A letter from Councilor Telas Gerin to his mother, Ophelia
Wealth beyond measure to you, mother.
I hope this letter finds my sister and you well. I wish I could write more often but your choice of seclusion has made that difficult.
I will not repeat my grievances, I understand why you left and I am sure father would have understood too. I do miss him, as dearly as I am sure you do.
Him and his fellow councilors were foolish to think that the high elven walls of the city, as well as our geographical advantage and the abundance of our wealth and influence, can save us from the black masked wolves who tore at the doors of much grander nations.
After he was executed and you left, our conquerors, the unstoppable force from the east, rendered the ancient democratic institutions of our city-state little more then puppets to oversee stolen vaults of money and treasure. The Elurent our forefathers built, the Evercity, proud and rich, was gone in a flash. The noble houses all bent the knee to the occupational bureaucrats, and the guild councils followed in quick succession. From one of the largest cities in the world, and the most stable merchant republic, we became little more then vassals, loosing the ability to even generate the wealth the hungry empire demanded.
However, recently thing have taken a turn, and I have news.
I was elected to the Inner Council. The election process was short, simple and heavily moderated by the Tenebrans, but fathers name still held sway and I managed to eek out a victory over a foreigner the empire brought.
I must admit I was in shock. The iron fist that squeezed us dry for years is slowly tightening its grip. I assumed office and actually found myself doing the kind of work people holding this position did in the past. We are still being watched, but more breathing room is definitely appreciated. Yet more appreciated is the information that the Tenebrans have returned access to some of our vaults and sources of wealth to our institutions.
That, dear mother, will surely prove to be their biggest mistake.
With some dose of our money and power returned to us we began to organize, set up private meetings with upmost secrecy. We began funding spies and agents, sending them across the lands and feeling the pulse of the region, and we do believe we truly have hopeful news.
We were informed through our channels that the meeting out east, at Belitza, will hold far more then meets the eye, or then the official invitations say. A rebellion may be brewing, and we hope this could be our chance.
Father would always say that the true strength of our city-state doesn’t show itself through armies and men, but through coin and influence. We do not hope to lead this would be rebellion, but we hope to help fund it, to find those who align most with our future interests and throw ourselves behind their cause, giving financial and logistical aid.
To that end, we have agreed to send a three-man delegation to Belitza, under the cover of being there for the ceremonies, and for trade. They will travel under a false group name and with pseudonyms.
The group will be led by an apprentice of the wizard clique, The Six-Pointed Star. I know your opinions on these mages, mother, but this lad has his wits about him – a calm, courtly, calculated sort. He is an Orothiar after all, so we can be sure he will not betray this city, as no other noble family would.
Other then the mage, the delegation will include a young knight-retainer of a different noble house, as well as an agent we have been training for months now. We believe in their effectiveness, and we know they will do anything it takes to help find a worthy leader for a would-be rebellion, those that would prove strong and unifying enough, but also amicable enough to the interests of trade and monetary operations.
If all goes well you might be able to return soon, hopefully to a once again free and proud city, as you remember it.
I have no doubt it will be so, as I have no doubt that father will look down on us from the heavens and see the merchant carts and ships of Elurent cover the land, as it once was.
Give my best to Amelara, and stay safe.
Always your faithful son,
T.G.