---

Katharina: Where was I ... right. The Serpent Empire was ultimately defeated, of course. A Major turning point was the BATTLE OF LAKE RASIND at the southern border of the kingdom of Alamond, after which the invaders were slowly driven back into the jungle by a coalition of HUMANS, BYZARIANS, DRAK and TYR'ENN. The point is that this whole land is STEEPED in layers and layers of history. SO MUCH of the specifics of the war are lost to time. We don't even know for sure if the baroc empress DIED in that war or not.
Queahn: ... well the OFFICIAL version in the empire is of course that she survived TO THIS DAY, seeing as she is supposed to be the IMMORTAL DAUGHTER AND MANIFESTATION OF GALCA, THE WORLD SNAKE and all that.
---
Queahn: Um ... pardon my interruption, Lady Grauch.
Katharina: it's ... alright. You don't seem too convinced of that version yourself ... ?
Quahn: I am a HISTORIAN Lady Grauch. I entertained the possibility that some of it MIGHT NOT BE ENTIRELY TRUE. The "immortal"-part for example. That was enough of a reason to leave home. I'd prefer NOT to elaborate any furhter, please.
Katharina: ... of course.
Queahn: Pleaso go on, Lady Grauch.
---
Katharina: Right. So some claim the empress survived, others say she fell at the battle of Lake Rasind, or later during the retreat to her homeland ... there are also stories that some of her own generals had BETRAYED her and that THAT was the reason the empire lost the war. Who knows? Maybe we'll even find a hastily constructed tomb with the body of the EMPRESS HERSELF somewhere here!