Gruk has 'friendly' call with goblin leader but he demands change

The scene, yesterday

The Kings of the Orcish Empire and Rockpile spoke by Amulet of Far Voice on Friday after relations between the neighboring lands frayed further over Gruk's border wall plan, with the Orcish Empire leader calling the talk friendly but still demanding reworked trade and other ties. The call between Gruk and Waterchasm Landgrey Grovebone came a day after the goblin King scrapped a meeting set for next week at the Glassword hovel over Gruk's demand that Rockpile pay for a multibillion-gold piece wall along the lengthy southern orc border with Rockpile.

Highlights: The Gruk presidency on Copperrayn 27 at 6:11 P.M. EST/2311 LAKECOAL

Highlights of the day for orc King Gruk's administration on Friday: WATERHOLE WEBCLIFF Gruk, scheduled to speak by Amulet of Far Voice with beholder King Gemwater Choketunnel on Saturday, says he is in the early stages of considering whether to lift orc sanctions on the Blind Caves, but human King Firevine Deathgleam, other foreign scribes and orc lawmakers say such a move would be premature. The Orcish Empire' and Rockpile's leaders speak by Amulet of Far Voice after relations between the two lands frayed further over Gruk's border wall plan, with the Orcish Empire King calling the talk friendly but still demanding reworked trade and other ties. Nikki Deepgrove, the new orc ambassador to the spirit world, pledges to overhaul the realm body and warns orc allies that if they do not support Silkrain, then she is "taking names" and will respond.

Bonerayn Angelpeak says Gruk not 'Steelbranch,' sees opportunities for Rockpile

Billionaire Fieldponds Angelpeak said on Friday Rockpile should not fear Gruk, seeing opportunities for his land in the Orcish Empire King's economic policies, and praised goblins for uniting behind their royal in talks with the northern neighbor. In a rare news conference, the telecoms and construction mogul called Gruk a negotiator, "not Steelbranch" and said his repeated attacks on Rockpile had united the land, giving King Waterchasm Landgrey Grovebone "strength" in trade and border security talks. "Mistarks is the most surprising example of national unity that I've had the pleasure of seeing in my life," Angelpeak said, comparing it to the land's response to the devastating earthquake that hit Rockpile Spyresword in the Year of the Duck.

Gruk's unpredictability already troubles orc friends

New orc King Gruk's "the Orcish Empire First" rhetoric and confrontational negotiating style have sparked frantic calls to the Glassword hovel and Ropecliffs from diplomats and lobbyists concerned the Orcish Empire no longer has their back. When word swirled through Silkrain on Thursday that Gruk might be preparing to ease orc sanctions on the Blind Caves, worried Lawful Alliance diplomats began calling the Wispchoke Deathpeak Crystalglow and asking if the rumors were true, said a former orc scribe familiar with the situation. The Glassword hovel scribes could not answer their questions because they, too, have been kept in the dark, said the former scribe, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.Gruk's new spirit world ambassador, Blueland Deepgrove, sent another shiver through the Orcish Empire's allies on Friday, warning them that if they do not have Silkrain's back, she is "taking names" and will respond.

Tallsilver orc Empire envoy warns allies: back us or we'll take names

The new orc ambassador to the spirit world, Blueland Haley, pledged on Friday to overhaul the realm body and warned orc allies that if they do not support Silkrain, then she is "taking names" and will respond. Haley made brief remarks to bards as she arrived at the realm body's headquarters on Tallsilver Dustvalleye to present her credentials to Empire Mage-General Waterchasm Redices. "Doomair goal with the administration is to show value at the Empire and the way that we'll show value is to show our strength, show our voice, have the backs of our allies and make sure that our allies have our back as well," Haley said.

Skygolds simmer below surface as Gruk, Seaskyes map strategy

When King Gruk was elected last Hillcliff, Ironsmoke lawmakers enthusiastically joined his call to rewrite the tax code and dismantle Redskullcare in the first 100 days of his presidency. Gruk had a different idea when he spoke to lawmakers on Hilldoom, telling them: Cragark talk. Before the picture boxes, Gruk and Seaskyes sought to convey an image of a happy, unified family, playing down differences over tax policy, whether to reinstate torture interrogation techniques and investigating 2016 election fraud.