Tensions appear to be on the rise again between Shu-Han [Han] and House Stark [Stark], with Han leadership reporting to the Times that they have purportedly discovered and ousted a Stark spy from their ranks. The initial allegation was made to the editorial team on August 27th when Han leadership stated: “After a month long investigation (spawned by the leaked [alliance-wide] mail in the beginning of the second Shu-House Stark War) we have found and removed the House Stark spy (Edward Elric).”
It appears that the leaked alliance-wide mail in question was one that Stark reportedly presented as evidence to players like Bimoda and alliances such as Wheel of Time [WoT], who went on to actively support Stark in the war. The IGM framed Han’s mission to engage Stark motivated in part by House Stark leader PhoenixFire’s unilateral surrender from the loose coalition of land claimers in the Stomp war and Stark’s subsequent dissolution of its land claim.
The Times followed up with Han and also reached out to Stark leader PhoenixFire for comments. Stark leadership has not commented on the matter since the story came to our attention on the 27th.
In their reply, Han leadership explained that the alleged spy was discovered through a disinformation plan as part of the mole hunt:
“Simple process recommended to me by a few allies: feed information out that would be irresistible to our enemies and track it. We had suspected Edward for some time, and we aren’t new to House Stark trying to infiltrate our alliance. Back in Feb 2015 a House Stark account (Maltock) attempted to infiltrate our alliance. In July 18, one of my lower ranked members brought in Maltock again (re-created to infiltrate Broken Blades, and later Shu-Han). Spying on their neighbors is a House Stark past-time.”
In spite of Han’s claim that they indeed confirmed Edward Elric as a spy, the Times cannot independently verify this to be the case, as no incontrovertible evidence was presented to our editorial staff.
As an immediate response, Han terminated Edward Elric from their roster and appears ready to remove the alleged spy’s cities from their land claim and surrounding areas. “Obviously we cannot let this sort of thing go,” Han leadership noted. “The agent has been removed from the alliance, and is awaiting removal from Chengdu.”
Han went on question Stark’s supposed efforts to continue spying, even in the wake of the two alliances’ peace agreement in August. “We question why Phoenixfire claims now to just want to settle and be peaceful, yet he keeps a spy in an Almenly alliance,” Han leadership added. “We find it difficult to forgive our old foe for attempting to kick Shu-Han out of Almenly all those months ago when they do not hesitate to send operatives against us. If they are truly in the interest of peace then we call for them to act like agents of peace.”
If Edward Elric was indeed a Stark spy, it is not the only breach of peace between the two alliances. The Times also noted while researching this story that the NAP between Han and Stark, which was imposed by the peace accord signed at the end of the Han/Stark war and reported on August 1sthas been dissolved. The terms set forth by top Stark negotiator Bimoda at the time clearly stated that “HAN and STARK will enter into an NAP.”
It remains to be seen if both alliances are headed toward what would be their third conflict since the launch of the Broken Lands. However, these recent developments indicate that the relative peace established last month is already proving to be short-lived between these neighboring alliances in Almenly.
The Illyriad Times 