The First Land Herald/423-05-39

Article Number: BI61

Dateline: 423-05-39

STUNNING VICTORY AGAINST THE ELPALZI KEEP The rush of victory surges through our veins once again, as Zoluren has delivered a death blow to the Elpalzi stronghold! Sorrow's Keep was breached and ELPALZI COMMANDER ALRET IS DEAD, COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY MAELSHYVE! His assassins lie dead as well, their souls on the Starry Road! We may finally rest easily knowing that the rebel Elpalzi, who have plagued us since the beginning of 409, are broken, leaderless and without a Keep. Lord Grigoire called everyone to action with few formalities at DiSilveron manor. Our beloved Prince Belirendrick led the charge into battle, while many stayed behind with the sage Trethom in order to enact the necessary entry ritual. The Ritual As the prince's unit moved up the Northern Trade Route and into Sorrow's Reach, Trethom led all those willing into the manor, disbursing crystal amulets. As Ovorion told me, "The Sage invoked the Moonlight; we all rubbed our amulets at his command. When he beseeched the starlight, we tapped at his command." Marcul added, "The amount of Lunar mana flowing through that place was enormous." Ovorion went on to explain that he felt a mental intrusion during the ritual, an "awful sensation" that he attributed to Elpalzi mind-probing. When that happened, those present pushed the amulet to effect a kind of pushing from their minds. At the end, Ovorion felt a "tugging sensation" and then blacked out briefly, awakening to hear Trethom declaring the ritual a success. Trethom was clearly taxed from the event, as shortly after he was led away by guardsmen, leaning heavily on them. The Assault When the fighting force arrived at the portal in Sorrow's Reach, Prince Belirendrick raised a sphere toward the blockade. A silent but palpable wave of energy rushed through the area, washing away the blockade completely and revealing a cavern mouth. At this point the prince urged us to split into separate fighting groups, which we did, led by Mazrian, Sir Kenamer, Councillor Aislynn, Prince Belirendrick, and possibly others I was not able to discern. We entered the Keep in our groups and immediately encountered the enemy. Faced with numerous Elpalzi in tight quarters, at times it was almost impossible to hide or retreat. The difficulty of the fight was evident as bodies piled up, brave Empaths and Clerics like Alephisa and Bryanny huddled just outside to create a field hospital. Healers such as Karthor and Qiyan braved the field to relieve battered combatants. Noble Paladins such as Sir Sebestyen and Dame Isharon acted as a bulwark against the brunt of the attacks, while fighters such as Rmel and Rizitel hammered the enemy with blows. There are too many brave friends of Zoluren to list fully here. Others I found scouted the Keep individually, such as Elec and Hanryu. I found Elec resting calmly in the Interrogation room, and Hanryu later shared with me the documents and map he was able to procure from the Elpalzi stronghold. During the fighting we also felt the souls of Elpalzi assassins Tengh and Zayerg walk the Starry Road. I was unable to obtain statements from any present at their deaths, but we rejoice all the same. The Prisoner Rescue While the other group leaders led in fighting the Elpalzi, the group led by Councillor Aislynn, which I saw to be formed of the Councillor, Klines, Perune, Heartsfyre, Fariden, and possibly others, made their way to the prison cells. Klines told me that Iazen was waiting for them there, having already readied the other prisoners to move. Aislynn's group escorted them all out, defending them as they went, until they reached a point of safety where Klines could gate them back to DiSilveron manor. Klines said, "As we all arrived, Lord Grigoire was there to greet us. Shortly thereafter medics emerged from the Manor and took charge of the prisoners and saw them through the gate." Perune added that there were only a small handful of prisoners remaining. He claimed that Iazen reported all other prisoners had perished before the assault. The Battle with Alret Finally, the fighting force pushed through the Keep toward Alret's war room. There we found a barricaded door, which Lord Grigoire bid us break down. Many took weapons to the door, shredding it until we were allowed passage. Inside we found Alret in front of a crumbling sacrificial altar. We struck him down easily in a brutal attack en masse. Twice, however, he rose again. The three killing blows were struck by Somniumvisum, Mazrian, and Hammerfist. Alret wore an amulet shaped like eye around his neck, which emitted a sickly green glow, and during the fighting it began to glow even brighter. He grasped it and began calling out to Maelshyve to destroy his enemies. In his mix of Elpalzi and Common, I was able to make out promises of fealty from the entire Elpalzi race, and of bloody offerings to the demon, interspersed with boasts of how his power and prowess could aid her. However, as he fell for the third time, I heard a booming voice: "I seek no servants, I need no worshipers, I am that I am -- behold my children as they lay waste to all!" Soon after, inky black tentacles shot out of the amulet and entwined Alret's body in a barbed embrace. Mere seconds later, they wrenched away violently, pulling with them tattered pieces of ethereal matter as they retracted into the artifact. His corpse decayed then with alarming efficiency, leaving no trace of him behind, and we all felt that his soul was consumed by Maelshyve! However, just then, we were attacked by Maelshyvean hierophants and cinder beasts, and to my dismay I saw a shadowy, amorphous creature — which we would later come to call a maeldryth — snatch up the amulet in one of its many inky black tentacles. The Sealing, and the Battle with Demonspawn We fought for a short time until Lord Grigoire gave the order to fall back so that the Clerical troops could seal in the demonspawn. I noticed after exiting that the portal now crackled with Holy energy, so I can only presume that they finished their job. At this point, Prince Belirendrick ordered us back to the Crossing, as it was overrun with more of the demon's minions. Of particular note, the maeldryths we found there would immobilize and curse our fighters, and the only way we found to dispel them was with the Uncurse spell. Once this was known, our fighters cleared the streets with alacrity, until the city was safe once more. Well fought, Zoluren. Today we have vanquished our enemy! We look forward to peace talks with those Elpalzi friendly to us, and to uncovering the location of the foul amulet so it may be destroyed. But for now, rest and relax. It is a time to celebrate our accomplishment! By my hand, Navesi Daerthon Editor in Chief, The First Land Herald

Real Date: Unknown Date

Subject(s): Alret Belirendrick IV Crossing DiSilveron Manor Elpalzi Grigoire Iazen Maeldryth Maelshyve Northern Trade Route Sorrow's Reach Starry Road (plane) Tengh Trethom Zayerg Zoluren

Author(s): Navesi