The Tower

Recent History

In the wake of massive changes during the year 765, the dawn of Fall and the eve of Winter saw an almost quiet solace fall over the town of Mistvale and the Annwyn as a whole. The region was still reeling from the destruction of Carran and Stag Hall by the forces of the Obans and the Crows. The town of Mistvale held a trial to judge the actions of the Obans. That trial would conclude that the Obans were guilty of the offenses they were charged with, namely the attacking of innocents in Carran and dishonorable conduct. Though the town had very little ability to directly levy true punishment, the actions of Mistvale saw the cousin of the recently deceased Ludmilla Laurent, Julia Laurent, released into the custody of House Falconer for a ransom of 100 gold. In addition, the Obans have agreed to pay restitution to the survivors of Carran and will seek no more aggression against them. A small victory, but it is a victory.

The cursed specter of Shireen, who once haunted the Annwyn and had grown even more violent in recent moon cycles, was finally laid to rest by a band of heroes who sought her out in the Tangle. She will plague the town no more. A representative from the Twilight Empire has come to the Annwyn, along with several new nobles, including a Hale noble, a knight from Corveaux, and an Aragon noble, who steps into the place of the fallen Songbird.

Even as the town sought to establish itself and its local government, the Aurorym faith continued to fall into more chaos and uncertainty. The faith has been shaken by a number of issues, including a major crisis of faith. Allegedly, there is someone in Dawnhaven claiming to be the founder of the faith, Magnus Blayne. Several Living Saints have appeared in recent moon cycles and with the demise of Saint Decima, it is unclear why they are coming to this place, but some have postulated that it is because the tales of Eschaton are true or that there is some artifact of great power that they are seeking. There are also rumors of a mysterious cult that is active around Mistvale. There have been several assassination attempts, successful and otherwise in the last moon cycles and some fear that the shadowy organization is pulling strings to some unknown end.

The town continues to be rife with mysterious goings-on. From ghostly pirate crews to spectral assassins, one never knows what will happen during a market in the Annwyn. The Bright Company appears to still be active and prospering in the region as well. They have taken themselves up, seemingly, in opposition to the Silver Company, a local mercenary outfit out of Mistvale. What happens with that uneasy rivalry is unclear, but things seem headed for a potential confrontation between the two. Also, an appearance of Hammond the Talon revealed the man claiming he was, in fact, Roderick Wolf, the son of none other than Giles I Bannon, former King of Arnesse and father of the current King. When he was accused of betraying his employer, the Laurents, he called for a duel to prove both his worth and innocence, a duel which he lost to the champion from House Hale. He was taken into custody by the local nobles and remains there still, awaiting a decision on his fate.

Mistvale also played host to a mysterious personage that called himself Doctor Volgrim. He put on some manner of twisted alchemical display that saw the animation of a corpse! Volgrim vanished as mysteriously as he arrived, leaving some to wonder what his true plans and goals are. Perhaps the most strange and surreal event that took place at the last market was the arrival of a contingent of Fae. They staged some kind of mock feast that revealed itself to be a challenge, a riddle, to the mortals who were present. Through cunning and wit, the citizens of Mistvale seemingly bested these otherworldly visitors. Though if they are gone for good, remains to be seen.

Current Events

In the moon cycles since the last market, the Annwyn seems to have lapsed into something of an uneasy peace. With the Obans chastened somewhat by the reaction to the massacre at Carran, they have spent the time consolidating their forces and securing the land that they have acquired. Houses Falconer and Hardinger, the remnants of the Mistguard, have suffered no substantial setbacks and both seem to be spoiling to get even with the Oban for their offense and crimes. Each seems focused on different methods to accomplish this end, however. The Bannon presence in the Annwyn is all but extinguished, save for the King’s Vigil, Symeon Bannon and a lone Bannon noble in Mistvale, who has recently taken to the seat of power in the wake of the mysterious disappearance of the former ruler of Mistvale, Elladora Draghean. The Aragon are suitably elusive, though lately it was revealed that they have been backing the Oban since arriving in the Annwyn. The Coldhills, nobles of the Everfrost, are seeming to bide their time as they wait for the right time to reveal where they will throw their weight. This could very well decide the balance of power in the Annwyn.

One movement that has gained significant traction in the recent moon cycles is the Godslayers. Their leadership remains uncertain, but they have risen as a power among the Commonfolk, and while they first turned their ire on the supernatural forces in the Annwyn, they extended their ire toward the Aurorym and now even against the local nobility. While they have been largely non-violent to date, the observant have noticed that they are more armed than ever and seemingly are being trained by someone. Fears have begun to grow that it is only a matter of time before these peasants turn their blades and torches on someone. Their cause is only bolstered by how often the Commonfolk become the victims of the various threats in the Annwyn and how powerless either the Aurorym or the local nobles seem to be to stop them.

The chaos beyond the borders of the Annwyn seems to have thus far not spilled into the confines of this isolated realm, but some fear it is only a matter of time until it does. The Fae, so prevalent at the last market, have been oddly silent in the moon cycles since. Whispers say that the defeat of Shireen and the besting of the Fae Revelers may have put these fickle and terrifying beings off for a time. Even the wytches seem to have gone largely silent, but few doubt that they are still active and present. Rumors persist of even darker things that lurk in the woods, and a growing fear that all of this chaos and unrest might be building toward a much larger and more catastrophic event. As the Spring market comes around however, there is hope in the air. It is another Winter survived, and brighter days are on the way. Still, even for Spring, some have made the observations that the shadows are cast a bit longer than usual and the days just a bit darker.

Outside the Annwyn

Those who are arriving from outside the Annwyn may have heard some of the following rumors about the Kingdom of Arnesse:

1. The Winter saw less fighting in the Sovereignlands, but the battles have spread. The war has spilled over in several venues, with the relations between House Richter and Corveaux falling apart in the wake of the Battle of Gateway. Fighting between the factions of pro-Aurorym Bannon and anti-Aurorym Bannon have pulled in several of the houses of Corveaux, including House Falconer, Perryn, and the Corveaux of Suthwater. Thus far, the Lord Paragon has officially resisted taking any stance on the matter, but it is only a matter of time until he is forced to. The Blayne are all in on the King’s faction, as it represents the best chance for establishing a Kingdom-wide faith. Some fear that this Summer’s fighting will be fiercer and more widespread than before – thousands may die.
2. The Commonfolk seem to be divided on the matter of the faith. There are more who are supportive of Giles II’s call to faith than not, especially in the Hearthlands, Dusklands, and surprisingly the Midlands. The Sovereignlands has become more entrenched in the faith over time, and the seemingly disastrous things that have come upon Arnesse in the last year, including plague, civil war, and other horrors are driving people toward the faith, with many believing this might indeed be the prophecy of Eschaton spoke about in the Book of Magnus. This has led Charles Bannon’s faction down a road where he is, at times, fighting a battle without people on his side. Fortunately for him, the Tarkathi have proven to be good allies, leading many to believe the truth that he is related. The Innis also have proven a thorn in the side of House Richter and Blayne both, raiding each of those Protectorates relentlessly and hampering their effort to organize an effort. Still, the Richter may have suffered a setback at Gateway, but rumor is the Dusklands prepares for war.
3. House Hale has been strangely quiet, and some feel it is because there is an internal fight going on within their ranks. The Winter’s Dawn is a faithful faction in the North and it is said that Talbot Hale works to secure peace among his people before he can move to any one side. Their ties to Giles II have led many Northmen to be sympathetic to his cause, but the faith is also a sticking point for some. With the battle lines rapidly being drawn, the Hale may not be able to sit out much longer without risking losing any advantage they have. The Rourke have also been strangely quiet, but there are rumors that something is going on among the Seaborn, some kind of shift that may herald a significant change for the House of the Sea. More Rourke ships have been seen closer to ports and, strangely, rumors of a radical drop-off in raids and other lawless activities by the Seaborn Captains. There is also a fairly credible rumor that the Rourke have found a reliable way in and out of the Annwyn.
4. Gateway remains under the control of House Corveaux, specifically House Penrose, supported by several knightly orders, including the Ordo du Lac. House Bannon and Innis have also dispatched contingents to hold the ramshackle town. There also was a significant surge in Bannon troops in the last moon cycle or two, and given they were flying the flag of the Dawnsun, it was the King’s forces. House Richter has left this well enough alone though it’s said the Lord Paragon of the Dusklands is marshalling a large force in the lands of House Varga as well as Hardinger, leading one to believe they may attempt to attack both the Northern Reaches and the Vale of Shadows in the Summer.
5. Disease continues unabated, taking its toll through the winter on men, women, and children. There is a particularly virulent infection known as the White Death that has ripped through whole towns and left little but death in its wake. The Apotheca is very hard pressed to find cures for this as the ingredients to make any potions are very hard to find and some have said the disease seems to have an almost supernatural strength to spread and infect others. Worse yet, it is said that some who die of this, do not stay dead. It has led to hard times in the Winter, particularly in the Midlands, Hearthlands, and Sovereignlands. The Everfrost, Dusklands, Thornwood, and even Tarkath are not untouched, but isolation has helped them contain the threat more than others.
6. King Giles II has now made the Morality Laws part of official Kingdom Law. All loyal nobles are expected to enforce these laws within their demesnes.

   The Morality Laws of the Kingdom of Arnesse

   1. The offering of any manner of bribe or other incentive to coerce or motivate someone to an action.
   2. The act of betraying an oath of marriage in an act of adultery.
   3. To show exceptional cowardice such that others are placed in harm’s way or injured.
   4. The demonstration of exceptional greed, especially at the expense or injury of others.
   5. Failure to show appropriate modesty and humility.
   6. Gross demonstrations of perversion or reckless substance abuse.