The
Ashbury Times
September -
December 608
“All The News That Fits, We Print”
Dominion Abducts Baron Ivan; Rescued by Squires
Baron Ivan Drake of
Blythedale was abducted by Dominion spies in September, 608, as he rode from Greystone to the front lines near the Contested Lands. After failing to arrive in Fairdale when
expected, the noble’s disappearance was actively investigated by both his
baronial court as well as members of the Stormblades. But there were few clues left behind.
Several days later during a
Dominion attack, it was confirmed by captured Dominion officers that Baron Ivan
was being held in a Dominion prison.
Despite a desperate search for clues, the location of this secret dungeon
could not be found.
In October, a mercenary
arrived in Fairdale offering to trade knowledge of the baron’s
whereabouts for coin and magic. After a
lengthy negotiation led by Squire Aven and Squire
Ignatius, the location of the prison was revealed. A rescue party was quickly formed, consisting
of the two squires as well as Sayah, Amaranthus
Landcharmer, Kinen of
Caldaria, most of the baronial court of Blythedale, and a few others.
Fortune favored the
adventurers as they managed to infiltrate the prison and find not only Baron
Ivan, but also Larkin Morfang, the pack leader of a
band of werewolves who had recently helped Ashbury. Both were sprung from their cells, but the
baron seemed to have suffered from mental torture. Ren Suzume spent some time attempting to restore some of the
damage done and her assistance seemed to help.
After a time, Baron Ivan regained his mental acuity, aided also by Squire
Aven and Squire Ignatius.
Comforted by Syrah of the Stormblades, the
Baron now seems to have fully recovered from his ordeal. However, he was overheard stating that the
evilness of the Dominion knows no bounds and that he is determined to end the
threat they pose to Icenia.
Halloween Visitors Attack Ashbury Once
Again
This past spring, Fairdale
was visited by the former guild master of the Trellheim
Sages Guild, a mystic wood elf by the name of Wendell LaPointe.
Sage Wendell called for the sages of Fairdale to be gathered, and when they
were he revealed to them his plan. For many years he had been researching a
solution to the recurring problem of the violent and deadly election of the
King of Halloween each year. At last he had developed a ritual that he believed
would pull the five kings of Halloween into the Material plane and allow them
to be destroyed. With the kings gone, the rift between our world and the
Abyssal Gorge would become smaller and smaller each year, until it closed altogether.
The assembled sages, who included Lady Knight Glorianna,
Ren Suzume, Symerille Foxfire, Aeun Nimbus, Sunn, and others, agreed to do all in their power to help.
Wendell later returned to
give the sages five enchanted bottles, which he instructed them to use to
collect an Essence of each King or Queen of Halloween. The essence had to be a
strong representation of each king’s aspect. For example, the nightmares
of a child were collected for the essence of Fear, which would be used against
King Muckhead. The stronger the essence, the further
into the Material Plane each monarch would be pulled, and the easier they would
be to destroy.
The sages of Fairdale spent
many hours meditating on how to find the strongest essences.
In the late summer, Fairdale
was visited by a blind man who called himself a “keeper of
stories.” He carried with him only a walking stick and a large book. The
man said that he had come because “a story was about to end, one way or
another.” When he opened his book, a strange humor came over him. He said
that the Gorge was once ruled by a Prince of order and peace, but his throne
was usurped by the current kings of Halloween. The Prince was trapped. Since
they had no mandate to the throne, the King had to be chosen each year by the
mortals of our plane. After delivering his message, the being
disappeared.
By Hallowe’en,
the Essences of Fear, Madness, and Discord had been secured. The adventurers
had not been able to obtain the essence of Darkness or the essence of Decay.
As Hallowe’en
approached, the people of Fairdale began having dreams with a similar message
as the keeper of stories. The sages discussed the trapped Prince amongst themselves and brought the matter to Wendell LaPointe’s attention. In the end it was decided that
a Prince who ruled in order and peace was preferable to the chaotic kings the
Ashbans were accustomed to dealing with. The ritual would proceed.
On the night of Hallowe’en, Sage Wendell LaPointe
again appeared. He brought with him the materials for the rituals, including
scrolls and six chains of mythril to be used as
circles of power. Fortunately, he was also able to provide substitute essences
for Darkness and Decay. All was made ready for the ritual to begin at midnight.
However, once Baron Roriiander Coatheranderhil of the
The ritual was to be
performed in two parts. The first ritual, which Sage Wendell would conduct
alone, was a variation of a Summon Extra-Planar Being ritual. It would summon
the creature known as MishMash to the circle.
Mishmash was a conglomeration of all the kings of Halloween in the body of a
wizard called Dean Calwan. As soon as the summoning
was complete, five other wizards would begin simultaneously casting five other
rituals to draw out each King or Queen of Halloween and bind them to the
Material Plane.
The first ritual was executed
as planned, and the adventurers of Fairdale looked on in awe as the menacing
form of the paralyzed MishMash formed out of the
mist. The other rituals were immediately begun. They were performed perfectly,
but when they were completed the casters were inexplicably thrown from their
own circles of power. At the same moment, MishMash
dissipated and Wendell Lapointe along with him. All
that was left of the Sage was his wig.
A swirling vortex of darkness
had formed within each circle of power. They could not be reached, for the
circles had rejected their casters and outlasted their usual duration. Everyone
was at a loss to explain what had happened or what these vortexes were. They
knew only that the ritual had not gone as planned.
The next day, some of Fairdale’s
questions were answered. The wizards who had been involved in the previous
night’s ritual casting were rifted to the tower of the former Trellheim sage’s guild. There they met Wendell LaPointe, who had summoned them with an experimental
ritual. Alive, but trapped in a circle of power, the sage
explained that the ritual had not failed. However, instead of
manifesting in the Prime Material Plane, as was expected, the Kings of
Halloween were trapped within pocket realms ruled by their particular aspect.
The vortexes were the gateways to these realms. Sage LaPointe
theorized that the circles would eventually drop, and a party would be able to
enter the pockets and there destroy the Kings.
So it occurred over the next
24 hours that the circles fell one at a time. As each circle failed, waves of
undead poured out of the rifts. As the people of Fairdale fought the denizens
of each king, a small group was able to jump through the portal.
The first circle to fall was
that of Yech, the Sickness King. A party led by Tetsu, the Sastrawan healer,
defeated the king of Decay through the use of a Purify potion.
Next, Symerille
Foxfire led a team to victory over the king of Madness, Jack O’Lantern.
When the circle of Muckhead, king of Terror, dropped, Ren
Suzume, Kainen, Gyps the Lifekeeper, Man-at-Arms Joaquinn,
and Paladin Azura leapt into the pocket realm. After
fighting their way through the minions of Terror, they found the King himself.
Declaring that they were not afraid, they engaged him in battle. His blade
Obliterated with each swing, and the warriors did all that they could to parry.
Despite their efforts, Wizard Ren and Gyps were obliterated,
and their bodies seemed to dissipate. But when Muckhead
was at last slain, both casters reappeared, unconscious but otherwise unharmed.
It seemed that the obliteration was only a manifestation of the party’s
fears.
Later that night, the portal
to the realm of Queen Nachtface was opened. The elf
known as Sun led a group against the Queen of Darkness, who appeared as a
vampire. Unfortunately, none of them had access to a Stake of Woe. They felled
the Queen, but when they tried to deliver a killing blow she disappeared into
mist and escaped.
The final circle fell the
next morning, when Darkan took a combined group of Stormblades and the
Though only four out of the
five kings were dispatched, it seems that it was enough to end the reign of the
Usurper Kings. But the transition of power took an ugly turn. The afternoon
after the last portal closed, a large force of undead monstrosities rifted into
the center of town. They were preceded by a disembodied voice, announcing the
return of the rightful Prince of the Abyssal Gorge. It called upon all those
loyal to him to fight. Then a cheer was heard, and the attack began. After a
long and arduous fight, the undead were destroyed. But the people of Fairdale
were left with more unanswered questions.
Brave Adventurers Find Strange Scroll
A
scroll magically rifted into the Black Stag Tavern in Fairdale in October, to
the amazement of onlookers. The scroll
was sealed with wax, though the signet was not recognized.
Upon
opening, Ren Suzume read a
cryptic poem that declared that a magical portal had been opened and that
treasure awaits those brave enough to seek it.
An adventuring group was quickly gathered that included Ren, Fishercat, Khorwyn the ranger, Keim, Admiral
Parduc and Leona the Kiergani
archer.
As
holder of the magical scroll, Ren seemed to know
where to lead the party. The group
followed her to a place just outside of Fairdale where a shimmering portal was
seen. Upon entering the portal, they
found themselves in a narrow cave. A
pool of fresh water lay before them with a single rock in the center. Though they
saw coins in the water, the group considered that it may be a trap, so they
chose to try to leap over the water, using the lone rock as a stepping stone.
All
went well until Fishercat’s leap. The elf disturbed the liquid and a water
elemental rose to attack. As Fishercat was the last member to cross, they managed to
avoid the elemental and proceeded along the passageway. Soon they discovered a deep chasm, bridged
only by two unsteady and narrow wooden boards.
These were carefully crossed and the group continued.
As
they moved forward, they found that the tunnel was blocked by webs inhabited by
large spiders. The spiders were
defeated, but the sticky webs proved to be quite an obstacle to traverse. Once past the webs, they found a large room
with a stone vault. Upon the door of the
vault was a knob surrounded by numbers 0 through 9. The vault apparently needed a certain
combination of numbers to unlock it.
After
much deliberation, the group managed to use clues in the scroll’s poem to
solve the number sequence and the vault was opened. None of the adventurers were willing to state
on the record what was found in the vault, but there are rumors
that they were rewarded with great treasure.
Once
the group gathered their prizes, they departed the magical tunnel, defeating
the water elemental as they exited. Upon
leaving through the portal, it magically closed and disappeared.
The
adventurers said to be pleased with the outcome of their quest. But what is the source of this magic
scroll? And why is it leading
adventurers to secret portals? These
questions may never be answered.
Small Group of Adventurers Protects
Fairdale
A small group of adventurers performed a task
many thought they could not, in holding off the overwhelming forces of the
Dominion in what has become known as “The Siege of Fairdale.”
With no military or nobility able to break
through Dominion lines that surrounded Fairdale, this handful of adventurers
stood their ground against the might of the Reidic
Legion.
Among those present were Amaranthus Landcharmer, Andros Westerling, Darkan Silverstorm, Dazzle, Gwendara Alanik, Kayden, Kiki Sanchez, Landiara, Mattock Ironleaf of Vandlar, Mellith of Blythedale, Ren Suzume, Syrah, Warpfang, and Zatarina Norik. Also present were locals who could not escape
in time, including Skirfir, former Guildmaster Aloysius
McManus, and Evie.
Friday afternoon before the adventurers
usually begin their scheduled gathering, the Dominion forces of the western
front under the command of Feldhier Orlantha. Rotewut Riedic managed to push back and out maneuver the Ducal Army
in the Fairdale area, with only the few adventurers listed above able to arrive
safely. With a river and a mountain to
the north, Dominion forces were able to completely surround the area by
nightfall.
Early Friday night the adventurers gathered to
talk strategy in the tavern and it was decided that Gwendara
of the Stormblades would lead the adventurers in
combat and make critical decisions. This
was based on a number of factors, most notably her ability to make sound
decisions and her two handed sword fighting style which would not place her on
the immediate front and allow for a better battlefield view. Patrols gathered farmers and evacuated them
to the relative safety of the fortress proper.
The first attack came only minutes after Gwendara was selected to lead. Feldhier Reidic came personally, with a gryphon, its tamer, and a
detachment of gnoll mercenaries. The attack seemed to have two purposes. The first was to use non critical resources (in
this case gnolls) to determine the overall strength of
the adventurers while not risking forces.
The second was to carry out an execution order for Amaranthus,
who the Ordunkorps had sentenced to
obliteration.
A gnoll spellcaster overloaded Amaranthus’
defenses faster than he could recast them, drained him so he could not repel
mind altering magic, and then dominated him into following him over to Orlantha who was waiting with a Circle of Power. Orlantha spent the
half hour casting time taunting Amaranthus about
various things and though the adventurers tried valiantly to get her to lose
concentration, the ritual succeeded. Amaranthus resurrected safely, and learned of the success
of this initial battle, which included the capture of a gryphon that was prisoned and, because no magic weapon was present, dragged
to the river and drowned.
Saturday presented a major problem. First, developments surrounding the discovery
of a Homestone led to Amaranthus,
Gwendara, and Zatarina
being barred from attacking any other culture of biata. “None of the three tribes shall shed
the blood of the others” was the test posed to the Icenians,
the Rotes (Dominion), and the Thessi. This took three of the most skilled present
out of combat with Dominion biata troops, whereas the Dominion’s
willingness to use undead instead gave them the advantage.
Before that test was given, however, a small
patrol group led by Amaranthus was successful, though
at great risk and the near total loss of the squad, to capture Feldhier Emilio Barrenger, a Syraandorian biata who was once an adventurer known to Icenia. Emilio was
also a convicted necromancer, who falesly claimed to
be reformed. After the Dominion war
broke out, he left Icenia and joined the
Dominion. His capture was for the
purpose of information retrieval and so he could stand trial and obliteration
for treason and necromancy. He was killed and allowed to dissipate when the
tavern became a fallback point later that afternoon.
After the test was administered, Saturday
started to turn for the worse. While the
biata were away meeting the Homestone and being
tested, the Dominion sieged town. The defenders had to barricade themselves in
the tavern and fight a “door fight” to prevent from being
overwhelmed. The battle went on for a
short time after the biata joined the fight, then Orlantha
ordered her troops to pull out, presumably to avoid failing the test. Instead, they sent in gnoll
mercenaries, but they were dispatched with relative ease.
Saturday a few hours before dusk the gathered
adventurers met Orlantha’s forces, including
Emilio, by the river bed, hoping that by holding them there they could avoid
further damage to the town. That battle,
though tactically a sound plan, went very poorly. Orlantha brought
powerful undead with her, and with the test still in place, her biata troops
went after only non-biata, leaving the undead to engage anyone and basically
overwhelm the few fighters present. Orlantha it seemed, had brought
sufficient forces to take the town once and for all.
Orlantha could have won the day then,
but for some reason, possibly her own amusement, and possibly a unwillingness
to risk failing the test of the Stone by indirectly causing the deaths of the
biata present, she again ordered her forces off the field, but not before
torturing some of the defenders and gloating about their failing defenses. It was at this battle that the adventurers
learned that Baron Ivan Drake of Blythdale had been
captured by Orlantha’s forces, as she took the
field wearing his baronial cornet.
That night, one of the Ashban
patrols ran into a Dominion scout squad, consisting of only biata. Madock became
enslaved, and was ordering the rest of the patrol group to back off. Amaranthus then
made a deal with the squad leader to trade himself for Madock’s
safety. This was accepted, and Amaranthus was brought to Orlantha.
By Sunday it was clear that the adventurers
would not survive another full assault on an open field without allies. In the distance, a great battle could be
heard, and the image of the Duke riding a gryphon and battling Dominion riders
was seen in the distance over the hill. Around
this time, a patrol group arrived by the river just too late to save Lord Sir
Jonathan Dragonhart Vardik
and his escorts who were apparently trying to break through the lines.
The adventures planned a worst case scenario defense: In the event of a full assault, they had
rigged the tavern with explosive traps and were going to hold as long as they
could, and then planned on dropping the tavern down on their enemies while the
youngest adventurers made a break for the mountains.
Before any attack occurred, the adventurers
were approached by Ashban forces who
came to warn them about siege weapons being moved into position on the Fairdale
side of the river. The adventurers took
a chance and attacked the weapons.
Luckily they were not well guarded, and were being used not for ground
warfare, but as an anti gryphon weapons, as they were enchanted. They burned the giant ballista and returned
to town.
The ballista’s destruction allowed His
Grace to finally arrive in town and reinforce us, and not a moment too
soon. Orlantha,
having just failed the Homestone’s trials,
realized her hold on the area was slipping and launched a full attack. Knowing Orlantha’s
skills, and how she could influence the fight if left to roam, Amaranthus challenged her to honor combat, blades only,
saying it was a “personal matter.”
Orlantha was defeated and her
followers fell soon thereafter, dispirited, and within a few days, the area was
reclaimed. Emilio was later obliterated
by Sir Eros.
Biata Homestone
Discovered in Contested Lands
As many are aware, biata keep a small homestone to themselves which remembers for them; when they die,
their memories are taken to a large homestone, which
saves the memories so that ancestors can relive their relative’s experiences.
A Homestone was
found in the mountains near Fairdale, which was revealed to the biata through a
series of prophecy dreams, the most powerful coming duing
the Ducal Ball held at the time of the Tournament. Thessi Ambassador Olpheus Borik and members of the
Dominion, led by Orlantha, also became aware of the homestone, and a race began wherein Icenian
biata hoped to obtain the guardianship of the homestone
over their enemies.
The homestone, being
semi-sentient, set a series of tests to all three groups, the details of which
were not made available to the Ashbury Times. It is known, however, that the
stone commanded that no biata fight against another, which made the battle
against the Dominion quite interesting.
Amaranthus Landcharmer,
Gwendara Alanik, and Zatarina Norik took the tests for
the local biata and passed, much to the anger of their enemies. It was not a clear consensus, however, and
arguments between Amaranthus and Zatarina
echoed through Fairdale.
Biata elder Xapano
Corak of Bloodstone later came to Ashbury to speak to the local biata, and he revealed
that it was decided that guardianship of the new homestone
would be left to a new Council, like the Bloodstone and Hopewell Councils, to
be led by Amaranthus and Zatarina. The two apparently are wary of each other,
but hope to bring other biata into the Council in the future.
Dryad “Children of Autumn” Appear
In the August month of the year 608, members of a new race of seemingly civil
beings found their way back to Fortannis. During strange matters involving a
magical hourglass, dozens of adventures from several continents and many lands
report to have mystically traveled to a land called Deshavitara. Until recently this land has been unheard of
to any in Icenia and the continent of Deshavitara supposedly remains encapsulated within the
magical hourglass.
Though several strange native races of monsters and civilized folk were
sighted within the hourglass, members of one race seem to have escaped with the
adventurers from the hourglass. Since August, a dryadic people have reportedly
been spotted in various lands across Fortannis. These plantlike
beings have been called dryads by many, but they do not seem to be directly
related to the immortal fae. They appear instead to
be mortal, intelligent folk with many peculiar differences from other plantlike beings such as the mystical fae
or the monstrous spracta.
Initially four individuals of this race appeared in the lands of the
hourglass and it is believed that these folks were the first of this race to
travel back from Deshavitara into Fortannis. They
call their people “the Children of Autumn” and they claim to have
originated on Fortannis, thousands of years ago when the land was, they say,
one continent. Of these four, two have been sighted traveling
in Caldaria and in Laerthan. Little is known of
whether these creatures have yet traveled to lands
beyond.
The first four Children spoke with Lady Knight Glorianna
Wyndancer and other adventurers from various nations.
Several pertinent characteristics of the race were discussed. According to
reports there are four sub-types of Children: Thorns, akin to the plants of the
forest; Barkskins, similar to trees; Reeds, found
mostly in the wetlands; and Spores, fungal types who prefer caves. They seem to
be waking and coming forth from under the ground, supporting their claims to
have come not just from Deshavitara but Fortannis
that was. As the Children wander, they say, the presence of one will wake
others sleeping in the ground around them.
All reports have indicated that this is indeed a civilized race, with an
apparent aversion to metal and a strong kinship to the forest. Many adventurers
have been seen traveling with the Children of Autumn,
but the specific motives of these recently-woken beings remain unclear.
Hadley Moonstream
Flees Icenia
Hadley Moonstream
has fled the
Adventurer Commentary About
“Wayday”
By Spidereye (with Kotual’s
help; presented
unedited by the Ashbury Times staff
I gotta say. Way Day
is stoopit. Walkin aroun’ getting bonked on the head
for no good reason. I made sure to show stoopit
kobolds what were abou’ though. I got my fair
share of bonks on them, I coun’ abou’ six counterbonks by myself.
Other’ were doin’
their fair share, like Mattock. He bonked more than I did. There was even the
kobold who came into the commo’ room early one mornin’ with the frakkin’
bell and tried to bother me. It didn’ work, and
Alymere chased you and turned you into long, bloody,
kobold ribbons. Nothin’ wakes me up. Even then,
when the kobolds ambushed us and fought face to face, we kicked them in their yippity-yippity tails. So a note to all kobolds – Yippity-yip SHUT UP! We’ll see what you got nest
year.
The real problem o’ the Way Day was stoopit poison. Not even good poisons like death or vomit, stoopit ones like love and caring and tenderness and…
wait, I found the vomit.
Someone was conjecturately
poisoning peoples with the Love Potion Number 9. They was doin’
it in a big web too. Things were confusing, but I try to explain it all best I
can.
I get knocked out in Way Day, I wake up. I in love with Ren Suzume. I spend that night drunk and confessin’ feelings that I got no right confessin’. All the othe’
peoples was laughing at me, but who cares, I was in love and most
importantly… I was wasted.
There’s two parts to this crazy story,
the special, lovy-dovy, make-you-wanna-hurl
part, and the part that makes you feel not safe to ever have a feeling ever
again. Maybe them Stone Elves have a good idea…
Here’s the first part- I may not got any
right confessin’ the things I did, but I came
up with cleve’ stuff for Ren
Suzume. I know she can’t like any of it, bein’ Stone Elfy an’
all, but they was good. I amazed her with my conjecturate
knowledge of the blade. Types and parts of a sword are what I know bes’. The next day, I
scalped a gray-haired goblin for her. Everyone knows old gobs are rare, bein’ as such we like to kill ‘em young. I picked some nice
flower’ still drippin’ dirt an’ everythin’. I put chalkdust
on my face to look more Stone Elfy too, an’
even had Mad Cap use some weirdo magic to make me talk like a Stone Elf. I was gettin’ discouraged, even though I knew she was a
Stone Elf an’ didn’t care so I did one last thin’. I cut the
finger off of a kobold I kill’ in single combat, got a nice ring from Wynter Rose, Alymere helped me
write a hikoo an’ I gave that all to her. All cleve’ stuff, but I had to give up the impossible.
Here’s the secon’
part- I was fightin’ kobolds durin’ the day down by the river, when Oogra Dod
Bringa needed her armor refit. I refit the armor and
go to leave, but her eyes stay on mine for just that little bit too long. I
take abou’ three steps away before I
realize…her too. The stoopit poisoner got her too an’ somehow got me
involved… again. So now Oogra is loved to me
and I is loved to Ren Suzume. After the battle, I stay down by the river to clear
the thoughts in my brain. When my friends all come down to find me, Oogra comes too and demands to know why I have been changin’. She decides that to fix it all she would go
kill Ren Suzume. Now, I
know Ren Suzume is a
powerful mage, but when there is High Orc coming to
kill you and you don’ know about it… chances are it’ll be bad
for you. I agreed to go to the tavern dinner with her to talk and keep her from
killin’ folk she shouldn’
be killin’. We argue and she demands honor
combat. We fight to the rez. Instead of lettin’ her honor carry through, her brother brings
her back to life. So she demands another fight and again people don’ let
her carry out her honor. We scream at each othe’
and Phart tries to calm her, but nothing works. As
for the rest of that … figure it out for yourself.
So remember when Way Day is
about…sometime’ it is not the kobolds you have to watch out
for…
Mage’s Guild Report
Greetings to you all. I recently returned to Fairdale from
some months away barding to find a smiling Guildmaster
Aloysius waiting to greet me in our newly expanded Guild Hall. Though I thought his elation was due to the
renovations (which are quite nice, I must say again) I soon learned there was
another reason for his eagerness to speak with me. Aloysius, it seems, has been promoted. And thusly, he will be taking a new post away
from Fairdale suited to his stature in the Royal Guild.
In a meeting that Friday night with the few highest ranking members of
the Guild present, Aloysius asked me to take his place as Guildmaster
of the Fairdale Mage’s Guild and I did accept this honor. Guildmaster
Aloysius has since been busy preparing me for my new role and
responsibilities. I wish to thank him
personally and publicly for all of the hard work he has put in to building and
leading the guild thus far in a place we all know was not his first choice to
be stationed. I would also like to thank
Guildsmen Wizards Symerille and Ren
for all of the assistance and logic they have continuously brought to the guild
and myself during times of need.
My first duty as Guildmaster will be to finish organizing the Guild so that
membership and benefits are more clearly defined, and the purpose of the Guild
becomes more apparent to Fairdale and the surrounding areas. I have a lot of work cut out for me over the
winter, but when spring comes I hope you all will come and visit us at the
guild and see me or our members for any of your celestial or scholarly
needs. I do intend on expanding the
Guild’s stock of scrolls and services and any merchant interested in
discussing business with the Guild can contact me for an appointment.
Lastly, I would like to briefly touch upon our charter. I have scoured the Guildhall for accurate
records of our current members, and have compiled a list below including rank
in no particular order. If you are not
on this list it is because I could not find your admissions application. To be honest, I am also lacking some of the
applications for the members on this list as it is (poor record keeping, this
will be corrected).
Mage’s Guild Current
Charter:
Guildsman Squire Symerille Foxfire
Guildsman Wizard Aria
Guildsman Wizard Ren Suzume
Apprentice Wizard Eldarion Avari
Apprentice Joaquinn Illiam
Apprentice Landiara
Initiate Alushtas
Initiate Dame Daralassia
Initiate Dame Glorianna Wyndancer
Initiate Dazzle
Initiate Lark
If you do not see your name on the list, contact me. If you do see your name on the list and have
questions about the guild ranking system, contact me. If you just want to play a game of Dockside Hold’em with a wizard who has lived there for most of
his life, contact me. But most
importantly, if you wish to join our ranks and learn about Celestial Magic and
so much more, contact me.
Thank you all, I look forward to continuing my service to his Grace, the
Royal Guild, and the people of Fairdale.
Wizard Nathan Westwind
Guildmaster, Fairdale
Mage’s Guild
Elemental Warden of Icenia
Healer’s Guild Report
I wish to start my report
with extreme and grateful thanks to many members of the Healer’s Guild.
The Guild has gone to great
lengths to have my bad health noticed as little as possible so as not to let
our enemies know our weakness. It has come to my attention my health must be
publicly stated, for assumed actions are being said as fact. Thus ill
accusations are being made.
If I am not on the battle
field when healing is being called for, especially Life spells, it is because I
can not physically be there. Those who don’t know or have forgotten, please understand I can not do any form of healing
arts when I am unable to leave the Guild or do much moving for health reasons,
especially when I am connected to my blood-alchemy device. Due to my bad condition,
I can not charge into the middle of the fray of battle as I once did. I do my
best to hide my pain, but sometimes I cannot. When I am in so much pain I can
not walk and breathing becomes difficult, I can not move. Balls does a great
job at keeping body guards who also serve as a body carrier to me.
On a happier note, we now
have a new room all our own, built off the common room. We have a full alchemy
lab, potion lab, weird candy games, fine chocolate, warmth, and an a open library containing volumes of information. Evenings I will always try to be there from
dark on. However, from 2 or 3 am on I prefer to let those invested who do not
need sleep to run the Guild.
Each guild member is required
to do one hour a weekend. Invested members as well as those wishing to be
invested are required to do two hours. Nobles are the only ones exempt from
this. I state the hours because we do have hot tea and refreshments when the
tavern is closed.
We now have an additional Homestone for the biata of these lands. It was achieved by
honesty over greed, a sacrifice for honor. I am not going to put in print the finite
details. If some one wishes to know more, you can speak to me in private. For a
mental attribute race, this is a very important. The fact it is now associated
with our laws rather than the Thessi or the Dominion
is ground breaking to many of us.
As of a few weeks from now, a new year will
begin. I wish the best to everyone. If any of you need me for anything you can
contact me in Bloodstone.
Zaterina
Nar Norik
Letters
The Siege of Fairdale was an example of
something I never thought possible. I
saw few, so very few, stand against many, and stop the advance of a force which
knows no mercy, and no restraint. The
forces of the Riedic Legion under Orlantha
Rotewut Riedic should have
swept Fairdale aside like so much dust in the wind. While this was so, I was witness to a handful
of common folk, with no military or noble leaders, rise to the defense of that
small outpost, and hold against all odds.
Resources were used to their best ability, people fought hard, and
sacrifices were made.
I will never forget those that stood by me on
the first night of the siege, doing whatever they could to stop the
Obliteration Ritual that was being cast on me.
Orlantha wanted to see us break, to see us run
in fear. She wanted us to loose hope
before she claimed her victory. Together
we turned her arrogance and hubris against itself, we held on, and we bought
the time needed for the army to strike back.
We did these things together, as one small group dedicated to a
cause.
Which bring me to my true point in all this
rambling ink.
In my travels I have heard whispers and tales. I see the fear and apprehension yet no one is
willing to speak. War is coming, but not
with the Dominion or some other great foe, but with our selves. A Civil War over the rights
of Blood and the rights of Land. Icenians killing
Icenians over the throne.
I beg and implore the leadership of this great
Kingdom, do not let it come to this. Do
not let our passions divide us at a time when unity is needed most. I know all too well the dangers of such
passions. Orlantha
was stopped at Fairdale by the power of our unity and our ability to come
together. Tagas
Riedic will not simply sit idle if we turn on
ourselves, he will strike, and it is a blow we can ill afford. I beg again, do not let it come to full
war. If blood must be shed then let it
be our enemy’s, as one unified Kingdom.
I remain a loyal servant of Icenia,
Amaranthus Landcharmer
News From Around the Duchy
The
Barony of the
Aldin Mirk: After
personally reviewing the case, Baron Roriiathanderhil
Colaenlothrodarhil has determined that the convicted
necromancer’s claims of torture are unfounded and he has suffered an obliteration as punishment for his crimes.
Elindil: Officials
are searching feverishly for the whereabouts of more than 20 horses that were
stolen from local farmers in this estate.
South Point: It is said that
Dame Daralassia is personally investigating a murder
in this estate known for its casinos and tourism. Apparently, she is concerned about the affect
such violent crimes might have on the economy (and hence, her taxes).
Zinfelendin: After
some deliberation, the baronial court of the
The
Barony of Blythedale
Dragonhart: Local official Ternis
Kave is rumored to have returned, though no one seems
to have actually seen him.
Ector: The Metalfire Guild announced that they have completed the
purchase of three local smithies, expanding their already dominant market share
in this estate.
Greystone: Squire Aven continues to spearhead the investigation into the
strange disappearances of Blythedale Squires Tellis
and Lokegon, though it is reported that substantial
clues are evasive.
The
Barony of Nordenn
Barrowdowns: Three young sisters have been accused of
committing necromancy. Their father was
killed in a farming accident, but several days later he was found working on
the farm, animated as an undead!
Firwood: Residents
are astounded at the unusual beast a local hunter recently killed while
tracking deer. The beast is rumored to
look somewhat like a horse, but it has three heads, each with a horn! Locals have begun calling the strange
creature a “tricorn.”
The
Ducal Fiefs
Dara’s Grace: Serving as the front line in the war against
the Dominion, the economy of this estate has grown rapidly in the past year as
tradesmen and adventurers seek out opportunities here.
Suvina: Residents
of the town of
A Little Birdie
Told Me
by Sue D’Onym
Hello, drearies. Here is the latest News They
Don’t Want You To Know!
In light of Baron Ivan
Drake’s recent abduction, Squire Garathon von Storm is apparently taking the baron’s safety quite
seriously. As the baron’s personal
bodyguard, Garathon has ordered that Baron Ivan be
accompanied by no less than 50 soldiers whenever he leaves the baronial manor
in Greystone! And was that envy on Squire Aven’s
face when the newly rescued Baron Ivan had Syriah in his arms? Then again,
both Aven and Syriah are
mystic wood elves. Maybe they could share.
I heard a rumor that Wendell Lapointe,
the guy who was in charge of this whole Halloween ritual thing, is a mummy! Well,
he is bald.
Some adventurers are concerned about the health of
Wizard Ren Suzume
recently as she appears to be showing visible signs of stress and has snapped
at several people in seeming frustration.
Apparently folks have been asking her if she is feeling alright. I thought stone elves didn’t feel
anything! But apparently asking her only
seems to make her worse. She certainly seemed to be angry at another
shall-remain-nameless stone elf recently.
Then again, she was seen having some pretty intense conversations with Guildmaster Nathan Westwind. Professional chat is one thing; private talks
by candlelight are another.
Speaking of frustration, Nathan was seen exchanging
heated words with Amaranthus Landcharmer
over the use of dangerous Ritual Magics to summon and
fight the Halloween Kings. Walking away
to his new Guild hall, the Wizard was heard exclaiming that since everyone is
expected to stay out of the affairs of biata, it would be nice if Amaranthus could return the favor sometime.
The healer
known as Kiem Grammus
recently returned to Fairdale after leaving abruptly immediately following the
town’s destruction of the Phoebus Vitiate and fleeing of the
vampires. He was seen giving away his
valuable items to his friends before he left, and some of them even went
searching for him when he didn’t return for several months. When asked where he had been for all this
time he claimed he couldn’t recall exactly and now even his closest
friends are keeping a watchful eye on this wayward healer.
That’s all for this month. I know,
that’s not much for a newspaper that hasn’t published for four
months. Well, there is a reason for
that, you know. No matter how much we
may beg you to assist us and send in your gossip, hardly anyone does. So don’t go getting mad at me. It’s partially your responsibility to
keep me informed!
So until next time, remember – If you
can’t say something nice about someone, come sit by me.
Public Notices
THE
TO THE COURT OF THE ASH FOREST and those who traveled
beside them: Friends, thank you for your untiring fight against evil and
injustice; I believe that having your swords and spells alongside our own at
the Bastion of Finn Castle Keep has helped us in our fights within the Deadlands more than I can express. Should you or your kin ever
find need, only ask; you have my sword whenever you wish it. The same can be
said for any who travel through the mists to answer the call for help in the
restoration of the Deadlands. May the Hawk guide your
path, Sevaria of Goshawk
SEEKING a magic item with a
dodge stored inside. Also interested in trading for other
types of magic. Also seeking instructors willing to teach
teamwork, history, law, and various types of lore to inexpereinced
adventurers. Please contact Sparktet Bone Littlebeard in the dream world or have a missive delivered
to the Broad Elm Farm in the
TO ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE INFORMATION: My Name is Dargon
Remtalia Stormsinger, I
have not been in around in a few years as I have been North in Amissara taking care of Family Issues. I am in search of
any Information on the Crown that came from the Fey Realm and now is held by
Sylva. The events that helped get the crown happened in Summer
or Fall of 607 in Ashbury. I Would like to know what
came of that situation and also I have a personal problem that arose out of
that encounter with Sylva in the Fey realm. If there are any scholars out there
who may be able to help, please contact me.