"Where is this great Valdrean Justice, then? Is it in the hearts of your leaders? No, for they have placed it in the swords of their troops.
"Friends, we ask you to raise your heads and open your eyes and ears, and to listen to your people, dying under the swords of your so-called Valdrean justice."
(Ar mal Andar, Emissary of King Zergal; to the people of Gamart, 16 VIII 2501)
"The true rulers of Valdrea are a handful of swords created by SARAN. A group of healthy bullies (or in their own language ‘the nobility’) engages in ritualised combat for the right to wield these swords. In fact, the swords stage the combats in order to find the toughest strong-arms to carry them."
(From ‘The Pantheon’ by Vozhey; a subversive tract promulgated by the rebels of Ralania (West Post))
"The current political and military issues obscure the immanent disaster of starvation in the Valdrean Empire when the Autumn Harvest fails. The Second Grain War will be won by the side that can feed its people."
(Csiero, Man of SHELDA; to the Men of SARAN, 1O VIII 2501)
"Who can see into people’s hearts?"
(Red, Apostle of Imposed Change)
"One can never tell what the consequences of one’s acts will be. That is why one must ensure that each act is in itself Good."
(Olak-Ksirrin, Founder of the Crusaders for Truth)
"All the hot air spouted by these fanatics merely provokes Discord and Division. Can we not see sense yet? Have we still not learnt from our mistakes? In the name of all that is Good, let us please consider each other and work together."
(Harrek, Duke of Grinen, Lord Protector of the North; from a sermon preached at the Temple of ESCUS on Earth, 3 VIII 2501)
"Wonders have been achieved here in Bjarmigen by the agreed resolution of what were once major differences. There is a goodwill here on which we can build. Do not destroy it over minor differences."
(Green, Apostle of Agreed Change)
"Are we to be condemned on the basis of rumour, suspicion, conjecture? Has the Law become so flexible that it can serve whatever purpose suits those whose functions are supposed to be constrained by it? Is this not the work of DALA?"
(Crispin of Bavenne, Attorney-General of Valdrea; from his opening address on behalf of the Defence to the Rainbow Court in the case of SARAN v The Emperor and Privy Council, 1 VIII 2501)
"I believe in Change for the Better. But what that may mean depends upon the Changer."
(Violet, Apostle of Experimental Change)
"In the Underworld I met a most perceptive orc, who asked Me ‘What colour is Change?’
"‘Change’, I told him, ‘is any colour you want it to be’."
(RAVAR, God of Change)
The Imperial Army moved to put down the rebellion in the Western Provinces of Valdrea. But sizeable proportions of its men were Westerners themselves, and many of them mutinied; joining their rebellious countrymen rather than butchering them. Rumours spread of the approach of Zergal, and the unrest increased. In the Province of Torel, the Military Area of West Post, and the Provinces of Gamart, High Yarmen, Dafrack and Gap the towns and villages rose in open rebellion. The Loyalist troops of the Central and Eastern Provinces responded, with varying degrees of success. In some places the rebellion was crushed, in others unrest continued, and in some the rebels were victorious and declared their freedom. Gamart was retaken by the Empire on the 10th Estender. Geyorl declared itself free on the 7th, and Cantif on the 10th. In Torel and Tessar the rioting continued.
Meanwhile King Zergal, his Lieutenant Rhabka the Beast, their cavalry and supporting adventurers had turned the tables on a Valdrean ambush from its rear on the 2nd, evaded Deputy Marshal Fastin of Gytrasan and the main Imperial Army by slipping through the forest, and erupted into the open country North of West Post, with Fastin and the Valdrean cavalry in hot pursuit.
On the night of the 3rd, to the surprise of many, the supposedly invincible Fort Kostof fell, to a great wave of Spectres. There were reportedly no survivors. This cleared the way for the advance of the Kavaleri infantry, under Generals Falgar, Salax and Horm. On the 11th Falgar and Horm encountered the main force of Valdrean infantry at Hanfash Pass. The Westerners defected to the Kavaleri, and then Salax appeared at the other end of the pass, trapping the Central and Eastern Valdreans, who were massacred.
On the 16th Zergal reached the walls of Gamart. That night the town rose again, this time with the assistance of Red, Apostle of Change. The gates were thrown open to the Kavaleri, and by midday of the 17th Zergal and the rebels controlled the town. But on the 19th Fastin arrived, with his cavalry, troops gathered from the Province, and those who had retreated from the town, to which he promptly laid siege.
On the 20th Falgar reached, and laid siege to, West Post. The pattern of rebellion from within opening the gates and conquest from without was repeated, and the great garrison town fell within a day. Its commander, Lamius of Gytrasan, Lord Warden of the Western Military District, fled. The former symbol of Valdrean military might in the West was renamed Ralania; the name it was first given in the Year 935 by Ralan, the first independent Western Emperor, when he made it his capital.
Zergal was not going to stay cooped up in Gamart for long, and he sallied at dawn of the 22nd. Fastin’s men were taken by surprise at the impetuosity of the attack, and Zergal, Rhabka and Red shattered them as a fighting force. Gamart thus secured, Zergal rode off again on his raiding mission.
Meanwhile Falgar and the main Kavaleri and rebel army were advancing down the road towards Valdran. Rumours now circulated that there was nothing to stand between them and the City itself. Their force was surely too small to have any chance of success. But they had already achieved the impossible twice.
Their numbers were depleted by Salax’s contingent having struck South. On the 1st Lastra Salax reached Tessar, and managed to surround it, with the help of local rebels who ferried his troops across the river. Dakro of Normeikl, Military Governor of the West Post Military Area had kept the rebels in the town in check by a skilful and restrained use of force, but now they erupted. Salax attacked, and the Valdreans were overwhelmed. Dakro surrendered the remainder of his garrison, together with his own person. Refusing to escape with the adventurers and abandon his men, Dakro became the first Valdrean Noble Champion of the War to be captured by the Kavaleri.
When the Gods of Hell overthrew Heaven, there was a mass exodus of its former inhabitants, including several hundred men. Many of these had to escape through the Dungeons, and heavy casualties were suffered before the survivors reached safety, or were rescued.
At first the Men of Heaven kept mostly to the Heavenly exile communities of the Higher Powers that were established with the Temples of Peace and the Gods on Earth. But now they are beginning to recover from the traumatic experience of their Exodus, and to take a more active part in mundane affairs (as they call them). With the sophistication of Heaven, and the spirit it fostered of individual initiative coupled with the ability to work as teams, it is becoming apparent that they have a lot to offer.
Some of the first evidence of this came with their return to Dungeon Adventuring. Under the leadership of Csiero of SHELDA, a combined team of Men of Heaven and mundane adventurers trained in Heavenly Dungeon tactics penetrated to the very edge of the Heavenly Security Zone at Strawberry Heights, where they rescued no less than 31 Men, Women and Children of SARAN; the largest number yet rescued by one party. The rescuees were then Teleported out of the Dungeons to the Temple of SARAN on Earth in Valdran, from under the very noses of the Gods of Heaven and Hell. A total reward of 155,000GP was paid by the Temples of Peace and the Gods on Earth.
The main argument of the Defence in the trial in Valdran of Emperor Arril and most of his Privy Council for Constructive Demon Summoning has emerged as being that the Inquisition into Demon Summoning is seeking to extend and subvert Imperial Law to its own political ends. To this the Director, Stirros III of Satril, has responded that the Defence is itself seeking to change the Law, by an attempt to limit its scope in order to save the Accused’s heads from the Sword. The argument has become essentially one of Law, and its Interpretation: the distinction being that in Valdrean legal theory the Court does not change the Law, but seeks to arrive at the correct Interpretation of what it has always been; even if it was previously interpreted in a different, incorrect way.
The allegations of friendly relations with supposed Demon Summoners were easily dismissed by Attorney-General Crispin of Bavenne, leading the case for the Defence. Much of the evidence was circumstantial, hearsay, or plain conjecture, and the relationships of the Emperor with the persons named were not shown to be more than mere acquaintances or what was necessarily incidental to his proper duties. To the extent that the Law was submitted as covering such things, Crispin attacked the Interpretation.
The decision to accept the help of Angels of SARAN during the Battle of Rockholme, and the evidence of subsequent association with those Angels, Crispin had a harder task in justifying. Here he capitalised on the novelty of the situation; the dearth of precedent allowing him more scope for legal argument. He submitted that such conduct should not be construed as Constructive Summoning; pointing to, inter alia, its initiation by SARAN Herself, the analogy of legal uses of Magic potentially involving the Powers of Demons (such as the Seven great Swords of Valdrea), and the practical impossibility of living with Demons on one’s own doorstep (at the Temple of SARAN on Earth).
On this basis Crispin has made a submission of no case to answer, at the end of the case for the Prosecution, and before he has called any evidence himself.
The Rainbow Court reserved its decision on the point on the 3rd Estender, and is expected to give its judgement any day. The length of time it has been considering its verdict points to the decision being a close one.
Relations between the Temple of Peace on Earth and the rest of the community in Bjarmigen reached their coldest point around Midsummer. At the beginning of Estender attempts to promote reconciliation, whilst well meant, were unable to avoid personal criticism of the leading figures on the other side.
Lord Protector Harrek’s speech on the 3rd appealed to the higher principles for which the Gods of Good stand, whilst attacking the Crusaders For Truth as fanatics who knew little of real Truth. He urged his listeners to seek Truth instead in the Gods Themselves.
The following evening Olak-Ksirrin made a speech in which he accepted that the Crusaders were only people, and so could err, but asserted there could be no mistake in their aim: for Truth. They did not believe in hypocrisy, and if saying what was true and right was unpleasant to the Unpeaceful, then he was sorry. He said he sought Peace and Harmony with everyone. But he also claimed Harrek had used the Axe of ESCUS to burn down an inn in Kuntax.
After this the argument retreated from the public arena, as both sides appeared to realise that it was not furthering their stated aim of reconciliation. They refrained from provocative actions, and appointed junior spokesmen to seek a private resolution of their differences. Whilst this has not yet produced any definite results, the mere act of doing it has improved the atmosphere. The dispute has ceased to be a major talking point, and people on both sides feel able to speak to each other once more.
On the 4th Estender the Clerics of Fort Venture turned back to flesh and blood an Adventurer who had been found turned to stone in the Dungeons. The man’s name was Jarfaz, and he had, it emerged, been in this state for 87 years. The Gods were praised for such a wonderful deliverance.
On the 25th Estender the High King of All the Dwarves returned to Gabilkhazâd-Dûm from his captivity by the Forces of Evil. He appeared unharmed and as vigorous as ever. How he had been recovered was not revealed, but the rumour is that a deal was reached with the Evils. If he had been rescued by force of arms or by stealth, then the heroic deeds of his rescuers would surely have been trumpeted abroad by the Dwarves, who delight in such stories. It is said he was ransomed, as several major Dwarven treasures have disappeared from public view, and mithril has been leaving Dwarven treasuries faster than might have been expected to finance the war effort. A figure of a million gold pieces is rumoured to have been paid.
If there was a deal, it did not involve any truce in the Dwarven-Orcish War being fought out in the Dungeons, for the Dwarf King’s first Decree on his resumption of his throne (the second-best one) was a redoubling of the military effort in an offensive towards Heaven itself. He announced that the Angels of SARAN, who had caused Emperor Arril’s problems, would now be leaving Valdran to fight with him and his Paladins in the front line of the struggle against their common enemies.
Perhaps the most serious long-term effect of the Fall of Heaven has still to be felt. The death of ORIL, Goddess of the Harvest and Fertility has not ended all fertility in the World, but it is becoming clear that it has had a serious adverse effect upon it. The crops should now be ripening in the fields for harvesting in Numist. But everywhere no more than a few withered shoots break through the bare earth. The trees bear no more than a few shrivelled fruit, and are already beginning to shed their leaves. Amongst animals and people alike the birth-rate has fallen drastically. After the bad harvests of the past few years there are no reserves of foodstocks. The situation is beyond even the powers of the Temples to rectify. It is going to be a hard winter, which many will not survive. KRAK, Demigod Harbinger of Famine is sharpening His Scythe. The true harvest will be of lives.
In his speech on the 4th Olak-Ksirrin sought to demonstrate the power of the Crusade For Truth by announcing its success in converting a town in the Underworld, called Hevrin, to the cause of Peace. As proof he produced two Clerics of ALTIS, Peaced by the Bough of Peace, which is carried by Lania, High Priestess of FIDAR on Earth. But he was speaking at the funeral service for two Clerics of the Crusade; martyrs who had given their lives to bring Peace to Hevrin. Then on the 11th a further service was held, in memory of several other martyrs who had died at Hevrin. It was announced that the experiment at Hevrin had failed, due to an overwhelming use of force by the servants of ALTIS. Olak-Ksirrin, Oracle of FIDAR, has not been seen in public since.
© P.R. Wild, 16 November 1986
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