The Count Returns

[Gregor Cutting]

It was to be simple. He was to come to Shireroth. He was to find the worms who were making attempts on Aaden’s life. And finally, he was to break their spirits, and their backs. “Simple,” he thought, “then why did it seem like so much more.” He stood in front of the doors to the count’s residence. Though not intended to seem alien nor intimidating, they were indirectly constructed as both. The doors were forged with black marble, rumoured to be given to the first Dentarg as a gift. Carved into them was a series of lines and scratches, words in Arachion that were long forgotten except by the most learned Agnesian historians. The doors were of average height, but were much wider at the bottom, as if constructed so a creature with a wide lower half could enter. Constructed so an Ohl’tar could enter.

As he pushed the deceptively light doors open, Gregor took in the much more modest interior of the count’s office. His sister had abandoned the county long ago, and hadn’t been heard from since she left for Yardistan. The Dentarg crest rested behind the count’s desk, showing the creators loyalty the Ohl’tar. A stylized spider with a sword crossing through it, emblazoned in copper, now green with age. The entire room was the epitome of disrepair and neglect. His sister hadn’t used it since she resigned her countship, and with the rightful count being loyal to the the Elwynnese union, the duke of Elwynn was essentially free to do what he wished with the county.

“I- Is everything in order my lord?” squeaked a timid voice from behind Gregor. He swerved his head around with a scowl on his face. As he saw the terrified tiny assistant woman, he softened his gaze. “Yes,” replied Gregor, “Everything seems to be as I remember it, more or less.”

It had been a very long time since he was in this county, let alone the office itself. The time hadn’t eroded his memory at all. Gregor moved forward and stared at the painting of his ancestor.

“Count Cho’gall,” mused Gregor, “The man whom I owe all of my standing nobility to.”

“He was a great man to be certain,” replied the receptionist.

“Great?” asked Gregor, “The man was honorable to be sure, but a fool in the world of politics. He threw all his eggs into a basket with a foreign species, and expected all to see the world in the same white knight visor that he had. History doesn’t even remember his name.” The woman looked perplexed. Gregor continued, “Cho’gall wasn’t his real name you see. It was his title. It means ‘Reclaimer’ in the language of the Ohl’tar. They named him that after he saved them. Their final laugh after they left I suppose.” Gregor spat the last phrase with a hint of contempt.

Agnesia had always remained the land of the spider. Arachnid motifs littered the land, entire areas with strange houses made for spidermen. Not to mention all the scars on the land from the two wars fought during their presence in the county. There were still miles of flooded tunnels from the thaw that could be housing ancient Ohl’tar artifacts. His ancestor was said to have had a fifth sense about these kind of things.

Gregor grabbed a map of Agnesia. Operation Spirit Breaker could wait for now.


((Laziness is a horrible thing))

[Kaiser Stan I]

Stan was concentrating very hard. He was concentrating, in fact, harder than he had ever done in his life. At least, so far as he could remember. But right now, he could not remember- or rather, he was not remembering. Instead he was focusing on not listening to his chamberlain. His method of achieving this noble goal was attempting to thread the Sword of Vengeance through an extra large de-stoned mango without touching the flesh. Occasionally he would touch the juicy innards, swear, and withdraw the Relic Sword from its fruity expedition before licking the juice from it. The chamberlain rambled on and on about how the Kaiser was received at previous engagements, and how he should attempt to be received at future engagements, completely undaunted by the ridiculous activity His Imperial Niftiness was engaging in. Stan touched the inside and licked the sword once more, only this time he accidentally combed the magically sharp edge with his tongue and cut it. Swearing more, he dropped the sword with a clang and brought his hand to his mouth, before looking around the room as if searching for someone to save him from the annoying man before him. "Look, Chamberlain, must you keep on? Can't you see We are niftilly engaged in important personal matters?"

The Chamberlain - a veteran of the Imperial Household Service, which transcended the Kaiserial succession - cleared his throat and rebegan, "I'm terribly sorry, Your Niftiness, but there is one final matter of import. SHINE agents report that the heir to Cho'Gall has crossed the border into Agnesia." The Kaiser, who was eagerly searching his pockets for a handkerchief with one hand as he attempted to stem the blood flowing from his mouth with the other, looked at him with a vacant expression, as if to say, 'Where?' He said, "Where?" The Chamberlain cleared his throat again and smiled, begged the grace of the Kaiser that he be permitted to excuse himself to leave His Niftiness to his personal matters, and closed the doors of the library of Raynor's Keep behind him. "Idiot," he muttered as he hurried down the hall to a secret passage to SHINE Headquarters in Shirekeep.

[Allot]

So the SHINE HQ is in Shirekeep... Noted.

[Kaiser Stan I]

(Note also the lack of definite article. )