Meanwhile, as the Heartwood painted Salma's streets with blood and gore, the realm's most troublesome Kobold sought to fashion mountains from molehills.

For years, Noube of Top Rock had expounded upon the dangers of Ophidian society to anybody and everybody willing to listen. Though most tactfully navigated around the subject in their day-to-day socialising with the volatile Kobold, those unfortunate enough to engage in discourse with him had discovered the truly confounding depths of this so-called 'conspiracy'. Citing unverified claims of oppressive violence, maddening schemes of economic and judicial disparity and other terrible infringements upon the Kobolds of Rock Bottom, Noube proudly sought to bring his personal truth to light in any slanderous, libellous manner he could conceive of - a course of action that eventually drew the sceptical eye of outspoken theocrats who offered counterclaims of historically positive diplomacy and diagnoses of absolute psychosis.

Unwilling to accept what he labelled 'propaganda', the Kobold eventually escalated his rhetoric and took to troublemaking in Rock Bottom's streets, including but not limited to physical assault of Ophidian guards and soldiers. Upon hearing reports of violence within her territory, Empress Agra - a Kobold herself - rushed to resolve the situation by authorising the town guard to utilise lethal force while ejecting Noube and his cohort of conspiracy-minded theocrats from its limits. Tensions violently escalated from there as Rock Bottom sought to resolve the situation, with the Northern Dragon initially refusing to cede any ground or assume any accountability on the matter of Noube's outbursts.

Left with no choice, Empress Agra censured the Theocracy and declared a state of emergency within Rock Bottom, citing strained relations with their once allies. She swiftly dispatched messengers to other settlements too small to rival the realm's four city-states on their own, including the town of Mitrine, the Holy Impire of Sehal, and the beautiful undercity of Djeir. In addition, the Empress began preparations for war, including deploying at least one hundred Kobold rockthrowers and one hundred Ophidian warriors that secured Rock Bottom's borders and assumed a defensive posture. Concerned with the effect this could have upon their campaign against the Sanguine Fist, Spinesreach reviewed several political manoeuvres and eventually concluded upon the inevitable: Rock Bottom's interference must be stymied peacefully. After several discussions between the Empress, Regent Elene Arcan-Tetzauh and Dr. Pietre Marcelli, the two nations struck a deal to bring one loudmouthed Kobold to justice and end the political tension.

What ensued was a riot within the conclaves.

Whirran Arcan-Tetzauh and much of the city's militiamen declared they would renounce their citizenship and abandon the cause if Noube were held to account for his actions. Left with no choice if she was to preserve Spinesreach's winning position in their war upon Bloodloch, the Regent absolved the young Kobold of all wrong-doing and began attempts to answer the will of her people: bring Rock Bottom to heel for their impudent demands.

While Spinesreach once more fell victim to democracy's insidious trap, Empress Agra ensured she was never idle. Toiling away behind the scenes, the clever Kobold monarch secured the Undercity's agreement to ally against the predatory designs of larger city-states. Founded upon the common ground of Spirean betrayal, the two nations invited the Holy Impire of Sehal into their covenant, creating a united front dedicated to sweeping away the Spirean trash that littered their collective doorstep. Citing a need for increased awareness and unity in the face of Spirean expansionism, the three leaders publicised their political pact to deter any future violent overtures. In mere days, a champion emerged from the dark to pledge his sword to their cause as a general and peacekeeper, securing Itensu, the final Adherent of Valour, as a valuable ally against what he declared was 'the rot of the conclaves'.

Hoping to bolster S.W.E.E.P's military might, the Holy Impire of Sehal began the construction of new barracks for soldiers and guards - an event that many curious adventurers soon rushed to investigate, burdening a lively Impish foreman with their ceaseless probing and questioning. Unflappably cheerful, the foreman alternated between chastising his workers and answering any question he could. However, he remained cagey about why or when such a thing had been ordered, prompting Spirean onlookers to theorise endlessly on the need for such measures. In a stunning act of subterfuge, the now-infamous alto known as Yesufa Wisteria Button managed to fool the foreman into believing she was a Djeiri diplomat and infiltrated the Sehali bureaucratic apparatus well enough that she eventually stood face-to-face with an unimpressed Queen Dami. The Impish monarch banished Yesufa and her entourage from the throneroom and berated the foreman well into the night, filling Sehal's borders with curses and derisive statements about his clear lack of intelligence. Later that season, the Impire opened their borders to any adventurers seeking employment as mentors to newly recruited Sehali soldiers. This act would nurture a new generation of brave Impish warriors and adventurers, ushering in a revival of their culture's tenacious trickery and brave antics.

Unbeknownst to the three regal matriarchs of S.W.E.E.P, Spinesreach set their own schemes in motion...

Penned by my hand on Tisday, the 8th of Sapiarch, in the year 8 AC.