As many readers have surmised since the kingdom’s introduction, Aisling is primarily controlled by its military. While it does have a king, they defer to the top generals of the Canid army in the interest of their kingdom’s well-being and future security. To that end, our trio venturing north to visit General Clovis holds just as much weight, if not moreso, than if the trio was headed to the Aisling capital of Arklow.

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Even though Aisling is a neighbor of Sunsgrove, it is very rare for anybody but high-ranking dignitaries to travel there. Unlike, say, the windswept majesty of Nessa’s desert paradise or the ostentatious architecture of Gair, Aisling provides very little to wayfarers and wanderers. The Ermehn situation keeps the land hostile, and the ruthless Canid patrols are far more likely to stab first and ask questions later… or never ask questions at all.

This week we have a bit of fanart from longtime contributor SaraaLuna. There was a bit of a discussion last week about Dakkan’s tired state. It was posited that a giant salmon would improve his mood a bit. This is true, of course – Dakkan loves salmon, as most self-respecting Lutren do. This somehow turned into a conversation about Dakkan dreaming about the giant salmon offering itself up to the hungry Lutren, which resulted in this amazing gif:

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Dakkan: “O Great Salmon, verily I will honor thee with lemon and a touch of garlic before I commit thy flesh to a hot grill!”

Quinlan (echoey voice in the distance): “Dak? You’re talking in your sleep again, ol’ buddy. Hello?”

Dakkan: “And once thine grilling has ceased, I shall feast upon thee with great verve and purpose!”

Quinlan (voice closer): “Why are you talking like that? Are you having the salmon dream again?”

Before you ask, no, that’s most likely not canon.

… Most likely.