Return of the Karameikan Polar Expedition

Fyrmont 11, AC 1014: Expedition Meets King

Location: King's palace, Mirros, Karameikos. KW

Description: King Stefan receives the Karameikan Polar Expedition in a private meeting at his palace. They confirm the existence of a whole world below, the Hollow World, and its many wonders. They speak of empires thought by all historians to have long ago disappeared on the outer world, of the red sun, of the strange way of working of magic, and of their most incredible discovery, the survival of Alphatia and Empress Eriadna down there. King Stefan is astonished by the news; he sends messengers to fetch Master Terari and Claransa the Seer.

What This Means: The Karameikan expedition not only confirms the existence of the Hollow World, but also brings news from Alphatia, which didn't exist in the Hollow World when Claransa adventured there. Stefan will now have to decide what he will do with this world-shaking information.

Fyrmont 12, AC 1014: Discussion at King's Palace

Location: King's palace, Mirros, Karameikos. KW

Description: King Stefan, Master Terari, Claransa the Seer and the Karameikan Polar Expedition spend the day discussing the Hollow World in the king's private chambers. Claransa is surprised by the news of the presence of Alphatia there, and everyone regrets that the expedition could not sail to the floating continent.

Discussion then passes to the description of the different peoples and empires, with Claransa and the expedition adding to each other's experience. They also speak of the strange way of working of magic in the Hollow World, and its complete lack in the Darklands; King Stefan suggests they use their knowledge and the resources of the Karameikan School of Magecraft to design ways of addressing this problem and mounting a new expedition to the north pole.
During the dinner, Stefan also asks the opinion of everyone on what they think he should do with these news, telling his own preference of making it public. Terari insists on informing their allies of the NACE beforehand, because of the obvious repercussion this could have on them; he proposes to teleport to the Karameikan embassy on Ionace and ask the ambassador to organize a meeting of the Council; Stefan agrees.

What This Means: Terari already knew of the existence of the Hollow World and Alphatia, since some Council members who know his true identity as former Emperor Tylion had revealed him the truth. He can't reveal this to the king now, however, since he would have to reveal how he got this information, and thus his true identity.

Fyrmont 14, AC 1014: Terari and Ambassador Talk

Location: Karameikan Embassy, Ionace, NACE. KW

Description: Terari informs the Karameikan ambassador to the NACE of the state of affairs concerning the return of the polar expedition from the Hollow World. The ambassador quickly sets to informing the Alphatian representants that they should organize a Council meeting as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Terari gets directly in touch with the Council members he can trust and informally explains them the situation so that they can begin reflecting on it and personally attend the Council session.

Fyrmont 19, AC 1014: NACE Council Meets on Hollow World

Location: Parliament, Ionace, NACE. KW

Description: The Council of the NACE meets today to hear the important news brought by the Karameikan ambassador; Master Terari is allowed to attend the session. The Council members are not surprised to have confirmation of the existence of the Hollow World and Alphatia, since they already knew it for quite some time. Since King Stefan wishes to make this public knowledge, however, they must settle on an official reaction for the Confederation. Since they don't want to put pressure on their Karameikan ally and since they now feel secure enough, both military and politically, they decide to back up the Karameikan position.

Sviftmont 8, AC 1014: Karameikos Makes an Official Announcement

Location: Everywhere on Brun and the Alphatian region. KW

Description: King Stefan once again makes good use of the resources of the Karameikan School of Magecraft by teleporting copies of an official declaration in which he confirms the existence of the Hollow World as per Claransa's Travels to the Center of the World, and also reveals the survival of Alphatia in the Hollow World as one of those levitating land masses known as the floating continents. Those copies are sent to rulers, libraries, magicians' guild leaders and public figures in Aengmor, Darokin, Ethengar, the Five Shires, Glantri, the Heldannic Territories, Ierendi, the major towns of Karameikos, Leeha, Minaea, Minrothad, the many nations of the New Alphatian Confederate Empire, Ne'er-do-well, Ochalea, Ostland, the Pearl Islands, Rockhome, Serraine (courtesy of Master Terari), Soderfjord, Thyatis and its colonies on the Isle of Dawn and Aegos, Vestland, Wendar, and Ylaruam.
Also, Stefan makes a declaration at the court, a special lecture is made by Master Terari at the Karameikan School of Magecraft, and heralds are sent to the various towns of Karameikos to inform the population-tavern rumors, traveling adventurers and merchants, and conversation at nobles' parties should do the rest. Stefan also announces that another expedition will be sent to the Hollow World next year.

Sviftmont 8, AC 1014: The NACE Makes an Official Announcement

Location: Everywhere on Brun and the Alphatian region. KW

Description: The Council also makes good use of its magical resources by teleporting to the very same places as Karameikos copies of an official declaration in which it confirms the truth of the Karameikan statement, reaffirming the existence of the Hollow World, and the survival of Alphatia ruled by Her Imperial Majesty Eriadna; it also reaffirms that the New Alphatian Confederate Empire is part of Alphatia and is ruled by the Council in Empress Eriadna's name.
The Council also states that the region claimed by the NACE that leads to the north pole, from Alpha to Faraway via Qeodhar, including the waters between those places, are restricted to the sole use of the Confederation. Nations or individuals that wish to use that route to the Hollow World must first petition the Council, or find another route.

What This Means: This declaration and that from Karameikos were written in common during the last weeks, and the destinations of the teleportated copies carefully chosen-although Karameikos was not informed of the copy sent to Serraine. Karameikos has already been assured that it has permission to sail through Alphatian territory to reach the Hollow World. The fact that the path to the northern pole is under Alphatian control is more a wish than a fact: The confederate navy cannot patrol the seas enough to prevent isolated ships from going through (it already has difficulties preventing Minaean pirate raids), although whole fleets will never be allowed to pass; in fact, Baron Norlan will profit from it by allowing illegal ships to sail to the north in return for a small bribe. Those statements will bring various reactions from other nations:
Minrothad sees this as a further ground for reopening the pit of Aegos, since the Alphatians will need a way to trade between the two worlds, and, unless they find another route, the pit can become very profitable.
On the other hand, this is bad news for Thyatis, since it puts an end to their dreams of conquest of the Hollow World. The pit of Aegos has lost most of its interest, since it is now clear that it couldn't be used to send enough Thyatian legions; it would only benefit Alphatia.
The Heldannic Knights already knew of the situation in the Hollow World, and have realized it is lost to the Alphatians. They have long tried to keep its existence a secret, but now it is no more that important to them. They laugh at the declaration of the NACE stating that easiest route to the north pole is restricted, since they are sure they can force their way through if they wish-at least once they will have dealt with this insurrection at home. Moreover, they know of other routes, and prefer to use the southern pole by using their base at Green Bay.
The Shadow Elves have too many internal problems to deal with to fully realize the importance of this declaration; when they realize it, however, will they understand that their underground route to the Schattenalfen caverns may be even more valuable than they first thought.

Sviftmont 9, AC 1014: Norlan Is Furious

Location: Parliament, Ionace, NACE. KW

Description: An infuriated Baron Norlan, who has just learned of the existence of the Hollow World and Alphatia, is teleported by his pet mage to the Parliament on Ionace. He yells in the corridors of the building, requesting explanations from his peers. He eventually meets Queen Gratia of Surshield, who yells at him in return. When Norlan agrees to calm down and hear her explanations, she tells him that the Council already knew it all when the Confederation was created, and that every ruler adhering to the NACE was informed of it during his first meeting at the Council. It is his fault if he never learned it, since he never attended a single Council session or even sent a representative.

What This Means: Norlan still believes the Council voluntarily hid the information from him because they dislike him and want his fall. He decides to send a Representant to the Council just in case, but assumes the better way to learn what the Council wants to keep away from him is by sending agents from his Special Force to do some spying. Also, it won't be long before he understands where Mariella went; now that he knows that Alphatia still exists somewhere, she has once again become important to him.

Eirmont 5, AC 1014: Dwarves in Aegos

Location: Stronghold, Fortress Island, Minrothad. KW

Description: Guild leader Oran Meditor, seeing great trade opportunities to come in Aegos, solicits help from the dwarves of Fortress Island to help in the redigging of the pit. Some dwarves accept the challenge.

What This Means: Human engineers have been unable to reopen the pit, their work hampered by the occasional earthquakes that occur irregularly in the region. Oran Meditor reasoned that dwarves would be better at this task, because evidences have been discovered that the Alphatians had used dwarven workers (this is true, but only partially, since gnomes from Serraine also participated in the works alongside dwarves from Denwarf-Hurgon). They will have a hard time, however, since their efforts will be opposed by the Thyatians, who now oppose the reopening but military control the island.