The two groups might well have clashed by now, but with the storm rolling in we chose to return early from our patrol and report what we had seen.” “Tell me, are the naga still moving towards the same pass as the humans.” There were mutterings of unrest at the incendiary words, but no-one spoke out to contradict her openly, or point out that there was no way that the humans could have known of the disappearance of the Stormqueen when they were organizing their invasion.
If only the Stormqueen had not abandoned us, now, in this time of urgent need, we might not face these new threats to the Empire and our people….” They hear of our plight and mean to capitalize on it. “But it seems they have quite forgotten themselves. “The humans have always been treacherous and foolhardy,” Ventora said, with a sad shake of her head. “We tolerate their intrusions when they restrict themselves to looting and hunting, yet now the ungrateful animals want more still – to establish settlements in our lands too! Their greed is insatiable!” “As of two days ago, my lady, perhaps a thousand strong, and starting to fell trees and make simple fortifications” spoke the young scout. “And the human invaders, they were still camped on the hilltops?” asked another noble. They were probably a tribal group displaced by infighting, moving out East to find somewhere new to settle.” “It was difficult to be certain through the trees, but by our reckoning they numbered no more than several hundred, moving east, towards the humans.” “These naga to the north, how many did you detect?” They had the soon to be former Queen to blame for that. Most present were highborn, naturally, but a disturbing number of the smallfolk had risen up to join them in recent years. The attendees were all harpies of course, but they represented the various factions and regions of the Empire, as well as the diverse peoples they ruled over.
Today’s business was far from normal however – this was a war council. With Aellope gone the courtiers met inside the palace instead, in the more modest chambers where the normal daily business was conducted. Turning away from the balcony and its view across the plateau of the Great Basin, Ventora faced the gathered councilors. They were running out of time to bring the nobles and the Empire under her wing, and to prevent disaster, and the Queen was still free, the Pharyes repeatedly failing to capture her or her sister. If anything, she had been more disturbed than any by what she described as a divine event, and a terrible omen. Not while Priestess Thessaly was orchestrating the invasion. The recent shockwaves which rocked the mountains had proven a prelude to another round of attacks however, proving that the enemy would not wait for the Harpies to settle their disagreements. More would follow in time, even if some still clung to the hope that the Stormqueen would return, and somehow make amends for her dereliction.
With the failure of the scouts to find any trace of the Empress after Southtown, many former supporters of the Queen now looked to the Priestess to lead them, and to Ventora to direct the court. The whole fiasco had been a gift to Ventora, a greater reward than she ever dared hope for when she sent the interloping Lady Safkhet to Grand Chasm.Ībsence in a time of war was itself a gross violation of her duty to the Empire and the Goddess, but that blow was followed by the damning testimony of Masika, one of Queen Aellope’s closest advisors, who had only to repeat the heretical ideas her queen had babbled about in order to complete the self-inflicted sabotage of the monarch’s image – all without Ventora ever needing to involve herself. Missing for many days now, she had last been seen flying south at great speed, leaving her hastily-assigned escorts far behind, her incendiary final words reverberating in her wake. Stormqueen Aellope, Daughter of Zephyrus, was gone. Flames burned atop the circle of pillars which enclosed the Harpy court amid the Great Basin, yet the throne sat empty, the giant obsidian seat vacated.