The Ashbury Times
January /
February / March 612
“All The News That Fits, We Print”
Prince of the Gorge Defeated;
Baron Harrison Permanently Dies Fighting
When the adventurers of Fairdale
defeated the Kings of Halloween several years ago, they had no idea of the
terror they had unleashed in their place. In a dark, dusty crypt they watched
as the dragon mage known as “The Prince” used his immense strength
to punch his way out the heavy stone sarcophagus and laughed in their faces and
he and his minions set out wreak havoc on our plane. Since his release the
thinning of the veil has lasted longer and longer each year -- causing more
death and destruction to the populace.
This past All Hallows (or as
The Prince and his courtesans refer to it, “Nox
Terrorem”), the adventurers of Fairdale braved
the dangers of the gorge itself to attempt to put the Prince to rest for good.
The Prince had been sealed
away once before, through the valiant efforts of the elves of Imladar and the Keilani of Honua. Since the defeat of the kings, the elders of Honua had aided the adventurers as best they could, and
when one of their ancient prophesies seemed to be coming true, Makani of the Keilani returned to
Fairdale to ask for assistance. The prophecy stated that when the largest
volcano on their island erupted, it would produce a number of stones that would
allow the opportunity for the prince and his ilk to be destroyed. But that
eruption was massive, the cloud of ash and smoke spreading for miles, and those
stones could be anywhere.
Among the adventuring
populace was a lone Keilani by the name of Nuheran. He alone
was able to wield the spear that was linked to his people, and that spear
became a divining rod of sorts, bringing him and other groups of people to
where these stones (called “tears”) had landed. Over the course of
months, several of these were acquired. These, along with a ritual, allowed the
Keilani to open a portal directly into the Gorge --
the only place where these denizens of the dark could be permanently destroyed.
A few moons prior to Nox Terrorem, such a portal was opened, thanks to the sacrifice of a young Vansir named Caohimbe. Amani Rangers Drak Darktalon and Scarn Whiteleaf as well as Drenten were
among the elite team that joined Nuheran on the trip
into the Gorge. The team attempted to defeat Aelin Mor, but after a long and nearly
deadly battle were forced to leave but not before they had planted the seeds.
On All Hallow’s
those seeds bloomed, lessening the Abysmal Court’s grip on our plane and
shortening the duration of the thinning of the veil back to its normal state.
When the moment of truth
arrived, the adventurers were faced with a choice -- they could sever the
Prince’s connection to our plane, which would have meant he could never
travel here again (though he would still be free on his own plane) or they
could go back into the Gorge and attempt to permanently destroy him, which of
course they were warned would be far more difficult.
The debate circled on worries
that destroying the Prince would unleash yet a worse horror, but having sworn
to destroy what was released, the adventurers ultimately decided to head into
the Gorge and attempt to defeat him. The only problem was, in all of their
previous encounters, even the most powerful among them had been unable to
affect him with weapons or spells of any kind.
It was later discovered that
there was a ritual that could be done that would give six people the ability to
fight The Prince -- similar to a Ritual of WOE it would grant them certain
abilities and immunities. In order to defeat the dark, the ritual had to begin
before sundown.
As usual, the assembled
adventurers and nobles took forever figuring out who the Champions would be. Makani anxiously paced the tavern, waiting for them to
decide, watching the sun sink lower and lower in the sky.
Finally the Champions were
decided -- Lord Findr’th, Gabriel Bruce, Sparticous, Eldarion, Baron
Harrison Ryatt, Sir Ulthoc,
and Nuheran. Thankfully,
they were able to begin just before the last bits of light were gone from the
sky, and the ritual succeeded. Some had argued against Baron Harrison’s
participation, knowing that his Regeneration ritual was nearly depleted, but he
would hear none of it.
At midnight, the adventurers
entered the Gorge, intent on destruction. While most of the gathered was busy
dealing with hordes of undead, the Champions focused on their target and began
their assault.
The Champions dispatched the
minions by the Prince’s side and continued their onslaught. Surprised by
their ability to actually harm him, the Prince pulled out his most powerful
weapon and began hurling dragon magic. In a last act of heroism, Baron Harrison
Ryatt was struck with an Obliterate, and expired on
the field. Spurred on by his sacrifice, the remaining Champions redoubled their
efforts, and it was not long before The Prince was no more. The thrill of
victory however was dampened as the champions lifted the Baron’s body to
carry him home.
Individuals Tournament Complicated by
High Orc Customs
As has become traditional for
the annual Ducal Tournament during odd numbered years, the Tournament of 611
was an individual affair, rather than a team affair, not run directly by the
ducal court. Once again mixing diplomacy
with spectacle, the tournament was run by the Garath
high orc clan in the town of
The tournament started well
enough with a traditional high orc ceremonial drum
circle, but it quickly moved towards the unusual. The usual combat event was replaced with
duels that required the presence of the Score Master Gahvah,
in order to assure that betting took place for each duel. Other traditional events were also altered or
replaced completely, usually adding violence in some way.
During the course of the
weekend, participants engaged in a grand melee of unfettered violence, constant
dueling, puzzles so hard that not a single one was solved, a dagger throwing
competition with very human targets, a race that involved weapons and monsters,
a scavenger hunt for body parts, and a surprisingly normal entertainment
competition. The unusual events and the
increased violence of the events made participation relatively low, except in
the dueling which the majority of adventurers either participated in or bet on.
While Gahvah
did his best to run the tournament efficiently, between family politics and his
stilted gait, very little ran without a hitch.
In fact, it is a fair statement that it was one of the least successful
tournaments in years.
When Seneschal Trevor Donovan
was asked his opinion on this tournament he said the following:
“Individual tournaments are always more difficult to run than team
tournaments. Many of the traditional
events simply don’t work. This
particular tournament was notably lacking.
Due to this, his Grace has decided to move this year’s team
tournament to the spring. It will be a
more traditional affair that will include lessons learned from previous
tournaments. Any changes to the
traditional ways will be discussed and announced well in advance.”
Local Disappearances Linked to Emergence of
New Parasite
In the wake of the
disappearances of several adventurers from Ashbury and the surrounding areas,
sources for the Ashbury Times have uncovered the ministrations of the stone elf
Je-Tsun Doje and partner Eftlavc’or, of the previously unknown Bazteri monster race. In a plot to attain living hosts for
the latter’s parasitic spawn, Doje and Eftlavc’or appear to have perpetrated a large-scale
kidnapping operation.
Local adventurers claim to
have been rifted into the Plains of Rage, wherein they were held in what they
describe as “gladiator pens” to await battles against their
fellows. Several Ashbury adventurers, however, managed to escape the pens with
the aid of a young mystic wood elf named Lysander. Upon their escape, they
report joining a small but active resistance movement against their captors,
where they faced an onslaught of Bazteri spawn and
mercenaries hired by Doje and Eftlavc’or.
Several adventurers recount
abduction and torture by Eftlavc’or himself,
who they depict as obsessed with his quest for knowledge. The experiments
performed on those captured involved both psychological and physical torment,
with some even including conscious vivisection of the victims.
The adventurers then detail
their efforts and eventual success in winning the allegiance of mercenary
leader Karsten Eraagar, who
aided them in their battle against the legions of youthful Bazteri
and their hosts as the adventurers sought a method to remove the parasites from
those they had infected. Although they describe having to permanently kill
several of the hosts in battle, the adventurers soon discovered a cavern in
which rock formations emitted a strange gas which could be preserved in gas
globes and used to destroy the young Bazteri
parasites.
Gathering a small strike
force including Kantil, Johann, Noot,
and the alchemist Reginald, the adventurers assaulted the lair of Doje and Eftlavc’or
directly, using the gas globes created to bring down Eftlavc’or
in a decisive stealth assault. The repercussions were soon felt as Doje and several Bazteri spawn
arrived on the battlefield. Doje, upon devouring Eftlavc’or’s heart, transformed into an
enormous beast which could only be felled by the combined efforts of all
adventurers present. Upon her death, the adventurers heard the great crashing
of the magical barrier which, until this point, had kept them trapped within an
expanse of a few miles. The fate of those Bazteri
spawn which survived the conflict, if there are indeed any to speak of, is as
of yet unknown.
Plague Strikes Galanthia!
Word has reached the Times
of strange goings-on in Galanthia. A number of Galanthian military outposts and cities seem to have been
struck by a necromantic outbreak.
Details are still limited as
to the nature and the cause of this plague. All that is known for sure from the
limited number of refugees that have crossed the battle line to surrender to Icenian military forces is that the contagion is swift
spreading, results in permanent death, then raises the victims as mindless
killing machines which spread the plague further.
Aside from needing to
quarantine refugees and watch for spontaneous undead attacks, word from the Icenian Army is that the Galanthian
advance hasn’t stalled... but it has slowed. Galanthian
forces seem to being rerouted to handle the internal threat before it causes
further disruption to the war effort.
Disaster Reported from Sarr Kingdoms!
While news is hard to get
accurately reported across the Bay, reports indicate that one of the Sarr Kingdoms, the western-most
Ukmutznif was part of
the Three Kingdoms Alliance along with the kingdoms of Darklag
and Junjeq. While the Three Kingdoms do have a
“Peace Accord” with Icenia, there has
never been a true alliance due to their allowance of the practices of
necromancy and slavery.
A Memorial to His Excellency, Baron
Harrison of Nordenn
To all my Friends and
Allies,
Those who gathered in
Fairdale before the winter set in accomplished great things. We competed with
fairness and respect in the Annual Games hosted by the High Orcs
of Clan Garath. We fought together with great bravery
to stop the Blood Mages from unleashing destruction on our lands. Greatest of
all, we saw to the final destruction of the Prince of the Abyssal Gorge -- a
necromantic Dragon Mage of immense power who was preparing to unleash an even
greater threat to our lands and peoples.
No great deed comes without
sacrifice, and this was no exception. Although the loss of life was small
compared to recent campaigns, we lost a Warrior to the Hero’s Graveyard.
In the battle with the Abyssal Prince, His Excellency Baron Harrison Ryatt was obliterated and permanently slain.
I will hear no lament for
his passing. His Excellency Baron Harrison lived every day of his life by the Code, and one tenet in particular: Thou shalt
be everywhere and always the Champion of the Right and the Good against
Injustice and Evil. These were not mere words to His Excellency. They were an
Ethic, a devout calling from which he never strayed.
His detractors will tell you
he was unyielding and unrelenting. They are not mistaken. They simply did not
see the larger picture in this. His actions were never about himself or his own
gains, they were for the good of the Barony, the
Duchy, and the Kingdom that he loved with every breath.
He was unyielding and
relentless. He held himself to a standard higher than he held anyone else.
Wounded, injured, tortured by our enemies, he would take the field, apologizing
only for the condition of his uniform. When I would speak to him privately
about finding a wife to have a son to continue his family line that had served
the kingdom for generations, he responded that he already had one great love in
his life- he would never cheat on her, nor ask any woman to try to either equal
that love or be second to it.
He held every post given him
with unswerving loyalty: Man-at-arms, Lieutenant, Sheriff, Lord, Knight,
Paladin, and Baron. He lived every day of his life for the betterment of
others, and for the protection of the Kingdom. He was my
The Graveyard of Heroes
needed a Paladin. Hail the Glorious Dead!
In
Valor and Honor,
First
Knight, Sir Ulthoc Crownsmith
of Ram Tribe
Healing on the Run: A Field
Healer’s Guide (Part 1)
by Natalia Gallonovitch
Good morrow readers,
My name is Natalia Gallonovitch. For those of you who do not know, I have had
friends among the adventurers and nobles of Icenia
for over a decade (that’s over a span, for my elven
friends). During that time, I have functioned primarily as a battlefield
healer, or field medic. My life is currently taking me a different direction,
but I see no reason not to share my knowledge of this very important job with
those who will take up the mantel in my stead. And so, in this column,
I’m going to begin with some things that one might want to think about
before becoming a combat healer, and later I shall move on to some important
tips and techniques to being a successful one. If you are contemplating going
into this field of endeavor, it would behoove you to read on. And, even if you
are not, you might still want to read on. You may learn something valuable, and
gain a new appreciation for the people who do this very difficult job.
The Most
Important Person on the Field
I have a friend who is a
knight and a brilliant tactician. When training new combatants, he is fond of asking
them this question:
“Who is the most
important person on the field?”
Every once in a while,
someone gets it right, but usually he has to point to a nearby healer and say,
“That person right there. I know you think it’s the experienced
fighter or the noble or even the battlefield commander, but it’s not.
It’s your healer.” Because whatever else happens on the field of
battle, if something happens to the healers, eventually, you will lose. Late in
the battle, if the battlefield commander goes down, that’s rough, but
there’s always a second in command, and, well, you’ve already been
told what you are supposed to do for the battle (if the commander is any good).
And even the biggest fighter goes down occasionally. There are other fighters,
and they all know how to plug holes in a line. But the healer is irreplaceable.
Certainly, fighters can (and should) carry some healing potions with them, but
they are not the ones trained to keep everyone going.
I have fought enemies with
strategically brilliant generals who have made a point of attacking healers on
the field. Why? Because drop the healer, and you only have to deal with that
fighter once. No matter how skilled a fighter is, he can be dropped once. If
that fighter has a good healer, he can do four times as much
damage to the enemy. Thus, the healer multiples the power of a fighter
to a degree nothing else can. Behind every great warrior is a healer -- often,
literally, right behind them. And, sometimes, when all else fails, only a
healer can save the entire battle unit from certain demise.
So, as a field medic, the
first and most important thing for you to know is this:
You
are the most important person on the field.
Don’t forget it, and
don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. I am discussing this first because
it is the most important. This principle pervades and, when necessary,
supersedes all others. You must always bear it in mind, throughout everything I
tell you, and throughout every battle. Sometimes, as you will see later, a
healer must be an almost cold, calculating mathematician. But a healer must
also be selfish, even more so than they must be loving
and nurturing.
Why? It comes down to this:
your goal is to keep your target or targets alive. Keep them up if
they’re up, get them up when they go down. How
can you do that if you are bleeding to death on the ground, or otherwise
incapacitated? Quite simply, you cannot. You cannot save someone else’s
life once yours is forfeit. I don’t care how much you care about that
person lying on the ground. Once you go down, you cannot help them. Once you
are incapacitated, you have failed in your duties.
If you do fall, do not be
discouraged. Everyone fails from time to time. But I can not emphasize enough
that, as a healer, staying safe is part of your job. This is not a job for
irrational heroics. Staying out of danger is not cowardice to the healer; nay,
it is the healer’s greatest strategy. This is a calling for which careful
(if often quick) calculation is a necessity. And at the heart of all calculations
is the simple truth that an incapacitated healer can not call upon the Earth to
do anything.
Healers’ Guild Report
It is that time of year when
we all start to shake out our travel blankets, towels, soap, muscle rubs, and
travel food.
For those who are able to do
so please stop by and enjoy my annual Healer’s Guild party the first
weekend of March. Dinner will be served
between 6 and 7 pm. Wine, chocolate, and shrimp will be in abundance. I also
have a lot of floor space upstairs and a whole basement for any one wishing to
stay over. Hopefully, Guild members will be able to show up early. If you are a Guild member and cannot make the
party at all please write me with your comments on how the Guild is run. All
suggestions are welcome. If you need
directions or more information, you know how to contact me.
Now, as some may remember,
towards the end of the last year I once again I badly injured myself. I am
still messed up. I can no longer run out onto the field or hurry down stairs. I
am so sorry, but people who need help or healing will have to be brought to me.
The Guild will be finding a way to compensate for this inconvenience.
Since it worked out so well we will again have
the lounge area outside of the Guild. In the ottoman, we will keep stocked cold
liquids.
If there is anyone wishing to
work with the Guild who is not an official Guild member please contact myself,
Balls, Ezri, Rowan, or Lorien.
We will be running a much tighter Guild in the future. I do all of the
pre-interviews.
If you are wishing to just
work with us but are not concerned with rising in the Guild’s hierarchy
(being a healer is not necessary) please see Balls. He is in charge of
organizing and compensation.
For this next year, the Guild
will be requiring members to do Guild hours. Each person must sign in order to
be given credit. Those who are the most reliable are put at the top for
investiture. Invested people are expected to do at least one hour each day, and
one hour each night. Those who are wishing to be invested must do one hour each
day or night. All other members are required to do one hour per weekend.
You may also work in the
tavern instead of helping behind the circle if approved beforehand. Serving drinks to our heroes is a worthy way
to serve. Invested people are not given
this exception; their responsibilities are too great.
For this next year, the Guild
meeting will be at 9:30 Saturday morning. Yes, we will once again have imported
coffee from the sarr lands and light breakfast
foods. (Sir Daniel, Corwin, and those
who always donate generously to the Guild are welcome too.) All are required to clean up after yourself afterwards.
Please everyone, keep in mind
the Guild is not just a place for resurrections and parties. If at any time you
have a cut, heat stroke, need a blanket or have a problem and to talk to some
one, we will help. Our invested members
are required to keep secrets to themselves and never violate a
confidentiality, so long as you are not confessing to physical harm to
another or the breaking of the Duke’s laws. We try to be neutral, but
murder and slavery we can not tolerate.
Now for my constant request:
Please we are in desperate need of Investment scrolls and their components. We
are trying to be a good full service Guild to all of you. Also if you or any
one you know is looking to sell healer useable scrolls or components, please
see me.
To raise money for the Guild, we sell potions,
alchemy, fudge, and wine. Cough drops and herbal teas are always in the Guild
and free. If a group or a single
adventurer wishes any of these items, our costs are minimal. For those who do not have the money, we will
barter. We try to support life in all its natural aspects.
As a reminder, all trunks in
the tavern are filled with blankets. Just remember to fold them back up neatly
in putting them back when you are done with them. If perchance you get them
dirty or smelly, give them to me at the end of a gathering so they can be
cleaned for the next gathering.
Lastly, if you are new to
town, or in any way not traveling with a group please, please see me. I take
your care and survival personal as does my Guild.
Guildmistress
Zatarina
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