Monday 31 December 2012

Happy New Year Story Extract


Something for you all to muse over. For those who have read the book this will give you something to consider. For those who haven't I hope it wets your appetite. Happy New Year everyone, see you all in 2013!

The Council of Peace: One year on...

Do you remember where you were when peace broke out? I do. Middle of Castle Square, Larrick city, selling this very newsletter you now hold in your hand. Well, obviously not this particular one, it was actually issue thirty four thirty three if I recall correctly.

I also remember where I was when the formation of the Council of Peace was announced, a day later. A vast organisation charged with maintaining the peace. That wasn't odd; in fact I commented to my fellow writers in the Broken Dreams Happy Warrior tavern that day that in my humble opinion it was a very good idea. What was odd was the fact the organisation seemed to just appear overnight. Almost out of thin air Council of Peace compounds sprung up across the country and beyond. In every nations major towns and cities.

Maintaining the peace by whatever means necessary, so goes their unofficial motto. But who are they? And what have they accomplished now a year after the World Wide Peace Agreement?

We'll start with who are they, despite the fact this is actually a very hard question to answer. They have recruited people and races from all across the land; Magra merchants, Argon investigators, Orc enforcers, Bearkin Berserkers Dwarfen builders...I could go on. Everyone is represented in some way or another and by canny recruitment the right people seem to be in the right jobs; for the most part anyway. They are managed by a so called Grand Council but apart from a name and obvious 'in charge' status noone seems to know who they are, including many of their employee's. Really, we can't answer who they are as they seem to be, well, everyone. Prehapes that’s the point? Represent everyone so you can never be accused of being biased. Clever.

What have they accomplished? That's a little easier to answer. The peace, despite the many logical explanations against it, has held. Argon has not invaded the Trima heartlands, again. Magra has ceased its raiding. Even the Darnhun have been quiet apart from their growing mercenary trade that thankfully, operates mostly beyond our shores (and beyond our sight and mind). The peace has held. Some of that might not be the Council of Peace's doing. Not to take away from them but after fifty years, the Six Nations War had drained pretty much everyone and whilst I can't talk with absolutely authority, I strongly suspect that the leaders of each of the nations were weary of war. All they needed was an excuse to stop. The World Wide Peace Agreement was that excuse. The Council of Peace was more of an icing on the cake than the cake itself.

So lets get to the big question. Do we still need a Council of Peace to keep watch over us?

One year maybe isn't enough time to answer that question with any accuracy. That plus we really don't know a lot about what the Council of Peace actually do. They have a News Department to keep Truth Seekers such as myself informed of activates that maintain the peace but these only report so much and often report activates long since completed. It is hard to measure, with the information available, just how effective they are in making sure we don't slide back into the abyss of total war.

This Truth Seeker isn't against them. At the same time, neither do I support them. I find myself quietly opportunistic that they are doing a good job, whilst a tiny voice in the back of my head is asking 'what are they really up to?'.

Time will tell I'm sure. Sooner or later, it always does.

Article from the Newsletter 'Larrick City Opinions' dated 31st of the 12 month, 1AW (After War), 1432 (Old Calender)

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