"Damn! Those two really never stop..." After receiving Nyx's report from Flowing City, Roland felt utterly overwhelmed. He could understand Apophis Breo and Ismir stirring things up, but he did not want them doing this. The time for war with the Orcs had already passed!
After a series of chaotic battles in the Northern Territory, Roland had successfully drawn Sauron's attention away from the two southern kingdoms that had been quietly keeping to themselves and toward the rising Northern Territory. However, after Roland gave him a thorough beating, little brother Sauron had gained a profound realization. He turned over a new leaf and decided to leave the Northern Territory alone for now. Compared to the tough, tasteless bone that was the Northern Territory, prosperous yet decadent Gondor and Rohan appealed to Sauron far more. Ever since the War of the Last Alliance, the south had rarely seen warfare. Weapons had been stored away, and horses released to graze! Aside from fighting the Corsairs of Umbar now and then, Gondor's circumstances had never been better! Rohan had no foreign enemies at all! Once they maintained a small force to watch the wandering Orc rabble, the nobles of both nations immediately had nothing left to do.
Humans were a species that asked for trouble. "With food and clothing comes lust; with hunger and cold comes thievery" was an apt description. Comfortable lives had led the nobles of both kingdoms to start finding new ways to amuse themselves. Luxury and decadence began corroding those noble lords who had once stood firm at their borders...
In some ways, Roland and Sauron were highly in sync. Roland knew Sauron lacked the strength to fight again, while Sauron knew Roland did not want to fight. Both sides returned home to train their armies and prepare for