Following the signs indicating where Observers should go, Shandara soon found herself in a long hallway, with a number of doors leading off to her right. Three lines had been set up in the hallway, and a well-dressed servant was guiding people where they should go. The man gave Shandara an appraising look, then pointed her down the middle line. Unlike the rightmost one, where plenty of people where waiting for space to clear in the room ahead, this line allowed her to pass right along without waiting, and enter the throne room through one of the doors in the hallway.

The palace's throne room was a massive room. On the far side on a dias raised several meters above the floor a large throne was set, surrounded by smaller chairs. The center of the room was occupied by waiting petitioners, while on both sides of the room three areas had been roped off for onlookers. The largest of these areas on both sides where filled with men an women in fairly rough clothes, common laborers, farmers and the like. Shandara however found herself into a smaller area which had been furnished with simple chairs. Based on the far fancier clothing worn by the people around here this was where rich merchants, highly skilled and well-of craftsmen and the like where allowed to watch the proceedings, The area to the left of her and closest to the dias holding the throne was occupied by grander seating and what appeared to be members of the nobility.

The focus of nearly everyone in the room was the dias holding the throne, of course. Seated on the throne was an old half-elf, Raimel Tarian, the emperor himself. The emperor's long hair was a pure white, and he had a neatly trimmed matching beard. He was wearing what appeared to be a highly embellished military uniform displaying all manner of honours and ribbons, and on his head was a surprisingly simple crown, a simple band of reddish metal. Surrounding him where a number of advisors, and seated on the smaller chairs on the Dias where members of his household and the highest members of the empire's nobility. Most noteworthy among them was a female half-elf, maybe 30 years of age with short cropped red hair. She was wearing by far the simplest outfit among those on the dias, a simple uniform not unlike what captain Eshanel had been wearing, yet her position, standing right next to the throne, as well as her general bearing suggested she was one of the most influential people present.

"...and so we humbly ask you to send help to our village, that we might be rid of the monster stalking our herds and our people." A small group of peasants was presenting their petition to the emperor at the moment.

"Have you not requested count Tyrlon for aid? Your village lies within his domain." One of the emperor's advisors questioned the peasants. "This should first and foremost be on him to resolve."

"Ah, we have done that." The leader of the group of petitioners replied. "And of course we mean all respect to the count and his soldiers, but so far they have not been proven up to the task of finding the monster, let alone slaying it."

It seemed like the advisor was going to say more, but a slight gesture by the emperor stopped him. It was the woman standing next to the throne that spoke, however. "A squad of rangers will visit your village before the winter solstice arrives. They will deal with the monster." She spoke as if she was stating a simple fact, rather than making a promise.

The peasants expressed their gratitude and bowed profusely, and they where quickly guided away by a group of stewards so that the next petitioner could state their case.