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On the morning of the 24th of April 303 AC, a small riverboat with a number of city officials row their way across the Crown river separating the Imperial districts from the rest of the city. Qadir warships eerily loomed over the small rowboat as it passed their poised cannons, Qadirs in rows along the ships sides prepared for any sort of betrayal of the Parlay. The Imperial command in Regalia had requested a meeting with the Qadir. Some troops had rolled cannons into the burnt district which had only stopped burning some days before, hoping to be ready in case the Qadir lashed out at the officials on the rowboat. But the Qadir did not, and for hours, the officials were on the other side of the river.
As time passed, a first civilian Regalian ship docked in the harbor, carrying city officials with stacks and stacks of paperwork and records. As the hours of the Imperial command being on the Qadir side went by, more and more civilian transport ships moored at the harbor. The officials arriving explained that these transports were all part of the plan of the Imperial command, should the Qadir strike a bargain with the Imperials. The Qadir had spent the days since the fire in the bridge district looting the palazzo's, estates, castles and even the Imperial Palace of the Imperial district. Their ships were heavy with the treasures, statues of the Emperors, paintings, jewelry and tonnes of gold looted from the nobility who were out of Regalia. Not only that, the Qadir had looted the granaries before, stashing all of the food on their ships.
At the hour of noon, the rowboat made its way back to the Regalian side and commanded the troops to stand down for what was to happen next. The Qadir spent the next five hours dumping weapons, unloading cannons and throwing any military material they could assemble into the crown river, sinking deep beyond the reach of the Regalians. They stripped their ships of any gear, disabled the rudders and sails, but did not actually bring them to sinking. Some of the Regalian transport ships that had arrived earlier on the day loaded the troops on the Imperial district side, searched them of any contraband and then sailed due east. As the ships carrying the remainder of the Qadir forces sailed off beyond the horizon, rows of Regalian battleships sailed into port and anchored around the port itself. Rowboats of soldiers made their way to the Imperial districts and started unloading the valuables from the Qadir ships, moving them into warehouses and establishing security in the district that looked like a warzone. The Imperial districts had been utterly abandoned, window drapings gracefully danced in the wind from windows as the streets were filled with broken furniture and bottles.
The soldiers spent the next few days cleaning up and fortifying the Imperial guard and the Imperial command. The civil authorities lead by the administration of the Empire formally returned to Regalia, relieving the Imperial guard of their temporary control over the city. It was even whispered at this point that the Emperor to be was soon to return to Regalia within days. Whatever he deemed to do about the Qadir that left behind and the slaves that were still in Regalia was a hotly debated topic in the street, as was the safety of the city. The Imperial Guard's counter coup to the original usurpation of the city guard resulted in a steady decline of armed forces available for controlling the city. The Violet Order was staffed down to 40% of its recommended numbers, and some districts were completely without guards patrolling the streets, crime running rampant.
News similarly came from the Caliphene republic that the Heraatz Rebels had surrendered and fled in the thousands into the deserts of New Ceardia. The Imperial forces turned south with the intention of invading Farah'deen itself, as the embarrassed Empire now had to reclaim its honor. No news was heard of the Orcs and Dwarves that had invaded the south of Qadiriyye. The last heard news was that they destroyed a series of coastal cities, after that, all messages ceased. The Imperial court now started to consult itself to decide whether to continue the war, or to call for a truce with the Qadir. The Qadir fleet had been utterly decimated by the Regalian vanguard fleets, far making up for the battle fleets lost near the Rim Isles, but the Qadir still possessed the superior army. The topic of the Maiar was also raised. Their aid to the Qadir was fundamental for the invasion of Regalia, and Regalia wished revenge. The coming weeks would dictate much and uncertainty continued to grip the city as the treasury, administration and food supplies from Anglia and beyond were slowly being restored.
As time passed, a first civilian Regalian ship docked in the harbor, carrying city officials with stacks and stacks of paperwork and records. As the hours of the Imperial command being on the Qadir side went by, more and more civilian transport ships moored at the harbor. The officials arriving explained that these transports were all part of the plan of the Imperial command, should the Qadir strike a bargain with the Imperials. The Qadir had spent the days since the fire in the bridge district looting the palazzo's, estates, castles and even the Imperial Palace of the Imperial district. Their ships were heavy with the treasures, statues of the Emperors, paintings, jewelry and tonnes of gold looted from the nobility who were out of Regalia. Not only that, the Qadir had looted the granaries before, stashing all of the food on their ships.
At the hour of noon, the rowboat made its way back to the Regalian side and commanded the troops to stand down for what was to happen next. The Qadir spent the next five hours dumping weapons, unloading cannons and throwing any military material they could assemble into the crown river, sinking deep beyond the reach of the Regalians. They stripped their ships of any gear, disabled the rudders and sails, but did not actually bring them to sinking. Some of the Regalian transport ships that had arrived earlier on the day loaded the troops on the Imperial district side, searched them of any contraband and then sailed due east. As the ships carrying the remainder of the Qadir forces sailed off beyond the horizon, rows of Regalian battleships sailed into port and anchored around the port itself. Rowboats of soldiers made their way to the Imperial districts and started unloading the valuables from the Qadir ships, moving them into warehouses and establishing security in the district that looked like a warzone. The Imperial districts had been utterly abandoned, window drapings gracefully danced in the wind from windows as the streets were filled with broken furniture and bottles.
The soldiers spent the next few days cleaning up and fortifying the Imperial guard and the Imperial command. The civil authorities lead by the administration of the Empire formally returned to Regalia, relieving the Imperial guard of their temporary control over the city. It was even whispered at this point that the Emperor to be was soon to return to Regalia within days. Whatever he deemed to do about the Qadir that left behind and the slaves that were still in Regalia was a hotly debated topic in the street, as was the safety of the city. The Imperial Guard's counter coup to the original usurpation of the city guard resulted in a steady decline of armed forces available for controlling the city. The Violet Order was staffed down to 40% of its recommended numbers, and some districts were completely without guards patrolling the streets, crime running rampant.
News similarly came from the Caliphene republic that the Heraatz Rebels had surrendered and fled in the thousands into the deserts of New Ceardia. The Imperial forces turned south with the intention of invading Farah'deen itself, as the embarrassed Empire now had to reclaim its honor. No news was heard of the Orcs and Dwarves that had invaded the south of Qadiriyye. The last heard news was that they destroyed a series of coastal cities, after that, all messages ceased. The Imperial court now started to consult itself to decide whether to continue the war, or to call for a truce with the Qadir. The Qadir fleet had been utterly decimated by the Regalian vanguard fleets, far making up for the battle fleets lost near the Rim Isles, but the Qadir still possessed the superior army. The topic of the Maiar was also raised. Their aid to the Qadir was fundamental for the invasion of Regalia, and Regalia wished revenge. The coming weeks would dictate much and uncertainty continued to grip the city as the treasury, administration and food supplies from Anglia and beyond were slowly being restored.
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