Events grow more dire as each day passes, with fell beasts roaming the
lands and attacking all they meet with monstrous strength. In the midst
of the chaos, a vision came to the Oracle of Night, Senara Murne...two
paths, each ending in death, one slow and the other shrouded in
uncertainty. Feeling that the vision expressed an urgent need, she and
the Lady Caitlin went to see the Herbalist Rythanis, asking if he knew
anything of the Rowan that he might share, any clue that might help with
the tree's destruction and rid the world of the beasts. The axe leaves
the roots, he replied, and life can spring anew from the ashes of a fire
as well. A poison perhaps, they suggested? He hung his head, knowing the
death of the tree meant the death of his friend the dryad...but sent
them to the Lady of Ruin.

Her Arbiter, Ahithophel, upon hearing the plight of his visitors, agreed
to seek a sign from Her, and this month, he called representatives of
all the cities and councils of Aetherius to attend him. Her sign had
come, and She offered Ruin, in the form of a Blight upon the Tree.
Attending for Ithaqua was Kabal, who quickly offered his answer, that
the frozen north would accept the Gift. Stavenn quickly followed suit,
caring little for the fate of the tree or the dryad, her word rendered
by Trez. Kinsarmar and Khandava would speak only as one, due to their
treaty, and Nisha eventually consented to accept, for the good of the
world. Laia threw in Kinsarmar's hand, and the majority had spoken.
Antioch remains reluctant to sacrifice innocence for the greater good,
and warns the rest of the world that the consequences may yet be seen.
Celidon also remains reluctant, wishing to seek another way, but they
were outvoted 4 to 2.

Rarely in the history of Aetherius have so many enemies and so many
tensions filled one room, and yet no blood was shed, though the insults
flew furiously. The Blight is now upon the Tree. Will Ahithophel keep
his word?

Penned by my hand on the 6th of Solis, in the year 460 AD.