For the past year and a half, the Duchy of Ashbury had been subjugated to a guerrilla war by black masked individuals, tiger sarr, and Mourna's forces of undead. The black masks worn by the brigands were probably related in some way to the historical Black Mask movement of 527-535, who were a group of bandits who went on a spree of murdering and pillaging the Duchy. At the time of the original movement, it was thought that Baron Magnar Grimsby of Blythedale was in control of this rabble, but there is no proof that this was ever true.
But this historical rumor only supported initial suspicions that ex-Baron Dinayr A'Vaughn of Blythedale (deposed 593) was in charge of the recent onslaught against the duchy. Further proof against him came to light as the months progressed after the first appearance of the Black Masks. Former Blythedale knight Warren Maxin of Tolman Head (deposed 593) was captured in the fall of 594 after a Black Mask attack on the estates of Nordenn. He told then-Baron Bryan Nordenn that his commander was Dinayr. The next evening, Mourna the liche announced that she had come to punish the noble teams on orders directly from Dinayr.
For the next several months, it seemed that everything about these raids pointed to Dinayr. That was until late spring, when Lord Morgan was captured and killed by both Blythedale and Trellheim former knights and squires. Morgan was uncertain whether who exactly was present as he could not remember his last half hour before resurrection.
Then, at this year's New Year's celebration, several tiger sarr attacked the tavern. Shredd the tiger sarr, lackey of Ferril Angst, who is a former knight of Amaranth (deposed 593), was captured and charmed to tell the party-goers who his leader was. This time ex-Baron of Trellheim Stewart Medicia was named. The true villain was exposed.
Since New Year's, all had been quiet until the weekend of April 26th when Stewart began his campaign against the capital itself. On Friday night, the town became fearful of reports of a pack of tiger sarr hunting in the woods. The question was, were these the same tiger sarr that terrorized Dame Sonya Dawntreader for a month on an island in Lake Hollym and attacked several New Years parties just a few months ago? For a great part of Friday night, citizens of Ashbury still could not figure out whether or not these were the same troublesome sarr.
Around 10:30 pm, three tiger sarr entered the town claiming to be an ambassadorial party for Myrr. The Ambassador, Lucian Larisse, greeted townspeople claiming that he was in Ashbury for recreational purposes. When they learned about the other tiger sarr in the woods (and after many hostile glances were made their way), Lucian called a meeting with the Duke to see if they could mutually help each other with the renegade sarr. No townsperson attacked the ambassador, fearing repercussions from Myrr if Lucian indeed was who he said he was.
Lucian revealed to the nobility and sarr citizens of Ashbury that the tiger sarr in the woods might be renegades from their home country of Myrr and rebels against their matriarch, the supreme ambassador for their clan, that they had been seeking for some time now. He admitted to the Duke that it was possible that these rebels would align themselves with Stewart Medicia's cause against the duchy, as they are anarchists through and through.
The ambassador offered to help them solve both of their problems by leading a small elite strikeforce against them. At first the Duke and the nobles were interested, but they insisted on taking a larger party against the rebels. Lucian became quite upset that the Duke did not trust him fully and stormed out of town claiming that he could handle this problem on his own.
Those who dared travel the woods that night, usually in large numbers for safety, were greeted by the 'rebel' tiger sarr. Both the court of Nordenn and a ducal court led by Sir Konrad met up with the sarr pack. They did not appear to be hostile, in fact in one instance, the sarr brought an injured person to Sir Konrad. The court of Trellheim was keeping a wary eye open for these sarr regardless, as Lord Hanson made an enemy of Medicia by stealing Mourna's bottle last summer.
Around 1:30 am, Lucian returned to town saying that he and his men alone tracked down and killed the rebels. He was not overjoyed with victory as he angrily pointed out that he received no help from the townspeople and it took every skill they had to mount the successful attack. He parted with mixed feelings about the continued relationship between Myrr and Ashbury.
Finally, the tiger sarr, who turned out not to be slain by Lucian's forces, made their intentions known when they set up an ambush in the early hours of Saturday. A farmer came into town looking for some aid to stop a rather powerful pack of reptilon lizardmen, who later were known to be affiliated with the Brethren of Misrak. Sir Angus, Sir Eridan, Squire Zachary, Magistrate Naerfin, Toranaga the Dark Elf, and Squire Darius went to investigate.
Too late to escape, they found themselves in an ambush of tiger sarr and reptilons, and Squire Darius used his Wraith Sword to go into a gaseous form to escape. The rest of the party was felled by the sarr and reptilons. Naerfin and Toranaga were left behind unconscious, and Squire Zachary was left behind too, but killing blowed and created as an undead. Sir Angus and Sir Eridan were both killed and turned undead, but they were ordered to accompany the sarr as they escaped.
Meanwhile, Darius' gaseous form raced to town and solidified to warn the town what happened. Dressed in only night clothes, nobles and commoners alike dashed into the woods to save the ambushed party, knowing that every second counted. Several townsfolk met up with the sarr on the West Town Road, and quickly dispatched them. They had just barely saved Sir Angus from a resurrection, but Sir Eridan was not so lucky as his body disappeared for resurrection before anyone could get to him.
The angry townsfolk killed all of the sarr on the spot, except their ringleader Ferril Angst, who was brought back to the Ducal Manor House for an intense interrogation with Duke Bryan, Sir Conrad, Sir Aloryn, and other court members. There are reports that 'ambassador' Lucian was among the killer tiger sarr felled at the West Town Road.
What was said behind closed doors between the Ducal Court and Ferril is unknown, but for the two and a half hours spent interrogating him, apparently some sort of deal was made by the Duke. After dawn, Ferril was killed only once, which is strange for the sarr responsible for a great amount of deaths in this Duchy--and he was resurrected in the Ashbury healer's guild by none other than the Duke himself. When Ferril departed from the city, the Duke made him swear to remove his sarr from the duchy before they caused any more harm. Ferril did so, but said that they would most likely return and he could not control their actions. It has been noted that there are no matriarchs governing this particular pack of sarr. Perhaps it is true that they are renegades or exiles from Myrr.
By Saturday Afternoon, more of Stewart Medicia's plan to soften the town for attack became known. (see accompanying article)
Later on in the afternoon, a plot against the Healer's Guild became exposed by a nervous potion maker from the Bardic College named Pratis Prell. The guild was attending to duties when Pratis arrived. His natural stutter was aggravated by something deathly important he wanted to convey to the Guild. Baroness Laurelin attempted to calm him and find out just was so important. After a long drawn out conversation, they realized why he was in such a dither.
Pratis overheard in his potion shop an hour earlier a half orc named "the Tower" and some other individuals plotting to assassinate everyone in the Healers' Guild by spirit-walking the Tower inside. Once the Baroness heard the words 'spirit walk,' she cleared the entire Circle of people. She thanked Pratis and sent him away from the danger and planned what to do next.
Ten minutes later, the Tower spirit-walked inside the Healers' Guild to find an abandoned building. His bloodshot gaze traveled to the door outside where he saw several individuals from the court of Nordenn, the Ash Forest, and the Healers' Guild surrounding the circle.
The Baroness began recognizing powerful fighters and casters into the circle. Sir Kirath of Nordenn charged in first and engaged the powerful assassin. He was able to parry two mighty blows from the half orc but the third upon him cut deep. By that point, several casters had been recognized into the circle and cast a volley of spells to fell the brute. Finally, Chancellor Faustus cast a Sleep spell which felled the Tower.
The Tower was brought to the Ducal household for questioning. He revealed that he was under the employ of the Black Masks to slaughter the Healers' Guild. He was to be sentenced to an obliteration but offered to show them where one of the Black Mask encampments was in exchange for a lighter sentence. The sentence was reduced to one death, but the Tower did not want to take even one death. The Tower offered to fight on their side and the Duke promised to let him go free without any deaths if he did so.
The Tower lead a large contingency of townspeople to the fringes of Ashbury city. There they encountered a large number of former nobles from the former courts of Blythedale and Trellheim (all of whom were deposed and executed in 593 for the Troll War scandal).
Some familiar faces included Natasha Strathmore, former knight of Hopewell; Zizmore, former court mage of Blythedale; Ghutt the tiger sarr (who later said he hadn't seen Ferril in days); Emile Powell, former knight of Fenwick; Roger Pengold, former Trellheim court jester and knight of Reeves; Brutus Stegir, former knight of Deathwatch; Cytel, former governor of Bartleby; and Warren Maxin. Warren had escaped from the ducal prisons by means of a guard who was a Black Mask plant named Henrin Severall, who had been killing the Black Mask prisoners all weekend long until he was discovered Sunday morning by other guards. He escaped their capture by locking himself in a cell with the only set of keys and killing himself.
After several minutes of combat in the woods, the battle was won by the Ashbans. The Tower was allowed to leave for his aid to the town and was last seen heading towards Niman. Saturday evening proved to be free of Black Mask attacks, so the town was relaxed knowing that their earlier efforts had seriously hindered the outlaws for at least one night.
On Sunday morning, the Black Masks made their final strike against the town. Stewart Medicia walked into town in a semi-transparent form. It became quickly obvious that Steward could not be harmed by any physical attack. Somehow, he was out-of phase with our plane of existence. He approached the Ducal Manor House to have words with Duke Bryan.
Stewart told the Duke that his forces lay just outside the city and if all of his terms were not made, he would call them in to ravage the capital city. His demands were that all nobles suffer three deaths as retribution for his humiliation in 593; the sum of all coins, jewels, potions, scrolls, alchemical substances, magic items, and ritual components/scrolls from the Ducal and baronial treasuries be turned over to his men immediately; all nobles publicly declare their incompetence and impotence under the might of Stewart Medicia; and that Hanson of Trellheim was to die continuously until his permanent death. It is needless to say that the Duke was not going to surrender under these terms.
While Duke Bryan and Stewart argued, a bold gypsy cursed Stewart to have a dog's face. This enraged Stewart, and he went to the tourney field and yelled the charge cry to his hiding forces to attack.
Upon his command, several waves of attacking former nobles and their henchmen came in to attack the town. The Ashbury citizens were able to dispatch these brigands in several battles. One inventive tactic to stop the invaders was when Bokar and Squire Nicadaemus Gotham used Fire Ant eggs explosive capabilities to hurt several attackers, and themselves, in the radius effect of the explosion. They found it very difficult to pull this off as the eggs were harder to tear than they had anticipated.
While the battles raged on, other town gypsies delighted in the fact that only they could inflict harm to the furious ex-baron. After several curses, he was calling himself an idiot after every sentence and doing all sorts of degrading acts upon his person. Baron Justice found little humor in humiliating the tyrant so and had the curses removed by Kinya.
For the final attack, Stewart had grown tired of watching the battle from afar. His men called him forth and he joined their ranks. His men surrounded him and his cousin and former seneschal Turner Medicia. After a few seconds he came forward, now corporeal, and led the final charge. However, in the heat of battle, Ashbans ignored Stewart, thinking that he was still out-of phase. He took advantage of this confusion and stalked over to a webbed Lord Hanson and began to killing blow him. Fortunately for Lord Hanson, Stewart was overwhelmed by the town and upon his defeat, captured by the Duke. By the end of the battle, several former nobles were captured for execution and obliteration.
Turner, however, was now non-corporeal, like Stewart was, wearing the same kind of armor which observers noticed was on Stewart when he was out-of-phase. He stood before the town calmly and collectively let them know that this was not the end of the Black Masks. Then, out-of-the-blue, a gypsy curse was blurted out for him to be the opposite of himself. Turner's brows furrowed in an angry look that matched Stewart's own notorious rage. He screamed to the town that they would pay for what happened this day and stormed out of the town. If Stewart does not survive his impending obliteration, Turner could very easily replace his war monger cousin as he now carries the same rage within him.
In what promises to become an annual spring housecleaning event, Noble titles in Ashbury have changed hands once again in the last few months.
Baroness Laurelin Goldsong of the Ash Forest recently announced her resignation after several years of serving in that position. Laurelin was named Baroness after her predecessor, Alicia Hollymsong, disappeared during a journey and later returned to Ashbury as a vampire. No official reason was given for Laurelin's resignation, though there had been rumors of a dispute between the Baroness and the Court of Chivalry.
Laurelin retains her position as a Ducal Knight and was in addition awarded the honorary title of Viscountess by Duke Byran Nordenn. She named as her heir Sir Eridan Talaraine. Baron Eridan then resigned from his duties as a Paladin, citing probably conflicts of interest were he to continue to hold that position. This leaves Ashbury with only one Paladin, since the Duchess recently confirmed officially that both Sir Thyren Vardik and Sir Hieronymous Stone, both former Paladins who have disappeared, no longer held that office.
Baron Eridan recently became handfasted to a Mystic Wood Elf Azura. This automatically gives her the title of "Lady," and in order to be named as Baroness, she would have to pass the Paladin's tests.
Two new Knights of Ashbury were also recently named. Sir Radric of Trellheim and Sir Darius of Nordenn now stand by their fellow nobles to serve the Duchy of Ashbury, dispelling the long-standing rumors that the Barony of Trellheim was somehow blacklisted by the Court of Chivalry. They join Sir Balynthalis of Nordenn and Dame Kittery of the Ash Forest, who were Knighted a month previously.
The courts of Nordenn and the Duchy recently swapped Knights as Dame Sonya Dawntreader left the service of the Duchess to become a Knight of Nordenn, while Sir Angus McEwan assumed the position of a Ducal Knight of Ashbury. In addition to her estate as a Baronial Knight, Dame Sonya was awarded the estate of Rodyn by the Duchess in gratitude for her longstanding service to Ashbury.
Finally, by order of Duchess Mara, Lord Morgan Blackbourne was convicted of numerous charges, the most serious of which was treason, and was stripped of his noble title, lands and possessions. A long list of charges against him was read to the public.
There was longstanding bad blood between Morgan and the Duchess, partially due to Morgan's outspoken support for the previous Duke, Alaric Dragonhart, who had been removed by King Joseph.
Evidently getting wind of his upcoming arrest, Morgan left town before he could be apprehended.
by Julienesse Kiron Jessalan
Among the scholarly, it has long been debated what causes members of our society to take up the sword in anger against his fellow man. In some cases, war is the catalyst, with the desire to fight fueled by sentiments of patriotism while in others greed is a factor which prompts a person to strike down another. I have endeavored to introduce a new theory, one which I can say with some degree of confidence was confirmed through the invaluable assistance of Ashbury's adventuring community. I can best explain this theory with my story:
When I had opted to spend my vacation in Ashbury with His Grace, Duke Bryan, I had no idea my research into the behavior patterns of Tyrran humanoids would be put to full use. I was not finished my first bottle of ginger beer early on Friday night when a local guardsman approached Lord Chancellor Faustus and warned of a bizarre murder which had occurred earlier that evening.
It seems that a man who had been slain by forces which were probably magical--there were no visible wounds on his permanently dead body--had been found in Oldtown. In and of itself, this would not have been unusual, except for the fact that the corpse clutched a small bear doll identical to one found among the possessions of another individual slain in Safehaven the day before. This gentleman had been cut down by weapon blows and resurrected without difficulty.
Seeing that a pattern was evident in these killings, I volunteered my services in attempting to solve the crimes. Perhaps with some help from the local citizenry, I would be able to use my behavioral research to catch the person or persons responsible.
His Grace assigned Sir Eridan, Paladin of the Ash Forest and an altogether likeable elflord, the task of assisting me in gathering an investigative team, and together we struck out. In viewing the crime as an especially challenging problem, Sir Eridan decided to test the analytical skills of Ashbury's squires. As a result, we enlisted first the aid of the lovely Corinne Dufore of Trellheim. To complement her skills as a celestial mage, we then turned to a gypsy healer known as Thorn Baljar. And in case we should run afoul of trouble during our work, Lady Laurelin Goldsong, Baroness of the Ash Forest, volunteered the services of her valued retainer, Siegard. I was desirous of the presence of at least one other, preferably a warrior whose mettle was the equal of Siegard's, but the discovery of a new body temporarily ended our recruiting.
A local farmer led us from the Dragon's Flagon, the tavern we used as headquarters and whose food and service were impeccable, to a permanently dead body that he'd nearly tripped over while on his way home from conducting business in town. Like the others, this victim held a plush bear, but his death was the result of a hideous gash which had been torn down the length of his spine. Sir Eridan had also discovered something of interest on the man's arm: a tattoo of the sun.
With this new information, we returned to the Dragon's Flagon. We had not an opportunity to speak at length before Squire Corinne's associate Caleb Hand offered another piece of evidence. The young lad had searched the body before the farmer happened upon it and found within its entrails a note which read, "Fenmarch remembered". There was altogether a great deal of new information suddenly available, and ours was the unenviable task of making use of it.
Thorn was the first to suggest that the murders might be the act of more than one person. Given that one victim was slain by magic, another by weapons, and another by a precision attack from behind, our gypsy friend surmised that a group or organization might be responsible. Unfortunately, this did not explain the presence of either the tattoo or the note. Siegard proposed that those slain were members or ex-members of Thorn's hypothetical organization, which meant that we needed to learn more about the two previous victims. At Squire Corinne's urging, we sought the guardsman who first delivered word of the killings to Duke Bryan.
At the Oldtown Guard Barracks we were able to learn that the two men previously murdered had been socially inactive persons with a penchant for neatness and discipline. Our guardsman contact attributed this to the prior military service of at least one of the two. Upon reflection, he also recalled the presence of a sun tattoo on one of the victim's arms. At this time I had considered that perhaps the pattern we were attempting to follow was more diverse than originally thought.
Thorn had presence enough to inquire if the estate of Fenmarch meant anything to the guardsman, and in fact the young militiaman recalled that there had been some sort of wholesale slaughter there a number of years back. The particulars of the event were lost to him, however.
On our return trip to the tavern, Sir Eridan was clever enough to continue his earlier recruitment efforts by enlisting the aid of Darius Steelblade, Squire of Nordenn. Considered, I believe, a valued and skilled vassal to the good Baron Bretton, Sir Eridan felt that Darius would prove highly useful to our investigation.
And so he did when outside the tavern we confronted a young corporal of the Tempered Wolf Royal Army platoon. This young woman had just fifteen minutes earlier been murdered on the main road of the city. After resurrecting, she had attempted to gain audience with a noble court to cry outrage at her own senseless slaughter. I suppose she did not know what I was slowly learning: Ashbury can be a dangerous place!
Nevertheless, we questioned Corporal Quallis about the details of her murder and learned a number of interesting things. The attacker had assaulted her from a position of concealment and used spells to dispatch her. While he did so, he spoke of "tabards" and also uttered the recurring phrase, "remember Fenmarch." Although he was new to the investigation, Squire Darius was quick to ask after the corporal's own tattoo, which she gladly displayed. She explained it a tradition among proud military units to design one. The corporal asked if someone might escort her to the scene of her death so that she could retrieve her belongings at which time Siegard and Sir Eridan suggested we search the area for clues.
The investigation of the murder site did not turn up much in the way of clues, but allowed us to secure the invaluable services of another member of the Ash Forest Court: Squire Zachary Blane. I believe Squire Zachary's duties to the Baroness had ended and he was now anxious to keep busy as the night wore on. Considering the destructive abilities of the person or persons we were pursuing, I believe that all of us were glad for the squire elf's presence. Shortly after, we found the corporal's belongings, and among them, the telltale plush bear.
It was Zachary however, that discovered the only other clues of value in that area. By examining the earth and leaves, he was somehow able to discern where exactly the attack had come from, where the corporal's body had fallen, and what sort of foot gear the attacker had been wearing. I must commend the Ash Forest on their investigative skills.
We now had a number of valuable clues to work with. As we gathered again at the Dragon's Flagon, our team agreed that there was a great deal of significance surrounding the fact that all victims were either members of the Royal Army or possessed a tattoo often associated with the military. Squire Darius suggested that the murderer or murderers might be hunting down members of the Royal Army. In all the killings, this seemed the strongest link. In addition, we realized suddenly, the murders had all occurred on the top of the hour. Now we knew that a timetable was being followed. The only clues which we had not yet been able to factor in were the references to Fenmarch. At Squire Corinne's urging, we arranged a visit there at once.
His Grace was kind enough to provide us with the use of his carriage and team of horses, so it was in short order that we arrived at the darkened estate of Fenmarch in the late hours of the night. The Royal Army Barracks, our intended destination, was also cloaked in shadow, but was not deserted. As we reined in the horses, the sound of voices drifted out. Someone inside was searching for something.
After we spent a few moments eavesdropping, the persons inside suddenly exited, and we were forced to confront them. They seemed none too interested in parleying with us, and their leader ordered an attack. I was highly impressed at the skill and ferocity displayed by our investigative team. Zachary, Corinne, and Thorn cast a powerful barrage of magic while Darius, Sir Eridan, and Siegard made efficient use of their steel to lay our foes low.
We found the barracks ransacked, and a man who claimed to be Garrison Commander Sergeant Ollis, tied up in one of his own cells. Through Sergeant Ollis, our team was able to learn that the men we had fought were ex-Royal Army members who had used an old but still usable password to gain entry into the Warded building. Once inside, they overpowered Ollis and began searching for records. The garrison commander claimed to recognize the leader as Captain Urros of the Sun's Apex, a platoon active during the days of the Trollwar. He also recalled that the unit had been involved in a scandal of some kind seven years past, but could not recall the details.
Squires Zachary and Corinne spearheaded the questioning of Captain Urros, at which time we finally learned what we were dealing with. Urros and his men had been searching the barracks for information about...themselves! But I leap too far ahead in the story.
At the end of the Trollwar, the platoon of the Sun's Apex had been stationed at Fenmarch. While garrisoned there, these soldiers heard a rumor that the ducal treasury was kept somewhere within the Fenmarch estate, which emboldened them to capture and hold prisoner almost the entirety of its citizenry. When each of them denied the presence of any treasury, the soldiers turned upon the local magistrate, threatening to slay an innocent child each hour that he refused to reveal the treasure's location. The magistrate could not expose the hiding place of something that did not exist, so the Sun's Apex began their wholesale slaughter.
Several hours into the massacre, a maniac emerged from the woods and tore into the surprised militiamen. He had killed and wounded several of them before the Sun's Apex organized and chased him off, but they were no longer strong enough to hold the estate and fled at once to hide and assume new identities.
Seven years later, they had heard rumors that former members of their platoon were being murdered in and around Ashbury City, so they came that very night to Fenmarch to see if the killer was the same one who had attacked them long ago. The absence of records pertaining to the Sun's Apex and other military units within the Fenmarch garrison was proof enough that the killer was back to get revenge for what had happened seven years ago.
On the ride back to Ashbury proper, an inconsistency appeared in the murderer's pattern. Corporal Quallis was a member of the Tempered Wolf platoon, and had no association with the Sun's Apex. My suspicion was that, being unable to locate any other members of the Sun's Apex, the killer had chosen simply to vent his rage upon anyone associated with the Royal Army. This placed a greater number of persons at risk than before.
Once in the city, we were approached by a mysterious benefactor who lead us to the scene of yet another murder. The body was like the others, permanently dead and slain through a combination of techniques, but possessed of another valuable clue: a scrap of paper with the names of local citizens who had once been members of a Royal Army platoon called Nighthammer. Our guide stressed that time was short, and that if we wished to capture this killer, we must act at once.
I regret that our first course of action was to warn all of the persons on the list of the potential danger, for as the hours ticked past, no more murders occurred and the city of Ashbury grew quiet. As dawn approached, we reasoned that the killer who had lead us on a merry chase through much of the night had gotten his fill of vengeance and melted into the shadows.
Despite our failure, I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to all involved and commend the members of our investigative team on their competence and expertise. Presented with nothing but a handful of scattered clues, you were able to piece together the abilities, appearance, and motivation of a highly dangerous enemy. That is no small feat.
On Saturday evening, April 27th, nobles and commoners came out of the tavern feast in time to hear the cawing of several dozen giant crows, black birds, and ravens. From every direction, the trees of the wood housed the angry squawks of the filthy and diseased magpies.
Adventurers who fought these raptors learned that the creatures attacked with both their beaks and talons and preyed off downed persons, ingesting body parts and treasure alike. It seemed that adventurers were to spend the better part of the evening hunting down and killing this plague of birds.
Relief to alleviate this problem came from a most unusual ally_the Golem Maker. The Golem Maker's reputation in Ashbury has garnered mixed feelings amongst Ashbans from past experiences from his golem challenges. However, in an apparent gesture to clean his slate, he sent in several powerful obsidian and iron golems with a message to Duchess Mara Tirane and Duke Bryan Nordenn regarding the giant birds.
The note promised the Duke that with his permission, the Golem Maker would send in several straw golems, sometimes known as scarecrow golems, to rid the town of the "large feathered creatures." The Duke accepted the Golem Maker's gracious offer and sent the golems back with an acceptance note.
Within a half hour the townspeople, ordered by the Duke not to harm the golems, saw the straw constructs enter town and begin to search for the birds to drive away. The Duke went to inspect the golems' efforts when out of nowhere they started attacking him. Ashbans quickly went to the Duke's aid.
After two more incidents of these bizarre attacks were made on the Duke, he became very upset about the situation. He barked at his own court, "The next time any of you let these things touch me again, you'll be doing fifty push-ups!"
The Ashbury populace helped get the golems out of the town and into the woods where they could attack the giant birds without causing any more havoc in the town. There is still some speculation as to the mysterious circumstances that prompted the golems to attack the Duke.
The rumors are that either the Golem Maker simply didn't instruct his straw golems properly as to the definition of "large feathered creature" or he was attempting to assassinate the Duke, using the arrival of the giant birds as a means to cover his true intentions.
By midnight, the last of the giant birds were driven out of the region and the golems returned to their creator. No one is yet sure what caused the attack in the first place.
Stewart Medicia's sinister scheme to poison the collective water supplies of Ashbury was thwarted through the efforts of Ashbury's potential future nobility, the ducal and baronial squires.
The danger was revealed when Ingrid Fallcrest, local magistrate for the estate of Connor, arrived at the Ducal Manor House to request assistance in the quelling of uprisings on that estate. Certain farms had been suffering from a blight upon their crops and livestock. Others, however, had been mysteriously passed over, and resentment among those affected reached a boiling point when the sickness began to fall over people that morning. Magistrate Ingrid feared that things would now reach a riot stage unless osme assistance could be rendered.
Sir Konrad Valinor gathered Squires Corinne and Radric of the Court of Trellheim, Squire Algar of the Ash Forest, Squire Darius of Nordenn, and Squire Florin of the Ducal Household, and accompanied Magistrate Ingrid to the farm belt of Connor.
Once there, they discovered a large band of rabble rousers railing against the perceived injustices which had fallen over them. Among cries of "Feed our bellies! No more levies!", they turned to the arriving mediators and demanded that action be taken. The squires proved themselves capable arbitrators, and had nearly calmed the inflamed peasants when a foppish neighbor entered the scene.
Hurling fruit, vegetables, and coal at the man, the troublemakers claimed that all noble protection from this dangerous sickness was being extended only toward wealthy merchants like him. Again, however, the squires were able to calm the situation and shield the curious fop. Thanking them, the merchant landowner informed the magistrate that there was a dispute going on at a neighboring farm.
At Cutland's Farm, the squires found Goodmen Banestead and Cutland engaged in a furious argument over ownership of the unaffected field they were standing in. Banestead claimed that a third of the field was his, a loan from his father to Cutland's, but he never claimed it because he had his hands full with his own fields. Now, with his own crops dead, he wanted his land returned. Cutland further confused the issue by claiming that the permanent deaths of their fathers made their agreements null and void.
Sir Konrad unleased the mediating squires upon the two, and it was quickly decided that a temporary loan of the healthy land be given to Banestead until the source of the blight could be discovered. Once his own lands were in good order, Banestead would return the loaned property. The two seemed agreeable to the proposal, which even gave the squires an opportunity to analyze the crops and learn that they were suffering from some form of poisoning. Given that crops, livestock, and residents had been affected, it was decided that the poison's source must be somehow linked to the water system.
Nearby, the squires then happened upon two men fighting over a piece of bread. As before, their greivances stemed from the poisoned crops. The accused thief claimed that his lands had been devastated, and that after drinking from the reservoir, he too had been struck horribly ill. These combined calamities forced him to steal the bread in order to feed himself and his family.
After settling the dispute, the squires decided to investigate the reservoir from which the poisoned thief had drunk. Once there, they discovered none other than local troublemaker and ex-knight of Blythedale Warren Maxin. He and a band of his henchmen were on the far bank brewing a deadly concoction which would be dumped into the reservoir. Once in the city's wells and waterways, the dangerous poison would cause untold havoc.
The squires rushed across to stop Maxin, but found him protected by Walls of Force. They were able to dispatch his guards, which left them in the delicate position of stopping the ex-knight from poisoning the reservoir. Finally, through the clever use of Dispel Magic and their own Wall of Force spells, the squires were able to box Warren in. He seemed to be waiting for his mixture to reach a certain stage of effectiveness, after which he would dump it into the water. Fortunately for everyone in Ashbury, he never got the chance.
Squire Florin bravely moved into the frigid water and around the Walls of Force, where he was able to stop Maxin just as the mixture reached its critical mass. Collecting the villainous ex-knight and returning him to prison, the squires returned to the city triumphant. It is speculated that their fine work in stopping Maxin and subsequently thwarting another of Medicia's schemes contributed to the later ascension to knighthood of Radric Helfax and Darius Steelblade.
For the past several months it has been known that the gypsies of Ashbury were being stalked by powerful enemies. Included in these were the Marhime, a pantherghast like creature, and a woman called Angelica.
The gypsy known as the Puzzlemaster had been spending time in Ashbury recently, and when he appeared on the night of Saturday, April 26th, there were two blue marks upon his cheeks shaped like tears. When questioned about these he said he couldn't say anything but he appeared to be very sad. The reason for his sadness became obvious within ten minutes.
First, several undead creatures that appeared to be rotting wolves appeared on the outskirts of town near the Mages' Guild. Most of the warriors of the town who were congregating near the tavern went to fight these new creatures. While the town's defenders were gone to fight these creatures, those in the tavern were surprised when a large group of undead rifted into the tavern and put up a Wizard Lock. The group consisted of nine creatures total, many of which had been seen by the gypsies in their encounter with Angelica last month.
In the lead of this group was Angelica herself, a beautiful woman bearing a glowing staff with skulls at each end. At her sides were two non corporeal creatures the likes of which Ashbury has never dealt with. The one known as Jarl had been seen last month by the gypsies, but the other had never before been encountered. Also appearing was a large black skinned man with curling horns and huge claws. The others appeared to be wraithlike creatures, and were all extremely powerful. Four of them appeared to have been gypsies in life and one reportedly looked like a hobling.
Several people jumped up to fight these creatures but were quickly struck down and most of the others in the tavern realized that fighting them was of no use. Most of the court of the Ash Forest was forced to sit and watch as the group took each gypsy they found, killed them, and then piled their bodies away from the others. At this point, a few people in the tavern attacked again, including Lord Magistrate Naerfin, but all were killed with ease. (Fortunately, the undead creatures paid these non-gypsies no mind once they were killed, so the heroes were able to be Lifed.)
The creatures waited for the gypsy bodies to dissipate before taking their leave. Dead from the attack were Findrago, Petra, Kinya, and Javier.
When the attack began many people tried to negotiate with Angelica and her minions for the lives of those inside. They shrugged off all attempts at saving the lives of those they had slain.
The Duke had questioned her, asking her reasons for the attack, and was even heard to try flattery, telling her of the fondness he had for her spell. Nothing helped. Also attempting to speak with her were Mason and Sir Aloryn.
Gypsies Ta'wane, Thorn, and Kylara approached and tried to negotiate, but were cursed by the undead inside.
The reason for the attack was at last revealed by the Puzzlemaster, who was standing within the tavern during the battle, neither attacking nor being attacked despite his gypsy heritage. When Kylara approached the door of the tavern, he called out to her and told her in harsh tones that the entire incident was her fault. He blamed her for revealing the secrets of the Romani to those outside the race. He told her that she had broken the first rule he told her and revealed the hidden lore.
Their breaking of this unusual "rule" apparently released the constraints from Angelica and allowed an attack of this magnitude. Kylara was let into the tavern where she was mocked by the undead and then killed and animated as a zombie. The animation saved her from resurrecting, as she was allowed to wander loose outside and was quickly given a Life spell.
Many later accused the Puzzlemaster of collusion with the undead or even being in control of them, but all have apparently accepted the fact that he was merely an observer with no power in the situation. Lord Magistrate Naerfin asked for the reasons the undead did not attack him, and the Puzzlemaster replied that he could not say and that even if he could, the information was for the gypsies alone. Naerfin asked him for a puzzle, the reward for solving would be the information given to the gypsies. He agreed and presented them with a very long riddle.
After the gypsies' spirits had fled to resurrect, the undead dispelled their Wizard Lock and fled out the back. They told the townsfolk to back away and they would simply leave but not everyone listened. A visitor from Quentari and several others attacked the undead but were quickly cut down. The entire town began to fight and many were killed, though all of them were Lifed. Even the Duke himself was struck down and was seen walking the field as a zombie.
The one called Jarl in particular cut a huge swath through the townsfolk swinging huge blows which drained the life of those struck. He took great amounts of damage and was seen to phase a great number of spells. He was finally Imprisoned by Lord Chancellor Faustus but his imprisoned form was taken by his allies and released. With all the damage that Angelica's forces did, including the capturing of several magic weapons (including Sir Angus' hammer and Sir Kirath's shield) not one of her minions was destroyed. They were all powerful and worked well as a team. No one in the town went near Angelica, and they quickly learned to fear the black skinned one by her side.
When she thought she did enough damage, Angelica called her minions to her and begun to rift them away. As they were disappearing, a fighter struck a blow at one of them who phased the blow and was thus ripped out of the rift. He was finally taken down by members of the court of Nordenn, though not before he had killed four others. When the undead were gone, lying on the ground were the magic weapons they had taken during the battle, as if they were further mocking the townsfolk by not even taking the spoils of the battle.
No one is sure just what this Angelica is or what her ultimate goals are, however she is obviously a power at least of the level of Mourna. "I say we give all the gypsies to her and save our own butts!" said one obvious mercenary.
Suspected members of the criminal organization known as the Fist may have been partially successful Saturday the 27th during a daring midday attack aimed at freeing their captured leader, Father Acromar.
Word had arrived from Daven the week before that Sir Charles Albright, a Royal Executioner, would be arriving on Saturday to perform the formal magic ritual of Obliteration upon Father Acromar. Due to a lack of available components in the area, the Duke and Duchess had requested that Sir Charles perform the ritual last autumn, but the presence of the chaos rift prompted him to decline.
Most noble courts were in attendance when Sir Charles appeared promptly at noon. Humbled, Acromar was lead from prison to the tourney field, where Sir Charles prepared a circle of power with the assistance of Lord Hanson. With a squad of royal troopers standing guard within and without, the Executioner began the lengthy ritual.
Before long, a group of fighters claiming to be merchants hailing from Blackstone appeared to view the proceedings. Some of those in attendance grew suspicious of the "merchants" presence, and when some inconsistency in their story or appearance turned up, those gathered were quick to apprehend them.
It is not certain at this time what alerted the townspeople, but newly re-squired Manx was overheard saying that she observed one of the troopers signaling the merchants.
There was not enough time to ponder her theory, however, as a sudden wave of monsters appeared on the far side of the field. When those defending the circle bled off to meet the attacking lizardmen, Sir Charles mysteriously ended the ritual, dispelled his circle and used his considerable magic to cover the sudden escape of Acromar.
Lord Agnar of Nordenn, orcs of the Clan McEwan, and a number of others who'd remained near the circle during the monstrous assault gave immediate chase, but found their efforts hampered by royal troopers who had suddenly taken up arms against the citizenry to aid in Acromar's escape. The group made it only as far as the mouth of the West Road before they were overtaken.
Once Acromar and the troopers were safely secured in the dungeon, it was learned that Sir Charles had been attacked by Fist thugs on his way into the city; an attack which lead to him being Enslaved and Charmed. After assuming the identity of the royal troopers accompanying the Executioner, the thugs escorted him into town and ordered him to lower the circle at the most opportune moment.
It is unclear who can claim victory, however, as it was later learned that in the confines of his dungeon cell, Acromar had caused himself to die, thus allowing him to ressurrect somewhere outside the prison.
It has been speculated that he had not done so previously because he had suffered other deaths, while some suggested that the imprisoned leader had been under a much more strict guard before the escape attempt.
Whether this will mean a return to greatness for the fragmented Fist remains to be seen.
Want to earn a lot of money real easily, without having to put yourself in any danger whatsoever? Want to show off your skills in front of everyone, get a lot of attention from the Duchess, and possibly get a permanent magic item?
The Third Annual Commoner's Tournament will be held on the weekend of May 25th, and it looks to be an exciting affair.
The competition is open to all non-nobles. Participating in the Commoner's Tournament will not exclude you from also participating in the Noble's Tournament to be held in early September if, for example, you are squired between the two Tournaments.
So far, unconfirmed rumors state that the following teams are planning to participate: The gypsies, Clan McEwan, the Healer's Guild, a group of adventurers sponsored by Sir Konrad, a team organized by Heron Streakwind, one led by Derek Dreamweaver, and the sailors of the Harvest Moon.
Last year's exciting tournament was won by The Shield of Vendamor, who came away from the competition with over 25 gold and a magic item. Second place were the gypsies, and third place was the group Checkmate.
One wonders why more teams do not take advantage of the competition. A beginning adventuring team could scarcely find a better way to make a name for themselves while earning the needed money for training.
A team consists of exactly six members, but others are allowed to help during the Colors, Hunt, or Entertainment portions of the competition.
A team gets one silver noble per team member for every point they receive in the Tournament, and two silvers for every point they receive in the Hunt.
A first place win in one category, worth five points, is thus worth three gold. Even a team coming in 5th place in every event can still earn as many gold pieces without having to exert itself.
In addition, the first place team wins a permanent magic item. This year the item is a Dispel Magic once a day. The second place team will win a Release once per day good for a year, and the third place team will win a Shield Magic item with four spell charges.
Rules for the Tournament are available in a treatise written by Ashbury Times editor Eric Woolcott that is publicly available in most learned libraries, along with advice on how to win each one. In general, the competitions are:
Archery: In which one team member competes to get the bulls-eye more than his or her competitors;
Colors: In which the teams present themselves to the Duchess and show off their bearing, their finest clothing, their banners, and other displays;
Combat: In which the teams present three fighters against each other team, using padded weapons.
Entertainment: In which the team presents a song, skit, or other form of entertainment;
Hero's Battle: In which a one-on-one battle is commenced;
Hunt: In which the team has to produce a number of items before the other teams--assuming they can figure out what the items are in the first place;
Race: In which the team runs a relay race against the other teams;
Riddles: In which the team's intelligence and strategy is explored; and
Spellcaster's Battle: In which the last spellcaster standing is the winner! (Remember that last year the Duchess announced that no 9th level spells would be allowed.)
The schedule is:
Saturday: Noon: Colors; Hunt begins. 4 pm: Combat; Spellcaster's Battle.
Sunday: Noon: Archery; Riddles; Race. 8 pm: Entertainment.
Monday: Noon: Hero's Battle; Hunt ends.
Spring brings new life to Tyrra: birds, squirrels, budding trees--and fire ants! The threat posed by these giant insects have grown from being an occasional problem to becoming an outright menace. All across the countryside, hundreds of giant fire ants began to surface after their semi-dormant winter hibernation in early April. Ashbury City found itself plagued by the chittering monstrosities just as much as the rural estates. By Saturday the 27th, Ashbans found that several fire ant nests were located all throughout the perimeter of the capital.
Later on Saturday, other enlarged insects and worms began wandering into town. Giant-sized beetles, wasps, flies, maggots, and silk worms attacked any who came into contact with them.
One particularly interesting story came from a Bardic College librarian named Bains Braddock, whose library was under attack from giant book worms. With the help of some adventurers led by Naansa, the worms were killed off in the midst of their devouring spree in the library.
Braddock reported the affair to the College who helped him retrace his steps to find where he may have attracted attention to the book devouring worms. He remembered dropping off a couple of books to a cabin on the border of the estate of Ashbury. He noticed the owner was not the same man who ordered the books through him several months back. The new resident was prone to giggling and refused to acknowledge the books. Bains returned home and was soon after attacked by the worms which were held at bay for a time by a Ward Spell on his residence.
The college guard checked this cabin and found it initially to be an abandoned home on the border of Ashbury City and the Bardic college estates. Upon further inspection, they discovered a trap door to a lab in the basement. The lab was partially abandoned and partially in shambles. Several empty cages for large animals in the back of the lab had been smashed open, but none of the occupants could be found in the building. Slime trails and skin sheddings indicated the formerly pent up creatures to be giant insects and worms. The guard also noted a bloodstained set of clothes on the ground near the cages. Apparently, someone was present and killed when the creatures escaped.
It is unknown at this time whether or not the giant abominations were summoned or created in the lab, but there is some worry that they will begin to breed and become as over populous as their fire ant cousins.
Other parts of the Duchy reported similar attacks with similar results.
On Tuesday, April 30th, several farmers in Safehaven witnessed several giant fire ants attacked by a giant burrowing insect. When it popped out of its whirlpool-like dirt nest, the fire ants would attempt to attack it with their natural flame abilities, but the insect, later identified as a giant ant lion, seemed unaffected by their attacks. It used the tumbling dirt of its nest entry hole to snare the ants and drag them into the nest to face their impending doom.
More such reports of this new giant insect came in just as the newspaper was about to go to press, and reports of fire ant problems have begun to take a downward trend. Perhaps the ant lions were one of the insects from the lab and their release has solved the fire ant problem at last.
A band of drunken farmers defended the Dragon's Flagon from two naga for several hours during the early morning hours of Sunday, April 28th. Gathering for a late night of ale and "gopher balls," the farmers were given permission by Camilla to stay within the supposedly safe walls of Ashbury's favorite tavern past its closing. After tearing into the wine cellars and food storage, farmers Bob, Ben, Jake, Alex and Zekaria found themselves confronted by two angry naga. The ensuing battle was joined by Rajah the Sarr and Kylara the Gypsy as well as the mysterious Sister Mary Lewellen.
Rajah organized the unskilled farmers and defended the tavern for three hours. Apparently the naga were in search of nobles and food. "We tried to feed 'em the gopher balls but it wasn't to their liking," said a tired Farmer Bob. "It was the fudgy treats that finally kept them at bay."
During the winter, the Paladins of Ashbury have discussed many aspects of the Code of Chivalry. Noble duty and service are a constant and everlasting concern as we deal with the day-to-day situations of the people we serve.
In this difficult job it is quite easy to lose sight of the most important attribute of service to our people: Noble bearing. As a noble of Evendarr, it is important to remember that you serve as a symbol of enlightened virtue--you must persevere through indignities and misfortune serving as an example to the people you govern. It is easy for anyone to point out personal frailties and imperfections, but the dictates of the Code indicate that we forever strive to obtain and personify each measure.
The duties of the nobility do not end once lordship has been granted. It is not within the duties of a noble to hunt for the imperfections of their peers--rather, one must serve the Code dutifully, punish the law breakers, and support your comrades who strive to be the best noble possible.
On generosity: The Code demands that a noble be generous and give freely to others. In this pursuit, a noble is always aware of the hardships of their people, while seeking to purge poverty from the land with the displacement of their wealth among the needy. While a noble would be foolish to sell their swords and armor in pursuit of this measure of the Code, it is important that the noble remember that fortune often never smiles on the average citizen.
The Code does not damn the Noble who achieves miraculous deeds as an adventurer_acquiring wealth and objects of the arcane. However, a noble forever seeks to place their excess in the hands of the poor to better the lives of all who live under the honorable flag of Evendarr. The true masters of chivalry are those who can toss away the trappings of success as an adventurer and stand forth with the Code as their Shield--not the gold in their pocket or the auraed surface of their weapon.
The Paladins of Ashbury
First let me start by explaining a few things to people that may be unclear on the issue. Attacking a noble of this duchy has, is, and always will be considered treason. With that said, I find Galoran guilty of multiple assaults against a noble of Ashbury. He will be fined a sum of fifty gold and he will suffer one death, and have two more held on his record. If he commits another treasonous act he will be obliterated.
Several rather interesting cases came before me on this past gathering. One of which I would like to speak of is that of the Brotherhood of Fire. I would remind everyone that only citizen races are protected under our laws and that is why one of the Brotherhood was given a death for coming to the defense of the fire elemental that wandered into our town. The other two members, who only defended themselves against the town, were allowed to leave.
Two Fist agents were captured during the attempted obliteration of Acromar. These two men posed as royal army captains, enslaved the Royal Executioner, Sir Charles, and were instrumental in helping Acromar escape. For these two men there shall be no mercy shown. They are both to be killed until they suffer their permanent deaths. An artist has made sketches of these men, and if you see them they are to be killed on sight.
Lastly, I would also like to address a rather disturbing trend I have noticed during the trials of this past gathering. Some people feel that they can say whatever it is that comes to their mind without regard for anyone else. During a trial I will not tolerate disrespect for myself, or any other person. From now on, people will only speak when asked. If people persist in arguing over testimony, or through my decisions, they will be silenced.
Lord Magistrate Naerfen Kel-tier'lin McEwan, Scout of the Silver Fox
by Guildmistress Daphne Green
I have had several requests that the Guild purchase the ritual scroll Mark/Unmark. The scroll has been ordered and may be available by late May.
As you may have heard, a group of adventurers led by Gladius Sharpe recently uncovered a plot against this Guild by Ryan Allday, a person unknown to me, who claims to have a grievance against my predecessor, Isabella Nault. Allday was able to infect several people with a disease which caused eggs to hatch into blobs inside a living person, eventually resulting in the person's death. Although the adventurers were unable to save his victims, a cryptic note left at the scene of his crimes revealed that the cure for the infection is a Paralyze spell, so further victims need not die.
On the afternoon of Saturday, April 27, the Guild was attacked by an assassin, believed to be in the pay of Allday, who Spirit-walked into the circle. Fortunately, the Guild received advance warning of this attack and Viscountess Laurelin Goldsong and her guards defeated the attacker. Her vigilance as an invested Guild member as well as her skill in combat deserve public commendation.
The Charter of the Ashbury Royal Healer's Guild specifically states that suicides should not be committed within the circle. I have consulted with the Chancellor about what steps the Guild may take with regard to citizens who do not respect our charter, and he has informed me that the Guild may impose any sanctions which are not reserved for the legal authorities (fines, execution etc.). Let it be known, therefore, that Robert Oakwood, for disruptive behavior during a Guild emergency including but not limited to committing suicide inside the Healer's Guild circle, is banned from the premises of the Ashbury Royal Healer's Guild until further notice.
I am greatly displeased in the actions of your people. Recently, three of my newly wed wives were murdered in their ventures into Ashbury city. They posed no threat and simply wished to find a gift that represented peace between my tribe and yours. I was even going to award a magical item to those who helped my wives find the appropriate gift. Instead of offering open arms, you offered unsheathed weapons. I am forced to rethink my views on your races. My brethren may be right--perhaps there can never be truce between trolls and the peoples of Evendarr.
Dances With Fleas
People of Ashbury:
Many of you are wondering why the Puzzlemaster had blamed me, Kylara Neumacht, for Angelica's attack on the night of April 27th. I feel I owe you all an apology as well as an explanation.
When the Puzzlemaster first came to us in October of 595, he made it very clear to the gypsies that only we could save our race. He gave us much information; however, we were told that only the Rom (gypsies) were entitled to this knowledge. On the night before the attack, a gypsy meeting was held to discuss and organize any new information we had gathered. Many new gypsies had arrived in town since October and needed to be informed of what we'd learned before. Three non-gypsies or "gorgio" were allowed to attend the meeting. I, foolishly having forgotten the warnings of the Puzzlemaster, repeated some things that the gorgio were never supposed to hear.
Fate, in her anger and disappointment at my mistake, allowed Angelica the power to rift in her most powerful minions to attack the town. As punishment for my forgetfulness, four gypsies were killed. I believe I was allowed to live because Fate knew the guilt I would feel at their deaths would be a stronger lesson than if I had died myself.
I have learned from my mistake and the other Rom have as well. We must be very cautious of the information that we keep. I know this frustrates the gorgio who want to help us, but we cannot tell you many things. However, there are other ways you can help us. Any information you have should be told to us. The seemingly most insignificant bit may be a missing piece we need to put together what we already know.
A few gorgio have offered to become gypsy to help us; however, this is very dangerous. If you are not truly Rom at heart you will either die or become useless to us through the ritual. We have accepted some of the offers despite the risk; however, the components that we need are rare and expensive. If you can help us find them, we will be very grateful.
The Raven Clan's new Rajna Dax and member Findrago are organizing battle tactics. If you have advice, healing, protectives, magic items or strong weapons that you are willing to lend us, please contact them. Remember, gypsies always repay a favor.
Once again, I apologize for the mistake I have made. It will not be repeated. I hold myself responsible for the deaths that occurred, even though those who have died have already forgiven me. The attack will serve as a reminder to myself, and all the Rom, that it is not just us who are affected by the secrets we keep.
Kylara Ann Prideth Neumacht Ravenchild
by Sue D'Onym
Hello, dearies! It's me again, with all of the News They Don't Want You To Know.
Lots of nobles doing the ol' Noble Shuffle recently! I am sure I am missing some of the facts since no one tells a gossip anything (and then they get mad when I get it wrong! I say, is that fair? I try to do my job, relying on bits and pieces I hear, when I could really report everything correctly if people would just tell me things, or at least talk louder behind closed doors. . .Oh, sorry, where was I?): First, it seems that Baroness Laurelin removed Algar's squireship because he "associated with known enemies of the Ash Forest," which means he was seen actually talking in public to Rowell Ka'taan and Templeton, who paid their debt to society years ago for their burglary of the Ash Forest Manor House. Elves have long memories though. Algar was later seen leaving the city proper, traveling to unknown places.
Anyway, actions were later brought against Laurelin for violating the Code of Chivalry (no one will tell me what she did, though). Well, she resigned and her top knight Sir Eridan was put in her place, but the Duke apparently decided that violating the Code of Chivalry really isn't that bad so he gave her the title of "honorary Viscountess" (which roughly translates as "knight with an attitude").
I don't know exactly what Lord Morgan did (other than badmouth the Duke and Duchess every time he opened his mouth and openly encourage their removal whenever he could), but his title was removed at the same time. However, instead of getting to be an "honorary Viscount" he has been sentenced to an obliteration in his absence (which is the best way to be obliterated after all--in your absence!).
Speaking of criminals, Squire Caleb Hand was finally executed--and was then given a Life spell. But then again, he is a squire. Modi and William only had to take two deaths for the four murders, but they hang around with nobles a lot too. Low commoners like Captain O'Connel and the Harvest Moon sailors get what they deserve, as did Galoran. Hey, am I beginning to see a pattern h
After all, what was Caleb found guilty of? Killing criminals and dispensing justice when he had no right to! Well, citizens of Ashbury, don't worry--according to the Magistrate's report this month, Naerfin is ignoring that law and has allowed you to "kill on sight" two Fist agents. No picture was provided, so we're sure he won't mind if you make a mistake here and there.
Dame Sonya went off to join the barony of Nordenn ("A new team means new colors, and new colors means new clothes!" she was heard to say). Her ex-squire Manx was re-squired by Sir Angus. This did not sit well with Sir Aloryn, who resigned his title in protest. The Duke, of course, followed the same action he always does when it concerns his good friend Angus, which means he agreed with anything Angus wanted, and even named him "Warlord" (which roughly translates as "Half Orc with an attitude").
Radric and Darius were finally knighted. The Duke gave a moving speech about the importance of the Code of Chivalry, to which Radric responded "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Squire Gwynne, by the way, spent a lot of time these last few months in the company of Radric, and they weren't just battling trolls in the Tower Hills!
Duchess Mara, who was recovering from a strange incurable poison she got from an attercob bite, was not present during the Noble Shuffle, but reports state that she was not completely happy with her husband's decisions. By the way, we wish Her Grace the best in her recovery, and know it must pain her, especially given her known hatred of spiders.
Eridan, meanwhile, became handfasted with Azura, which makes her a Lady! Within the week, Azura was seen having a grand old time at a party including Naerfin, Lupiticus, Honeysuckle, Ta'wane, Mason, and Alexi--but no Eridan. Such is the life of a Mystic Wood Elf--never a bridesmaid, always a bride!
The wild elf Eriol of the Amani council was later seen meeting privately with Laurelin, Sir Konrad, Baron Eridan, and the Kergani of the town including Brighthawk, Drakonis, and Derek Dreamweaver. No one is sure what was said but with Amani/Kergani tensions being what they are, I'm sure it was interesting. However, I did notice the absence of wild elf separatist Jonah Purus!
In gypsy camp, all is not well. First and foremost is their big problem with Angelica, who thinks that the only good gypsy is a dead one. Dax has accepted the leadership position in a new clan that was formed because the old clan was constantly fighting among itself, and no sooner did he make a major decision than most of the gypsies refused to help him. (Well, what do you expect? Freedom loving gypsies by their very nature tend to not like leaders.) These gypsies managed to bribe Eric Woolcott to not print a letter Dax had submitted for publication. Wonder what they gave him?
Anyway, because of the new gypsy attacks, some of the more cowardly gypsies are considering changing their race! However, it seems to be mostly people who were race changed to gypsy to begin with! Sir Tsubatai, who was once human, is now considering becoming a wild elf, and Javier, who was also once human, is considering changing as well! Most prominent among these is the person who to many embodies gypsy-dom, Camilla!
Yes, Camilla was already halfway through the ritual that changed her back into a biata when the Dragon's Flagon attack occurred, but that hasn't stopped Maximus and others from labeling her a coward. She had actually been waiting for months for Sir Kelial's return to have this ritual done, as she had once been a biata years ago and had changed her race in order to hide from the Nimani slavers she had killed (her former owners). Reports are that Kelial is now regretting doing the ritual, as the race change hasn't really altered the fomer gypsy's attitude a bit--she's still as sharp-tongued as ever, only now without an accent. She now calls herself Zatarina Norvick. Go figure.
Petra was quite upset over this whole situation--Camilla had been like a mother to her--but she later realized that friends will remain friends. (By the way, have you noticed how often Petra and Squire Jaret have been doing "research" together? Notice he was at her side when she resurrected after the Angelica battle? Notice how they have quiet dinners together? Notice that he left town recently with a pretty young thing named Rene?)
Questionable motives have been applied to gypsy Salvatore Conte who pledged his undying love to Camilla the night before her change, and afterwards was heard to say "You think I love her only because she was a gypsy? I would love her if she were a half orc!" Maybe Camilla will change to that race next.
You can't keep a good gypsy down, though, and rumor has it that they will soon hold a "Gypsy Toy" Tournament to determine who will replace the beloved Darwin. (Rasq the sarr is the top contender right now.) Competitions will include Pranks, Gypsy charades, Confuse-a-noble, talk-your-way-out-of Combat, Flirting, Massage, Storytelling, and the Great Pudding Race.
Other small tidbits I've heard around town:
Daphne Green has her detractors who want her removed; why do Ashbury Healer's Guild leaders tend to alienate so many of their own customers?. . .
Marr the half ogre has been bothering the court of Trellheim a lot lately; he's trying to figure out how he can get one of their tabards--he assumes it is the mark of a great warrior. . .
Robert Oakwood committed suicide because he felt gilty for Kinya's death at the hands of Angelica--he unwisely chose the Healer's Guild circle as the most appropriate spot for the deed. "It was a stupid move motivated by the passion of the moment," he says. . .
Aboo the monkey scavanger has started a fruit stand in the central city, so expect large importing of bananas. . .
That's all the room I have this month! Don't forget: If you don't let me know what is going on, I might report about you next and get it wrong! So keep those cards and letters coming, and until next time, remember--If you can't say something nice about someone, come sit by me.
A REWARD of 75 gold is offered for the apprehension of the fugitive Morgan Blackbourne of Trellheim. Blackbourne has been found guilty of high treason against the Duchy of Ashbury for numerous instances of attempting to disrupt the legitimate governing of the Duchy and plotting to overthrow its lawful rulers. He is sentenced to be Obliterated and is likely to use extreme force in evading arrest. Anyone found to be aiding this traitor in his escape will be punished severely. Anyone aiding in his capture will have my extreme gratitude. - Duchess Mara Tirane Nordenn
THE DUCHY OF ASHBURY would like to thank Guildmistress Shalizar for her generous support of the Commoner's Tournament over the years.
CITIZENS OF ASHBURY: Ducal Announcements will be held on Friday, May 24 at 10 pm in the amphitheater. All citizens in the capital are expected to attend. Ducal Audiences will be held on Saturday, May 25 from shortly after noon to 1 pm in the Dragon's Flagon. Citizens with problems or grievances to bring before the Duke and Duchess should register with me to reserve a time to address Their Graces.- Lord Chancellor Faustus von Neumacht
REWARD: I am seeking information concerning the location of the skunk scavenger named Flora and a human girl named Sammy. I will offer monetary compensation for news of their location or their safe return to Ashbury City. If anyone should bring harm to either of these citizens you would incur the wrath of my Voltan temper and experience the true meaning of the word retribution. - Sir Radric Hellfax, General of the Baronial Army of Trellheim
MORGAN BLACKBOURNE: Everything I ever said to you was true. I hope you will not do anything to revenge yourself against me that will endanger the life of our son. - Dame Sonya Dawntreader
ORCISH CLAN COUNCIL: During the Commoner's Tournament gathering. Time and place will be posted in the tavern. -Angus
ALORYN: You have acted honorably. Our conflict is finished. - Dax
ATTENTION ADVENTURERS! When traveling the perilous outskirts of Ashbury, avoid ambushes, spot the movements of monsters, locate anything or anyone by hiring a scout. My name is Findrago and I am a scout for hire. I may be found at the Dragon's Flagon.
MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN. I'm growing weary of guessing games. - Corrine
SORCERESS SHALIZAR will be holding another seminar on Celestial Ritual Magic at Midnight Guildshall on Saturday, May 25th at 10am. The seminar is open to Ashbury Mages' Guild members only. Topics of this seminar are as follows: The Basics of Ritual Magic Casting, Frequently Requested Rituals and Their Components, and Ritual Resources Available to Guild Members. If you are planning on becoming a ritual caster or have recently been taught the mechanics of it by Shalizar, this seminar is essential for a full understanding of this complex but powerful skill.
I AM STILL teaching the art of First Aid for free. First Aid is a real life saver. - Maximus.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK all of the townsfolk who came to our rescue when our home was attacked. - Tarabelle
AN OFFICIAL MEETING of all current and prospective Brewer's Guild members is to be held on Saturday, May 25 at 4:30 pm in the Guild Hall at the order of Braumaster Wilhelm Neumacht.
CAMILLA or whatever you call yourself now: How could you abandon your adopted people at their time of greatest need? I had no idea you were such a coward. - Mason
INVITATION: The Court of Trellheim wishes to meet with the Elders of the Hobling race. The Baronial Estate of Brandywine contains the second largest population of hoblings in the Duchy, and it is imperative we discuss your representation within the Barony. Please send correspondences to McCoy Keep in Trellheim and we will make the proper arrangements.
THE WHEAT GUILD will be meeting at the Guild Hall every third Wednesday of the month. Attendance is mandatory!
MAMMALIANS: The forces of the Lowlies and the Brethren sent against you were just a prelude of what will happen to the estates of Amaranth and Mishrak Fens if you do not comply with our demands. Abandon the shores of Lake Hollym or suffer the consequences.
SIR KONRAD: Mmmm dinner. - Ian
PARL: I'm sorry I missed you. Please contact me through the Ash Forest or meet me in Ashbury city during the fourth week in May. - Squire Olin Redbeard
REWARD of 1.5 gold for the return of two rabbits feet on a silver chain: one pink, one yellow; one large gold and copper flower pin with light blue stone in the center; and one large sapphire ring. All have much sentimental value but very little to no monetary. Please contact Kylara Neumacht Ravenchild for payment.
LORD CHANCELLOR: I wish to thank you for saving Jarl, your imprison came just in time to save his unlife. Perhaps I can repay the favor in the future. - Angelica, Mistress of Death
NAVARR: I would follow you to the ends of Tyrra and even beyond. Look for one who is near to you. - The One Who Loves You
ANYONE with information regarding the memory-damaged people who came to Ashbury the last weekend of April, please contact Jaret Deliar, Ash Forest.
FREE DETECT MAGICS cast at the Ashbury Mages' Guild every hour on the half hour during Guild hours. (Listen for the bell). For May only, hours are noon - 4 pm and 8 pm - midnight. Magic items Identified, Ritual Components researched, scrolls bought and sold (discounts for large quantities), and Rituals cast. Until further notice, only one Sarr is allowed in the Guild at a time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause the lawful citizens of Ashbury.
ASHBURY REGISTRY OF TEACHERS. Referrals for a wide range of skills. Discretion assured. Teachers: get students without spending all your time recruiting. See Prof. Turlough Kuranes.
SHALIZAR: If you release Damon and surrender yourself to our judgement perhaps those around you need not suffer. If not, we will kill you and all those you hold dear. Perhaps we will start with your child. Think on it. - The Lords of Twilight
ALL TAVERN WORKERS: Meeting in the kitchen at 9 pm Friday nights! We must keep to our schedule. Please be on time! Anyone looking for work should also attend.
INVESTIGATORS: Your dedicated efforts unfortunately did not lead to success. We will take over from here. - SG
ALL GYPSIES: There will be a meeting after Ducal Announcements in the Guild Hall on Friday, May 24th. No gorgio please. - KNR
LORE: Do not overstep your authority. Age is not the only thing that makes an elder. - Nightstar
THE ASHBURY MAGES' GUILD will be holding its annual member meeting at the Amphitheater on Sunday, May 26th at 10 am. All Ashbury Mages' Guild members are expected to attend. Time for the various topics will be used efficiently and sparingly as new Guild policy issues will be discussed and decided upon. Democracy only comes to the Guild once a year; take advantage of it.
TO ALL PATRONS of the Dragon's Flagon: The kitchen will now close at 1 pm on Friday evening and midnight every other night to allow ample time for cleaning without interruption. Breakfast is still available at 9 am. The tavern hall will still be open for communal purposes after the kitchen closes for the night. Thank you for your cooperation. - Kinya Kirus Aravir Ravenchild, Senior Staff
MAXIMILLIAN: I need to talk to you. Please contact me or my servants. (You remember who they are, don't you?) We will inform you of our meeting place and time. Very sincerely yours.
DUKE BRYAN and Biata citizenry: My apologies for the mishap with the scarecrows. It will not happen again. Fortunately, the raptors have been driven from the area and no lives were lost, so please be forgiving for an honest mistake. - The Golem Maker