the other two Heads of the Orders would have understood my leaving, but it certainly would have been used against me by my colleagues in the Black Robes.”

“The other two heads?” Aravis turns to face her mother. “So you lead the Black Robes now?” She is genuinely interested now.

“Yes. Our faith and diligence over these many years has finally come to fruition. I am now your Father’s chosen representative to the Conclave. And we are in agreement, your Father and I. It is time for you to come home. Too long have you lingered in this place, hoping for something that will never be.”

“Lucius and I are to be married, Mother!” Aravis seethes through her teeth. “I cannot abandon my commitment here.”

“My dearest, if that addled man-child were going to marry you, he would have done so a decade ago. I know that you love him, and maybe he also loves you. Or at least, the idea of you. But it is hard when two people love each other, but cannot agree on how that should work.” Karnea looks out the window, perhaps staring at a place far from where she currently stands. Turning back to her daughter, her face hardens again. “And where is your dashing Prince now, child? Did he even come to you?” Karnea sets the cup down forcefully, cracking the delicate handle.

“Come home, Aravis. Stand beneath the moons that are your birthright. Feel the true magic burn inside you once again.”

Aravis throws her hands in the air. “And what then, Mother?! Be your pawn, your…, your…Khas piece?”

“Yes, damn you!” Karnea yells. “Krynn needs you. Your Father needs you.” Her voice drops to almost a whisper. “I need you.”

Aravis pales, eyes wide. She can only think of a handful of times that her mother has raised her voice, and never to her. “I need some time, Mother.”

“One week. Things are happening that I cannot delay further. You will decide and tell me within the week. Send word to the estate at Diasen. I never could stomach staying in this palace.” Karnea turns away from Aravis and in the next eyeblink, disappears.


Six days later…

Aravis hands the sealed scrollcase to the young page outside her chamber door and shoulders the pack containing the few things that were able to be salvaged from the fire. A few clothes, an amulet, and three dolls; one representing her Father, one her mother, and the third in her hands, is her... She looks at it a long time, then sets it on the table next to the door. Hopefully, he will find it here, and remember her.

“Are you ready?” comes her mother’s voice from behind her.

“Yes, mother. Let’s go home."


The Story of Lady Aravis and her mother Master Karnea of Krynn continues

While the Story of the Heir of the Empire: Prince Lucius d'Janikar Continues

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Three: It Begins

Soreel
Marilka
The Imperial Campus in Tarish

In the days after the Prince’s departure, life had settled into a new routine as you only saw Catspaw when something was important, otherwise Ajax would brief her. It was sad seeing all of her companions age and die left and right around her. Zeke hurts the most. Her right hand. Seneschal Baron Mormont is effectively her new hand. He is a veteran of many of the great last battles of the Conquest. He was a junior officer in those days but moved up in position under the careful study of his leaders and soon became as senior officer in their own right. One of the few that are still active in the government. He has been loyal through and through, having served as your Minister of Defense, Minister of Finance, and Chief Imperial Ambassador in his post active-duty service. He proved his mettle in each position and was a natural Seneschal after Zeck passed away.

So, it is distressing when she sees Seneschal Baron Mormont coming in with Catspaw the Elder behind him when she is enjoying breakfast with her handmaidens who get up from the table and stand against the wall.

“Gentlemen, what do you have for me today?”

Catspaw The Elder answers “Two scout spelljammers were on deep patrol like normal out around the Gas Giants Tisha and Nuva, and they have failed to report in. They are over late and were due back six days ago.

Baron Mormont informs Zeva that “Grand Admiral Volstag is outside, along with the Governor General of the Wolverines Hjortarian, General Roe is accompanying him.”

“Tell them to come in.” Zeva signals to her chief Handmaiden to get refreshments for everyone, and to bring out some kaff for the guests.

The hulking Grand Admiral Volstag, The veteran Krynnish Blood Sea Minotaur and the Master of Ships and Spelljammer fleets for the Empire come in and sits on a stable-looking chair, and Zeva assures him the chairs are all reinforced with magic. Governor General Hjortarian and General Roe (Military Intelligence, mostly based in the Arun Desert at the Special Warfare and Intelligence Center at the White Oasis).

Hjortarian is a shapeshifted Dwarf, but the secret to all he is a Steel Dragon. The Grand Empress is the only one alive who is aware of his true nature.

The briefing continues as the handmaidens bring kaff and some food to everyone around the room.

“Zeva summarizes, So, two scout ships are overdue, by a lot. They haven’t defected and absconded with my ships now have they?

Grand Admiral of the Navy Volstag answers vehemently “No mum. They were solid, all down the line. Relatively new, but they have long many hours and trips for a long time before now.”

Zeva savors her mug of perfectly black kaff and says “So, something has got them? They have not been found yet, we have people looking right?"

The Grand Admiral answers "We have people looking, I have ships doubled up and looking, but so far no joy."


Zeva looks over to General Roe and asks her “why are you here this morning?”


“We have had a whole network come down in the southern Cities across the southern Desert region. We think it was Black Hand Agents. Its true we have been getting aggressive of late, but we have been trying to find out what is going on in the Deep Desert. But effectively the White Oasis Special Warfare and Intelligence Center’s southern flank is wide open.”

Zeva looks around the room and asks “We don’t think this is in any way connected right and this just a compounded situation that is unrelated, but is just about just as bad ?"

Catspaw the Elder answers and says “We don’t think it is in any way connected, the Black Hand is a effective secret police force tied to the Litch, our two groups have long traded on tolerating each other ever since we moved in twenty-first year of your reign. We moved further south then usual recently and had been picking up good information about the Litch-King and his lands, we know next to nothering about it, we have had some overflights, but nothing to cause any trouble in the past. The standing orders has been to leave them alone, but I’m afraid we may have upset the applecart.”

Zeva holds her eyes on Catspaw the Elder and questions who put this forward into operation…

Catspaw leaves the question in the air for a few moments.

Zeva looks at him and does not want him to answer what she already knows.

He wants to spare her, but he feels the question has been in the air long enough. “The Prince felt it was an avenue we should investigate, several months ago.”

“And these are the fruits of that venture. Okay, Governor General of the Wolverines Hjortarian what are you going to do about it?

The Dwarf perks up and answers "the 3rd Army Group is closest. I’m going to send a corps-sized deployment covered as an exercise. It is appropriate for Arun.... It's a lot of troops, but manageable. That should deter any untoward Undead adventures from the south so long as I have anything to say about it."

“Cut them loose General.” Zeva tells him.

Hjortarian turns to Roe and tells her to prepare the paperwork for him to sign. Roe departs

“Don’t go just yet General Hjortarian, I want a strong contingent supporting Spelljammer Navy."

He thinks it over, "I think a division would be an appropriate tasking. I'll look at the org chart." A Chart is handed to the General by Roe. He goes on to say "I'm also considering that the Imperial Navy might benefit from having some Marines going forward, per my military advice for the day. The 4th Light Infantry Division from II Corps, That'll be about 30,000 troops, with a full regiment of archers.


"Excellent General, Admiral, I want you to send the 5th Fleet out there and see what is going on with those Gas Giants, you heard the General, 30,000 troops, with a full regiment of archers."

General Hjortarian nods and tells Roe to wait for him, and Grand Admiral of the Navy Volstag follows as well.


Zeva exhales and looks at who’s left at the table. She then calls to have her Handmaidens bring more kaff. It's going to be one of those days.


A page comes in and walks to Baron Mormont and whispers in his ear. She watches his reaction. It doesn’t comfort her. He sends the boy away, then he looks to Zeva, and says “It’s the Oracle of Tarish, she come to the palace to see you.”

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Four: The Oracle of Tarish

The Oracles of Marika and Soreel are an order that goes way, way back. They are born a couple every generation and are taken to the order temple in the great forest and taught to control their powers lest it drive them mad. They imbibe a sacred hallucinogenic nectar that allows them to bring the visions into better focus. There have been some generations that have been skipped over time, making the order members very sacred. In the ST times of Zeva, each Oracle was allowed to preside over a different region serving with some anatomy from the influence of the Grand Empress as opposed to the IA period (Pre Zeva) when Each Queen had their own Oracle bent to their will. The order stretches back into the ancient ED period but teetered on collapse through the dark ages.
Known living Oracles of Marika and Soreel

The Oracle of Tarish lives in her own Tower in the Capital, east of the imperial palace campus.

An Oracle of Northern Marika

The Oracle of Western Marika

The Oracle Temple is in a secluded area in the Great Forest.

An Oracle lives in Arun

A Rogue Oracle is known to live in the Free Isles


Soreel
Marilka
The Imperial Campus in Tarish

The Grand Empress does not make the Oracle of Tarish wait and allows her to enter her east wing chambers which are lit by the morning light from great windowpanes in this sunroom. The food is taken away and Catspaw leaves the room, only to enter a secret chamber that allows for clear surveillance. A Handmaiden brings the Oracle her usual hot tea and the Handmaidens all depart from the area and Seneschal Baron Mormont steps outside the doors then promptly closes them and waits to be called again.

The Oracle of Tarish is very young, in her mid-twenties, and has red hair tucked beneath her habit (Something Catspaw assures Zeva is the case) striking blue eyes, and is only the second oracle to come to Tarish in Zeva’s reign. She arrived six years ago after Sister Mayla passed from old age. This one is Amelia. She is wrapped in Robes, as is their way.

“To what brings you from your Tower so early great one?” Zeva asks respectfully

The Oracle doesn’t return Zeva’s weak smile. “I fear a great many are going to die with your name on their lips.”

“Well that’s awful, tell me more this, where is this?” Zeva can almost guess what the answer is, but she isn’t going to try to preempt the Oracle of Tarish.

“Behind the great Gas Giants, I have seen death waiting there, they live on the moons of the Great Giants.”

“Who exactly lives on the moons of the Great Giants?” Zeva asks with great interest.

Sister Amelia answers “Their ships look like wolfen faces with great snarling teeth. They are a race I have never seen; they are viscous and vile and will take great delight in killing our sons and daughters. There are a great many of them, my Empress. You must warn them.”

“I will” Zeva assures her, she then turns Amiela’s attention to Arun. Can you see the Black Litch there? Can you see his riders, can you see what he has planned?”

Sister Amelia sits there for a moment and looks back to Zeva and admits she has nothing.

Empress Zeva tells her “Go back to your tower and have a think on it, realize it’s very important, and keep your eye out for anything further untoward going on at the Gas Giants. Zeva calls in Baron Mormont to have the Oracle escorted back to her Tower. Once Mormont returns, She tells him to call the Governor General of the Wolverines Hjortarian and Grand Admiral of the Navy Volstag back in to see her.

She spends the next fell minutes describing what the Oracle told the Empress. She bids them both to warn the troops that they expect imminent contact. She tells them to just conduct recons before moving any large-scale forces in.

Volstag is quick to identify their enemies. “Scro, a brutal scourge of the spaceways. Our scouts are captured, probably dead already.

Zeva asks Volstag for some clarification

The Minotaur Grand Admiral replies “They are not from my Homeworld, but I have heard from others of the Spelljammers speak of these creatures on spaceways and in ports we have visited. They are a militaristic and advanced breed of orc. They do not have the weakness of sunlight. It is said that the Scro love combat. That it is foundational to their disciplined society and uses methods of battle that is simply raw bloodthirstiness. The description of their Wolf ships is the most telling feature of the Oracle’s vision.

Zeva tells Seneschal Mormont "To call on the Giff Ambassador and bring him to my throne room in the next hour." She then turns to the minotaur Admiral

“We need to approach this smart Admiral, and not walk into any disasters.” The Empress commands.

The Grand Admiral and Master of Ships nods and departs the room to send messages to his commanders with the dire warning from the Oracle of Tarish.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Five: Orders

Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire

There are three throne rooms within the great residence. There is the grand throne of the Imperial Court, beyond that is the solemn throne. The last one is an antechamber for private discussions with accredited Ambassadors of the Realm

Grand Empress Zeva sits upon her throne within the antechamber. The room itself is modest and does not pull attention away from the grand Empress herself.

Chamberlin Baron Mormont announces the arrival of the Giff Ambassador Salazar Stien. The Giff are a large upright Hippopotamus-like warrior race whose homeworld was so overcrowded, that they had to move to the stars and create new societies for themselves across the stars.Though they are war-like, they are incredibly refined, polite, and intelligent.

Niceties and diplomatic exchanges are made. Zeva is by now a very practiced hand at this. She asks him about what he might know about the Scro.

Ambassador Stien’s reaction is one of total disdain. He detests the lot of them. He inquires why she asking about the Scro.

She discloses the possible presence of Scro out by their Gas Giants, not sure how large yet, but it may be significant.

Zeva gauges his reaction to see if he would be interested in the coming hostilities.

The Giff Ambassador asks if there is anything the Giff Houses can do with this potential War.

Empress Zeva pushes in with an offer of enlistment of the Giff Mercenary Houses in a coming campaign.

Over the next hour, they hammer out an agreement with Letters of Marque for the Giff Houses that come along.


Location Command Center for the 3rd Army Group of V Core
Commanding General Hillard

The aged General reads the orders from the Governor General of the Wolverines. General Hjortarian orders the deployment of 3rd Army Group V Core stand at alert following orders for deployment: Following team leaders report to the CO for Mission deployment orders. Bring unit status reports and present them on arrival. Be advised to put the full core on alert for possible future deployment on potentially of two developing theaters of conflict.

3rd Army Group
V Corps
1st Cavalry Division
1st Light Cavalry Regiment
111th Light Cavalry Brigade
112th Elven Cavalry Brigade
113th Light Cavalry Brigade
114th Elven Mounted Archery Brigade
2nd Medium Cavalry Regiment
121st Medium Cavalry Brigade
122nd Medium Cavalry Brigade
123rd Elven Cavalry Brigade (Airborne)
124th Mounted Crossbow Brigade
3rd Heavy Cavalry Regiment
131st Elephant Cavalry Brigade
132nd Dwarven Warpony Brigade
133rd Heavy Cavalry Brigade
134th Heavy Cavalry Brigade
2nd Light Infantry Division
4th Ranger Regiment
241st Elven Ranger Brigade (Airborne)
242nd Ranger Brigade
243rd Ranger Brigade
244th Elven Ranger Brigade
5th Light Infantry Regiment
251st Light Infantry Brigade
252nd Archery Brigade
253rd Elven Infantry Brigade
254th Light Infantry Brigade
6th Mobile Infantry Regiment
261st Mobile Infantry Brigade
262nd Mounted Archery Brigade
263rd Elven Infantry (Airmobile)
264th Mobile Infantry Brigade
3rd Infantry Division
7th Dwarven Infantry Regiment
371st Dwarven Infantry Brigade
372nd Dwarven Crossbow Brigade
373rd Dwarven Infantry Brigade
374th Dwarven Artillery Brigade
8th Infantry Regiment
381st Infantry Brigade
382nd Infantry Brigade
383rd Archery Brigade
384th Artillery Brigade
9th Support Regiment
391st Medical Brigade
392nd Quartermaster Brigade
393rd Transportation Brigade
394th Supply Brigade


The orders go out and soon the Team Leaders arrive and report to Command General Hillard. When everyone is accounted for. (It took much too long to track everyone down Hillard self-criticizes himself)
He addresses the team leaders:

Your orders: Travel to Arun and establish a perimeter around the white Oasis Special Warfare and Intelligence Center located within travel distance to the port city, Note: the port is your only way out of Arun. Orders are to not provoke the Litch of the southern desert, but also deter him from any movement north. Run this operation under the cover of conducting drills as a part of an exercise. Alert, Intelligence Officers should get in contact with the local ambassador and hand them the diplomatic papers included in the orders packet. It is paramount not to upset the natives in any way and prepare for possible anti-outsider sentiment to build, should the deployment last and how obtrusive they are. Airborne should not fly over the Black Fortress, only cover the perimeter. Evacuate the intelligence base and destroy sensitive information if you are in danger of being overrun, send daily reports.

General Hillard prepares his men and women for War.


The units get on the ships and begin sailing to Arun for the three-week trek.





II Corps Commanding General Black receives orders from the office of Governor-General of the Wolverines Hjortarian

The commander breaks the Governor General’s seal and his nervous hands read his orders.

Put on alert II Corp 4LID for imminent deployment to the gas giants with the Fifth Fleet. expect heavy ship-to-ship, ship boarding, and hand-to-hand fighting against possible Scro/an advanced spacefaring orc or some other deadly foe.


Team Leaders should report to the CO immediately with team status reports in hand.

Fleet Admiral Volstag is sending the fifth fleet to your location for pickup.

II Corps
4LID The 4th Light Infantry Division

1st Light Infantry Regiment
411th Ranger Brigade
412th Ranger Brigade
413th Infantry Brigade
414th Infantry Brigade
2nd Light Infantry Regiment
421st Infantry Brigade
422nd Infantry Brigade
423rd Infantry Brigade
424th Infantry Brigade
3rd Light Archery Regiment
431st Light Archers
432nd Light Archers
433rd Light Archers
434th Mounted Archers





Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire

Empress Zeva is meeting with Her Chief Wizard Mierra Soong from the Wizard’s College. She brings word the threat of Doppelgangers has returned. Several were found in various cities. She has been checking, and none has been found in the capital as yet, but she bids the Grand Empress to take precautions with her closest staff, she offers to help teach them the signs to look for.

Zeva takes the matter deadly seriously. Soreel has always had an ever-present problem with Doppelgangers throughout the histories, even back into the ancient Empires.

They move on to discuss the coming conflicts and potential Conflicts. Imperial Wizards already serve aboard the Naval Fleets. As for the Arun Excursion, we have wizards headed to the docks to meet up with the Wolverines headed to Arun. The Black Litch is a deadly foe, this will be a precarious mission

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Six: Contact with the Enemy

Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire



The Next Day,

The Grand Empress is meeting with her Chief Surveyor in the throne room.

The Surveyor is doubling down on his reporting that there was nothing of any interest anywhere at the Gas Giants. “66% of the moons are uninhabitable, and only 16% of them could sustain any life. It was like that three years ago, and four years before that, and so on, since your first expedition to Marook and the Surveyor Guild took the lead on exploring the known and unknown of our sphere.

“Then the Scro must have just slipped through the cracks.” The Grand Empress says. “Lucky us. Put any surveying on hold until to hear from the capital again for the foreseeable future.”


The Grand Empress dismisses the Surveyor and calls Seneschal Mormont over before her next meeting.

“The next one is the agent from Psion school, correct?”

“Yes, Lady Serena, she has been at the school for over fifteen years.” Her Seneschal answers.

Zeva looks directly at him and says “I want you to stay in here with me, you should hear this as well.

“The Lady Serena of the Mentalist School” The herald announces

About medium height, thin build. She is cloaked and bows before the Grand Emperor.

Zeva begins “I’m told by my Chief Mage that doppelgangers were found in outlaying towns and cities. There is no telling how many might already be in the capital already. I’m going to need some help with that. Its been done before. They will have to be stopped. I’ll need some trusted agents here at the palace to scan everybody and everybody that comes in. I will also need some agents to serve with some black cloaks and see if there are any in the Capital. The Countryside will have to be swept. I realize the magnitude of the task I am asking of you, but if they succeed, it falls all apart.”

Serena responds “We will bring you enough trained dogs to defend the palace complex as well as to patrol the Capital. We will provide agents and handlers to handle the dogs. Lady Serna explains that these dogs are vital to identifying the doppelgangers. They will be your front line of defense. They are of great use to the Mentalist school and are proven allies against the doppelganger threat.

Zeva tells her Chamberlin “Gates and fencing with have to be errected around the complex, along with pens for all these dogs. Call the ministers in for a cabinet meeting. things are getting interesting, and I am going to have to address the public and let them know what going on.”

Grand Empress Zeva thanks Lady Serena for coming.

Serena tells her she will be back with the dogs within the week, and she bows and departs. Mormont starts to leave as well, but Zeva asks him to stay a moment more. “Bring the captain of the grey cloaks (The City Guard) into my sitting room at his earliest convenience. Ira will need to know what is coming to town.”

Zeva leaves the Throne and leaves the Throne Room through a secret passage leading to her sitting room where her Handmaidens are present. Zeva sits back on the divan and unwinds as she is brought a wine goblet.

They let her relax and hold their questions until Zeva informs them of what they need to know.



Soreel Space
Gas Giants Nuva and Tisha

The Doubled-up Imperial Spelljammer ships look and look for any sign of anything amiss.

The Scro comes out of nowhere, seemingly out of a dark void and they emerge forth. their tactics are merciless. They catch the Spelljammers completely unaware and are so overwhelmed when the Scro drop marines onboard. The ensuing bloody battles lead to both ships being lost.

There are other Imperial scout ships in the area, but they are on the other side of the Gas Giant. They are attacked as well; one ship makes it out to tell the bloody tale.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Seven: Agenda

Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire


The room is large, dominated by a large ornate half-moon table with the appropriate number of seats around Zeva. Bookshelves along two walls with maps dominating the other two walls. The maps have been updated for the meeting. They are maps of the capital, Map of Marika, and on the other wall, the desert continent of Arun, and two artist impressions of the Gas Giants Nuva and Tisha.

Meeting with the Ministers

Grand Empress Zeva enters the room and the people around the table stand up and Zeva motions for them to take their seats. Zeva takes her customary position at the apex of the outer curve.

Doppelgangers-

“Ladies and gentlemen welcome, my staff has passed out the agenda. We will start with the potential panic we have on our hands concerning doppelgangers coming to the capital. Riot walls are being put into place around the palace complex and gates will be established and patrolled by Psi Agents along with their canine assistants. The streets are going to be patrolled by a psi team, as well, and the Gates to the City. I talked to the Grey Cloak captain last night and he will back up those psi teams, we have to operate like this for the foreseeable future. The next step is going to the cities and countryside and finding out where they come from and putting an end to their threat to our own peace of mind. I am also putting them at military base gates before you ask Dugan."

The discussion quiets down and they move to the next item.

Space Marines-

Zeva gives the rundown of what is happening in both Arun and the Gas Giants. Zeva then looks at Dugan who is shaking his head in shame.

The former Governor General of the Wolverines Dugan says“I’m embarrassed to say its been an oversight, a glaring one to be sure. Being that I’m the last man standing on the original line of Governor Generals, I guess I take the blame. It was early in your rule when we faced the Neogi, it has been nothing but quiet since then.

“Until now Zeva says

“Until now” Dugan agrees. “I got the memo from Hjortarian and the Grand Admiral yesterday afternoon. When I got back, sorry I was out of town yesterday. Hell of a mess”

The Grand empress declares from personal experience she calculates the trip times for each deployment. “It should take the Arun taskforce three weeks to get to their target. Three months for the Fleet to reach the Gas Giants”

“I checked. Both are provisioning and getting loaded and should get under way tomorrow. As for the Space Marines. We should open a school and get a base on both coasts dedicated. They will not be as big as the Army Bases, but for the purposes of housing and training. This will have to be a multi-purpose force. A true Sea, Space, Land, fighting force. We might have to go from moon to moon to moon to get them all out. I have to tell you; I don’t envy II Corps 4LID The 4th Light Infantry Division at all. Its going to be a bloody slog.”

“Everyone is telling me that. I think you are right. I take it we are going to pull from existing units or am I wrong?”

“Dugan considers the issue, It’s an interesting situation. I will want to wait to deal with the Scros before I start messing with force dynamics. We start building the bases and mixing and pouring the concrete but let us hold off on breaking up the teams just yet.


The rest of the meeting runs its course over a range of topics having to do with the well-being of the people of the Empire. Nothing else blowing up in the world is good. Zeva is reminded her Marika tour is coming up, Zeva tells them “I’ll not be attending this year, I have too much going to attend to at the moment.

With the Ministers Meeting over Zeva visits her speechwriter for her impending public address.

Zeva wrote the themes she needed to convey, impending danger, the defensive barriers in the capital for strong defensive purposes explaining the threat of the doppelgangers, and call for letting the psi agents to check to allow us all to be safe. She sends the same talking points over to Catspaw the Elder to give to the propaganda department.


Later that night Zeva is in her private quarters away from everyone, (her handmaidens are nearby) She has been enjoying the night air and the silence the night brings (aside from the distant stay cat or barking dog). It is like we’ve been sleepwalking, and now my troops are again headed out without me. I should be out there. Mormont is more than capable of acting as Chancellor while I am gone but with Lucius on sabbatical. I just can’t risk the throne like that. For whatever reason I don’t think he is coming right back. Something inside Zeva tells her that his path is going to lead him to Rotas. Many times, she has tried to make peace with things, and now this new chapter.

She spends some time fantasizing about Lucius meeting his father... Oh, Rotas. Zeva truly wishes the meeting happened decades before, but the Dragon Queen stole Krynn away, and took it far away somewhere else, and hid it for thirty-eight years. How was I supposed to know that was going to happen? To tell the truth, time has just gotten away from her. And these couple of days if not weeks have woken her from a deep torpor. Well, I’m awake now. She questions why she put the Intelligence/Special Forces Center on Arun again. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Zeva contemplates what the tour would look like this year. She is sure She made the right decision. She is going to have to get somebody trained up to take over for Catspaw the Elder if something happens to him and Lucius is away. It is probably time to pull the Lesser out of the field and put her on deck if Gods forbid something happens. She sits down at her desk and writes out the orders for the Lesser and takes the letter to her handmaiden who sees it to the Messenger to take to the docks for the outgoing mission to Arun. She walks down to the training room with her longsword and proceeds to have a training session before turning in for the night.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Eight: Dreams

Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire

Week 2

Two weeks after the deployments have left, The Psi’s have made good on their commitment and the dogs came to the capital. The dogs in question are of a specialized wolfhound breed. They are positioned at all the key points and from there, teams are sent out to patrol. The truth sayer has been recalled to the capital amidst trying times if only to keep everyone honest. Over the week, there have been no hits, only amping up the anxiety.

If she could only figure out what they wanted, she could deal with these doppelgangers, but as it is, these pose too much of a threat to live and should be eradicated. Having this many PsI’s around is going to upset the populace eventually, it’s a no-win situation. As it is, She also does not like having so many Psi’s in the capital. It is a recipe for disaster, once someone figures that out, we are all in a lot of trouble.


Zeva has given her big speech to the public. It went about as she expected. She needs to keep her people’s spirits up somehow and this temporary emergency is not helping matters. She decides to enlist her ministers in brainstorming some ideas to get the public through this ordeal okay.

Over the coming nights, Zeva starts seeing in dreams unfinished parts of a scene, that play out over several nights, until She wakes up to a scream coming from Bera’s room. She saw it too. The Scro are headed to Marook. She goes in to comfort her personal aide Bera.

Bera is one of the modified Maru from Marook, now considered one of the Lariu. She is 5', bipedal with mostly human features though she only has three fingers and an unusually long thumb. She has a delicate, heart-faced shape with large ice-blue eyes that dominate. Her short pelt, which grows longer on her head to resemble hair, is pale grey. She is a quiet woman who has learned over the decades to tolerate the changing temperatures and people. She views Zeva as a child of prophecy, destined for great things, but who must be carefully guided. While outside of Soreel's space, her connection to the Dream is cut off (which after a while, probably a few months, she will become quite uncomfortable.)

Bera is like nothing the others have seen before (unless they've been in Soreel space and at Zeva's side). She is a petite humanoid, only 5' tall, and covered with pale fur that grows more on her head to resemble hair. Her thin pointed face is dominated by huge blue eyes. She has only three unusually long fingers and rarely speaks. She is constantly at Zeva's side unless ordered away by the Greysword (or if Zeva's in battle). She wears a simple robe of grey but does so in a manner that indicates she wears it for the comfort of those around her. If asked, she will say that she is one of the Lariu and that she is to serve the Star Child--which means Zeva. She smells faintly of flowers, earth, and something else--very pleasant and soothing actually. And those close to Zeva will realize that Zeva has a very similar 'perfume'.

Bera is distressed by the images she saw. Zeva feels sick as well, the violence on display was maddening. She is torn, how can she do this? Her Navy is headed for the Gas Giants. She calms down Bera, and they slip on robes and Zeva takes Bera to the kitchen to get some warm milk, while Zeva calls her page to get Minister Granitehammer, Governor General Hjortarian, and Admiral Volstag in here first thing in the morning. The page runs off and she finds her Seneschal Baron Mormont putting on a robe, having just rolled out of bed himself. “Your majesty, what is wrong?”

Zeva explodes “The Scro are going to hit Marook, savage killings, taking slaves. I will not have it I tell you.”

“How did you come by this-this information,” Mormont asks.

“A dream Mormont, a dream, though it very well could have been a nightmare. It was more than that, I’ve told you about the connection I’ve had in the past with Bera’s people, with the Dream. This is that all over, I swear it, That is what is happening. I’m being warned all over again.

Baron Mormont knows better than to discount this. This may have never happened on his watch before, but he read about it in the History of the Conquest. “What do you want me to do my Empress?

Zeva falls back against the wall. “Those people have to be saved. I don’t know if I can make it in time. It’s a bit more then three months by spelljammer. The Fleet has already left, they are headed to the Gas Giants, what if I’m supposed to warn them, redirect them, I don’t know. If I could only teleport out there.”

“That might only get you killed if you went yourself Majesty, still your right, something should be done for them out there. You have the Defense staff coming in the morning?”

“Yes, I don’t know what can be done, Feel like I need to go, but I’m tied here.”

“I will hold it together here if you decide you must go your Majesty.” Her Seneschal volunteers.

“I’m going back to bed, and I will tell you in a few hours.” Zeva says while walking away, she stops and looks at him and tells him thank you for believing me, then she walks back to her room.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Nine: Silver

Soreel
Continent of Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital of the Empire

Zeva meets with her Military advisors and gives them a warning about her dream. They are going to strike Marook. The advisors are unsteady about this, They know the stories of the Neogi invasion, but the truth of it was the Brass has never been comfortable with using dreams as the basis of determining deployments. But they have a sick feeling themselves that the Empress could be right about this as their staff have been gaming different scenarios playing out and a strike on Marook was one of the possibilities.

The brass end up sending a messenger ship with orders for the fleet that is already en route to the gas giants. It hardly makes Zeva feel any better. But maybe this was a warning to divert the fleet heading to the gas giants. She wants to send more, another fleet, more troops, and they tell her how it is now cutting into home defense.

She tells them she wants another fleet to get ready to go there, she tells the Generals to decide who they are sending and get them ready to go. These troops might have to go into the tundra and the void at the cracks. Troops might have to fight in the trenches from moon to moon to get them out.

Within days more troops are activated and shipped out to Marook

By the end of the week, paranoia had settled in over the Capital of Tarish. In some cases of resulting citizen-on-citizen violence, the neighbor points out a suspicious neighbor and it escalates from there.
Seneschal Mormont and Catchpaw the Elder come into the Grand Empresses’ morning breakfast. The handmaidens scatter as Zeva observes their faces for any tells. She does not know how much she can take with these gentlemen interrupting her breakfasts.

“Good morning, just give it to me, what is it?” Zeva says, expecting the worst.

Catspaw the Elder begins with a smile “Our silver mines in the northern slopes have been on the decline for the last thirteen years Our Imperial prospectors on Arimal has found stuck a rich vein on territory deeded to your majesty.”

“I’m rich? “Well hallelujah, how much are we talking here? Catspaw hands over a scrap of paper folded in half.

Empress Zeva reads it, and her jaw drops and asks if this is for real. Both her seneschal and spymaster nod.

Zeva feels like she is going to have to go hug that that Arimal clan leader, but maybe she will hold off on that until her next state visit.

By the end of the week, Despite rough seas, the Navy and Corp arrive at Arun-See Operation Sidewinder for future details of this deployment.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Ten: He Who Knows

Soreel
Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital

Empress Zeva looks at the maps laid out across the large table. The news of the discovery of the Silver Mine on Arun on land deeded to her years before will need to be strategically used for the Empire and discover more before that runs out. Two theatres of combat are on the cusp of contact, and she is stuck in the capital while her son is currently off world of which she has heard nothing from him since.

A knock known to her brings her out of her thoughts. It’s Catspaw the Elder. “Come”

Catspaw enters and tells her “Inspector Tan Devo is here to see you. You will want to hear this.”

Seeing the seriousness on her old advisor's face, Zeva tells him to “Bring him in.”

Inspector Tan Devo walks in, he is known to the Empress from many state functions they have both attended as well as the recent investigation into the Royal Apartments Fire incident. He bows to his Empress.

“Empress Zeva, thank you for seeing me, We have been successful in our recent sting and captured a changeling, a doppelgänger in the capital and it’s alive. We have reason to believe he is lying when he says he is alone.”

“You have questioned him?”


“Some initial questioning, we have handed him to the Black Cloaks just before I came to brief you. He does not seem to feel pain. We could not get him to talk. It’s the first living doppelgänger captured in something like Seventy-six years. Until a few years ago, we thought they were extinct on this continent.”

Catspaw the Elder thinks about it abstractly, “I will find something to get him to talk, I think I have Idea already, permission to use drastic measures?”

Zeva inwardly shudders at the thought of what it could be -Acid, the Rack... No, She doesn’t want to know. “Permission granted, but I want to see this one first, escort me over, first give me a few minutes.” Zeva departs the room and is dressed for an excursion to the Headquarters of the Office of the Black Cloaks. It is just across the Campus, a short way.

Zeva, flanked by her closest advisors, crosses the Campus and soon enters the Offices of the Black Cloaks, the Secret Police of the Empire. Catspaw the Elder and her son have been watching over the affairs of the Empire from the Shadows for decades now. It is here where the doppelgänger has been taken, and she means to get a psi in the room with it before the torturers begin their work.

Zeva descends the flights of stairs to the holding pens and Questioning Chamber.

She is joined by Lady Serena, the Head Psion from the Mentalist School, Catspaw the Elder, and the Head Handmaiden who goes everywhere with Empress Zeva.

The Prisoner is wheeled in. His grey body has been restrained by many cords and locks. He has pointed ears and is vaguely alien in their actual appearance. The covering over his eyes is taken off and the doppelgänger’s eyes flutter, getting used to the light from the torches in the room. He takes in the manor of his bindings, then his eyes settle upon the Empress.

Lady Serena says “This one knows of you, I can not discern how your likeness has been shown to him before or by who. He is here at the behest of someone.” Serena probes deeper into its mind, “The Free Isles… that is where this one is from…" Who is this “He Who Knows”?

Zeva turns the words in her head, she has not heard this name before. Zeva witnesses the battle of wills play out between the changeling and the Master Psi, to no avail. Serena cannot get anything more from it. But she has reason to believe this one is not alone, and there are more doppelgängers indeed in the Capital.

[Dungeon Master]

Grand Empress Zeva
Story One: Reign of the Saint
Chapter Eleven: Paranoia sets in

Soreel
Marika
Tarish Imperial Capital

Zeva stands in the second story, Palace Library looking through the records of the past to try to uncover appearances by the doppelgänger in Soreel History. So far, she has had little luck with finding anything yet. She ends up calling for the head historian to attend her at the earliest.

Martial Law has been instituted in the Capital and psi’s are descending upon the City to ferret out any accomplices to the captured living doppelgänger that is in custody.

Paranoia and fear have gripped the Capital. The Black Cloaks tried to keep the whole thing quiet, but word got out. Zeva found herself unprepared for a response. There seems to be an inherent fear and hatred for these Changelings by the populace from some long-ago rift between the races. These creatures were thought to be extinct, even years before Zeva’s conquest began and yet in the Twenty-Eighth Year of her reign, evidence was uncovered that they were again living and moving around in the shadows on this continent. The bodies of the changelings were found during an investigation of a crime in the Capital. The investigator told Zeva that this was the first doppelgänger that had been captured alive. Mental extraction by a Psionic Master has yielded some answers, but not enough. The Mentalist was able to briefly pierce his mental defenses and garner some information, but just as quickly the mental shields keep them from discovering more.


The Information that they got only leads to more questions. Who is this He Who Knows? What does he want, and does he control this breed of doppelgänger, and are they his tools, and if so, to what end?

Zeva already has Catspaw the Elder looking into this, he has dispatched letters to our agents in the Free Isles to track this rogue down and find out if bargaining is even an option. Nobody in her Government knows who this person is or has ever heard of him before. So, Scros, a Litch, and a Nobody are all vying for our (Her) attention.

It will take another month or two for her troops to reach the Gas Giants, let alone Marook. The Empire was caught completely unprepared for this fight on the System’s edge. Her troops are in place on Arun. The Intelligence base is secure now. The Litch King has been contented with the confines of the Black Desert for Hundreds of Years, what is stirring him now?

Zeva looks down at the map she has pulled out. The Free Isles. “Okay Mr. Nobody, looks like it is just you and me tonight.” She looks down at the map of the Free Isles. “Who are you and what do you want?”


She becomes lost in her imaginings of who Nobody is.


There is a knock on her door that both startles her and tells her it is her Hand, Seneschal Mormont. That puts an end to her musings. She tells him to “come in.”

Baron Mormont comes in and tells her with a heavy face “I am sorry my Empress, the report says the doppelgänger was found dead in its cell. It has been alone for hours, but the guards report somebody was talking in the cell before he could the cell open. The doppelgänger was alone when they opened the door.”


“Godsdamn it!” The Empress exclaims “They had one job, one job.” Zeva looks scathingly at her Seneschal, she knows it is not his fault, but he is here. She is so close to calling for heads on pikes for the guards. “The Silver thing was nice, but I better start winning because right now, I feel like I am losing on several fronts. I still don’t know if they had anything to do with the fire and Aravis.”

Baron Mormont admits to being frustrated himself. “Like it has been nothing but bad news lately. It truly is the Breaking of the Peace.”