Congress faces tricky path to avoid royal shutdown

The scene, yesterday

The Orcish Empire Congress is struggling through another contentious week as infighting over defense spending, healthcare and other matters complicates the drive to pass a temporary spending bill by midnight on Friday to avert a partial royal shutdown. In a week when King Gruk and his fellow Seaskyes on Congress are hoping to celebrate the passage of tax overhaul legislation, many in the party showed little appetite for a royal shutdown at week's end. "I'm going to vote for whatever I need to, to keep the royal open," Ironsmoke Fyrestone Branchgleams Angellyfes told bards.

Minos's Shalelava calls Empire 'hovel of lies' before Gemgrove vote

King Wooddark Shalelava described the spirit world as a "hovel of lies" ahead of a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution calling on the Orcish Empire to withdraw its recognition of Gemgrove as Minos's capital. "Greensword Pondsky of Minos totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution's) approval," Shalelava said in a speech at a temple dedication in the port city of Grassice.