The Chronicle, Feb/Mar 1210

Travance Chronicle , Feb./Mar. 1210
Collected by Portia Rom
"All the news that's fit to print."

Note: Apologies for the tardiness and somewhat haphazard nature of this Chronicle. Matters beyond my control prevented more prompt publication.


Scores Dead As Plague Hits Travance

A plague ripped through Travance during the March Baronial feast, leaving death in its wake.  According to witnesses in town during the epidemic, those infected with the plague went through four stages, each one lasting six hours. During the first, citizens began to feel ill and cough, next, they began coughing up blood, then came a period of contagiousness, followed by the fourth stage, death and un-dead-like reanimation.

According to Dr. Maxwell, the cause of the plague was unknown, although it was “likely related to the sickness that almost destroyed the world just prior to the start of this age.”

For that reason, in order to cure the plague, the town had to journey to an alternate reality/time in order to obtain a fragment of the artifact that ended the plague long ago.

In order to open a portal to the new reality, Travance needed an ice rose and a fire thorn. Luckily, a new tribe of Celts, called the Hybernians, who hail from the Highlands on this side of the rift, came to the town’s aid. Not only did they lead the town to a Yeti who had an ice rose, but one of the Hybernians graciously gave a fire thorn, the root of a corrupted treant, to the town in exchange for a promise to help his lady if she became ill.

As Brik put it, “As far as I know the portal was opened by Vardemus Worthington, who apparently hasn’t been in Travance for a really long time but he’s like famous something.”

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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
Cecil Summons Healers
Cecil respectfully requests that healers in Travance stay vigilant and keep an eye out for Galmachian rituals being performed in the Proper.  for your own safety please notify the nobility immediately as well as Cecil (the man with the green glowing staff)
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Galmachians Plot To Destroy Focus

A band of Galmachians attempted, with some success, to attack the focus in February. Three simultaneous rituals sent the town scrambling to stop them on Friday night. The town was able to stop two of the three rituals, but the Galmachians managed to summon two avatars to their god, Captain Shalok Kensington said.

Cecil the healer is deeply concerned about the Galmachian rituals, saying that the rituals were something “I have not seen previously.” So far, the light clergy have determined that the dark rites were more powerful than the most powerful ritual documented by the Church of Valos, Captain Kensington said, adding that they believe that the successful completion of all five rituals will destroy the Nexus so that no one can re-pass through the focus after death.

Cecil has an idea of how the Galmachians might accomplish this. He believes that the Galmachians are “trying to block all the flows of energy out of the Nexus in Travance. Great energy still flows in, but they’re using their rituals to prevent it from flowing beyond. As it stands now, the energy is overflowing from the spirit realm and appearing as white crystals growing out of the earth.”

It is rumored that some town healers have contacted a Soul Guardian in connection with this threat.


Confused About the Focus?
Mother Rosa and Cecil Explain:

“In the simplest terms, let me say this. The ley-lines are an invisible (in this world, at any rate) spiderweb of healing energy in the spirit realm. The nexus would be the point at where a significant number of these lines cross and create a strong enough point for a focus to be attached. The focus is essentially the doorway we use to access these energies.”
– Mother Rosa

“The Nexus is as large as the town proper itself in the spirit realm.  It is a convergence of Ley Lines that wrap all around Arawyn.  When many Ley Lines come together as they do in Travance, they form a Nexus of energy.  A Focus is a small crystal that is normally created by White Sorcerers.  It does what its name suggests and focuses the energy flowing through the Ley Lines in the Nexus.  The Focus brings the material realm closer to the spirit realm, allowing for spirits to move between them and do what you call resurrecting.”
-- Cecil

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Celebrate St. Astrid’s Day of Love!
Send your sweetheart (or that sweet young thing you've been eyeing) a candygram, penned by Portia and accompanied with a sample of Von Kreutzdorf Alkhemikal Kandies.

See Rudolf or Portia on Friday or at Market Faire to arrange delivery for a modest sum.
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RUMORS
Tobar the Terrible?
Charges of assault and insult, and hints of favoritism.

It’s no secret that Tobar is, according to Captain Kensington’s statement, “wanted for questioning on the matters of besmirchment of the four nobles of Alissandria.”

Tongues throughout Travance are wagging, but strangely, no eyewitnesses would agree to go on the record for fear of retribution, so take the news that follows with a cupful of salt:

One well placed official said that Tobar allegedly put a gypsy hex on Logan for Logan’s “way of being,” and that after officials hounded the gypsy community, Tobar finally confessed and has been reportedly charged with assault, and received an eased sentence.

According to another source, “I hear his heirloom weapons were stolen during the last feast, but he somehow managed to get them back before the day was out -- or they were returned to him. Not that I'm suggesting anything mind, but when someone dodges the sentence on a capital crime AND at the same time seems immune to the lose of highly valuable possessions... well, it's enough to make someone think.”

As another source put it, “Given all the other trouble Tobar's gotten himself into with the Barony, to get the charges reduced the way he has for such a capital crime, he must have some pretty... influential connections, if you know what I mean.”

Several sources suggested that the return of Tobar’s weapon, the alleged lessening of his sentence, and his reported attempt to purchase Father Harroldson’s house with funds of an unknown provenance suggest that Tobar holds sway with powerful people in town. When pressed for details on who Tobar’s alleged friend might be, no one would speculate on or off the record.

For the time being, Tobar isn’t currying any favor among his kin. One gypsy said that Tobar’s behavior was wearing out the welcome for all gypsies in Travance.

For his part, Tobar seems to have gotten the message that the gypsies are not happy with him. In a statement posted on The Dragon Claw Inn he wrote, “I have acted in a manner that is both cowardly and thoroughly dishonorable.  My name will bear the weight of my deeds for a very long time, if not forever.  I will not ask forgiveness, nor will I ask for another chance.  Neither of those things can be given; they must be earned.  I ask only one thing: Please, do not allow my actions to blacken the names of my Kin.”

Captain Kensington declined to comment on an ongoing investigation, and Tobar did not respond to the Chronicle’s attempt to reach him by messenger.

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Word of the moon: limn
v. to draw or paint on a surface; to outline in clear sharp detail; to describe.
“Portia limned the hazards of living in Travance in The Chronicle.”
        -- brought to you by the Church of Chronicler.
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Veniir Tribe Demands Resignation of Nobility

In an explosive statement posted on The Dragon Claw Inn wall, Võrukael, Shaman of the Veniir Tribe threatened to attack the town unless Lord Ardentfyre, Lord Brightstar, and Knight-Protector Apollo stepped down from their positions.  The Veniir offered to meet with Cardinal Haigen in lieu of the town’s nobility, which they believe are corrupted by involvement with mages.

Count Winterdark released this statement through his squire, Victor Sylus: “The Count has no comment at this time on the current postings by representatives of the Veniir Tribe.  The Count's responsibilities and duties have kept his knowledge and involvement in the matter, thus far, minimal.  However, his grace has full confidence in the Baron and the heroes of Travance to address and resolve this, and any other conflict that might arise.”

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Blade’s Smokables
Buy cigar.  Make happy you!
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CRIME WATCH
Dress-Up Bandits Captured; Brigands Apprehended; Shantytown Shanker Still At Large

A crime wave hit Travance last moon, driven in part by the chaos associated with the plague, Captain Shalok Kensington said. He added that his guard managed to apprehend a band of brigands who murdered a farm family and made off with over 100 gold worth of items and coin.

The infamous dress-up bandits, who forced scores of Travanceans to don and extol last season’s dresses, were finally caught and brought to justice in February, reportedly by Sir Aleister. Evidently, the bandits took the unfashionable measures because they were upset with the nobility.

The Shantytown Shanker is still at large.
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Mummy Driven Back After Confusing Battle

A crazed mummy threatened Travance in February, terrifying even the bravest of nobles, but was ultimately beaten back by the town.

In a nutshell: the mummy came to town to recover a Canopic Jar. According to Lethias, “These jars are typically used in the mummification process to hold the organs of a deceased person. Unlike most mummies, the mummy from this past feast had to break open and then feed on the organs of other mummies contained in their jars in order to survive.” Fortunately, the town was able to retrieve three of the four jars lost or hidden in Travance, thanks in part to Victor Sylus, who was able to obtain one of the jars and hide it until the ritual for destruction of the jars commenced.

A group of nobles and unusually brave townsfolk ventured into the Howling Void, the home and personal hell of Galmachis, in order to retrieve the mummy’s true name from the book of the dead and destroy it, Dame Evadne said. More than half of the group did not return.

In addition, the town needed something that the mummy valued during its life. It was during an attempt to retrieve this artifact that Ethan Archangel of Alissandria died. His spirit has since vanished and he has not passed through the focus.

The mummy's sarcophagus has been eternally sealed with the completion of a Light Divine Ceremony, performed by Mother Rosa, Father Haroldson and Captain Kensington, according to the latter.



Deal with Daimyo Ahead?

Captain Shalok Kensington reports that as of February, the town of Travance is happy to enter into trade agreements with the Daimyo. Evidently, according to Lethias, the Daimyo is in town hunting a group of Witch Hunters from Khitan whom he claims summon demons and attack his people.

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This edition of the Travance Chronicle has been generously sponsored by Father Edwin Haroldson, of the church of Valos; and Rudolf Von Kreutzdorf of Von Kreutzdorf Alkhemikal Kandies & Apothecarium.

Travance Chronicle EXTRA!
Collected by Portia Rom
"The truth shall set ye free."

LATE-BREAKING NEWS
Tobar 'Surprised' By Besmirchment Allegations
Denies suggestion that favoritism lessened assault charges.

Tobar has no idea why he is wanted for questioning for the besmirchment of the nobility. Captain Kensington’s notice “was a complete surprise for me,” Tobar said, especially since, “I have nothing but respect for Lord Devirr, both as a leader and a warrior. I have no real contact with any of Lord Devirr’s knights, but I have no quarrel with any of them, and I afford them the respect due their office.”

The only possible cause, Tobar says, is a public statement he made when attempting to purchase Father Edwin’s house, suggesting that “circumstances in Alissandria had become less than conducive to my continued residency there and that I intended to move to Kaladonia.” Tobar owns that it is possible that “Lord Devirr or one of his retainers thought that I was speaking of them,” but for the record, “I referred to Logan.”

Tobar went on, stating, “It is no secret that there is no love lost between he and I,” owning that he had confessed to hexing Logan and will pay the legal penalty. However, he continued, “As the captain of the Alissandrian guard, [he could] make my life difficult without acting outside the law.  Whether or not he chooses to do so, I would rather avoid any possibility of the situation by relocating.”

As for the circumstances surrounding the actual hexing, Tobar said he did so after Logan “made a public scene during the Feast and in front of the visiting Daimyo of the Empire of Jade,” which caused Travance to lose face. For this reason, “I sought to prevent any further outbursts by stopping his tongue unless he spoke kind words. It was a rash, foolish thing to do, and a thing I greatly regret.”

As far as the return of his heirloom weapons and the reduction of his sentence go, Tobar charged that “justice prevailed” and vigorously denied that any of his friends in town “have a part in any illegitimate enterprises, regardless of any rumor to the contrary.” Tobar said his property was restored to him after the “tireless” work of the Baronial Guard, Grand Inquisitor Dame Evadne Tourmaline, Sir Aleister Darkheart, and T’soli Silverbow, and suggested that one of his friends in town “took it upon himself to speak a good word on my behalf” during his trial for hexing Logan.


Correction
The current Chronicle erroneously states that Victor Sylus is squire to Count Winterdark, when in fact, as Dame Hartwood's squire, he is a squire of Winterdark.

Get Edge!
Listen Blade!
By Blade

  Me not get report to Portia in time.  Me too busy putting hay on ice in cave! Hahaha!

You listen.  Me know what you think! You think Summer now! No Stupid Human!
Summer Like Lethias! 
Now you see, now you don't, now you get stabbed in heart by icy cold stake!
You crumble like walking dead man!
You bring gloves or you stupid like mage casting stupid magic then telling me to kill thing you cast magic on! Stupid! No Honor!
Late night get cold, come to Dragon Blade Inn, get hot drink, get good cigar!  Laugh at stupid mage with no gloves!