Surface- Iron Hills Region

Empire of Night- City of Ordgan

Keep

Jacob walked through the hallways, by the quiet rumble, everyone that wanted to be present was in the grand hall. Jacob was breathing deeply trying to calm his nerves. He was not wearing his armor, just his regular clothing he was required to wear for state occasions. Pitch black silks, blood-red embroidery of the circled dragon on his back and left breast over his heart. A silver circlet on his head and Moonlight riding his left hip angled for an easier draw if anything turned violent. He was jumpy and eager, he ignored all the Alerts he had received upon the surrender of the leaders of the city and tried to concentrate on what lay ahead of him and not his anger at what had happened.

"Relax Jacob, a contingent of the First Legion, Dawn Guard, and Heart Guard will be present in the hall to keep everyone peaceful. The Heart Guard knows to pull Cathrine out if this turns too shit and my people will be located throughout the hall. Two War Parties will be on standby if this goes tits up." Darren stated as he picked at lint and straitened Jacob's clothing.

"For the record, I hate public speaking. I hate spectacles, above all else, I hate politics." Jacob told the Rogue as he checked to make sure Moonlight would come out of its sheath quickly for the fifth time in the last three minutes. Jacob could feel his gutting knife stapped to the back of his belt and his spare knife strapped to his leg in his left boot.

Cathrine strode up in a very beautiful black and red gown matching Jacobs clothing. Usually, the symbol of the Hollowed Tombs would adorn her left breast, but the symbol of the Empire of Night was prominently displayed there instead, "Relax Jacob, everything will be fine. I will be there with you every step of the way. We just have to get through this, then we can relax a little bit, but the people of this city need to city justice for what those bastards did." Jacob nodded as he softly kissed his wife.

"I would be lost without you, thankyou Cathrine for being there for me. I have no idea why you put up with all my shit." Jacob softly told her as he cupped her face.

Cathrine smiled and Jacob could see mischief sparkling in her eyes but she just smirked and pinched his ass before biting her lip. He remembered then, above all else, that she was the daughter of a powerful Noble Undead House and Wife of the King of the Empire of Night. "Give them justice my husband and make sure that those that are in power know they cannot hide from the choices they make." Jacob gave her a soft smile before stepping past her and hardening his features and putting on the countenance of the King of the Empire of Night.

Sara Shadowbane looked at the large crowd around her. She was only here because the new rulers of the city had extended an invitation to observe the proceedings concerning the previous leadership of the city. It was just a show for the Locals to watch but her guild had also been invited to attend and leadership had sent her as the proxy. The Lightbringers were hardcore Light siders of just over three hundred people. Most of the guild was made up of 'Holy' based classes of Paladins, Clerics, Priests, and other similar classes that were rarer like her Templar class.

Suddenly the black-armored Legionnaires started hammering their shields into the floor of the hall until all the people talking stopped and the only sound was the thrum of the shields slamming into the floor drowning everything else out. "What do you think is going to happen?" a Rogue of some type asked her. A Bloodletter from the guild symbol on his armor.

Sara just ignored the Rogue and watched as the doors in the back of the hall opened and a man emerged quickly followed by others, some were guards. All the guards on the dias wore either blood-red armor or silver-steel. All of them had the hardened look of seasoned warriors ready to kill and were a clear cut above the black-armored Legionnaires. Sara quickly Analyzed the nearest Legionnaire. Spoiler: Spoiler Name: Legionnare Smitts

Level: 60 (+15)

Health: 15,000

Damage: 145-165 (Base)

Armor: 800

Note* Legionnaires of the First Legion are battle-hardened and disciplined. These soldiers are almost fanatically loyal to the Empire of Night and its King. Cross them at your own risk. Sara frowned as she read the description, with the City buff the common soldiers of the Empire of Night were level 75, she could only imagine what level the Elite soldiers were. Either way, if this turned into a fight, even at level one hundred, she would quickly be downed.

"Thank you all for coming. I know you all have your worries about Empire and what it means for your way of life. I believe it will become better, but only time will prove me right. That is not why we are here right now. We are here for one simple reason, Justice. BRING THE PRISONERS IN!!" The man yelled out who could only be the King of the Empire of Night.

Sara frowned as she studied the King, he was not wearing armor but a Longsword adorned his hip. Based on the way he sat on the edge of his seat his arms casually steepled in front of him, Sara could see he was prepared to move forward into an attack. The Rogue at his left shoulder was constantly scanning the crowd looking for threats and studying all the occupants of the crowd. The beautifully dressed woman, wearing a matching gown, also scanned the crowd but would occasionally look at the sitting man.

"Holy shit, that guy isn't a Local. He is an Immortal!!" the Rogue next to her hissed excitedly before he started manipulating his interface and suddenly a small red dot was floating next to him signifying that he was recording everything. Sara was too far to Analyze the man or any of his escorts, but she took the Rogue at his word and followed his example to start recording what was going to happen. Immortals that attained any sort of leadership within NPC factions were rare and were closely monitored by everyone.

The doors stood open and a half dozen figures chained were escorted by a pair of Legionnaires each. Sara could see that these were the former Lords and Ladies of the city, the movers and shakers of the city of Ordgan and now they were at the mercy of the Empire of Night. Based on the way the King was glaring at them, mercy was not on his mind. The men and women were pushed to their knees, the chains binding their arms, legs, to their necks restricted their movements.

"You all know why we are here. About three months ago a force of your soldiers invaded the Empire with the intent to seize the town of Middlebrough with standing orders to kill or enslave all of its occupants. Do you deny this?" The king asked and none of the kneeling men and women offered any resistance. 'For your actions and selfishness, I strip you all of your lands, titles, wealth and freedom. You will each serve thirty years of hard labor for your actions. Upon serving your sentences you will be exiled from the Empire of Night upon pain of death. This is my judgment for those actions."

Muttering was filling the hall, angry muttering. Why they were angry Sara did not know, but this King was looking more and more pissed. His eyes were bleeding over to bright blood red, fangs, and talons were growing apparent as his talons dug into the armrests. Vampire!!! So it was true, the Empire of Night had Vampires in it. "However, your actions over the last 24 hours have caused me to reconsider your sentence.' The woman put her hand on the sitting man's shoulder and he took a deep breath visibly relaxing as his talons and fangs withdrew. When he opened his eyes though, they still glowed bright red. 'To assure your retreat, you ordered your guards to set fire to sections of the city to slow the forces of the Empire of Night. You sacrificed portions of this city to cover for your cowardice."

The angry mutterings were dying down and more and more of the locals were nodding in agreement but Sara could feel the anger in the hall, "What is worse though was the forty-eight people that died, forty-eight men, women, and children died because of your selfishness, greed, and cowardness.' with a roar the King came to his feet and quickly crossed to one of the former lords. His blade was in his hand pressing against the man's stomach. 'TWELVE CHILDREN DIED BECAUSE OF YOUR ACTIONS AND YET YOU LIVE!!!!"

"JACOB!!" The woman's yell stopped the enraged monarch who looked back at her and nodded before slowly dropping the crying Lord to his knees. The King placed his sword back into its sheath before walking back to his seat.

"I apologize for my outburst, it will not happen again." the King stated as he sat back down and visibly relaxed and stunned silence met his words, monarchs did not apologize for anything. Well, this guy was full of surprises. Jacob tried to qual his anger, but the corpses he had seen, the half-burned bodies. The small bodies of the children that had been caught in the burning buildings, some of them had been small enough to be no more than three to five. When he had seen them, Jacob had known he would never let these people live for what they had ordered. "I talked to the surviving family members of those that died. They stand in this hall. I asked them, what would you do if you could do anything to those who murdered your kin. Your children...They cried, they raged, they begged to be allowed to get their hands on the ones responsible, but I told them justice would be served. So they want you to suffer and you will. You will each hang at midnight for your crimes, but you will go to your deaths knowing that your families will be stripped of everything because of your actions. They will be exiled from this city upon pain of death if they ever return. You all will live for a few hours knowing your own families will be punished because of your actions, then you will all hang from walls you all hid behind. This is the justice, the dead will receive and it ends there is that understood." Jacob stated as he looked around at the survivors. They were still angry but accepted Jacob judgment

"Legionnaires, take them away.' Jacob stated and the prisoners were quickly pulled to their feet and dragged out of the hall. 'This is over, I know the families have anger at those responsible, but let it die with those twelve people please." Jacob emplored looking at the survivors again, grudging nods were their only response as all people started to leave the hall.

Jacob stood from his chair and turned to the leave but before he got too far a pair of arms hugged him from behind. Jacob could sense his guards moving as shouts filled the hall but they all stopped when Jacob signaled them to stop as he turned to face the woman desperately hugging and crying as she thanked him. He recognized the woman who had lost her husband and young daughter to the fires. Her parents were right behind her looking worried but Jacob hugged her before whispering in her ear, causing her to cry and hug him harder before releasing him and going back to her parents.

Jacob watched them walk away and Cathrine grabbed his hand and steered him out of the Hall. "What did you tell her?" Cathrine softly asked.

"I told her, 'I am sure Cynthia misses you, but I am sure she does not want to see you again too soon.' Cynthia is her daughter, that woman lost her daughter and husband because of the fires. I am worried that she would commit suicide, hopefully, she won't now." Jacob stated as he tried to pull himself from his anger by reading all the Alerts he had received since the nobles had surrendered.

Regional Alert...

The City of Ordgan has fallen too...the Empire of Night.

Regional Alert...

Alert...

Through Battle and Conquest, you have gained...32,680 Experience.

Alert...

Kingdom Alert...

For capturing a Level 4 City-Stronghold you have gained...100,000 Kingdom Experience

Kingdom Alert...

Kingdom Quest Complete: Imperial Expansion

Description: Due to your neighbor's actions, you can now expand northward with justification in your actions. Conquer. Build. Unite.

Uldon Conquered: Captured

Ordgan Conquered: Captured

Rewards: 50,000 Kingdom Experience per City, 1,000 Gold

War Quest Complete: They started it, but YOU will finish it!!!

Description: Your northern neighbors have invaded your territory and killed your troops. Make an example of them by invading their cities and conquering their people.

Uldon Conquered: Captured

Ordgan Conquered: Captured

Rewards: 100,000 Experience per city, 1,000 Gold per city, Fame +500

Secret Kingdom Quest Complete: Swift Justice

Description: During the conquest of Ordgan, through the actions of the former leaders of the city, innocent lives were taken. You quickly moved and through subterfuge managed to get them to surrender. After consulting the survivors you sat in judgment of the former leaders and ordered their execution.

Rewards: 10,000 Experience, Intimidation +10, Charisma +20, Fame +500

Alert...

Fame Level 2 reached...'You are that guy...right...Ok then'

Fame can effect merchant prices and can unlock hidden and secret quests.

Alert...