Now for my $0.02: I remembered a parallel last night for the KoW. In the excellent (IMHO) Myth Advetures series by Robert Asprin, there comes the infinitely expanding invaders from the north. Skeeve and Aahz do stop them in the end, after they discover that Big Jules (LDoaH) is being driven to repay his gambling debt to 'The Mob'. Given the interest charged, all Big Jules can do is keep trying to conquer more territories.
For those wanting (for whatever twisted reason), a kinder, gentler KoW; Big Jules is Julius Ceaser, and so the conquest is Roman, and hence without the horrors of conquest(in the book).
Of course, to tie in with Erik's coffee commentary, perhaps Lord Death is just suffering a monster caffeine withdrawl, after drinking it non-stop during the Ban to stay awake. The 'Dark heart' of Fronelian forest was entirely made up of Erik's darkness twisted aldryami bushes, now unfortunately exhausted (The right time for Sandy's reopening of communication?). Lord Death and the KoW are just trying to find a new supply, sending their overenthusiastic trade missions forth from their wasted land, and Tapping indiscriminantly to try and keep the withdrawl symptoms at bay. (Sorry to disagree with you about LDoaH Erik)
John (How I learned to stop worrying and love the KoW) Leske
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