Divide and Conquer

In the grand halls of the Winterborne elite, a sense of jubilation filled the air as they celebrated their newfound power over the matters of the rebellion. With Sinclair Snow's blessing, they felt emboldened to take decisive action against those who dared to challenge their authority.

Areon, the stalwart defender of tradition and loyalty to their Godking, stood at the head of the old guard, his demeanor stern and unwavering. "We must crush the rebellion with all our might," he proclaimed, his voice resonating with conviction. "For the honor of our Godking and the glory of the Winterborne."

Seraphina, on the other hand, represented the new blood – those who saw opportunity in the chaos of the underground. "We must tread carefully," she countered, her gaze steely yet calculating. "Destroying the underground outright would only serve to further destabilize the citadel. We must quell the rebellion with subtlety and finesse."

As the divide between the old guard and the new blood became increasingly apparent, tensions simmered beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. Areon's steadfast loyalty to their Godking clashed with Seraphina's pragmatic approach, creating a rift that threatened to tear the Winterborne elite apart.

But amidst the discord, other voices began to emerge, each advocating for their own approach to dealing with the rebellion. Some argued for a show of force, while others favored economic sanctions and covert operations.

"We cannot afford to show weakness," one member of the old guard declared, his voice echoing through the chamber. "The underground must be crushed beneath the might of the Winterborne elite."

But Seraphina remained steadfast in her conviction. "We must be strategic in our approach," she countered, her tone unwavering. "Destroying the underground outright would only serve to create more enemies. We must weaken them from within, bankrupting and squeezing profit out of their operations until they have no choice but to submit to our will."

As the debate raged on, tempers flared and thinly veiled insults were exchanged between the members of the old guard and the new blood.

"You speak as if you know the first thing about strategy," Areon sneered, his lip curling in disdain. "But all you know is how to hide behind your silver tongue and your precious investments."

Seraphina's eyes flashed with anger, her fists clenched at her sides. "And you," she shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "are nothing more than a relic of a bygone era – too blinded by your loyalty to see the world as it truly is."

The tension in the room thickened as the insults flew back and forth, each side digging their heels in deeper.

But amidst the chaos, one voice rose above the rest, offering a compromise that could satisfy both sides. "Perhaps," the voice suggested, "we could destroy half of the underground outright, while using economic pressure to bankrupt and weaken the rest."

After hours of heated debate, a consensus was finally reached. The Winterborne elite would launch a two-pronged assault on the underground – destroying half of their operations outright while using economic pressure to cripple the rest.

As the plans were set into motion, the divide between the old guard and the new blood began to fade, replaced by a sense of unity in the face of a common enemy. And as the citadel braced itself for the coming storm, the fate of the underground hung in the balance, teetering on the edge of destruction or submission.