"The northern shore of Amia is beautiful this time of year. My wife and I had our honeymoon up here. Stayed in a little bed and breakfast down in Benwick Hollow," a ponytailed clerk of the Commonwealth government tells his fellow employee, his white knuckles twisting around the knotted rope connecting one piling to another on the ship's deck.

"Not the kind of place you want to spend time anymore, though," his friend shrugs. "Kohlingen's housing some of the same nobles that kept decreasing my wages when I was just a carpenter. Said that as the cost of wood increased, the necessity for me to be paid decreased. And who was I to argue? No one else was willing to train me in any skills."

"Thank the gods for the Duke's abdication. I'm glad he finally saw the light."

Then the two are quiet as the setting sun casts a fading light over the Holy City of Kohlingen, bathing the old stones in blazing orange and salmon pink. The vessel docks in the harbor, and a company of five men, all bearing official seals of service to the Commonwealth Government, arrive and request an audience with Justicar Marinsbane.

They politely refuse to be seen by any Defenders, and most especially by any members of the Triadic Knights, who receive nothing but an impassive and non-aggressive silent treatment.

When finally granted their opportunity to present their standards to the Justicar or to a trusted bureaucrat representing his direct authority, the five pencil-pushers gingerly explain their deep concerns over an organization supported by Kohlingen called the Triadic Knights and how they are claiming to have an authority in the Cordorian Commonwealth that is superior even to the Cordorian Guard, the Law Knights, and the entire Ministry of Law, "an office founded by the common people of Cordor, with the sole interests of the common people of Cordor at heart."

They bring with them letters that have been gathered by the Ministry of Law as evidence:





The visitors show great deference to Justicar Marinsbane, and some even praise him as a great leader of the faith for the entire island. They praise him quite readily to any who ask, and in particular to the Justicar if he welcomes them into his meeting chamber.

They also bear a letter from the Commonwealth Government, a letter which eventually makes it into the public sphere and catches everyone's attention:


To Lord Justicar Marinsbane,

We the Commonwealth of Cordor hope that this year finds you in good health and your fields aflourish with the bounty of the gods. The Holy City of Kohlingen has ever been a good and noble defender of the common man, able and willing to offer aid even when vices such as pride prohibited the needy from asking. The Commonwealth has not forgotten, nor does it overlook the great justices done by the individuals and the organization who represent your city's admirable ideals: the generous donations, the selfless offer of aid in dire times, and your personal willingness to aid us in upholding the very same law which ensures a safe and peaceful society.

These five men who have been sent to you were once men of simple and humble trades. The carpenter, the milliner, the jailer and two dockhands. But through hope in Cordor's new way of life, a way that eschews economic corruption and promotes class conciousness, and through the hard and diligent efforts of the Council, these men have been educated and taught a new and proficient set of skills as representatives. It is my firm belief that these men can speak on behalf of the Commonwealth as well as any man. If it is to your liking, Lord Marinsbane, I offer a permanent lodging in the Holy City of Kohlingen for these men on the Commonwealth's coin, to stand and be present for any such immediate questions and concerns the Holy City may have of your distant neighbors on the Southern Shore. As the two brightest beacons of light upon Amia, we have always felt that it is our combined duty to stand tall and proud of our dual accomplishments. They will have no express duties but to be available to your government for immediate contact with the Commonwealth, and will ply their own trades.

If such an office is not to your liking, feel free to send these five men home to the Commonwealth to be among their fellows.

On a less favorable note, it has come to the attention of the Ministry of Law that an organization sponsored by the Holy City, the Triadic Knights, is claiming legal jurisdiction within the walls of the Cordorian Commonwealth. While we are entirely open to negotiations of jurisdiction in extreme cases, the Ministry of Law does appreciate there being, at the very least, an attempt towards negotiation before the invasion and apprehension of an individual within our sole jurisdiction. We must rebuff this Morian's assertion that the Triadic Knights may claim jurisdiction within the Commonwealth. This should not and shall not be so without the request for a joint effort - hence the Commonwealth's offer to leave these five capable emissaries on hand and available. The Commonwealth would appreciate a public recant of Morian's very public claim, which has caused the citizens of the Commonwealth some heartache when thinking of our sister city of saints as a common political bully. The people of the Commonwealth feel as though we have suffered much to gain our independence from corrupt rule and, more importantly, our human dignity; to have a Triadic Knight threaten to arrest our citizens and place them on trial when they may have been threatened into aiding a dangerous adventurer who is fugitive from your justice is not something we are going to allow to happen.

On a more personal note, Justicar Marinsbane, it is the desire of the people of the Commonwealth of Cordor to hear from you. Although you are a foreign feudal leader, you are also the paragon of virtue to whom many of our gods-fearing citizens look towards with reverence. The past year has been a sordid one indeed with many accusations handed down regarding the new government's corruption in comparison to the old. But I have lived in this city my entire life. This city, the Commonwealth, is my life, and never have I seen it more vibrant and self-assured than it is now. It is on the lips of the people of South Cordor as well as the hard-working farmers of North Cordor - they wish to receive your blessing for their new way of life. As the leader of a free and proud people, I will not ask for any such thing on my or their behalf, holding equal reverence for your word. I will instead make an offer for you to come and visit the Commonwealth at your leisure. It has been many years since you paid a visit to the City of Water, and not at all since the Duke's abdication of rule and his unfortunate passing. If it be your will to accept our invitation, we will be more than happy to accomodate you, so that you may come and speak and dine and enjoy all that the Commonwealth has to offer.

We do sincerely hope you accept the offer of our emissaries, and too the offer for a visit to the Commonwealth.

Yours,

Joseph Maximillian
Speaker of the Council
The Commonwealth of Cordor

Samantha would've attempted to pay welcome to the visitors she heard were escorted up to The Keep after working in the damaged fields of Kohlingen. Surprisingly, she was inevitably, but politely deterred by the Everguards with a phrase of something like, "They do not wish to see any Defenders or Triadic Knights."

Blinking for a moment, she stood there shocked. Of course, she recovered quickly and asked what the cause for that was. She couldn't possibly think anyone took the South Cordorian notices very seriously.. so she assumed the worst.. but alas, the Everguards informed her the visit was indeed about those very notices. Apparently their effect was more powerful than she had thought.

Walking away from the chambers, she sat in the Lower Keep to watch the fountain for the whole meeting. When the visitors were escorted out of the Justicar's presence, she undoubtedly was requested into an anteroom while they passed through.. This is ridiculous.. but how am I supposed to convince Maximilian of that? Gods, this problem is getting so large that we're never going to be able to fix all the collateral damage. Miller running for Council? Cordor angry at Kohlingen? Lord of the Winds, what is happening..?

It was days later when Samantha heard about the actual letter that was delivered. She gathered around a table in the sparring rooms with a few other squires and read the report. She sighed softly and decided it was time to approach the Justicar personally about the situation.

Samantha tied her hair back in its place, the usual ponytail, but still of a faded black rather than the dirty blond that normally framed her face. She set the quill down on the paper and began to pen her letter to Maximilian.