I must apologize for my recent behavior. I made a mistake I will not do
again, and gave members of the horde yet another chance to work with us.
As usual, they did not uphold their end of the bargain.

I did help Mukruk steal the Crystal of Ages because I felt it was the
best option we had.

The Horde advanced even further, setting up a new base camp under the
leadership of the orc giant known as the Fleshrender. We watched with
amusement at first as these orcs slaughtered the joint Kinsarmar/Antioch
task forces sent to destroy them, but the ease with which they beat back
repeated assaults changed our amusement to worriment and perhaps even
fear.

Stavenn's inner circle came to the conclusion that Aetherius lacks the
military power at this point to defeat the Fleshrender and that drastic
measures were needed in order to do end the threat he posed. So, I made
the decision to aid the opposing orc clan. Their leader, Mukruk, told me
that he needed the Crystal of Ages and that if he had it he could defeat
the Fleshrender. Being my usual callous self, I came to the conclusion
that the Mages weren't doing anything effective with it anyway and
decided to give it to Mukruk and guard him until he could do whatever it
was he had planned.

Mukruk later told me that he had decided not to use the crystal against
Onkassus anymore, but that they would instead use it to make his clan
the most powerful. Our reward for this was to be 'glory', which is all
well and good, but not good enough coming from a member of the horde.

The magick and supernatural powers of the Horde are obviously inferior
to our own, or there would not be so many attempts by them for our
artifacts. With Mukruk not even bothering to lie to me anymore I figured
we could not allow it to stay in their hands. I apologize to Aetherius
for my actions and to Kinsarmar for breaking the spirit if not the word
of the peace treaty and my government at least will not attempt to
cooperate with the horde again.

~I Nessaja, Imperator.

Penned by my hand on the 1st of Ultio, in the year 419 AD.