22-3-1102 YAC
“We’ve got company!”
Ignoring warning shots from Sky Federation vessels on picket duty the Alician Confederacy has sent a flotilla of 19 sky galleons and 1 sidewheeler to enter or cross the Dreadsea, on a course that will take them to Rockport. The High Council of Chivalry has sent a small group of Knights in a Council skyship to reason with the Admiral of the Alician "punitive force".
In related news, all federation vessels in the Dreadsea theatre are now on yellow alert. All leave has been cancelled in the Sky Federation.
An Unexptected Visitor.
In the cloudy skies of Rockport a tropical low develops out of nowhere, blowing down small trees and throwing rain everywhere. The surging seas around the island realm grow ever fiercer.
Suddenly the sky is split and a huge shadow falls over Rockport City. SFV-3009 "Waterstone's Shard" has arrived with its support ships and Aerofighter squadrons.
Rear Admiral Nechefskil, c-in-c Rockport taskforce:
"We stand ready to act on the Queen's standing orders in relation to Alicia and her vessels. Any intrusion into a protectorate or international waters with hostile intent will occasion the use of all the force at our disposal.
Aerofighters swarm the skies of Rockport, their shapes resembling butterflies, beetles, birds or bats. Shaggies in their apparently crude gliders and windracers swoop and hover over the adjoining seas as the weather calms back down after the mysterious appearance of the Waterstone's Shard battlegroup.
23-3-1102 YAC
End to the Rockport Incident.
The High Council of Chivalry has attacked the Alician fleet, destroying it. The Knights involved are believed to have perished, but at the cost to the Alicians of all ships comprising their "punitive fleet". Elements of the Waterstone's Shard battlegroup are now combing the sea near the Shallow Sea and Stormshell City to try and find survivors. So far they have recovered the body of Admiral Travis and some of his marines and sailors, but no-one from the knights' vessel.
Alicia has declared the HCOC a criminal organisation and has declared war on it, stating that they are "adventurers hell-bent on supporting pirate realms like Rockport and the Sky Federation."
The HCOC has disavowed the actions of its knights, claiming that they were rogues and renegades.
The imminent danger to Rockport past, Waterstone's Shard portals out of the Dreadsea, leaving behind elements of its battlegroup including an Oceania-class skybase which will permanently hover at 5,160 feet 7 miles due south of Rockport. The Sky Federation has sent a communiqué to the Alicians protesting their military action and threatening them with war if there is any repetition. The High Council of Chivalry has stated that it cannot support the actions of its Knights who attacked the Alician fleet; accordingly their escutcheons will be cast out of the skycastle of the HCOC and their orders or authorities disbanded.
This serious step has already attracted criticism from both the Free Realms and the Sky Federation who believe that such harsh punishment is unwarranted. the HCOC do not care as to what others say, they feel obliged to maintain their extremely high moral and ethical codes so that the organisation as a whole is not brought into disrepute. The dead knights include Lady Jowgla of Opal City, a recent addition to the HCOC and the only current member from the Monster Duchies.
Lord Rock has expressed his eternal gratitude to the knights for their sacrifice in defence of Rockport and the Free Realms.
OLD NEWS FILES
Victory over the Dedite Empire. At long last the war has been won. Although dangers remain, the tyrant is dead, and his empire defeated.
News Update. Possible ejection the Eastern Empire from Free Realms. War In The Air situation as of end of 10month.
Victory in the West versus the Dedites. Epic battles have been fought in the West versus the Dedite forces. The Eastern Empire splits in two. Comments on the self-destructive Free Realms policies.
By Eregorian Many-Skins, Chief Herald of the High Council of Chivalry, Mayor of the Palace of Rockport.
Dragonflight Terror Attacks. The Dedites have sent out flights of dragons to attack and terrorise the nations opposing them in the war. What the conservatives in the Free Realms may note is that the Dedites did not distinguish between the Free Realms and the Sky Federation, but attacked and murdered all equally. A memorial service was held in Rockport for the victims. The service was presides over by the Priestesses of the Triple Goddess. Lord Rock addressed the island community at the conclusion of the serivce. Memorial Address.
THE EREGORIAN REPORT
Eregorian the Bard is the Mayor of Rockport as well as the Herald of the High Council of Chivalry.
X-Patrol and the King of Diamonds have set off to battle slavers and worse in the souther oceans. It seems like someone has started up the dark practices of the eleventh century, stealing innocent nonhumans to slave them in Alicia, the new and disreputable realm in the Breezesail central deserts.
Lord Rock has undertaken to complete three honourable tasks to purge the stain on his character from his dispute with the King of Diamonds. Showing good judgment, Lord Rock has begun this humbling duty immediately. Should he fail Rockport will be destroyed by a volcanic explosion.
Eregorian has been honoured for inspiring the Free Realms armies to glory at the Battle of Rockport. "Without his efforts, we would have lost that battle and possibly the war," said the Eastern Empress, a sentiment heartily endorsed by most of the Free Realms rulers. Eregorian will now be the subject of a bronze statue in the foyer of the Free Realms Truce Palace.
High Council of Chivalry vows to protect freedom of Forest Kingdoms - the High Council of Chivalry have declared that they will be defending to the death the Forest Kingdom citizens once the war to liberate the land from the Dedites has ended successfully. Members of all the chivalry orders that are part of the High Council are already in or at the borders of the Forest Kingdom fighting the good fight.