Issue 9
Saturday, October 30th, 2004






Plague (V) [M]: The first break in the advancing of the horrible plague that had afflicted the nation of New Austia, and to a lesser extent, the nations bordering it occurred recently, though the disease still remains potent and dangerous. Republican and Austian healers discovered what appeared to cause the plague to spread, and are now apparently looking for some way to use this information to keep the disease from spreading further.

Undertakings (III) [M]: Finally rumors circulate telling of the completion of the mysterious project conducted by the upper echelon of political power within the Kebeyen Republic, though no further information has been released telling people what exactly was occurring within those deserts, they were still to believe that something magnificent would occur within the next month, and everything was already in place for this event. Anyone interested in investigating issues would see crisscrossing emerald lines with the width of a single strand of thread as they made their way from side to side.

Painter of the Land (II) [M]: Gradually, the landscape started to look a bit less cheerier to those that ventured near the areas surrounding Vincan and the Kebeyan Republic. Enormous trees that shined brilliantly and were made of glass or crystal became rarer, unusual yet beautiful plants and flowers stopped appearing almost altogether and warm green lights that lit up the night sky were all but forgotten.

But that isn't to say the occurrences had stopped, in their place other things had formed, true works of alterationist art, though bits of it seemed to lean towards a darker side. Certain areas had become entirely distorted, as if everything in them had individually been twisted and swirled around until they appeared much as if someone had taken a mixer to them. As a result, trees in such areas twisted upwards much like spiraling staircases and giant springs. Around one such area near the Vincan a small moat-like circle of water formed, in a constant whirlpool-like state only with land in the middle of it all.

On of the darker areas was the mouth of a cave in the jutting up from the earth west of Vincan. From a distance it looked as if the entrance were lined with jagged teeth, though closer inspection would have revealed them to just be sharpened leg and arm bones. Two skulls sat atop the mouth of the cave, bat-like wings growing out of the back of each one. If any had ignored the obvious warning signs, there was no tell of them having left.


Map Master Michael (II) [M]: As the weeks passed, Vincan City soon enough forgot about the map trader and as such the bounty for him was removed. Word had spread that it was only set up there from an offer made by several unnamed furres of Tharivolian descent, but just as the last talk of him it was only rumors. The only reason the furre was still getting attention was due to the bounty in Tharivol. Rather than it having been taken down, the bounty was increased to the hefty size of five hundred gold pieces per person bringing him in, so as long as his cart was with him death wasn't an issue still.

Even though this opened up quite a bit further interest to large groups of bounty claimers, they had heard of the traders tendency to easily send those trailing him into a smoking heap on the ground. As such, he was for the most part left alone, even once nearing the city of Tharivol but he dared not go inside it without covering his identity.


Shadows of Despair [M] Word has spread about severe haunting within the forests of Ansteorra, the first to speak of this were those soldiers who fled a massacre within the confines of those same woods, they spoke of the trees coming alive and tearing their companions limb from limb, and the spirits of those slain not moving on to the afterlife as should have otherwise been the case. Travelers that are not themselves slain by the vengeful wraiths, return to the civilized portions of Calenndor gibbering in their insanity, or at least telling of the great horrors that they saw, and the insubstantial spirits that had taken on such grotesque features to cause the living to fear.

Recently a retired soldier residing within the village of Riverside, near the haunted woodlands, has been attempting to gather a group of adventurers to investigate the occurrences and possibly fix them. Several speak of him paying handsomely for the adventure, but so far no one has been interested in risking their necks.

Theater!:The renowned band of traveling actors and musicians: "The Moonlit Crusade" has performed for many years through out Calenndor, known for their tragic yet comedic performances. Traveling recently through the Kebeyen Republic at the behest of the High Chancellor himself and funded from the coffers of First Colony, they're moving about boosting morale wherever they go. It seems that even though the forts surrounding Ansteorra are not a part of the Republic, the actors still intend to make a brief visit in each, perhaps not aware of their conflicting loyalties.

Research and Exploration (III):Scholars of the Republic have given up their examination of the mysterious chasm that had torn a rift between the dwarven kingdom of Khâzad - Ankor and the religious empire of the Launcians. Those who had previously studied the matter to great lengths, were still unsure what had caused it, saying only that magical energies of immense power had been used, though exactly what kind remained unclear. New religions continue to spring up around the belief that some new deity had made it's presence known, an earth god to rival Ahroth for manipulation of the lands.