News Clippings II: Barrakas Summit and Ziki's Trial

Korranberg Chronicle Excerpts

15th of Barrakas (special edition)

THRONEHOLD: Despite the diplomatic difficulties that have plagued this year's international summit, the sovereign home of Galifar was filled with state officials and dignitaries on Far. Many saw this as a sign that the new rulers of Khorvaire would set aside their differences and take care of some of the pressing issues that face our great land. They were mistaken. What followed the pomp and fanfare of the initiation ceremony were three days of pointless bickering over trade disputes, border technicalities, and the nations of New Cyre and Droaam. Lowlights of the event were Queen Aurala proposing that New Cyre be disbanded completely, turning out thousands of refugees from the Day of Mourning, and Cardinal Krozen openly calling King Kaius a war criminal before storming out of the committee and returning to Flamekeep.

There were a few bright spots in the summit's deliberations, however. Despite the open hostility between Thrane and Karrnath, plans were finalized (largely by the delegates from the United Trade Coalition, House Cannith and House Orien) to rebuild the Golden Arch Bridge between the two nations. This is an economic development, and if either Karrnath and Thrane could afford not to open up trade with each other, they would certainly have declined. All of Khorvaire will benefit from the East and West Rail Lines being reconnected; the project is expected to be completed in early 1001.

Against the vocal protests of Karrnath and House Deneith, Thrane's fledgling law organization, the Shadowbane Inquisition, was given special new priviledges in international territories, including Aundair, the Talenta Plains, the Eldeen Reaches and Q'barra, which had previously denied the group's authority completely. This turnaround was largely due to some recent and well-publicized successes by agents of the Inquisition internationally, which proved the organization's usefulness in secular matters.

Several projects were organized to provide relief to victims of the massive flooding in northern Khorvaire last spring. Druids of the Eldeen Reaches managed to divert the worst of it, though thousands remain homeless in Aundair, Thrane and Karrnath. The ambassadors of Reidra generously offered yet more assistance in this matter, continuing a trend of unrestricted philanthropy which has put them in high favor all across Khorvaire.

A potentially deadly dispute between Darguun and Valenar over sea pirates was resolved peacefully, much to everyone's surprise. The two war-like nations hardly ever see eye to eye, yet their delegates were seen speaking privately and amiably throughout the conference, and many now think they were the most level-headed diplomats in Thronehold that weekend.

Finally, the United Trade Coalition surprised everyone with some very important trade expansion plans that they had been keeping sealed up tight until the Summit. Their proposed changes to international tarriff laws and border tolls are expected to streamline the flow of coin in the Five Nations area, and make exporting and importing a much less daunting process for merchants across Khorvaire. Their measures were passed unanimously, and could begin the long process of rebuilding Khorvaire's broken economic backbone as early as 999 YK.

7th of Rhaan

SHARN: The trial of Ziki "Flenser", the now-infamous serial killer of Oakbridge, Northedge, went about as expected. Despite protests from local changelings who called her trial 'unfair' and 'racially biased', she was convicted on four counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death. She is also suspected to be behind over four dozen additional killings across greater Breland over the past two years, all targeting ex-members of the Peace Circus, a traveling carnival that brought hope and laughter to war-weary souls for decades. The two surviving members of the Circus, who both reside in Ziki's latest killing ground of Oakbridge, were unavailable for comment. The residents of Oakbridge who could be reached indicated that they were pleased with the trial's results; several also offered glowing praise for Inquisitor Gerard Angevin and his deputies, who cracked the case in record time and even garnered rare commendation from Victor Saint-Demain, who is usually quite critical of rival inquisitives.