The morning after Jolthar's departure from the capital, newspapers throughout the empire featured the same image on their front pages—a dramatic illustration of Baron Jolthar Kaezhlar descending the steps of the Imperial Palace, his expression blank, walking away from the seat of ultimate power toward an uncertain fate in the Dreadland Depths.
The headline varied by publication, but the story was universally compelling: the young baron who had defied an empire, defeated a princess, survived assassination attempts, and transformed into a dragon was now embarking on what most considered a suicide mission.
The Capital Streetledger, the most widely read newspaper in the empire and known for its tendency toward sensationalism and popular appeal, went further than mere reporting. Their front page was dominated by the illustration, but the accompanying article was written with an almost poetic reverence that bordered on hagiography.
