Story - Part 2 - Icespire Peak

Let me introduce myself. My name is Gronka. Proud scholar of the empress. I'm afraid I can't help you with your questions. She currently teaches me to weave the magical forces around us but she hasn't come around to teach me history.
You too must be aspiring scholars.
Together we will make the troll nation the strongest and wealthiest in the whole world. We will rule strongly but fairly

Well, a scholar didn't sound so bad - until they brought up ruling others. "Is that what the mirror does? Make you agree with her?"

No. The empress is very adamant about free will. The mirror just shows you what you can be when you join forces with her and bring her just ruling over this world. Your people too will have a place under her rule. It will be wonderful. No more conflict, only we all united in her service...
The troll absent mindedly gazes into the sky as if they are in love....

If it requires gazing into a magic mirror to convince people then I am not sure it is free will. I agree everyone working together would be great, but why do we have to submit to the empress for it to work? What did you saw the name of this nation was again? As they chat Garic starts to wander the room looking at the titles of the books.

Nezhulft is the name of the empire that is to be born again. We have to submit to the empress because she will be the one who keeps our differences in check. Without her we will quarrel between us. She will be the gentle boot that keeps everyone in check who wants to disrupt our newfound unity...
the troll says while fidgeting with their robes

Garic meanwhile looks at the books.
Most of them are about magic powers and how to wield them
The Art of Letting the Dead Serve You
Painful Incantations
Poisonous Delights
Dominating The Weak Minded
are some of the titles that catch his eyes.

He also notices two doors leading out of the library.
Each one has the place where it leads chiseled in above it:
Throne Room and Study Room

"This sounds...kind of not of our free will. Sure, I'm all in on the idea of everyone getting along, but I don't think one person forcing us to do so is a good thing. Unity is great! Tyranny is not." Vienne tries to glance around and pay attention, but mostly what she wants now is to leave. "What happens to those who don't agree to be under her thumb?"

Oh... Those that don't agree will pay the ultimate price for disrupting our unity. Their sacrifice will be an example for those that want to sow discord Gronka says while smiling slightly

That! That right there is coercion by force and not free will!

Now, if the people who this happens to in the first place agreed to these rules that would be one thing. . . BAHHHH!

Forget it you are under the spell and can't even think for yourself. A total waste of time trying to convince you of anything.

Wandering back to Vienne he whispers Any ideas? We need to find the source of the power to break the spell. Might be that mirror or might be somewhere else and the mirror is just a tool to recruit more thugs.

Then Louder Still is doesn't pay to act rashly. The empress said we could look around and would join her after understanding so . . . . The study seems a good place to gain understanding and he looks to Vienne for confirmation before heading towards the door and through.

The definition of free will really had changed since they arrived here. She had to agree with Garic though, they wouldn't convince someone under a spell. "Yeah, the study sounds good. Better to make an informed decision!" She moves with Garic, wary of being alone since everyone was nuts here. As she did, she whispered back to him. "Agreed, but it might even be the empress herself that maintains the spell. There must be some reason she needed to wit for someone to enter the castle before starting her grand plan. Maybe we can find out why, and use it?"

You will understand... the troll murmurs after you as you leave the library and enter the study room

The study room has two rows of small desks each outfitted with a lantern. Then there is an empty space and at the far side of the room is a huge table crafted from dark wooden planks. It's not a regular table though. A wooden rim is running around the edge and the surface is covered in white sand.
At the side opposite of you there are three statues, staring at the table. Their military outfit hints at them being military commanders of some kind.
A voice is whispering, barely audible. Want to see? Want to know why this castle is important? Step up to the commander's table and he'll show you....the history
You can't see anyone else in the study though.

At the far side you see another door with the words "Crystal Chamber" chiseled above it

Before proceeding Garic will fell for magical effects or items in the room as he wanders around. Without looking at the table he examines the statues Not looking to be petrified here but I am beginning to suspect we may have to interact a bit with the magics of the place to ever figure out what is going on.

Garic feel s the magic in the room. He can feel magic everywhere in the castle but in this room it flows like a stream and seems to be almost.... playful

The statues are more abstract figures than life-like depictions of human beings. Garic suspects that a petrified person would be much more detailed...

Nothing ventured, nothing gained Garic says, swallowing, and look onto the "commander's table"

Garic looks at the sand. He hears whispering from the statues.
Five Kingdoms. All fractured
The sand forms into a hilly landscape with five castles. Little men form themselves from the sand and fight each other while trying to storm the castles.
Nezhulft was one of them, not the strongest but the wisest. While the other kingdoms only valued raw strength wisdom was highly regarded here. Books and scrolls were brought to its main stronghold.
Little men carrying books form themselves and walk to one of the castles.
The king and his ministers learnt to tap the magical powers that flow all around us. While others wielded swords and spears, their armies wielded fire and lightning
Some of the men fighting in the sand begin to throw small fireballs that disintegrate their foes.
Nezhulft began to end the time of war by taking over kingdom after kingdom by using their minds rather than muscles and brutality
The tiny men that threw the fireballs breach the walls of the four other castles and position themselves on top of them
The five kingdoms were replaced by one glorious empire! The time of war and conflict ended...
Or rather should have ended. There was still dissent in the hearts of the people.
The emporer in his endless wisdom decreed that people who showed dissent were allowed to repent. But whoever continued to resent the newfound peace and order had to pay...
You see five sandmen appear. One of them swings an axe at another one and it disintegrates into loose sand again.
The others bow down
Nevertheless remnants of the other four kingdoms were able to form a unified army and attacked Nezhulft together
You see little sandmen pop up all over the table, killing other sandmen
Initially the rebellion could be crushed but the emporer took extra measures in order to ensure that his reign keeps on. Beneath the castle where the scriptures that formed the basis of his power were stored a giant mountain was summoned. Also the emporer contained his spirit in a giant crystal that he sealed inside the castle. So that even when his physical body died, his spirit would carry on
You see a large, spiky mountain form beneath a castle in the sand, heaving it up.
but all this effort was in vain. In the end a new leader was able to conquer most of the imperial land. The emporer fought a valiant last battle but was slain during a cavalry charge. But just as before the coalition that lead to the emporer's downfall shattered. The empire decayed into a lot of small warring states. But in the castle upon the mountain the spirit of the emporer lives on. Ready to take possession of a willing body once more. Peace will reign again...
You see villages and castles pop up all over the landscape while the mountain on which the castle presides persists
The emporer will return. And peace will reign under his hard but merciful rule...
All the figures in the sand collapse and the table is completely still...

Vienne watched the little show in awe. The story sounded nice - but obviously biased. Highly. "This sounds like a nice thing in theory, but garbage in reality. It obviously wasn't peaceful, as people didn't like it. The crystal sounds interesting though, assuming that his soul is still based there or can return if the host dies." She looked down at the table and took a chance. "Can you show us where the crystal is?"

The whispering stops and after some time the upper body of a person forms out of the sand. It's a man, very thin with scars all over his face. He looks terrified and looks at you with his eyes wide open in fear.
Please... I didn't mean to attack the guards... But they took my son in order to build another road. He's only 14 and I already lost two children in the war... Please... show mercy. I learned my lesson... I wont do it again

The statues whisper What this man is not telling you is that this isn't is first offense against our rule. He already stole from the emporer by breaking into a warehouse and taking a bag of grain...
Show that you are worthy to meet the emporer from face to face by practicing the appropriate punishment for this man's actions...

The man out of sand folds his hands... P...Please... don't.... I learned my lesson

Vienne listened to the man as her stomach sank. That is your glorious peace? He probably barely had food - because you steal grain when you're hungry - and emotionally devastated that you took his 14 year old kid? After he's had the grief of losing two other children...probably in the war you started? Even then, how can someone pronounce judgment when they don't know all of the facts? I have your biased version, and his biased version, and only those two things to form my opinions on. Do you have, you know, actual facts?"

Turning to Vienne he says Sounds like we should visit this crystal and see for ourselves. This magic construct likely simply obeys commands.

To the table he says Show a map of the castle and the caverns underneath it.

"Yeah, you're right. Good thinking." She probably shouldn't have tried to talk to a table, that was pretty silly. Hopefully the map would give them an idea of where to go.

You don't know how to pass judgement even though you have all the necessary information. The man broke the emporers law two times. That is all you needed to know. Clemency is a gift best used precisely. Too much and you will be overwhelmed by those who don't have any., the statues whisper.
You are too soft to serve with the troops but you will be a good nurse
The man collapses into the sand.

After Garic commands the table to show the map there is silence for a few seconds. Then, slowly, a model of the castle forms itself out of the sand.
It splits in two so that you can see the interior. It's a crude model though and you have difficulty interpreting it...