340
You reach the city of Vanamor late in the evening, long after the sun has set beyond the western horizon. The guards at the west gate do not, at first, look kindly upon a travel-stained rider of unknown origin, but when you show them the Star of Palmyrion—the medal that their leader, the Elector Manatine, awarded you for your victory over the evil druids of Ruel—their cold attitude undergoes a dramatic change. The guard sergeant apologizes profusely and escorts you personally through the capital’s streets, past a well-ordered collection of dwellings and public buildings, to a grand palatial edifice in the city’s northern quarter. It is the Elector’s Hall—the seat of the Palmyrion republic.
Trumpets announce your arrival as you stride through the hall’s great arched doors. Senators and officials stop momentarily to stare; then their attentions return to their affairs of state which strike you as unusually urgent. It is almost midnight, yet the Elector’s Hall is a buzzing hive of activity. You meet with Elector Manatine in his War Room where he and his generals are poring over maps and battle reports. He welcomes you with a warm handshake but his countenance seems unusually dour and agitated. You are soon to learn why.
