1. society
2. unrest and war

UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT
T H E A S H B U RY T I M E S
MONTH OF DRAGON 614
ICENIA
IN
TURMOIL
BY NYARIEN SILVERTREE
As early as the Month of
Turtle this year, reports
across the Royal Kingdom
have flooded in regarding
strange elemental phenomena.
farms going up in flames,
swaths of land have been
found “completely dead”
and in some places entire
graveyards have returned to
life.
From catastrophic lightning and ice storms to fireballs falling from the sky
and great spans of earth
caving in, thousands of Icenian citizens have been displaced over the course of
the winter months by dangerous elemental events.
Many of these reports have
given way to something of a
pattern over the map of
Ashbury: Ice in the Ash
Forest, Fire in Corrheim,
Lightning in Blythedale, and
Stone in Nordenn.
When reached for further
information, Paladin Beatrice Windham, the foremost Celestial scholar of the
Ordo Aurum in Cil Cilurion, admitted that these reports were coming from
“everywhere in the Kingdom,” and that they have no
concrete information on the
cause of these phenomena
outside of mere speculation.
Everywhere, occurrences
of Death and Chaos are notable; between forests and
Yet while Cil Cilurion’s
own canals overflow with
relentless rainstorms, Paladin Windham admitted that
she believes that Icenia is
“experiencing an elemental
incursion.” The weather-
W ORLD D IPLOMACY
Slated for the 26th of the
Month of Dragon, the Kingdom of Icenia has invited all
foreign emissaries of
Tar’Navaria to a diplomatic
summit in the famous adventuring town of Fairedale.
IN
F AIRDALE
well as emissaries of Home,
Dwarrenaggor, the Vacarran
Isles, and the Isles of Camulous.
Ambassadors within Cil
Cilurion report that invitations have also been extendNotable attendees include ed to the nations of Thessi,
the Prince of Imladar, High Tarzaterranzan, Saridbis, the
Lord Gilthalion Thantellin, as Gorban Kingdoms, and even
like events, she claims, will
likely only worsen over
time.
Paladin Windham would
not, however, comment on
the concurrent reports that
imply there are even some
citizens in the Kingdom
who are themselves experiencing similar elemental
changes; such people allegedly become conduits for a
particular element, an occurrence which has caused a
great deal of confusion and
fear among the small folk of
Ashbury.
While Cil Cilurion itself
has not proclaimed an official state of emergency, the
Ordo Aurum urges caution
across the Kingdom and to
reach out to any nearby
military outposts in case of
an emergency.
BY NYARIEN SILVERTREE
Galanthia, but have not received
responses.
Following recent altercations
between the Ordo Aurum and
Ashbury, many civilians are questioning what the true purpose of
this summit will be — and what
sort of outcome Duke Nevin
Kendrick could possibly hope for.
W ITHIN :

Ash Forest: Laws

Corrheim: Trolls

Nordenn: Reclaim

Assault on Ft Lochaber

Ashbury City Disappearances

Falkirk’s New Paladin

Vacarran Attacks

Imladar at War

Letter from the Editor
T HE A SHBURY T IMES
P AGE 2
N EW L AWS IN THE A SH F OREST
BY PROSERPINA GLAEDWINE
Ash Forest has seen its first
push for new legislation in
many years, courtesy of the
Amani Council. The Council
has moved to restrict access
to the Wold to only Amani
Elves.
seems without surprise.
There are few information
sources about the Wold available to the Times, however it
is known that the estate, located in the center of the Ash
Forest, is a place of great
magic and beings beyond
mortal understanding, if the
Adventurer’s Guide to Ashbury is accurate in its summation.
There has long been an unspoken taboo regarding nonAmani traveling into the
Wold, however the laws had
not reflected this prior to this
new motion.
“I’ve never been to the
Wold, and I always figured that
if I had, I’d have been turned
into a pincushion by the Rangers,” said a Kiergani elf who
elected to remain unnamed.
“Now they’re just making it
official, is all.”
There has been no official
statement from the Amani
Council regarding their reasoning behind the new policy,
but the reaction of the locals
It is not yet known when the
law will be put into motion,
however it is very likely that it
will be passed before the end
of the year.
T ROLLS T HREATEN C ORRHEIM
“C ITIZENS
ARE
URGED TO USE
EXTREME
CAUTION
WHEN
TRAVELING
THROUGH
C ORRHEIM …”
The number of troll attacks
in Corrheim has risen alarmingly since last autumn, when
troll forces antagonized the
town of Fairedale.
Since those attacks, scattered troll forces have spread
across a sizable portion of
Corrheim. The trolls have
been laying waste to a number of farms and murdering
unwitting travelers.
The trolls do not appear to
be moving with any organization or strategy, however
they appear to universally
have taken on strange mutations that make them simultaneously stronger and sturdier.
The estate, left largely empty and decimated after the
genocide that took place last
September, has seen a valiant
rebuilding effort from many
Citizens are urged to use
extreme caution when traveling through Corrheim, and
report any troll sightings to
the local military as soon as
possible.
It is important to note that
using fire continues to be an
effective method of harming
trolls, in spite of their various
other mutations.
V ANSIR R ECLAIM R ESTORED
The Vansir Reclaim has
seen a surge in construction
and rebuilding efforts, courtesy of a collection of refugees
from the fallen Duchy of Falkirk.
BY PROSERPINA GLAEDWINE
Falkirkers who were displaced from their own homes
after the Marwolaeth attacks
in the past year.
Efforts have been slow,
limited by the destructive
elemental storms that have
plagued most of Nordenn. In
spite of this, the Falkirkers
remain optimistic regarding
their new home, and building
BY PROSERPINA GLAEDWINE
has continued.
In addition to housing efforts, there have also been
many memorials erected
throughout the estate, honoring the Vansir whose lives
were lost at the claws of Arturos, the Dragon of Mountains, also known as the Arturan Bear.
M ONTH
OF
D RAGON 614
N EW H OPE FOR F ALKIRK
Falkirk has made news once
more, though this time on a
more positive note. Dame
Vacht Silverfang, First Knight
of the Barony of Stirling, was
named Paladin of Falkirk this
month by the Ordo Aurum in
Cil Cilurion.
This appointment follows
the alleged slaying of the traitor Gabriela Tolmie, former
Knight of Argyle, during a
battle outside of the endangered town of Kane.
Paladin Silverfang had little
to say after her ascension,
however, and would not comment on the matter of her
former mentor Dame Keegan
McCafferty being deemed a
traitor to the crown as well.
However, before her departure she delivered an ominous
warning to all travelers in or
around Falkirk: “Keep to the
main roads and do not travel
beyond Stirling Keep.”
A SSAULT ON F ORT L OCHABER
In an effort to undermine
North Galanthian military
operations, a joint force of
battalions under the command of Corrheim Lords
Captain Flint Boulderback
and Kor Takara led a siege
against the undead lynchpin
Fort Lochaber earlier this
month.
While Kor’Rin riders
flanked enemy forces and
protected the ranks, hundreds of Ashban footmen,
lead by Lord Squire Grim
Anvilstrike and the Vanguard irregulars unit, directly engaged the innumerable undead forces of
Galanthia on foot.
seemed certain until the
Galanthians introduced an
unexpected contingent on
the field: a squad of approximately seven extremely
powerful undead described
as ancient Dwarves with
long white beards.
With these abominations
wading effortlessly through
footsoldiers on the fields,
Galanthia successfully routed the Ashbans’ assault and
forced the legions of Corrheim to break formation
and sound the retreat.
In the midst of the rampant chaos of battle, members of the Vanguard remained behind to ensure
With the combined
their troops’ safe escape
strength of the Corrheim
while cutting down as many
military and the Vanguard enemies as could be manat the helm, Ashban victory aged.
P AGE 3
BY NYARIEN SILVERTREE
While the clans continue to war
with one another, sightings of
the Marwolaeth, or “death
ogres,” have become few and far
between, suggesting a possible
retreat after the destruction of
their leader, the Elemental Overlord known as Tranquis. However, some clansmen seem to believe the Marwolaeth haven’t left
at all but are instead waiting for
an opportunity to strike again.
BY SEYMOUR BLUEBERRY
However, sources say that
the unit remained behind enemy lines for too long and were
soon overwhelmed by the undead and their vampire commanders. There have been no
confirmed sightings of them
since and they continue to be
considered missing in action.
Though some squads of
Kor’Rin and Corrheim soldiers were able to successfully
retreat from the failed assault
and return home, their reports
suggest countless more Ashban
troops remain unaccounted for
or confirmed dead. Hundreds
of soldiers are expected to
resurrect within Corrheim
over the course of the coming
weeks.
“ H UNDREDS OF
SOLDIERS ARE
EXPECTED TO
RESURRECT
WITHIN
C ORRHEIM …”
T HE A SHBURY T IMES
P AGE 4
C ORSAIRS R ETURN
TO THE
Trouble has returned to the
open seas near Icenia’s coast
as the Vakkar appear to be
embroiled in a new conflict
with the Children of Camulous.
as impossible, for their accounting of the Vakkar fleet
places them close to home.
While the members of the
Shark Tribe of Camulous allege that they have seen none
other than the trademark sails
of Vakkar on the ships that
have been violently raiding
and slaughtering villages on
their western islands, Vakkar
elders proclaim such a thing
H IGH S EAS
On the other hand, the
Vakkar elders cannot account
for the infamous Corsairs,
who up until recently were
known as the undead scourge
of the seas. Now, released
from their curse by Vacarra,
the Dragon of Seas, it appears
they have found new cause to
assault the shores of Camulous.
I MLADAR R EADIES FOR W AR
“E VORRAN
DOCK MASTERS
AND THE
O RDO A URUM
ARE ACTIVELY
DISCOURAGING
TRAVELING BY
OPEN SEA …”
Sources claim that the Elven
nation of Imladar has been
rapidly militarizing in response to potential threats
from the Biata nation of Thessi.
The Daralassia, under the
command of High Lord Valdorian Thantellin, did not
return fire, electing to flee
rather than endanger the civilian ships that surrounded her.
These claims appear to have
been confirmed by a recent
skirmish in the Bay of Vacarra
in which the Imladari flagship,
Daralassia, was fired on by
Thessi ships.
Neither Imladar nor Thessi
have yet issued a formal declaration of war, but tensions
between the two world powers are clearly on the rise.
D ISAPPEARANCES
Citizens of Ashbury City
have been vanishing in alarming numbers. Attempts to
uncover the source of the
disappearances have been
unsuccessful, but rumors have
been flying like arrows. Some
claim that the extreme weather is to blame, while others
suggest it may simply be due
to the rising crime rates
around the city. Still others
BY NYARIEN SILVERTREE
Despite the declaration of the
Vakkar, Camulan ambassadors
continue to demand action
against the systematic slaughter
of their people, as it appears
these constant attacks are far
from an end.
BY PROSERPINA GLAEDWINE
the Ordo Aurum are actively
discouraging traveling by
open sea and for merchant
ships to invest in greater protection, lest they risk the loss
of their merchandise due to
the rise of conflicts on the
open seas.
Evorran dock masters and
IN
A SHBURY C ITY
believe that slavers are at fault.
Whatever the case may be,
there is an abundance of fear
among the common folk.
“Me sister went missing last
week, and they can’t even tell
me what happened, forget
where she is.” said local cobbler
Anton Frast in his rural dialect.
“How are we supposed to feel
safe when nobody’s got the
BY PROSERPINA GLAEDWINE
faintest notion of what’s going on?”
His Grace, Sir Nevin
Kendrick, Duke of Ashbury
has been unavailable for comment, but the local guards
have assured the Times that
they are putting every effort
into locating the missing citizens.
M ONTH
OF
D RAGON 614
P AGE 5
J OIN THE A SHBURY M ILITARY T ODAY !
Good Citizens of Ashbury, tary who have already been
serving before the distribuI am writing to inform you tion of this handbook will be
of some exciting changes
expected to review its conand opportunities coming to tents with their commanding
the enlisted soldiers of the officer to verify their skills
Duchy of Ashbury! With the and learn of any new responapproval of Lord General
sibilities according to their
Gondric Windwalker and
rank. Through promotion,
His Grace, Duke Nevin
soldiers will now have the
Kendrick, I have taken it
opportunity to cross-train
upon myself to further en- under commanding officers
hance the restructuring of
from other Baronies, learn
our noble military order.
advanced combat styles, lead
My hope is that this will
their own squadrons of solignite your interest to join diers, and have their individus in honorable service!
ual skills of battle incorporated into their training regiBeginning this year, each ment to shape them into
member of the Ashbury
unique, disciplined warriors!
Military will be given an
official handbook with
I am also proud to anwhich to track their own
nounce that I am currently
progression of rank, further taking new initiates into the
standardizing the requireranks of my own elite unit of
ments of each individual
rangers, the Marksmen. Solsoldier as they train their
diers of all Baronies who
skills of battle together.
train hard and demonstrate
Those members of the mili- the necessary dedication to
L ET TER
FROM THE
Hello, people of Ashbury!
the service will have the
chance to become one of the
chosen few to handle the
most dangerous missions a
highly versatile warrior can
undertake for the good of the
realm and its people. But if
becoming a ranger is not of
interest to you, other Lords
Captain will soon be offering
the opportunity to earn specialized ranks under their
command as well!
Now is the time, my fellow Ashbans! Pick up your
steel or spell book, and consider becoming one of the
esteemed members of the
Ashbury Military. Come and
join us in arms, in brotherhood, and in noble service!
“N OW IS
Honor & Bravery,
Lord Captain Khorwyn Brey
THE TIME ,
MY FELLOW
A SHBANS !”
E DITOR
realized that it was my time to
step up and offer my services
Many of you may have noto the Duchy and indeed to
ticed that the Times has made
the Kingdom as a whole.
some rather drastic changes
since you’ve seen it last.
This paper can be a phenomenal tool for good, and I
I’ve been a reader of the
invite all who read it to join
paper for quite a while now,
me in attempting to revitalize
and when the opportunity
and fully utilize this resource
came to purchase this fine
to connect the people of Ashestablishment from the rebury.
cently-retired Eric Wolcott, I
I invite any who have a story to
tell to send it in to the Ashbury
Times. We will compensate any
who send in information or articles that we may run in future
editions of the Times.
I look forward to hearing from
the people of Ashbury. There are
many tales to tell in this world.
Let us tell yours!
Proserpina Glaedwine
A DVERTISEMENTS
If you’re well-spoken and seeking extra coin, the
Ashbury Times has an opportunity for you! We’re
actively seeking contributors of news articles in
exchange for good silver. For further information,
speak with a local Times representative or send a
missive to our headquarters in Ashbury City!
P ERSONALS
The Court of Corrheim and the Vanguard are seeking to
buy a large amount of Cariosis, Penna, and Nightshade.
Please seek out Lord Squire Grim with offers before the
first gather to make arrangements.
The Gilded Claw will be casting Celestial Rituals
at the upcoming gather for a small payment of two
reagents per ritual cast. Contact Raven or Lady
Darksun for further details.
Greetings, everyone. I am here to offer any and all
alchemical solutions you might be requiring for
the upcoming gather. Please contact me in person
or in private dreams to discuss what I can do for
you. My prices are fair and bulk purchases with
grant you a discount. -Vox
Interested in advertising or posting a personal? Seek out your
local Times representative or send a missive to our headquarters
in Ashbury City!
T ALK OF THE T AVERN
We at the Ashbury Times
aren’t always hard at work
collecting important news
from around the Duchy. We,
too, like to grab a pint at
places like the Black Stag,
and sometimes we can’t help
but overhear some of the
wild stories shared between
folks and adventurers alike.
In our monthly installment
of “Talk of the Tavern,” we’ll
be sharing some of the most
notable rumors and stories
going around Ashbury’s local
taverns — to keep you, our
readers, apprised of what the
common folk are saying.
Recent events in Icenia
have brought a slew of bizarre new stories to the bar
counters. Amidst all the goings-on, some Ashbans are
suggesting that the elemental
havoc isn’t a coincidence but
the preamble to an all
-out invasion intending to take
over the
entire
Kingdom.
Elsewhere,
folks are
questioning the recent commotions in Corrheim, wondering if it’s possible that the
resurgence of trolls has
something to do with the
settling of the Kor’Rin.
Some folks are questioning
whether the Kor’Rin are
here to stay, or if they want
to usurp the Barony entirely.
As for Blythedale, some
refugees and soldiers are
saying they’ve been raising
their ranks and bolstering
their borders. A
few are wondering if it may not
have anything to
do with the
death ogres in
the north —
rumors circulating suggest the
Barony could be
raising their
arms to part
ways with Ashbury itself.
One particularly intoxicated
patron even claimed the High
Guard could be an Imladari
spy.
pointed out that a number of
court members are famous for
having courted death so many
times already — perhaps
they’ve paid for their lives with
others’.
Now more than ever, Ashbans are questioning Duke
Nevin Kendrick’s choice to
imprison the infamous Jade
Skeleton rather than execute
him — many are convinced it’s
precisely what the Jade Skeleton wants, and that he no
doubt intends to hoodwink
Icenian nobility once more. As
one local inquired, “How many
With the rebuilding of the spies does he already have
Vansir Reclaim, rumors sug- waiting to spring him?”
gest the Court of Nordenn is That’s all for this month’s
taking up the displaced Fal- Talk of the Tavern! If you have
kirkers with a more insidious a story or rumor you’d like to
intent: for placating the
share with us, send your misdeath ogres and elementals. sive to our headquarters in
A patron of the Black Stag
Ashbury City.