My Dearest Diluvia,

I beg you, my daughter, come to your senses. I know not what charms the brigand Twistshank has laid upon you, but you must see him for the fiend that your family, and indeed all of honourable society, knows him to be. That he emerged from these trials unscathed, where so many righteous Paladins fell, is a crime. That he be rewarded for his treachery is perhaps the greatest tragedy of these dire years. Even his chosen name, d’Illici, is a cruel jab at those who serve Light and Empire with honour.

Know that he does not love you, but seeks only to legitimize his, and I spit the word, family, with your own pure and noble blood. You will see him for the villain he is someday, of that I have no doubt. I only pray that you will realize it before anything terrible happens to you.
Return home, my daughter. Depart from that scoundrel, and all is forgiven.

By my hand this 3rd day of Methril, in the 301st Year of the Empire,

Radou Inalai

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Gaudiguch Gossip: MAGNAGORAN MARRIAGE MIFF

A bit of juicy drama from across the Crystal Sea: the missing damsel Jolia Paavik has finally surfaced—only now she’s Jolia d’Illici! That’s right, the First Family of Scandal is back in action, and this time it’s young Ferand d’Illici pulling the noble houses through the mud, wedding young Jolia beneath the brand new Temple of the White Amaranth.

Of course House Paavik isn’t taking it lying down, and Lord Dramri wants that marriage annulled any way he can. How far is he willing to go? He’s gone to Emperor Ladantine himself, challenging the worthiness of Shallamar’s Holy Emanations to sanctify a marriage. Ouch!
Word is that Grand Vizier Kalima d’Murani is on her way to the Isle of Celest to voice her displeasure, and the ur’Guard are on the streets of Magnagora to keep the protests from getting too rowdy. One thing’s for sure, though, the city of stones and soothsaying is fired up about this. “The Emanations and the Supernals, though on different planes, are as one in the Light,” said High Prophet Tellur n’Rotri in a statement today. “This we have proven before the Empire, time and again, for over a century now. Would you reject them now, over a matter of one flighty youngling?”

Ouch. Sorry, Dramri, but if the Emanation support rallies here in Gaudiguch (and the odds at the betting house) are any indication, you’d better just get used to your new son-in-law. At least Jolia nabbed a handsome one! Rawr.

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Gaudiguch Gossip: SO I MARRIED A BARBARIAN

Shock and whispers in the Imperial Court this afternoon as Naelan d’Illici presented his bride to the Empire: Mellnia, formerly Lakeheart, Chieftess of the Ackleberry Lodge. Any hope that marriage had civilized Mellnia (or for that matter, Naelan) was immediately dashed as the tae’dae princess showed up in fur robes and face paint. In a scandalous display that promises to be the talk of the court for years to come, she would proceed to devour an entire chicken with bare (bear) hands, challenge Prince Gorob to a wrestling match, and threaten Minister Kelline Goldfeather, after she caught the eye of Naelan. Girl’s gotta defend her territory!

While the rest of the court was shocked by Mellnia’s behavior, one man couldn’t let her keep acting up. After all, how would it look to the Empire if someone partied harder than Gaudiguch? That’s right, Ambassador Chaxtil Twilx did his duty and stepped up to show Mellnia how it was done. It took three kegs of firemead to do the job, but at the end Chaxtil was still standing while Naelan was carting his drunken, dozing bride home.

Word is that the Empress is banishing the d’Illicis from court (again) for this little display. “I hope not, it’d be a right shame,” Ambassador Twilx said. “That’s the most fun court’s been in ages!”

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Gaudiguch Gossip: ROCKEATERS, WRANGLED!

After five years of terrorizing Avechna’s Teeth, the bandit group known as the Rockeaters has finally been captured by the ur’Guard. In a shocking (kind of) twist, the ringleader of the group has been revealed as Terentia d’Illici, daughter of family head Corvos d’Illici.
“We are shocked and appalled that a member of a noble house would descend to such banditry,” Quartermaster Uluine Inalai said in an official statement over the nexus aethers today. “Investigations are currently underway on the depth of this corruption, and who profited from this heinous activity.”

Gee, Uluine. Who would possibly hire a noble family to steal gems, and only gems, from dwarven caravans in the mountains? Who could make literal cartloads of uncut gems vanish in the Teeth so easily? Who would even have a use for so many gems? You’d need to be doing more than just experiments or jewelry with the stolen loads... I mean, you’d have to be making buildings, paving roads, maybe have a whole fragging city made of crystal to make all that stuff disappear. This is a total mystery, Uluine! I have no idea who this could possibly be!

Anyway, while the Paladins continue their investigations, the Mountain Kingdom is demanding a lot of things, starting with executions and working their way up. Relations with the dwarves are “tricky,” according to Imperial Correspondent Thy Aryssi. Translated into Common: that’s “a fragging mess.” It’s not clear what the Emperor intends to do about all this, but he’s certainly not happy. The whispers have it that this is the last straw for House d’Illici, and that he may very well give the Mountain King the heads he wants.

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Ur’Guard Operations Record:

2 Gorgani, Year 211 of the Imperial Empire

Alternative methods of quelling the conflict between Gaudiguch and the Serenwilde commune have failed. The Ur’Guard now moves against the commune alongside Gaudiguch forces, consisting of the city militia and a few select bands of mercenaries. Have seen notable rise in disciplinary issues, largely due to mercenary company “Fate’s Bastards.” Discussion with leader, Mardre Twistshank, yielded little more than empty promises.
-General Girag

22 Gorgani, Year 211 of the Imperial Empire

Have entered fierce engagements with Serenwilde forces along outer edge of the forest. Surrounding hills are secured, but entering the forest itself has proven difficult, with heavy losses to all units passing through the trees.
-General Girag

10 Elohian, Year 211 of the Imperial Empire

Breakthrough in the Seren front, courtesy of Gaudiguchi reinforcements and unorthodox tactics. Pyromancers detonated several kegs of firemead provided by Twistshank’s unit, leveling trees and clearing a path through the forest. Fate’s Bastards continue to set fires strategically about the Serenwilde as we advance on the Mother Moonhart.
-General Girag

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OFFICIAL IMPERIAL PROCLAMATION MXXIV

We, Empress Sineth V, on this fifth day of the month of Raziary in the year of Our Holy Empire five hundred and one, do hereby proclaim and ordain the creation of the Outer Legion. In the hope of aiding unfortunate peoples beyond the Basin of Life, We send a hand-selected group of Our most adept soldiers on a Most Holy mission to spread Light and Hope to the blighted lands beyond the mountains. We name Nigh of House d’Illici to lead this Most Holy endeavour, and bid him depart one month from this day, with the strength of his whole family at his side, and whatever resources with which the Imperial Protectorates might grace Our noble champions for this Most Holy mission.

Our proclamation shall go into effect at noon the day following its issuance.

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The Journal of Togarro d’Illici, Smartylump First Class of the Outer Legion

13 Gargle, 543:
We huddle close in the camp tonight, whispering darkly to one another at the ill omens. At least Aunt Vimyi has finally awoken from her sudden illness, and even now Lord Eorle tries to find some sense in her ramblings. Whatever happened has scarred her though, that much I can see already. Dark streaks shoot through her pelt, and she refuses to touch her staff again. But the loss of our dust mage may be the least of our concerns. The scarred land itself seems to pulse faintly beneath our feet. Old Kierrick says he feels something alive, something hateful starting to stir.

Lord Eorle has returned. We move east come daylight. He actually seems pleased.

15 Gargle, 543:

The Scoured Wastes pulse stronger as the days go by. The Razines loom ahead of us, and Lord Eorle promises we shall cross the Vernal Reach soon. I have lived my entire life in the Wastes, fighting giant scorpions and dust grabbers for sustenance, but I find myself wanting to flee this land like never before. The others whisper that Eorle is taking us back to the Basin of Life, an unscarred land that my mother once called home, but this seems to me wishful thinking. Kierrick told me that our family had been banished, on pain of death, never to return.

Perhaps Lord Eorle thinks the end of the world will change things. Vimyi says that the very earth is corrupted, and it’s all too easy to believe. I sit on a thick pile of furs despite the heat, to separate myself from the dreadful throbbing of the ground, and the night sky above hangs overhead like a judgment.

16 Gargle, 543:

We crossed the Vernal Reach, and thank Dionamus for that. More greenery than I’ve seen in my lifetime rests at the base of the Razines, and more people as well. I recognize the camps of other traveling bands we’ve met in the Wastes. A few, like us, are warriors, but most I recognize are refugees, looking for respite from the ominous feeling on the Wastes. I cannot remember seeing so many people in one place, and despite the fear, a festival mood takes over, as old acquaintances catch up and young people meet for the first time. Lord Eorle has warned us to keep the drinking to a minimum, so only a few of us are completely wasted.

Ordinarily, we would not linger here long. Before us lie the Gates of the Empire, at the end of the road which Kierrick names the Emperors’ Mercy before he spits. The krokani guardians with their steel weapons and shining breastplates do not often tolerate lingerers here at the base, but either our numbers or the ill omens keep them from coming out to drive us off. Still, the gates remain firmly shut.

Crxys the Firestarter asks our Lord for our plans, and Eorle has Kierrick tell us a tale in answer. It is an old story, familiar to me, at least, but then my place shall be to keep the family’s lore once Kierrick passes. To my youngest, and to the strangers gathered around our fire, this tale is new. Between firelight and the shadow of the mountains, it takes on a new life for all of us.

We are fighters. We always have been, and always will be. In the days before we took the name d’Illici, we roamed the land, fighting ancient monsters and winning by being better monsters. Not for us was the path of honour, codes of conduct, pomp and finery... such things were no use against things who knew only hunger. It earned us no love from those who believed in such things, Kierrick said, but it won us battles. And whatever else they thought about us, they could not deny that.

So it was that we finally earned the favour of the Emperor, fighting the things he wished his people would forget ever existed. We would fight the battles the Light was too pure to handle, and win, and for our service receive the scorn of the honourable houses, our mightiest deeds hidden from history.

On the day Nigh, father of Eorle, first led our people out of the Gates, he turned to the orclach who drove him on. “You just holler when you need us again,” he said, “and you will. There’s always a place for a bastard.” The older ones of us finished the sentence along with Old Kierrick: it’s something of a family motto.

The story finished, Crxys looked to Eorle, and asked if the Empire needed us again. Eorle smirked and pointed to the Gates. “They know as well as we do that something’s wrong. They probably need us more than ever.”

17 Gargle, 543:

It’s noon when we hear the horns. They come from the Gates, and Lord Eorle goes as if he’s been expecting it. The orclach atop the gates waves away the leaders of the scavengers and refugees: it seems he’s looking only for fighters. Lord Eorle is led through a small door, along with a rough-looking taurian woman and a pride of Jojoban toughs.

It’s night when they return, and Lord Eorle looks triumphant, despite the black eye he picked up somewhere along the way.

“Kethuru’s loose, the Empire’s in peril, and they’re fighting over who’s in charge!” he announces joyously. “Tomorrow, we go home!”

18 Gargle, 543:

Marching with a hangover fragging sucks. Hate. Hate. Hate.

We’re following some orclach to a place called Gaudiguch, where the Emperor is supposed to be. Details are filtering down through the chain of command, but the story is that Kethuru’s gotten loose, and yeah, the world is actually ending.

Even through this headache, it’s hard to believe. We finally crested the damn mountain and saw the Basin for the first time. There’s a huge lake in the middle, and more green than I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Apparently when you get that many trees together in one place, it’s called a “forest.” And people built a commune out of it. The orclach looks at it with a frown and says it’s Tainted, but I’ve never seen something so beautiful.

We make it to Gaudiguch at nightfall. A camp bigger than I’ve ever seen stretches out in front of the wall, and apparently there are more people inside... we aren’t allowed in the city itself. From here, though, I can see great things: towers and triangular buildings and flames all over, and unlike all the cities I’ve seen, this one is whole.

Meanwhile, the family’s camp-hopping, meeting strangers, fighting strangers, and guaranteeing a hangover for tomorrow, too. Think I’ll take it easy tonight, though.

19 Gargle, 543:

Orders from Lord Eorle, personally.

Our older members will be following the Emperor to battle. I’m on special assignment, though. I’ve been entrusted with documents proving the d’Illici family’s existence, and I’m to find as many more as I can. Apparently my best chance is in the archives of the Gaudiguch Gossip. Wherever that is.

In the meantime, Nasyryi is headed north, with Old Kierrick and everyone born in the Wastes. They go to keep a family tradition honoured since our mercenary days, before d’Illici. Each and every one of us is to pass through the Portal of Fate. And though we may not remember our name, our parents, our original shapes, we emerge strong and find our family again, though it may take years.

Kierrick takes my sons with him, and waits at the mountain for me to complete my last mission. Then I too shall enter.

21 Gargle, 543:

Have located the “archives” of the Gaudiguch Gossip, and if those quotation marks look sarcastically-placed, then they have done their job. I’ve seen better record-keeping in the tumbled ruins we passed through in our wanderings, and some of those were a thousand years old. I’m finding rat nests in every other pile of yellowed paper, and ash flaking off every sheet.

Still, have successfully located several references to the family. Apparently we were a favorite topic of this paper. Gathering as many as I can, but need to depart soon. Much of the city is evacuating in fear of a looming invasion (different from the one the Emperor is dealing with? Sort out details after, what the frag) and I should probably get going soon too.

Will give it until I hear the screams and steel, though. Houses emptying, can loot on the way out.

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Approximate Timeline

IY 211: Mardre Twistshank and her mercenary company, Fate’s Bastards, distinguish themselves in the Gaudiguch/Serenwilde conflict through gleeful arson.

IY 299-301?: Kerrig Twistshank helps to end the Blood Wars, in an undisclosed and probably highly dishonorable manner, but the Emperor cannot ignore his deeds. For his service, he requests that his company, Fate’s Bastards, be recognized as a noble family, and first takes the name d’Illici. That done, he promptly seeks to solidify his status by courting Diluvia Inalai.

IY 301-501: Various shenanigans as the d’Illici fail to adapt to court life. Gaudiguch Gossip has the stories.

IY 501: d’Illici family exiled by Empress Sineth, Ladantine VII’s mother, for undisclosed offenses. Exile is thinly-veiled, and other houses hurry to erase the family’s existence afterwards. d’Illici family persists outside the Basin, making contact with other survivors as the Outer Legion.

IY 542: The Outer Legion returns to the Basin at the summons of Ladantine VII’s ur’Guard. Togarro d’Illici is caught in Gaudiguch’s time flux while searching the Gaudiguch Gossip’s “archives.” Much of the d’Illici family joins Ladantine’s army and eventually ends up in either Magnagora or Glomdoring.