At the base of the Ironspine Mountains, along the main trade route between Zaun and Noxus, there lies two smaller villages: Askay and Meland. For generations the people of those villages had been embroiled in a bloody feud. The lawlessness of the region had complicated the development of trade agreements between the two city-states, limiting their interaction to wartime pacts serviced by mercenary contracts and alchemical weapons. However, after some Noxian intervention, both Askay and Meland have put aside their differences and declared their allegiance to Noxus. With the conflict resolved, Zaun and Noxus were now free to pursue more thriving peacetime trade relations. The Demacian soldier who publically confessed to conspiracy and sabotage in Kalamanda was found dead in his cell yesterday, a victim of Nyzer poisoning. Investigations are underway, but as of yet Kalamanda officials are at a loss as to how such a poison managed to elude the notice of its guards. With news that the prisoner’s interrogation was scheduled for later this weekend, suspicious eyes are being cast at the visiting delegations of Noxus and Demacia. Though representatives from both city-states denied any wrongdoing, military activity had visibly increased in both camps over the last few weeks. Perhaps most disturbing of all, a carriage believed to contain General Boram Darkwill himself was seen departing Noxus soon after the prisoner’s fate was discovered. By all accounts, the ageless, reclusive leader of Noxus hasn’t set foot outside of the castle since the formation of The League Of Legends over two decades ago. General Boram Darkwill and his accompanying platoon of Raedsel Guardsman were found slain on the roads not far from the village. Analysis of the scene indicated that the entire troop was eliminated with terrifying efficiency. Noxian scouts were unable to find any traces of an attacking force or any signs of survivors. Swain later ordered the bodies of every slain Noxian soldier be put to fire, as is the Noxian ceremony for fallen ranking officers in wartime conditions. He then accused Demacia for the assault, as they are the only other military on this continent which was capable of it. In a public response, King Jarvan III of Demacia decried the attack, and stated that he did not order the assassination. Swain declined Jarvan’s invitation to discuss the situation, which may indicate that the damage was already done. The last remaining natives of Kalamanda, including the mayor and his councilmen, were evacuated from the region. The collective fears of Valoran were realized in Kalamanda as the standoff between Noxus and Demacia escalated to all-out war. Initial estimates placed casualties in the hundreds. It appeared that Prince Jarvan IV of Demacia struck the first blow against General Swain of Noxus. According to eyewitnesses, Swain was making his usual rounds of the Noxian camp when he was ambushed by Jarvan. The two became locked in combat, and soldiers from both camps immediately engaged each other in efforts to come to their aid. Though battle between these embittered rivals has been heated, ambassadors from both sides pledged that their forces would refrain from the use of unsanctioned magic. Chancellor Malek Hawkmoon, spokesman for Noxus, called it a “steel and slugs” engagement, a Noxian military term for a physical-only wartime operation. Neither army gained a significant advantage over the other. The bulk of the fighting took place on the fields just outside the village’s primary dig site, though the contested area gradually expanded. Prince Jarvan was not seen on the battlefield since his initial clash with Swain, though Noxus’ Master Tactician was seen in the front lines, issuing commands and urging his troops onward. Jarvan’s absence caused a great degree of speculation that the Prince may have been killed or captured, but the Demacian forces did not falter. Their morale was bolstered by Garen and the Dauntless Vanguard, whose efforts stymied the Noxian offensive at nearly every turn. King Jarvan III reportedly donned his own royal armor, although his exact position remained a mystery. It was likely that Xin Zhao, was with him. In an unprecedented show of force, the League of Legends conjured a temporal stasis bubble over the entirety of Kalamanda, trapping the warring forces of Noxus and Demacia in a mid-battle state of suspension. The soldiers inside were to be extracted and returned to their homes, but the League pronounced the village and its immediate surroundings uninhabitable. The League had sent four hundred summoners to the far edges of the Kalamanda conflict, transporting with them a small nexus that was, according to scholars of the Arcanum Majoris, a centerpiece of the Arcanum Vault. Utilizing ancient Urtistani techniques refined by League champion Zilean, these summoners undertook an enchantment the magnitude of which hadn't been seen in Valoran since the Rune Wars. A great deal of care was devoted to ensuring that Runeterra sustained the least possible destruction as a result of the spell. Though experts believed the damage to Runeterra is minimal, they have determined that the area occupied by the bubble will be magically unstable for decades. Soldier extraction had begun, and would continue for several weeks. It was a slow and intensive process, as Zilean believed improper extraction may lead to chrono-displasia, a disease he himself endured. League surveyors were dispatched to the village to assess the true extent of the damage, as well as to determine if there would be any way to speed its restoration. The League made arrangements for the families of Kalamanda residents, accepting responsibility for restricting them from their own homes. Ambassadors from Noxus and Demacia took residence in the Institute of War and negotiated the safe return of their soldiers, as well as terms for a peaceful resolution to the conflict.While a history draped in the glory of combat has hardened the citizenry of Noxus with the expectation of loss, Noxus stands in the wake of a truly unprecedented event in Noxus' proud nation’s history. Never before has a General of the High Command been struck down so cruelly or senselessly. Noxus' ancient rivals – having stooped lower than ever in their thirst for our blood – have awakened in us a rage beyond comprehension. Day and night, the howl of our citizen soldiers can be heard echoing through the streets and alleys amid the drums of war and the sharpening of blades. The forges shall burn long into the night as the war machine of Noxus turns! While the High Council of Equity has, in their infinite wisdom, seen fit to intercede against Noxus on behalf of these violators of the League’s peace, the people of Noxus remain defiant as ever. With our Eternal General Boram Darkwill struck down, we rally to the side of our esteemed council of commanders. The members of the High Command have put aside their personal vendettas for honor’s sake, instead focusing their efforts on a single, shared agenda: to revenge a wrongdoing against our Empire and the people’s pride that cannot be allowed to stand. While Noxus' counterattack might be stymied by League intervention for the time being, they cannot change the resolve that beats in the heart of this defiant warrior of the Empire. Proclaiming Noxus fervor unmerited, they would bid us do nothing while they squabble and debate over the right course. If this is an unjust war it is one begat through the hypocrisy of a state founded pretense of virtue, but the practice of treachery. It was Demacia’s own crown prince that struck the first blow after Noxus' legions held their disciplined reserve following their leader’s assassination. During the night, a battle erupted within Noxus’ famous Ivory Ward marketplace late last week, devastating the area’s main square. Noxian authorities have ruled the fight a political squabble related to the turmoil still raging in High Command after the death of Boram Darkwill. The black of night shrouded the whole of the Ivory Ward when guards responded to the disturbance in the marketplace area. The Ivory Ward itself is one of the oldest and most wealthy districts in Noxus, and military-assigned guards in the area are sparse because its tenants typically hire private security. Noxus has seen an increase in outbreaks of violence since the assassination of Boram Darkwill, as his death has High Command in turmoil over the rightful successor to his title. The power struggle has trickled down into the rest of Noxus as citizens take arms in support of the various Generals vying for the seat of the Grand General. The compromised marketplace remains under investigation by Noxian authorities, and residents of the Ivory Ward have drastically increased their security. No casualties have been confirmed, but one merchant whose stock was destroyed, Vexus Nirac, has not been seen since the day before the marketplace battle. The turmoil in Noxus following the death of Grand General Boram Darkwill intensified this week when Jericho Swain returned to High Command. Upon his arrival, the Master Tactician gained the immediate support of Noxus's prominent military figures, positioning him as the strongest rival to Keiran Darkwill for leadership of Noxus. The seat of the Grand General has remained vacant since the death of Boram Darkwill. Over the past weeks, the controversy over Darkwill's succession turned to outright hostility. Many of Noxus's notorious and powerful soldiers stepped forward in an attempt to lay claim to the title. Thus far, none have remained alive long enough to maintain control over the city-state. Keiran Darkwill, the late Grand General's youngest son, remains one of the more ruthless aspirants in this dispute. He has successfully thwarted several assassination attempts, struck down his challengers, and rallied significant support behind his name. Only Darius, one of Noxus's most respected and feared Generals, has earned as much of a following within High Command as Keiran Darkwill. Many predicted the two would inevitably clash and that the victor would rise to the throne. Upon Jericho Swain's return, General Darius forged an immediate alliance with the famed Master Tactician and with this, High Command has become even more divided with those siding between Keiran Darkwill and Jericho Swain.
