News of the Realm: Crown's Refuge joins Fastheld

Crown's Refuge - In the wake of the recent conflict with the Acarit that claimed numerous lives within the Freehold, given consideration that the people of Crown's Refuge are the people of Fastheld with interwoven ancestry, lineage, and history, and given that Crown's Refuge was founded, developed, and then recreated by Imperials, the Freehold of Crown's Refuge - having long been considered as a protectorate of the Empire - has finally rejoined with Fastheld.

The annexation of Crown's Refuge has been engineered by the Sovereign Prince Serath Kahar, and the illustrious Archmage Tshepsi of the Syladris, in order to grant better protection to the people that live there from the threats of the Wildland, and to entirely remove a number of political and mercantile issues that have arisen over the last year, including the freedom of travel by Wildlanders in the Empire, and Nobles in the Freehold.

The Wildlanders of Crown's Refuge will be granted citizenship as Freelanders and will be permitted to travel where they like within the Empire, without limitation, as their whims dictate, protected by the Crown and the Light. Imperial Law will be also be established within the Freehold itself, and the Imperial Watch will be enlisted to provide security and law enforcement, with the Imperial Tribunal setting up a division within Ironcrest Hall, and the Blood Guard reformed as a division of the Tribunal dedicated to the protection of the Syladris.

The Syladris themselves will also be granted full rights of citizenship within the Empire, though any ventures into the Empire shall require escort from a Knight-Errant of the Royal Order of the Imperial Crown to ensure their safety when faced with citizens who may be shocked by their unusual attributes.

Equally, the Syladris will be given the full protection of the Imperial Crown as sworn and promised by the Sovereign Prince, and shall be considered equal to Nobility, and will not suffer any insult or disrespect from any Noble of the Six Great Houses, lest they also insult the Empire and suffer the consequences of their actions.

Though considered as territory of the Imperial Crown, Crown's Refuge shall also be recognized as the home of the Syladris, and any local decision or policy that does not conflict with the Imperial Law shall be governed by the Syladris themselves. Tempest Spire, however, shall be considered sovereign territory for the benefit of the Syladris and those that dwell within the vast superstructure.

The annexation has been agreed by both Archmage Tshepsi and the Sovereign Prince, and endorsed by the Crown Regent of Fastheld. It is believed that the "Syladris Amendment" to the "Shadow Amnesty" law was one of the conditions that Tshepsi required of Fastheld before any such deal could be agreed upon.

It is believed that the unity of Crown's Refuge and Fastheld will now usher in a new era of relations, trade, security, exploration, and - perhaps most important of all - understanding and spiritual development.