| abstract | - A village tavern brawl with reported injuries is typically not the basis of world-shaping news. Kalamanda, however, is no ordinary village, and these injuries were suffered by Demacian and Noxian agents. As reports of more mineral strikes in the resource-laden region lure prospective hopefuls to Kalamanda, Valoran's city-states have added to the growing population with additional personnel. Demacia and Noxus, by far, are investing the most effort here; their growing presence also brings with them a rivalry that is raising tensions within the village to dangerous levels. Kalamanda's citizens worry that their good fortunes may turn for the worse if Demacia and Noxus come to blows over the future of their village. This tension, at times palpable, manifested itself last Saturday when Demacian and Noxus guards drinking at the Hasty Hammer Tavern got into a drunken brawl – a brawl that witnesses claimed was "bordering on a riot". At least six guards were seriously injured when an argument between the rival guards erupted into violence. It took what appeared to be the entire Kalamanda constabulary, several local patrons of the tavern, and two League champions to break up the fight. No formal charges have been made against the guards by the constables, as representatives of both city-states are currently working together with local authorities to sort out the details of the incident. The stakes are high for all city-states courting Kalamanda. Yesterday, Mayor Anson Ridley announced that the Kalamanda Village Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of pushing for an exclusive mining agreement with one of the city-states, as opposed to allowing multiple contracts. The altercation between Demacia and Noxus the night before was fresh on the mayor’s mind as he explained the ruling: "We do not wish to see hatred between powerful nations rekindled because of Kalamanda’s mineral bounty. We must, and will continue to act in the village’s best interests – both for our own prosperity and security. The presence of just a single city-state here will be in everyone’s best interest." Following the village council ruling, both Demacia and Noxus announced a further increase in their presence within Kalamanda, as both city-states have emerged as the leaders in securing exclusive mining contracts with the village. Both delegations already have escalated their presence in Kalamanda by appointing League champions as the leaders of their respective missions. The Demacian delegation is currently led by File:GarenSquare.png Garen, the Might of Demacia, while the Noxus delegation is directed by File:KatarinaSquare.png Katarina, the Sinister Blade – the eldest daughter of one of Noxus' top generals attached to the Noxian High Command. The presence of the champions in the village gives a clear indication that both Demacia and Noxus are committed to success in Kalamanda. Adding to the rumors and speculation of future chaos in Kalamanda, both Garen and Katarina were present at the brawl that took place in the Hasty Hammer Tavern on Saturday. To their credit, however, both champions were instrumental in breaking up the fight and preventing further violence from erupting. While their presence bolsters the spirits of their respective city-states, however, it adds to the growing unease from others in Kalamanda. There has been a recent rise in tension between the historically opposed city-states that may make the political struggle in Kalamanda turn violent once more. No progress has been made in identifying the culprits responsible for acts of piracy against the DSS Excursion several weeks ago, and the ship’s whereabouts remain unknown. A host of accusations from both sides regarding the incident have intensified recently. Furthermore, both city-states have recently increased the number of faction-affiliated champions within the League. During the past two months, four of the five new champions accepted into the League have been affiliated with either Demacia or Noxus. While the village seems to be settling down, it is highly doubtful that it will return to a state of calm. Kalamanda will be hard-pressed to diffuse the growing turmoil caused by the Demacian and Noxian presences.
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