The Ashbury Times

September 613

“All The News That Fits, We Print”

 

Duke Nevin Starts a Civil War?

 

With one simple act, the knighting of Count Ulthoc Crownsmith, Duke Nevin declared, in no uncertain terms, that he and duchy of Ashbury would not be bound by the edicts of the council of royal paladins known as the Ordo Aurum, stewards of throne of Icenia.  With another simple act, a stern and threatening dream that resonated across the lands of Ashbury, Grand Paladin Rose Brewer responded to that act by all but declaring war on the duchy of Ashbury.

The implications are staggering and the details frustratingly convoluted.  This all began approximately a year ago when an ailing Duke Frost never fully recovered from his ordeal with the mental domination of the Stoneborn trolls.  King Broomis appointed Nevin Kendrick as the regent for the duchy and he was raised to Duke after the King’s death.  And as the strife of war ravaged the country, the council of royal paladins collectively took regency for the kingdom.

Then in the summer of 613, Baron Ulthoc took part in a plan to free a fae princess and hundreds of other trapped souls from a cursed mirror.  The plan required working in concert with a Galanthian general that had turned himself into a vampire some 600 years ago.  For these actions the paladins of the Ordo Aurum decreed that Ulthoc had broken the Code of Chivalry and punished him by stripping him of his title and knighthood.

This decision caused much debate.  After much rancor in the dream realms, Amaranthus Landcharmer challenged Royal Paladin Tyler Balloch to a duel to the resurrection for his slight against the citizens of Eire.  On the Saturday morning of the Festival of the Blades, Sir Balloch took up that gauntlet.  The battle was truly one of titans and words cannot adequately describe the powerful blows or incredible skill that followed.  Though seemingly outmatched by a better trained foe, Amaranthus eventually struck down the royal paladin.

Rather than immediately take his life, Amaranthus healed him and lectured him about the bravery and honor of the men and women he had belittled.  Despite the terms of the duel calling for resurrection, Amaranthus delayed the penalty, requesting the paladin humble himself and publicly apologize to all he had slandered.

Before he could make his decision, Duke Nevin stepped forward, stating there was something the paladin must witness.   He called Ulthoc Crownsmith before him, and bade him kneel.  He proceeded to knight Ulthoc, and then raised him to the rank of Count, granting him authority over both the baronies of Nordenn and Corrheim.  This action, of course, cut Ashbury’s ties with Cil Cilurion. A paladin of Evorra who was present immediately claimed that he would follow the rightful heir to Icenia’s throne, pledging Evorra would stand with Ashbury.

His Grace then returned the stage to Amaranthus who once again renewed his offer to the paladin.  Sir Balloch refused and Amaranthus took his life in a single blow.  Most everyone watching was overjoyed by both the defeat of the royal paladin and the raising of Count Ulthoc, though at least one present seemed not to be.  Qualin of House Nemesis resigned his position as Ducal Jester shortly after the Duke made his announcement.

But despite what it may seem like, this is more than a dispute over the actions of a single noble and yet that dispute is also the core of the escalation in actions.  And both sides have legitimate grievances in this situation.

To start, the Ordo Aurum, by dictate of law and tradition, had the authority to strip Baron Ulthoc of his title.  Per the treatise written by Quentin Dunbury, renowned legal scholar, paladins act as a judicial body in deciding cases where a noble has been accused.  Furthermore, they have power over Barons only when investigating or holding a trial of that Baron.  Baron Ulthoc quite publicly presented evidence against his self and turned himself over to the paladins for their judgment.  Thus, they had the full force of the law behind them to accuse him, try him, find him guilty, and sentence him.  Exactly what crime he was found guilty of was not made clear in the statement made by Royal Paladin Brewer, but poorly communicating a decision does not make it a wrong or illegal decision.  And, since it also the duty of the paladins to judge whether a person is qualified for knighthood, Duke Nevin Kendrick’s knighting of Ulthoc after the punishment was in violation of the law.

But that is only one part of the dispute and only explains the rancor of the Ordo Aurum.  The other part of the dispute is regency of the Ordo Aurum.  Again paraphrasing Quentin Dunbury, a paladin has no power outside of the duties of acting as a judicial body in deciding cases where a noble has been accused and testing squires for their advancement to knighthood.  Paladins are merely knights beyond that.  Declaring regency of the throne is tantamount to usurping the throne and nobles from both Ashbury and Evorra have essentially said as much.

This is made murkier because the kingdom currently has no means of determining the next king or queen.  His Grace is oft to point out that he is the rightful heir of King Broomis, but royal succession in Icenia has never been based on lineage.  In times past, the king or queen has been chosen by the Mons Regalis.  Only now that the Mons Regalis is no more, that option no longer exists and Icenia is without a legitimate method, by law, of choosing a person to sit upon the throne.

Even if the issue of Ulthoc had never arisen, this power struggle would almost certainly have come to a forefront sooner rather than later, because the underlying issue behind this issue isn’t one of authority, but of philosophy.  Both the Ordo Aurum and the leaders of Ashbury are seeking to hold the kingdom of Icenia together.  The Ordo believes that with so many great forces hitting our kingdom at the same time, only by hunkering down and saving what we can do we have any chance of survival.  The leadership of Ashbury believes we must strike our foes with everything we have, for if they are not defeated, all will fall.  Both sides in the dispute act upon their philosophy and the rift in strategies weakens both strategies.

Fancy words aside, what this all means is that in short order good men and women from Icenia will like take the field of battle against other good men and women from Icenia, furthering weakening our forces while we continue to fend off numerous foreign threats.

 


Corruption at the Festival of Blades

 

Blythedale recently was honored to have Duke Nevin and the adventurers of Ashbury present at its Festival of Blades, but trouble hid behind the scenes.

Prior to the start of the Festival, the town of Two Towers had been kept orderly by the mercenary group known as The Forderick's Fists, led by Claude La Roche. They had been hired by Ternis to maintain the safety and civility of the city, and to keep all signs of the war as far from visibility as possible. When Beatrice began to organize the Festival of Blades, Ternis extended the contract with the Fists to include peacekeeping during the Festival itself.

Shortly after the court of Blythedale arrived to herald the start of the Festival, Ternis was assaulted by a refugee in the tavern, claiming that they were seeking what was owed to them. Two guards of the Fists took charge of the refugee, ostensibly to bring him to the Two Towers jail. High Guard Red wanted a word with the refugee before he was escorted away, but the two Fists members blatantly ignored her authority, one telling her that he didn't care who she was while the other took the refugee.

This earned Claude a stern lecture by Garathon and Ivan, after which Claude took Red, Khorwyn, Ithica, and diverse others to speak with the criminal, as well as other presently imprisoned refugees. Arriving at the prison, however, Claude found that that refugee that had been sent earlier in the evening hadn't actually made it, and the lieutenant on duty hadn't seen the guard who had taken him.

Shortly after, Ivan was assaulted by the refugees throwing rocks and claiming he made promises to them that he hadn't fulfilled. These refugees were apparently ignorant of nobility, unable to recognize any but those dressed in blue and white. After receiving food and coin, the rabble was eventually mollified, though not before leading the Baron to wonder what had come of the aid that had been sent to Blythedale.

At that point, Garathon really wanted words with the refugee who had assaulted Ternis, and sent Khorwyn, Claude and Ithica to track Dasha, the missing guardswoman. Following her tracks led them away from town proper, to a barn that even Claude, highly familiar with the area, did not recognize.  In the basement of the barn the assembled adventurers had found several people wearing the colors of the Fists prepared for combat. Leading this group was the lieutenant who had been on duty earlier that evening.  Claude ordered him and his men to stand down, but they blatantly refused.  Khorwyn informed them of the legal ramifications of their choices, but they still refused, even when Claude gave them a second chance.  They were given no more chances as Claude and the adventurers took down the mutinous guards, though the lieutenant was captured for further questioning.  The adventurers also discovered the missing refugee, caged and alive, in a cell in the basement.  Unfortunately, interrogation of the two proved mostly fruitless.

Saturday morning, before any of the events of the festival began, Sir Garathon, Baron Ivan, Khorwyn and Red spoke with Claude about their suspicions that Ternis is serving some higher, less pleasant patron, and offered to buy out his contract. In addition, Red decided to supplement the forces of the Fist with soldiers from Greystone Keep.  This decision proved particularly wise when Claude discovered another half dozen had disappeared over the night.  And three hours after that, it was discovered that the prison was entirely empty of both guards and prisoners, with the only clue to this disappearance being a note that read “Get the amulet.”  Oddly, Red identified the writing on the note as belonging to her mother.

Despite considerable organization efforts by Beatrice, the festivities were rather lackluster and some were tainted by questions of bias.  In particular, the duels seemed to be rigged to help Blythedale members win and Nathan actually changed the rules of the wand duel in the middle of a duel during which Ithaca was beating him.  Outside forces didn’t help either as almost nobody actually witnessed Vox win the archery contest due to an attack by the Jade Skeleton’s forces.

Matters got worse for the beleaguered festival when both Ternis and Beatrice were revealed to be double agents.  Ternis was, in actuality, working for Tranquis and was transformed into something similar to a death elemental sometime on Sunday.  Beatrice was in truth a necromancer and seemingly a pawn for the Jade Skeleton.  Between these two and the defection of nearly the entirety of the Fists, Two Towers was nearly bereft of leadership and manpower by the end of the Festival.

Baron Ivan and Sir Garathon have made promises of safety, food, and supplies for the many refugees in the area, but trust is currently at a low for many in the barony.

 


Khorwyn’s Amulet Draws Unwanted Attention

 

At around noon of the second day of the Festival of Blades, Claude of the Foderick’s Fists discovered the prisons were entirely empty and the only hint as to why was a note with the words “Find the amulet” written on it, in the handwriting of Red’s mother.  Nobody understood the meaning of this note until hours later when the death elemental lord Tranquis interrupted the feast.  He demanded the amulet and set his force of Marwolaeth to find it.  The Jade Skeleton watched as the adventurers defeated his forces and then declared that he also wanted the amulet.  His interest was a little more personal to the Barony of Blythedale, though, as he revealed that he was holding Garathon’s son and Red’s mother hostage and would trade them for the amulet.

It was about this time that Khorwyn revealed that he knew what amulet these two powerful foes were speaking of and that he possessed it and had for years.  Since the amulet was clearly very important, Rowen of Blythedale attempted to use ritual magic to determine more about the amulet.  That attempt was not particularly successful, but information came when Khorwyn and Rowen were rifted to Jotunheim.

There they met a dragon of storms named Wyngarior.  Wyngarior explained that he was the creator of the amulet and that Tranquis sought it in order to become the Icon of Death, though he never clearly explained how the amulet would assist in this endeavor.  Even though he possessed vital information, the dragon did not part with it easily or for free.  He had his own agenda and only agreed to assist his visitors against Tranquis if they agreed to acquire a tail feather of the Phoenix, the Icon of Fire.

With few options available, Count Ulthoc took a small party to the plane of fire, to meet with the Phoenix.   While he was sympathetic to their cause, he had his own problems and was unwilling to provide his tail, which held the majority of his power.  Instead he offered to send assistance in the form of a fire elemental knight if the adventurers agreed to perform some tasks for him.  Eventually he banished everyone back to the prime plane, though for some reason Count Ulthoc appeared in Jotunheim rather than in Two Towers.

Tranquis continued to send larger and larger armies in order to take control of the amulet.  Eventually Blythedale resorted to trickery by pretending Khorwyn was in the Blythedale cabin when in fact he was hidden at another location.  None of Tranquis’ forces were able to apprehend Khorwyn and the amulet was kept safe throughout the night.

The next day Jotuns attacked the town, also seeking the amulet, almost certainly at the command of Wyngarior.  They were beaten back rather easily, but made clear that Wyngarior was certainly not an ally.  Luckily, one foe did give up his search for the amulet.  For some inexplicable reason, the Jade Skeleton showed an odd change of heart and voluntarily released his two captives, without any ransom.

Tranquis attacked one last time in the early afternoon and it proved to truly be his final attack.  Bringing forth the largest army yet, he rained death upon the defenders of the Two Towers.  The battle was brutal, but the assembled Ashbans, supported by a fire elemental knight and two life elementals, eventually gained the upper hand.  The only flaw was a little bit of miscommunication that caused Cedric to close the portal before Tranquis was returned to his plane.  This forced Joshua, who had imprisoned the death elemental lord to travel with Tranquis to the plane of death, where he delivered a fatal blow to his captured foe.  Slain on his home plane, Tranquis was destroyed permanently.  Hopefully this will strip away the powers of the Marwolaeth and end their scourge permanently.

 


Feast Brings Unexpected Excitement

 

Unlike ducal balls of previous years, the feast was not a formal affair, though that didn’t stop most of the guests from wearing their finest attire and bringing the most expensive and exotic of food, drinks, and gifts.  Many stood out in their finery, though probably none more so than Aikitza from the land of Barran in a magnificent white fur ensemble that took the breath away of many of the guests, both male and female alike.

All of the nobility present at the Festival attended as did the Prince of Imladar and the Duke of Evorra.  There was a mountainous amount of food and drink that clearly was quite expensive.  Even the most modest of adventurers dressed up for the occasion, despite no mandate to do so.

The night wasn’t entirely without incident, though.  While the food was magnificent, even from the start the mood was oddly somber, rather than festive.  There was music, but very little dancing and a few commented on the obviously large amount of money spent on this endeavor while people were starving and dying nearby.  Additionally, the Duke of Evorra rather publicly took Duke Nevin to task for his decision to flout the authority of Cil Cilurion earlier that day, without giving him any warning.

Not all was strife, though.  Baron Ivan and his long time fiancée Sryah were wed in a rather quick and surprisingly non dramatic ceremony presided over by Paladin Eros.  Also, Garathon presented Red with the belt of a squire for the many acts of chivalry she has shown over the past few years.

Unfortunately, the feast came to an early end when two different evil beings rifted into the Two Towers.  First the Jade Skeleton appeared.  Escorted by one of his living followers he presented flowers to a surprised Sevaria and asked her to dance.  She turned him down.  Then Tranquis appeared with an army of death elementals and death touched.  That caused the fading feast to end as the adventurers present grabbed weapons and went to fight, nearly all still dressed in their finery.


Event Planner Revealed as Necromancer

 

Much of the credit for the success of the Festival of the Blades of 613 belongs to the event planner Beatrice.  Not only did she schedule the events and prepare the feast, but her contacts kept her alerted to any trouble that might interfere with the festivities and when alerted, she was quick to find bored adventurers to handle the problems.  Only in hindsight does it become questionable whether the problems she solved were ones she actually created in the first place.

Throughout the Festival various small problems popped up, most of them seemingly quite random.  When she was in need of butterflies for a portion of the Festival, she enlisted the aid of the dryads Kailani and Lili, the barbarian Aikitza, Anna Rainwillow, and Lourdes to help her to catch said butterflies.  Adventurers were needed because the butterflies were as tall as a person and under attack by equally large insects.  Later when goblins stole rum intended for the feast, she enlisted Ulthoc, Aikitza, Kailani and diverse others to recover the rum.

Finally, on the last day of the Festival, she informed Victoria that her contacts had uncovered the whereabouts of the alchemist Samuel, who had been enslaving and dissecting children of autumn and wylderkin for his vile experiments.  Beatrice led the young mystic wood elf, along with Sir Garathon, squire Red, Kailani, Cypress, and Huleen to capture Samuel.

Upon arriving they discovered Samuel shirtless and marked as a follower of the Jade Skeleton.  Another follower of the Jade Skeleton, a Falkirk refugee, was also there as well as Red’s mother and Garathon’s son, who were locked in a permanent circle of power.  Garathon honorably offered to allow Samuel to surrender peacefully for judgment.  Neither he nor his companion agreed and the two captives sided with their captors.  Fighting ensued, but despite his large trove of alchemy, Samuel was easily incapacitated.  Seeking to capture him rather than kill him, he was tied to a table.  While the distracted adventurers were seeing to his bindings, Beatrice surprised everyone by attacking with necromancy.  The advantage of surprise was nearly enough as she incapacitated over half the party before being felled.

Once order was restored Samuel was interrogated and it was discovered that he believed he worked for both the Jade Skeleton and Tranquis, a confusing set of masters, to say the least.  The exact details of that were not fully inquired upon when the Jade Skeleton appeared before those present.  Despite his previous declaration that he intended to ransom the two captives for the amulet, he granted Red access to the circle so she could remove the enslavement from the captives and then released all three from the circle.

Samuel and Beatrice were bound and brought back to the Two Towers only until they could be rifted to Greystone with the Numen Stone, where they awaited obliteration and execution, respectively.

 


Life Elemental Freed

 

One of the complaints that have been made about tournaments over the years is that adventurers waste resources on pointless battles for entertainment that could and should be used to defend Ashbury.  One of the biggest sticking points has always been the amount of healing that is wasted due to blood sport duels.  In order to assuage this concern during the Festival of Blades, the court of Blythedale announced that all could heal using a magical healing fountain in the center of town.

This proved a very useful resource especially during some of the early duels.  But after singing was heard emanating from the fountain Friday evening, investigation by Rowen La Tour suggested that the fountain might be something more than a simple healing artifact.  Shortly after the duel between Sir Emeritus Amaranthus and Paladin Balloch, he was able to free a life elemental from the fountain that had bound to it some three hundred years previous.

Thankfully, the elemental showed no ill will for her imprisonment or the use of her powers without her permission, in fact proving quite thankful for her release.  She spent the remainder of the Festival of Blades resurrecting the fallen with her beautiful singing voice and brought a powerful life elemental knight to assist during the final assault on Tranquis.


Sejanus Delik Brought to Justice with Help of Jade Skeleton

 

From one moment to the next, the troublesome Jade Skeleton can’t seem to decide whether he wants to conquer Ashbury or save it.  Case in point was the Sunday morning of the Festival of the Blades.  While still holding two family members of the Barony of Blythedale hostage, Imagos appeared to Kailani and Victoria Galloway and without warning rifted them to the location of known necromancer Sejanus Delik.  Squire Dorian managed to travel with them as well by quickly grabbing hold of Kailani.

True to his word, Imagos Pyatt rifted them directly into the hideout of Sejanus.  Besides Sejanus, the hideout was filled with undead who did not take kindly to the trespass.  Squire Dorian bravely stood his ground while encouraging the two ladies to flee.  But as soon as they opened a nearby door they discovered Prolon and Sevaria had somehow appeared just outside the building.

Slightly less outnumbered and significantly more dangerous, the adventurers pushed the fight against the undead horde, tearing through it with earth enchanted weapons.  Additionally, whenever one of the undead sought to attack either Kailani or Victoria, the Jade Skeleton intervened and directly controlled the undead to desist.  Sejanus pleaded for the Jade Skeleton not to let him fall this way, but Imagos ignored his pleas.  Quickly the undead were destroyed and Sejanus was captured, at which point the Jade Skeleton rifted everyone back to the Two Towers.

Once there, Sir Garathon and Count Ulthoc proceeded to interrogate and hold judgment over Sejanus Delik.  The interrogation was rather harsh, particularly with an angry Nathan standing directly behind the captive biata and Guildmistress Zatarina Norvik nearly being charged with assault.  The final decision, to no one’s surprise, was obliteration, which almost certainly has been enacted by now.

 


Watcher in the Mists Judges Travelers

 

Several adventurers bound for Ashbury from other lands beyond the mists found themselves subject to the trials of a mysterious dark figure who called himself “The Watcher”. Both those already walking the mists in separate groups and those intending to do so later were rifted into an unusually foggy location.

“The Watcher” told the adventurers that they must be tested before continuing on their journeys, since only the strong can travel the mists. The adventurers were given no time to prepare themselves, as black figures, capable of causing hallucinations, attacked while whispering the adventurers' names. Tvard, inebriated and walking within his home land of Barran, had not yet intended to enter the mists at all. Angrag of the Deadlands was traveling with only a shield and bow, and no arrows in his quiver. Fortunately for the less prepared adventurers, also gathered were Sadie, Sevaria, Paolo, Kaftar, and Nerium, and the group defeated the shadowy creatures.

After the battle, “The Watcher” answered some of the adventurers’ questions, but gave little useful information. He claimed to watch everything. After being judged successful in the test, the adventurers rifted into Blythedale, even those who entered the mists seeking Fairdale. Though no longer in the mists, these travelers felt a sense of being watched throughout the weekend, not a threatening presence, but something watching, nonetheless.

This once again raises many questions about the mists. Are they sentient? What dwells there? Is there any that can be done to make them safer or more controllable in the future? That last is particularly meaningful given incidents like this.


Pest Problems Plague Alchemist

 

While the Festival of Blades, troubles with Death Elementals, and more held the attention of most in Blythedale, a local alchemist hoped to spend Saturday in her alchemy laboratory. Unfortunately she had found it overrun with bugs of unusual size.

She sought out a small group of adventurers to cut a path into the laboratory and hold the bugs at bay while she prepared a pesticide to deal with the intruders. Avernorn, Nerium, Kier, Balls, Urich, and at least one other took on this task and successfully protected the alchemist while she completed her work.  Before the adventurers left, the alchemist assured them that with the pesticide on hand the bugs would be no more trouble.

 


Healer’s Guild Report

 

For the young man who asked me to teach him healing upon the Festival of Blades, see me before you settle in so I have this taken care of before you study on Friday. I am so sorry I got pulled into so many directions we did not finish. I need to do some hands-on training to finish.

I am happy to report that the Guild outreach program is starting to see results. This good will is paying forward tenfold. For those who don’t know, we are spending every spare moment we can helping as well as teaching healing to the commoners.

I expect the healers to check in with me Friday nights. During breakfast on Saturday, we will have our usual meeting. I believe we have some interviews afterwards as well.  I will be available to teach alchemy, and healing.

For any biata, I have a few tasks for you.  Please see me at your convenience.

Lastly, it is my understanding Brendan’s people are making themselves known more frequently. They can be irritating but have are a good intent. They are a mercenary group out to help us. They are not out to make a fortune, only to be given respect. Please extend a friendly hand to them. We all need their help. If you see one, buy them a drink and  get to know them for the good intention people they are. I would like to thank everyone for your help in this matter.

Guildmistress Zatarina Norik

 


Letters and Missives

 

All are welcome to attend the Spirit Farewell for His Excellency, Harrison Ryat.

The Farewell will occur in the estate of Partridge, on the seventh of Gryphon.

Harrison Ryat began in the Army as a scout. He was decorated for his tactical planning and fierce, decisive actions.

He served King and Country as a Sheriff, Knight, Paladin, and Baron during his life.

He was a fierce Warrior, and the best example of Peerage I have ever had the honor to know.

Please join his family, the Court of Nordenn, at the Baronial Capitol in the estate of Partridge, to remember and witness the legacy of this true Hero of Ashbury.

In Honor and Valor,

Count Ulthoc

 

Citizens, Adventurers, and Noblemen and Women of Ashbury,

I wish to first extend an apology, and second, make a promise to you all. Much of the strife that was visited upon the town of Two Towers during the Festival of Blades was unfortunately my responsibility. What I believed to be a personal matter very quickly escalated into an incredibly dangerous situation for far too many people, and I was unable to effectively stop it. Several of our realm’s foes are seeking something that I have quietly protected for many years, the value of which I was unable to discern until recently. I apologize for my secrecy in hiding the “amulet” which is being sought after by our enemies, and I thank you for aiding me in guarding it from them when so many of their forces descended upon us. My hope is that this artifact will prove useful in protecting our people rather than endangering them in the future.

Few words were spoken when I was promoted to Lord Captain of the Ducal Military, so I will take this opportunity to make a promise to you. When the honor of wielding Defender passed to me, Baron Harrison had encouraged me to consider squiring, so that I might one day become a knight. And while that path may not have been mine, as Lord Captain I vow to serve you honorably, protect our lands, and lead our forces against any foe who dares threaten Ashbury ever again. My blades and my life are yours until every shard of my spirit is gone.

Sincerely,

Lord Captain Khorwyn Brey, First Ranger of Blythedale

 

To my friends, companions, and allies who may have been heading to Nordenn:

There is an energy of some kind shutting off the Reclaim from the rest of the world. So far, no method of breaching it has been found to work—even to attempt to speak to those of my court who are trapped inside of it.

It is possible this is nothing more than a “random magical happening” and precautions are unnecessary. It is also possible it is the first stage of an attack by unknown forces. We will prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and expect something in between.

We will continue to gather in the Baronial Capitol as planned- it is next to the Reclaim, meaning our intentions to honor His Excellency need not be put off just yet. However, there comes the matter of the chance that we will be leaving to go into the Reclaim. Should that happen, a few things need to be explained....

The Reclaim is a Freehold.

This means it has the right to enforce its own laws, be they not contrary to the laws of the Barony, Duchy, or Kingdom.

This is very, very important.

My people (rightly so) have made the practice of Celestial Magics—called “Sterngaldr” in our native tongue—illegal on the Reclaim. This applies not only to the casting of magics, but to the possession of items created from or able to call forth such magics-enchanted items, wands, and golems included. In addition, each person knowingly or voluntarily invested in a Ward or Wizard Lock is guilty. To cast a Ward or Wizard Lock with an unknowing or involuntary investiture is a charge of assault requiring the caster to pay an Honor Price.

Five years ago, when the Tournament was held within the Reclaim, an exception was made for those items that could not be left behind—you were not convicted for merely bringing a spirit linked item with you. However, the item must remain in its sheath or in a pouch.  Brandishing Sterngaldr items showed an intent to use it, and thus removed the legal protection. While I cannot speak to the Skalds to guarantee such leniency again if indeed we must move swiftly into the Reclaim, I expect that I shall be able to secure it. After all, the Heroes of Ashbury were quite understanding last time, with only one issue being brought to trial—an issue regarding an item in the possession of a non-wizard where that item just went from “dual school” to “sterngaldr only” just a few months previous, and they didn’t realize it.

I know that, for many of you, these laws will seem silly, will seem restrictive, or will seem unjust and unfair. I ask you to remember that these laws where put in place by a people held under the heel of a race of celestially-infused slavers for so long that the very name of the world we came from is lost to us. For so long that even written language we use is in Giantscript, as all traces of our ancestral one were lost. A race of evil beings were so bent on our destruction that a dozen centuries later they still hunt us and will see us ended.

These are the laws of my people, of my fathers, of my birth. While I recognize the penalties are slight enough for those of power to pay them without a thought, such actions will be viewed as a dishonor to myself and my race. While I will accept the help of any and all who would find strength to examine what is happening if we have the chance, I would ask any unable to comply with these laws to stand back and simply wish us luck instead.

In Honor and Valor,

Count Ulthoc Crownsmith

 

Law Regarding Celestial Magic in the Vansir Reclaim

All “call forth” magic is illegal. Casting any magic from scrolls that are not Ritual Scrolls is illegal. Eldritch magic spells, except for Circles of Power, are illegal. The penalty for the first offense of a Non-Vansir is an Honor Price. For the second offense the primary casting hand is cut off. The offender must remain without the hand for one day. Having it restored prior to that will result in it being cut off again. The third will be death by execution. Further offenses will be additional deaths. For Vansir, the punishment is more harsh—first offense one is labeled a Varg and executed.

Using magical objects known to be Sterngaldr in nature will be considered as casting Sterngaldr.

Sterngaldr objects found on you will be destroyed, but you will not be charged with “casting star magic,” you just have your objects taken and destroyed.

The Honor Price of a common person is 3 cattle or horses, or 6 gold coins.

The Honor Price for an “Adventurer” is 5 cattle or horses, or 10 gold coins.

The Honor Price for a Craftfolk—someone who makes goods for a living such as an alchemist, potionmaker, or blacksmith—is 10 cattle or horses, or 20 gold coins.

The Honor Price of the Warrior Caste is 10 cattle or horses, or 20 gold coins.

The Honor Price or Cheiftains is 25 cattle or horses, or 50 gold coins.

For Skalds the Honor Price is 100 cattle or horses, or 200 gold coins.

Bear in mind that positions of power from other lands will be accorded the respect (and so the legal stature) appropriate in the list above.

 


A Little Birdie Told Me

 

by Sue D’Onym

Hello, drearies!  Time for another installment of News They Don’t Want You to Know!

I’m starting off today with a little bit of fashion talk.  No, not the feast where Barran barbarian Aikitza outshone just about everyone else combined.  I’m talking about the everyday outfits of Ithica and Drifa.  As one observer pointed out, between the two of them you could almost fully clothe one of them.  But maybe Ithica is planning to add feathers to his wardrobe.  He was more than willing to go gryphon hunting with Giles, until Child of Autumn Kailani, someone who has only been awake for one year, reminded him that gryphons are a citizen race.

Another common companion of Kailani, fellow Ash Forest member Squire Sornelintion, spent most of Friday night absolutely hammered on Astikir.  Though, as the ranking member of the court present, I’m not sure I can blame him.  And his actions are pretty forgivable compared to Squire Readella.  Within two hours of being squired she managed to reveal the location of a powerful artifact to both Tranquis and Imagos Pyatt, both enemies of the duchy.

Speaking of Imagos, according to Prolon, he has a new nickname: “Spanky.”  I don’t know about you, but I’m not sitting near him anytime soon.  But he doesn’t need me as a friend.  He has a new friend in Victoria Galloway.  Good for him, but I’d be nervous about having her as friend.  Based on the pained reactions from Sejanus Delik during his questioning every time she touched him, it looks like she might have inherited more than a bad attitude from her father Nathan.  Which reminds me, does anyone else find it odd that after Sejanus was sentenced to obliteration and multiple people were calling for Nathan to perform it, not a single person realized that obliteration is an earth ritual?

While I’m on the topic of biata, did anyone else notice that Amaranthus Landcharmer, despite his epic duel with Sir Tyler “The Helmet” Balloch, found time to flirt with the charming biata Nikole Deloncre Merik?

And, finally allow me to congratulate Gebous.  He may not have won the grand melee, but he must have knocked at least half the contestants unconscious before being drummed out.  That’s a win in my book.

That’s all for this month, and remember, if you don’t have anything nice to say, come sit by me.