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MASTERBONE THREATENS MIRRORMANE (AGAIN)
Dateline: 23-
One of the most feared of all monsters in Bereny, the notorious Masterbone, has again threatened destruction upon adventurers in Mirrormane dungeon.
There are few who have seen the Masterbone and lived to speak of it as the monster is said to be magically rendered invisible much of the time, but those who have describe a fearsome apparition resembling a bipedal skeletal dragon, wielding a glowing magic sword in each hand.
A hollow spectral voice that boomed out across the dungeon courtyard yesterday announced
“Brave but foolish adventurers in Mirrormane courtyard -
It is not the first time that Masterbone has launched attacks against the courtyard at Mirrormane in an attempt to drive all surface races from a Dungeon it considers its own, and the monster has also made determined attempts to slay the Reagent, Dirk Steadfast, in the past.
It is not yet clear exactly how (or indeed if) the creature’s threats are being realised, but Crown authorities are said to have strengthened the courtyard’s protective magics in preparation for an expected attack.
CROWN COMMISSION REPORTS ON ‘MASSIVE WEAPON OF DESTRUCTION’
Dateline: 28-
The Crown Commission established by the Regent in the aftermath of the destruction of Meadowbrook by the invading Goblin army of King Slime, has reported their findings on the ‘Massive Weapon of Destruction’ used by the Goblins. The weapon, technically known as a ‘cannon’, was captured by an elite combat team from the Walkers on the Edge lead by Priest of the Six Father Jack, shortly after Meadowbrook was destroyed.
A statement from the Regent was delivered with the report, reading “The efforts of the Walkers in investigating this accursed cannon, which has cost us so dearly already, are greatly appreciated. The Crown has placed its full weight behind research efforts to investigate this device. I therefore asked the Royal Mages to convene a committee of the most learned individuals in the land to study it.”
The Commission included such notable experts as Friar John of The Great Library, Baron Solas of the IGW, Archmage Sylvester of The Assembly, Gimli Ruddle of the Runeforge, and Tarek Bonemaster of The Black Tower.
The ‘cannon’ is described as being a strange and terrible device, weighing as much as a small house, which does not have the look of being a goblin artefact. Its ‘barrel’ is covered in weird runes. As it was too large to be physically removed from the battle site, the committee focused primarily on copies of the runes made by Father Jack.
Some commentators immediately directed suspicion against the Province of Derwent as being responsible for the Weapon, although a spokesperson for that nation, Diplomatic Envoy Sybil Malgrave Riven, strongly protested their innocence. “What a shame that there are still bigots willing to judge without evidence, to slur our names without the application of a shred of logic,” the Envoy said.
The Royal Commission has been unable to shed much further understanding on things however. “Investigations of the cannon reveal nothing further than what has been already seen, despite careful and expert analysis. The runes are not obviously identifiable as anything known. They are certainly not Derwentian arcane runes, or any Derwentian dialect, nor do they appear to be demonic, entropic or magical runes,” their report concluded.
ROYAL ARMY SAVES ESTATE FROM DRAGON RAMPAGE
Dateline: 14-
Units of the Royal Army have intervened to save the inhabitants of the Summer Ward estate of Bastya Szabadka from the ravages of a Summer Dragon which devastated the area, and threatened the lives of many unfortunate villagers and farmers.
Witnesses described how the huge dragon first annihilated a unit of the Royal Army, the 3rd Lionel Infantry, which was patrolling the area, then attacked the estate castle, spewing gouts of fire in all directions and slaying a Valley Giant in the employ of the Estate authorities. When it then turned its attention towards the village of Zombolia, the Estate Lord, Baron Varga Toth, intervened in an attempt to distract it.
In a vivid account of events, the Baron described how in woodlands near the village,
he blundered right into the fire-
But the Baron was saved from almost certain death by the arrival of two more units of the Royal Army, which had hastened to the scene to avenge their fallen comrades. “Suddenly it seemed as though a cloud had moved to block the sun ... as if a large flock of birds were crashing into the massive form of the dragon. Then I saw they were arrows!”
As the Royal Archers continued to shoot arrows at the monster, the second unit of
Royal Lancers charged in to deal a fatal blow. Miraculously, although destruction
of property has been extensive, civilian casualties seem to have been light, although
a number of villagers have sustained severe but non-
"May the Gods of Light ever bless the Crown of Bereny and its Royal Army,” Baron Varga Toth said afterwards. “Once I have my estate back into order, I intend to repay my debt to the Crown by doing my part to deal death to the goblins who have dared invade the Kingdom.”
TERROR FROM ABOVE: GOBLINS UNLEASH ‘FLYING CASTLE’
Dateline: 15-
The riddle of how the goblin invasion force has penetrated so deeply and quickly into the heartland of the Kingdom, effortlessly bypassing the Royal Army’s border defences, has been revealed. The Goblins are employing a form of massive flying artefact capable of carrying their invading armies high above the clouds of Bereny and then descending from the skies onto the unsuspecting land below.
An eyewitness, Harpo, who saw the Goblin ‘flying castle’ on the Great North Road
near Meadowbrook, described it. “An immense flying structure -
A similar construct has been reported disgorging goblin troops near Poldoon by the BAR Commander there, Baroness Farissa de’Torfane, who is said to have requested urgent support from Royal Army Commander General MacMahon to deal with the threat. Whether this is the same ‘Flying castle’ or whether the goblins have more than one of them is unclear, although it seems entirely likely that such a contraption could move itself rapidly from Meadowbrook to Poldoon.
It is feared that with no means to counter such flying edifaces, no part of Bereny is safe from the terror of the Goblins. The Regent has called for all those with access to the skies to search the north for any more ‘flying castles’. Abbott Christian DeBarbarac of Lichtenstein Abbey in Home Ward, one of Bereny’s foremost breeders of Wyverns, has offered to donate eight wyvern eggs to the war effort to assist with this.
Several commentators have questioned how the goblins could have mastered such advanced
mechanical technology -
SHADOWY MONSTER ON THE PROWL NEAR ICEHAUNT
Dateline: 18-
There are reports of a shadowy form, possibly some powerful undead monster, on the prowl in the countryside around Icehaunt. Known as The Shadowbuilder, the entity is said to be of elven appearance. “I suspect he wandered out from the nearby monster dungeon,” said one eyewitness, Tabby. “I know there are other problems in the kingdom at the moment, but I am almost dead so this is kind of important to me. So it would be great if there were some patrols around or something that could help cover my escape.”