News of the Realm: Tribunal ponder validity of freehold agreement

LIGHT'S REACH - Between pressure from disgruntled elements of the Great Noble Houses, and a general sense of vexation within the organization itself, the Imperial Tribunal is rumored to be considering ending the agreement made with Crown's Refuge between the former Justiciar Soravyn Zahir and the Sovereign Prince Serath Kahar after the "Song Portal" was activated, linking the Empire with the Freehold.

With the Freehold still lacking any formal recognition by the Empire, and with the Empire considering Crown's Refuge to be a protectorate of the Crown (with a legitimate claim to the location due to it having been established by the late Emperor Talus Kahar XIV and developed by various members of Royalty and Nobility), the current honoring of the agreement has apparently been out of good will alone, with Fastheld evidently voluntarily permitting Crown's Refuge some vision of independence while no actual plans of action have been forthcoming.

However, following the ban on Nobility from entering the Freehold, and the subsequent reports of certain Nobles being let into Crown's Refuge regardless of such regulations as exceptions to the rule, internal rumbles within the Imperial Tribunal suggest that the Imperial Law is tired of giving without seeing any return, and may soon no longer turn Nobles away from the Aria.

Such a decision points towards two possible outcomes:

The first is that the Tribunal will deny ALL access to the Song Portal from Fastheld - be it Noble or Freelander - while preventing Wildlanders from leaving Dawnstar Keep. However, the second possible scenario is that the Tribunal will merely permit Nobles access to the Aria irrespective of the wishes of Crown's Refuge, allowing them to do what they will without Imperial intervention.

It is likely that the Tribunal will seek authority from the Crown Regent before taking any actual action, however, but it is equally likely that the Imperial Tribunal WILL act soon to address what many are perceiving as double standards by the Freehold that are disrespecting the Empire while at the same time accepting its benevolence without any apparent recompense.