Bowing to pressure from the King's brother, Lord Grendam, the Council of Illyria today announced a radical increase to the cost of an Alliance Charter.

Alliances could previously be established for as little as 5,000 Gold by Lords who had advanced their diplomatic skills. The cost of establishing a new Alliance has been increased one hundred-fold, and new Alliance Charters will only be issued to Lords in return for 500,000 Gold Pieces.

A lively debate was held in Chambers at Centrum with Trademaster Raffine decrying the move, saying in an impassioned speech that "... The price of a Charter has been long-established by the King's own great-grandfather - and this increase is a wanton act of greed so venal that even the Illyria Trade Council would balk at it!"

Envoy Karlygon, Grantsman of Charters on behalf of the Council, defended the rise with equal passion.

"It is clear to all of us with eyes to see that the continued banding together of Lords, operating outside the wise rules and established covenants of His Majesty King Sigurd, is a threat to us all. We're not abolishing Alliances - as many of them undoubtedly have their uses - we're simply ensuring that the coffers of the Council do not suffer unnecessarily in return for this increased assumption of risk."

He added, "Has it also escaped the Trade Council's notice that there are additional threats abroad in the land, and that even today, wandering Trolls threaten some of their own lakeside cities, such as Shelton? We need funds to combat these threats."

Speaking after the new Law had been enacted, Trademaster Raffine cast aspersions on all that had been said in the Chamber. After dismissing the threat from the Trolls as "negligible" he questioned the timing of this hike, asking "Why now? And why so much? What does the Council really intend to do with these riches? What aren't they telling us?"