In late October of 1360 Dalereckoning, the forest kingdom of Cormyr had already begun slipping into winter. The winds blowing in from Dragonmere grew colder by the day. Judging by past experience, the year's first snow would arrive in a few more weeks.
The autumn harvest was over across the country, and Cormyr entered its agricultural lull. People made their final preparations for winter, slaughtering livestock, sewing clothes, and repairing their homes.
Year after year, whatever happened in the wilds of the Realms, little seemed to change for the farmers bent over their fields.
But Suzail was anything but peaceful that year.
On the surface, Cormyr's royal capital remained firmly under the Princess Regent's control as winter approached. After the upheavals of the Time of Troubles, the Goblin Wars in which Azoun IV had fallen, and the Princess Regent's move into the palace, it seemed the city could finally enjoy a peaceful Midwinter.
Yet trouble followed trouble. October had barely entered its latter half when two strange incidents occurred in the capital.
First, a night watchman discovered the bodies of two members of the Queen's Blade in an alley in the wealthy district. Horrified, he immediately reported it to the royal household and braced himself for an upheaval that would shake the entire city. Everyone trembled at the thought of the Princess Regent's fury.
Unexpectedly, Alusair barely reacted. The Princess Regent merely said, "Understood."
The second incident occurred two days after the two members of the Queen's Blade were killed. One of the clubhouses belonging to Marsember's famous Silver Falcon Company was attacked, and all thirty-odd people inside were slaughtered.
The Silver Falcon Company was one of the principal merchant companies financing Duke Caspar, the Crown Princess's husband.
Cormyr's nobles once again waited to see whether this would spark a