Opinion: Worse to Come?

As the land wakes this morning to the horrific news that Queen Janna is dead, slain by the hand of an unknown assassin, our first reactions will no doubt run to shock, dismay and overwhelming grief. At times like these, words seem worth so very little. Nothing can be said to salve the pain.

But we must remember this pain, because life goes on for the rest of us and the memory of this pain can help us focus on what is important and give us the certainty of purpose to make sure we all do what needs to be done.

What needs to be done, first and foremost, is the asking of questions and the finding of answers.

WHO?

Might this be the work of Belgren? They have contested our borders for centuries and while recent treaties have brought an uneasy peace, do they count for anything now a new Arch-Paladin presides over the Amaranthine Parliament?

Or should we look within? The pirates of Port Bloodwater have long rejected the King's rule, while the orcs and goblins spilling out from the Mordant Blight across our northern counties would love to see the race of man fall.

Or is it, Gods forbid, a sign of the Dark Lord's hand moving once again across the land?

HOW?

We must also ask ourselves how this could have happened.

Royal Wizard Orhl is tasked with protecting our Regent from magical threats, yet this assassin appeared in the middle of the Great Hall itself. Did he teleport in? Did he wear an invisibility cloak? Whatever his means, how did they breach the Royal Wizard's defences? Can we trust the Royal Wizard to competently investigate his own failure?

And what of the Royal Guard? They are hand-picked and trained to protect the King at all costs, yet it was the Queen who sacrificed her own life to save him. Did they hesitate due to incompetence or is the explanation more sinister?

MALIGN POWER

We must all pray that the King survives his brush with death. We need a strong Regent to keep this land safe and prosperous. In his absence we are to be led by young Prince Mikael, who possesses many virtues, but experience is not one of them. In such uncertain times, difficult decisions must be made quickly by those with the fortitude to see them through. Is it fair to expect Prince Mikael to exhibit the foresight and wisdom of his father?

I do not claim the gift of clairvoyance, only the blessing of common sense and that tells me this episode in our history will not begin and end with a single assassination attempt. I suggest that whosoever sent this killer does not simply wish death upon the Royal family, they also wish destruction upon each and every one of us.

That is why it is imperative that the assassin be found as soon as possible. We need answers.

All that is certain for now is that we all must accept not only the tragic loss of our beloved Queen, but also the fact that a malign power can strike with seeming impunity at the heart of our Kingdom. I, for one, will not sleep easily tonight.

By Targen DeVyre