COUNCIL TO DECIDE FATE OF KINGDOM

The Royal Council Chamber 

The King's Council will meet today in a special session to decide Abevorn's response to the attempted murder of King Horvus and the slaying of Queen Janna.

With the King in mourning and Prince Mikael missing, the burden of governance falls upon the King's Council. The King would ordinarily chair the Council and provide the casting vote, which leaves many wondering whether the remaining ten members of the famously fractious Council will be able to agree a way forward.

CULPABLE

Their first order of business will be to hear from Captain-of-the-Guard Rycke and Royal Wizard Orhl, who will report on the hunt for the assassin. They must also judge whether these two men did everything within their power to protect the king or whether they were culpable for allowing this tragedy to take place.

Lord Fife of Sevvenia has already gone on record criticising the Royal Guard's response to the attack on the throne, while both Keeper Votus and Lord Hawkcroft are known to hold Captain-of-the-Guard Rycke in high regard. Royal Wizard Orhl, on the other hand, has no friends within Council, but criticism of him could be construed as criticism of the Magisterium and it's doubtful whether the Council would wish to rattle that cage.

THREAT

If the Captain-of-the-Guard and the Royal Wizard cannot provide insight into who was responsible for sending the assassin, the Royal Council will be left trying to determine a response to an unidentified threat. The Belgren Ambassador has requested a Royal pronouncement absolving his nation of blame and how the Council respond to that will be telling.

Whatever the decisions of the Royal Council, the people of the kingdom are looking to them for leadership and swift action in this time of grief, fear and uncertainty.

By Casewick Essendine