Elanthian Network News

War Checklist

(263 Moliko 384)

You notice a list on Dreamheart's stationary left on the corner of a table in the tavern.

10 or more Favors - checked off
Defluffing - checked off
Herbs stocked - checked off
Best weapons vaulted - checked off
Best armor vaulted - checked off
Extra stash of disposable weapons - checked off
Extra stash of disposable armor - checked off
2 war outfits ready - checked off
Good instruments packed and put away - checked off
War-time instruments ready - checked off
Maps ready to go - checked off
Order backup weapon from Edgee - checked off
Lots of things bardic to wear to irritate the local Spawn of Dzree - checked off

Lord Gyfford and Warrior King Raenilar hold court in Theren

(320 Dolefaren 383)

In a surprise visit the Warrior King Raenilar shared the dais with Lord Gyfford during last evenings open court. According to the Warrior King himself his official visit is for the purpose working with Lord Gyfford to create a formal treaty between the peoples of Therengia and those of the Outcast tribes.

A number of topics were discussed most are too mundane to go into any length here such as finding a suitable commander for some of the local militias. The formal creation of embassies was also a topic that was of some interest, although nothing formal was decided and it appeared that finances might prove to be its undoing. The threat of Xerasyth facing Ilithi seemed to be a prime topic and the Warrior King offered to solve the problem saying that he has a solution for necromancers. Although Ilithi accepting his help seems unlikely. More likely, Lord Gyfford will send siege engines to Shard who had their destroyed in the war to make tent posts.

Lastly, the local play The Rose of Therengia which will be playing shortly was discussed in which the Warrior King indicated his interest in attending. If so, it would indicate that King Raenilar and his court will be staying as a guest of the Baron for some time in order to make headway in creating a formal treaty.

Red Axe Clan Raid Langenfirth

(309 Skullcleaver 383)

Langenfirth came under assault again yesterday from a goblin clan calling itself the Red Axe Clan.

There were few casualties and the small war band of goblins was quickly dispatched by Langenfirth’s defenders. However, the purpose of the attack still remains a mystery. No demands were made and no attempt to negotiate with the towns defenders was made, and no supplies were stolen.

While any idea regarding the reason for the attack are pure speculation, this reporter can’t help but wonder if there is a connection between this war bands apparent suicide raid and the well known necromancer Alamgir’s recent negations with other goblin tribes in the area.

If any readers have further information on the Red Axe Clan or information regarding the recent goblin and undead raids on the Riverhaven and Langenfirth area please contact Servaius who is currently residing in the Rossmands Landing area working on a related story.

Undead Take Foothold in Riverhaven Area!

(Riverhaven, Therengia: 304 Skullcleaver 383)

The undead have continued to plague Riverhaven in recent weeks prompting speculation that the forces that would see the undead have a greater sphere of influence in the area are preparing for major offensive.

Recently, undead goblins took control of tracts of land that were previously controlled by a goblin tribe in the northern sections of Riverhaven wild lands. This alone was enough to cause nervousness among some of the townsfolk. A local resident who only gave his first name as Rokler has this to say.

'Wif the cursed Zaulfung so damn close undead taint nothing new. First, goblins turning undead and then we getting attacked damn near weekly wit them other dead makes me nervous."

The other dead being referred to is the sudden upswing in attacks by greater skeletons, hafwa, and recently plague wraths none of which are known to inhabit the local area.

However, scouts for the city may have gleamed some insight into exactly what is going on. There have been unconfirmed reports that the well known gnome necromancer Alamgir has recently been sited in negotiations with leaders of at least one of the local goblin tribes. The specifics terms of these talks are currently unknown however with recent foothold the undead goblins have made there is speculation that the tribe seeks to insure their long term survival by offering up their dead to Alamgir.

More news as it happens.

Carwu Aloreto: An announcement

(196 Uthmor 382)

A chubby human boy runs into the Tavern and then stops, trying to walk casually. He looks to be no more than fifteen, maybe sixteen. He walks over to the bar and waits for Barresh to come over.

"Ello, dere Sir," he says, grinning and revealing the chipped front tooth he proudly sports. "M'names Gommerandell n' I'm supposen ta make an announcement fer the lighten' finger'd lady. Kin I post it up right here in ter bar?"

Without waiting for an answer, he pulls out a grubby and well worn parchment that has been folded into the smallest square possibly. The dirty nail-bitten fingers unfurl it and hold it flat for Barresh to read and approve.

"Please be informed that the tourneyment known as Carwu Aloreto is to be held in four anduwen from this date, at Gaethrend's Court. The time to attend is approximately 9:30 Elven Standard.

This tournament is not for the weak of heart. This will be for the hand of a fair Elven lady, who seeks a potential husband. Contestants must be of Elven or outstanding Human heritage, and needless to say, male.

Contestants will be judged on a variety of skills, including a questionairre and combat. Winning any one of these categories doesn't guarantee your winning, and losing does not guarantee your loss. You will be judged by a panel of fine women, and the audience is requested to help them come to proper conclusions."

[NOTE: This event is being held Friday, February 17th at 9:30 eastern in Gaethrend's Court. All are invited to attend]

A Seaside Proposal

(67 Ka'len 382)

"Arilana.... will you marry me, and whatever the future brings to us, weather it with me, beside me, in all things, until we pass amongst the gods?" Were his words.

Blessoval stood nearby his Prince, both of their bodies still wearing the scars and bruises from the attack at sea, as Vorclaf spoke these words to the Elven lady we had just rescued. I recognized her as the one I had brushed by in the marketplace some few days before all this began. So this is the Arilana they had been speaking of.

Surprise registered on every face gathered, including the woman’s foreign mother, but not without warmth. A Queen, they said she was. Moments earlier, her mate – another Merelew that had sailed with us on this dangerous voyage – had leapt off the dock in a fit of outrage. He disappeared under the waves and did not emerge.

My own body carries signs of the battle we survived, and my arms ache terribly from the work of loading the mangonels, but I will part with what knowledge I can before I go to tend my wounds.

My dear friend was once again alerted that his Prince might emerge from the Keep, and so went there immediately. Again, I was purrsuaded to join him, though I was more than a little apprehensive at the thought of it. I do not want my own displeasure about the man to which he kneels to destroy whatever favor that man has in Blessoval. Still, he asked me along, and I went, vowing to keep my opinions silent for the time being.

We waited by the Keep, and soon indeed, Prince Vorclaf did come out to greet the sizable group of people that awaited him. Instantly, Blessoval went to his knees, but I was able to hold my fury in check. The Prince announced that we would soon be greeted by visitors, and sent an honor guard out to welcome them. As we are not affiliated with any of the local military, that left myself, and my dear friend alone with the royal leader. How I wanted to address him then! To ask him why he saw himself fit to lead, fit to have others bow to him. But I remained silent. Instead, Blessoval offered a comforting word to the obviously distressed Prince.

We were soon enjoined by these visitors, two Merelew men. One I recognized, the other I would soon come to know as the Merelew king – a man as arrogant as any that I’ve ever known.

The voyage began soon after, as we left on a ship called the Flower with a destination of Hara’Jaal – some island inhabited by pirates. Battle met us on the high seas, as goblin pirates boarded us and laid waste. With no healer on board, our strongest were devastated. I tried to help, but alas, I am a young ranger still, and my arrows found no mark. Dear Blessoval also found his skills horribly inadequate as the goblins attacked him, wounding him terribly as he attempted to keep his Prince from harm. Fire rained from the sky, and everyone fought the flames off their clothing and skin frantically.

Honestly, I do not know how we survived. I retreated to the cabins, Blessoval with me, to aid the fallen and wounded with wards and herbs. There we found the Merelew King sitting on his royal arse, complaining about how this was all Vorclaf’s fault. I thought before that nothing could have sickened me more than the sight of my sweet friend kneeling in the dirt before another man no greater than he. I know now how mistaken I was, for seeing this man sitting comfortably as people died around him – died to rescue his daughter – and blaming them for their inadequacies was just too much.

Somehow, Thank Damaris, we survived, and landed on the Pirate island. More carnage ensued as our already wounded warriors boarded the ship of someone named Molphant. After that was taken care of, we regrouped, and searched the island. We wandered aimlessly for what seemed like hours, and found the captive Lindryl, Jinxes, and Arilana at long last.

It was a bitter-sweet victory that ended with a betrothal. I wonder what the Merelew king will do now. I do not think we have seen the last of him.

A Chase on the Sea and a Pilfered Princess

(52 Ka'len 382)

Last evening, I followed my close friend Blessoval at his request as he went to attend Prince Vorclaf as was his sworn duty. Outside Ulf'hara a small group had already gathered, including a cowled, strange-speaking visitor searching for some Princess that he could neither name nor describe.

Honestly, I do not purrsonally care what happens to Prince Vorclaf or anyone who claims to own land such as he does. But even so, I kept my ears open to what was happening, for Blessoval's sake.

After a confusing parlay between the Prince and the visitor in which nothing was gleaned other than some Princess was in danger and not safe in the Prince's keeping. As this banter was going on, thoughts on the gweth became frantic as Pirates landed on Crossing shores. They had taken some people who's names I don't recognize; Lindryl, Arilana, and her escort.

Shortly after Vorclaf was notified of this, he set off for the nearest sailing vessel to chase down these invaders. Blessoval followed, and thus I did, to keep him safe.

We did not catch them. Their ship was too fast, or ours too slow. Either way, they were out of sight, and we succeeded only in treading water. The order was given to return home. Tension was in the air on the trip back. Vorclaf and the cowled stranger argued about who was to blame for what happened.

We returned home safe, much to my relief. I'm not prepared to die for this Prince, and neither am I prepared to witness my dear friend do so.
What will happen now, only the Gods know.

A Peculiar Pairing

(16 Akroeg 382)

He had just begun his training under Lord Darius, Esteemed Paladin of Zoluren and servant of Prince Vorclaf. He had been promised to Provincial service upon his birth, and now that he was of an age, he found himself under the mentorship of the elder Knight.

He wore the garb of a simple commoner; a black cloak to keep the cold weather at bay, a pair of grey trousers that hung loose on his frame, boots of Elven make, and a simple tunic with leather bindings. Inexpensive plate armor of dwarven design protected his body, along with a nondescript oval shield and an unremarkable bastard sword. To look at him, none could have guessed at the truth of his birth.

His dark brown skin and honey colored hair marked him as a man of foreign background, but did little to betray his noble blood. He was born into the Lasastine bloodline, a Rakash family that had been granted an estate and their nobility by the Late Prince Sirolarn for acts undisclosed during the Sorrow War. Despite the questions raised, especially after Sirolarn’s execution, they were allowed to keep their status, so long as their next male child was sworn into the service of the Principality.

But on this day, none of his comrades in training offered deference. None bowed to him, or greeted him as is due those of noble birth. Blessoval preferred it this way; and never wanted to be judged differently than those not of rich blood, and so he hid his nobility under simple clothes, and spoke little.

Only the Lord Darius knew the truth.

Under special instruction, the Paladin Lord took the young Lasastine out into the wildland west of the city of Crossings. There he was left in the wilds with a tiny stuffed kitten and orders to keep the poppet whole at all costs. An easy task, it seemed, for it was well known that few hostile creatures roamed this area of wilderness, and even those would find little interest in a young Rakash man and his toy doll.

But they came at the hour of Asketi’s Hunt – the very middle of the night. They came with their swords and shields at the ready, and eyes keen to the darkness. They came to kill the Lasastine son.

Goblins. A score of them descended upon the unexpecting Blessoval, who leapt to the ready. Behind him, the stuffed kitten sat on a boulder. Protect the doll at all cost.

Staring into the greenish, drooling faces of 20 goblins, he wondered if that cost might be his life.

He fought bravely against the odds, taking down a third of them. But his skills were untrained, and his body not yet able to withstand the great weight of his armor and the pressure of battle. He fell back, retreating until he could feel the rock on which the doll sat. The goblins pressed on. Surrounded him.

And then they started shrieking as an arrow sailed down from the trees to bury itself in the heart of the goblin that had raised its sword to deal the final blow to the wounded man. Another followed, laying low a second goblin, and then a third. Blessoval thanked his God for this invisible savior, and steadied himself. With the help of the archer in the trees, he took down the remaining goblin forces, stopping to rest only when the very last one of them had been cut down.

After making sure it was dead, he turned at last to inspect the doll for damage.

He found, instead, a real kitten – a prydaen girl -- sitting there. She gazed at the doll in her hands, and then smiled at him, her amber eyes twinkled in the moonlight.

She said her name was Excetera. She told him about her travels as a young ranger, and about the world beyond Zoluren as she tended his wounds with salves and herbs. She wondered why he had been willing to die for that doll. She teasingly wondered what it would take for a real kitten to gain such a guardian.

He told her she had already gained it, and knew by her bright laughter that she thought he was teasing as well. But then he knelt, and removed the pewter bracelet from his arm. He offered it to her and she took it. It was engraved with the name of the Prince whose Province he had been sworn to serve, but was otherwise unremarkable. She put it on and thanked him, of course thinking it nothing more than a pretty piece of metal with some meaningless scrawl on it, for she had already confessed she knew very little about the civilized world. But to Blessoval, it was a symbol of a promise newly made.

A branch snapped. Startled, she gave him the unscathed doll and with a playful brush of her tail against his waist, darted back into the trees.

Darius emerged from the dark path with a retinue of healers and a cleric. The surprise at finding the young Lasastine unharmed and his doll intact was evident across his aged face. With but the slightest reluctance, he awarded Blessoval his Squireship and accepted him into the service. Thus was the Lasastine name safe, and one promise fulfilled.

As they made their way back to town, he chanced to look behind him. His brown eyes fell upon a prydaen form as she quickly ducked out of sight. The green strands of hair intermingled with the brown of her mane betrayed her identity.

With a smile he returned his attention to the path ahead, determined to fulfill this new oath

A Young Cleric, and a missing Prince

(311 Skullcleaver 381)

Dear Friends:

It has been many days since you have heard from me. But that doesn't mean I don't still keep an eye on things. Recently an item has come my way that warrants recording, and concern.

Apparently Prince Vorclaf is missing. This was told to a young guildmate of mine by the name of Behiru, a shy young Elothean girl. Apparently he was taken by pirates off the coast of Hara'Jaal. Attempts have been made to find him via locate, but the said attempts were not altogether successful.

I hope he is rescued soon: Zoluren needs him. The provinces cannot afford to lose yet another ruler on top of at least one assassination and a war, especially not with the Mountain Queen eying Leth Deriel.

By my hand, Ryeka Wolfsdaughter of Damaris

The Day of the Theater Opening in Theren Fast Approaches!

(96 Lirisa 381)

The day of celebration for Lord Gyfford's new theater in Therenborough will soon be upon us!

This coming Saturday, October 15th, there will be a number of things sponsored by His Grace to celebrate his theater, and to celebrate the arts. There will be small, artistic, contests during the day with feasting for all!! It is rumored that His Grace has convinced some traveling merchants to set up shop in the Quadrangle for the celebration, and Lady Trigomas had sent an invitation to the Poet Rancois of Mer'Kresh and he has replied that if he can sober up long enough he will visit Theren also that day.

There are also rumors of some other interesting activities, one of which it is said that our the Baron's own Court Bardess has begged for - let's hope it worked!

The tentative schedule of events is as follows:

Bad Joke Contest 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Informal Busking 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Dance Contest 1:00 pm
Story in the Round, Song in the Round 3:00
Impromptu Story Contest 4:00
Impromptu Limerick Contest 6:00
Buffet 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Grand Song & Story Tournament 9:00

The Grand Song and Story Tournament requires preregistration by Friday, October 14th, by emailing me at daeriynn@aol.com. All others - just show up!

Lastly, Daerlynn will be opening up the theater with a memorial song for Ailyssa. It is an IG song script which is synchronized with an mp3 file, called The Ash and the Willow. She may also be doing her Hymn to Therengia as well, which is also an mp3. Both files, along with instructions, may be found at http://www.geocities.com/daerlynn/music.html

Try and show up and show your support of the arts!

Daerlynn