The Ashbury Times
April / May
612
“All
The News That Fits, We Print”
Duke Frost Leads Troll Army Against
Fairdale
On the 20th day of
Dragon, a massive force of nobles and commoners of the adventuring class
gathered in the frontier town of
Following the report of
scouts, Duke Frost marched the adventurers to engage the troll army while it
was still a few miles distant from Fairdale.
The adventurers arrived to find the trolls encamped near a cave. Before either army could react to the
presence of the other, the cave erupted in a massive explosion. The explosion killed or maimed a sizable
portion of the troll army, drove the Duke’s forces to their knees, and
caused all biata present to be overcome with an
unexplained mental pain.
With the troll army reeling
from the explosion, Frost offered his foes an honorable surrender. The trolls appeared to agree. Flanked by a pair of adventurers, Frost
approached the troll representative.
Then without warning, the Duke unleashed a flurry of gas globes upon the
adventurers flanking him. As they fell
to his onslaught, the troll forces pressed forward and attacked while Frost
walked into the troll army without being attacked by any trolls. Once beyond the enemy lines, Frost and two
black skinned trolls walked away from the battle, escorted by the majority of
the troll forces. Frost and the two
trolls were last seen that evening flying away on the back of a gryphon.
The battle was chaotic as the
Ashbury forces tried to fight their way past the remaining trolls to either
reach the Duke or the cave that had exploded.
The terrain proved to make this impossible until well after the Duke had
retreated. Adding to the chaos of the
battle, two powerful black skinned trolls assisted the Ashbans
fighting their brethren, while another stood aside and simply watched.
By the time the battle was
over, Frost was long gone and the Ashbans had plenty
of questions. The answers to those
questions came from the three black skinned trolls that remained. The three trolls were named Irak, Supek, and Gulek and called themselves Stoneborn. Each provided part of the full story, though
only on their terms.
According to the Stoneborn, they were the first five subjects of an experiment
that was attempting to recreate the Cauldronborn
process that had been lost years ago.
Without a proper cauldron, some troll emperors had decided to try to use
a biata artifact called a Homestone
to power the process. The ritual failed
spectacularly, but the resulting backlash transformed the subjects into
something that was part Cauldronborn, but filled with
the memories and powers of biata past.
One of the Stoneborn, Acedik, developed the
power to include all trolls in group mind and due to the odd interaction of
magic, Acedik was able to poison the mind of Duke
Frost and bring him into the group mind as well. Thus it was revealed that not only was Frost
not of his own mind, but actually fully believed that trolls were his allies
and Ashbury was his enemy.
This was confirmed the
following morning when Duke Frost arrived in town leading a large force of
trolls who were calling him The General, just as the breakfast bell was
ringing. With many adventurers still in
their beds, Frost used his knowledge of unwarded
cabins to kill some adventurers while they still slept. In addition, Frost withheld a portion of his
troops to attack in a flanking maneuver once the adventurers managed to rally
to the defense.
The adventurers managed to
gain the upper edge, or so it seemed, when they struck down one of the Stoneborn working with Frost, a powerful warrior name Varishik. Even as Ulthoc tended to her injuries in order to capture her, she
died without any blow or magic struck upon her.
Moments later while Ulthoc and other
adventurers were pondering her mysterious death, she revived without a scratch
on her. Biata
reeled in pain as she revived and she took advantage of the momentary
distraction to flee via a Spirit Recall.
At roughly the same time,
Frost struck another deadly blow to the adventurers of Fairdale. Taking advantage of the chaos of battle, he
managed to work his way into the tavern and walked directly into the
Healer’s Guild permanent circle, which he is invested in. He quickly dispatched nearly everyone in the
circle, including numerous high ranking members of the guild. Only pure luck prevented everyone in the
guild from resurrecting, but nothing could be done to prevent Frost from
escaping with a Spirit Recall ritual.
Frost returned again to
Fairdale a few hours after dusk, once again leading a significant force of
trolls. Approximately 24 hours after the
initial explosion of the Homestone, the troll forces
seemed to have learned how better to take advantage of their group mind. They focused attacks and shared knowledge
about their opponents.
Additionally, though no
explanation has yet been given why, the trolls exhibited powers previously not
encountered among troll kind. Some could
cause their enemies to erupt into uncontrolled rages, others could create
magical webbing, while yet others could breathe fire. Furthermore, all trolls appeared to be
magically enhanced to strike true against biata
enemies.
Fighting was fierce and at
times it seemed like the adventurers might fall. The presence of Acedik,
Varishik, and Frost made the battle that much worse
as each struck at the flanks delivering powerful blows and unleashing
devastating magic. Eventually a small
force of powerful adventurers drove Frost into the dark woods and attempted to hunt
him down. This tactic backfired as Frost
took advantage of the darkness to hunt his would-be hunters. None died, though at least one survived due
to a fortuitous rebirth. The same could
not be said in the main battle, where the female dwarf Fera
resurrected after having been killed by Frost earlier in the battle.
The final confrontation with
Frost and his troll forces came on the morning of the 22nd. Knowing that ducal reinforcements could
arrive before the end of the day, Frost mustered his remaining forces and
attempted to strike before help could arrive.
The battle was fierce and Frost personally delivered mortal blows to the
adventurers of Fairdale at least a dozen times.
The battle might have been
even more devastating, but oddly neither Acedik nor Varishik joined the fight.
Still, Frost led well over 400 trolls who all still were joined in a
group mind and still exhibited unusual powers, the most fearsome of which was
one that channeled death with every blow.
Eventually Frost was captured
by the adventurers. Encased in a magical
prison, his body was placed in a ward.
With their General fallen, the trolls seemed poised for one final
assault. Then, at exactly the same
moment, all trolls ceased fighting and pulled back. A troll emperor pushed the front and,
speaking for Acedik, offered honor combat to end the
fighting and to cease hostilities for the length of one moon. According to the troll, win or lose, the
trolls would honor the end of hostilities, but if the trolls won, they would require
food, land, and resources as a tribute.
The troll later amended the offer to only require food and resources.
The nobility and some of the
more prominent adventurers discussed the offer and were about to take it
up. Then a voice in the throng reminded Sir
Ulthoc that Acedik was one
of the Stoneborn that supported necromancy. Immediately he changed his mind. His face seemed to be filled with sadness as
he looked over the exhausted and ravaged adventurers behind him on the
field. Then with determination he
declined the challenge. His voice was
joined by nearly half the adventurers present as he refused the honor combat.
The next twenty minutes were
bloody and filled with sorrow. The
defenders of Fairdale simply didn’t have the resources remaining to adequately
challenge the nearly 100 trolls that remained.
Adventurers lay dead and dying across the field while trolls broke the
lines and even managed to assault the tavern.
The entire town looked about to die when
Calling for parlay, he
offered an honorable ending to the battle.
His initial offer was that he would agree to permanent death if the
trolls would spare everyone else on the battlefield. The troll he spoke with considered the offer,
but eventually turned it down. Instead
he insisted upon the honor combat originally offered.
As for Frost, by the time
anyone was able to check on him, he had resurrected, apparently of a
self-inflicted wound. According to the
nobility and a statement by Seneschal Trevor Donovan, the Duke has been cured
of his mental affliction and his fully restored. With few willing to speak of exactly how this
happened many citizens are still wary of the Duke, especially since he has taken
to seclusion since the end of these events.
Biata Deal With Aftermath of Near-Destruction
of Fairdale Homestone
On the evening of 20th
of Dragon, while the majority of adventurers were reeling from the sudden and
inexplicable defection of Duke Frost, biata in the
region were reeling from a more personal pain.
The cracking of the Fairdale Homestone rippled
throughout the region, causing biata to suffer
intense mental anguish. Many fell
unconscious, while the stronger victims simply suffered agonizing mental pain
that lasted for as little as hours for some and has yet to end for others.
While the exact details of biata powers and magic are a secret that the race holds
closely, some of what occurred has become public knowledge. According to the Stoneborn
Supek, and verified in part by others, the Homestone stored memories of biata
race and when it was attacked, those memories poured into the Stoneborn. At the
same time the troll magic corrupted the magic of the biata
causing a backlash among all biata and their more
powerful cousins, gryphons and riders.
In addition to the pain that
all biata felt, the minds of all associated with
their race were made susceptible to various forms of intrusion. The fall of the Duke is one example, but
others became obvious over the next few days.
Some biata found themselves under a mental
compulsion that made it impossible for them to approach the Stoneborn
Acedik. At
least one rider was left in a catatonic state and was literally being treated as
a living puppet by the mind-riding Acedik. Even the gryphon Tirian,
who claimed to be unaffected, was noted to be in a much more aggressive and
furious state than he was ever seen in before.
This became particularly
apparent when said gryphon arrived late the same evening of the attack and
demanded all biata present themselves to him. What was spoken in the meeting is not public
knowledge, but the biata hurriedly sought other
adventurers for assistance and screamed for help in the Healer’s Guild,
where an angry Tirian faced down members of the
Healer’s Guild while unbeknownst to them the guild mistress Zatarina lay dead behind him.
Eventually the standoff ended
and after another 20 minutes of conversation Tirian
took three biata and three others outside where he
transformed into his large, flying, feathered form and took off with them. They returned about half an hour later,
somber but seemingly unharmed.
This same scene played itself
out again the next day a few hours before dusk, with a different set of three biata and three others, though only after a remarkably
disturbing incident. Before setting off
to a place unknown, Tirian confronted Gulak, one of the Stoneborn that
had proved reasonably friendly to Ashbans. He demanded to know why she “felt like
a Homestone.”
When she refused to respond, he struck her down with mental blasts. He was about to kill her when he was informed
that such an act would be harmful to him and the biata
present.
Healing her wounds, he once
again demanded information of her. The
two powerful beings stared each other down, culminating in both unleashing
powerful gaze attacks on the other. Gulak shrugged off the powerful mental compulsion of the
gryphon while Tirian was suddenly enslaved to Gulak.
Combat ensued as the nobles
of Ashbury attacked the Stoneborn for violation of
the law. It was complicated by the
enslaved gryphon that sought to defend his new master. Eventually, it was resolved when Tirian informed Gulak of the
locations of three Homestones, one previously unknown
to any in the duchy (Editor’s Note: per the request of the elder Xapano, these locations will not be reprinted in the Ashbury Times.) and Gulak
released him of the enslavement.
Further details to exactly
how the Stoneborn can corrupt the minds of biata and exactly what repercussions arise from the damage
to the Homestone have yet to be revealed. The elder Xapano
has informed the Ashbury Times that
despite initial appearances, the Homestone is not
actually destroyed, simply very badly damaged and the cave where it resides is
still collapsed. Furthermore, Xapano has released a general warning to all biata to be cautious of journeying near Fairdale as the
effects of the damage are not yet resolved and any that choose to do so should
consult with council elders immediately upon arriving.
Stoneborn War Among Selves With Adventurers’
Help
On the 20th of
Dragon, the adventurers of Ashbury were introduced to a new type of troll and a
new threat to our duchy. Created by an
incomplete Cauldronborn process, using a biata Homestone as a power
source, the Stoneborn are trolls that seem to have
inherited the memories and powers of biata and their
kin.
This fusion of unlike races
proved to be both a blessing and a curse to Ashbury. While two of the Stoneborn
were instantly hostile to Ashbury, three were either neutral or actively sought
common ground with Ashbury. Whether
hostile or friendly, each Stoneborn had a distinct
and powerful personality as well as powerful abilities and skills.
From the moment they appeared,
the Stoneborn that were not hostile to Ashbury
immediately sought to recruit Ashbans to aid in their
personal conflicts. For the most part
these were conflicts of personality or ideology, for however much they opposed
each other, they still referred to each other as brothers and sisters and did
not wish to physically harm each other.
The most obvious ally among
the Stoneborn was Irak. Like his brothers he has a black face with a
large red symbol on it that looks like the number seven (some biata remarked that the symbol actually had a different
meaning, but chose not to elaborate). Irak recruited adventurers with the single purpose of
killing the troll emperors that he claims enslaved him and subjected him to the
ritual that transformed him against his will.
To this end he muted the group mind in order to assist adventurers in
performing tactical strikes against various troll emperors. In return for assistance he provided
information about the state of the Duke and about the other Stoneborn.
Another Stoneborn
also recruited adventurers to assist him in his personal goals. This Stoneborn,
named Supek, was vying against the two hostile Stoneborn, Acedik and Varishik, to gain leadership of the troll forces in the
Contested Lands. Due to the creation of
the group mind among trolls, Supek was able to allow
adventurers to manipulate the support for the various factions by bringing them
into the group mind and disguising them as trolls.
In order to gain support
among the unsurprisingly skeptical adventurers, Supek
revealed a key tenet of what he called The Way, a set of rules he intended to
force on all trolls. This tenet was that
wasteful actions were not allowed and he considered necromancy to be wasteful. That combined with his unwillingness to
attack non-combatants made him a more palatable leader to many of the assembled
adventurers than the other potential choices.
To further earn the aid of
the Ashbans, Supek offered
to provide assistance in freeing the mind of Frost from the corrupted influence
of Acedik.
While this act also helped Supek, who claimed
that as long as Frost was the troll General he could never gain leadership, it
was also very important to Ashbans as well.
One final Stoneborn
provided assistance to Ashbans, though not without a
cost. The Stoneborn
Gulak seemed to have no conflict with any of her
brothers or sisters. Instead she showed
a mercenary’s zeal for power and knowledge. She offered to assist the Ashbans
in exactly the same ways as Supek, though she
required payment for any of her “generous” acts. The payment was always information that was
always taken directly from the mind of whomever she aided.
By Sunday afternoon all three
of the non-hostile Stoneborn had left Fairdale, each
for seemingly different reasons. Irak was continuing his search to slay emperors, though it
seems likely he will return again when his goals coincide with those of
Ashbury. Supek’s
departure was most likely due to his failure to gain leadership over the
trolls. He was last seen gathering some
the few trolls that were loyal to him.
While he proved helpful during the initial crisis, it should be noted
that he is still an admitted enemy of Ashbury and future encounters are likely
to be much less cordial. Finally, while Gulak also disappeared, based on her confrontation with Tirian, it is likely she is journeying to visit other Homestones in the area.
Seneschal Trevor Donovan had
this to say about citizens encountering any of these creatures: “As
trolls, these Stoneborn are not citizen races of the
duchy. That said, they are very powerful
creatures and all are warned not to antagonize them unnecessarily. As far as the court is aware, only two of
them, Acedik and Varishik,
are necromancers or aid necromancers. Supek is also an avowed enemy of the duchy, though anyone
who does not attack him has nothing to fear from him. Irak and Gulak should both be considered potentially friendly. As a final word of warning, at this time it
has been determined that they cannot be killed permanently and killing one
causes intense pain and suffering to biata in the
area. Until this is no longer the case,
all warriors are advised to avoid direct confrontations with these creatures if
at all possible.”
Visitors from Barran
Destroy Galanthian Undead
By
Qualin Brightoak
It was my pleasure to meet a
few lost and somewhat bewildered travelers from a continent that I think is
called Barran, through the mists. We joined
forces for the weekend, fighting trolls, and also being called upon by Ducal
forces to clear out a cave filled with undead. In my travels, I have
never heard of such a place, and to their knowledge, they had never heard of an
instance of mist travel in their lifetimes. What was proven to me,
however, is that no matter where they are from, Elves and Dryads pursue the
destruction of Necromancy with a comforting zealotry.
The barkskin
dryads, one which wielded a great two handed stick, and the other who wielded
earth magic, were called Bireikara Jacaranda-Thornsbane (Rei for the short
lived folks) and Rowan Jacaranda-Thornsbane of
the Great Forest of Barran. There the barkskins are called Chosen of the Sky, the reeds, Chosen
of the Water, the spores called Chosen of the Earth, and the thorns called
Unfortunately the Ogre is
still missing (or dead of old age). However, I was able to help them
reunite with two other elves from their lands. Inama
Nushif al a Sadarr,
Scorpion Healer, Neutral Emissary in Islan Tel’Nava and Tel’Al Anor and T'zel Locust, Trusted
Companion and Friend of the Sheut. In Inama’s culture, Scorpion healers forswear all
weapons and physical contact with those that they are not either mated to or in
the process of healing so that they can pursue healing without
distraction. T’zel is her appointed
guardian, what some of us would mistake for Kiergani
at first blush, he is very old even for Elven
standards.
A Ducal scout approached
Fairdale this weekend to ask for aid in clearing out some undead. He said
that it was a few mindless hulks and one that was talking. I volunteered,
and then at a second thought, decided I should probably bring some back
up. The six of us followed the scout until we were close enough to smell
them, then sent him on his way (nice fellow, by the way). The foul
creatures had taken up a defensive position in what appeared to be an old troll
cave. Let me just say that Loremaster or not,
when I handed Gawain my undead slaying sword I saw a glee in his eyes which
filled me with pride in my Elven heritage as he leaped
to annihilate some undead abominations.
In each layer of the cave
there were several choke points which amounted to two battle fronts each
time. We held them well and destroyed the undead without a terrible
amount of difficulty. Between healing, pausing to refit armor, and a few
harm and destroy undead spells our squad did well.
There were perhaps 12-15
lesser undead, Charnal Juggernauts unless I’m
mistaken. These are basically walking twisted corpses that have
some monstrous strength, take reduced damage from weapon blows, but have no
other real tricks. They are not especially resistant to magic, are
mindless, and don’t have claws, so if you toss a few disarm spells they
just take a while to pulverize. I think a dragon’s breath spell would
take one out in a flash.
At either the second or the
third group of these creatures we encountered a more dangerous foe. It
was definitely talking and giving the orders, “Stand here! Form a
line! Attack! For the Empire!!” And it was immune to a normal
weapon blow aimed at it. It was the ‘for the empire’ bit that
made me identify these undead as being from Galanthia.
The creature was a scarred and rotting mockery of the living being it once
was. That’s the thing about undead that talk: they were once
sentient beings and chose or were forced to become undead. As we defeated
its minions, it retreated further into the cave.
We encountered the creature
again and that is when I started to figure out what it was. Again, it
commanded lesser creatures, and fired a bow over their shoulders at us.
The arrows of the creature would have paralyzed any whose flesh they
slashed. As the battle raged on it spewed a nauseating poison. That
was enough for me to identify it as a ghoul lord. Ghoul lords are
vicious, and fairly dangerous. They have claws and can use weapons, can
channel destruction spells, drip poison, are resistant to magic, immune to
normal and silver weapons, and can have any skills, memories, and intellect of
the person who was transformed had. I figured I had better step in and
finished the thing off with a disarm, a dragon’s breath, and a couple of
lightning storm spells.
Later on our visitors had the
unfortunate experience of meeting another undead from Galanthia,
the vampire general Lochabar. We were trapped
in wards that we couldn’t exit when Lochabar
visited the tavern late that night. I could not really hear or see what
was going on, but from what I heard afterward he entered with a few Blood
Wraiths and five human victims of the Red Madness plague. He made
promises to return and obliterate everyone in town if a cure was not presented
to him, or if the plague victims were harmed. After he left, the energies
dropped and we were again able to leave our rooms. As it did not seem
that anyone had been bitten, we escorted the plague victims (in extended battle
magic duration prison spells) to my tent. The following day I invested
the Dryad Lennox, as well as Squire Garathon into the
ward in my tent and left the matter in their hands to deal with.
Galanthia, it seems,
is having some trouble.
King Broomis to Host Tournament and Ball
Since the unfortunate incident
with Duke Frost and the Stoneborn, the Duke has
sequestered himself from all but a few nobles and his court. Many have expressed concern that this would
lead to a cancellation of the semi-annual team tournament and the ducal ball. Such fears are unfounded. The festivities will occur as usual.
His majesty, King Broomis, ever the traditionalist, has graciously offered to
fulfill the traditional role of the duke during the upcoming tournament. Furthermore, while he insists that all the
classic events of a traditional tournament are run, he is eager to engage the
citizens of Ashbury in additional games of skill and will be sponsoring both
the usual prizes and additional prizes for new challenges.
Also in accordance with
tradition, on the eve of the first night of the tournament, a royal ball will
be held, open to all whom are citizens of the kingdom. Food and entertainment will be provided. All that is requested is that attendees try
to dress in their best attire and be cordial to all present.
For those interested in
participating in the tournament, it will be a mostly traditional affair. The treatise written by Eric Woolcott about the tournament is still mostly correct,
though a few rules have changed over the years and one major change will be applied
this year. For those familiar with past
games, Colors, The Hunt, Hero’s Combat, Spellcaster’s
Trivia will use the format
first introduced in the Individual Tournament three years ago. In this format, the moderator provides a
category and each team, in order, must give an example of something that fits
in that category. For example, the
moderator might say “Citizen races,” and correct answers would
include “Sarr” or “Gryphon,”
but not “Troll.”
The Three-Man Battle is
receiving a major overhaul. It will
still be round-robin, but it will no longer be limited to only weapon
combat. The competition will test mixed
tactics combat by also allowing the use of magic, wands, and the limited use of
scrolls, potions, and alchemy. Ritual
magic and magic items that can only be created with rituals will not be
permitted, nor will Circle of Power be allowed.
More detailed rules will be available by request to citizens or
non-citizen participants.
Additionally, there is a
minor logistical change being made to scoring in order to prevent a situation
that has occurred in the past. Starting
this year, the order of the teams in the Colors competition will be used as a
tiebreaker for the final scoring, if a tiebreaker is necessary. Colors was chosen because it is the event
that best represents the meaning of the tournament. The password is “tonk.”
Finally, his majesty wishes
to bring back a discarded tradition. If
at least six teams participate in the tournament, the monetary reward for the
Hunt competition will be increased from 1 silver piece per participant per
point to 2 silver pieces per participant per point. The actual contribution of the competition to
total score will remain the same. If six
teams or more do not participate, it will be up to the discretion of his
majesty whether this policy is in force.
Seneschal
Trevor Donovan
Monster Attacks Tolman Head
Those
familiar with Blythedale will certainly be aware of
the oft-blame-for-missing-chickens-but-never-seen Tolman
Head Monster. The Ogres living in the area claim it is a “thunder
lizard” and revere the beast, while most consider it no more believable
than the “lake monsters” drunken farmers often report.
Unfortunately, we know have much more conclusive reports.
A
creature which can only be described as a “massive lizard with glowing
eyes” attacked the stronghold of the Forderick
Fists in
The
local sheriffs and guard captains of both
Resurrecting the
Hero
Sornelintion Swifteagle sent in
this account of the Stoneborn battle:
“The last time I rolled the bones with this result,
there were death elementals” my friend Rodan
says.
Rodan, a muscular
uncouth vansir on the outside, is kind and helpful on
the inside. The saying “Battles are won by heroes” is on my mind
while he teaches me how to make my two swords dance in unison. “Perhaps
one day I will be a hero too, after many years of practice,” I think, but
for now I am a bystander, killing occasional evil creatures and gaining their
treasure.
Then the troll army attacks with the enslaved duke. They
offer an honor duel, and considering the whole experience to be a game, I join
in the resounding “Thou shalt not recoil from thine enemy” (one of the eight tenants of nobility).
I follow Ezri and the others of the Forest Squad to
learn how to tactically use my new bow, while unbeknownst to me, my new
short-sword slips free from its loose scabbard. The duke is captured by valiant
heroes and placed in a warded building, far away from where I stood. I fall
bleeding, and am brought back: the natural course of life as a novice
adventurer, or so I still think! Swigging a cure serious wounds potion, I get
back into the fray and begin healing others, slowly shifting from firing arrows
to caring for the dying.
“The duke has escaped,” I hear, but leave the
matter to the heroes. A fellow adventurer falls. I force-feed him a healing
potion. He falls again, and I cast cure light wounds. It is all a game: we
laugh and joke that he “owes me one.” No fear is incurred by an
enemy overwhelming us.
But in mid-laugh I see glass shatter over him and hear him
coughing through a haze of gas; he becomes berserked
and rushes me. Stunned, I forget my bind spells and my even better shun command
spell which would have negated the effect of the command-based poison. I do not
wish to hurt him because he is not himself and in the past someone had always
come to my defense.
Failing to live up to my namesake, I fall in a bleeding heap.
When a hero cures my wounds enough for me to stand, my first response is to
laugh through the pain – not to cast a memorized protective or healing
spell. Within seconds, I am engulfed by flame.
Time passes – perhaps an eternity. Then the pain comes:
I learn firsthand what a “field resurrection” is. I wake in the
Healer’s Guild – Ezri and Rowan spinning
around the room. Collapsing to the floor with a groan, vomit pours from my
wrenching stomach. Other screams surround me: I am not alone. As the centrifuge
slows, I can make out head guild members with moving lips and hands waving
through the air, other bodies slowly materializing before them.
So many dead! So many resurrections! Through the noise I hear
a saddened announcement that my friend Deg’s spirit is shattering! A
strong sense of camaraderie grips me: there are so many of us here, all in the
same boat – it is no longer heroes versus novices, we are all here
together.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” and Alda’s spirit is handed to me.
Squire Rowan instructs to “Tell her a story to ease the
transition.”
“The wind rustles through your leaves, and a gentle
showering of rain falls upon you – cough
cough.”
Trying to mask my pain and sooth Alda,
I continue. “The sun comes out and sparkles off of your dewy leaves, and
your flowers come out in blossom...”
As Alda begins to materialize, I
recall her flute and ask “can anyone play some music?” Another
dryad begins humming, and the joy of observing Alda’s
pure and happy first thoughts helps me to allay my own pains.
Exiting from the Guild, I learn that over two dozen
adventurers had resurrected, that two souls were shattered, and that the duke
refused to be resurrected in Fairdale.
“I ran” says the hero Andros, “after all my
protectives were used.” Everyone’s life
spells were spent, and only resurrection was left for the fallen.
Walking outside into the field of death, with a
post-resurrection bewilderment, the sun shines over me for the first time in a
morose way. It’s a new life, atop a field of grey. Somewhere in the back
of my mind I hear muttering of “have you seen my shield…”
Taking in the field of corpses, I utter “What
happened?”
“I left my shield with…” and the rest was
lost as I, repulsed and speechless, make my way to the cabins: some still
considered the battle to be a great game. My friend Mouse shows me where all
the vanquished adventurers’ belongings were gathered after an honor
battle was re-offered and won; the trolls will not be back for a month.
Fortunately my valuables were not stolen.
I have learned many morals. Take charge! Use your spells
wisely, and practice in the face of adversity. This is not a game: when faced
with the options of fight or flight, always fight – and swiftly.
“We can all be heroes,” is now my motto.
“I’m not a fortune teller” Rodan the vansir said, “I
just read the bones.” Regardless, fortune telling is not a game.
Healer’s
Guild Report
On the past gathering, we had
close to thirty resurrections, as well as vile attacking evil doing many
horrible things to the Guild itself. Much of this detail I can not go into
beyond those directly hit with it. Many of us will have a lot of time pass
before we do not feel the pain inflicted by these vile creatures.
So, on Friday night of the up
coming gathering, I will be having a wake for Lokin.
I will be supplying food and drink. During this time I will be buying fudge
from those I am familiar with or are approved. I will be giving 5 potions to
the best tasting. I will be renting the Guild space from 10pm to 1 am for those
who wish a more private wake.
Due to my ill health, I will
be in the Guild most of the weekend again, so I will also extend the
refreshments to the Guild foyer. Please
forgive me for not being able to be out on the field assisting, and please
understand my circumstances.
Could those who had rough
April resurrections in the Guild, please see me if you can.
I am currently trying to
collect any and all information possible to stop the Stoneborn
from ever again walking this land again. Please, no matter how minor or
unconnected an incident may seem, come talk to me or give me in writing your experiences.
I have started a file/book of this in order have the knowledge as accessible as
possible. This collected information will be given out as the respectful Nobles
see fit.
If you are somewhat new to
adventuring to this area, please come to the Guild and see me. I will be making
a lot of potions, elixirs and gasses to help you out. If you are not traveling
with a group, please see me so I may help you out if in any way you may need
it. I always set aside Cure Lights and some protectives
for this purpose.
For the tournament, I always try to make at
least one improvement to the guild. This year I will have new seating in the
Guild in the barony and ducal colors. During the tournament, for those who have
been friendly with the Guild in the past, the guild will be open to you when
possible as a place where you can work on puzzles and such. The Guild is a
neutral party and I will keep all things tournament private within my walls.
Please keep in mind if you do
not sweat, you mouth seems extra dry, your head hurts or you seem light-headed
please re hydrate. If you have any of this or feel faint, get to some place
cool or the Healers Guild immediately. Dehydration is really bad for all. I
will keep ice in the window box seat under the window in the foyer for those
needing it. The metal scoop is so the ice stays clean for drinking as well.
Due to the activities going
on this upcoming event I will not be having Guild interviews nor will we be
having the Saturday morning meeting. I do hope all will enjoy the tournament.
Zaterina Nar Norik
Mage’s
Guild Report
Good people of Fairdale,
I wanted to let you know that I have resigned as Guildmaster of the Fairdale Mages’ Guild.
I sent a letter to the Royal Guildmistress and I wanted to share some of that letter with all of you so that you might know my reasons and a little bit about what I have learned over the past few years by serving in this position:
Over
the past few years I have struggled to create an organization in the
frontier town of Fairdale that would be worthy of days passed when I served in
the Ashbury Mages Guild. For a myriad of reasons (some of which are
plainly my own failures), these attempts have been unsuccessful. I have
experienced a wavering level of communication and support from the Royal Guild
itself throughout my tenure and have recently received threatening letters from
some of your members after months of non-contact on your organization’s
part which I find offensive and incendiary.
More
importantly than all of that though, I have recently discovered that I
have a child I did not know existed. This discovery has made me reexamine
my life’s path and my role with the Guild in Fairdale and abroad.
I
would like to close this chapter of my life on a note of scholarship
however, as that is how I initially began it in the first place. I have
come to the determination that under the current circumstances (population of
Fairdale, proximity to the contested lands, military presence, interest in the
arcane by the adventuring population and nobility, Guild funding, laws
regulating the celestial arts, etc.) the presence of a “Mages’
Guild” in Fairdale is unnecessary.
The
presence of a Greater
I
would suggest the designation of a “Circle Master” and an
apprentice or two for this individual who could be invested or spellcraft-invested into the circle as needed to serve the
Court during His Grace’s gatherings at Fairdale.
You
may take my advice or not as it suits you, but I thought it only fitting
that this be my final report as Guildmaster.
If
you have any questions regarding these or other matters, I shall be
partaking in the hospitality of His Excellency, Baron Ivan Drake in the estate
of Greystone in the Barony of Blythedale
until further notice, and can be reached by letter or messenger
there. Thank you for your time, and for the pleasure of serving as
an extension of your Guild.
May
the Stars forever guide you,
Archwizard
Nathan Westwind
Elemental
Warden of Icenia
Healing on the
Run: A Field Healer’s Guide (Part
two)
Life and Death Decisions
by Natalia Gallonovitch
There
is one unfortunate decision that every healer who engages in combat will almost
certainly face. At some point, you will have to decide who lives and who dies.
I mean that literally. One day, you will be out on the field of combat with one
life spell left, the last known life spell within reach of the battlefield, and
more than one dead body in front of you. Or, you can have a few life spells
left, but be in the middle of a grueling battle, with new dead bodies
constantly appearing. I mention this because it can be quite emotionally
jarring the first time it happens (it has happened to me several times).
If
you think that this means that being a healer will make you feel powerful,
because you get to decide who lives and who dies, think again. This is the most
powerless you will ever be. Most healers care about preserving life, often even
lives of people they hate, let alone people they consider allies. Knowing that
you cannot life someone who is dead is bad enough. Having to decide which dead
body to life and which to allow to dissipate, for a compassionate healer, can
be heart-wrenching.
Furthermore,
even someone who has a more limited field of interest (for instance, a team
healer that only considers himself responsible for his team or his friends), is
not free from the pressure of the situation. Unlike many other skills, some
people do not consider healing to be a skill solely in the possession of the
healer, to be used at the lone discretion of that healer. In situations such as
this one, many people will take personal offense to a healer that does not use
every life spell they have in memory, does not use them immediately, or does
not use them on the people they themselves would have chosen to heal or life.
You may face threats or persecution for your decisions, often from individuals,
and sometimes even from the laws of the land. Although most countries do not
require a healer to use their spells in certain ways, it is always advisable to
try to ascertain whether there are any situations in which you are required to
heal.
As
for the threats from individuals, or the anguish that comes from having to
watch bodies dissipate before your eyes, I offer this wisdom: it happens. That
is harsh, but it is true. No matter how powerful a healer you become, your
healing will always be finite, and sometimes threats will not be, or, at least,
will outlast your supply of healing. Use your best discretion on whom to heal,
and when. Some follow their heart, others a sense of strategy, but when you are
down to your last life spell, at the end of the day, it is your conscience that
must be clear. Just be wary and understanding of the victims of battle, both
living and dead.
Remember
that they have been victims that day, and may, understandably, lash out at
anything they can, even if it is the healer that did not save their loved one.
Those we use, and mostly those we do not
Disclaimer: In this article I intend to be critical of
the tactics used by some of our leaders when directing citizens in battle. I mean no disrespect to any of those leaders
in doing so, but only to point out how one observer would do things differently
if he were in charge. Also please note
that I personally claim no experience in leading people into battle; I speak
only from observation so there may be good and valid reasons why those leaders
are choosing to do as they do.
This
past moon in Trellheim, I witnessed several battles
between the folk and the forces commanded by the Duke. During these battles, I saw several
commanding officers attempt to lead our folk and observed the lack of several
simple tactics, which possibly could have assisted our victories.
Much
has been said of battlefield healing recently, including one well thought out
article in this very paper on how to be an effective one. In my opinion, all our battlefield healers
should be held in one or more reserve locations just outside the reach of the
enemy. They should be guarded by the
younger, less experienced warriors who are not yet ready for front line combat
and those otherwise not suited to being in the main line of battle. These warriors can also be used as runners
should more supplies be needed from the Healer’s Guild, or to pull bodies
from the field should that be needful.
Not only does this protect our greatest resource from the claws and blades
of our foes, but allows them to be an effective force multiplier getting our
fighters back on the line as quickly as possible. No more screaming for a healer on the field
so our enemies can see who they are and target them for elimination.
Finally,
when we are forced to fall back as occasionally happens with any fighting
force, we have a ready rally point where fresh warriors rising from the healing
pallets are prepared to support the retreat of all involved so that no one is
left behind on the field.
I
fully recognize that we are a disparate group. Some of us disdain military
discipline, some of us thrive on it, and still others have never known it. However, when we go into battle, we need to
follow one leader who makes the decisions for us all. We may have small units all working under
that one leader but no matter who we may be if we choose to go to battle we
should place ourselves under the banner of a person we respect and follow that
person’s order even when we do not agree with them.
This
past moon I even heard of a citizen being beaten to unconsciousness by a
battlefield commander when the citizen refused a direct order. This was within the commander’s
authority and under military discipline, was not an extreme punishment. While we are all individuals with rights
guaranteed by our nobility, but on the battlefield we are soldiers too and are
subject to the commands of those we choose to follow.
Also
this past moon I saw our leaders attempt a strong pincer attack on the enemy
forces facing us. We had a strong center battalion, and two slightly weaker
flanking units. This was an excellent
idea and a strong military position if it had been coordinated properly. As it was, the central battalion moved out
before the right flankers had even formed up completely and one squad was
jumping back and forth between the central and right flanker units. In addition the flanking units, having a
longer distance to travel, should have moved out first while the central unit
held its ground. These problems are
unfortunately laid at the feet of our battlefield commander who failed to
understand these points, or failed to appoint sub-unit commanders who
understood the plan and how to accomplish it to the detriment of our foes. Coordination between units is difficult even
among the elite of the military, however even a small militia battalion such as
ours should be able to manage this sort of thing.
Finally,
I witnessed an action this past moon where our enemies sought honor combat to
resolve the fight without major bloodshed.
Our leaders stopped the fight to parley and then after only cursory
negotiations ordered a resumption of the battle with out entire unit charging
the enemy without even allowing the enemy commander a chance to return to his
soldiers. I again claim no extensive
knowledge of chivalry or the codes to which our nobles adhere but this seemed
to me a breech of military etiquette at the very least and a question of
chivalric intent that should be spoken of amongst our nobility should they
choose to do so.
In
conclusion, my intent in this article is to illuminate areas where even a
novice tactician can see room for improvement.
I sincerely hope that those men and women that we have leading us into
battle actively consider ways to make the survival of our citizenry the higher
goal, and not just the glory of victory which attaches to a successful
commander.
Anonymous
A View on the
Code
by Grim
I
found myself in a discussion with a friend of mine recently. She has no
knowledge of the world most of us grew up in where the Code of Chivalry was known
and a common thing. It was odd for her to in that she couldn’t see a
reason or need for such a thing. I think sometimes those of us who try and
follow the path the Code sets before us encounter these situations.
Below
is an explanation as I see it of the Code as well as some reasons we do what we
do. I figured with the war waging and allies coming in through the mists or
awakening to join the fight, this may be handy.
Again
these are my views and explanations I have learned. Some I was taught by others
and in some cases they are my own invention. Yours may differ.
Why do we kneel before a noble? What makes them special?
To
explain this let me explain my view on what having a noble title means. We may
call them duke, knight, baron etc. What
those brave few truly are are defenders, protectors
-- the highest and most self sacrificial position anyone can aspire to. It is
that person whom has the burden of making the final decision in the defense and
protection of the people of the lands they serve. It is the noble whom bears
the brunt of what it is to be a symbol of the land they represent.
Think
on that a moment.
Those
who wear the belts and bear the crown have risen from ranks of heroes. They
have put themselves on the line and have defended the people again and again.
They have paved the way for our freedoms with their own blood and anguish. The
act of squiring itself is one of giving up who you were to begin becoming an
ideal. Becoming what the land needs, what the people need.
In
the end, that is how the landbond is earned, not
given. I believe the land feels the needs of the people. The earth itself feels
who would embody the protector and one who can resolve the needs of the people.
It then allows them its gift to use to be that lands champion. I feel
there’s symbiosis between the two and what happens to one affects the
other.
It
is this reason I feel we take a knee when we see such a defender. Not to say
“you are greater than I,” but instead to say “we are
one.” That person will die for you. They will sacrifice themself, all they have and all they ever would be. Not for
profit my friends, nor for ego. But because they love the people of the land to
which they have sworn fealty and it is the role they have been chosen to
undertake.
People
still may complain about bending a knee. Honestly I think it’s because
they are ignorant of what’s done for them without anything expected in
return. I have has the chance to stand and fight with these heroes. Bending a
knee and showing my respect for their sacrifice is the least I can do.
Why does there need to be a Code?
This
was asked of me and for a time I struggled with it. Below is the most genuine
way I have to explain it.
The
Code makes sense. Different races have their customs and standards. Different
worlds through the mists have their own ways of doing things. Languages, the
way we judge time, even the way we feel and or channel magic are different. If
I were to blow out the candles, have us all point north and then light them
again, every damn person in the room will point a different way. Now if I said
Hey… I’m north and did the same thing... We’d all be the
pointing the same way.
The
code stands as common irrefutable laws of decency. They are the ethos of
civilized life. All good races understand and agree that these simple eight
tenets are what is for the common good of all people. They are to some common
sense. To others they are guidelines of how to bring about change. To everyone
reading this they have become the pillars of the safeties we enjoy and the laws
by which those who represent and defend us govern themselves to better serve
the masses.
So
why does there need to be a Code? It gives us all common direction.
If
you haven’t yet seen it in full. Below are the tenets. You will have your
own way to view it. I hope ya find the meaning in it
I do.
1. Thou Shalt Respect
the Weak and Thou Shalt Constitute Thyself the
Defender of Them
2. Thou Shalt Love the
Country to which Thou hath Sworn Fealty
3. Thou Shalt Not
Recoil Before Thine Enemy
4. Thou Shalt Make War
Against Evil Without Cessation
5. Thou Shalt
Scrupulously Perform Thy Noble Duties Be They Not Contrary to the Laws of the
Land
6. Thou Shalt Never
Lie and Thou Shalt Remain Faithful to Thy Word
7. Thou Shalt be
Generous and Thou Shalt Give Freely to Others
8. Thou Shalt Be
Everywhere and Always the Champion of the Right and the Good Against Injustice and
evil
Review
The
Black Stag Pub and Eatery
Nestled atop a hill in
the little town of
Ambiance: The
The place itself is
cleaner then most. The heraldry, the laughter, heck, even the occasional raids
by rampaging monsters give the place a warm and comfortable feel for the
traveling adventurer. Music often echoes
through the pub, either from some leafy dryad type or various drinking songs.
It helps get your mind off your day’s woes.
Entertainment: Just
sitting around this place you get exposed to damn near every citizen race there
is and with regular visits from nobles of the land, it’s good for the new
hero type that wants to make an impression and get some face time while yer drinkin’ yer brew. Wandering merchants are common, the
squire’s meeting is held most Saturdays, occasional battles break out,
and you can even gamble a bit with the hobling
bartender.
The
brew: Ok so here’s the damn important part. Aside from a
price increase due to the war effort (drinks were half a silver recently...
HALF A SILVER!) the selection was great. The best part is the bartender. In all
my time of adventurin’, I haven’t come
across a more charismatic, organized, and brew slinginer
fella ever. He brings a line of his own dwarven ales and keep upbeat conversation as well as
listens raptly to a weary warrior’s stories. This fella
alone is worth yer time and a hefty tip!
The
bill of fare (food): I was lucky to visit at a point where the Britington Irregulars had staffed and funded meals for the
masses. I dined on Cheese coated macaroni with dribblin’s
of meaty nuggetry spattered across the dish. They had
a mess of greens and salady stuff to help ya pass the other bits which tasted fresh and was clean.
Damn good food. These folks bust their humps and with Amaranthus
at their help they are put hard ta task so tip
‘em and donate well and give ‘em a hearty thanks for me.
All in all the place is
clean and relatively safe for the traveling adventurer. If ya
can’t afford a private room get there early for yer
bunk and get to know yer neighbors. Remember friends
are more valuable then loot and this place abounds in opportunities to make
them. Best of luck in yer struggles.
Grim
Blacksmithing
for Dummies
Recently
I have folks asking me about smithing. They ask about
how it’s done and what ya need to learn so
here’s roughly ten short steps of how it works and crap.
1.
To begin … Get a forge, an anvil, some bellows, tongs, and a heat-treated
hammer. All available at yer local blacksmith for a
realistic price. I would guess a forge will run ya
about ten gold.
2.
Get some good dry wood and start burning it down to the coals. Ya want the embers a bright white-yellow color. Have a
steady supply of logs nearby pre-chopped cause yer gunna need to maintain that heat. This is a good job to
start off yer future apprentices at.
3.
When ya use yer hammer
it’s not about how hard ya hit the metal.
It’s about how you hit it.
Precision and control, folks. That’s what helps ya
shape the iron or steel to what it needs to be.
4.
Yer spike and chisel make your gauges and cuts in the
iron yer stamps make yer
marks.
5.
You fold the steel or iron on the horn of the anvil. That’s the pointy
tip part. The big flat of the anvil is, well, where ya
flatten stuff.
6.
When ya head the metal you have to be damn quick! You
only got less then a minute to work a piece and set it in yer
water to cool and harden it or reheat that bit and shape it. Oh yeah …
HAVE A BUCKET OF WATER ... I use a special trough.
7.
Get yerself a good metal rack for hanging your
weapons and either become a good tanner or get to know one. A good sheath protects yer
blades and good leather wraps on yer handles help
with their control.
8.
Blacksmiths don’t just make weapons! We make horseshoes and nails, plows,
hinges even. Good ones can make cores
for inside wands and crap.
9.
Even though smiths are known for their martial production ... remember you are
a creator. You make works of art with purpose. You enable people to have a life
with less effort. You add to the world. Don’t be obsessed with things that
take away.
10.
Clean and maintain your tools and forge. You don’t treat your implements
well, you will do a crap job. An artist cleans their brushes, you need to clean
yer hammer, polish yer
anvil, clean out yer coals, etc.
By
no means does this mean yer ready to begin making
legendary artifacts … but these are some basics and hope they may help.
Grim
Letters and
Missives
Friends, Adventurers, and allies,
Thank you all for your efforts and deeds this past
gathering. Your valor and will to fight is most appreciated and has not gone
unnoticed. I know there were more than twenty resurrections during our final
defense and sadly I know there were two permanent deaths. Let us take a moment
to recognize these two fallen heroes.
I do not pretend to know them as much as most
others, but let us take a moment to give thanks, appreciation and honor to Deg
and Loken. Not only for their final sacrifice this
past gathering but for all their efforts and aid to Ashbury over their time
traveling here. My heart is heavy with sadness and condolences to their family,
friends, and team/court members. Hail the Glorious Dead, glory and honor to
these two fallen champions who met death with weapon in hand and in the defense
of the people and
For those who spirits were shaken and weakened,
those who resurrected: My thanks, apologies, and utmost respect and
appreciation is no less to you all as well. Your heroic actions are not lost
and will be remembered always. I, like many others, am deeply saddened by your
sacrifice and you have much thanks and support. Also, if any of you who have
items, belonging, or coin missing perhaps, please seek me out and I will gladly
compensate you. If your armor has been destroyed, gas globes lost, or weapons
broken, please seek me out so we can get you re-outfitted and re-armored.
I know this gathering was tough for many, and our
final defensive stand put our valor and tenacity to the utmost test. There was
darkness over our heads. Perhaps those dark clouds still remain. Perhaps some
could say we even lost ... But Ho ho what? Fear not,
for not even the darkest of skies can block out the sun for too long. The light
of hope and victory will fight its way through those clouds.
We will rise up once again. It is easy to be angry,
to perhaps want to give up, or even give into despair at this time. But in the
face of all these hardships, we gained some manner of victory as well. We know
our enemy more now; we know they have a formidable archery line; we know what
“Sibling” troll “won” per se and is now the leader of
the trolls. We know they have limited healing for them and their people, we
know how they came to be of this “newer” troll, with some superior
hive mind.
We also know they are capable of some means of
mercy, as well as some means of honor. We will measure this honor and see if
they hold up to the terms to not attacking for one moon after their champion
lost the honor combat. We have knowledge of our enemy to learn from; let us
make better preparations and let us be ready for them next time they show their
faces.
Again, thank you all for your deeds and efforts. Let
the deaths of our allies and friends burn in our heart as new weapons next we
meet our enemies. Let us raise our swords and bring vengeance upon our enemies.
And do not forget what you saw that day: the sacrifices, the sadness …
but also the heroic actions of so many; The willpower to keep fighting, and
keep pressing the attack; So many people, from so many places, coming together
to fight as one in the defense of Ashbury and its people.
It was a privilege and honor to witness and take
part in such a thing.
In closing, I am greatly saddened and sorry for so
many resurrections. I am saddened and sorry for the permanent loss of Deg and Loken. And I am deeply saddened in the end more could not
have been saved.
But sorrow must be faced head on and we must regather ourselves and find that inner strength to move
forward. We must fight on my friends, and we will do so together. I thank those
who stood beside me this gatherings, followed me and also those who put their
faith and inspiration in me in the end, It was my honor. I look forward to
standing shoulder to shoulder with you all soon.
Squire, Commander Ithica
…
Galanthians, The Time Is Now!
To
the good and righteous people of Galanthia, your time
has come! It is time to throw off your yolk of oppression and take arms against
those who have terrorized you long enough! This paper has made its way to you
by prophet and providence, you must act, lest you be devoured by the true
threat to your lands, the vampire menace. For years you have been under the
heel of oppression by the vampire hierarchy, but now, now is the moment to rise up against those who would use you as
chattel, as food.
It
is not your neighbors in Icenia who have led you to
war; it is not they who have infected you with this horrible red madness that
has infected your lands. It is those who pose as your leaders who have let this
happen, and they must pay. Nay my friends, all you have been told are lies! Icenia cured the red madness, but as we believe, your
vampire would-be masters have taken their mad experiments too far and now you
the mortal, not them, are suffering the effects.
Run!
Leave your fields, leave your workshops, do not pretend that the bloodsuckers
will help you, nor will they care to try to save you if you become infected.
Not
so long ago, Icenia and Galanthia
were allies, and we both thrived from such a bond. Now, there can be no peace
when undead, necro filth, dare to call you their
followers. Show your faith in the earth, in the way things were before your
oppression started, back when true
prophets ruled your lands, and not the bloodworm that now holds power.
Rise
my friends, rise! Take arms against all those who befoul the earth with their
presence.
I
earnestly implore you to leave your lands and make all due haste to any safe
refuge that you may find. Turn to your living and loving brothers across the
water and swear away any oaths you have made to your undead lords. Give
yourself and your family openly to Icenian military
forces, and they shall honor you and move you to safety. You are a brave and
great people, and you shall once again in time have your kingdom back to how it
should be, and when that happens you shall be celebrated while returning as
victors back into your homeland, once we rid it of corruption.
Our
Code of Chivalry says to defend the weak and constitute thyself the defender of
them. Though you are not weak, we shall still take to your defense, all you
need to do is come and accept our help. Leave those who would feed on you for
those who would feed you.
The
great filth, the great liar and deceiver Lochaber,
thrice curse his name, has committed the greatest crimes against you and your
family. Do not stand for it any longer! REVOLUTION IS NOW! Honor your caste,
honor your family and kingdom, honor yourself, RISE UP! Be it by sword, be it
by spell, be it simply by not contributing and acting like the slaves he sees
you as, RISE and take back your home.
As a great noble human of
our lands, David George has said, “They think we cannot beat them. It
will not be easy. It will be a long job; it will be a terrible war; but in the
end we shall march through terror to triumph.” Take his wisdom onto
yourself, march with us, not against us, and together we shall take back the
lands of Galanthia and restore all that has been
lost.
DOWN WITH THE BLOODSUCKERS,
DOWN WITH LOCHABER, DOWN WITH MORGANA, DOWN WITH ALL WHO FORSAKE THE EARTH AND
ITS PEOPLE! GALANTHIANS, RISE AND BECOME ONE WITH THE LIGHT OF TRUTH!!!
Your caring friends, and
honored defenders
The
people of Icenia
…
We
receive a lot of strange posts here at the Times. Most of it is suitable only
for firelighters: deranged rantings, out-of-place
diatribes, and “prophecies” from drunken dolts. The following, at
first, nearly made it into that pile... until we heard of the author’s
tragic passing. The following letter is reprinted in its entirety, as received
on our doorstep.
Jones Tull
Assistant
Editor
To my good friends,
If this has made it to
the Ashbury Times then it’s
more than safe to assume that I’ve fallen in combat. I’ve written
this on the eve that I’m to accompany the Vanguard into Trellheim. It’s by far a noble effort and great
things will come from helping these people get back on their feet and under the
firm rule of Iceania once more. Feel no sorrow over
my death for I’m sure I died with sword in hand helping those who could
not help themselves. Still though, the circumstances of my death are unimportant
and as time goes on I’m sure I'll be expanding this list to incorporate
those I meet, and removing those who pass before I into the Hero’s Final
Slumber.
To my good friend Marcusagrim Anvilstrike:
You know it’s serious
when I need to call you by your full name. But here it is. I’m taking the
long resurrection story that doesn’t end trip. I guess it wasn’t a
good idea to follow you guys into Trellheim after
all. Just kidding. Wouldn’t have done it any other way. I’m glad
you and I got to fight side by side and I lament the fact that I will not be
there to put a longsword into Irongob’s
stomach along side of you. I know you have large things in store for you,
it’s just how you are. You’ll not settle for anything small, nor
should you. You’re the tallest standing dwarf that I know and a credit to
your entire race. Continue to show evil that it has no place in our world.
To my newest friend, Kantil:
We’ve not had long
together but from what I’ve seen you’ve become an integral part of
our group. I’d not have a better person to stand next to me in Kosmara, Ashbury, or any other land we might travel to.
You’re a loyal and honorable man, and I feel sorrow for anything you beat
upon with those hammers of yours. Swing hard and swing true and no enemy will
be able to withstand your fury. Tell Nearden what
happened and inform him that I voted for him for Steward. I’m sure
he’ll make a great leader. Let the folks in Kupspar
know that I’m sorry I won’t be there to help defend them anymore.
To Lady Zatarina:
I'm sorry ma’am.
You’ll have to excuse me from the next few Healer’s Guilds
meetings. I don’t think I’ll be able to attend them anymore, but in
my stead I’m sure Kantil will be able to carry
forward in my duties. You’ve shown me what it is to be of our kind. It
wasn’t something that in my young years I took all too seriously. I have
you to thank for showing me that our duty toward the greater good of all makes
us some of the most stalwart defenders and heroes of the land.
To my mentor, ally, and
boss:
Hell, it wasn’t
that long ago we first met and I needed a job in the tavern. We’ve gone
on countless adventures together and the past few years have been without a
doubt more than all my previous decades combined. You welcomed me as if I were
family and we helped make Flaming Balls. You taught me what it was to be an
adventurer in all its forms and taught me how swing harder and cast smarter and
be an overall better healer than from when I first arrived. I’m saddened
I wont be there when we get our own homestead. But know that in life I was a
Flaming Ball, and in death I’ll not be anything less than that. Stay
forever joyful, and don’t let Landaria out.
Dear ancestors, keep that stick in the mud hidden for all time.
I’m going to stop
the letter here ... I’ve got quite a long ride ahead of me into the
contested areas. I’m supposed to be assisting in the development of
defenses. We’ll see how it goes. If I make it back I’m sure to add
a few more folks to this list ... if not, then understand that so many people
have touched upon my life that it would be quite the long missive to
incorporate all of you and I beg your forgiveness.
A Little Birdie
Told Me
By Sue D’Onym
Hello,
drearies. Have
you missed me? Well, I can only remind
you that without your missives giving me The News They Don’t Want You To
Know, there’s little I can do.
Fortunately, a few little birdies did report some interesting activity
recently:
Sir
Ulthoc has been named Regent of Nordenn. Such a same, we’ll miss printing gossip
about him ... It seems the title of Regent or Baron of Nordenn
comes with a short and tragic expiration date. Just ask Morgassander, Glorianna,
and Harrison ... even Duke
Frost himself was only Regent of Nordenn
for a year.
The Court of Blythedale seems to have some problems lately. Their
numbers keep diminishing. Laguna was seen recently sporting some
nice “Nordenn colored” armor, and rumor
has it that Grim even turned down a squireship!
Baron
Ivan, however, was more concerned with scolding Qualin for
“public displays of affection.” Qualin
quickly reminded Ivan that the baron was once caught frolicking with his
betrothed in the Healer’s Guild, to which the embarrassed baron had no
response. Qualin
spent his time trying to kill another adventurer during that final battle. I’m sure he was simply berserked… right?
Squire Trevor has occasionally been at odds with adventurers, but last
month was the first time he actively
tried to kill them. Sure, His Grace was out
of his mind at the moment, but you have to kind of wonder if Squire Trevor
hadn’t secretly waited years for that order.
Trevor, meanwhile, got into
quite a public row with Sir Ignatious over the Tournament. Their squalling caught the
attention of the Paladin Sir Eros
who told them both to shut the hell up, although perhaps not in those words.
Sir Eros decided to appoint a
Magistrate solely for Dara’s Grace, which
previously did not have a specific Magistrate because it was so sparsely
populated. Given the adventurers who
frequent there, he decided it was time.
And this new Magistrate Osbern was plenty busy!
The
Meanwhile, I heard that some
adventurers were attacked by Varishik and a group of feral trolls. These trolls could do
anything from absorb magic cast at them to breathe fire – and this was
not even a week after the One Moon Armistice.
Is she trying to reignite the war?
Well, that’s all for
this month. Be sure to keep those cards
and letters coming and remember – If you can’t say something nice
about someone, come sit by me.
Public Notices
WILL TRADE HAPPINESS for a
copper and a hug. - Cavort
YOU
HAVE BEEN A BUSY LITTLE BEAVER and we have seen the results of several of your
plans. Yet we do not recoil. You continue makes plans and we see this. Many of
have willingly laid down our lives for lesser causes. Yet we stand tall. Greater schemes and
plots have failed and trying to remain hidden in the shadows is valiant but
never successful. Can feel your breathing near. Those that you have turned to
your side and aid you will face justice. Your attacks strengthen our resolve.
We stand as one. - Anonymous
ELDEST UNCLE: Before you go back into the
heart of nothing, please contact me. I’m sure you can divine my name in
this place, as you know it, at least in part
ANNA RAINWILLOW consented to be Qualinthalus Brightoak’s wife, again, for another year in the Amani tradition of hand fasting.
MIERTHOLAS: The vision ritual
will be cast when clearer heads can provide some insight, perhaps next
month. Keep fighting and remember that the darkness we all feel is NOT
the will of the
FRIENDS AND ALLIES: I humby request
information on the Stoneborn, from names to the
details of discussions you have had with them;
their weaknesses and strengths, behaviors, odd powers or beliefs. With this, we will get a clearer picture.
– Marcusagrim Anvilstrike
DEFEND
ON THE BATTLEFIELD, AND IN TRIALS OF THE INNOCENT. The people of Dara’s
Grace need barristers like you. Petition to join the Solicitor’s Guild
Fairdale chapter. Wages paid for service; seek Sir Ignacious
or Sheriff Izer to apply.
A Request from
the Editor
Good Gentlepeoples
of Ashbury:
Over the last few years, my sources of news and information of and within the Adventuring Community has fallen sadly slight. To this end, I must use a sizeable portion of my personal holdings to attempt to get better news!
Running through all issues of 612, I will be accepting submissions en masse from the general populace. Each issue, the article judged as “best” by myself and my staff will win a prize of five gold coins. At the end of the year, the writer of the “best article” from the entire year will win a vial of the Warmth of Fortannis, the Catalyst for the Regeneration Ritual! So, if you and your friends are looking for one, here’s an easy way to get one! Or, if you’re not, they sell really well -- trust me, this thing’s expensive!
What makes an article “best,” you ask? Well, I’ll tell you! It has to be engaging, something people will want to read. It has to attempt to be unbiased in view, and it must be factual -- any articles later discovered during the year to be untrue will immediately be discounted from the final prize.
If you wish to have your
article posted anonymously, then please inform me of this in the heading of
your article, and I’ll see to it that it is done.
Good luck to you all, and happy writing!
Eric
Wolcott, Editor in Chief