Azalaroth

content:

To the High Lord Azalaroth of the Wand,

Humblest greetings to you, Secret Protector In The Shadows. I send to you, on the Nineteenth of February 3017 years After the Great War, my one thousand and fifty second weekly report of the proceedings in the Quad-Nation Alliance. As always, listed below is a summary of recent events that may be of concern to the stability of the Alliance and to your lordship’s secrecy and anonymity.

Most non-trading sea vessels from The Orrient are now barred from travelling west to the Colonial Lands without official imperial permit. This is in retaliation to the influx of men, women and children reported to have fled west to escape conscription, seeking refuge in The Occident and Habitica. The total estimate of immigrants stands at just over one thousand individuals in the past year. This may elevate the danger to your anonymity in Habitica. Just yesterday, a boy by the name of Atro swam west across the river border between Habitica and The Occident. The desperation observed here, to brave the worst rapids of the river, is a clear sign of what the future entails. The boy was rescued by a local Habitican girl and is now under the care of the healers in Habit City.

A young man, adorned in a heavy coat, attempted to cut down the New Hanging Tree of Bolya’s Beacon in The Orrient, before being chased away by guards. Witnesses identify him as Bruce Tenbell, a member of the Christmas Killers that are wanted for murder, treason and a great deal more in The Orrient. This event mirrors a prior event last year when two individuals burned down the original Hanging Tree.

The Christmas Killers have furthermore captured a trading vessel in the harbour of Bolya’s Beacon. This occurred six days ago. The ship was taken north during the night, evading the harbour guards, and there have been no sightings of it since. The Christmas Killers may have sailed east to seek refuge in Durgor, or west to our side of the Sundering Seas.

The war between The Orrient and Durgor may be coming to an end, with the beginning of peace talks and a lax in fighting on a local scale. Emperor Panitet remains stoic in this confrontation, however, and has doubled down on his policies of youth conscription. This stance was exacerbated by the recent death of his wife, clouding the Emperor’s judgement. After the destruction of Thindburg last Christmas, no one save the Emperor’s inner circle still has the motivation to fight. If I am to give a humble piece of advice, it may be time for you to step in and pacify the Emperor to end the war quickly. My own son has been conscripted, and I fear for him.

Sunken Dilatory has furthered their efforts in exploring the bottom of the Underwater Crevasse. The mermen have begun again the looting of the skeleton of the Dread Dragon of Dilatory. They are working their way up its body eagerly. Other spies have told me that they grow ever closer to the Dragon’s skull and our underwater encampment there. Your plans to construct a sunken fortress there may prove very useful in protecting the monster’s skull from harm, but this new threat from the mermen may complicate matters. Your friend of the Aether could be of use in this regard.

On the fourteenth of February, a terrible beast awoke in Habitica: a giant mantis the size of a building. Reports vary, but most witnesses claim it arose from a “rift in reality”. It has powers beyond reason, and has already begun destroying Habit City. The mages of Habitica are staging a valiant defense, and I foresee that this issue will be quelled with few casualties. It may be prudent, however, for you to travel home to sort out this problem. A magician of your prowess should be no match for this creature. I apologise immensely if such a request is overstepping my bounds; I know you have busy matters to attend to in the Quinto Lands. As an aside, my apartment in Habit Square has collapsed and I may require financial assistance in acquiring new accommodation.

The April Fool, one of Habitica’s Masterclassers, has returned to Habitica from his year-long journey on his flying city. It is possible again to garner information from him and his close advisors. You need no reminder that gaining information about one of the key lawmakers of Habitica is of superb importance. As there are few spies under your employment as of late, it may be prudent to recruit one of his advisors. I am currently attempting this.

A rumour has begun to spread about your lordship in The Occident, about a demon lord who dwells in the shadows, preparing to take over the world and make all mortals his slaves. Such nonsense is to be expected of the unruly men of The Occident, although words still have power. You will soon enough receive a report from one of my colleagues that he has hired mercenaries to assassinate any who cause a row in this regard.

This concludes my summary of recent important events.

To give but a small opinion, I would think that these grievous events are moving apace, and for reasons unknown there is growing tension within the realm. Your anonymity is growing ever closer to naught, and the stability of the realm – which you have maintained and coveted these long years, may crumble. This feeling I have is not one of logic and evidence, but one of feeling and the experience of a spy who has been in your employ for over twenty years.

I should hope that my tenure does not come under threat, especially by the Masterclassers of Habitica who hold the greatest power in the Colonial Lands. As always, I bow before you, the greatest wizard in this world, and I bask in your perpetual youth and power. I hope that you know that I, too, worry for my secrecy and anonymity. The knights of Habitica are beginning to grow suspicious of me and my snooping. I may need your help in showing them the importance of my missions.

With utmost sincerity to you,
Your loyal spy Secul of the Quad-Nation Alliance

This is a revised version of a piece from 17 Dec 2022.