Fireseek 592

"The Death of Kings"

And so Margrave Vrianian made his final stand against the giants of Geoff outside the gates of Thornward. He had been able to recall back to the capitol nearly five thousand troops, mostly footmen and archers. However, they were no match against the onslaught of over twenty thousand Giants, Hobgoblin Marauders, Orc Archers and Wolf Riders. The battle was brief and decisive, and all the inhabitants of Thornward were put to the sword or carried off back to Gorna either as slaves or food. Bissel/Gran March had been destroyed.

Meanwhile to the south, General Celestine of the Yeomanry and her army of twenty thousand light cavalry, Dwarven Axemen and Halfling Slingers liberated the city of Istivin from the foul clutches of Geoff. The General was horrified at the state of the city once she had managed to get through the Goblin defenders. Most lay in ruins, the skeletons of the past littering the city streets as if cast about by some gigantic hand. Those few remaining were no better than desiccated corpses, unfed, unwashed and nearly broken of spirit. Angered by this sight, Celestine ordered the complete and utter extermination of all humanoid prisoners captured in the siege. Their corpses were then left outside of the city in a massive pile for the carrion birds to feast upon.

Several leagues east of Istivin, a small army of nearly ten thousand heavy foot, longbowmen and heavy cavalry invaded the eastern tip of the lands occupied by Geoff. Led by General Casper Lindquist, the soldiers of Keoland easily captured the region despite the presence of a few thousand Goblins. It now appeared that the Lion Throne had entered the fray against the Giants.

As the capitol of Bissel/Gran March was overrun by the humanoids of Geoff, a cadre of six thousand elite light horsemen from Lopolla arrived in the Bramblewood Forest and captured the region in the name of the Beygraf. They met little resistance upon their arrival, and it is widely rumored that the locals breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the Kettite army.

Another wave of Aerdian pikemen from Northern Aerdy marched into the northern portion of the Grandwood Forest and took control. Over fifteen thousand pikemen made their way into the forest, met by ten thousand Medegian pikemen and archers. The fighting was brutal and bloody, as Aerdian struck down Aerdian in the continuing struggle for supremacy of the Malachite Throne. When the smoke settled, sixteen thousand men and women lay dead upon the forest floor, yet the standard of Prince Grenell flew tall amidst the winter breeze.

The battle for Schwartzenbruin in Perrenland was brought to a surprising halt. Although the ferry town of Taft is still controlled by the humanoids of the Old One, they did not choose to advance against the capitol. Reports have come in stating that all access across Lake Quag has been eliminated with the destruction of the ferry boats on the previous month. However, sources say that an unnatural cold is brewing throughout the kingdom of Perrenland, and many of the refugees seeking succor against the invaders have already died from the bitter chill.

The war in the hill pass separating the Bone March and Ratik was also halted at the onset of Fireseek. Rumors abound that the Marchioness of the Bone March was brutally assassinated by another member of her inner circle, and that this new ruler of the Bone March has already been in discussion with Ratik on a cease-fire. No word yet has come out of Spinecastle, but a spokesman for Ratik stated that the hostilities between their nation and the humanoids of the south have been suspended for the present moment due to "extraordinary circumstances in diplomatic relations".

In the city of Mitrik, capitol of Veluna, a grand opening and commemorative celebration was held honoring the establishment of the new Assembly of Faiths. Reverend Father Arimarus himself presided over the celebration. Excerpts from his speech follow: "My brothers and sisters…I need not tell you that we endured many injustices under our country's former regime. Each and every one of us has known sorrow and loss. But in my own mind, one of the greatest tragedies we witnessed as a people was the persecution of those who wanted nothing more… than to share the solace and enlightenment of their own faith. Although that scar can never be erased from our history -- nor should it be, as we must never forget -- we can endeavor to accomplish deeds so great, that the atrocities of the past are but receding shadows in the light of our nation's virtue. From intolerance we can forge acceptance. From sorrow we can forge hope. From the lessons of the past, we can make a brighter future…To that end I am pleased to announce the founding of the Assembly of Faiths… a body dedicated to the cause of peace, the dignity of life, and the pursuit of progress for all rightly guided peoples of the Flanaess… a gathering of the devout of many gods, many religions, for which our beloved city will play host… now and forever. Let this great hall behind me stand as testament to Veluna's commitment to all that is just. Let it be a monument of truth for lands near and far to see. Let it be the source of good works for which we may all be proud. Blessings upon you all."

Recent reports have arrived claiming that several thousand refugees from the Felreev Forest were evacuated during the month of Fireseek. Sources state that the Demi-Human Protectorates negotiated the safe passage of these Protectorate sympathizers with the Horned Society, as a means to forestall any potential bloodshed should the Society choose to claim the forest as their own.

Once again the sea trade of Medegia took a serious blow at the hands of the Ghost Ship of the Aerdi Sea. Merchant fleets from Rel Astra were purportedly set upon by the undead ship while attempting to cross the Aerdi beneath a neutral flag. Despite the presence of warships from Asperdi in the Sea Barons, the Ghost Ship was never encountered although the wreckage of several merchant ships was found washed up on the shores of Medegia.