BNN: Strange Occurences Across the Realm - Guards Remain Unresponsive
Clayton Trembell January 15, 2000
A rancher from Yew – “I awoke and went to feed muh animals jus’ like any other morn. But one step outside, and I saw the gate to muh fence was as open as the wide blue sky. Muh animals were gallivantin’ all over the place, screechin’ and hollerin’ like the world was ‘bout to end.
Well, I was madder than a polar bear trapped behind a wooden box and threw muh favorite straw hat on the ground to stomp it flat. But that’s when I saw a whole herd… or flock… or whatever they call it… of mongbats in muh fenced yard. They was busy feasting on the corpse of one o’ muh poor cows and hadn’t noticed me.
I turned tail as fast as a rabbit from a youngster with a new sword and hitched it on over to the closest guard post. Oh sure, I can stomp pure fury on a straw hat, but when it comes to something wild that’s gonna fight back… well, I’d just rather let the professionals step in.
Once I got to the guard post, though, all them guards were in there just sleepin’ or something. I whooped and hollered as loud as I was able, but they merely glared at me and ignored my pleas for help. Disheartened, I walked back to muh ranch wondering what to do. Luckily once I got there, them mongbats was gone. I was able to round up most of muh critters though a few of ‘em did disappeared. No sign of ‘em since. Plus the remains of one of muh best cows… poor dear.
I heard of the same thing all over the area most of the day. Can’t help but wonder why mongbats are suddenly comin’ into Yew like that. One or two isn’t unusual, but seems like a lot more of ‘em all the sudden. I’ve a feeling I’d best make sure the house is properly secure in case more show up.”
A beggar from Vesper – “I’ve lived on the streets in Vesper for a long time now. Sure people look down on me and my chosen career, but it’s not a bad life. A little cold some times, but I rarely go hungry. And I have no fear of anyone trying to rob me seeing as I have nothing for them to take.
So anyway, I tend to know what’s going on around Vesper, just because I have little else to do when not working but eavesdrop on other people. Ye can learn some interesting things that way, trust me.
I began to hear a lot about trolls wandering into Vesper. We’ve had our trouble with trolls before, no doubt. It usually blows over after our guards give them a whack on the nose with their swords or halberds. So I took note of this news, but was not truly concerned. Yet.
Then I began to hear more and more that none of the guards were confronting our troll visitors. People were banding together and fighting the trolls on their own, but not a single guard had done a thing to help.
I started to get concerned. Don’t get me wrong; I’ve nothing against trolls in general. But they tend to not only not give much in the way of gold to beggars but also make it difficult to find a safe place to sleep, what with their tendency to try and kill any humans they come across.
As if that was not enough, I then began to hear that offensive magic is somehow working in town again. That is every beggars’ nightmare! Who better for all those up and coming mages to practice on? Why beggars, of course! Beggars have nothing to do and won’t be going anywhere. Nice and easy targets. Youch!
Looks like I may have to get some use from the education my parents spent so much time and gold on and get a job.”
A miner from Cove – “We’re used to constant trouble from orcs. They have a big fort just on the other side of the mountain. But at least they rarely venture into the town itself. So when all these headless began to appear within our city walls, we began to worry.
My family has mined for iron in Cove for many a year. We’ve had little trouble and most of even that has come from bandits and thieves. But headless… I can’t work under constant threat like this. My nerves are completely frayed. As soon as we begin to think they’re gone, more headless appear. I nearly jumped clear out of my tunic one time when I thought I heard a headless chittering right behind me. Luckily it was just a torch rolling across the floor, but I nearly had a heart attack anyway.
And to make matters worse, the guards have not lifted a finger to help. I’ve seen other miners pay some warriors to protect them and fight the headless, but the guard have remained all cozy in their posts not doing a thing.
This is just too much. Maybe I’ll take up knitting and move to Britain.” **Sighs**
A paladin from Trinsic – “Zombies, skeletons, ghouls… if I don’t have to wipe their putrid ichor from my sword again in a long time, I will be a very happy lady. Seems hardly a month goes by without some sort of undead uprising around here.
As usual, the city guards are of little use, but the noble Paladins of Trinsic have long known that the true protection of our city falls squarely upon our shoulders. This is an obligation we accept willingly and gladly. As yet, no foe has managed to truly overrun our walls successfully. We’ve had our setbacks, but have always managed to regroup and free Trinsic from those who wish to tarnish our city’s honor and freedom.
We’ve also gained an unexpected boon in the form of the use of magic against these latest attacks. Mages who have allied themselves to our cause have found their spells fully functioning within the city walls, which has greatly aided in fending off the twisted mockeries of life that again assault us. As they fling balls of fire toward our foes and help our healers tend to our wounded, we’ve managed to easily crush the undead we’ve so far encountered.
But I fear these minor skirmishes are but the beginning. I suspect we will need all of the help our mages can muster. Perhaps they can even find away to bring our city guards back to life.