The Falkvard Herald

Issue 7th of Narie, Year 118

Court Report

Happy summer! We hope that you stayed dry this spring and started the year off on the right foot! Scribe Scias Chilikov ran today’s court, with the courtroom’s shade a pleasant change from the warmth outside. As we were leaving rain picked up, explaining the cloying humidity in the air.Last week, a group of mercenaries got themselves lost in a new location, an island of massive plains that were originally reported narrowly missing Crowsport before colliding with the southern shore of Saphriel, near the Baylee area with enough force to reshape the land, albeit with less force than would be anticipated from such a large shift. Fort Evergreen was able to observe the location, and private mercenaries were sent to investigate. Both found strange that creatures that were caught up from the sea transformed to adapt themselves to a land environment, often with plantmatter covering them to aid in this in a similar way to Manadh Calad or some of the processes observed in Acaedia. The land has merged with the Kingdom’s and appears to have settled now, appearing to be normal plains, though the Kingdom advises caution when moving through the space still.

Volunteers were sent out to rescue the mercenaries mentioned above, and thankfully all of them have survived, though some have returned wounded and are currently undergoing treatment.

An individual was found at an altar near Pine Valley having turned undead. They have been buried, but the Kingdom advises caution when venturing into those spaces.

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Riddle of the Week

The answer to last week’s riddle was Armour, and it was answered correctly by Ishya Al-Hayat! This week’s riddle is:

Find me through creases in our soil, Gain me through battle, through sinful toil. Touched by me your heart will swell, with Behmos’s deeds and thoughts of hell. What am I?

Issue 7th of Cermie, Year 118

Court Report

Welcome back to Court! This month, it’s held at the Barkamsted City Hall by none other than Lord Varik Eries himself. The large, brick building holds less of the opulence that the royal courtroom in Falkvard does, with a stronger focus on representing the city of Barkamsted and its storied past, and was very well-attended this week!

The Kingdom reports that large numbers of animals have been spotted migrating over to the plains that recently crashed south of Fort Baylee, among them horses and ixalions.

The Kingdom has also announced that there is an excavation at Wilusa, a city that was destroyed before the war. We have prepared a full article on the subject below, but the Kingdom advises not to visit the area unless you’re a part of the dig.

There is an outbreak of an unknown illness in the Avalti villages of Acaedia. The Maskbearer has reached out to request aid, especially from those who are immune to sickness. The Nest is currently under quarantine and they expect to be able to safely accept visitors at the end of the month, so the Kingdom suggests awaiting further information until then. The sickness was described by an Avalti present as feeling like a tingle, a tightness of chest and a fatigue. According to them even the Librarian pulls people away from certain spots. 

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The Ruins of Wilusa

I met Nathan outside of Thornhold. He’s a broad man, with a quiet demeanour that hides a deep passion for the hunt and for Wilusa. He was going to be my guide to the site. We exchanged pleasantries and spoke in brief about the expectations of the dig, and once we were ready we set off north, down the road.

“It is believed that the original members of the Cult as we see today have their roots from Wilusa itself,” Nathan explained as we made our march, passing soldier patrols who gave us friendly waves and salutes. They could be heard before they could be seen, their armour clattering along to the drumming of dozens of footsteps striking against the hardened summer soil. “It was a place where they accepted many differences between people. High Elves, Humans, Orcs, even Half-Races living together and being a part of the ruling government.”

Though the mountain was soon left behind, our trek towards the site wouldn’t be fully sunlit. We were greeted by the outskirts of Manadh Calad. Ancient oaks stood watch over to our left, and to our right the first of the legendary Sentinel Trees of the Elvish forest greeted us, their own shade cast over us like claws, beckoning us further into the portal of their canopies and whatever may lay beyond.

Wilusa’s destruction came to a head by the hands of many city-states, spearheaded chiefly by Itiris. “The Sworn,” Nathan explained “were dark mages sworn to give aid to others. An effort to show that Dark Magic wasn’t a pure evil.” The Sworn, as it turned out, became known as the Cult after this tragedy, and the survivors of this destruction went on to set in motion the events that led to the Pact War, the Demon War, and what lay beyond into today.

He mentioned Dame Angharad, an ancient ghost who resides within the withered plains that were once the site of a great city now dead. She told him that the ancient rulers of Itiris were corrupt, and their effort was led under false pretences.

“What happened here at Wilusa is nothing short of a tragedy, born from the lies of people trying to seize power,” Ko’Maroo Mad-Kin would later tell me, as we watched over the pit and the neat rectangles and circles of foundations that indicated the outline of Wilusa’s walls.

Once more we exited the shade of the trees, and we emerged into a massive clearing. The campsite here was less grandiose than the one we left behind outside of Thornhold, only a few scarce tents greeting us, but it was teaming with life of soldiers from the Knight Order, Falkvard, and Barkamsted as they all went about their business. The standards of each flew over the site, their officers busying themselves with making plans and chatter. Nathan requested that I make sure not to disturb the site, and after a brief discussion left me to my own devices.

Now I could see it whole. A large pit, several hundred metres long and about half as wide. Men worked around the clock through the space, continuing to dig out the last of the foundations whom earth stole air from many centuries prior. Sir Gaatha pointed out the thicker foundations, how they likely outlined the city walls, and showed where the gatehouse once clearly stood. From there it all started to fall into pieces.

This was once a thriving city. One could imagine where market stalls hugging against the sacred tree, now a decaying husk with none of its past splendour, stood. Smells of spices and shouts of great deals being made or haggled. Elves and Dwarves intermingling with Humans, much like we’ve come to expect from our Kingdom today. Mosaics poked through in places, glazed and laid masterfully, now partially obscured or destroyed by the soot-stained soil.

Here may have been a temple or a palace, its walls pressed against the docks and only a pair of columns standing proud against the rape the city fell to. There a tavern, or an arena. Mudbrick squares showed where the poorer lived in small, stout hovels. Large city towers must have been a sight in their own right when once travellers made their visits, beckoning people from across the world to enter the now-ruined city.

Wilusa was a hub. In size about the same as Old Falkvard, it likely housed thousands of souls who lived, loved, and died there. Thousands of people who had hopes and ambitions. And ultimately, thousands of souls that were extinguished over the course of a terrible siege and subsequent destruction.

There was an air of silence about this space. A cold, furious silence of a place whose life was ripped away from it at its height. The docks that would have welcomed ships from across the continent were now nothing but charred soil. A ball of black bricks indicated where the breach in the wall may have taken place, the first stab into the heart of a city. Dozens of caskets, each filled with dozens of skeletons, were set out in rows, sifted and catalogued slowly and carefully by excavators. You could hear the strain of rope as cranes were operated, or when not in use as their baskets swayed in the wind.

It’s difficult to describe, and more difficult still to understand, how something like this happened. Those denizens who survived the initial assault and burning were executed – at least according to Voyemir Radisin, if they weren’t enslaved instead – then dumped into an open pit. The city lay under a layer of hard stone, perhaps buried on purpose? The excavations are ongoing, the work continues in respectful silence under the watchful gaze of a thousand souls whose questions we hope to answer in time. The Cult – or the Sworn – are also there, watching us from the forest line, listening to us. A strange and uneasy peace as the volunteers are digging through the remains of war.

As we learn more we will return to this subject. Perhaps we’ll be able to provide a more concrete answer for something so seemingly unexplainable. Already the first artifacts are being collected by the excavators. A stone statuette of a bear, the holy symbol of Uldir, a child’s toy shield, and many more. They will be carefully catalogued and described before their ultimate fate is decided.

We will cap off this article with a quote from Ko’Maroo. Asked why she was there, she answered: “Maybe we’re all collectively looking for answers. Maybe some secret truth that will help us defend against the Cult. Some of us I know are here because this tragedy create ghosts of good men and women who don’t deserve to stay buried like this. The victims of this massacre deserve nothing less than to have the truth of it known.”

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Call to action:

If you have anything interesting to write, please do so! We will happily accept life stories, recipes, anecdotes, advertisements, and anything else that you think may be interesting to see in the Herald. We reserve the right to not publish anything and will report illegal activities to the guard, but having an article written is free and will be credited to you!

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Riddle of the Month

Last month’s riddle was a tough one, and unfortunately no one got the answer, which was a Lodestone! This week’s riddle will hopefully be a little simpler, as it’s quite topical:

Where seas just parted and fish escaped, I now fill up the empty space. In any soil I’ll dig my roots, and like in waves I’ll sway my chutes. I’m food for many, but not for you; And I’m best known for my green hue. What am I?

Issue 7th of Urime, Year 118

Court Report

This month’s court takes place back in Falkvard, and was led by Scribe Scias Chilikov!

As expected from previous Court, last week the Acaedian nests of Avalti requested assistance. The Avalti give thanks to those who helped with the effort, in which they dealt with The Warp; areas deeply impacted by heavy lodestone activities alongside some other factors not disclosed which leave behind a residue of potential and raw energy, influencing those inside of them into change. It appears to be similar in nature to what was observed in the plains south of Baylee, where people could be influenced by “natures outside of their own.”

With the assistance provided, the Avalti continued progress into the tunnels and opened up a garden space. The garden had been impacted by the Warp to unnaturally influence the plants within it, making them spread more aggressively. Volunteers moved in to help against the growth and to reach the source, encountering strange birds that mimicked people’s voices and faces; talking mushrooms that repeated what was said around them, and much more. The threats were cleared and the library is now in a much better order. It’s expected that more aid will be requested by our Avalti friends in the future.

An explosion rattled the farms to the east of Falkvard a few weeks ago, burning down much of the vineyard. The investigation is ongoing but Cult activity currently isn’t suspected.

More minotaur sightings have been seen near the Pine Valley, alongside a bird with unusual plumage which carried rains with it, seen flying in the direction of the Mesa soon after.

Other than that, the summer has been pleasant and free of unusual weather events, but there are other things under investigation. The Kingdom requests information about victims lost to sea. It’s important that this is sent to Scribe Scias Chilikov to aid in an ongoing investigation, especially in relation to any missing High-Elven women to hopefully trace back the victim.

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Riddle of the Month

The answer to last month’s riddle was Grass, first answered correctly by Ishya! This month’s riddle is:

Find me in village, town and city; by cobbled streets and gravel gritty. Spend night with me, rest well your head; keep going tomorrow, quenched and fed. What am I?

Issue 7th of Narquelie, Year 118

Court Report

This week’s court was held by Scribe Scias Chilikov, though it was a quiet one as few people attended!

Last week, one of the largest Cult attacks in recent times has been experienced by the Kingdom across the north and the Bleaklands, striking several locations at once. Several Cultist parties managed to break through the lines and entered the Kingdom lands. Though the Kingdom managed to account for most of them, there were individuals who appeared to take advantage of the situation. The Kingdom is currently unable to say what the relationship between those attacks was, though the Cult did not seem to be responding directly to Kingdom activity. We are currently uncertain why they became active; there were many instances of bandits overlapping with Cult and sometimes the two groups operating separately.

Notably some of the bandits invoked older names of the Gods. One of the locations was at a set of ruins known to be Cultist hotspot, though the unknown group found there appeared to be conducting a lodestone trial. Another was a party of mercenaries close to Falkvard, while the last were bandits in the Mesa that preyed upon a carts and transit routes. Where the bandits and the Cult were met together, volunteers mostly opted to face our traditional enemy together.

The Kingdom continues to investigate the situation and is mindful of Cult movements across the lands. They have notably continued to keep away from the dig site for now. Though most of the Cult forces that entered the Kingdom have mostly been dispatched or returned, we still urge caution on the roads.

Autumn has seen some milder mud slides in areas and repairs are underway in affected places.

A group of Minotaurs has also engaged the Cult as well as Kingdom forces, attacking both before running away. The frequency of Minotaur sightings has been unusual and is also being investigated by the Kingdom.

The new plains have been the site of occasional, spontaneous fires. It’s possible that dangerous beasts related to the element have been moving into the area, but lightning storms have also been common due to Ixalions.

The Kingdom is letting its citizens know that there may be individuals dressed in unusual clothes walking around Falkvard, foreigners who are less familiar with the culture of Saphriel. If they seem odd, they are to be treated well and if you’re unsure of what to do when seeing figures in more sheer clothing who seem out of place please report them to the guard to handle.

During last week’s attack, Ko’Maroo was gravely injured. The Kingdom is happy to report that she has survived and is recovering.

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Mossy Rose and Gilded Curio – An Interview

This month we are joined by Nix Ingret, the owner of the Mossy Rose and the Gilded Curio, to talk about his business, what they sell, what they buy, and as a general advertisement for both! Located in the heart of Falkvard, at the corner of Lotus Lane and Petunia Palace and just across the street from Chat Fonce, the pair of shops offer everything for everyone.

“The Mossy Rose is a hunt goods and equipment store that buys and sells parts and pieces from animals and beasts while selling the tools to make those hunts. We’re also there to help offer information to hunters new and old that come with questions, give advice and suggestions,” Nix explained. The shop acts as a great meeting point between hunters and those city dwellers who may need materials but aren’t sure who’s available to commission.

The Gilded Curio’s mission is very different, but no less important. “The Gilded Curio is an entertainment store, where we sell toys, games, little baubles and trinkets, as well as artworks like figurines, glassware and cards.” Nix’s proudest achievement there is Aethersnap, a card game that I had the pleasure of playing and enjoying recently, though regular cards and dice are also available.

Asked what inspired Nix to open up the stores, he explained that the Mossy Rose goes back a while, originally starting as a general store but recently being reimagined as focused on hunting goods and equipment, especially as Nix himself is a seasoned hunter with many years of experience. The history of the Gilded Curio is a bit more complex; it started off as something else, but with the late Sir Sydian’s own interest in making a games store the two ended up creating it to have a space where people can congregate to play games and chat.

We’re excited to announce that in the near future the Mossy Rose will begin providing pamphlets for hunting animals, and even potentially some bigger, more monstrous game! Nix has also announced that both of the stores are seeking employees, so if you’re looking for work please inquire!

If you’re interested in advertising your business please contact Avyanna Turner to discuss the details!

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Seeking Information on a Curiosity

I’m seeking the name of a curious metallic object. The chunk I have has geometric patterns, forming in rectangles that go up linearly to create a couple of pyramids that cross through each other. The metal has rainbow hues, with a deep teal and green colour expanding out into violets and pinks and then ending in yellows, golds and reds. It’s very striking and unusual. If you know the name of the metal please let me, Avyanna Turner, know!

Also if you have any queries or posts like the above, feel free to write to me too to include them in the Herald!

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Riddle of the Month

The answer to last issue’s riddle was an Inn (Tavern would have also been acceptable!) and was first answered correctly by Hastiin. This month’s riddle is:

I’m a room with no entrance and a man of great laughter. In forests and fields is where me you’ll go after. What am I?

Issue 7th of Ringare, Year 118

Court Report

Welcome back as winter welcomes us with its tendrils as we near the end of the year! Ice begins to encrust the waters and the first snows fall, indicating that this year will be a cold one. Scribe Scias Chilikov led today’s court.

The Kingdom warns that this winter will likely be an especially cold one, recommending that citizens stock enough fuel for their fires.

An old fort south of Spire’s Cross was cleared of Dire Spider presence. Though the creatures have been cleared out, the Kingdom repeats its usual warnings of avoiding dangerous locations.

Kurol have been seen more frequently around shores as the winters cool the seas down too, approaching travelers. Be mindful of this before you try to attack thinking it’s some Naga, the Kurol are often friendly and curious people who enjoy learning about our customs.

A merchant is expected to arrive at some point this month, selling plants and various items themed around winter.

The Kingdom requests that you don’t camp outside of the Riese Repository. It will open when it opens. The Repository stands on an important road to the Lords’ Hall of Barkamsted. Rubbish should also not be thrown into wells and you may be fined if something found in a well is traced back to you.

Finally, there have been sporadic disappearances on the road between Manadh Calad and Angel Creek. Some of those disappearing have since returned, unaware of their initial disappearance. That road may be unsafe in general, so keep that in mind should you find yourself needing to travel through there.

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Riddle of the Month

The answer to last issue’s riddle was a mushroom! No one got the answer right. This month’s riddle is:

Fill my coffin and close its lid, With meats so fresh and juices thick, In flames you place me and watch me bake, a tasty morsel I shall make. What am I?