1213 RE-- The Council of Fridlevur
Date: 11 June, 1213 RE
Outcome: Increased tensions between Oresund and Gaunt
Party 1 Commanders: King Austar Finbrandur, Teitur Egill, Knight-Champion Nilmer Preben
Party 2 Commanders: Njala Ironheart, Kimmernaq
On the first day of June, Njala Ironheart of House Soldis and Kimmernaq of House Risten arrived in the city of Fridlevur, to a modest fanfare. The Oresunders lined the streets and declared a day of festival, however, for the arrival of King Austar Finbrandur and his entourage, along with Knight-Champion Nilmer Preben and Teitur Egill. A number of lower-ranked warlords and functionaries of both sides, as well as an unexpected contingent of Tarsikkan dignitaries and presumptive mediators, were also present; in the past year, the Tarsikkan nobility and elements within the Redwood Throne have taken a strong interest in preserving the peace between the northern kingdoms and constructing an alliance against the Frozen Castle. The events of the past month throw these efforts into confusion and doubt, however.
The first nine days of meeting were occupied with setting the stage for the formal Council, which was to take place on the 11th. Each evening, in turn, was filled with feasting and drinking, and there seemed to be a spirit of camaraderie between the two sides. Several members of the Skybreaker Sept and the Tarsikkan delegates repeated tales of the Citadel of Congealed Shade in detail each night, including stories describing local hero Immolo Karvonnen as a fraud and a servant of the Citadel. The Fridlevur natives denounced these tales as lies, but it seems that His Majesty and Teitur Egill found them highly credible, particularly when one of the Returned to whom Teitur Egill traces his lineage spoke strongly in defense of these claims. The tales grew wilder yet, claiming that the Citadel of Congealed Shade has also made some sort of appearance as far south as Petra's Hearth.
On the 10th day of June, the formal Council began. Its proceedings are a matter of rumor and speculation, but it is known that the whole day was occupied with the Gauntish and Oresunder leadership reciting lineages, laying out grievances, and stating current stances.
On the following day, discussion began in earnest, as the Skybreaker Sept and the Tarsikkan delegates were invited to speak. As the Council of Fridlevur was conducted behind closed doors, none can say what transpired there, except that one of the homunculi traveling with the Tarsikkans kicked open the door to the hall, and battle ensued in the streets of the city. One of the Tarsikkans was carrying Kimmernaq's lifeless body, while the flames of the Knight-Champion's famous sword were visible to all. After a short time, silence fell again, and the delegates exited the Council hall and returned to their lodgings, in separate quarters of the city.
No one on either side was able to explain any part of what had transpired, save that the head of House Risten was quite clearly dead. A skald traveling with Njala Ironheart, Vilars Algothsen, had not been included in the Council's proceedings; owing to Njala's confused state, he pieced together what had happened, and could only conclude that the Oresunders had worked powerful mental magic to erase the Gauntish delegation's memory of the assassination of Kimmernaq. Leaving Njala well-guarded and in the care of a physicker, Vilars took up his famous hand axes and led the rest of the Gauntish entourage to claim satisfaction for this unthinkable treachery. When the warriors of the Skybreaker Sept could not join in, owing to lingering effects of the magic worked against them, Vilars shouted that he defend Gaunt's honor without them.
The Oresunder faction, on the other, was thrown into confusion; the King and Teitur Egill seemed distracted and unable to assert command, while the Knight-Champion apparently anticipated the Gauntish reaction and stood guard with Bloodharvest in hand. The common people of Fridlevur, seeing Vilars Algothsen leading a band of warriors with axes drawn, feared that he intended to do some violence to His Majesty, and a hue and cry rose. It was an Oresunder who swung the first blow, but it caught on Vilars' axe, and there was little more to say for that poor fellow. A bloodbath ensued, in which some ten or twenty were slain, and many more left bleeding. The Gauntish warriors approached so near as to see the flames of Bloodharvest, but with many of them wounded and winded, they made no further move to storm the royal dwelling.
On the day following, a grim peace settled over the city, as wiser heads prevailed and both Njala Ironheart and the King of Oresund continue to suffer the same peculiar malady. The Skybreaker Sept warriors, the Tarsikkan delegation, and their allies vanished in the night, and an investigation to root out the truth of the matter has begun.
(NOTE: The Skybreaker Sept warriors, the Tarsikkan delegates, and others whose presence is implied in this event have no recollection of any of the things described here. News of this event becomes common knowledge in Marath Suvla about a day before those characters return to Marath Suvla.)