Following rumours of blood sacrifice north of Mythtropolis, this reporter uncovered a band of rogues posing as undead, a mechanical menace from another plane of existence and a band of evil berserk druids.
Recent reports indicated that a human sacrifice was to be performed by an outlaw cult of druids to celebrate the recent defeat of M’wandah. The sacrifice was believed to be taking place in the Ghostwoods, a forested area north of Mythtropolis at a local feature known as the Shattered Tree. Deciding to investigate further, I followed the trail of clues to the forest.
After making my way upriver, I found myself entering the Ghostwoods, being warned by the locals that the forest was a dangerous place, a proposition I was soon to discover for myself. Upon journeying through the forest, I found myself in a clearing, being attacked by what appeared to be harpies and woodlands rhinos. It soon became clear that what was attacking those who happened upon this wood was a gang of criminals known as the Haunted House Gang, a notorious collective who have a history of faking supernatural occurrences in order to rob and kill passers by.
Also in the woods were a couple of young adventurers: Pavaney Kasparov, mighty half-elven champion on a mission of honour for the elven council, and the beautiful young enchantress Thrella D’Bloomfield, searching for her uncle, rumoured to be the intended human sacrifice. About in the woods too were members of the militia’s own metahumans, Knightwatch, also come to put a stop to the bloody ritual. Present on this mission were Vanguard, the armoured defender, Garland the Knight of the Blue Moon and Steeplejack.
After a brief but dangerous skirmish, the rogues who initially attacked were captured, and their plot revealed. It seems that they were working for a Brazen Head, a mechanical intelligence from another reality, called Boss. Boss is believed to have last been heard of running the village of Milbourne before being defeated in an early adventure of the Silver Knot. Boss had been searching for an artifact of great power known as the Zonelore. Having found the Zonelore and added it to his body, Boss was now seeking a state of ‘perfection’. In the meantime, he was summoning demons and creatures from beyond to protect his secrets.
The band who were caught up in the battle found their way into the underground lair of the villains, and after another battle, this time involving a bone demon, the Haunted House Gang were defeated, and only Boss remained. A swift kick by Garland to the mechanical heart of the evil device soon rendered it inoperative, whereupon we found the proposed human sacrifice, Laggo Driftwood, a prisoner of the gang.
Mr Driftwood, a local wizard, had apparently been captured by the Bloodthorn Druids to be sacrificed, only to then be captured by the Haunted House gang for reasons unknown.
After rounding up the remaining Haunted House Gang, the Knightwatch pressed on in order to round up the Bloodthorn Druids now deemed to be an organisation that trafficked in human sacrifice and blood rituals illegal within Haranlarche. The information received from the gang members was that the Bloodthorns worshipped a daemon known as the Cackler.
As the band made its way towards the Shattered Tree, we were attacked by the druids and their acolytes. The evil cult worked themselves up into a berserk fighting frenzy, but were no match for the combined might of Knightwatch, Thrella and Pavaney. The cult members were all killed and their evil daemon banished from the plane. The party then entered the Shattered Tree in order to ensure that all the present danger was dispelled. After this was done, the Knightwatch returned to their duties, while the heroic young adventurers, Pavaney and Thrella, accompanied by Thrella’s uncle, returned to the village of Bloomfield.
The Haunted House Gang members are expected to face charges of assault, affray and robbery in the next few days.
The Eistedfodd of Haranlarche commenced yesterday, welcomed by the cities best and brightest. After the recent depredations of M’wandah on the bardic and druidic communities of Haranlarche, the atmosphere at the festival was a mixture of joy and melancholy.
Present to help start the Eistedfodd was Ellonn, highest of the kingdom’s surviving druids. “This marvellous celebration will showcase the survival of the chosen,” he said to the rousing cheers of his fellow druids and bards. He then added “It is a true demonstration the triumph of the human spirit.”
Also providing an official speech was Polfern, High Bard and Chief Herald of Haranlarche. “In the name of King Pelops and of the people of Haranlarche, I implore you all to go forth and heal this land,” he told the crowd in a voice filled with passion. “Fill it full of life and stories again.”
The opening ceremony consisted of a solemn singing of the lists of the fallen, those bards and druids who fell to the blight of M’Wandah. The mood was then lightened by a demonstration of tumbling from a Karameikan troupe of acrobats, followed by a bawdy retelling of the history of the kingdom. The formalities ended with traditional druid purification rite.
In town for the celebrations was Allannon the Heirophant, accompanied by his wife Midani and his ward, the minotaur Drax the Dragonslayer, fresh from his part in the defeat of Ragnarok. “After the trying times that M’wandah brought to the world, it does me a power of good to see the next generation of druids and bards display their skills,” he commented. “It fills my heart with joy for the future.”
Visiting from the lands away to the east was Diexus, official chanticler and Battle Bard of the Eastern Empire, present to give his blessing to those assembled. “All present should rejoice in this re-establishment of a great and wonderful tradition,” he said in an interview. “There is much knowledge that needs to be regained, that all who follow in the traditions of the teller of stories need to pass. Your neighbours harbour much that was yours, you must learn from them your ways and tales.”
Providing much of the backdrop to the Eistedfodd were the Bards of Whitemere, led by Lady Agatha, vicountess of Whitemere and daughter of the legendary Sard the Bard. It is thanks largely to the Whitemerans that bards are again able to learn their craft, as it was Whitemere which preserved the knowledge during the trials of M’wandah. “It was our pleasure to help Haranlarche revitalise its ancient ways and traditions once more,” said Lady Agatha. “A great injustice can now be rectified.”
The competition starts in earnest today.
