“Igraine of Eathyross. Your presence has been requested by the 5 Seats.”
Igraine rose as she heard the knocking echo through her chamber. Opening the door, she saw a pair of Tower Guards waiting for her.
“Please, come with us,” the first guard said as he motioned Igraine out of the room she had been given during her stay at the Castle of the Four Sides. She had been there for almost a year now, acting as a representative from the Kingdom of Eathyross. It was a role she was still trying to become comfortable with, accepting that her place was now in a room filled with conversations and compromises rather than on the field of battle. It was a far cry from how she had served the Realm during the Second Great War. She was only a young conscript in the Order of Eathyron’s army back then, but she fought well and bravely, and she was one of the soldiers who survived those horrible times.
In the aftermath of that war, as the Realm slowly began to rebuild itself and the Legions of Light pledged to begin a new age of cooperation and friendship, Igraine was named a Knight of Eathyross. It was her life’s dream and her greatest honor to serve her kingdom and she imagined that she would be asked to use her skills in combat to continue to defend the Realm from those who would seek to do harm. That, it seemed, was not her path. Her sword had not left its scabbard in many years other than for the occaisional training session, and she found that she was now more of a politician than a soldier.
“What do the Seats want?” Igraine asked.
“We do not know,” the first guard replied. “Rumor is that some kind of urgent message just arrived from the Far North. It was carried by a trader who said they were given it a week ago in Alkyrium.”
“Far North? But Sjelgard and Vikenfell have not yet been resettled?” Igraine questioned.
“Further North than that, even,” the second guard answered. “They say that the message came from Einsamall.”
The remote settlement of Einsamall was a place that many in Mythoss didn’t even believe existed. Founded by pilgrims who left the newly formed kingdoms of the Legions of Light after the events of the First Great War, the people of the Far North had long since removed themselves from the doings of the rest of the Realm. Einsamall had not fought in the Second Great War, nor had they been a part of the rebuilding process after those battles. For all practical purposes, Einsamall was not a part of Mythoss in any real way, which made correspondence from that settlement a truly unusual and unexpected occurrence.
The remainder of the walk to the Audience Chamber was made in silence as Igraine wondered why she would’ve been summoned. She would know soon enough, but something in her felt, or at the very least hoped, that this summons meant that she was needed beyond the walls of this Castle.
In the aftermath of the Second Great War, the Castle of Four Sides had once again become not only the geographic center of Mythoss, but also the political capital. Originally built to be a gathering place for the Legions of Light in the early days of the Realm, the Castle eventually became more of a ceremonial site rather than political or military location. In more recent times, it had not even served a ceremonial function and had gone largely unused for many years as the kingdoms of Mythoss became increasingly insulated in the days before the return of the Dark Four. That had now changed. As the Realm worked to rebuild after the end of the Second War of Mythoss, the Castle of Four Sides shined as both a symbol of the Legions of Light’s cooperation and the true seat of power in Mythoss.
The vast Audience Chamber in the center of the Castle was once again populated by representatives from Eathyross, Leandorr, Xylernia, and Ophidionn, but these four kingdoms that had long made up the Legions of Light were no longer alone in their stewardship of the Realm. While the exterior of the massive Castle still featured 4 distinct sides, one for each of the Great Beasts whose armies formed the Legions of Light, a 5th seat and corresponding gallery had been added to its Audience Chamber. The Legions of Light had been accused of turning a blind eye to any who did not swear allegiance to one of their 4 kingdoms, and so this 5th seat was open to any in Mythoss who wished to have their voice heard. That seat held as much power and influence as the others, evidence that the kingdoms of Mythoss had learned a lesson during the Second Great War and were committed to building a better world for all the denizens of the Realm, regardless of where they lived or what banner they flew. With the addition of this gallery, the council that met at the Castle to discuss important matters was renamed the “5 Seats.”
One of the ironies of the creation of the 5th Seat was that the representatives who most often occupied that spot were from the House of the Noble Bear. Hailing from the colds of Bjorngar, this Faction of barbarians and outcasts were well known for their general disdain for authority and for the Faction system itself. Led in the Second Great War by the one-time prince of Leandorr, the barbarian king known as Attlus the Conqueror, their battle prowess was one of the factors that tipped the scales in favor of the Legions of Light in that war. After the fighting was over, the House of the Noble Bear insisted that the faction system itself was flawed and that it had failed too many in Mythoss, leading to many of the problems that had allowed the Dark Four to rise again. The Legions of Light agreed, and in response decided to not only once again cooperate with each other, but with all people and races who sought to live a good life in Mythoss – and then they asked the House of the Noble Bear to be a part of that change and participate in the politics of the newly formed 5 Seats. Reluctantly, the House of the Noble Bear agreed, and while the 5th Seat and its corresponding gallery at the Castle of Four Sides were indeed open to all, the barbarians of Bjorngar were the ones who could most commonly be found there speaking for the disaffected and factionless members of the Realm.
Igraine made her way into the cavernous room. While she would never be comfortable as a politician, she had to admit that the space was impressive, as were the accomplishments that she had seen in that chamber since she arrived at the Castle. There was no doubt that they were making the Realm better, and she told herself that whenever she felt out of place in the Castle of Four Sides.
The name “5 Seats” was a bit misleading for those who did not understand the workings of the great Audience Chamber. There were indeed 5 chairs arranged around a table in the center the room, but the members who sat in those chairs were not permanent, nor did they alone have absolute say for their faction. Behind each of these seats stretched a large gallery of benches where other members of each faction sat during official proceedings. Any votes would be cast only after the representative sitting in the floor seat consulted with their gallery, and it was not uncommon for the delegate chosen to sit on the floor to change from day to day. Igraine had even found herself seated on the floor a few times during the past year, a far-too-visible position that she certainly did not relish and was always eager to relinquish to another delegate from Eathyross.
“Igraine, I am happy you are here,” called a voice to the young knight’s left. She turned to see General Delphina of Eathyross, one of the heroes of Second Great War. Igraine had been inspired to join the Order of Eathyron’s army after seeing Delphina rise through the ranks of the Templars. While Igraine was not a Templar herself, she had served under Delphina and the other Templar Knights during the Attack of Vikenfell, and she had long idolized her. Delphina was not normally stationed at the Castle of Four Sides, so to see her here now was a surprise.
“General Delphina,” Igraine said with a reverential bow. “I am at your command.”
“Please rise, Igraine. We have no time for formalities,” Delphina replied. “There is much to discuss. Come, we need to begin immediately.”
Igraine looked around her and was surprised to see that the Audience Chamber was largely empty. Only four others were in that chamber with Igraine and Delphina, and the young knight gasped when she saw who they were – all revered heroes of the Second Great War.
From the Convocation of Bassylia was the mysterious Azza Spiritbender. One of the oldest living beings in Mythoss, Azza was once a member of Poxxus’ forces. This powerful Necromancer broke free from the evil influence of the Lord of Disease and joined the side of good. She was instrumental in saving her Faction from the assault of the Circle of Poxxus during the Burning of Ophidionn. Calling upon the spirits of the scholars that had once walked the halls of Bassylia’s schools, she chased Poxxus’ forces away and allowed her Faction the time it needed to regroup from the devasting attack. The fact that any members of the Convocation were even alive to fight during the final battles of the Second Great War was thanks, in large part, to Azza Spiritbender.
Beside her sat the Jaguallian thief from Xylona’s Flock named K’ai Pacha. He was responsible for breaking into the Bloodless Throne and rescuing the imprisoned Queen Artemyss Silverchord. The leader of the Flock would also not have been around to fight in the final battles of the Second Great War had the Jaguallian not braved the cold expanse of the White Spine, and the threat of the Frost Ogres that guarded the vampire’s black fortress, to save the Fae Queen.
From the Army of Leodysseus stood the mighty Magnus. A decorated warrior with an almost folk-hero-level of reverence around his deeds and military prowess even before the battles of the Second Great War, Magnus led a regiment of soldiers that held the door of this very castle secure against an overwhelming assault from the massive ogre, Kkurzog, and the rest of the Legion of Arethyr’s forces.
Finally there sat a warrior who Igraine was used to seeing in the Audience Chamber of the Castle of Four Sides. Halvard of Frothvar did not have the same kind of heroic legacy that the others in the room had tied to their names, but he had fought alongside Attlus the Conqueror and his House of the Noble Bear during the Second Great War. Since that time he had been assigned as an envoy from Bjorngar to the Castle, and Igraine often saw him sitting in the 5th Seat, which is where he sat now.
“Is the Chamber in session?” Igraine asked. Everyone in the room was looking at her, and she blurted out the question to break the awkward silence.
“No,” Delphina replied. “This is not a matter for the Chamber as a whole. This is something we wish to handle more quietly.”
“Is it about the letter from Einsamall?” Igraine questioned
K’ai Pacha laughed. He leaned back in his chair with his feet up on the Chamber Table as he deftly balanced a dagger on his outstretched fingers. The thief flipped the blade over and over in his hands, expertly finding its balance with each flip of the dagger.
“No chance of keeping something a secret in this place, is there?” he said. “And you wonder why I don’t spend more time at the Castle. For someone who trades in discretion like me, this place is bad news!”
“And yet you are here now,” Magnus replied cooly. "Lucky for us."
K’ai Pacha shrugged and removed his feet from the table.
“The Flock wanted to make sure this was done right and done quietly. Can't trust the mighty Magnus to do things subtly or quietly, can we? That's not Magnus' style. From what I hear..."
“She wishes to know why she has been called,” Azza Spirtbender interupted the Jaguallian. Her eyes were hidden by the shadows beneath her hood and she leaned on a staff that she clutched in her hands before her. "Time is fleeting. We must get on with why Igraine of Eathyross has been summoned this night."
Delphina handed Igraine a small, folded piece of paper.
“This is about the letter from the North,” she said. “Here, please read it to yourself. We have all already done so.”
Igraine unfolded the letter and began to read silently.
Hello and warm greetings.
I do wish this letter found its way into your hands in merrier times. I am writing from the Far Northern settlement of Einsamall. I expect you are suprised to hear from us, and there is no need to be dishonest about our place in Mythoss. It is true that the people of Einasmall have long cared little for the doings of the greater Realm and been content to keep to ourselves, but I write today with an urgent plea. We need help.
For the past two fortnights, as of this writing, we have been attacked by something that comes for us every few nights. Something has made off with a villager on 4 instances now. We have found their bodies torn to shreds upon the ice the next morning. After the first, we expected it was someone who had gotten lost on the Tundra and fell victim to one of the predators of the Far North. Then a second went missing, and then a third. We sent our hunters out to find the beast responsible, but nothing has been found. Then last night it came again, but this time we heard the screams as it dragged away the watcher we had stationed at the gates. We found his body this morning. Once again it was torn apart and ravaged.
We are at a loss. Some here do not wish to contact you for help, some of the old ones whose families have lived isolated here in Einsamall for an age, but I was not born here in this place. I have seen much, and I know when something is beyond our ability to handle alone. Damn the old ones who think we can continue to keep to ourselves. We will not survive long without some help.
Please send your warriors North. I have little I can offer by way of thanks other than a warm bed and a cold mug of my ale at my Inn, but I hope that the goodness that was once professed by the Legions of Light to protect the people of this Realm will hold true for us all the way up here in the colds of Einsamall.
I do not know when this letter shall arrive to you, or if it will arrive at all, but we are desperate. Please come. Einsamall needs you.
Sincerely,
Burris Birgerstori
Mayor of Einsamall
Igraine looked up from the letter, but before she could talk Delphina began to speak.
“We are sending a party North to help them out,” she explained. “There is no time to debate and deliberate the best course of action with the full Chamber. Time is clearly important here, so we are assembling a team to leave immediately.”
“But there is also more to the story than simply helping our neighbors,” Azza added. “We have detected some kind of magical anomaly in the Far North. The Convocation was planning to investigate it when I was summoned here about this letter. We do not know if the two are connected, but it would seem too coincidental not to be. Either way, it must be looked into.”
“Hence the discretion,” K’ai Pacha chimed in. “Until we know what is happening up there in the Northlands, we want to keep this to a small circle of those who need to know. Congratulations. You get to be in that circle. Yay team.”
Igraine turned again to Delphina.
“We would ask you to lead this mission, Igraine,” she said. “We have assembled a small party with each of the Factions represented. All of them have been briefed on what is expected, but they need a leader. I expect you are ready to get out of these chambers and back to some real action, am I correct?”
Igraine nodded and tried not to smile. She did not succeed.
“I would be too,” Delphina smiled back. “We are fortunate to be in a time of peace where deliberation and discussion are the tools of the day, but for ones like you and I for whom the sword and the shield are our tools, these walls can feel like an enemy too insurmountable to be defeated.”
“I wish to serve any way that I can,” Igraine replied. “I accept this mission.”
Magnus walked towards Igraine and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“We thank you,” he said. “Delphia has said you can be trusted and will not shy away from whatever dangers you find up in the North. That is good, and it is why you have been chosen to be a leader. It is a burden not all can handle, but something tells me that Delphina is right and that you are ready for this task.”
All the heroes in the Chamber stood up and nodded to Igraine.
“We thank you for your commitment and your service,” Delphina said. “Good luck, Commander Igraine.”
To be continued...
Published on 07.21.25