Rival factions from a ghostly plane known as the Abysmal Gorge appeared in Ashbury this past Halloween. Apparently, On All Hallow’s Eve, the “veil” between their world and ours is thin enough to allow them entry into Tyrra for three days.
Halloween night began with the appearance of a large number of recently escaped pyschotic, cannibalistic mental patients wearing crude, but eerie transparent human faces. They chanted in a child-like voice, “Trick or treat, trick or treat, give me something good to eat.” If given candy, they would simply go away, but if refused, they proceed to attacked and attempt to eat any and all who had no candy treats to give them. Local adventurers rounded up the patients and tucked them safely away in the ducal jails.
Also appearing that first night were a number of flesh golems that had wandered into Ashbury and attacked anyone in sight. The source of these golems is unknown at this time. Some adventurers think that the source of these golems is a strange man known only as Dr. Formalda.
Soon, a floating Ouija board appeared in town. To any who stopped to investigate it, it began to spell out a cryptic warning, “He’s coming, he’s coming.” When asked by the townsfolk who was coming.the Ouija board spelled out “Jack O’Lantern.” The horde of adventurers gathered around the board begin to barrage the scrying device with questions. Finally, they learned that the Ouija board was a creation of Jack O’Lantern, the spirit of Halloween, and was sent into Ashbury to announce his coming. It was also to deliver a message, “Free the Cursed Lady.” The board soon vanished.
Later that night, a frightened townsperson came seeking any all guards, adventurers and warriors he could find. He spoke of a strange lights and eerie things out by his farm. Most of the town followed the man to investigate and found, standing in a circle of power of glowing Jack O’ Lanterns, the Halloween King himself, Jack O’ Lantern. With him was an army of dancing undead and Candy Apple Constructs armed with razor sharp blades.
Jack O’Lantern cryptically cried out, “Ashbury, bring me Gwenyfar!” and then launched an attack. Jack O’Lantern quickly rifted out, leaving his forces to due battle with the Ashbans. The townspeople destroyed the undead and the constructs.
A short while later, two powerful undead, a slime covered skeletal thing by the name of Muckhead and a shrouded, whispering creature named Moan n’Groan rifted into the center of town and warned the town against helping Jack O’Lantern and Gwenyfar. They and their minions launched an attack to enforce the warning. He, like Jack, rifted out and left his minions to fight. The town once again overcame the undead.
And still later, a masked woman garbed in black and decorated with bones, calling herself Queen Nachtface appeared, with two apparently human escorts. She told the town that she was interested in aquiring the Wand of the Pumpkin Vine and would reward those who brought it to her. She said that Jack O’ Lantern, Muckhead and Gwenyfar all were conspiring against the town. Whether or not anyone believed her is not known.
Later that night, a ghostly woman was seen walking about, her silent mouth forming the words, “Help me, please.”
The Ouija board appeared again and Guildmistress Shalizar was seen speaking with it, asking questions related to the two undead forces recently in Ashbury. The board spoke of Jack O’Lantern and Muckhead being enemies and that Muckhead cursed Gwenyfar to assume the form of a portrait. He then broke up the portrait into five pieces and hid them in haunted places in Tyrra. The board said that bringing together the five pieces would restore Gwenyfar.
Algar quickly ran up to the board, wishing to bring it to the ghostly lady, but the spirit appeared near the board and suddenly her voice issued from it. She identified herself as Gwenyfar. Thirteen years ago, she and her young sister Perrin were riding to a Halloween party and she took an ill-advised shortcut through dark woods. Jack O Lantern and his minions ambushed them and seized Gwenyfar, stealing her away to another plane called the Abysmal Gorge. He apparently was in love with Gwenyfar and intended to marry her on the next Halloween. But the next Halloween was when Muckhead, who hated Jack O’Lantern , came and cursed her into the portrait form. Her spirit had walked Ashbury for the three days of Halloween ever since.
Hours later, a woman fleeing from a force of undead rushed into town. She identified herself as Perrin, professional Ghost Hunter. Perrin informed the town that her sister Gwenyfar was involved in a struggle between two ghostly rulers from the Abysmal Gorge. Jack O’Lantern, the psychotic and wild High King of Halloween and Muckhead, the Lord of Horrors. Perrin also mentioned a Wand of the Pumpkin Vines, a magical item created long ago by Muckhead to trap Jack O’Lantern on Tyrra and render him defenseless. The spirit form of Gwenyfar saw Perrin and rushed to her side. The two sisters, filled with angst, tried to embrace. Perrin eventually checked into a room and her permanently dead body was found by Algar in the morning.
Throughout Saturday, adventurers were drawn to haunted houses in which they combatted undead and there they found four of the five portrait pieces.
On Sunday morning, a sickly mummy rifting into the tavern, coughing and shouting, “I, Yech the Sickness King, have the Wand of the Pumpkin Vines”. He held aloft a slender, vine covered wand adorned with a glowing Jack O’Lantern. Immediately, undead forces poured into the tavern, demanding the wand be surrendered to them in the name of Muckhead. Combat ensued between Yech, people in the tavern and the undead of Muckhead. In the middle of the fight, Queen Nachtface and her guards rifted in and demanded the Wand of the Pumpkin Vines.
Yech and most of the undead were taken down, when Baron Kelial and the court of Blythdale snuck out of the tavern with the Wand of the Pumpkin Vine.
Just then, on the upper landing, Jack O’Lantern rifted into the tavern and demanded that everyone give him Gwenyfar and the Wand of the Pumpkin Vine or be destroyed. He then began hurling death spells and necromancy into the mass below.
Baron Kelial returned to the tavern and struck Jack O’Lantern from behind, thinking it was an average undead creature. But when Jack O’Lantern whirled on the Baron, Kelial was taken by surprise by the incredibly frightening visage of the Halloween King and paused. Aura blazing in Jack O’Lantern’s hands, the Spirit of Halloween advanced upon the Baron, who wisely retreated down into the tavern to make a stand with the townspeople.
Jack O’Lantern, with a final threat, rifted out.
The last piece of the portrait was found in an ancient tomb dug out by archeologists and infested with undead. The last piece was guarded by several Death’s Heads. While the townfolk battled with the hordes of undead, Baron Kelial destroyed the Death’s Heads and recovered the piece.
The townspeople put the five pieces together and the portrait glowed, the colors ran and then evaporated. Finally, there was a flash and the painting was gone and there stood Gwenyfar, restored to flesh. When she learned of her sister Perrin’s death, she asked that everyone help her destroy Jack and Muckhead.
The town marshalled its forces and marched toward the farm and Jack O’Lantern’s circle of power. Along the way, undead minions of Muckhead harried them and tried to kill Gwenyfar. The town fought their way through and, upon reaching the circle of power, found Muckhead and the bulk of his forces barring the way. Jack O’Lantern stood his circle of power, coming out now and again to taunt Muckhead.
A great battle ensued and the town was hard pressed. Jack came out of his Circle of Power and Selina Vardik, holding the Wand of the Pumpkin Vine, said the activation phrase, “No more tricks, no more fright, no more disappearing into night”.
Jack O’Lantern immediately felt the affects of the wand and cried out in frustration.
Soon, Lord Hanson, who had creeped behind the lines of the enemy, snuck up upon Jack and imprisoned him and then, using his iron golem strength, sped back to the Ashbury forces with his captured prize.
The battle, meanwhile, was going poorly for the town. But then things changed when, the court of Trellheim apparently brought forth some sort of extraplanar creature to do battle with the undead. The creature was mostly unaffected by the undead attacks and helped turn the tide. What exactly this creature was is not known at this time.
Muckhead and his minions were finally taken down and the threat to Ashbury ended. The court of Trellheim took Jack O’Lantern to the Mages Guild to be investigated by Guildmistress Shalizar. What was learned is not known, but Jack O’Lantern was soon destroyed.
Gwenyfar, now without any sort of family, was offered a home by the court of Trellheim.
In the ides of October when the city swelled with optimistic new adventurers, clear problems arose in towns centering upon many strange “rat-ish” occurrences.
One early Friday night, many individuals noticed that the tavern had far more rats than usual. Many small rodents appeared squeaking in the tavern and attempted to make off with silver weapons. The small normal sized rats made mad dashes into the sewers with their prizes, and many adventurers had to keep a stern eye on their belongings.
Later several people noticed their Poison Shields expired when they tried various vintages of the taverns wine stock. Immediately, victims of this strange occurrence exhibited rat like noses and attributes. Seemingly unaffected in any tangible way, the rat noses appeared to be merely a nuisance.
Working hard to relieve themselves of this inconvenience, the affected people found that a Remove Curse spell and a Purify Blood spell seemed to remove this problem with little trouble. The source of these occurrences was unknown.
Local guardsman Sam Cooper appeared and bought rounds of drinks for the patrons, and as he was ending his leave that evening, he said he would inform local members of the guard that these magical transformation assaults were occurring within the tavern.
As the night progressed even larger rats soon appeared, and seemed brave enough to attack citizens.
Many Ashbans will remember that five years ago the Rat King Kathraxus was slain permanently by the assembled townsfolk. During Kathraxus’ revenge against the Mage’s Guild that had thrown him out previously, the rats grew very aggressive and brave enough to attack citizens. As it had occurred five years earlier, once again the rats become aggressive and seemingly possessed strange new varieties. One of the rats, although not particularly strong, possessed razor sharp claws, and other rats spit vile venomous loogies that caused the victim to become nauseous. Strange scavenger-like rats also appeared exhibiting huge strength and proved a difficult fight for even a mob of adventurers.
William Cooper, official warden of sewers and pipes for Ashbury, appeared the next morning complaining of rats inhabiting his house in Oldtown. A group of adventures including Plex, Zymm, and Sage attempted to root out the problem. Arriving at William’s home, they saw it was not a mere house, but rather a mansion. William informed the adventurers that he had often hired adventurers to deal with the rats when Kathraxus was active years previously, and even apparently commented that he might have lost a few of them, so the they needed to be careful. The adventurers were successful, but upon defeating the rats in the basement discovered that two rat scavengers were setting an enormous explosive trap on the large sewer pipes running beneath William’s house.
William did not know why the rats were targeting him. He rewarded the adventurers very stingily and thanked them for their time.
Later, when William was out and about, a large rat thing burrowed out of the ground and began to attack him. Nearby adventurers leapt to the Sewer Warden’s aid and dispatched the beast after it nearly killed him. After administering a killing blow on the creature, the hulking rat’s form faded and the form of Samuel Cooper, William’s son, appeared.
Since they were unable to get him a Life spell in time, Samuel Cooper resurrected. William Cooper brought his son home for observation.
Throughout the day, rats, as angry as an assaulted bee hive, attacked adventurers, attempting to take their silver weapons and kill them. Many burrows were located by adventurers and cleaned out. Many of the burrows appeared to be made and dressed as if by someone with significant mining experience—these were not just mere animal burrows.
A group of dark elves associated with Nebulonde in Avendale, including Guildmaster Velvren, Balthazar, Findarth and Kestrel, along with Devin the Sarr, successfully penetrated many burrows, defeating all of the rats within and in one case rescuing a prisoner. After talking with a mystic wood elf miner by the name of Wendil Gemcutter they learned the name of this new Rat King: Cristof. Wendil, a miner by trade, had been kidnapped and enslaved to further expand the warren of passages under the city, explaining he was nearly positive that Cristof was an abandoned sewer worker.
William, screaming at the top of his lungs, reappeared later that evening wailing that rats were once again attacking his house and his son was trapped within the edifice! Townsfolk quickly gathered and immediately set off to lend aid. Entering the building, however, revealed several traps which were disarmed in rapid fashion. Rushing into the basement, the town beat back a swarm of rats, defeating wave after wave of them. Pushing their way into the back of the basement they saw a single cloaked man carrying a spear, clearly directing and controlling the rats to attack the invaders to his world.
This man was later found out to indeed be Cristof, the lost sewer worker. At the end of the long passageway, he seemed to wait, as the ceiling was clearly unstable. Findarth rushed down the passageway towards Cristof when the disgruntled sewer worker set off a trigger. Citizens lunged back out of the passage in order to avoid the cave-in, but Findarth was mushed by several particularly heavy stones when the passageway was collapsed. He recovered without any major harm.
In the aftermath of the battle, the Cooper house was nearly destroyed by the rats—the opulent manor he had erected was now a hollow testament to his carefree spending of the Duchy’s money. (Research has revealed that William embezzled hundreds of gold meant to be used to clean and maintain the Ashbury sewer system.)
Wracked with grief, William discovered his son permanently dead, innocent of the wrong doings of his father, yet suffering the fate of his misdeeds. William has been arrested, but due to his fragile mind has been placed within a hospital for the insane.
Cristof attacked directly the next day with his assembled rat host, but the assembled adventurers pressed him and drove him back into his burrow. Making his final stand, Cristof revealed his last two aces: Apparently Cristof had been utilizing enslaved individuals to do his bidding. . .including two powerful magic users. One began hurling necromancy immediately, the other celestial magic. Cristof and his rats were narrowly defeated, and Cristof killed himself within a circle of power rather than be captured. He has apparently successfully resurrected.
Cristof carried a strange glowing stone with moon emblems carved in it, and it is believed that this might have been the source of the many strange abilities his rats demonstrated and perhaps the reason for his assaulting the town. This mysterious stone was immediately brought to the Mage’s Guild for identification. Assistant Guildmaster Ilrick was in attendance at the guild, angry and extremely unpleasant—apparently still upset over his assault and murder by the Baddiran hobling brigands—and was anything but kind and courteous. Ilrick grabbed the stone and took it into the Guild to begin the identification process (the stone radiated strong celestial magics) and was promptly splattered all over the inside of the circle as the stone exploded. The stone itself was consumed in the explosion that rocked the Mage’s Guild, but was contained to the circle.
Witnesses, none of which were Invested in the Circle, were unable to get to Ilrick to Life him. It seems that he has once again been the victim of a cruel twist of fate.
It was reported to Sheriff Larson that some of the dark elves had taken the spear out of town, supposedly to destroy its necromantic elements.
In late September, the estate of Dragonhart fell into peril as powerful chaotic magics tainted and mutated many of the population residing there. The evil emanations also drew in like bees to honey monsters and individuals alike who embody chaos in various ways.
A force of adventurers led by Duke Aramis Llyrr attempted to quell the evil, but merely held it at bay while they were in the estate. It is projected by local scholars at the Bardic College that for many years to come Dragonhart will be an extremely dangerous area to live in.
While this newspaper was piecing together exactly what happened to cause this disaster, two correspondences were delivered recently to the Ashbury Times from the powerful rival factions of order and chaos who were seen frequently in the Dragonhart during the September 26th gathering.
The first letter—more a set of demands claiming responsibility for the events than anything else—reads:
Citizens and Nobles of Ashbury,
You have witnessed the power of the Gemstone of Chaos on the estate of Dragonhart. We can to do this again to any estate in the Duchy of Ashbury if we so desire. I am under powerful oaths to my chaos benefactor, Ulix the Korruptor, and must continue to use the Gemstone to saturate more places on Tyrra with chaos. The Black Masks are, and always shall be, loyal citizens of Ashbury and we can choose to corrupt lands in other Duchies or Kingdoms if we wish to do so. Believe me, Ashbury is the last place I want to see fall in the hands of chaos.
You can help me make the choice to spare Ashbury from anymore unnecessary casualties. All you have to do is release Stewart Medicia from prison.
The Black Masks have been very lenient with this duchy. Our war is with the current regime of aristocracy, not the common folk who make up this Duchy. Must we hurt more innocents so that the nobles can keep their prize prisoner in irons? If you return Stewart to us, I can assure you that the Black Masks’ campaign will be addressed solely towards the nobles of this Duchy.
Release Stewart or else I release the powers of chaos into your Duchy.
Turner Medicia
Representing the Black Masks
The second correspondence came from an individual who rifted into our printing house and dropped a letter to our hands before rifting away again. We believe we have identified this man as the Rifting Man person, the man in Dragonhart who claimed to represent the elemental plane of order. It reads:
Dear friends:
I apologize if my scribblings are brief or if I don’t conclude this important letter, but it’s very hard for me to write as I have very few moments when I am corporeal enough to do so. The elemental lords of order are very concerned about the events in the land called Dragonhart and have given me some important pieces of information to impart to you for your next encounter with the mortal agents of chaos you know as the Black Masks.
The purpose of the Black Masks went beyond the corruption of a land mass with chaos. Apparently, they are in dire need of a leader for their organization. They wanted to dupe this Alaric Dragonhart fellow into joining their ranks by convincing him that his grandfather, Magnus Dragonhart, had risen from the grave to tell him to join forces with these foolhardy men. The real spirit of Magnus Dragonhart is, and has been for some time, in the Graveyards. What you saw, as you later learned, was Magnus’ rotted corpse animated by the use of a rare chaos gift known as Create Undead Marionette.
Which leads me to my next vital point. Do not engage this creature when you see it. It will draw the life force out of any who attempt to destroy it to bring itself back to life again. The only way to destroy it is to dispatch its puppeteer - the individual it is grafted to that controls its movement and voice. Kill the puppeteer, although he does not need to resurrect to do produce the desired effect, and you will be rid of this creature for good.
The next time you encounter this Magnus creature, keep in mind that the puppeteer must be within range of the creature to operate it. That means that wherever Magnus shows up, the puppeteer must be within a one mile radius of the marionette.
Oh, very important, when the Gemstone of Chaos has a limited . . . out of time . . . new letter. . .new task
The end of the letter finishes abruptly. If the Ashbury Times receives any more information from this individual, we will of course let the public know.
Rumors of Mishrak’s awakening have been confirmed to be true as the Royal Estate of Oliver was overrun with over two thousand reptillian troops.
This unprovoked assault on His Majesty’s silver mines overwhelmed the regiment of the Royal army stationed there, many of whom were forced to resurrect. Corporal Kennethri Daniger, the last surviving officer after nearly two thirds of the Regiment had been overrun, called the retreat and withdrew from the areas directly outside the mines to regroup and call for reinforcements. Upon return hours later, with His Grace Aramis Llyrr and court attending, they found that a pavillion had apparently been set up.
Nearly 80 bodies of warriors of the Royal Armies Regiment had been carefully laid out in order, their possessions and uniforms intact. The bodies at first apparently seemed to be permanently dead, but upon further inspection it has been determined that the lizardmen have taken the spirits from their bodies utilizing a ritual called “spirit store.” The amount of components that this would take is far too staggering to imagine. Rumors among the armed forces is that Mishrak himself has stolen and devoured their spirits.
The Following letter was found on the cave in entrances to the mine shafts:
Barons of Ashbury,
As the twilight of my people was soon to come, I returned to them to hear their cries and heed your words. War is declared from broken intentions like crushed eggs and poisoned waters. Your warriors lay towards death in honor, still and waiting like shattered shells in the Sands of Javeris.
We make no war on children and unborn.
As the twilight of the waking is soon to come, I return to speak my cries, heed my words. I will break your spirits in springs coming I have purified the waters. Your warriors will go towards death in honor, if you shatter shells in the Sands of Javeris.
You will make no war on children and unborn.
As the winter comes my people sleep. It is the only peace they know. Prisoners of your actions, the fens will not be entered.
As you hold my people, Azraths—I the spirits keep. Proceed in winter I obliterate them, and will come for more. As the springs come my people dream. Peace we will not know. Prisoners of your atrocities, the fens will sing my anger. Release my people Azraths or I the spirits reap. Proceed in winter and we will war across two worlds.
Events that transpired in Padash, in the kingdom of Quentari, led to a troubles between the nobles of Ashbury and Duke Adrick Voltan of Volta.
The exact story is yet to be made clear, but apparently, the baronial court of Trellheim was suspected by Duke Adrick of possessing “treasonous items.” Unbeknownst to the court of Trellheim, the Voltan duke, receiving permission from Quentari King Elanaro, dispelled the protective Ward around the building in which the court of Trellheim was staying. Duke Adrick’s soldiers searched the building, but nothing unlawful or treasonous was reported found.
Baron Radric was not notified prior to this occurrence. Instead, Baron Radric was summoned to the Duke of Volta, who tossed a Ward key at the Baron and, in a dismissive manner, said, “Here’s your new Ward key. We searched you cabin.”
The surprised Baron replied that, had he been notified, he would have gladly lowered the Ward for Duke Adrick and his soldiers and that it was not necessary for the court of Trellheim to be treated in such a fashion. Duke Adrick rudely dismissed Baron Radric, and the rest of the Ashbury nobles continued to be treated with no courtesy and with no respect, with their titles ignored.
Duke Aramis Llyrr, upon hearing the mistreatment of his nobles and official representatives, was outraged. He wrote a demand for an apology to the Duke of Volta, even challenging Duke Adrick to honor combat! Duke Aramis also placed a trade embargo on the duchy of Volta and forbade the rebuilding of Medicia’s Bridge, the landmark once that connected the duchies of Ashbury and Volta.
Tensions mount among the border guards along the Ashbury - Volta border as Duke Aramis awaits Duke Adrick’s reply. His letter, which was posted for all to see, is printed here.
To his Grace, Adrick Voltan, Duke of Volta
Duke Adrick,
I am writing to tell you of my displeasure of your recent behavior toward my nobles. While I understand that you may have thought yourself justified in the actions you took against them, you must understand that they are nobles of Evendarr, sworn to the beloved Code of Chivalry. They deserve, at all times, to be treated with respect and courtesy. For when they march past, one hears the thunder of their pride that booms in their hearts and flashes in their regal and stern countenances.
And it is a pride that they have earned time and again. For these are the brave spirits who have hurled themselves into the fray, without fear, whenever the Duchy of Ashbury was threatened. These brave men have shed much blood in defense of the kingdom and its people. They have never hesitated nor faulted in their duties. The nobles of Evendarr are the pride of the kingdom. They represent the heart of Evendarr, what all folk should strive to become. When you disrespect them, you disrespect Evendarr.
We as Dukes hold very high positions and must strive consistently to be the very paragon of Chivalry to the nobles under us. For if we fail to honor and abide by this most cherished and sacred way, what example do we set for those nobles? As leaders we can never ask of our subjects that which we could not ask of ourselves.
I have had the proud honor of serving in the Mountain Regiments of Volta, but your actions have soiled that pride and I now cast such an unclean thing from my heart. For your unchivalrous behavior is an embarrassment to all nobles. Your disrespect toward my vassals, who were acting as my official representatives, was an affront to me.
Recently, Medicia’s Bridge was destroyed—an object that connected our two lands above a raging river. I will not allow that bridge to be rebuilt and shall leave it’s jagged remains as a symbol of the ties between neighbors that you have severed and our borders shall be closed to all trade and commerce from your duchy, until an apology is made to my vassals and thereby made to me. And if you do not apologize to my nobles for your rude behavior then I issue you a challenge to honor combat, next in line after Baron Radric Hellfax.
This need not be. Simply apologize and right the wrong that you have done us. As we speak, the beast of war has roared its challenged at the borders of our kingdom. This is truly a time of unity for Evendarr. For history has long shown that a people who war amongst themselves fall before the power of a united force.
By disrespecting the nobles of our kingdom, you create dissension in our ranks and foment unrest. You weaken the very blade all of us have toiled long hours to forge. Instead, let us look upon one another and, with pride, say “Fellow Evendarrian”.
Long live King Mykel!
Yours in Truth, in Honor
Duke Aramis Llyrr,
Ashbury Knight of Evendarr
Dale Thieves' Guild Still a Mystery
Many may remember when they were children of their parents warning them that if they didn’t behave, the Dale Thieves’ Guild would snatch them in their sleep and turn them to goblins.
The Dale Thieves’ Guild is more than just a bogie man for bad children; they have become local legends in this Duchy. Nobody knows where the stories of the Guild’s exploits started from or whether or not they are true, but for countless years their infamy has become favorite gossip throughout the Duchy.
Heated arguments and debate on whether or not the Guild exists-and if their mythic exploits are true are quite common, as there has never been proof that there is such an organization. No arrests or written evidence against the Guild has ever been found to substantiate their legendary status. And no inside informant has ever come forward—that is until September 26th in Dragonhart.
Lucas Free, a Fist agent who claimed he had joined the Dale Guild to undermine it, gave Duke Aramis Llyrr an opportunity to expose the Dale Guild once and for all for a free pardon to leave the duchy absolved of his previous Fist crimes.
The Duke agreed and sent many adventurers to help him expose them. The adventures that followed are difficult to write about, because nobody seemed to know exactly who was responsible for the crimes they witnessed. Here’s the basic information of what transpired.
Lucas led the adventurers to what was supposed to be a weapons exchange between the Dale Thieves’ Guild and the lizardmen faction known as the Brethren of Misrak. The lizardmen claimed to be waiting for the Fist, however, and Lucas’ story didn’t seem as credible as when he explained the situation to the Duke. Later that same night, two Fist agents were killed in a permanent fashion by a town guardsman. The dead Fist agents had on them the weapons meant for the earlier exchange with the Brethren of Misrak.
Lucas needed to provide the adventurers with a solid lead to the Dale Guild, else his deal with the Duke would be terminated. So he took them to the secret Dale Guild hideout in Dragonhart. When the adventurers arrived, they found the building inhabited by Fist agents frenzied from Berserk Gas.
By the end of the night’s events, the adventurers weren’t sure who was playing the cat and mouse games with them. Was the Dale Thieves’ Guild trying to convince them that they didn’t exist? Was the Fist trying to convince them that they did? Was this all some great practical joke or trick?
So the debate on the existence of the Dale Thieves’ Guild remains.
Here are some comments from some of the adventurers who were present during the whole Dale/Fist fiasco with their opinions on whether or not they believe that the Dale Thieves’ Guild is a real criminal organization.
Baron Kelial: There’s a possibility of this Guild existing, therefore it merits investigation. Evidence to this time leads one to believe that they do exist. Anyone from the Dale Thieves’ Guild who wish to present themselves to prove his existence, please feel free to come see me or any of the other nobles at their leisure.
Squire Jonathan Dragonhart: Yes, I believe that the Dale Thieves’ Guild exists. The Dale Guild is one of the most devious and malicious crime organizations that has shown up recently in Ashbury. When I was magistrate of Ashbury City, I had heard about them once holding a secret meeting with the Dockside Thieves’ Guild. I personally never met anyone from the Dale Thieves’ Guild, with the exception of Lucas Free, the Fist agent who claimed to have joined the Dale Guild to undermine them. It has always seemed like there was a hidden mastermind organization out there that knows more about and has greater control over the big picture of crime in this Duchy than any of the other groups we have encountered so far.
Kelsea V. Laone Merdik: I honestly couldn’t tell you one way or the other whether they exist or not. I have spent a lot of my time in the Dragon’s Flagon, until recently, and am a bit new to the criminal goings on in Ashbury. I had never heard of the Dale Thieves’ Guild until the episode in Dragonhart. I didn’t see any physical evidence to support the stories that were passed around about this Guild. My experience from hearing much tavern gossip is to hold some doubt to anything that is said until you see for your very eyes that it’s true.
Hagen Merdik: There’s a lot of evidence which could support their existence. If they are out there, they are probably the cleverest Thieves’ Guild I have ever heard of in Ashbury. If it’s all a hoax, then the Fist are getting smarter than we’re accustomed to. I’m more inclined to believe that there is a Dale Thieves’ Guild and that they’ll be giving the Fist some real problems soon.
A number of permanently dead bodies have appeared in various parts of the capital city of Ashbury in the past few months. The bodies appeared to have the victims of execution-type slaying. Investigations by authorities have revealed that the dead men and women were members of the Fist.
For those unaware, the Fist is a notorious criminal organization whose presence has been felt in the Ashbury area for many years. They have been implicated in smuggling, slavery, and other nefarious activities. Their area of domination extends all the way up to Ravenholt.
For the past year, two rival factions of the Fist have warred for dominance. This factionalism began with the capture of former Fist leader Father Acromar by brave Ashbury adventurers led by then-Squire Wilhelm Neumacht. Although Acromar later committed suicide in prison and resurrected elsewhere, it appears that he has had trouble reestablishing his control over the organization.
Now investigators believe that there is evidence of involvement by another faction, possibly an outside organization altogether. When asked what was behind such a theory, investigators said that some of the bodies, members of either Fist faction, were found with a calling card attached. This calling card comprised of a piece of paper with the image of an eclipsed moon drawn upon it.
Members of the Fist can be identified by a symbol of a black fist tattooed upon their bodies. This new symbol, an eclipsed moon, has yet to be identified or associated with any known organization. Some have speculated that this is a symbol for the mysterious Dale Thieves’ Guild, but this is unsubstantiated.
Rumors abound of a new criminal force that has recently taken root in troubled areas such as Dockside and Port Fredrick. Some speculate that this new wave of violence is sign that a major war is about to begin. Authorities have not commented on this speculation, but there is a definite stirring in the criminal underworld.
Candyman Returns to Play Games
This past All Hallow’s Eve, that strange fey known as the Candyman returned to Ashbury. Earlier in the year, the Candyman kidnapped children and adventurers, bringing them to a part of the fey realm known as Candyland—a realm that was a gigantic and dangerous board game.
Candyman and a number of fey companions came into the tavern to introduce more games to the citizens of Ashbury, who regarded them with some trepidation. Most were amused, but others refused to have anything to do with the fey.
Among the games Candyman announced were Pin the Tail on the Sarr, Bobbing for Hoblings and the Biata Pinata. At the mention of the Biata Pinata, Squire Modi was heard to say, “I’ll pay gold to play!” And then Baron Radric, Sir Justice and Squire Modi began to play the Biata Pinata game, which involved beating a comical clay effigy of a biata.
They had managed to break off only one of its arms and it fell to the floor, when the half orge Orion, a member of the Healer’s Guild, quickly snatched up the fallen pinata and fled the tavern. Orion was chased by the fey but was not caught.
Candyman then went to Sir Eros and demanded that the Lord Magistrate punish the half ogre for theft. Sir Eros took it all in stride and shook his head, explaining to the fey that he had no rights in Ashbury. The Candyman seemed to take it in good spirit and produced a second, smaller Biata Pinata which turned out to be filled with candied goods and some coins.
Most of the biata present were either too drunk to care or were pulled aside by their friends to distract them from the goings-on.
Candyman then searched in vain for some sarr so he could play “Pin the Tail on the Sarr.” The rules of this game were not announced though which is probably just as well. It is not known whether he attempted to play Bobbing for Hoblings. He left later with no problems.
This past October, a strange event took place over the estate of Conner. A dark maw covering the eastern sections of the estate has caused goblins through out the area to become much larger and stronger then has ever been previously known.
The Conner Militia was on maneuvers north of the city when the maw first appeared. This left many of the citizens unprotected from the havoc caused when local goblin tribe wandered through the area. Some of these goblins where reported as being three times stronger then they had been before.
Seeking help, the Sheriff of Conner came to Ashbury City seeking able-bodied people. Within minutes, a rescue party was formed in order to save Conner citizens from the goblin menace. Many Ashbans heard his call and followed him into battle. Aided only by their bravery was the fact that many of them seemed to gain some additional strength and toughness once they where in the area covered by the maw.
This group fought all the way to the town. Then, after rescuing several citizens hiding in the rubble of the town, they found the goblin encampment and destroyed it. Most of the remaining goblins soon fled and within an hour, the Conner Militia returned, bringing safety back to the area.
This is how things remand until a few mornings later. Militia leaders noticed an increase in goblin activity and the Conner Healer’s Guild reported that the maw had reached down and covered one of the nearby buildings. One farmer later reported, “All them goblins was all happy and such. They ran in and out of the black stuff like kids playing in the rain. Then one of them had this dial thing and the goblins all started getting bigger! It was the weirdest thing!”
Hearing about this the Militia leaders sent out the 8th Platoon to investigate, but they where soon destroyed by the goblin forces.
Luckily though a large group of Ashbans once again came to Conner’s rescue. After fighting endless waves of ever-more-powerful goblins, the Ashbans cleared the town and found that the Guildmaster of the Conner Healer’s Guild had been charmed by one of the goblin leaders. While charmed to the goblin, he was forced to invest him within the circle. By the time that brave warriors of Ashbury found them, they where in the process of resurrecting hundreds of goblins all at once!
If this wasn’t bad enough, a rival goblin tribe was attempting to cast a permanent circle of their own so as to resurrect their tribe members. Of course, being a goblin, the caster backlashed the ritual, which in turn summoned a greater basilisk.
The Ashbans quickly engaged this creature in combat but because of its ability to devour people whole, Squire Jonathan and Squire Orion were forced to resurrect. Once the basilisk was destroyed, the Ashbans once again turned their attention toward the goblins and specifically the goblin holding a dial which read “BIG. . .PUMPED. . .HUGE.”
After engaging in a short conversation, he was dared to turn the dial all the way to Huge. After doing so, all of the goblins in the area once again grew even more powerful, but after several seconds began screaming in pain. Then one after another they all exploded. It seems that they had grown larger then they wherever meant to be.
Since this time the Conner Militia has begun patrolling the area again, and the few goblins that have been seen are only as powerful as they where in October.
The maw remains open and threatening as a grim reminder of what happened and what can happen again.
Barbarian Problems
This past Halloween, strange, red, ape-like creatures came to Ashbury, hunting barbarians. These “red apes” appeared to have a limited intelligence and are the same creatures who have recently been stealing the remains of permanently dead barbarian heroes in the barbarian freeholds.
Later, a spirit form of a bearded, hooded barbarian with an eyepatch visited the barbarians and their friends in Ashbury. He called himself Wyrdin the Wise and gathered in a conference with Voltreg, Kainon Andrews, Ator, Pluvius, Aeryll, Fallon, Randar, Harold MacDonald, Aurora and Whiteback. Of what they spoke is not known, but some passersby have reported overhearing that it had something to do with the red apes and why permanently dead barbarian bodies are being stolen.
The next day, the spirit form of Wyrdin the Wise was seen leading a mixed group of barbarians, elves and humans to a hut, speaking of some journey to the spirit world. This group was comprised of Ator, Voltreg, Pluvius, Kainon, Fallon and Randar. An hour later, the group emerged from the hut, looking weary, but determined.
Pluvius and his companions were later seen casting an animal horn into the waters of Lake Hollym. The reason for this is not known.
Healers' Guild Report
October
Overall it has been a quiet month in the Duchy of Ashbury. Deaths are at a low as are the temperatures. Please prepare for the coming Winter months by ensuring that you travel with good, warm blankets and plenty of layers of clothing. A wise Gypsy once said, “A frigid Gypsy is the most horrific Fate I could imagine!”
The Ashbury Healer’s Guild would like to welcome its newest members: Initiate Petra Varados of the Barony of Nordenn and Initiate Sage Redbeard of the Barony of Nordenn
The Ashbury Healer’s Guild would also like to congratulate the following member who has risen to the rank of Clement within the Guild: Clement Orion Denmarsh of the Barony of the Ash Forest
Be aware that there are a total of four Invested members of the Guild, not including myself. Feel free to see them concerning any Guild business should I not be present. Those members are: Initiate Petra Varados, Clement Chip, Clement Ivanna ,Clement Orion Denmarsh.
Many thanks again to the Barony of Trellheim and other individual commoners whose generous donations continue to make it possible for the Guild to maintain the potion stock available for any and all to purchase.
Congratulations are due to Guildmistress Shalizar and Justice McCoy for their gorgio Vandarie of Marriage. My wishes for your happiness always, and the health of many children.
November
The Guild started off the month of November a little wet—unfortunately it has been found that the Circle of Power is not able to prevent leaks in the ceiling—and I thank you to all who donated receptacles to catch the water.
There were many deaths in November, among them the unfortunate passing of the Gorbe Shayloree D. of Ashbury and Whiteback of Ravenholt. May Mother Tyrra keep their Spirits.
General
The Guild is seeking primary components for the Earth Rituals Mark/Unmark (perfect pearl), Destroy Magic (rock salt & lime), and Investiture (bug in amber). The Guild will pay market prices for Necromantic Ritual scrolls, components, and magic items. Turn your disappointment into profit, and help Mother Tyrra by assisting in the destruction of foul Necromantic energies.
Anyone is welcome to interview for membership within the Guild. Please stop by the Guild or send correspondence to schedule an appointment. Guild services include the following: potion/elixir sales and trade, Ritual component identification, Ritual casting, Resurrection, insurance and registration services, spellbook and spell ink sales, training in the arts of Healing and Earth magics.
The cost for Ritual casting is one gold per level of the Ritual cast, plus one gold for the casting. There is an additional insurance fee of one gold for the use of Guild scrolls. Components must be supplied by the customer wishing to have the Ritual cast. Ritual scrolls can also be rented under Guild supervision, at the cost of two gold per scroll per day. Please make reservations in advance for this service.
The Guild has laboratory spaces available in its potion and alchemy labs. If you wish to use either, please come to the Guild to reserve a space. Guild members have precedence above all others, so sign up early. The Guild also has spellbooks available for use in study, however you must reserve them in the Guild before any of the books can be signed out for use. Customers without reservations will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis.
Register with the Guild! Pay for Resurrections in advance for yourself or loved ones and specify the Healer to act as the Spirit Guide as well as any Resurrection preferences.
The Guild is requesting assistance with gathering information concerning the Resurrection of all races of Tyrra. If you would like to take part in this compilation, please contact the Guild.
Any Guild members who have not been in Ashbury for over eight months will be removed from Guild rosters unless they contact the Guild by the end of the year. If a Guild member is removed from the rosters and returns at a later date, they will be eligible for reinstatement at the same rank and position as when they left. An updated Guild roster will be available in January of 598, and will be posted in the Ashbury Times.
All Guild members who will be in Ashbury at any time need to send word to the Guild so that they may be assigned Guild duty and also be considered for Guild tasks. There are important things you are all needed for.
Keep yourselves well, may Mother Tyrra soften your step and Fate guide your hand always.
Guildmistress Natasha Roskaya Ioki Royal Healer’s Guild of Ashbury City
A Little Birdie Told Me
by Sue D’Onym
Lots of action in Ashbury since the last column—so let’s get right to the gossip!
Sir Ivan Drake returned to Ashbury this month and met with His Grace at Nordenn Keep to give his vows and resume his position as Paladin. He joined Baron Olin’s court and traded in his Blythedale purple and grey for the green and black colors that Olin has reinstated according to Bryan Nordenn’s last wishes. The Ex-Duke met with the court of Nordenn via a Spirit Farewell recently and told them that he was imprisoned within the chaos being from Jhivantane with no chance of being recovered. He inquired as to the well being of his wife, Dame Mara, and his children. It was a sad moment indeed, and Duke Aramis thanked Bryan for his sacrifice for Ashbury.
Afterwards, Bryan’s will was read after a copy was finally uncovered. It of course provided for his son Mikel to become the Duke upon his reaching majority. It also revealed that Bryan had learned through a Contact Earth ritual that ex-Baron Morgan Blackbourne was working with the Harvest Moon to kill Ashbury citizens. So much for Morgan’s constant protestations about being innocent.
Meanwhile, back in Ashbury, life went on. When Orion died recently with no Life spells available, Lady Azrael Vardik-Blakeny-Whatever took Orion’s weapons and armor together with some clothes and walked to the Healer’s Guild where they expected to find him resurrecting. Guildmistress Natasha refused Lady Azrael’s request to come into the Guild (and out of the rain) where they could warm themselves by the fire while Orion resurrected. While they waited outside the Guild, Baron Kelial of Blythedale arrived, with several members of his court, to perform the same services for Squire Jonathan Dragonhart, who was also resurrecting. When the Baron requested permission for himself and his retainers to warm up and dry out by the Healer’s Guild fire, he too was refused by the Guildmistress. As the party of nobles and squires huddled near the entrance to the Guild trying to get out of the rain, Natasha told them to go away, saying “this isn’t an (expletive deleted) side show.”
I have heard the Kiergani elf BrightHawk was found permanently dead in the woods behind the Dragon’s Flagon. Now don’t quote me on this, but I understand that she died a violent death, perhaps by her own hand. She had been behaving strangely in the tavern, especially around Drakonios and whenever ex-knight Pinaeus Brightblade’s name was mentioned. Seems suspicious to me. Maybe she died of a broken heart. . .
In the tavern recently, a strange dark elf woman foolishly attempted to rob Sir Eros. After flirting with him for a bit (he is a Mystic Wood elf after all, so is very susceptible to these things), she slid up to him and under the table stuck a knife in his ribs and demanded 5 gold. “I never pay for it!” Eros replied, before fighting back. The battle was quick and easy, and the fact that the dark elf cast necromancy made her later trial swift. Fellow dark elves Find’rth and Suuna Sazzi questioned the girl, but she claimed not to be of any clan and said she had attacked the Lord Magistrate as a “challenge.”
Zatarina, Lady Alyx, and Kelsea went for a walk on a recent Sunday when they heard cries for assistance. Zatarina and Kelsea ran ahead. By the time Lady Alyx reached the scene of the combat there was only one monster left alive and he was dispatched. Down the road, a large battle was taking place against Jack O’Lantern’s minions. Zat had three withered limbs but was making sure that everyone else was alive. Among the withered were Algar, Voltreg, and Fallon, all of whom had lost the use of all four limbs. Lady Alyx informed the group that she had only one Dispel and asked them who to cast it on. They all voted to cast it on Algar, and as soon as he was in good working order (and as full boated as possible) he ran off to rejoin the fight, leaving Lady Alyx with five basket cases: two elves, two barbarians, and one biata. Fortunately, all were eventually cured and returned to normal.
The Amani elf Algar, meanwhile, was last seen speaking to a representative from FOIL and has decided to join that organization, traveling into the Ash Forest to speak with the notorious racist Teril Belayson himself.
In the “So What’s New?” category, there seems to be a lot of anger directed towards the court of Trellheim. Half of it comes from outside, as the court seems to have pissed off many of the other nobles of Evendarr; and the other half comes from inside, where the court is being blamed for the recent Lizardman attacks which have decimated Oliver and outlying areas.
It’s a bit unjust if you ask me. Not all of the Trellheim nobles are bad. Some of them have never even been convicted! Let’s see. The current court of Trellheim consists of one knight who used to be a baron but was removed of that title when he disobeyed the laws (Justice); another knight who was convicted of perjury and conspiracy to commit necromancy (Morlox); another knight who is not allowed to use any noble title outside of Ashbury by order of a Royal Prince and who was a prime suspect in a murder where the victim never showed up to testify (Hanson); and two squires who have been convicted of multiple murders (Modi and Caleb). In all fairness, three of their court members seem to be very honorable and law abiding (Baron Radric and Squires Yngvar and Enoch), so I guess that means only 5/8ths of Trellheim’s court consists of criminals!
And speaking of those problems with Volta, even though Duke Aramis has stated that no Voltan trade can continue until this is resolved, somehow the Dragon’s Flagon continues to receive new cases of Voltan Ale! Maybe they had some backstocked. . .
Ator the barbarian died recently trying to prevent his fellow adventurers from completing a quest. It seems he joined with Azrael, Robert, Calis, Luigi, and some others to enter the Graveyards at Halloween. It was only upon entering that Ator realized that the group planned to try to bring someone back from the Graveyards—not the kind of thing a barbarian likes to hear. Anyway, he was able to thwart their mission to some degree by staying behind as they left and sabotaging their efforts, but it cost him a life in the process.
Findrago was seen in the estate of Morin recently entertaining in a seedy tavern, which was quite the surprise since when he entered, it looked as if he was about to be killed on the spot by the patrons. That gypsy tongue can talk its way out of anything!
Meanwhile, King Kelanor of the dwarves met with Gilwing and, after naming him a Master Weaponsmith (quite an honor in the dwarven community), gave him some sort of secret task! What it is though I have no idea—no one tells a gossip anything! Kelanor has also been wheeling and dealing with Algar over some large stone, and when he’s not insulting Hanson and Hagen for being “trollfriends” has actually been fairly friendly.
Smith the dwarf has been telling everyone he can that they are foolish for trusting the Deep Trolls, even going so far as to laugh in the Duke’s face when the Duke suggested that the Deep Trolls might be trustworthy. Meanwhile, the Barons of Ashbury have been sending secret messages back and forth between themselves and the Duke, and I am told that it has something to do with the trolls. . .
Well, I’m running out of space so it’s time to go. Send me your News They Don’t Want You To Know and remember—If you can’t say something nice about someone, come sit by me.
Public Notices
COMMONER TEAMS NEEDED! Chartered Commoner Teams are needed for important missions serving the Duchy. Teams will receive a revenue of 5 gold per week. All interested Commoner teams are to contact Chamberlain Bodicca Ioki.
A CALL TO ARMS: All able bodied citizens of Ashbury are urged to report to Blackbourne Keep or the Tower Hills Citadel for inscription into the Duke’s Army. Ashbury’s defenses have already been compromised by reptilian forces, and a more dangerous foe looms upon the horizon. The lands have bled many years for our freedom and we must not forget the sacrifices our ancestors made to establish Ashbury. The song of battle is heard faintly upon the horizon, do not ignore your responsibility to the King and Crown. – Baron Radric Hellfax, Lord General of Trellheim
CELESTIAL RITUAL CASTING at a reasonable price. Also, information bought and sold. See Dame Alyx at the Sage’s Guild.
STEFAN, STEFAN, STEFAN. . .I will sing songs in your name to further embarrass you as it is fun! When will you return so more songs can be sung of you? It is good to have new blood in this dull gorgio town.
DRAKONIS AND JONAH: Forgive her. We gave her no choice. From Friends.
MITHRIL WANTED. See Gilwing the dwarf.
LORD PEDOPALPAE: I hope you somehow get this message and remember what we spoke about. Please seek me out at the Healer’s Guild when you are again in need of my company. – Guildmistress Natasha Ioki
SOUGHT: A maker of Fine Weapons, for Commission in the making of a Staff of Superior Quality. Also a possible interest in tutoring for this profession. If you have the skill and time for an interested pupil, who promises to attend earnestly to what is Taught, seek the Man in Grey.
DON’T SPEND your Resurrection looking at a beautiful sunset and tweeting birds when you’d rather be the Duke! Register now with the Healers Guild for your Resurrection preferences.
PINAES BRIGHTBLADE: Your love has killed her.
CALEB, my scaly friend: Thank you for the Life spell on the field of combat. – Natasha
JOIN F.O.I.L.! (Free Our contamInated Land). AElves of Ashbury, band together to rid society of the menace of the savage Wild Elves! Ward the Wold! Join the society of freethinking, civilized beings who will work to effect a better culture, unfettered by adulteration and horrid admixture. Send your names, requests for membership cards, contributions and letters of support to: Teril Belayson, President and Treasurer, Belayson’s Honey Farm, Elindil, Ash Forest.
TARA: You will be avenged.