THE THALIOST INCIDENT + HOUSE ORIEN
In the winter of 999YK, the city of Thaliost rose up in a wave of riots against its oppressive Thrane governor. Expecting aid from the armies of Aundaire, the people of Thaliost cried out for assistance from their mother country. Meanwhile, Thrane rushed to bring sufficient forces north to squash the rebellion. Thankfully for the war-weary people of Khorvaire, Queen Aurala ir'Wynarn realized that her nation was not ready for another war. She stymied the military leadership just long enough for the Thranians to bring Thaliost back under control through brutal suppression and martial law. Her diplomatic counterattack proved her keen political acumen once again, using the civil bloodletting to tarnish Thrane's international prestige and the Church of the Silver Flame's moral authority. But what she gained in sympathy from the other nations, she lost at home as the disgruntled nationalists began to speaking of their queen as a traitor to Aundaire.
Although renew conflict had been averted, this incident only further strained the relationship between Aundaire and Thrane. Furthermore, it demonstrated to Queen Aurala that as long as Thaliost lay in Thranian hands, her attempts to court peace and buy time will only diminish her legitimacy in the eyes of Aundarians.
But there was a winner to the Thaliost Incident. Baron Kwanti d'Orien, recognizing an opportunity in Thrane's fears that Aundaire could take Thaliost in a decisive surprise attack before enough troops could be sent north, brought a proposal to the rulers of Flamekeep. He offered to construct a new road, bridge, and lightning rail between the cities of Flamekeep and Thaliost, guarded by Silvercliff Castle, which would allow the armies of Thrane to rapidly reinforce their lands in the north. In return, he wants Thranian support to rebuild the White Arch Bridge over Scions Sounds. He argued that by reconnecting Thaliost and Rekkenmark, the people of Thaliost would be pacified and distracted by renewed economic opportunities, while the same link with Flamekeep would allow the Thrane to properly bring Thaliost into its cultural, economic, and political sphere of control. Of course, his true interest was in reconnect the lightning rail system between western and eastern Khorvaire. This, combined with the new linkage between Vedykar and Vulyar in Karrnath, would once more bring the lightning rail system fully connected and operational.
Persuaded by the vocal support of Keeper Jaela Daran, the Cardinals of Flamekeep reluctantly agreed, though rumors have it that they only did after key votes had been bribed by Orien-hired House Phiarlan agents. King Kaius of Karrnath supported the project as well, but struck a deal that the security of the rebuilt bridge be entirely run by the paramilitary forces of House Orien and House Deneith, as no love had been lost between the armies of Thrane and Karrnath. Construction went underway in 1000YK, and while the bridge itself has yet to completely finish, the first lightning rail car in over a hundred years has already crossed the Scions Sound.
Security for the White Arch Bridge is provided by the new White Arch Company of the House Deneith Blademarks Guild, operating out of the eastern bridge towers in Rekkenmark, and the formally organized Blades of Orien, who control the western bridge towers in Thaliost. Thanks to this double-buffer, the White Arch Bridge is generally considered the most secure border link between the four nations and one of the least likely places to start the next war (in sharp contrast to Thaliost itself).Statistics: Posted by Zanaikin — Tue Nov 01, 2016 8:38 pm
]]>