General Background:

HonShar is a border barony with a very strong streak of militarism. HonShar is located between the orc-dominated mountains and the human highlands and seacoasts. The barony is currently experiencing a time of orc activity, (happens every few decades) and all of the noncombatants of HonShar have been sent to places of safety, this has happened before though the HonSharians are sure that they will beat back the orc invasion (as they have done for the past few centuries) and be able to reclaim their land.

Currently the orcs have been pressing hard upon the HonSharians. Orc armies have captured a majority of the barony. HonSharians are preparing for the siege (which they always have won) that is sure to happen sometime in the near future. Once the orcs have wasted their resources on the siege, the HonSharians will press forth and drive the Orcs back to the Orc capital of Krimba-Hai.

It has been debated amongst the HonSharian nobility and elites more than once that after the orcs have been driven back to their city for the HonSharians to lay siege and destroy the Orcs once and for all. However, the idea has been defeated every time, due to the logistical problems of such a plan and the knowledge that Orcs, if pressed against the proverbial "wall", will become beserker fighters, like a cornered rat, and the price that the HonSharians would have to pay to cleanse them would be too great. It doesn't really seem like a lot of trouble, every few decades to fight the Orcs, plus it keeps the HonSharians fit and strong. This is not a place for the weak.

How _you_ are involved:

Each of you have received a summons to the TwoFold House. You know that Otasura, the Lady of the TwoFold House, is a professor at the War college of HonShar as well as one of the wealthy and influential citizens of HonShar. You wonder what you have done to deserve such a summons. Some of you wonder if your fighting skills have reached her ears and you are being selected for some great honor. One of you speculate that your magikal abilties have become known and you are going to be approached to become a student of the War College (a famous and elite school for officers and battle-mages). One of you believes that you have been summoned to spread the teachings of your faith and a few of you are in fear that your nightly "activities" have been discovered and you are a fish being reeled in.

No matter what your ponderings are, you all know that it would not be wise to ignore such summonings, to do so would risk the chance of being evicted from HonShar (and with an army of Orcs in the country-side, this would not be good) or being brought to the TwoFold House in chains. So you arrive at the designated time at the door of the TwoFold House.

An older human answers the door. After giving you a look from head to toe and examining the summons that you received, (and a sniff of his nose in an disapproving manner) you are let into the House and to a room. The inside of the room is filled with items of obvious wealth and taste. The walls are covered with tomes and books and rich carpets cover the floor. In the center of the room is a circle of cushioned stools. At the northern point of the circle there is an elegant chair, upholstered in a fine material that smacks of demi- human work. This chair is empty. There are a few others seated in the stools around the circle, "You are the last. The Lady will be with you all shortly," says the old man as he gives a stiff bow and closes the door behind you.

Taking your seat, you see that there are five others seated in the circle of stools. You each look at each other, wondering who is going to be the first one to break the silence as you wait upon the Lady Otasura to make her appearance.

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