Herald’s Quarterly 9168, 4th Quarter

The north is in flames! Undead loosed from lich lord’s control feeling ancient hunger and killing in population centers all over.

Earthquakes: The western coast of the Heartlands are still being struck by earthquakes – most of low power and little destruction, but it is increasing in frequency.

There is much afoot in the halls of the gods. It is said several have broken the Godspeak Accord in recent times!

Return of “The Golden Child”? A new fortified tower has been erected on the shore of Cabella, a poor and contested territory of Dunstrand. It is called Goldsbright Beacon, and said to be capped by a polished ring of bronze or brass that shines and glints in the sun. A new order of priests is said to dwell there, in support of a new seeress and prophetess called Nubria. It is said this young girl was the object of the War of the Golden Child between Umbak and Dunstrand just a few years ago.

Orrish Raids Increasing! Though quiet for a long while, the east and the Darklands have never grown completely silent. More and more in recent months have there been sightings of Orrish moving in the night, and raids on remote settlements are increasing.

Updates on Soul Scourge

9168: The Gruxand Incident (“The Soul Scourge”) – The High King has enlisted the necromancers of the Barlogue Brotherhood of Lake Caolite to search for ways to reduce its effect – indicating the Guild of Solars and The Sisterhood seem powerless before it!

Lich Lord Power Diminished

It can now be said that a group of adventurers, working along the Blue Wall with the forces of the north, somehow managed to thwart a plot of take the wall down and/or diminish its power. Though their servant Bittermaw had not been heard from in many a decade, it appears he was working for their interests all the while. He was killed, and rumors about about great artifacts of evil taken from him wherever he was working and brought back for destruction. It not only weakened the Lich Lords, but it seems to have brought them back into focus. Long has both the north and east been relatively quiet. No longer.

• The free territory of Kaald makes gains gains, ice slightly retreats to the east!

Loosed Bonds of the Lich Lords

All over, many of the minions of the Lich Lords once bound to them have slipped their bonds and are hunting everywhere. They are mostly feral, and being killed, but are making more than are killed in some places. Ghouls, vampires, even animations quietly observing ran rampant in a wave that seems to be flowing north to the south. Whatever bonds the Crystal Riders of Kalascor had used on their own undead servitors broke as well – terrifying allies became flesh hunters overnight and terror reigned in the north until Theodrose and his bannerman hunted down and killed them all and the progeny they made. It is said that they gained the open aid of other orders of knights (for the first time – it is unknown how this was reconciled) and the Chain Brothers of the north.

Coreblack – Slave Driver, Appears in the North

The Lich Lords, in their anger, have brought back from the dead, the fallen Orrish oath-breaker “knight”. He rides under the banner of an eye with a crimson tear on it – Blood Eye (Lord of the Winter Host). Now he slays and takes slaves, to be made into animations and minions of his new master. Once he had some free reign in the northlands since he was not in service to the Lich Lords, but now he draws the ire of Theodrose himself. He is proving difficult to destroy. He has taken Orks of his clan into the Cold Embrace, offering them life in the light of a sorts – as ghouls. His army grows ever bigger, but it is being hounded by the Spectre Lord himself and his Crystal Riders.

• It is unknown if it is connected, but Black smoke is arising constantly from the Black Fens far to the south.

Thane Logos of Kaald Unities Kaald and many Freelanders

Thane Logos of Kaald has finally succeeded in an alliance of the north, except Thurlow.

Gwinnish Forces Land North of Thurlow

Not since the time of the Confessor of Elancil has Gwinn had such success. Tarmysia is the perfect jumping off point and stable with the coming peace. Landings all along the shore of Walrus Bay and the forces of Kaald and some of the conquered north seem to do nothing. With Theodrose’s attention taking in fighting his nemesis of the Lich Lords, Gwinn is seen to take advantage and make large inroads. There are rumors of a deal between Empireal Gwinn and Kaald to deal with the Lich Lords armies in the east eventually. The High King decries any such bargain as foul, but in typical northlander fashion, they Thane blames the southlanders and High King for any ill fate to befall the north.

• Theodrose seems to be able to wage war now against Gwinn (and others of the living), though his forces are split. This is unexpected and slowing the Gwinnish advance.

Peace Accord in Dunstrand

It appears as if Gwinn and Dunstrand are about to settle the long time war for the Tarmysia peninsula. Many rumors surround the terms, yet to be released, but the short of it is that it appears Gwinn has won, and the High King needs peace and stability to turn his forces west to what is being said to be an awakening of a long sleep of the Orrish Darklands. A date is to be announced soon. The largest hold out of the titled nobles of Dunstrand western lands – Lady Mary of Dogwood Flats (she had rallied many Barons and a couple of Earls to her cause), is said to have recently been found and imprisoned.

• The Fish Barons were thought to be sympathetic as they shared many cultural elements. They have been ousted and their lands given to lords of Gwinn, funding the expansion. More refugees are spilling into the Earldoms of Richfield, and Bar-Innis, most into the Baronies of Lilymarch and Crestwold.

The Return of Quizmans Magusterum (Arcane Mercantile) to Western Dunstrand

With the prospect of peace, the famous mercantile of things arcane – Quizmans Magusterum – has resumed its operations in Dunstrand. From the Barony of Crestwold in the south, to the County of West River Run in the north.

Disturbances in the South

Warlord in the highlands of Beryl threatening the “gem of the south”. Also large sandstorms in the desert have driven back White Sisters and druids doing reclamation in the border kingdoms.

Tallows Deep Rises

CY 91689 A massive battle took place here, drawing in forces from as far away as the Barony of Matchalk. The tower of U’dethe was set ablaze with a sickly bruised flame, corrupting the forms of the defenders. The Orrish spilled out of the Black Hillz and fought the forces of the High King’s army from the garrison at Climante Keep to a standstill. The Curtain of Night swept forward, along a several kilometer front, pouring black waters down and flooding swathes of the Tallowed Uplands in the Black Hillz and driving the forces of light back – a new foothold was achieved! It has isolated the tower of U’runde, now under constant siege and supplied through the mystical arts of the druids of the Wyld and Lightbringer clergy.

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