Difference between revisions of "MZA The Cove Conspiracy, Part II"

Latest revision as of 17:34, 22 June 2009

James Lawford was born in the Valorian Isles city of Jhelom 28 years ago. He was a slight lad, and didn’t fit the usual mold of a warrior-to-be; due to this, James was tormented by his peers. His parents, mercenaries by trade, were slain in battle with the Juka, leaving ten-year-old James an orphan. Unfortunately, this did not ease his persecution.

At the age of twelve, James fell in with a local band of pickpockets and deftly learned to ply their trade. After James spent a few years on the streets, the Jhelom Guard cracked down on his gang. With most of his compatriots in jail or worse, James slipped through the moongate, desperate to survive. He soon found himself in a new city, Britain, a place where his reputation was, as yet, unsullied. Within days, however, the Royal Guard had him marked as a thief, and expelled from the city.

Now an outcast, James wandered the northern roads as a brigand. After several years, James heard of Newcastle, the city which had sprung up around the castle of the Royal Knights of Redemption. He journeyed there, towards the unsuspecting town.

This history, unknown to most Newcastle residents, might seem scandalous. For they know him as a mild-mannered farmer who moved there to work the rich farmland, and join a community based on the Virtues. They accepted his story, and welcomed him into their community. Even as the citizens grew on him, James lusted after the city’s treasury, awaiting his chance.

Several months ago, James declared his candidacy for Mayor of Newcastle. Running unopposed, James’ election was a sure bet. Or it was, until he met Nosfentor, Shadowlord and leader of the Crimson Order...

This brings us to the present. After the fall of Castle British, James’ attitudes changed. He sat in the gallery during the High Council meetings and openly scoffed at the running of the Kingdom. Brandishing a dagger, he flippantly told the Chancellor that she should surrender to the Crimson Order, as defeat was inevitable. He continued to mock the Grand Marshal and the Britannian Armed Forces throughout the meeting, and was eventually forced to leave...as a spirit.

At the next High Council meeting, James was disruptive. Again, he espoused the rhetoric of surrender. This time, however, other Newcastle citizens were there to attempt to restrain his behavior. He became combative and actually slapped Prafectus Oona of the Royal Knight of Redemption across the face. Once more he was forced to leave the Council Hall, this time retaining his corporeal form.

After searching for him for days, I located him skulking about the Newcastle Post Office. When I questioned him about his loyalties to the city, and to the Crown, he merely laughed.

I asked him of his bid for the office of Mayor, in light of his recent political leanings, and he gave me a most disturbing reply, “The citizens of Newcastle are like sheep. If it weren’t for the wolves, the Knights, to keep them in order they'd scatter in this direction anyways...” I questioned his likening the residents to sheep, and he said, “Aye, nice fatted sheep!”

When asked why the sudden change of allegiance, he smiled and quipped, “’Tis better at the right hand of the devil, then to stand in her path.” He went on, in a conspiratorial tone, that he stood to profit from the war by selling supplies and artifacts. Tokunese artifacts. He claimed this profit would, “Benefit my people immeasurably,” When asked who ‘his people’ are, his only response was to tap a tattoo in his right forearm, a black fist outlined in red. With that, he winked and melded into the shadows.

Currently, James is in protective custody after his most recent disruption of the last High Council meeting. As before, he said Britannia should surrender to the Crimson Order or prepare to die. Chancellor Willa urged the Newcastle Councilor to have James taken to a healer, fearing that his mind may have been warped during his visit to Cove.

Is James Lawford a traitor? A spy? Or is he just the latest casualty of Nosfentor’s unrelenting desire to see Britannia in ruins?

Martyna Z'muir, LofS

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