Gameworld News
September 26, 1010:
Alsoria, Steinlands:
After the distastrous Battle of Duvarna, the armies of Chardreau and Allondell were dismayed to announce the deaths of the crusader kings Harold V of Allondell and Robert IV of Chardreau.
The two long-reigning monarchs had led their vassals into battle, attempting to liberate Bilgosh from its unholy Overlord, but were overrun by the monsters and undead of their foes, and the two fell when the crusaders' front line collapsed and retreated to Alsoria.
Along with the two monarchs, the armies announced the death of numerous nobles and officers who also perished on the Duvarna fields.
Funeral bells tolled in Lorraux and Tolbury, in mourning for the dead.
Alsoria, Steinlands:
In brief field ceremonies lacking much of the usual pomp, Crown Princess Margaret of Allondell and Crown Princess Catherine of Chardreau were crowned Queen Margaret III and Queen Catherine II respectively on July 17, with both ceremonies occurring in the muddy fields of the Steinlands. Both countries' leaders felt it more critical to have a queen immediately leading their people than to send the princesses on a long journey back to their respective capitals for a formal ceremony involving an Anointer. "We'll have plenty of time for such things when the Crusade is won," commented Earl John of Granchester.
The two somber monarchs immediately set about reconstituting their scattered armies.
Alsoria, Steinlands:
Against the advice of her peers, Queen Margaret III of Allondell rallied her troops on August 11 for a renewed push into Bilgosh against Dark Lord Nedelcho and Dark Lady Stoyanka, whose hordes had slain her father.
Queen Catherine of Chardreau cautioned her cousin that the Crusaders' ranks were no longer than before and unlikely to achieve any more success. Queen Margaret, however, insisted that the Bilgosh hordes had also taken heavy losses, and that it was imperative to strike before the Dark Lords could prepare proper defenses.
Duvarna, Bilgosh:
Without the support of the Chardrois or most of the religious orders, Queen Margaret of Allondell advanced her vassals back into Bilgosh on September 6, where they were immediately ambushed.
The Allondines passed through the hills north of Duvarna, just as before, but this time the Bilgosh zombies came not from the east hill, as expected, but were hiding in wait beneath the waters of the river. Their flank totally exposed, the Allondines were sent into panic and disarray as the zombies emerged from the water and ran roughshod over the crusaders. The archers took heavy losses before the Allondine lines broke and retreated into Alsoria once more. Queen Margaret, heavily protected, was unharmed.
July 10, 1010:
Marakhin:
On March 29, the ship carrying Countess Anne-Sophie of Raberne, Count Pierre-Luc of Lacardy and their crusader vassals were captured by pirates in the Marakh seas as they attempted to sail past the Marakhs' lands to Bilgosh.
Many of the sailors and crusaders perished defending the ships, but the two nobles were taken captive, and are currently being ransomed by unknown Marakh corsairs. The fate of the remaining crusaders is unknown.
Allondell and Chardreau:
With the capture of the Chardrois counts highlighting the dangers of the seas south of Marakhin, the Kings of Allondell and Chardreau abandoned any plans of sailing to Bilgosh.
While the crusader kings had not decided on a sea route, they had begun to arrange for goods that they would need on a sea journey, such as barrels and hardtack, as well as coopers and other hirelings. Abandoning plans for sea travel thus represents a considerable loss of money to the kings. However, most of their courtiers believed that a loss of ships or life to Marakh raiders would be far more damaging to their cause.
In Kislevia, Allondine and Chardrois ambassadors intensified their negotiations with King Gregor, and were seen at court on a daily basis.
Kislevia:
On April 18, King Gregor announced his support for the Bilgosh Crusade and would grant passage to his peers, the Kings of Chardreau and Allondell, and their armies.
Rumors at court say that King Gregor, who had been reluctant to admit his rival Allondell into his lands, was persuaded by both pressure from the Collegium and by a trade deal with Allondell, through which Kislevia will receive iron from Allondell's mines in the New Counties. King Gregor did not pledge to join the Crusade himself.
On April 25, King Harold of Allondell and King Robert of Chardreau ordered their armies to gather so they could head north and then west towards Bilgosh.
As of their departure, no deal had been reached with either Zdunarova or the various dukes of the Steinlands; the crusaders' path must cross one or the other to reach Bilgosh. Courtiers with the two crusading kings stated that the two kings are determined to send their armies through the Steinlands with or without the Steinlanders' consent, and are hoping to reach an agreement before the situation grows sour.
Steinlands:
As the crusading armies of Allondell and Chardreau passed through Kislevia, diplomats sent in advance were able to successfully negotiate a route through three of the Steinlands duchies in order to reach the Bilgosh border. Launenberg and Silbermark welcomed the crusaders' armies in advance, with the Duchess of Silbermark even agreeing to join the crusade. However, it is not clear which came first: the crusaders' entry into Alsoria or Alsoria's announcement that it would admit the crusaders.
Alsoria, Steinlands:
The crusader kings, King Robert of Chardreau and King Harold of Allondell, made camp in Alsoria, along the Bilgosh border, to gather their armies and to ready attack plans with other crusaders.
While the two countries' vassals are present in large numbers, and most of the religious military orders have also gathered along the Bilgosh border, the crusaders expressed dismay that only a small number of Hesket's swords-for-hire and other adventurers seemed to have answered the Collegium's call. King Robert has reportedly told his generals that he "expected larger numbers of the freely-wandering persons and mercenary types" and was worried about having insufficient numbers of healers, irregular troops, and other types of problem-solvers.
Duvarna, Bilgosh:
On July 15, the liberation of Bilgosh began, as Kings Robert and Harold led their armies over the hills into the lands of Overlord Emilian, advancing on the town of Duvarna.
They were met by the gathered forces of Dark Lord Nedelcho, a necromancer, and Dark Lady Stoyanka, believed to be a vampire or werewolf. Their unholy armies were a seemingly ragged collection of monsters and militia. The crusaders were initially optimistic, seeing the smaller numbers and apparent disorganization of their foes, but their outlook darkened when many of the knights' horses spooked at the sight of oncoming wolves, and refused to advance. Lacking support from the mounted forces, the infantry were left vulnerable on their flanks and fanned out at the edges.
The religious orders summoned their divine energies against the shambling hordes of zombies sent forth by the necromancer, but many of the churches' knights have only limited clerical magic, and found their strength rapidly drained as wave after wave of walking corpses advanced on the crusader armies.
A powerful sense of dread, believed to be the result of unholy ritual, then washed over the crusaders, and none present were able to ascertain its origin nor find a way to reverse it. Morale plummeted, the crusaders' front line fell apart, and the battlefield turned into chaos. The crusaders' front ranks collapsed into isolated pockets fending off unholy foes; the fates of the leading crusaders, including the two kings, is not known. Leaderless, the crusading armies scattered, with some attempting to head back to the camp in Alsoria and others dispersing into the hills seeking any kind of safety.
March 22, 2010:
Northhaven, Ragnorack:
On February 26, King Dmitri made an official statement regarding the mysterious windstorm that tore through an isolated region of northern Ragnorack last autumn. In late November, a towering funnel of swirling wind cut a gash through the College Woods in northern Ragnorack, clipping the outskirts of the town of Inverdeen before it dispersed on the northern shore of Lake Hrungar. Though few injuries were reported, a handful of livestock were lost and a number of buildings were damaged or destroyed, including one home that was lifted clear off its foundations and dropped again two hundred yards away.
The assembly of mages and scholars charged by the King to investigate this occurrence has concluded that the storm was an isolated incident caused by unique magical phenomena, and though the precise nature of these forces is uncertain, the King has assured his vassals that there is no further danger to Ragnorack or its neighboring lands. The process of rebuilding Inverdeen has begun, with aid from both the Crown and local gentry, and most of the damaged buildings are expected to be repaired or replaced by the end of summer.
Lorraux, Chardreau, and Tolbury, Allondell:
King Robert of Chardreau and King Harold of Allondell continued to gather arms, food and other supplies while engaging in intense negotiations to secure a reliable route to the lands of Bilgosh, lands currently under the control of the unholy Overlord, Emilian.
King Gregor of Kislevia continues to express reluctance to allow his Allondine rival to pass through his territory; some courtiers believe that the Allondine king has offered iron from the mines in the Grendarr foothills in exchange for passage. In addition, King Robert is reportedly willing to offer a guarantee of security to the Kislevians should the Allondine army cause trouble on its way through Kislevian territory. However, even if the armies could secure a route through Kislevia, they would still need either the Zdunarovans or Steinlanders to also open their roads to their armies.
On the coastlines of Allondell and Chardreau, royal agents have been busily buying the necessary supplies of war while also haggling with sea captains willing to consider ferrying crusaders. With the route past the Marakhs and Kiljuks both long and dangerous, the prices for sea passage remain high.
Offendorf, Kislevia:
With the spring thaw, members of the Order of the Blossom have responded to a forest blight in the lands surrounding the farming village of Offendorf in western Kislevia. Shortly before Brinmas, the village was ravaged by a series of unexplained earthquakes that completely leveled many homes and outbuildings, and toppled a large portion of Castle Offendorf. The blight was noticed immediately following the disaster, and concerns were spread that the sickness would infect the village's crops after spring planting.
Upon their arrival, the Blossomites were able to heal the eldest son of Baroness Gertrud, Leopold, who had been crippled in the collapse of the castle's outer wall, and the nobleman has since regained full use of his legs. The Order's investigation into the blight has met with less successful results; the trees have continued to sicken and wither despite all attempts to revive them, leading the investigators to believe that the illness comes from the land itself, rather than a more typical affliction. However, the Order of the Blossom has assured King Gregor that this blight is not the same as the plague that struck Kjolnir three winters ago, as no animals or humans have taken ill in response to the outbreak.
Iñarra:
The Delonan ships carrying Countess Anne-Sophie of Raberne, Count Pierre-Luc of Lacardy and their crusader vassals rounded the Horn of Iņarra en route to southern Bilgosh on March 3.
The two counts represent the first wave of Chardrois crusaders to begin the journey to the embattled lands of Bilgosh. While some groups and religious orders have begun to send crusaders westward, the Chardrois represent the first of the vassals to heed a monarch's call to action. The two counts were eager to begin the liberation of Bilgosh and chose not to wait for the kings of Allondell or Chardreau to finalize a travel route, contracting with the ships' captains and paying for the travel out of their own purses.
The ships now head past Marakh and Kiljuk waters before they can reach Bilgosh.
Trenzano, Delona:
The trial of Roberto Gianni and Anastasios Porthos, the two remaining criminals apprehended from the alleged shipwreck of the marauding pirate vessel Crimson Thunder, concluded on March 10 in Trenzano. Both men were convicted of the charge of piracy, which carries a penalty of death in the County.
Gianni and Porthos were apprehended in late January when they and a handful of their crewmates were washed onto the beach by the rising tide. Upon regaining consciousness, the pair claimed that the island where the ship had made port, an uncharted strip of land several miles northeast of Trenzano, was swallowed by the ocean in a violent shaking of the earth, and that the Crimson Thunder was pulled under by the current created by the ensuing whirlpool. While several fisherman testified at the trial that the tides were unusually high for a few days concurrent with the capture of the brigands, the Nennite clergy prosecuting the case argued that this tale was a fabrication intended to protect their crewmates and set travelers off their guard. The Trenzanans have advised travelers and merchants to remain alert for pirate vessels.
The execution of the two pirates will take place later this week.
February 18, 2010:
Crazau, Zdunarova:
After several of his guests went missing, on November 22 Lord Vandevich commissioned a search party to investigate the disappearances.
During the prior evening's festivities, Lord Andru, one of Lord Vandevich's relatives, plus Lady Constantina Brezovo, Lord Ourosco and their attendants, all vanished and have not been seen since. Villagers in Vandevich report a rumor that Lord Andru was actually Lord Duran, the former ruler of the land, his lifespan extended by becoming a vampire; they claim he is responsible for the deaths of the other missing guests.
A search of the grounds did reveal a large pile of ash, suggesting that a fleeing vampire may not have escaped the sunrise. Searchers also found the wolf-torn corpse of a young lady, which they believe to be the corpse of Lady Constantina Brezovo's handmaiden.
There is no consensus among the Vandevich residents on whether Lord Andru, if a vampire, was working for the Overlord of Bilgosh.
Terdosa, Tamplonia:
The Prince's ministers announced that the principality of Tamplonia, arguably Hesket's foremost sea power, is currently focused on fostering its oceanic trade with Meng Guo and therefore is not interested in ferrying crusaders to Bilgosh.
This announcement left the crusaders' route still uncertain. Allondell and Chardreau cannot take an overland route without the permission of the countries along that path, and need sufficient ships if they instead take the long and perilous sea route around Iņarra and past the Marakhs and Kiljuks to Bilgosh.
Neither King Robert of Chardreau nor King Harold of Allondell made any public statement, perhaps still hoping to change the Tamplonians' minds, but most believe the two kings to be disappointed.
Hernohn, Kislevia:
Still wary after the Kislevian-Allondine war over Ennitaria in the late 90s, King Gregor of Kislevia has remained unwilling to grant a foreign army, particularly an Allondine one, from entering his lands.
Emissaries from not just the crusading kings but also many of Hesket's churches have been dispatched to Hernohn in hopes of persuading the king to grant passage to the crusading forces, if not joining them outright.
Kislevian courtiers believe that King Gregor is holding out for concessions (possibly iron from Allondell's mines in the "New Counties") or guarantees of safety from Allondell's neighbors should the Allondine army ransack Kislevia in any way.
Goldgate, Grendarr Mountains:
Emissaries from the kings of Allondell and Chardreau met with officials of the dwarven Clan Earthcrown at the tradehold of Goldgate. While no details were made public, most believe the humans were attempting to gauge the dwarves' reaction to the idea of moving the crusader armies through the dwarves' caverns under the Grendarr Mountains, to make a surprise entrance into eastern Bilgosh.
Consensus among the merchants at the tradehold, who noted the brevity of the meeting, is that the humans were turned away by the dwarves. Most considered this unsurprising, given the dwarves' traditionally defensive stance and unwillingness to admit outsiders into their lands. However, even if the dwarves had agreed, many were uncertain of how many human soldiers would have been unwilling to endure such a lengthy underground stretch.
Steinlands:
Duke Karl of Elsitz expressed continued concern about permitting "foreign armies" and "marauding so-called 'adventurers'" from traveling through the Steinlands. "Our independence was hard-won," argued the Duke before his Steinlander peers, "and now we are to throw our doors wide to whatever army claims to merely be passing through?" Toldavia remains on the fence, while Alsoria is reportedly concerned about border raids from Bilgosh and may be more willing to grant passage.
Kiljuk Empire:
As the Dark Lords of Bilgosh strengthen their own forces across the country's southern border, the Kiljuks have been moving more of their own forces to their border with Bilgosh, getting into a defensive stance. The Sultan has ordered the hasty construction of more forts along the border, and ordered the castles in the area to stock up on supplies.
In Collegium Hall, some of the Rannashite officials have expressed worry that this build-up is not defensive in nature but offensive, and that the Kiljuks may use their military to invade Bilgosh before the Collegium's crusaders arrive. As the Kiljuk Empire does not recognize the Collegium's authority, this has many Collegiates worried.
Chardreau:
While the kings of Allondell and Chardreau continue to negotiate with the Delonan and Roudoigne sea captains to attempt to secure sea passage to Bilgosh, Count Pierre-Luc of Lacardy and Countess Anne-Sophie of Raberne made contracts with Delonan captains on their own, and announced their intent to be the crusade's vanguard by sailing to southern Bilgosh post haste.
As the country's cities, especially along the coast, had filled with eager would-be crusaders, the two nobles had little trouble in recruiting soldiers to fill out their ranks. On February 6, this first wave of crusaders boarded the ships and set sail. Their route will take them through Delona and then to southern Iņarra, where they will make a significant supply stop; they do not expect to find another friendly port in the Marakhs' or Kiljuks' lands, and may need enough supplies to last them during that long, final leg of the trip.