Thunderclouds From a Darkened Skye

Hey, Elmerton topsiders- We have a serious problem. Not sure what y’all did but Ms. Skye is furious. Boom and I, along with a few of our cousins, decided to go creeping through some of her far off tunnels. As we got deeper into one we heard something that sounded like an explosion. We all hit the dirt and an incredible surge of what looked like the black shards everyone is so interested in shot through the tunnel faster than anything I’ve ever seen. They moved almost too fast to see and all at once, they all shot deep into the tunnel we were creeping in. When they stopped flowing we just heard what sounded like a very angry, distant and almost painful scream that was swallowed by a popping sound that could have signaled the closing of a portal. We thought it best not to go any further and called it off for the day.

The next day shadows and shadow-touched Blackgate family members laid what might have been the heaviest assault we have ever seen. Rebekkah herself- looking a little crazed- seemed to be leading one of the first attacks, screaming about how we would be the first to pay for Elmerton’s sins. Thankfully we were able to force back the attack. Boom had to leave one of his “presents” at the mouth of the cavern and produced a massive cave in that sealed us off. That seemed to be enough to take their interests off of us for now at least. We lost quite a few people and our numbers are already small enough, so we are scrambling for healers and to build up our resources and buildings.

We can make due for now and we are fully ready to assist the town whenever is needed but heed my warning- It’s all coming apart even faster than we thought.

Stay safe, Never trust the dark.

Bosephus Blackgate.

Another Village Falls To Sazdar and the Gatekeeper

Some may call it luck but that’s a word I would never utter with what I saw. I bore witness to the aftermath of an assault by a man named Carzon Sazdar just over a month ago, I never guessed that in my roaming wanderlust I would see one take place before my very eyes.

My wanderings that day brought me to Gindinmere a small village southwest of Elmerton just a GindinmereLocationInIrvanshirefew short miles from Bloomingport. That night I just finished dinner and was enjoying a rather large and tasty dwarven ale in the Salty Maidens tavern when disaster struck.

It happened all at once- the silence of the night torn asunder by a roof rocking blast that threw a few people off their feet. The tavern emptied as did the other houses and random businesses that remained open at that hour. People poured into the center of town to see a large and heavily armed group led by a large man who stood out in front of them. Before anyone could even speak or try and make an action, the man up front spoke in a booming tone. “I am Carzon Sazdar, the slayer of worlds and the man who is not only ready, but excited to send you all to the Gatekeeper’s Realm of True Death.” He paused then to watch the effect of his words on the town. His brow furrowed slightly as he continued, “The Gatekeeper, however wishes for me to convey his intent to you so that you will know the extent of his mercy. Listen to this well!” Sneering, and drawing a well-worn scroll from a pouch at his side, he bellowed in an even louder tone,

“’Magestans. I am the Gatekeeper. I am Death Incarnate and will take my place amongst the other Incarnations. You cannot destroy me. You cannot withstand me. However, be it known that I bear you no personal hatred nor animosity. I have no desire to inflict unnecessary pain or suffering upon any individual. I am willing to offer you this chance, Magestans. There need not be premature death and destruction, but know that I will grant the spirits of this desperate and pleading world eternal and pure rest, and with that will come the Dread of War. For those with the wisdom to bow before Destiny, I will provide places of safety in which you and your families will be permitted to live safely and comfortably and to live out the natural course of your lives or until such time as I am given a seat amongst the greater Incarnations. Those who enter this stronghold will be under my protection and will know the strength of my might. No harm will come to you.

However, I will warn you that those who do not enter this stronghold will be subjected to the Sword and Wrath of my Pledged. Carzon knows no mercy and has my leave to show no quarter to stragglers and heroes.’”

Carzon leered at the town and said, “You have until this time tomorrow to make your choice, Gindinmere. Make no mistake, I will return at that time, and will show you the strength of MY might and the extent of MY mercy.”

After all this was said, Carzon muttered a few words, made a complicated gesture with his hands, and a massive swirling portal opened in the center of town, complete with an elaborate gateway conjured out of thin air. After nailing the scroll to the gateway, Carzon and his men marched out of town. A few townsfolk rushed into the portal with zero hesitation after gathering their families and the valuables they could carry. Other argued the merits of accepting the Gatekeeper as the overseer of Death. Some disagreements turned into fistfights.

When it was all said and done over half the town went into the portal. Those who stayed behind prepped for a fight. I myself found a pig iron shed that the blacksmith uses and barricaded myself inside. True to his word, Carzon and his men marched back into Gindinmere at roughly the same time and unleashed a horror that the Abyss would be jealous of. Men, women and even children fell to their blades. Any building used as shelter was burned to the ground. There was no stopping Carzon and his men. I was literally the only one left alive as the portal in town began to pulse and then closed.

One of his men found the shed I was hiding in and tore the door open with alarming strength. He raised an axe to my head and was about to strike until Carzon himself grabbed his arm. “Ahh a roving scribe,” he said in a tone of voice full of poison. “No! She gets to live, no point in letting the story of a lifetime go untold. Run off little one and tell all what you have witnessed here.”

After letting me live to escape, he let out a whistle and his men formed up and marched out of town. He followed behind them with strong strides and left the town in ruin. When they left I quickly dashed away.
I can speak no more of the horror I witnessed…

Rasmona Susmark
Roving Scribe

Magestry’s Best of Newgreen 125

Here are our picks for the April 10th-12th event:

Best PC Alex

Dogwood – very well done! Hope to see you back soon!

 

We had a blast with this month’s Best PC! Alex Fabian as Aspen Dogwood really brought a lot of much appreciated energy and enthusiasm to the event and made the game more fun for everyone who interacted with him. On top of that he was a big help after game during cleanup. We’re so glad to have him back, and apparently, so were you:

 

 

Dogwood was really enthusiastic and cheerful, his costume was great, in general he added a lot to the game.

Dogwood was fantastic, always energetic and in character.

My favorite PC this game has to be Dogwood of Dogwood, (The Thrice-Censured). His costume was great, and he roleplayed complete innocence exceedingly well. Many times I would look over and see him miraculously perched on top of some high object, watching everything with a naive intensity.

Matt Richard Best NPC

Matt. Richard. Was that guy EVER not out doing something?

 

When this month’s Best NPC comes to game, you best have… well… ALL your belts buckled tight! Matt Richard was truly outstanding this game from start to finish! He was always around when we needed something done and never hesitated to do anything we asked. He was cheerful and energetic and much needed behind the scenes! We were so happy to have him at game again and hope to see him again soon! Thanks so much, Matt!

From the Riverton Town Watch: Be Advised!

Excerpted from the Watch blotter of Riverton:

14 NEWGREEN – Sir Gareth van Doren is seeking the assistance of the populace in his pursuit of an escaped criminal.  He styles himself a Bandit King who has escaped from the van Doren dungeons, and was last seen fleeing north to the Fiddleheads. Sir Gareth would like the criminal to be captured alive, but will offer a lesser reward for his corpse and effects, should it come to blows.   Please offer any and all cooperation in the apprehension of this dangerous criminal.

22 NEWGREEN – Concori Magesti reports to the watch that they had their magical storehouses broken into by a gang of criminals led by a large, bespectacled wizard, considered by some in the order to be Silas Stonecipher, a member who has been wanted for questioning by Concori Magesti for some time.  They would not divulge what components were stolen, but will reward any information leading to the capture of the thief and his coterie.

Sacred Boneyard of Aegus the Emancipator

Boneyard of the EmancipatorHave you heard the good news? An ancient graveyard on the Northern shores of the Bay of Murmurs called the Sacred Boneyard of Aegus the Emancipator has been consecrated to the Gatekeeper and dedicated to the sanctity and purity of Death. It is a graveyard watched over by powerful spiritual sentinels that insure that once a body is interred, it is able to remain in a state of uninterrupted rest. It is a powerful place unable to be desecrated, where no bodies can be raised and any Necromancers that dare to enter will be stripped of their powers or simply turned to ash. Additionally, it is a place where one can insure that his loved ones buried there will not return to the mortal realm, as Vorkarian will sometimes allow.

Tell me, isn’t it worth it to give your loved ones the solace of eternal and lasting peace?

This boon is granted to the kingdom of Irvanshire through the hard work and dedication of Morticent Romaya Hearkin- a loyal and dedicated servant of the rightful Warden of Death.