Gameworld News

November 11, 1009:

Bilgosh:
   Peasant rebellions against Emilian and his Dark Lords grew less frequent as 
the summer turned to fall.  Many debated whether this was due to fear of the 
harsh retributions meted out by Bilgosh's unholy rulers or due to gradual 
attrition among the rebels.
   In Chardreau and Allondell, the crusading kings continued to call upon their 
vassals to provide assistance in rescuing the Bilgoshmen from further plight.  
Wintertime war being impractical, the Allondines and Chardrois gathered weapons 
and supplies for a springtime departure.  In September, both countries entered 
into negotiations with Kislevia to allow their crusading armies to pass through 
King Gregor of Kislevia's lands.


Elsitz, Steinlands:
   Duke Karl of Elsitz continued to voice his concern about foreign armies and 
"undisciplined adventurers" seeking permission to pass through the Steinlands 
en route to Bilgosh.  His Grace argues that an unholy coup in Bilgosh "should 
not be an excuse for us to put our independence at risk", and is believed to be 
unlikely to grant passage to would-be crusaders.  Duke Mikhail of Toldavia is 
believed to be in agreement with Elsitz, putting pressure on Alsoria, the only 
remaining Steinlands duchy to border Bilgosh.


Delona:
   Princess Francesca of Castagna, plus the Dukes of Massuli and Giodonia, 
"donned the bell" and announced their support for the crusade in Bilgosh, and 
sent emissaries to the kings of Chardreau and Allondell to coordinate efforts.
   Given the possible difficulties of an overland route, the two kings were 
reportedly interested in the extensive fleets of their newfound Delonan allies.  
However, the length of the sea journey -- around the Horn of Iņarra, then past 
hostile Marakh and Kiljuk waters -- did not make this method of travel 
necessarily more appealing.


Grendarr Mountains:
   Groups of travelers reported spotting a jet-black dragon in the mountain 
passes in central Hesket, the beast supposedly bearing several large patches of 
what appeared to be burn scars.  These reports came more than a year after a 
similar dragon was spotted flying away from the coast of western Linneraigh.
   Word among travels also holds that a small cadre of vampires and their 
minions have been spotted in the Grendarr Mountains.


Tamplonia:
   Boasting arguably the finest navy in Hesket, ambassadors from the crusading 
lands engaged in efforts to encourage the Prince (and his Elunian advisors) to 
join in the Crusade.  However, with Tamplonia profiting well from its trade 
with Meng Guo, few believe that the Tamplonians will divert their ships away 
from Mengguonese trade in order to ferry crusaders through the Marakh Straits.


Ard Sescenn, Cadfaigh:
   An elderly man living in this small village, posing as a Cadfainn, was 
exposed as Caelti mage in late October when he was discovered to be responsible 
for the deaths of a dozen local children who had gone missing.  The mage, "Jacob
MacCurtin", had been using the children for blood magic to power diabolical 
constructs, although his plans for the constructs are not known.  After his 
exposure, several visiting clergy opted to remain in the area in order to undo 
any of his dark deeds.

September 9, 1009:

Bilgosh:
   Since the old coat of arms of Bilgosh bore two churchbells on it, Emilian, 
now the vampiric Overlord of Bilgosh, ordered the ducal standard lowered 
across the country in January.  Flying over his palace, once the ducal 
residence, is a new standard of Emilian's design: a solid black field with 
a single gold spearhead upon it.


Silbermark, Steinlands:
   The seven dukes and duchesses of the Steinlands convened at the castle of 
Duchess Wilhelmina of Silbermark to reiterate their need for mutual 
self-defense.  The seven lands, independent since winning their freedom from 
the Czarina of Zdunarova, acknowledged that they will stand stronger against 
Bilgosh dangers if allied.
   However, there is not unanimity among the seven as to the details of defense 
policy.  Duke Karl of Elsitz expressed concern about a "tide of heavily-armed 
adventurers" streaming through the Steinlands en route to Bilgosh, through 
which "an opportunistic foreign power could sneak in spies, or even troops 
to begin a conquest" of the vulnerable Steinlands.


Lorraux, Chardreau:
   In the streets of the Chardrois capital, people made speeches throughout the 
spring decrying the fate of the Bilgosh people and demanding action.  "Those 
who have been paying attention have known there was a sickness in Bilgosh 
for years," said one man.  "If only the world had heeded before now."


Collegium Hall, Collegium, Allondell:
   Majeniran Abbot Giancarlo Giordano of Loggia made an impassioned speech on 
the floor of the Hall on April 2 urging his colleagues not to pursue a 
military course in Bilgosh.  "With so much blood already spilled on the soil 
of Bilgosh," he stated, "surely that land will be no better with the ground 
even more red."  He insisted that Emilian must be opposed, but that a 
 peaceful course was necessary "to avoid further death and misery".
   His speech was supported by many of the Perinnians, and by Saranan Bishop 
Frederikke Skovgaard, who said that with a terrorized peasantry producing 
fewer goods and with the country's trade routes dried up, Emilian and his 
Dark Lords "would have no supplies upon which to sustain their regime.  
Surely their tale will be, for them, a short-lived tragedy."


Across Hesket:
   With the arrival of spring, many of the military religious orders made calls 
to arms, either sending their number into Bilgosh or readying for same.  The 
Balthazarian orders, ordinarily rivals, agreed to coordinate their travels for 
strength in numbers.  Many of the Rannashite orders, being generally more 
independent-minded, headed to Bilgosh on schedules of their own devising.  The 
Collegium attempted to coordinate the Brinningite and Zotran orders, but the 
rival churches were largely unable to agree to a single commander.
   Most of the crusaders orders have taken to wearing an emblem of a bell, or 
even an actual bell, a nod to the churchbells upon the old Bilgosh coat-of-arms.


Collegium Hall, Collegium, Allondell:
   On April 14, before the full council of the Collegium, Presider Elaine of 
Ornach officially called for a crusade against Emilian, Overlord of Bilgosh, his 
servants and supporters. "I beseech you," she said, "to persuade all 
gods-fearing people of whatever station to bring aid to the devout people of 
Bilgosh and to destroy that vile and unholy usurper and his supporters from 
the lands of our friends."
   The Collegium thereafter voted to approve her measure.


Zdunarosk, Zdunarova:
   When the Czarina made no official response to the Collegium's call for the 
Fifth Crusade, people took to the streets of the Empire's capital, ringing bells 
in solidarity with the people of Bilgosh. Observers of the Imperial court 
believe that while the Czarina has no love for her new southern neighbor, after 
the previous wars in Bilgosh and the Steinlands, the Imperial coffers have 
simply run dry.


Zielsk, Bilgosh:
    The first wave of the crusader orders reached the northern borders of 
Bilgosh in late June, assaulting the holdings of Dark Lady Felka the Red, a 
vampire and one of Emilian's vassals.  The Triumphites led a charge into the 
fringe of forest outside of the town of Zielsk, but were sent into disarray by 
Felka's unholy servants, and the crusaders later found themselves flanked by a 
company of werewolves who were seemingly able to move through the woods 
unimpeded.


Bilgosh:
   Over the summer, rebellions against Emilian and his vassals led to harsh 
retributions.   In Kestowice, a peasant uprising against Dark Lord Gerik 
resulted in over one hundred of the rebels being hanged, simultaneously, in the 
town square.


Zielsk, Bilgosh:
   After gaining only small ground, the crusader orders circled and their 
leaders met in conference to develop new strategies.  Each time the religious 
warriors tried to drive south toward the town of Zielsk, they were driven back 
by waves of vampire servants and undead.  "We can seize ground, but we cannot 
keep it," despaired Dame Marie-Elise Desmarais, Knight Commander of the 
Hobbesines.


Northwestern Kiljukan:
   The Kiljuks moved several more of the imperial armies toward their border 
with Bilgosh in late July.  The Sultan's ministers repeated their assertion 
that if Bilgosh cannot deal with its matters internally, "for the sake of the 
heavens" the Kiljuks themselves would "obligated to act in the name of justice."


Lorraux, Chardreau, and Tolbury, Allondell:
   On August 3, King Robert IV of Chardreau declared that he was heeding the 
Collegium's decree, and called his knights and soldiers to arms.  Before his 
court, his Majesty pinned an emblem of a churchbell to his doublet, and called 
upon his people to provide "wood, victuals, weapons" and other supplies that 
his army would need on its journey to Bilgosh.
   Not to be outdone, on August 5, King Harold V of Allondell also declared his 
entrance into the Fifth Crusade, and called upon his vassals.