Matriarch of Tetricala

The Edea Agogri, Matriarch of Tetricala, came to Isulstad during the Festival of Union. She sought redress from the Consilium for Hexolian’s encroachment upon her demesne. The Festival of Union was one of the few times in the ten-year political cycle of the Consilium which allowed for open discussion. Later the same week Merrodan landed to bring his proposal to the Eyes of Justice, while his son's army raided Tetricalan countryside. The Matriarch was given a vague answer, at first, before Merrodan’s dismissal from the Halls of Justice. After he had been rejected and left the island, the Consilium voted to defend Tetricala if she were attacked. It had become in the past hundred years, under the direction of this Matriarch and her mother before her, the major trade center West of the mountains on the South Coast of the Gap Sea. The place where the East came to meet the West, this megapolis is considered one of the hubs of the current Renaissance, along with the Isle of Meridia. Art, magic, and technology are flourishing in the cities on either side of the Gap, the stretch of Sea between Bensilot and Telephos. Now Barbania even has a small hub of trade on the southern coast, the very city Herrodan will take to land his fleet in freeing their queen. Along the coasts of Northern Telephos and Southern Benselot, Isveildara, also many cities have had a surge of artistry. The cities of Telephos are all in the path of Merrodan’s imminent march after the fall of Tetricala though. This is the main point Edea Agogri attempted to press the council with. The current resurgence of power for the Kingdoms lays in the safety of these cities. Trade from these ports support lords in lands half the world away, some of these cities are even colonies of far-away city-states and nations. This corridor of wealth was ripe for the plucking for Merrodan, if the Consilium did not stop him now. Merrodan, however, had no intentions of invading Telephos, his rival nation, if he were to be recognized as having representation of his family rights, those of a descendant of Anaxaneas, on the Consilium. He wanted a leading role on the councils. He believed he and his people deserved representation equal to that of the other Kingdoms, no longer only the half-citizenship his people had. As the story went: Long ago in the Fall after Typhoons Storm the God of Tricks was beheaded then exiled, after his followers placed a jackal’s head upon him and he revived. He had allowed his people to travel across the wide oceans to a new land, where they had squandered their wealth and unleashed an evil upon the world. With the beheading of Obmhann and his resurrection a new power was born, Necromancy. Power over the undead was before unseen by man. They had not practiced such horror, nor had any other magic awaken the dead. Reborn with the head of a jackal the God of Trickery now seeks revenge upon the pantheon. Opening the doors wide for his followers to master warlockery, a new age of magic has emerged, more terrifying and horrible than any other. This was not the only strange power unleashed by the folly though. Across the sea Doom had been awakened. Rhodezephrys was no longer represented on the council in truth because they had not been a kingdom for centuries. The line of Anaxaneas had fallen into obscurity until Merrodan had emerged from the Great Steppes with all the proper documentation of his line and the arms, armor, and jewelry to prove it also. That was the beginning of his conquest. Now on Isulstad he would request, after conquering half a continent, their acknowledgement as a Family Kingdom. The Eyes of Justice thought that to allow this horse warrior to rise to their station was an affront to everything they had worked for, the consolidation of priestly power, the weakening of the Consilium. For Merrodan to join the council would be disastrous for them, all power lost. He would lead the Kingdoms in a united front to glory, something the priests could not allow. The complacency of peace was their providence. In war the Kings would take charge, would raise armies, forge weaponry, cause destruction of a level unknown since the days before the Storm of Typhoon. War came with the slaying of Merrodan. V’mur (Mantikós), a Frouron Protate on his way to serve as Herrodan's bodyguard, assassinated Merrodan on secret orders from his true deity, the Goddess of Night, Zulmat or to some Yèjiān Zhíbān. She sought to ensure the war between the Kingdoms was to ensue. However, her final goal was clouded in mystery to her servant V’mur, for he was tasked to still fulfill his vow in protecting the son, Herrodan, from harm. Now racked with guilt, it is a charge he now has every intention to keep, even at the cost of his own life.