<div align="center">~Important Links~<br/>OOC Thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=272735.0)<br/>Character Submission Thread (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=272207.0)</div><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>~The War of Three Realms~</strong></span></div><br/>It had all started at the summer solstice, normally a time of joy and merriment for most of the races of the mortal realm. In some places there were strange reports, things spontaneously catching fire or going missing, strange cracks in walls that dissipated in an instant. For a short time no one understood what was causing the strange phenomenon, then the rifts opened. Great gaping chasms of swirling energy, before any of the mortal kingdoms could react angels and demons started pouring through the portals. At first the mortals thought the two forces were together, but before long reports of fighting between angels and demons came through as well. Almost overnight several of the smaller kingdoms fell apart, some of the former nobility having even sworn themselves to their new overlords. As soon as word reached the Kingdom of Dragons the armies were assembled and the dragons flew on wings ready for war. The dragons arrived in the kingdom of Rosenhope, one of the only kingdoms that managed to hold off the invaders.<br/><br/>From Rosenhope the dragons led a joint force of mortals against the invasion, little ground was gained, and that which was had been paid for in blood several-fold. As the leaves began to die and fall from the trees, it was clear the lines had been drawn and no one was going to give any ground, forces were gathering and everyone was expecting a climactic battle. Instead nothing happened, the war-front went cold, behind the scenes the Fae organized a cease fire, only the fae know why they decided to intervene. Now as the snow began to fall the details for the peace talks had all been hammered out and the representatives were being sent to a secluded location for the final talks.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>~The Four Realms Accord Hall~</strong></span><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/Q9NbTYA.jpg?1)</div><br/>A dwarven palace in the mountain kindoms to the east, far removed from the war front, nestled atop one of the highest mountains in the mortal realm. A mountaintop fortress used as the last fall back for one of the wealthier dwarven kings, the base had been left mostly abandoned for centuries. When there were rumors of peace talks though the dwarves quickly cleaned the ancient palace and offered it for a nominal fee. It's hard to reach location made it a perfect place to hold the talks, it would be near impossible for anyone to sneak themselves away from the grounds and the fortress was easily defensible in case anyone tried to run a rescue mission.<br/><br/>If one has wings and skill arrival at the keep is easy enough, for those without that luxury though they had to enter into the mountain at it's base. Taking a long journey through dark tunnels that went all through the interior of the mountain, most would likely come by carriage as the journey could take several hours. At the top of the mountain there was a palace of superb dwarven craftsmanship, naturally heated the palace remains cozy in even the coldest of seasons and even during the warm seasons atop the mountain the warmth is still well needed. The keep had a grand hall where one entered, in times long past grand feasts had been hosted  there. The rooms were all grandly decorated and had all the amenities the mortal realm had to offer. There were even training grounds originally intended for the barracks of guards the keep could house. Now this would be the site of potentially the most important meeting since the creation of all four realms.<br/><br/><div align="center">-------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><br/>The dragon prince had arrived several days ahead of the rest of the representatives, he had helped to organize the multi-realm force that would be watching over the peace talks. Ruurik had been indignant about having to take the tunnels up, he was still sore over the loss of his wings, the way not having them limited him was a constant point of frustration. The half-dragon often wondered if the angels had already been planning their invasion when they had taken his wings, he would have started a war himself if he'd had that power. Instead the wounded prince got a chance to recuperate, the wounds to his pride only festering as his physical injuries healed. When the angels poured through the rifts Ruurik was one of the first to volunteer to lead the dragon forces against them, his request was denied, the older dragons questioning his ability to effectively lead from the ground. Instead the disgraced prince was put in charge of a ragtag band assembled from the kingdoms that had already fallen, a motley assortment of humans, orcs, and goblins; to add further insult to injury he was placed on the demon front.<br/><br/>Ruurik made a name for himself in the early days of the war, what his unit lacked in cohesion they made up for in ferocity and determination, and the dragon prince was at the head of every charge. When the cease fire had first been called Ruurik had been suspicious that it was some ploy to get the dragons to let their guards down, instead he was recalled and his unit reassigned to one of his younger half-siblings.  Instead of being on the warfront ready to plunge back into the fray he had been put on security detail for the accords, it didn't take long for Ruurik to realize what was going on. After all he saw who was to attend the meetings, and his name was top of the list, Ruurik was convinced his father was planning to use the accords to get better ground, and then he would sacrifice his eldest son, the son who was stupid enough to get himself mutilated for some tryst he had thought was love.<br/><br/>Today was when the rest of the delegations were supposed to be arriving, although there weren't any direct times for when the representatives would be arriving. The premises had been heavily warded to prevent anyone from being able to use magic to enter the premises unknown to the guards, even teleportation magic wasn't able to be used within the confines of the mountain. There was no formal schedule for the peace talks, the representatives would be here as long as it took, or until the war resumed around them. Ruurik was of the opinion that the talks would be of little use, the mortal realm was for mortals, and the dragons of course, he wouldn't be happy until their was a full withdrawal of angelic and demonic forces. Ruurik found himself questioning why the Fae had petitioned for these meetings in the first place, what did they hope to gain by getting involved in this conflict. The best Ruurik hoped from this event was to possibly draw the Fae in on their side of the war, with the magic of the fae and the strength of the dragons the prince had no doubt they would be able to drive off the invaders.<br/><br/>Ruurik wanted nothing more to be back on the battlefield, he'd prefer his blade taste angel blood but slaughtering demons was helping him get out his aggression well enough. Instead the prince was in a castle at the end of the world, getting ready to sacrifice himself for a series of pointless peace talks. The half dragon would not let himself grow soft in his seclusion though, instead he had been training in the covered training hall deep in the fortresses interior. With the arrivals suspected sometime this day Ruurik had given the servants explicit instructions to find him after the first guests arrived, the servants would likely direct the newcomers to their rooms first, although anyone who thought to ask would be led to the half-dragon training in his full battle regalia and shield, hacking at dummies from behind his shield.