VALEO ET VENERATIO (VeV) 10 2,648,146 264,814
RIDERS OF THE WILD HUNT (Riders) 11 2,155,511 195,955

There was a crisp quality to the air that spoke distinctly of winter. Especially here in the Valley of Winds. It was a harsh and unforgiving environment. So were the Riders tempered for the troubles they underwent.

Everyone had their ways of learning, but here it was a little more intense, to say the least. Sunlight forgotten in these dark days of winter, snow crusted fields yielding nothing but hard ground, everything that nature provided put on hold....as sometimes must come in the lives of warlike people.

Were the Riders born to war? No...perhaps not...but it was a product of how they lived, how they came to adulthood...and more particularly, what the Valley of Winds forged of them.

The Swan watched the storm sweep through the mountainside and thought of the coming storm. Not one of nature's hand....but of the people's forging.... a storm of faith, of truth, of blood and of loss...and of victory. Or at least they could hope.

The storm that fell upon the lands of VeV was much akin to the Valley of Winds. It's sweeping, strong torrents and biting winds would take Valeo et Veneratio unawares....and the Riders would know what to do....

Kaudri watched the storm....and hoped so anyway.

The wintery chill found it's way to throught the valleys and across the rivers. The land was desolate and there was very little wildlife about. It seemed that time allmost stood still in winter's grip. And yet the hunt... never dies.

Those of us who have come to embrace the way of the valley, the way of the riders, know well of the hunt. Day in and day out it moves on. Though war is not allways present... it is never far away.

It seems that in my time of striving to solidify my holdings I had grown listless, and nearly forgotten of the hunt. And yet war would not wait for me to come to my senses. I was sleeping softly in my chambers when the alarms went up. I rose quickly to my feet at the sound. I went out unto my balcony to see the banners of war... They were the banners of my kinsmen and women.

The thought seemed to grip me all at once. Had I forgotten the war? The thought was horrifying. How could I in my status in this guild forget the hunt. How could it go on without me? And yet it did. Even as I watched the armies of The Riders swept into battle. I was late... very late. I knew that I must make hase for the gryphon would certainly be short with my actions this night.