Category Archives: Volume 11- Issue 4- Stillbreeze 123 (August 2013)

It has been years and years since I have ventured out of the castle. I got really good at hiding, like Papsy Rai once told me to and found good places in the Eddinberg castle. And then Doctor Ivan got mushed up by lots of heroes and then another guy came to live here. Mr. Haku-Venjance who kind of reminds me of Papsy Rai. He gots rid of some of Doctor Ivan’s stuff and his experiments and then he did some more experiments with Doctor Ivan’s ‘quipment and then he shut the doors. I’ve been hiding behind the shut doors and in all sorts of different dark places in his castle and he never finds me. I thought that maybe Doctor Ivan’s stuff would be lost forever, too, and no one would try and make any more experiments, which was good, because they were scary. But it’s bad ‘cause all my other experiment friends are dead now, and I’m the last.

Lots of people try to come visit and some of them are stitchy and try to take my parts, but I run away and hide again. Usually Mr. Haku-Venjance scares them off or makes the triangle-hat-man get rid of them, but this one lady, Amfleece came to see the castle, and he didn’t scare her off. Maybe it was because she was so pretty. And cold. It was so hot outside, but she was so cold. He led her through the castle and they were talking about a number seven house and were there vampires here? And she made him lead her to some dead boxes, but she seemed disappointed. They don’t know that there are other people hiding here, too. They came here to hide from another place.

Mr. Haku-Venjance showed her the rest of the rooms and she got sooo excited when she saw Doctor Ivan’s room. She got the kind of excited that makes me want to run away. She saw his books and she saw his tools and she saw his machine and was so interested. She spent a little time there and then asked Mr. Haku-Venjance if she could borrow some things and he said, “Of course.” She was really happy then and took a bunch of Doctor Ivan’s books with her.

I was afraid that she was going to make some experiments, so I followed her and I saw that she was. Straight away she made awful experiments… even awfuler than me and awfuler than Shadow-fires and even awfuler than Doctor Ivan’s experiments.

She made human lamps that stood still and had light pouring out of their eyes and ears and mouths. And they were still alive and screaming in their heads because the light was slow, bright fire. She made trees that had people feelings and could feel everything from the tickling feet of the ants to the pounding of the woodpeckers. And they made quiet screaming too. She made abominations that she thought were bad testers like I was with Doctor Ivan, and she didn’t kill them, but kept on testing with them. And they scream the longest.

I don’t know what she wants to do with these experiments, but she is having too much fun and causing too much pain. She is close to making things like Doctor Ivan did… but hers are mean and filled with hate and she makes them all hurt before she sends them away into villages and towns where they kill and hurt even more.

I just thought I should let people know. Maybe more heroes should come and mush her up like they did with Doctor Ivan. I hid some of his books so she can’t find them. Maybe I’ll throw some in the fire when no one is looking. Mr. Haku-Venjance forgot to eat another plate of food tonight and he left it on the table, so once he is away, I’m gonna eat it and then hide again.

Ditza

Arch-Minister Valvik Gallows along with Arch-Fervent Kae, Storm-Mistress of Irvanshire, have released a statement recognizing the newest Hierophant of the Incarnation of Chaos- Heirophant Umberleah Jacaby. The Allegiant recognizes the legitimacy of this claim based on the first hand account of the new Hierophant as well as a vision received by Arch-Fervent Kae. The details of Hierophant Jacaby’s account of her rise to Lady Chaos’ side are released here below, and investigations into the meanings behind and consequences of these happenings have begun.

Quoted from Hierophant Jacaby:

Don’t worry, everything is alright. It didn’t take me that long to paint the portrait and then he let me go. I had to go, indeed, I had a mission, and My Lady needed me. I was delayed from my course and I think it cost him dearly to keep me as long as he did, but he did release me. Yes and then I went on the most amazing adventure with 4 friends that I know are the truest friends I will ever have, I mean they weren’t even that angry that they were turned into trees for a while, this is a sign of true friendship. When I set out on this adventure I was sure it would be perfect: my Heart, my Darkness, my Light and my Hand were the most perfect friends to come along. Our journey was almost uneventful except for one night, thankfully my Heart was wise enough to set traps around our camp and my stoic Darkness stood watch. We had an exchange with a small group of sort of powerful somethings, in this exchange we discovered our abilities were unpredictable, as if my chaotic nature and purpose were influencing the world around me.

When we found the Copse, I had made a mistake and forgot to prepare everyone to go in, but I must say I have a new found understanding of what it’s like to be a tree, you can think so much but do very little. After Tarsheeva reminded me what we needed to do, I was able to put my personal chaos into a painting, yes as a tree I painted, and become a person again, not that there is anything wrong with being a tree, it was lovely and I am grateful for the experience. I quickly formed a wand from parts of seven different trees, when I took the pieces I could see for a fleeting glimpse the person trapped within and at this time I realized something was very wrong in the Copse. Using my new wand I painted a picture at the base of the three maples and the willow that used to be my friends which thankfully released them to their normal form, I don’t think my Light enjoyed being a tree she seemed so unhappy and frightened; I hope you can forgive me.

We acknowledged the tree of oily darkness in the Copse and recognized it didn’t belong; it was part of the mission from My Lady to take care of it. Thankfully my Darkness was somehow able to identify that one of the other trees could help us, after speaking with this tree which contained a druid of the Copse we became aware of a swirling portal looking whole in the sky. Thankfully my Hand could see that it was where we needed to go. The five of us climbed the tallest tree I had ever seen until the moment we came through the portal and found ourselves on a platform in a place of massive majestic trees; we could not see the bottom of the tree nor the top. Everyone seemed unharmed except for my Hand, her eyes were completely black and oily, but she didn’t seem to be bothered by it at all. Looking out from the platform we could see figures swinging from tree to tree. One was getting very close, when they came close enough I was very excited, he was unlike anyone I had seen before, absolutely fascinating, tendrils came out of every joint and formed a sort of natural armor for the tall slender man. He agreed to help us and called for baskets to be lowered to take us up to his home in the trees.

In the tree top city we discovered it was a special day and were asked to join the feast and ceremony. The food was the most delicious plants I’ve ever eaten and we learned that these people had learned to shape things from the trees, so instead of cutting and binding the limbs of a tree they learned to, without harming the tree, inspire the tree to form their will. The ceremony after the meal was rather disturbing, they recalled the merits and deeds of an old man, his family and friends all gathered around him and enjoyed their last moments together, then the man was pushed off the tree. We accepted an offer to stay the night in the city and receive help in finding our destination the following morning. We received a ride on birds with tiny young pilots and provisions. My Hands eyes guided us to the proper location but we had to leave our new friends, they said they never go below a certain point on the trees, because it’s dangerous, they gave us rope ladders and the means to hold them to the trees and then left us, clearly believing we were going to die. We did eventually find the bottom and my Hand lead us to a cave.

Inside we found what we were looking for, however it was clear we couldn’t simply have what we came for. Four massive giant tendril covered guards blocked our goal. And this is where the story gets very interesting, everything goes wrong. My Darkness could not seem to land a blow, my heart is flung across the room after making one successful hit with his nail pinning one giant to the wall, I attempted to cure the disease of the giants but it did not seem to make them less aggressive only more strong. Everything was going wrong and we needed help so I used my wand, I just waved it about and a golden warrior appeared, the small amount of light glinting off his presence was like a shiny hope and he exploded in light damaging the two giants closest to him. My Darkness continued to fight heroically attempting to slow one giants movements by freezing it’s tendrils, my Hand moved to our goal but was struck down by one giant, my Light attempted a light strike on the nearest giant but failed, and I waved my wand about again frantically knowing we needed more help. Three very tall children appeared and lit up the whole area and I don’t think I’ve ever seen my Light have such a glow before. My Heart and the Golden warrior continued to strike at the giants, my Hand lay still and unreachable on the floor, and my Light cast a spell gone wrong that caused the children to shrink back away from her and then disappear. Desperate, I waved my wand a third time and he appeared, my capture, I begged him to help, he recognized the giants as undead and used some sort of magic that made one sink into the ground and disappear. This made a path for my Light to help my Hand. My Heart and the Golden Warrior finished off the two they had been fighting. Leaving only one, his Evilness was hit in the head after attempting the same magic on this one. I cast a chaotic storm and my Light cast a burst of light, ending the fight. His evilness and the Golden warrior recognized each other and suddenly disappeared again, leaving the five of us alone in the cave with our goal.

I won’t tell you what it is, no that wouldn’t do, can’t go around telling everything. I can tell you that we brought something special to Magesta, something that wasn’t here before. I can tell you I used it to help paint a containing tree around the blackness in the Copse and that my Lady welcomed me into the Copse and told me that the prize is mine and I must protect it and the Copse. My friends were not harmed and should be off on their own adventures. But for a short while, they experienced the wonder of Chaos and enjoyed or didn’t enjoy experiences they may never have again.

Umberleah Jacaby

A Hierophant of Chaos

Master Painter

Alchemist

Engineer

Greetings Elmertonians,

I am writing to you on behalf of the First Father. It has come to his attention that there have been disturbances throughout your town in areas known for high concentrations of elemental essence. He does not wish to cause concern, only to restore nature’s balance.

First Father seeks to hire interested Elementalists to assist me in neutralizing the locations in question in order to prevent curious visitors from using these sites as their nefarious playgrounds. First Father has graciously offered to compensate participants for taking the initiative to reclaim this fine town from those who would attempt to take advantage of such dimensional weak spots.

Interested parties should write to me with a brief description of their elemental competencies and any experience they feel would aid in the neutralization effort. I look forward to working with the fine townsfolk of Elmerton.

Humbly,
A. Demeter
Assistant to the Honorable First Father

Theft! Arson! Kidnapping! And Assault! There has been an ample rise of crime on Magesta in the past week and it appears that many Town Watch members and a variety of militia have left their posts. So many in fact, that townspeople have coined the nickname “The Lost” for those who have left. Many rumors have been spread saying that there is a protest against the pay for these guards, but yours truly doesn’t buy it! After interviewing a handful of The Lost’s loved ones, I have been able to determine that these brave women and men have all left abruptly, are all Agents of War and all seem fixed on fighting in The Nightmare War. Many of you may think to yourselves: “Agents of War are fighting in a war, what’s the big deal?”. Well I’m glad you’ve asked! The family and friends of these Agents have all reported that many of The Lost had no intention on fighting in the Nightmare War up until a week ago, curious indeed!

Agents of War throughout Magesta be warned, you may soon find yourself to be a Lost One soon.

Be Wary,

Snozza Bowrinkle

Agent of Community

Two nights ago, a large group of marauders attacked the small hamlet of Sarahs Run just 5 miles outside of Craftshire. The attackers showed no mercy, 40 people were killed out of a population of only 117. A women by the name of Brodie Ross survived the attack and had this to say:

“They came in swift and silent. There was a birthday celebration going on in the town center and none saw them come. All at once swords began to cleave and arrows shot from the night. Dark magic also felled quite a few people before our modest town guard could even try and muster. Our captain, a man by the name of Drake, stood fast and tried to defend us as best as he could. Before long we all watched in horror as a sword slammed through his skull. The man holding the sword then spoke, ‘I am Argyle McConell,’ he yelled. ‘And you will all pay for the sins of my father!’ They finished ruining our town, and our lives as a whole, and they left just as soon as they came.”

Brodie at that point began to cry and walked away covering her face. Attempts to try and talk to local nobles or the Irvanshirian army about this attack were fruitless.

Tricia Ravenhope

Roving scribe and historian

Members of Concori Magesti’s research and acquisitions arm converged on a Small manse formerly maintained by House Falstoke in Point Edgar several days ago.  when reached for comment, they would only report that they were investigating “forces and disturbances of Essence in the vicinity.”  Scouts for the MM observed mages and hired mercenaries dragging crates out of the basement of the manse, loading them into carriages, presumably to be carted to the Concori’s headquarters.  Representatives of House Falstoke could not be reached for comment.

As if the parents of our towns haven’t enough to worry about, it appears that someone or something, is sending a threatening message to their children. Over the past several months there has been an increasing number of reports of children’s toys gone missing. Normally a few lost dollies isn’t enough to capture any interest, but the manner in which the toys are returned is quite disturbing.

Children have been complaining of lost toys that have reappeared a few days later with deep gashes under their left eye. The markings look as if they have been carved into the faces of the missing toys. When asked to elaborate on her family’s traumatic experience, a young mother, who requested to be kept anonymous, had the following story.

“At first we thought Andrew was playing one of his silly games with us when he told us Sir Peter, his wooden toy Knight, vanished right before his eyes. Three days later Andrew came running into the kitchen waving Peter. ‘He’s back! He’s back! But I don’t want to play with him anymore…’ He dropped the doll at my feet and ran out of the room. The doll looked as if it had been badly abused and the wood was split open under it’s left eye. My husband burned the toy right away.”

Rumors have been circulating but no one is ready to put forth a theory on these mysterious events. Random acts such as these do not seem to be the work of professional criminals but an inexperienced, almost childish person or persons trying to send an as of yet to be determined message.

Having had their workforce reduced by mysterious kidnapping, local farmers are nervous for their harvest.  Unless they are able to increase their output substantially, it will be a hungry winter for the greater Elmerton environs.  For the farmers, the spring was exhausting, despite the best efforts of well meaning drifters who lent a hand throughout the farms, called heroes for they did not seek rewards.  Despite their assistance, much of the arable land in the Fiddleheads lies fallow.   An early frost is all it will take to throw the region into hunger trouble.

As for the kidnappings, there is little evidence to go by.  Stories of black cloaked figures standing at the edge of towns, and then the disappearances began.  Anyone who spoke up or tried to investigate found themselves missing young farmhands – so people began to keep quiet.  Here’s a silver lining with a touch of grey:  Recently, several farmers have found their children again, but they have undergone some sort of strange transformation.  Blank stares and white hair are all that’s left of the farmer’s legacy.  They have tried to nurse the young ones back to health, but to no avail.  Dark days, indeed.  With the Allegiant busy with keeping the government afloat, and the nobles seemingly doomed to their own self destruction, who will look after the farmers and workers?  Without the smallfolk to produce, what will become of the region?