The First Land Herald/438-10-02

Article Number: 61

Dateline: 438-10-02

FINAL PREPARATIONS MADE TO ASSAULT BASALT ISLE Recently, Commodore Khoheke Moglin invited all allies to meet on Ratha and discuss the plans for assaulting Basalt Isle, home of the Lich Jeihrem, may his innards boil and fizzle through his pores. Considering the clear presence of spies for the other side at this meeting, I will dispense with concealing our plans and lay them out in full here, save a few details kept among us outside of this meeting. The Coalition Against the Lich, which consists of adventurers of all stripes, stands united with Houses Zsikiel, Lisska'Vran, Redthorne, Tierskel, and Dne of Ratha, as well as Therengia, Zoluren, and Ilithi. "The sea's most formidable pirate [is] removed from the field and [there is] a clear line of attack to Jeihrem's isle, with a holy weapon that works," said Sir Khoheke. We will make landfall upon Basalt Isle, with a first priority "to establish a safe beachhead and [consecrate] an altar to which departed heroes can return. The remaining fleet will provide offshore support, with the Oshu'k'et(Fire Spirit) specially equipped for the mission." "We will not underestimate our foe. Scouts have evaluated the area and identified ideal locations for establishing firing positions on the valley and the manor. [After securing the beachhead and altar], we will then proceed to the manor and take the fight to Jeihrem himself, and if all goes according to plan, destroy him with the holy weapon." "You will be called upon to contribute to the fight in several ways: fighting those that defend the isle, and perhaps more importantly, by directing the assembled weaponry that we will bring. Once a base of operations is established, we will have need of Empaths and Clerics to support the wounded and fallen, though it is also likely that Empaths will be needed on the field of battle. Warrior Mages will be needed to facilitate some of the ballistae, as they are magical in nature. When the time is right, Paladins will need to aid me in readying the holy weapon." He later clarified that only Paladins will be needed for the holy weapon, and of them, only those with pristine souls. Zauldin was unwilling to give more detail than that, except to give assurances, by the Temple, that it works. Sir Khoheke said, "The sanctity of the Paladin's soul acts as an important bulwark of Order. It is that which we need, specifically." "We have no illusions that this will be easy. Some of our scouts did not return, or returned to us mad, with pieces missing. The isle is preparing its own defenses, and its allies are prepared to fight us for every span of territory gained. We should expect the worst. If you have any ideas or are in possession of any intelligence, please let us know." "We have enlisted additional aid still in the form of a graciously donated airship, financed by Uroi Odalva. The Blipzerg Brothers' craft, the Aloof Gannet, is a marvel of modern engineering, and will aid us in securing the skies and providing a bird's eye view of the battle." Relevant to the plans, I should note that the ogre Kauga, originally first mate to Dread Pirate Srinoja, was captured by the Red Sash after the Naval Battle of Basalt Isle, but freed by adventurers and recaptured by Rathan authorities. He currently awaits trial in a Rathan jail. Saragos and Dantia put forward the idea that Kauga may prove useful as a kraken hunter, by destroying the undead kraken in the same manner that he killed it originally. The Commodore replied with some concerns, but said, "Nonetheless, we are willing to give him a chance to deploy his impressive skillset in battle with the kraken. Should he prove useful and reliable in that endeavor, that fact would certainly be of relevance to the court. Should he not -- as you say, the sea may take care of that. If he betrays us, he will be executed." Mother Whiteburn added that she and others of the Clergy have prepared an auxiliary proposal for dealing with the kraken, involving ensnaring it with specially prepared harpoons and performing a war ritual to Drogor. This way, if Kauga should refuse, fail, or betray us, we will still have a chance to remove the beast from the board. As of this date, the Paladins have decided to place Sir Vanzok and Sir Brisknite in charge of the coordination and defense of the holy weapon. Mazrian, Saragos, and Ayrell are recruiting Warrior Mages to work the ballistae, and Ezerak and I are recruiting Bards in the case that they too can work the ballistae or defend the airship with song. Dantia and Kaelie are preparing to gather those interested in triage. If you are interested in any of the above roles, please seek out the mentioned people. Of significant note, Mazrian was able to send his lynx, Jinx, to observe the meeting of the enemy, where the odious Mysteriarch Sivroch debriefed the Profane Necromancers, those beyond all compassion and reason. From his report, it is clear that the enemy is aware of our movements and our holy weapon, though she made light of it, then said, "They have not seen our own fire, and must be reminded." She seemed unconcerned that an altar might be consecrated upon the isle, saying, "Such a presence on this isle would almost be a boon to us, the close access to such a being." She also confirmed that the kraken is being rebuilt, and that it is "not the only one of [Jeihrem's] toys." Furthermore, she claimed that, "The barriers between have thinned, and They [presumably Demons] move more freely. Our enemies do not know our wondrous purpose, and aimlessly lay waste their fleets in petty squabbles, flooding our domain with flesh for the shaping. Some of the space have thinned recently. You will see shortly... They will be gathered and petitioned in the defense of the isle. And you will be bent towards helping empower them." Perhaps most shockingly, Sivroch revealed that Srinoja was completely transformed in her service to Demons. I have only Mazrian's description to go by, so I am unable to complete an artistic rendering, but from what he says, it may be futile anyway. What remains of her is merely an amorphous shadow, grotesquely representing the one who looks upon it in a sea of reflections, twisting with tendrils and set with a pair of large, fuliginous wings. Sivroch mentioned that she now fuels the "dream eater," whose name I will not give power by writing on this page. Still, it is the first I have heard of a specific Demon named so by our enemies. So it must be that these Demons are individuals, and they are worshipped like cruel inversions of our blessed Immortals. With regard to mainland defense, I should strongly caution that just because our forces will be meeting the Lich's at Basalt Isle does not mean that he does not have his tendrils firmly wrapped around the mainland. As we saw with the cursed taint we found in the catacombs of the Crossing (see the Herald articles from 438-01-15 and 438-04-34), he can work from afar. I reached out to each of the militant or protective Orders in the five provinces, and here is what they had to say about defending our homes in case they should be assaulted: Order of the Apostles (Zoluren) Speaker Ayliana said, "While we do not submit our plans into a publication for them to be read for the enemies of tomorrow, be them the Necromancer Collaborators from the provinces, or the Necromancers from the Basalt Isle, we do invite you to approach myself, Zynell, or Souv to assist with defending Zoluren in the event that the diplomatic incidents provoke hostilities aimed at River Crossing and surrounding areas." Order of the Black Fox (Zoluren) Speaker Kaelie said, "Even as I am the Speaker for the Order, I act of my own accord in this particular battle. I never ask the members to choose my side, only act in a way that would make Zoluren proud." Order of the Dragon Shield (Therengia) Vice Speaker Zalinyar said, "In the event the battle shall reach our shores, the Order of the Dragon Shield will be setting up a local triage unit and defense team. Triage will be based at the Riverhaven Temple, and those wishing to help defend or tend to the injured can sign up (in advance) for duty by contacting Vice Speaker Zalinyar or Councilwoman Aislynn. We will be recruiting Empaths, Clerics, Moon Mages, as well as fighters. Those who do wish to volunteer service should come prepared for battle and be ready to move if called upon." Order of the Theren Guard (Therengia) Recruiting Officer Gorteous said, "The Theren Guard is prepared to defend the citizens of Therengia, the Theren Keep, and respond to any directions conveyed by Baron Gyfford, Marshal Amlach, and/or Court Advisor Aaiyaah. In the event of an assault on the city of Theren or the surrounding area, citizens and those that wish to aid in the battle may wish to communicate with either Strike Force Lieutenant Falcrain or Triage Lieutenant Szarevar to coordinate their efforts." Court Mage Miskton of Ilithi said, "In the event that [Ilithi] comes under attack, I would remind people that we have a dedicated triage facility in Shard, just south of the eastern gate. If that facility should become compromised, I would expect backup triage locations to be announced on an as needed basis, for security reasons. We also appreciate all those who come to provide aid when the call for help is put out, but for anyone who wants to make a particular point of protecting Ilithi, I encourage you to reach out to me. Having a list of people who are specifically interested in helping Ilithi's defense could be useful in future times of danger." Order of the Iron Circle (Qi) Speaker Alymast said, "Any and all who seek safe passage, in and around the islands, will be afforded our best level of care as long as their intentions are pure. We will not harbor any Necromancers, nor are they welcome on our islands. Any who need assistance with triage or an evacuation from the islands can reach out to any IC members and we will do our best. Keep your blades sharp and your wits sharper." I know of no official Orders or contacts from Forfedhdar, but should any wish to come forward and speak to me, I will make every effort to relay your words at future meetings. I interviewed Soul Surgeon Zynell about ways to prepare for battle, something she has been working at extensively. She suggested, favor-wise, "a blanket minimum would be 30," mentioning that such is important for retaining knowledge of scroll spells, and notified me that the Order of the Apostles is hosting a discussion on favors and why there's more to them than "just get more" [August 5th, 8pm EDT, at the Apostles Headquarters]. She also pointed out that holy water can be obtained in the Crossing Cleric Guild, in the lunat vats in the courtyard, just through the arched door. Zynell will also be making holy water readily available on picnic cloths in the Crossing during the assault. I remind the reader that holy water may be necessary as it was the only remedy against the Lich's foul ichorous attack, accomplished by rubbing the holy water on the person under threat. Holy water may also be gathered in many locations throughout the provinces, including but not limited to the Riverhaven Temple pool, Shard's Temple of Light fountain, the Aesry Surlaenis'a graveyard fountain, and Forfedhdar's Cleric Guild cisterns. Be sure to buy a chalice or vessel from your local Cleric shop and fill it with the holy water multiple times, counting to make sure you have enough. Zynell does not recommend filling to the full 60 parts as this is quite heavy. Ultimately, when the Oshu'k'et is ready to sail again, so will we bring this fight to the Lich and his cronies. They are prepared, they have defenses, and they have Demons. We have righteous will. We will -- we must -- prevail. In the name of the Immortals, Navesi Daerthon True Bard, Zoluren's Herald Editor in Chief, the First Land Herald

Real Date: 7/16/21

Subject(s): Aloof Gannet Amlach Basalt Basalt Isle Blipzerg Brothers Wildlife Tours Coalition Against the Lich Crossing High Temple Gyfford House Dne House Lisska'Vran House Moglin House Odalva House Redthorne House Tierskel House Zsikiel Ilithi Jeihrem Kauga Khoheke Order of the Apostles Order of the Black Fox Order of the Dragon Shield Order of the Iron Circle Order of the Theren Guard Orryville Ratha Red Sash Sivroch Srinoja Therengia Uroi Zauldin Zoluren

Author(s): Navesi