I read the news today, oh boy.

The letter sat on the Minister’s desk as heavy as any cornerstone.  Draconic creatures had descended upon River Wheel Falls, killing and consuming river men and slaying their great protector Voluntatis. Word of this attack would soon arrive in Lowport, first in the taverns near the docks and then eventually a story traded throughout the merchants of the city.  This also meant that Kazzurog would hear of it soon, if he didn’t know about it already. A cold chill went through the half elf, “if it isn’t his plan” thought the Minister of Lowport, “Was this the plan all along, slowly build, while ruling peacefully here then sending his forces against rivals to the south?” The Dragon King had been nine years of suffrage and worry for Minister Telkine and now with less than a year remaining on his term the delicate balance that he and his predecessors had maintained could be spinning out of his control. A knock at his office door shook Cavorin Telkine from his thoughts, the Minister bade his assistant to enter.

The door opened and Malcolm, the minister’s gnome Consigliere, stuck his head in the door asking, “Are you ready to begin? She arrived an hour early, you know how dwarves are.”

Chuckling, Cavorin replied, “Yes I’m sure I’m in for the full accounting, please show the general in, and would you let Ormist know I’ll be closer to mid afternoon than lunch?”

A moment later, Verinea Grimbeard, first general of Lowport strode through the door.  Dressed in the full regalia of her office, the dwarf approached Cavorin’s desk announcing, “First General reporting to the Minister with the monthly threat assessment Sir.” After nine years Cavorin knew it was useless to offer to do without the formalities of office, “Greetings General, the Minister is prepared to receive your assessment, please be seated.”

As it had every month of Cavorin’s term as Minister, the threat assessment started with the Dragon King Kazzurog.  Much to the Minister’s relief nothing regarding the deaths in River Wheel Falls was mentioned, which meant that so far he was probably the only city officer to know about the attacks.    Verinea continued, “Item two involves the continued reports of kidnappings and forced slavery that plague old port. The Guard claim that victims are transported magically and of course everyone suspects the Egyptians. The situation is beginning to get violent and many Egyptians are retaliating with threats to only trade with New Port.” 

“From your tone general I take it your investigators haven’t made any progress in stopping these attacks or finding out who is behind them?” The minister’s tone had shifted, forcefully, “Surely you could inform the uneducated masses that the Egyptians are our friends and benefactors, certainly if they were behind these crimes, you would have proven it by now.”

General Grimbeard was impressed at the Minister’s political skill, Telkine would soon be out of office and had maneuvered himself from any blame, these kidnappings would certainly be counted as her failure. Clearly the Minister’s support would be behind a different candidate.