The Phalanx

These stone keeps command lands owned by Ivid, which extend 20 to 30 miles south of the Flanmi. They are occupied by garrisons of 50-100 of the King's Own Regulars, and discipline in most of them is good. However, the two easternmost keeps have rather unusual problems.

In the keep on the bend of the Flanmi, Ivid ordered the previous garrison leader executed for an imagined treason and signed an imperial edict to place another in charge. Unfortunately, Ivid's deranged scrawl was mis-read by the acting garrison commander (who could barely read anyway). He thought that the name was that of Connsor, a famous imbecile-jester the troops had mocked for years. Daring to make enquiries of the palace authorities, the acting commander was thrown out with a furious yell of, "if that's who it says, then it's he who should be in command—not you, you oaf!"

As a result, Connsor the Wise (as he styles himself) now administers this keep, to the stunned incredulity of every one there. Connsor recently proclaimed such feast days as The Feast of the Celestial Chicken, and The Feast of the Trout-Tickling Harbinger of Doom. However, one thing which can be said for Eel-Handler Keep (as it has been proclaimed), is that no one gets executed there, and the troops don't suffer the regular floggings that Connsor's predecessor meted out. So they are getting used to it.

Some wonder whether perhaps Connsor is an insane close relative of Ivid. Indeed, Connsor hints at this from time to time. He may be mad, but he's no fool, and he knows when he's on to a good thing. The situation at the next keep is much worse, again due to mistaken orders. A spinagon baatezu was commanded by Karoolck to convey a magical wand of unique design to the safekeeping of the senior priest of Hextor here. The baatezu misunderstood its orders and used the item to slay the priest and all but a half-dozen of the castle troops. The keep is thus deserted and no troops will enter it if they know anything of events there—even on pain of death. Leprous, bloated corpses floated down the Flanmi for weeks after the baatezu's orgy of slaying. Worse still, the disease- and death- dealing wand is somewhere within the keep, for the baatezu never returned.

Stinking yellow fogs and an orange scum floating downriver from this keep have been sighted during the winter months, and white-faced troops and farmers have reported seeing misty wolves as white as ice padding silently around the river bank and keep. Even a detach ment of eight Companion Guard who entered in Patch wall did not return from their investigations. Some whisper that the keep must have been built on the sacred site of the Ur-Flannae, and that some ancient curse has been revivified by the bloodshed.