Part 1 A most worrying series of events has occurred in Edrador, the latest of which has sent tremors across the empire of Lingustia.... Voice of the Empire: All hail Paras, our beloved Emperor! From our correspondent at Delium. Last week a number of ships arrived in harbour. They were ships of the south, rigged just that bit different to our own but an all too familiar sight in the Empire's harbours further south. Of more concern was the ship's cargo. Not goods, but people - clearly some of great authority. Word soon spread that it was a "Diplomatic Mission". Now we are proud of our techniques in Diplomacy not least our capacity to annihilate our enemies in battle! What use to us a southern diplomat from the edges of the empire? Surely they would be sent packing. But instead word soon spread, these diplomats were very persuasive - that the king had delayed his joining the army in the north for a campaign against desert raiders from the Great Zurdian Desert. Further still the great oracle had last month spoken of a great mind of Chaos coming up from the south. At the time observers had gazed at the stars to anticipate if this actually meant great sea storms were coming. And now of greatest concern is the revelation that one of the most revered mountain hermits of Mew has foretold the Missions arrival to the day. Trionalis the Hermit is well known for his predictions coming true. In this case he foresaw a ship with a blue sail on which was shown a single great eye with a red flag flown atop the main mast. The ship's name "Roirraw Enol" was and is the name of the very ship which the leader of the diplomatic mission arrived on from Rugia. We anticipated further revelations. Days pass and the mission stays although the odd ship departs and as the weeks pass some or even new ones return. Then the news breaks.... Part 2 Today the royal court is rife with news of great importance. Unconfirmed reports say that the Emperor Paras has agreed a treaty with the Rugians, which includes a major exchange of trade. Early indications are that the southern empire ports will lose their monopoly as middlemen for Rugian trade goods. It is time to celebrate - make merry with the wine.... Part 3 The sham of the Rugian deal is now clear to see. Does not even the Emperor share some responsibility? Our very stability as an empire has been guaranteed by the laws of the Great God "Noli Dranrab" and yet now it is undone with the cursed treaty with the Rugians. The Diplomatic Mission is gone some six months but its seeds are apparent everywhere not least in the southern cities. The cry is we do business differently now, the empire way is out of date, it is slow and coarse. The law of Noli Dranrab is gone. And what is in its place you ask? The law of Lliw Nosnohj lately of Rugia but now sweeping northwards across the empire. Who can deny the attractions of trade agreements, the ability to found cities, build roads but above all provide so many civic improvements? Word of great markets, public spectacles and awesome aqueducts make even our capital look at best provincial. The reality is that even the best scribes of the Dranrabian order of monks will not reassert the pre-eminence of the Laws of Dranrab. It can only be a matter of time before Civilised Campaign Rules take over the world of Edrador. Digitised by Ian Duncan. Back to Table of Contents -- Lone Warrior #136 Back to Lone Warrior List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2001 by Solo Wargamers Association. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com