Info from around Khorvaire

Since your PCs will at different points be getting news of what's going on nearby and elsewhere around Khorvaire, I'm adding this thread so I can keep putting up what they hear and learn (usually after it's mentioned during the session), and have a place to respond to any questions about the information.

Month: Barrakas, 1000 YK (beginning of the PCs' rule of their kingdom)

News of other explorations in area:
(1) Glenebon Uplands: Aundair sent a relatively experienced band of adventurers into the northernmost reach of the Stolen Lands—apparently they have thus far been quite successful in establishing themselves in the area, fighting off dangerous fey and some of the Tiger Lord tribes (see below)
(2) The Slough: The South Sellen River runs through the swamps known as Hooktongue Slough, to the immediate north of the Greenbelt (the PCs’ lands). This area is occupied by barbarian tribes called the Tiger Lords, believed to be an offshoot of the Ghaash’kala barbarians to the north, who guard the way into the Demon Reaches. Rumor says that the leader of the expeditionary group sent into the area was the secret bastard son of a very high-ranking Aundairan lord, named Hannis Drelev (some stories say Lord Darro ir’Lain, while others even claim it is the offspring of Queen Aurala’s brother Adal)
(3) Nomen Heights: The southernmost reaches of the Stolen Lands contain a low mountain range, long occupied by multiple small centaur tribes, which fiercely resist interlopers. Aundair sent the Varnling Host, a group of mercenaries who fought in the War of the Guardian Angels into the area. Evidently they have managed to establish a foothold in the area, though more slowly than the PCs, and begun their first settlement, called Varnhold.

News from Abroad:
As has been the case with most of Khorvaire since the War of the Guardian Angels, the focus of most of the nations is on the Mournland (or New Cyre, as it is being called by many). Re-colonization efforts are continuing there, with Breland and Thrane being especially engaged in helping former Cyrans return to the country. There are, of course, also problems with other countries trying (politically and physically) to grab chunks of the country, Karrnath and Darguun being foremost among them. Aundair, having no actual border to New Cyre, has to focus purely on political machinations and, thus, is having limited influence in that area. Which both explains and facilitates its movement into the Eldeen Reaches via the PCs and others, since most countries are too busy focusing on New Cyre to care about this area.

Month of Eyre, 1001 YK (mid-spring, nine months into the PCs' rule of Khatovar):

News of other explorations in neighboring areas:
(1) Glenebon Uplands: The group in the Glenebon Uplands has successfully suppressed the barbarian tribes in the area and already set up a capital city with incredible speed, considering that the opposition they faced was greater than for any of the other three expeditions. They have named it Pitax and declared their realm the kingdom of Pitax. One of their members, Castruccio Irovetti, has taken the leadership as the Baron of Pitax.
(2) The Slough: Apparently Hannis Drelev has had significant success in fighting off the Tiger Lord barbarians in the area and has begun construction of a castle and a town around it, collectively called Fort Drelev. (Note: This is the area where Grigori said he was hired)
(3) Nomen Heights: The Varnling Host has managed to make peace with the area’s centaur tribe, the Nomen, and are slowly increasing their holdings and continuing construction of Varnhold. It is named after Magra Varn, the leader of the Varnling Host. Rowan and Leonis know that Magra Varn is the third child of Androth Varn, a minor Aundairan noble, and that as such she doesn’t stand to inherit her father’s holdings and so this is a prime way to make her fortune.

News from Abroad:
Most of the news passing around Khorvaire centers on the continuing re-colonization of the Mournland (or former Mournland), and the resultant political infighting and such. One slightly related issue is that there now seem to be increasingly powerful individuals appearing around Khorvaire, with people manifesting abilities and powers that were not unheard of but much rarer earlier. There are also an increasing numbers of divine visions and such. Even the warforged, a species not given to religion, are reporting visions of the Mithral Maker (what they now call the presumably deceased member of the Guardian Angels known originally as Mithral Six of Six, around whom a small but growing cult has sprung up). Scholars theorizing that the Xoriat invasion and, even more than that, the explosion of divine energy into Khorvaire due to the results of the Angels' last battle, has potentially lead to the beginning of a new Age of Heroes (like the fabled one from millennia ago).

Month of Aryth, 1001 YK (Late autumn, 16 months into the PCs' rule of Khatovar):

Drelev:
Apparently Drelev has recently made a deal with House Deneith, obtaining a number of mercenaries via the Blademarks Guild. Some of them are specifically Deneith troops, but it seems the majority are mercenaries brokered by the House. He has also been paying to promote Drelev in Aundair, specifically asking for military personnel with experience in the Last War and/or the War of the Angels. One of the primary reasons for it must be his growing trouble with the Tiger Lord barbarians. Evidently there has been some increased raiding by them in his lands. While Fort Drelev and the lands immediately around it are secure, some of his outlying territories (esp. to the north, near the border with Pitax, Irovetti's kingdom).

Irovetti:
Apparently some of the barbarian tribes have been raiding in Pitax too, but Irovetti is having an easier time dealing with them. In fact, he seems confident enough that he sends the following letter to you by Sivis courier. It says:

“Greetings and salutations from Castruccio Irovetti, by the grace of the gods the rightful Baron of Pitax, Lord of the Glenebon Uplands, Master of the Jade Throne. It is with great delectation and delight that I greet you, rulers of Khatovar. I would be honored if you would accept my invitation to attend the inaugural Springlight Festival as my personal guests. I intend to make this Festival an annual occurrence, and cannot think of a better method of inaugurating the first one than with you, my fellow rulers of what were formerly the Stolen Lands, at my side. I know you to be ladies and gentlemen of discernment and puissance, so I believe you will be particularly interested in the Springlight Tournament, which shall be the center of the Festival. I have invited champions from the nations of Khorvaire, ranging from our common neighbor Drelev and Aundair, to the far reaches of the Talenta Plains and the riders of Valenar, challenging them to represent themselves and their nations in friendly competition against all comers. I expect that you will find pleasant diversion in the deeds of those who answer as they seek the crown of Springlight Champion – and the wondrous treasure that I shall offer as a reward. I would be honored if Khatovar too would enter the Tournament. Who knows – perhaps one of you could emerge as Champion?

The tournament will begin on Sul, the Fifteenth of Therendor, 1002 YK,, and culminate on the Twentieth day of Therendor, coinciding with Sun's Blessing, the day holy to Dol Arrah. I hope that guests such as yourselves will arrive well before the commencement, so that I might show you my fair city. While the festival is over three months away, I thought it wise to invite you well in advance, since you surely have many important duties. I look forward to your acceptance and to meeting all of you.

Aundair:
Aundair, as all of the Five Nations are, is primarily focused on events to the east with Cyre. There have been heightened tensions with Thrane, Karrnath and Breland, but especially Thrane, with news of skirmishing on the border. While the Aundairan army has not officially been placed on a war footing (and presumably will not, since that'll be seen as seriously exacerbating the issue), recruitment is being pushed up. Darro ir'Lain has apparently been quite vocal about the fact that Aundair needs to be ready in case of war, and has particularly been emphasizing that Aundair needs to secure its western border to be fully safe in case war occurs to the east.

Further abroad:
All of Khorvaire is currently focused on Cyre, with some strong disagreement about how exactly to handle its status, ranging from arguments that it should be all handed back to the Cyran refugees led by Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn to claims for it to be divided up among all its neighboring nations. On the positive side, as has tended to be the case in Khorvaire, the setting in of winter is likely to dampen tensions a little, since it makes genuine hostilities a little more difficult. Reports say that King Kaius III of Karrnath and King Boranel of Breland are attempting to convene another summit at Thronehold to deal with the question of Cyre, but Boranel's recent poor health is causing a problem. As is the fact that part of the island of Thronehold recently crumbled off into the bay (due to having been weakened by the incident with the Angels two years ago).