Gameworld News

December 31, 1007:

Gravenia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   On September 27, the Steinland rebels made an assault into the Imperial-held 
rebel duchy of Gravenia, hoping to oust the Czarina's army.  The Steinlanders 
and their mercenaries assailed the fortifications the Czarina's forces had 
erected in Gravenia using lumber they brought in from Virsk.
   After several days' fighting, the Imperial army held fast.  The Steinlanders 
tried to rally their troops for a full-on charge, but their mercenaries 
(fighting for money and not national spirit) balked at such a risky and likely 
blood-filled maneuver, and the charge was never made.
   With so many Imperial troops still at large the Steinlanders concluded they 
could not reliably place a siege, and with spirits low, slunk back to Elsitz.

Gravenia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   As October chills set in, with their forces facing yet another autumn 
away from the harvest, the Imperial army saw increased desertions.  Attrition 
has been especially bad for the most veteran companies, who first fought in 
Bilgosh nearly five years ago and who were shifted northward to the Steinlands 
two years back.

Silbermark, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   After their failed charge to expel the Czarina's army from the rebel 
duchy of Gravenia, the Steinlander dukes and duchesses gathered in 
Silbermark to confer.  Discussion was apparently heated, with some of the group 
determined to "rescue Gravenia from [the Czarina's] clutches" (a plan dismissed 
by their opponents as idealistic) and others maintaining that to do so would 
risk the gains the Steinlander rebels have made over the last few years (a plan 
dismissed by the first group as selling out Gravenia for their own gain).

Desdovo, Bilgosh:
   The elderly Grand Duke Milos II of Bilgosh retired from his seat at court on 
November 17 complaining of shallow breaths and fatigue.  He did not emerge 
thereafter, with the royal alchemists and physickers summoned to his side.

Gravenia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   Snows came unseasonably early to the Steinlands this year, with the fields and 
roads feeling their first freeze in late November.  With the season for war now 
passed, the Imperial troops and Steinlander rebels dug in for the cold months 
ahead.

Desdovo, Bilgosh:
   On December 5, the duke's chamberlain emerged from the ducal chambers and 
announced the passing of Grand Duke Milos II.  Milos is remembered as an 
even-tempered ruler, but his legacy was stained by the loss of territory to 
the Zdunarovans in the war of 1003-1006.
   His eldest daughter Gordana was proclaimed Grand Duchess by the court and 
began plans for her coronation

Bilgosh:
   Lady Svetlana of Tragania, cousin to Gordana, declared on December 17 that 
Gordana was "unfit for the throne" and that the house of Milos "had led the 
country to ruin".  Reiterating her own royal blood, she said that the tattered 
land needed a strong leader who could rebuild it and could "properly defend it 
against its foes both external and internal."
   Meanwhile, Lord Denislav of Buska proclaimed that he would not swear fealty 
to Gordana if she were crowned as Grand Duchess.  His vassals are uncertain 
whether he would declare allegiance to Svetlana or whether he would declare his 
lands independent of Bilgosh.

Bilgosh:
   Gordana and Svetlana both called their vassals to arms and sent out numerous 
emissaries to the other nobles within Bilgosh.  With winter in full force, most 
of the knights and soldiers are not expected to arm until the spring thaw.
   Denislav of Buska has also told his knights and vassals to raise arms for 
the months ahead.

September 26, 1007:

Isleif, Kalv, Kislevia:
   Jarl Geirmund Sigordson of Kalv declared on April 15 that the scholar Francis 
Layton was pardoned for his crimes against the Lady Astrid del Fuego of the 
Majeniran Order of St. Catalina the Great. While the rationale for the pardon
has not circulated widely, it is believed to reflect the Jarl's gratitude for 
Layton's scholarly assistance with the weystone poisoning in Isleif.
   The Catalinans lodged a formal protest with King Gustaf in Skørsund, but his 
Majesty was not expect to take further action.


Aarfleem, Kjolnir:
   In what would be one of the final raids of the ratman invasion of 1007, a 
small party of well-disguised ratmen succeeded in capturing Jarl Scudvarr 
Bearhelm and members of his household on April 27.  The captives were 
unexpectedly rescued by a party of warriors led by Rikke "Stormfist" of 
Sørenheim, who had recently arrived from Kalv and recognized the ratmen's 
tactics.  At the conclusion of hostilities, Jarl Scudvarr accepted Rikke 
into his service as the head of his newly-reconstituted personal guard.


Skørsund, Kjolnir:
   On May 14, King Gustaf II triumphantly announced the repulsion of the ratman 
army in Aarfleem, and bestowed the Order of the Silver Ring upon war leaders 
Dame Thorborga of Aalu and Jarl Scudvarr Bearhelm of Aarfleem.  Jarl Geirmund 
Sigordson of Kalv was also personally honored by the king for effectively 
recruiting military assistance from among his people when his lands and mead 
hall were besieged.


Kalv, Kjolnir:
   Travelers reported a noticeable lessening in the severity of the so-called 
"soul sickness" in northern Kjolnir throughout the late spring.  Jarl Geirmund 
of Kalv claimed that vassals under his charge had located the source of the 
poisonous weystone "under a mountain" and had destroyed it en masse, although 
his neighbors suspect that the weystone simply ran out on its own and that 
Lord Geirmund is attempting to take credit for the occurrence.  The origin of 
the weystone is not widely understood, but it is rumored that a necromantic 
Kahla-Ranite cult deliberately created it to affect a mass sacrifice of 
innocent Kjolns.


Skørsund, Kjolnir:
   On May 3, King Gustav of Kjolnir issued a royal decree, commanding the people 
of the jarldoms of Skørsund and Sørenheim to restrict themselves to well water 
until midsummer, as the spring runoff from the north may be poisonous.  
Fishermen along the central coast were similarly forbidden from lowering their 
nets within sight of shore, and any catch including more than five dead fish 
had to be returned to the water.


Odarr, Cadfaigh:
    When word arrived from Skørsund to this border town that the dangers of the 
weystone plague were expected to pass with the coming of Kjolnir's rainy season, 
a general feeling of celebration overtook the town.  However, some of the Kjoln 
expatriots who integrated themselves into the local towns declared their 
intention to remain in the various places where they had made their new lives.  
Between the large number who perished from the plague and the accompanying 
hardships, and the smaller group that will not return home, many central Kjoln 
lands are not expected to be restored to their previous numbers.


Felsendorf, Brettfeld, Kislevia:
   In the third week of May, the county of Brettfeld celebrated the official 
assumption of the county by Wilhelm von Renzig, ending a succession crisis that 
had implications throughout Kislevia.
   The previous countess of Brettfield, Countess Klara, had named her confidant 
Ubriallan Bishop Ulrich von Kleiss as her heir.  Many viewed the passing of a 
lay title to a church official as contrary to the prevailing law of land, so 
the Mayor of Felsendorf, Erich der Weise, called a summit of important regional 
figures before deciding to invest Wilhelm with the county title instead.
   Many rumors emerged from the Mayor's conference: that the Mayor sought to
resurrect a form of the Sturian Senate; that Wilhelm von Renzig was complicit 
in this and was awarded the county in return; that his representative nearly 
bankrupted him with feudal promises that he cannot keep; and that a royal spy 
cast the deciding vote.
   None of these rumors is considered to have much authority, but what is widely
known is that the Mayor of Felsendorf sought the counsel of all available 
notables to determine who would have the support necessary to rule the county.  
Given the implication that he would lack the support to challenge Wilhelm von 
Renzig, the Ubriallan Bishop Ulrich von Kleiss is assumed not to intend to 
dispute the heirship further, though it is said that the matter does not sit 
well in Kleiss.
   In addition, two other notables ascended to positions of prominence after 
the Felsendorf summit: Franz von Löwenroth became official emissary of 
Felsendorf to the Kislevian court, and Otto von Rilke was granted a 
chancellorship in the city of Felsendorf itself.


Hernohn, Kislevia:
   Lady Wilhelmina von Derschim, Countess of Eckleberg, decried as slander the 
widespread rumor that her missing son Heinrich was a participant in a 
Kahla-Ranite cult.  Though a messenger from the court of King Gustaf of Kjolnir 
publicly informed King Gregor of Kislevia that one Lord Heinrich von Derschim 
had publicly associated himself with such a group in the town of Isleif, Lady 
Wilhelmina's protests have served only to cool relations between the two 
countries.


Toldavia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   After nearly two months of siege, the Steinlander rebels rushed the 
fortifications at Toldavia Castle on June 2 and defeated the Imperial army, in 
a victory that left Zdunarova stunned.
   Baroness Daria of Morovsk, the commander of the Imperial forces, had pulled 
back to Toldavia in April after abandoning their assault on the rebel duchy of 
Alsoria.  Though the Czarina's army had been in control of Toldavia for over a 
year, they failed to account for the dedication of the people of that region, 
incorrectly believing that only Toldavia's duke, Duke Mikhail of Toldavia, 
truly sought to be free of Zdunarosk's rule.  The Imperial army found it 
difficult to raise food and firewood from the countryside, and attempts to 
extract the supplies by force further drained the locals' support.
   When the rebel army advanced to the castle and lay siege in April, Duchess 
Wilhelmina of Silbermark and her allies found many hands willing to dig a 
tunnel beneath the castle's walls.  The Imperial army was not prepared for the 
tunnel to advance so fast, and were thus caught off-guard when the southern 
wall collapsed on June 2 and the rebels (and their mercenaries) advanced 
through the breach, leading to a quick surrender by the Imperial soldiers.
   In a major triumph for the rebels, Baroness Daria herself was taken captive, 
and is being held for ransom under the code of chivalry.  The remaining Imperial 
forces outside the castle regrouped in Elsitz and Gravenia, the two rebel 
duchies still under the Czarina's control.


Camdenshire, Allondell:
   Her Excellence Alian Bishop Smyth, Grand Councilor of the Order of the 
Blossom, announced to the Collegium on June 26 that the late Angelica Rose, 
former Mother Superior of her Blossomites, appeared in the order's Camdenshire 
abbey in late April and healed all of the sisters suffering from the Kjoln 
plague.  Her presence was witnessed not only by many Blossomites, but also by 
a group of Elunian clergy (including a coadjutor bishop) who were visiting the 
abbey.  The Allondine and Kjoln provinces of the Alian church are in the 
process of compiling information about the circumstances of Mother Angelica's 
life and death, after which the church is expected to recognize her as Saint 
Angelica Rose.


Toldavia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   On July 19, negotiations between the Steinlander rebels and the Czarina's 
representatives led to an exchange of captives.   The Steinlanders agreed to 
release Baroness Daria of Morovsk, former commander of the Czarina's forces in 
the Steinlands, in exchange for the rebel Duke Mikhail of Toldavia, captured 
by the Imperial army last May.


Delona:
   On July 24, exiled Napermians, veterans, and governments across Hesket 
marked the ten-year anniversary of the Yamamotoan invasion of Delona.
   In Veneza, which once led the charge against the invaders, crowds burned 
effigies of the Yamamotoan viceroy and "her Vallinan lapdog", with some of 
the effigies even depicting Doge Innocenti di Marra as a dog with a crowned 
human head.  Prince Alonzo, more diplomatic than his subjects, called the day 
"a sad reminder of the patriotic blood spilled" in trying to repel the invaders.
   From his exile in Bonalba, Duke Alberto of Napermo, dressed in the black of 
mourning, called the day "a tragedy for all who would respect the rule of law 
and of sovereignty."
   In Vallino, dissidents hijacked a Yamamotoan merchant ship and tossed its 
cargo – and crew -- into the sea.  A Vallinan vessel captured the merchant ship 
and was able to rescue most of the Yamamotoan sailors.  Lord Syrio Tiranello, 
Lord Admiral for Vallino, called the incident "regrettable," but did not 
announce the fate, or the identities, of the imprisoned hijackers.
   Dockside rumor in Porto Delvino, the Vallinan port open to Yamamotoan trade, 
also says that there were widespread revolts throughout Seiguntou on July 24 
that were rapidly and harshly suppressed.


Elsitz, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   On August 2, the Steinlander army advanced from Toldavia into the 
neighboring duchy of Elsitz.  While Duke Karl of Elsitz is one of the rebel 
dukes, his duchy had been under the control of the Czarina's army since the 
spring of 1006.  The newly-released Duke Mikhail of Toldavia led his knights 
across the border, challenging his vassals "not to stop until the last of the 
Czarina's soldiers turns tail."
   The ducal castle in Elsitz had not been fully repaired since the Czarina's 
forces besieged it last April, so the Imperial army chose to meet the 
Steinlanders and their mercenaries on the open field of battle.  However, since 
the rout at Toldavia, many of the Czarina's common soldiers had abandoned their 
posts, and many of the Imperial knights from Lutenia referred to the battle as 
"the Zdunarians' fight" (referring to the region around the Imperial capital).  
The ensuing battle was therefore short-lived, and the Imperial army quickly 
retreated westward toward Gravenia.  The Steinlanders placed their blue banner 
atop what remains of Elsitz castle the next day.


Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
   Noting the passing of the refugee crisis in Kjolnir, their Royal Majesties 
King Dmitri and Queen Marilyn ordered their borders with Kjolnir reopened on 
September 2, and extended their best wishes to the hardy people of Kjolnir.


Gravenia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   With Elsitz returned to rebel control, the Czarina moved more of her knights 
and soldiers into Gravenia from her territories recently conquered from Bilgosh.  
While the Imperial army is showing signs of strain and exhaustion, Gravenia is 
bounded by Imperial-controlled land on the north and the west, so the Imperial 
army expects to be able to provide adequate supplies.  In particular, travelers 
report large shipments of wood from neighboring Virsk, presumably for use in 
building fortifications. 

April 11, 1007:

Nauendorf, Kislevia:
   Several hundred adventurers answered the call put out by Cyrus of 
Ragnorack, the deposed son of Ragnorack's previous King, Hrothgar. Despite his 
father abdicating for him, Cyrus asserted a claim to Ragnorack's throne on 
January 5 and promised rewards to those who would stand by him as he retook 
the throne from Dmitri "the Usurper".
   Residents of Nauendorf described Cyrus' newfound followers as generally 
"disreputable", not taking well to the influx of mercenaries into the town. 
"No real job, just going where the money is," remarked a Nauendorfer merchant. 
"Anyone says 'Swordsmen needed to accomplish task, offering five marks,' and 
suddenly these shifty types just show up and make a mess of the place."
   Cyrus is reportedly disappointed with the small numbers, apparently 
expecting that Ragnorackans would flock to him in large numbers. Locals 
describe Cyrus as "deluded" in his belief that King Dmitri is unpopular, adding, 
"Folks aren't about to rise up just because some angry half-troll mercenary
marched into town."


Camdenshire, Allondell:
   Her Excellence Alian Bishop Smyth, Grand Councilor of the Order of the 
Blossom, announced on February 22 that Mother Superior Angelica Rose had 
resigned her office. The Council subsequently ordered the return of all 
Blossomites from Kjolnir, with the exception of Sor Rose. It is believed that 
they granted this exception to avoid extending Sor Rose's public scandal with 
formal disciplinary actions for insubordination and presumably expulsion from 
the Order.


Nauendorf, Kislevia:
   Concerned by Cyrus of Ragnorack's attempt to assemble a personal army 
within her domains (and within the boundaries of Kislevia), Countess Klara of 
Aderburg called for assistance from King Gregor.
   The king's knights joined with the countess' to arrive at Nauendorf on 
February 27, where they demanded that Cyrus and his band maintain the peace. 
Cyrus insisted that he had no designs upon Aderburg nor upon any lands within 
Kislevia. Travelers report a nervous air in the town, with the knights clearly 
uneasy at having so many heavily-armed strangers in the area.


Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
   On February 28, their Royal Majesties King Dmitri and Queen Marilyn ordered 
their borders with Kjolnir closed by force against the flood of Kjoln plague 
refugees. A large number of refugee camps had sprung up along both sides of the 
borders, and many refugees were apprehended attempting to slip between the 
checkpoints at night. Reports circulate wildly of families being separated.


Alsoria, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   As winter receded from the mountains, both the Zdunarovan army and the 
Steinlander rebels prepared for renewed fighting. The Imperial army remained 
camped around the walls of Parringen, hoping to starve it out, but even through 
the winter colds the city's residents remained steadfast, with the blue rebels' 
banner flying from the castle parapet alongside the ducal standard.


Isleif, Kalv, Kjolnir:
   On March 2, after a trial in absentia that included the testimony of various 
witnesses, Jarl Geirmund Sigordson found the scholar Francis Layton and the 
adventurer Allyn Crown to be guilty of the assault and kidnapping of Her 
Excellence Lady Astrid del Fuego of the Majeniran order of St. Catalina the 
Great. They have been declared outlaws in the land of Kjolnir and the royal 
garrisons have been instructed to imprison them on sight and hold them for 
future sentencing. Also wanted for questioning in the same matter is one 
"Quince," described as a dark haired adventurer last seen in Isleif on 
February 17.


Nauendorf, Kislevia:
   Dame Olivia MacGabriel, a Ragnorackan knight, arrived in Nauendorf on March 
3 and demanded that Cyrus of Ragnorack renounce his claim to the Ragnorackan 
throne.
   Olivia, accompanied by her retinue, arrived in Nauendorf bearing King 
Dmitri's banner, and called upon "Cyrus von Aarfleem" to present himself. When 
Cyrus, in full armor, strode out to meet her, Dame Olivia demanded that he 
renounce his claims, since King Hrothgar had abdicated for Cyrus "owing to his 
unfitness to rule." Cyrus proudly restated his claim and announced that he 
would seize Dame Olivia's lands when he was king.
   Dame Olivia then called upon Cyrus to defend his honor on the field, stating 
that if he was truly fit to be king then he would surely respect the code of 
chivalry and answer her challenge. Dame Olivia further stated that were she 
victorious on the field, Cyrus should renounce his claim and disperse his 
followers. Cyrus accepted and the two agreed to meet outside the town the next 
morning.
   However, when she arrived on the field the next morning, arrayed for 
chivalrous combat, Cyrus struck her with a magical wand, dazing her and sending 
her to her feet, and then advanced to slay her. Dame Olivia's retinue reacted 
to the ambush, rushing from the sidelines to try to come to her aid. Cyrus' band 
then advanced to counter Dame Olivia's retinue, with King Gregor's knights in 
turn advancing on Cyrus' mercenaries.
   Dame Olivia held off her attacker and recovered her stance, but not before 
taking severe wounds to her left arm, left leg and flank. She let Cyrus wear 
himself down as he flung blow after blow on her shield. When his strength began 
to slip, she landed a hit on Cyrus' helm, sending him reeling, thus giving her 
room to deliver a mortal wound into his shoulder, whereupon he collapsed. Their 
leader fallen, Cyrus' band lost morale and began to scatter, with only their 
more devoted number standing to face the Kislevian knights.
   After fifteen minutes, Cyrus' band lay fallen or in retreat, with the 
Kislevian knights pursuing those they could find. Dame Olivia was saved from 
severe injury (or worse) through the ministrations of her sister and chaplain, 
Isla MacGabriel. Dame Olivia severed Cyrus' head from his body and demanded 
that as he had broken the code of chivalry, his body was to be denied proper
burial, a request the Adenburger knights agreed to honor. She then took Cyrus' 
shield and banner as tribute, raised her liege's banner, and departed for 
Ragnorack.


Skørsund, Kjolnir:
   Death tolls mounted in central Kjolnir throughout March. Thousands are 
believed to be dead and much of the population is now displaced from their 
homes. The jarldoms of Kalv, Aarfleem, Havra, and Sorenheim have been 
particularly hard hit. While he initially left his soldiers in place to maintain 
order on the roads, King Gustaf has ordered his garrisons in the affected 
jarldoms to withdraw to Skørsund.


Skørsund, Kjolnir:
   On March 9, Her Excellence, Lady Astrid del Fuego, Head of Investigations 
for the Majeniran order of St. Catalina the Great, proclaimed success in 
divining the cause of the Kjoln plague.
   Lady Astrid returned from Kalv to the royal court in Skørsund and announced 
with great fanfare that the "Kjoln soul sickness" is caused by exposure to a 
magical substance known as "weystone". She reported that there is a great 
quantity of subterranean weystone in the jarldom of Kalv, which is getting into 
the air and poisoning the surrounding lands. As the destruction of this 
weystone is likely impossible, Lady del Fuego suggested the complete evacuation 
and abandonment of the affected areas. Her announcement was made even more 
dramatic by the circumstances of her discovery, including her assault and 
abduction by several travelers in Isleif and (supposedly) the confirmation of 
her tale by a messenger of Ubrialla herself.


Dubraugh, Cadfaigh:
   Market towns are in a panic from the reports that the amber mined in central 
Kjolnir is contaminated with "weystone".
   On March 14, their Majesties King Dmitri and Queen Marilyn forbade the sale 
of amber, so amber jewelry is being discarded and buried throughout northern 
Hesket. One unfortunate side effect of this trading ban is that Kjoln refugees 
now frequently have nothing of value to trade for supplies and lodging, thus 
increasing the number of Kjolns forced to live in makeshift shelters and to 
depend on the charity of local temples for survival.


Alsoria, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   Led by Duchess Wilhelmina von Silbermark, the remaining Steinlander dukes 
and duchesses initiated a surprise charge from Silbermark into Alsoria on March 
24. The Zdunarovans had not expected the rebels to advance until mid-April when 
the roads would be drier. Baroness Daria of Morovsk had also assumed she would 
be facing a slower army of mostly peasant soldiers, not anticipating that the 
Steinlanders' newly-hired mercenaries would be more accustomed to fast marches.
   The Steinlander charge sent the Imperial siege into disarray, with the 
freelance mages of Yancy's Company setting fire to the Zdunarovan siege engines 
while the Steinlander knights cut a quick swath through the Imperial footmen 
before swinging back to re-form a front line.
   After several hours of fighting, with the Zdunarovan chain of command in 
disarray, Baroness Daria's horns sounded the retreat, and the Imperial army 
backed away from Parringen.
   The gates of Parringen were jubilantly lowered several hours later to admit 
the Steinlanders and mercenaries. The newly-arrived army provided supplies to 
the starving residents of Parringen, spent two days recouping, and then 
advanced westward toward the Imperial army, which had now retreated to a fort 
in eastern Toldavia.


Diamondpride, Earthcrown, Grendarr Mountains:
   The Earthcrown clan of dwarves reported multiple attempts by ratmen to 
infiltrate their security perimeter during March. The initial reconnaissance 
attempts appear to have succeeded, as they were followed by a ratmen raid in 
considerable force. While this raid was successfully repelled by the 
Diamondpride city guard, the garrisons were strengthened in anticipation of 
another attack. Lord General Jerros Demonblade acknowledged that while the 
ratmen appear to be seeking locally accessible weystone, it remains unclear 
how the ratmen learned of its presence.


Hernohn, Kislevia:
   Wilhelmina von Derschim, Countess of Eckleberg, announced a reward leading 
to the whereabouts of her son, Heinrich von Derschim, who has been missing 
since March 11.
   Lord Heinrich was the leader of an archaeological dig in the small town of 
Ulfhorst, Kislevia. On March 10, several dozen heavily-armed strangers entered 
Ulfhorst, asking lots of questions but being evasive as to why they had entered 
the village. Lord Heinrich offered to lead the visitors on a tour of the ruins 
that evening.
   In the morning, the locals found that the strangers had left town; Lord 
Heinrich was nowhere to be found. The locals found that his tent had been 
looted of its possessions, and that a set of manacles had been used and left 
behind.
   Countess Wilhelmina fears that her son has been kidnapped or worse by these 
armed strangers, and urges anyone with news of his current whereabouts to be in 
contact with her retinue at the Kislevian court.


Eikemo, Kjolnir:
   Worsening conditions for a land already suffering from plague and ratman 
attacks, the Kjoln blight appears to have intensified over the winter months. 
Though spring came to central Kjolnir, there are few buds on the trees and the 
early flowers have been slow to sprout. It seems likely that those who survive
the other dangers may yet suffer from famine.


Toldavia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   An increasingly discontented Zdunarovan army found itself on the defensive
as the Steinlander rebels and their mercenaries caught up with them at Pelno 
and engaged them in battle on April 2.
   Having retreated from the Alsorian siege only weeks before, the Imperial 
army found its numbers thinned not merely from combat, but also from defections. 
Rising discontent among the peasant soldiers only worsened with the recent rout, 
especially among those soldiers from outside Zdunaria, the core province of the 
empire.
   Duchess Wilhelmina of Silbermark led the charge on the Imperial army, which 
was still not fully settled in and had thin supplies. The czarina's knights 
stood bravely against the rebel advance, but without sufficient pikemen they 
were unable to protect their left flank, and did not carry the day. Lady Daria 
led her defeated troops west, to the Toldavian capital.
   Meanwhile, the Steinlanders were expected to gather the captured siege 
materials from Parringen, now to use them against the czarina's troops who still 
hold Toldavia Castle.


Bevelle, Roudoigne:
   On April 3, Baron Morgan of Bevelle ordered the arrest of his third son, 
Lord Justus, when the latter was caught conveying messages among worshippers 
of Kahla-Ran. While it was widely rumored that Lord Justus was deeply involved 
in one of the corresponding groups, there has not yet been any proof presented 
in public. Baron Morgan has ordered Lord Justus to be placed under house arrest 
while the investigation continues.


Toldavia, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   Before reaching Toldavia Castle, Baroness Olena of Derashyn announced on 
April 5th that she and her vassals were returning to Derashyn and would not 
join the Imperial army when it next made camp in western Toldavia.
   Lady Olena stated that her "feudal obligation has long since been met" and 
that she has provided knights and soldiers to the Czarina in excess of her 
duties. She emphasized her loyalty to the crown, but that she and her vassals 
could no longer neglect their duties at home.
   Her announcement sent a ripple through the army's ranks, as Lady Olena and 
her vassals are Lutenian, and there is widespread suspicion that she resents 
the fact that most of the Imperial commanders are Zdunarians from the Imperial 
capital. By all reports, Baroness Daria of Morovsk was unsurprisingly livid.


Aarfleem, Kjolnir
   War in Kjolnir! On April 7, a force of several thousand ratman soldiers 
emerged from subterranean tunnels and laid waste to western Aarfleem. The royal 
garrisons had been withdrawn, and the local guards of Aarfleem had been 
decimated by plague and initially unable to provide much resistance. During 
their march eastwards, in the direction of Kalv, the ratman forces were 
initially harried and delayed by an overmatched force composed of members of 
the Order of the Iron Star and the surviving members of Jarl Scudvarr 
Bearhelm's guard. A force of Kjoln soldiers mustered in haste from the 
southernmost jarldoms and marched to Aarfleem at a heroic pace under the 
direction of one Dame Thorborg of Aulu, cutting off the ratman approach to Kalv. 
After several sharp conflicts, the two sides appear to reached a temporary 
stalemate, each waiting for the other to move.

February 6, 1007:

Tamplonia:
   On December 4, Captain Pilar Rabassa returned triumphantly from her second 
journey to Meng Guo.  With two of her three ships intact, she reached 
Tamplonia's shores with her holds full of Dosanese porcelain plateware and 
various jade items.  Courtiers from Tamplonia also say she brings diplomatic 
papers from the Emperor of Meng Guo to Prince Philip II and his advisor, 
Elunian Archpatriarch Paul Carlo IV.  Rumors also hold that she returned with 
maps of the Yamamotoan archipelago, acquired from Mengguonese sailors.
   Rabassa's crew say that while the journey was still rocky and the ocean 
storms brutal, the design improvements gleaned from captured Yamamotoan 
"junks" made the journey a little easier than the first trip.


Odarr, Cadfaigh:
   This quiet border town along the east-west road from Kjolnir has been 
bursting with visitors since the autumn.  While the increased traffic along 
the roads was initially good business for local tradesmen, many Kjolns have 
attempted to settle here temporarily to wait out the blight and the burgeoning 
plague.  A series of rough-hewn cabins and lean-tos have been erected around 
the edges of the township, and many locals fear for their safety and 
livelihoods among so many strangers.


Alsoria, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   With the onset of winter months and the end of regular campaigning, both 
the Imperial troops and the Steinlander rebels set up winter camp.  The 
Imperial armies continued to surround the castle at Parringen, hoping to 
starve it out during the lean winter months, while the remaining Steinlander 
troops camped several leagues away, having decided that their losses would 
be too high if they attempted to relieve Parringen at this time.
   The Steinlanders' offers of high wages continued to attract mercenaries, 
with such prestigious companies as the Grey Eagles, Yancy's Company and the 
Free Company of Barryfield joining the rebels' ranks.


Aarfleem, Kjolnir:
   The famously openhanded Jarl Shilga of Aarfleem passed away on December 
18, after some time being sick with the Kjoln plague. Shilga's trusted 
advisor Scudvarr Bearhelm was then recognized as the leader of the Jarldom. 
While such a passing and succession might normally be cause for celebration, 
the dark circumstances have dampened the Jarldom's mood.


Tolbury, Allondell:
   Bernard Aeolus, archmage and specialist in the study of Air magic, 
appeared unexpectedly at the University of Tolbury on December 29 and 
announced that he had incorporated Yamamotoan techniques to refine the 
incantation to summon lightning, creating a new spell that strikes the 
target with unerring accuracy.
   The archmage, who last year developed and released a spell of 
disintegration, noted that the new spell fashions from the air a bolt of 
lightning, similar to that used by mages for centuries.  However, instead of 
requiring the mage to aim the lightning by hand, the new spell guides itself 
towards a target specified during the incantation. He noted that this new 
spell places more strain upon the mage, but that the accuracy will often make 
that strain worthwhile.
    He stated that he would provide the major mages' guilds, academies and 
lodges with a scroll that would describe the spell in full, in hopes of 
"furthering Hesketine understanding of magic".  He further noted that he hoped 
this advancement would bring Hesketine magic one step closer to parity with 
Yamamotoan magic, and pressured his fellow mages to make contributions of their 
own instead of "flitting about the lands of the fae and otherwise engaging in 
pointless self-aggrandizement".


Nauendorf, Kislevia:
  Prince Cyrus of Ragnorack, the deposed son of Ragnorack's previous King, 
Hrothgar, appeared in public in early December and called all able mercenaries 
and swordsmen and –women to gather for an announcement to be made on January 5.
  Cyrus had been cursed while in the womb and was born part-troll. Added to 
his violent temper, his nature led his father to abdicate for him when he was 
still a boy.  Cyrus had disappeared in 992 in pursuit of his sister Irene, who 
he hated, and who had declined the throne upon her father's suicide and fled 
the country.  (This left no obvious heir to the throne, leading to King 
Dmitri's ascension six months later.) Neither of the siblings had been seen 
since, although rumors held that Cyrus had worked as a mercenary in western 
Zdunarova to raise money to fund his search for his sister.
   At the date of the gathering, Cyrus announced to the crowd that despite the 
abdications, King Dmitri was a usurper and thus unfit to sit in his father's 
throne.  Producing a small barrel, Cyrus removed from it his sister's pickled 
head and held it aloft, thus demonstrating that he was Hrothgar's last 
remaining heir -- and thus, in his words, the true heir to the Ragnorackan 
throne.  He called upon all able-bodied persons to join him in invading 
Ragnorack and retaking the throne.  He promised noble titles and riches to his 
supporters once Ragnorack's fortune was his.
   According to rumor, Cyrus' retinue claims that Princess Irene had been in 
hiding in an Ubriallian monastery since 992, and that Cyrus was finally able 
to track her down in April, at which point he breached the monastery walls and 
slew her; in the months since, he had been planning his return to Ragnorack.


Des Halles, Chardreau:
   Members of the Hesiod School of Magery have begun construction of new 
residences and an open air kitchen to accommodate the sudden influx of 
students from their sister school in western Kjolnir, which has evacuated as 
a precaution against the plague.  While the Chancellor of the school has 
forcefully stated that none of the arriving students are in any way ill, locals 
are nonetheless nervous about their new neighbors.


Silbermark, Steinlands, Zdunarova:
   Over the course of January, the rebellious Steinlander dukes and duchesses 
reportedly met with representatives of various banking families.  Steinlander 
courtiers were seen meeting with members of the Dorhöfer and Brinkerhoff 
families of Kislevia, and even with more remote financiers such as the Coreze 
and Melini families of Delona.  The Steinlanders are widely believed to be 
taking out loans to pay for the hiring of more mercenaries.


Skørsund, Kjolnir:
   Messengers from King Dmitri of Ragnorack and Queen Marilyn of Cadfaigh 
reached King Gustav II in Skørsund on January 19 and demanded that he limit 
the number of Kjoln refugees crossing the border into their lands.  The border 
towns are overflowing with refugees, and their Royal Highnesses fear the 
introduction of plague into their own lands.
   In recognition of his people's plight, King Gustav agreed to send a modest 
supply of grain and salt beef to Kjolnir for distribution to the needy.  
However, Cadfaigh and Ragnorack maintain that should King Gustav prove unable 
to stanch the flow of refugees, they will order their borders to be secured by 
force.