The Ashbury Times

August / September 610

“All The News That Fits, We Print”

 

Red Madness Cured!  Duchy Saved From Plague

 

For months, the horrific plague known as The Red Madness ravaged Icenia and the surrounding lands, turning those infected by it into slavering beasts with a taste for human flesh. At its peak, the plague consumed nearly two thirds of the lands of Ashbury, along with a great deal of Evorra, and extending into neighboring kingdoms. But at last, the shadow of plague has been lifted, thanks to the efforts of a small band of adventurers from the town of Fairdale.

During several of their previous gatherings, the adventurers had seen the flickering, translucent image of a woman in wizard’s robes appear around Fairdale. The woman, who later mentioned that her name was Dorthea Elwood, seemed to be testing a newly developed ritual, which she called “greater whispering wind”, which was supposed to allow the sender to contact many people at once by projecting their image instead of just their voice. However, she was having problems targeting the ritual and directing the image, so it would float around in time and space and land wherever the tides of magic took it, like a message in a bottle. The messages were appearing in Fairdale many months after she had cast the ritual, apparently very far from her intended targets.

On the night of July the 23rd, the gathered adventurers were greeted by the same image, only this time the caster appeared to be in a panic, clutching a crossbow to her chest. She addressed “whoever was getting this message”, telling them that “everyone was dead”, “the city was overrun” and that they were “Luminus’ last hope”. While the adventurers glanced about it confusion, she clapped her hands together and incanted another experimental ritual, which she called “mass rift”. The next thing they knew, the assembled adventurers were rifting into an unfamiliar laboratory covered with dust and dried gore. Unfortunately, they were too late to save the mage who had summoned them. Judging by her remains, the message had been sent about six months before their arrival. While investigating the laboratory, the adventurers found a note addressed to whoever Elwood’s call for help reached (if it reached anyone at all). The writer was apparently a skilled alchemist, and was searching desperately for a cure. The note was signed, “E.O.”.

This “E.O.” apparently had some kind of natural resistance to the plague, so he never reached the third stage (in which the madness took over). Instead, it was killing him slowly, and he feared he would not live to complete the cure. So he recorded his research in his journal and left the pages around the city, in the hopes that someone would find the instructions and finish his research if he could not.

Outside the lab, the streets were swarming with the infected. The adventurers fought their way to a large building which turned out to be a social hall, inhabited by two survivors, including the proprietor, a human named Olwyn. Olwyn explained that they were in Luminus, a city founded about twelve years earlier by scholars who were tired of the constant state of war and strife in the world. They decided to separate and found their own city where human intellect, rather than base, aggressive instinct, would rule. Their quest was to create a utopia where they could rise above the unsavory parts of human nature and live in complete peace. In this new, peaceful, perfect world, they would reach new heights in natural science and magic that could never have been achieved in the chaotic outside world.

They discovered a hidden valley in the mountains of the Contested Lands. It was there they chose to build their city. They called their paradise “Luminus”, for one day it would be a guiding light for the rest of the world.

They secretly recruited hundreds of great minds of all different races and brought them to the city, along with peasant to do the manual labor and leave the scholars free to work.

From the refuge of the social hall, the adventurers could see that the city was surrounded on all sides by mountains and cliff face. The only means of entrance or exit were a set of enormous gates to the east, which the administrators of Luminus had closed when the plague overran the city. Some said it was to prevent the plague from spilling into the outside world, others believed that the administrators did not want to the secret of their society to get out, even as the city tore itself apart from within. The only means of opening the gates was a mechanism hidden in the city – it’s location known only to the highest administrators (who were know all permanently dead or infected). The adventurers were trapped.

It did not take them long to find the next of E.O.’s journal pages. Its contents sent them on a quest to the city glassworks, which was built into the side of a dormant volcano, to use the mountain as a natural furnace. There they found a flamecrystal cauldron, in which they could brew the potential cure. Those who retrieved it unwittingly released a horde of mischievous creatures called magmins that had been trapped inside the mountain.

The next journal page brought them to an overgrown greenhouse in the Western district, where they had to make their way through rooms of carnivorous plants and the organics traps they set for prey. After disabling the dangerous fauna, they harvested the astralagus root which would provide a base for the cure.

The fourth page sent them to Luminus’ Grand Menagerie, which housed all kinds of exotic creatures. They fought their way through rooms full of beasts which had escaped from rusted chains and cages, until they came upon the hippogriff whose blood they needed. They harvested it successfully while the beast still lived.

According to the enigmatic E.O.’s next message, the adventurers had to fetch a mineral called dolomite from the city’s mines. When they arrived, they found that the mineral was rather difficult to identify, and in order to do so, they had to solve a note left by the wizard formerly in charge of harvesting it.

In his sixth note, E.O. spoke of the downfall of Luminus:

Luminus was not destroyed in a day. Our downfall came slowly. After a few years of living in peace and isolation, we began to think ourselves superior to the rest of the world, which remained stuck in the mire of war and ignorance. We were above all that. With each passing day our bloated egos grew. We became convinced of our intellectual and moral superiority. What did we care for rules or ethics? They were constructs of rulers to protect the ignorant from themselves. Bit by bit, we wriggled our way free of them. Before long anything was justified in the name of progress.

Researchers began casting Chaos Magic – purely for academic purposes, of course – to study the nature and movement of Earth Magic. Then they expanded their studies to include raising undead. Soon, creating undead to experiment on became a common practice. No one in the city blinked an eye at these changes. The rest of the world may not have been responsible enough to be trusted with such power, but we certainly were.

When our undead subjects were not enough, we turned on the living. The scholar class of Luminus convinced the peasants that it was the highest honor imaginable to give oneself up for medical, alchemical, or magical experimentation. With a bit of brainwashing, they were lining up down the streets to die or suffer tortures in the name of science.

We were all-powerful, all-knowing; we could do no wrong. But there are some things that mortals should not meddle with; beyond necromancy, beyond toying with human lives. We did, and now we are paying the price.”

He told the adventurers about a series of laboratories which had been used to create and experiment on the undead, and asked that they return them to dust so that he could rest in the knowledge that they no longer walked the earth. However, the adventurers delayed too long in seeking out this cache, and in the meantime many of the undead monstrosities escaped. They marched to the steps of the Social Hall, carrying a villager. They demanded revenge for their imprisonment and mistreatment upon the people of Luminus. They threw the woman to the hungry Madmen and attacked the adventurers. After a long battle, they were finally dispatched.

The final note spoke of a fungus known as Discula Occulus, which grew in areas saturated with magic. A group of adventurers visited the basement beneath the Hall of Celestial Studies, directly beneath a greater celestial circle of power. But once they arrived, they could not find the fungus. At last, it was Dame Aven who looked up – and saw the mushrooms growing on the ceiling. Andros Westerling harvested them with care, and brought them back to the social hall, where he and Dame Glorianna began brewing the cure.

While out exploring the city, Sir Daniel Star and Squire Sparticous came across a door, half covered in rubble, engraved with the words “ELIAS ORYXIAN, Experimental Alchemy Department”. When they broke down the barricaded door, they found a cluttered laboratory, inhabited by a dying alchemist named Elias Oryxian, who had been the same “E.O.” who wrote the journal pages.

He poured over his books, continuing his research even as he clung to the last vestiges of life. He breathed a sigh of relief and happiness upon discovering that someone had found his notes and was working on the cure. He explained, with failing breath, that he had once been the research partner, and close friend, of a man named Emris Hughes (who the adventurers had read about in pages of old Luminus newspapers, and heard about from the locals). During a ritual, Hughes had accidentally summoned a very powerful and intelligent creature from the netherspace between planes, which he dubbed a “void walker”.

Delighted with his discovery, Hughes captured the Void Walker and stripped it of its powers, keeping it barely alive so that he could question and run tests on it. Soon Hughes was a celebrity; all of Luminus loved him for his discovery. But Elias knew his colleague had gone too far. The Void Walker was in constant pain, and it wanted desperately to be allowed to go back to its home between dimensions, where its family was waiting helplessly for it. The Void Walker’s pleas stirred Elias’ latent sense of morality. He begged Hughes to free it, but he refused. Elias broke all ties with Hughes, and started a campaign against his work. But to no avail, everyone was enthralled by Hughes’ new subject, and wouldn’t give Elias a second thought. So, he threatened to take it outside Luminus. But when the plague started, all else was forgotten.

After telling his story, Elias collapsed on the floor of the lab where he had been barricaded for months, permanently dead.

The group returned to the social hall and tested the elixir on Izer, who had been infected the previous night, it did nothing. But not all was lost, for the young child of autumn, Kialda Loa, had been doing research on magical herbs from the early days of the plague onward. Redoubling her efforts upon this discovery, she found that the cure was missing a single ingredient – powdered mugwort.

The adventurers began scouring the alchemy labs of the city for the herb. But they were unsuccessful until they found the laboratory of Hughes himself, where the Void Walker was imprisoned. Hughes’ assistant, Hammish Prym, revealed that Hughes was responsible for creating the Red Madness. Hughes could not allow his former partner, Elias, to get in the way of his work with the Void Walker, so he had to dispose of him. Hughes had been experimenting with physiology-altering alchemy for some time, with little success. But when a mysterious stranger provided him with a powerful component (blood of some unknown creature), he managed to create a fast-acting, lethal disease. The disease would feed on the spirit, so once it was in its advanced stages, someone who died from it would not resurrect. One night, he snuck into his former colleague’s chambers and injected him with the pathogen. No one would question that Elias Oryxian had died of natural causes. Hughes didn’t realize his disease was contagious.

Ironically, because he had spent so much time around experimental alchemy, Elias had built up a tolerance, and did not manifest symptoms right away. He spread it, unwittingly, for weeks before he even came down with a fever. The plague spread through the city like wild fire, turning those infected into flesh-eating monsters.

With the addition of the mugwort, the cure worked. The adventurers fought their way to the river, where they administered the highly-concentrated elixir into the water supply (after all, even flesh-eating madmen need water). That done, they opened the gate (with the help of the eccentric architect who had helped design Luminus) and were free to leave the ruins of Luminus and cure the rest of the kingdom.

      Within a months time, the plague was all but eliminated. There are still isolated patches of infection, but experts believe these will come into contact with the cure before too long. The plague is no longer spreading, and the infected are cured, but the cure came too late for many citizens of the kingdom, who met their permanent deaths while infected. The extent of the damages caused by the Red Madness is still unknown.

 


Luminus:  A City in Need

 

A guest editorial comment from Kialda Loa, Child of Autumn

 

My friends across the land!  Heave a sigh of relief, shout for joy, make music and celebrate!  A cure for the Red Madness has been discovered!  By the time you read this, the cure should already have spread through much of Icenia by way of various teams of adventurers.  I give my most sincere appreciation to every single being who helped with these efforts.  Without the sharing of our knowledge, the collaboration of intelligence, and the teamwork of minds and swords, our lands would have never lived through such a devastating and aggressive epidemic.  We will not lightly forget the pain and loss we have all suffered, yet we now know our efforts have not been in vain!  It is my wish that we see cooperation like this continues throughout the ages, for our accomplishments have been great!
    Speaking of cooperation and accomplishment, I wish to further detail some of my observations during this past gather.  I hope that my observations and opinions can help spread insight, and thusly peace and harmony, to a land still mourning and potentially growing bitter.  I believe Luminus should not be punished for what it had become.  Please hear me and consider what I have seen.
      This past gather, many adventurers were rifted to a city called Luminus, and I find the irony of this place almost unbearable.  Corrupted scholars, blinded by their arrogance and misguided by their lack of ethics, delved too deeply into horrible and unnatural research.  Yet without the bright minds and lofty goals of progress held by these researchers, Luminus would have been without the great museums, greenhouses, zoos, and laboratories that supplied us with the rare ingredients needed for a cure for this plague.  Luminus was a land where the most intelligent and motivated scientists gathered, working diligently to achieve greatness.  Yet it would have been all for naught if those brilliant individuals were not aided by the simple townsfolk who farmed the lands.  And it is worth note that these civilians and great minds lived in astounding harmony, respecting and protecting each other.  However, this peace was violently broken as soon as the unnatural sciences that led to the creation of the Red Madness and dreadful study of necromancy began corrupting the city.  This corruption greatly upsets me, both spiritually and physically, yet if I believe in the ability to reeducate, I can see the greatness of this city returning without corruption.
    I know my proposition may offend some of my friends who have suffered greatly because of the evils brought upon us by Luminus, but given what I have observed, I believe the city now needs our help.  It is true, there is corruption there, but there is also innocence, intelligence, and I believe a willingness to grow in a new light of ethical study.  During my time there I helped to rescue around a dozen civilians, farmers and workers, and I spoke to them all at great length.  Their innocent good-will and genuine hard work should not be unjustly punished.  We can rebuild this city into a place of true greatness and harmony if we can all agree to work together.
    We happened upon Luminus during a time of chaos and sadness, a time where the soundest of minds had already gone mad- be it with plague or with arrogant denial about what their studies had become.  But what of the progress before this evil began?  What of the peace, harmony, and true advances that these minds were making before they were tainted by the desire for power and made blind to the negativity of necromancy?
    I believe that good and innocence remains in the heart of Luminus, and it is within our responsibilities to help them grow into a truly great city.  When my other travels are complete, I fully intend to return there and help to reeducate any remaining corrupted minds about the evil brought to the earth by necromancy.  If I have other friends motivated enough to help spread peace immediately, I would have them seek out Squire Ithica, for I know he remains there presently, helping to rebuild and guide the innocent survivors within the city.
    I conclude my writing with this final consideration.  Of course, I am no noble, nor do I desire any sort of power or influence beyond what the Forest asks of me.  I know very little of how the lands are now “divided” and apparently “owned” under different names and rule... but from what I could gather, Luminus seemed to be within an area known as Trelheim.  And from what I have heard, efforts are being made to “reclaim” Trelheim and help it turn to a peaceful land once more.  If I am right in these observations, I hope all the more that my friends will find motivation to help build and guide this peace.  I am hopeful that our continued cooperation will bring serenity to the earth at large once more.

 


Broken Spear Offensive Halted!

 

Using the distraction of the Red Madness plague that recently gripped our duchy, the monsters of the Broken Spear “kingdom” moved forward an army intent on capturing all of Trellheim. Thousands of goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, bugbears, kobolds, attercob and even humans began an assault meant to weaken the soldiers and adventurers by degrees with battles of increasing difficulty. These attacks were partially successful, keeping the adventurers confined to the Black Stag Tavern and surrounding area, which for some unknown reason seemed to be the main target of the Bugbears’ aggression. Goblin, Kobold, and Hobgoblin attacks were defeated by the assembled heroes of Ashbury before the bugbears themselves took the field late Saturday afternoon.

The adventurers saw the attack coming and took the high ground, intending to force the invading enemies to fight uphill, but with a discipline previously unheard of in that savage race the Bugbears formed a battle line and waited for the heroes to surrender their advantage. The stalemate continued for some time with the adventurers attempting to goad the bugbears into attacking with insults and mockery, an assault the monsters ignored, refusing to allow the heroes of Ashbury the advantage of terrain.

It was the monsters themselves who managed to break the impasse, the leader of the force loudly instructing a runner to go back to the main camp and instruct the flanking forces to spread out and start sacking the villages in the area while the bugbears continued the staring contest. As the messenger ran for the forest, Sir Harrison Ryatt gave chase, finally breaking the impasse, and battle was joined.

The bugbear waves broke upon the shields of the adventurers many times before the self proclaimed King of the Broken Spear took the field personally. Rallying around their leader, the bugbears pushed forward and began to make some headway when Sir Daniel Grimsby led a group of agile warriors through the enemy lines and surrounded the Rackmaster General in a cyclone of whirling steel. The massive Bugbear fell quickly and the Bugbear assault fell into chaos and disorder, quickly mopped up by the adventurers as Sir Harrison bound the bugbear leader’s wounds and dragged him to the center of town.

It has been reported that there was much discussion amongst the nobles present as to whether or not to allow the General to awaken or just kill him on the spot, with Sir Harrison finally deciding that the bugbear be awakened and questioned before being executed. When the bugbear awoke he confirmed that he was Rackmaster General Les’Grahk, the same bugbear who had ordered his tribe to assist the Ashbans on several occasions when threats to both kingdoms arose. Dame Glorianna Wyndancer took the lead in the questioning and asked what the reason for this attack was, as the Broken Spear had always been deemed too honorable to launch a sneak attack and had never been aggressive in the past.

The captive General’s answer rocked the nobles back ... The Broken Spear were preemptively attacking Iceniain border to widen their frontier in advance of what they believe would be Ashbury’s campaign to wipe out the Bugbears in the same way that they destroyed the Dominion. The General bitterly remarked that Icenia had shown its true heart when it wiped out an entire city and he had a duty to protect his people, whom the Icenians deem monsters, from similar treatment.

This comment inflamed Guildmistress Zatarina, who attempted to question Les’Grahk before being told to be silent by Sir Harrison. The captive refused several offers of cease fire, Dame Glorianna even offering to let the general free in exchange for a truce until his Grace Duke Frost could negotiate a peace. Sir Harrison took command at that point, commanding that the bugbear must die for his part in the deaths of Ashban citizens and soldiers. It was finally agreed that the Rackmaster would come back to Fairdale in a moon’s turn to speak with His Grace but no cease-fire would be offered in the interim. Sir Daniel Grimsby was chosen to execute Les’Grahk.

The attacks continued for several hours after this with the invading monsters, until the spirit of Rackmaster General Les’Grahk was sensed attempting to resurrect in the Fairdale circle!

Guildmistress Zatarina and Sir Eros summoned the other nobles present to the circle and it was decided that Dame Glorianna would attempt to resurrect the creature. As Dame Glorianna attempted to gently guide the creature’s spirit back to its body Sir Eros was heard to remark that the bugbear did not deserve a painless transition back to this world but by then Glorianna was deep into the resurrection vision and could not turn back.

When the General awoke he found himself in a ring of steel and was ordered to explain himself. He said that the attack upon Ashbury was not his idea and that he had been enslaved by a female Wylderkin calling herself Hekora of the Slythe. The current military campaign was at her instigation, as revenge for the adventurers’ destruction of the dragon Slythe. Les’Grahk had planned the offensive, but was able to seize the opportunity to have the nobles unwittingly break Hekora’s control by giving them a chance to capture and execute him.

He was taken into the center of the tavern and questioned by all present, the adventurers and nobles present looking pleased and surprised at Les’Grahk’s offer of war reparations to be negotiated with His Grace. He explained that he would be able to stop the war if the adventurers could help him break the enslavement on his generals. The adventurers quickly agreed and over the course of the evening managed to free the Kobold and Attercob generals.

Morning brought word that the Broken Spear forces were fighting amongst each other and the current emergency seemed to have passed until the true enemy revealed herself.

Two Wylderkin entered Fairdale, a violent storm carried with them like a shroud and Hekora of the Slythe revealed herself in dramatic fashion. With but a word and gesture she summoned a Panthergaunt. The creature looked displeased to be summoned, but then saw that the summoning had been performed without a circle and it looked upon the diminutive dragon mage with grudging respect. Hekora ordered the beast to attack and the town was rocked back on its heels by the assault as pantherghasts began to emerge from the panthergaunt’s body.

Thus began a long disorganized battle that raged from the tavern, down into the tunnels below the keep and finally back onto the field when Hekora blasted the ceiling away with a torrent of magical energy. The adventurers fought together well, keeping each other alive against waves of pantherghasts that seemed to have no end and managed to survive the fight without losses.

But was it a victory? Hekora spirit recalled away when pressed by the adventurers and the Panthergaunt had to be bribed with a large amount of ritual components before it agreed to leave. The immediate danger had passed but a new threat to the safety of Ashbury had been revealed, one with a personal grudge against the Duchy’s greatest champions.

 


“Void Walker” Sent Back Home Between Dimensions

 

Recently, many adventurers were forcibly rifted from Fairdale to a ruined city known as Luminus.  During their time in Luminus, these unanticipated travelers began collecting much information about the culture and lifestyle of the “once-great” city.  Complications arose when numerous Chaos Elementals began appearing, and the newly awoken Dryad, Kialda, and novice-adventurer Elf Rozalyn began hearing whispers in their minds.  At first these whispers, fleeting and asking for help, did not respond to any attempted conversation.

The group of adventurers eventually discovered a news article praising one of Luminus’ best-known researchers, Emris Hughes, on his accidental discovery of a creature that apparently “embodies nothingness.”  The article stated that Hughes had been attempting to rift in various elementals from different planes, but when his experiment went wrong, this creature was pulled from its between the dimensions.  Greatly weakened by this unexpected travel, the creature was able to be imprisoned by Hughes and the corrupted researcher began running (clearly unethical) experiments to further the “progress” of the “enlightened, unrestricted” city of Luminus

Hughes nicknamed this being of nothingness the “Void Walker,” and forcibly kept him in this dimension by cutting him apart in the name of “scientific progress.”  The fact that this news article praised Hughes’ works makes clear statements about the ethical integrity of the people of Luminus.

By this time, Kialda had heard the whisper pleading for help again, and it had led her and a group of adventurers (including Darkan, Andros, Ithica, Drak, and Allura) to an abandoned museum.  The museum was full of plague victims, and once they were defeated the team saw the label “Veil of the Void Walker” on a prominent pedestal in the middle of the room.  This veil was surrounded by a shimmering field that had to be disbanded through solving a logic-based lock, which was cleverly interpreted by Andros.  With this “Veil of the Void Walker” in hand, the team returned to the tavern to find the news article detailing this Void Walker.  The adventurers concluded that the whispering voice was that of the Void Walker, but they were uncertain as to whether their actions to help it would be wise or even safe.  The controversy was not concluded before Kialda heard the voice again.

Finally speaking in conversation, the Void Walker asked her to gather “those who make things whole.”  The Sand Elf Seshet helped Kialda realize the voice had only spoken to healers, so once the healers in town were assembled, the voice appeared again and gave explicit directions.  The Void Walker told the adventurers to seek out the last piece of itself it was missing: the cloak.  Kialda, worried by the recent controversy, asked the Void Walker if it meant harm, what may happen, or if it could help, and the creature replied only “If you help me I will return the favor to the utmost of my ability.”

A team of adventures including Lady Knight Glorianna, the Sarr Kuwo, Dwarves Castlebur and Grim, and the two young healers Kialda and Rozalyn, led by the whispers of the Void Walker, made their way to the theater district to retrieve the cloak.  This fragment of the Void Walker was kept magically by an actress in a way that allowed it only to be detached from her if given willingly.  Given these circumstances, this team of adventures found scripts and costumes and began interacting with the cloak-bearing actress.  With high drama and even higher nervousness, the travelers were able to complete their acting and the script allowed the cloak to be given to Rozalyn.  It was immediately spirit-bonded to her, and the group left with haste before the original actress went much further into another scene. 

By the next day, the group of adventurers had discovered a set of keys in the catacombs and knowledge of the whereabouts of Emris Hughes’ original laboratory.  Despite some concern over the true nature of the Void Walker, a team including Garathon, Lady Glorianna, Ithica, Allura, Rozalyn, and Kialda went to heal and free the creature.  Hughes himself was found dead, a victim of the plague and starved to death in his own laboratory.  The Void Walker was chained to a table, and Ithica moved quickly to free it from its locks.  Kialda and Rozalyn returned its fragments to it, and the being was once again awake and able to move.  While still incredibly weak, the Void Walker traveled back to the tavern with the team’s assistance.  Once there, it offered to destroy Luminus with its great power, but Dame Darlassia said that was not to be the fate of the city, however corrupt.  As the whole group of adventurers finished up their business fighting infected and concocting a cure for the plague, the Void Walker was able to regain power and eventually left this dimension using its own strength, the rift between dimensions that its presence had kept open finally sealing once more.

It can be concluded that the Void Walker, while linked to the Chaos Elementals and Red Madness plague, was not the cause for the existence of either.  It was theorized that the presence of the Void Walker was only responsible for keeping the rift between dimensions open, which drew the Chaos Elementals to Luminus because of the chaotic nature of such a dimensional tear.  The Chaos Elementals then used their powers to control those infected with the plague, possibly because the symptoms of the Red Madness led to much chaos and intrigued these elementals.  The plague itself was caused by the corrupted scientists and scholars of Luminus who had experimented too riskily into unknown power and sickness. (The Elf Aaeun received visions that revealed this information.)  The Void Walker, a being of utter neutrality, made only the one offer for the adventurers to use its power in fair return for being helped, and upon being of no further use it simply returned to its “home” between dimensions.

 

 


Sir Eros Clearbrook Orders Adventurers to “Prepare for War”

 

Sir Eros Clearbrook was seen in the Black Stag Tavern recently, ordering adventurers to prepare for civil war with the rest of the Kingdom, pending Duke Frost’s return from Cil Ciliron.  Sheriff Holt was seen informing the Magistrate, that under no circumstances will he order his men, who have been holding the peace in Trelheim, to kill fellow Icenians

Eros was seen talking to various adventurers and trying to explain that, in his eyes, Duches Jacelyn Corellia’s blood claim to the throne had no legal bearing, and that Civil War was likely to occur if she takes the throne.  It was not made clear by the magistrate why Ashbury would declare war in this event, though sources close to the incident claim that Eros supports a bid to place Duke Frost on the throne.

Historically speaking, the Barony of Blythedale has suffered heavily during previous Icenian Civil Wars, so it is not surprising that immediately after Sir Eros’ announcement members of the Blythedale Court were seen in deep conversation with their present Knight, Sir Daniel Star Merik.  Baron Ivan Drake could not be reached for comment.  

 


Announcing the Ducal Tournament of 610

 

Citizens of Ashbury, I once again have the honor of announcing and coordinating the Ashbury Ducal Tournament of 610.  As has been true in past years, the tournament is open to all citizens of Ashbury, as well as any visitors who may legally enter the duchy.

For those unfamiliar with the tournament, detailed information can be found in the library at the Bardic College or just about any local sage’s guild.  This announcement is intended only as a brief refresher and to reveal slight rules or format changes.  The password is candle.  Everyone participating in or considering participating in the tournament should read carefully. 

 

Team Size: Every team must be composed of exactly six members.  For most events only those six members may participate, but a few events allow assistance from non-members.

Colors: There are no changes to this event.  Non-members may participate, but teams will not be judged based on non-member participation and all members must participate.

Archery: There is only one slight change to this event.  Multiple teams will compete simultaneously in order to speed up the event.

Combat: There are slight changes to this event.  Each team may switch which three members are participating for each round.  The changes are made without knowledge of which members the opposing team will choose.  In addition, archery and thrown weapons are explicitly permitted.

Hero’s Combat: There are no changes to this event, though multiple combats may occur at the same time in order to speed up competition.

Spellcaster’s Battle: There are minor changes to this event.  Presented here are the full rules to alleviate questions.  Armor, weapons, potions, scrolls, alchemy, wands, magic items, and ritual effects are not permitted.  Racial abilities, high magic, and any spells other than necromancy, Circle of Power, and death are permitted.  Life spells will simulate Death spells.  A spellcaster is knocked out of the battle when they are knocked unconscious, put to sleep, paralyzed, silenced, imprisoned, completely bound, affected by a Life spell, or under the effects of both a Pin and Bind spell.  The first spellcaster knocked out of the battle comes in last place.  The last spellcaster in the battle comes in first place.  Other places are given accordingly.

Trivia: The format for trivia has changed again.  Full details will be provided at the competition.  It is a team event and the entire team is encouraged to participate.  Trivia may include historical events, news published by the Ashbury Times, academic knowledge about various topics, or other esoteric information.

Entertainment: There are no changes to this event.  Non-members may participate in entertainment, but judging will be based on member participation.  Teams will receive lower places if every member does not participate.

Race:  There are no changes to this event.

Hunt: There is one slight change to this event.  Teams may only provide three answers for a specific hunt item before no longer being permitted to provide any answers.  At any time teams may request to know how many attempts they have made.  The hunt list will be posted in the tavern Friday evening, but teams may not turn in answers until the hunt is officially declared to have begun.  As usual, interfering with another team’s ability to obtain a hunt item is grounds for disqualification and may result in criminal charges for anyone not participating in the tournament.

 

Rules for Combat and Hero’s Combat: These rules apply to both events.  No armor may be worn.  No magical weapons, strengthened weapons, indestructible weapons, magical shields, strengthened shields, or indestructible shields are permitted.  No magic, ritual effects, magic items, alchemy, potions, wands, or scrolls are permitted.  No killing blows are permitted.  To be perfectly clear, no individual competing may be stored in a golem.

 

The tournament is an opportunity for fun and entertainment, primarily at the expense of the duchy.  Please take advantage of this and maintain the spirit of the tournament by showing good grace and good sportsmanship at all times.  At this time, the schedule has not been finalized.  For those concerned about marshalling combat resources, additional army details will be patrolling the area during the tournament, hopefully reducing outside threats.  In addition, as is tradition, a Ducal Ball will be held the evening of the 11th, open to all.  My fiancé has more information about it than I.

See you all soon.

 

In Service to His Grace,

Seneschal Trevor Donovan

 


Ducal Ball Returns to Ashbury

 

Let it be known throughout the land that this years Ducal Ball, has the theme “Unity.” Musicians have been hired, wine has been ordered and food will be plentiful for the Ducal Ball.

We ask attendees to come dressed with their finest and to come to bring hope, and joy and merriment for a brief moment and respite from the war and the continuous battle of Good versus Evil. Fellowship with your friends, old and new alike, and prepare to welcome home our Duke, his Grace, Duke Sir Frost Vardik of Ashbury.

It is my honor to help coordinate the 3rd Ducal Ball during the Team Tournament for the Duchy of Ashbury.

 

In Service,

Lady Knight Glorianna Wyndancer Nordenn

Regent of Nordenn

 


Healer’s Guild Report

 

Last month there were several people wishing to interview to join the Guild.  If you can, please see me on Friday night of the Tournament weekend, so I can start the process for you.

I am sorry but I am terrible with names, but to the female orc who was body guard me last month: You saved my life and others over and over again. I am in debt to you as well as many others. Oh, I also owe you money too.

For those who wish we have cold extra fine chocolate, fudge, brownies, and fine wine for sale for a minor amount of coin.  We will have bagels with butter for a minor amount of coin Saturday morning. Members will be half price. I am sorry but only members can have the imported fine coffee.

And of course we have potions and elixirs for sale at all times.

For those who need it, the Guild will have needle and thread, safety pins, rope, and fancy dressy cording of many colors, glues, and skinny ribbons in case you need to fix your clothing for the Tournament or the Ball.

Friday night as always is going to be a party night in the Guild. For a short while at midnight the doors will close and then the party will resume.  Due to the up coming weekend being a Tournament weekend, the Guild meeting will be on Friday night at 12 pm. I know people will be stressed for time, so do not be late. Besides the fresh shrimp, imported cheeses, and fine meats won’t last long.

During the Tournament weekend, we will have cold wine available for the Storm Blades and for Blythedale. This is our thank you for all of your contributions you made through out the year. Thank you for paying me for my healing, as well as my Guild members.    

For those who wish, the Guild will be open to members to work on the written hunt items. I will be neutral through out the events in case it should be needed. This has been helpful in the past.

It is with much regret that due to too many potions being used, I will be insisting on payment up front. On a similar note this applies to healing spells too. Many of our healers will be asking for components for Life spells. I am sorry, but the healers need financially to be able to socialize in the tavern too.

I am desperately looking for a Divesture scroll and components. I am sad to say a member of ours has become a symbol of shame to us. For this we must do a divest. Due to the above situation, I will be cracking down on all members as to honor, trust and following the code. This has angered me so I can no longer be as laid back. My trust in compromise has been shattered and burned to a crisp. I am sorry but this has hardened me. To me our guild code is now black and white. It may be a long time before I will be sympathetic to pleas and promises.  Sorry for the ranting from me, but it had to be said for reasons I can not go into in this forum.

On a separate note should the weekend turn cold at night please remember all trunks have blankets for you to borrow. Just fold them back up and make sure the lid is down so mice keep out. The guild does not want anyone to ever go cold.

Also if it is hot out and you are not sweating, throat feels dry, you have a headache, feel fuzzy headed, or dizzy when you lean over, get water! You are dehydrated. If you do not have coldish water handy get to a healer or the Guild as soon as possible! We keep a big box of ice for just this purpose. We are here to help all in any way we can. Well, not undead.

This is enough for now I hope to see many of you at the ball.

Guild head Zaterina N Norik


The Song of Fairanna

By the Vir of Gul-Rasir

 

Fairanna!

Fairanna!

Beauty is in thy very name!

Thy very name is in my heart!

If I had to choose whether to breathe

or to love thee

I would use my last breath to tell thee

that I love thee.

When I first saw thee, thou took my breath away.
When thou first talked to me, I could not think.
When thou touched me, shivers ran all through my body.
And when we first kissed, I floated away in my dreams.

Meeting thee was fate, becoming thine friend was a choice

but falling in love with thee was beyond my control.

I love my life because it gave me thee
I love thee because thou are my life.

 

When thou feel alone,

 just look at the spaces between thine fingers,

and remember that's where my fingers fit perfectly.

 

Yours is my favorite hello

And my most painful farewell.

 

But know this:

In life or death shall we never part.

 


A Little Birdie Told Me

 

By Sue D’Onym

Hello, dearies!  Time for another installment of the News They Don’t Want You To Know!

What was that unearthly screaming I heard in my dreams last month? Oh right, it was the gypsy, Luka, complaining about being robbed and fed an Amnesia in the middle of a battle last month. She’s new to adventuring, but she’s apparently wasted no time in annoying some powerful people. Speaking of her, she was hanging around with Ren, the stone elf from the Mages Guild who looks like someone julienned her face. From what I heard, she was assigned Luka as an apprentice! Either the Guildmaster has it in for her, or he has a great sense of humor.

So, Dame Glorianna is tending to another of the Duke’s balls (this is the third one, so it’s definitely going to be good)! Keep an eye out, dearies, I hope to get plenty of good gossip about it!

That’s all for this month!  Not a lot, is it?  That’s because you aren’t sending me your gossip.  You can’t blame me!

Anyway, as always, remember:  If you can’t say something nice about someone, come sit by me.

 


Public Notices

 

RAFFLE!  I will be holding a raffle on the weekend of the Tournament. All proceeds will be going to the relief effort for those families and towns that were hardest hit by the recent attacks caused by the plague.  The Royal Mages Guild and the Royal Healers Guild has donated items which shall be raffled off and we have paid for some good items as well. How many will be raffled? That is up to you! The more people who buy tickets, the more items we can place in the raffle. Tickets will be a silver each. The more you buy, the greater your chance of winning. And even the poorest can afford at least one ticket, which could get you great treasure if you’re lucky!   Donations are also wanted. You can contribute some potions or scrolls or armor or candy or whatever! Maybe you might donate a song of the winner’s choosing, or a back massage, or promise to repair someone’s armor for a weekend or something. Let me know! - Sir Eros

 

THE BARDIC COLLEGE is proud to announce that a dance instructor will be visiting Ashbury shortly.  The instructor is deaf and can’t read lips, so please be prepared to mime or otherwise make clear your requested dance.  Dance instruction will be free.

 

“WILL THIS SHIELD WORK?” – Dice