Winter 1999/2000
So there I was, watching the streets for trouble, whilst keeping out of the rain. Not bothering anyone, just hanging around down by the guilds.
Now I heard what sounded like a square of knights stomping down the cobbles. Big heavy boots and enough clanking for a blacksmiths. So I wandered over for a look, quietly like so as not to startle anyone. I sort of looked around a corner and there they were. Six of em standing by the door of that blacksmith that made his money selling all them shovels.
I was too far away to hear much, not that I was eavesdropping of anything. Anyhow they were talking and some money changed hands, 50 gold I reckon by the sound of it. then they stomped off up the street.
Funny, I was talking to one of the apprentices that works there just this very morning and he said they just got another big order for shovels and pick axes. I wonder, just who's going to be digging their way down into the Underdark this time.
What's up with Bristol. That city must be well cursed. Last time we had a war with all the Unliving, they get over run and old Floris blows up the circle to stop the Unliving getting it.
Now the city gets rebuilt and everyone's happy, so they start up the circle again. What's the first thing that happens; it all blows up in their faces and the city is udner siege by the Unliving again.
Last thing I heard, the city was surrounded by thousands of walking dead. The army out that way, had been defeated and the Mages Guild, blew the circle up again to stop it being used to attack the rest of us.
Way I heard it, the city walls had been turned to rubble and Bristol was about to fall. Maybe we should have word with old Rhino, see if we can't march down there and show these Harts how the true warriors of Albion fight. What do you reckon to that?
Stories of Renaldo the Explorer:
"Al Quifar", the City of the Unliving. Located two days travel south of the coast and roughly mid way between the kingdom of Aegyptus and the land of the Princes of Arabia.
This once Great City, stands now half covered in the sands of the endless desert. Scattered wall and buildings rise from the dunes and mark the line of the streets in this haunted place. Only one city gate remains visible, with it's weathered towers offering the only safe place to rest for miles around.
What dark and terrible fate befell this city is unknown, for there is no record of this place. Only the name remains carved deeply into the remaining gate house wall.
Above the sand the buildings seem few and far between, but below the sands the remaining buildings seem to connect and form a vast maze of rooms and passageways. I have even beheld entire streets roofed in stone and protected from the sand storms.
During the day, the bones of those long dead lay scattered in every room and hall. By night they rise and walk again. I have seen every form of skeleton I have ever heard of, and some more beside. I saw ghosts, wraiths, and spectres drift through the walls and Ghouls by the hundreds.
Only the towers are safe, for the Unliving seemed unable to enter. I sat by night, safe within my tower camp and watches as the sand beyond were filled with creatures of the night, howling, screaming and moving about in the darkness. Although at first they seemed to have no purpose, something was going on.
I walked the city by day and hid by night unitl my water was all but gone and then I fled with the last of my servants around me.
The city of "Al Quifar" haunts my dreams, I hear howling in the wind and the very sight of sand fills me with such fear that I must flee. I will never return and say that any man who seeks this cursed place is a fool.
Scribe's report:
I now, have fresh news from the library. Squads of heavily armed warriors were seen entering the library halls again along with several senior members of the Mages Guild.
Healers have reportedly been called to the halls prepared for casualties. Those of you who can remember back that far can draw comparison with the last troubles here at the Great Library, and even the men and women who lost their lives or worse back then.
No reports of any deaths have been received as of yet, but this scribe has heard unconfirmed reports of missing librarians. One old man who tried to talk to the press was arrested and dragged off by thugs wearing the colours of the Mages Guild.
He was heard to comment that the back shelves were possessed and that creatures were hiding there. As he was carried away he souted, "they have all been eatn by the things at the back". The heavy arm of the local law then silenced him with a hammer to the back of the head.
Further attempts to learn the truth have been met with a stony silence or a good kicking by the uniformed bullies of the local Militia. The back shelves of the library are known to hold the oldest reference sections and are furthest from the door. They have long been known as a dark and twisting maze of tall bookshelves.
Just last year, the Scouts guild were sent in on a rescue mission into the back shelvs, they were looking for a junior librarian who had been missing in that section for days. He was found and was reported to be weak from lack of food but otherwise unharmed. He was then promptly transferred to another library and is not available for comment.
We, the scribes of the free press, will not allow this matter to lie.
In other news a Mage has blown himself up in some sort of bizarre suicide.
Reliable witnesses say that he had commented just before using the transport circle that with all the work he was being given to do he would need to split himself in two. Close friends said that he was very tired and unhappy, unusual for such a cheerful man.
A source in the Mages Guild guard, reported that parts of the mage, who has not been named, were found in no less than five separate circles across the Heartlands and the location of his left leg is still not known.
The Militia is treating the death as an accident. They say there are no suspicious circumstances and will close the case soon. Reports by this scribe that there are far easier ways to commit suicide have been ignored.
Further investigations were discouraged by this reported receiving a black eye. More news on this and other current stories as we uncover them.
Nice enough blokes if you can understand them. Not that I'd want my sister to marry one mind you, something strange about themn, Always watching and listening.
What's this about us being the true heirs of the Empire? Last I heard the Empire had sunk off the south coast a few hundred years ago. What's that all about then?
Psssssst. The time is nigh. Be ready to strike when the sun has entered the circle of the Jackal. Soon shall all the followers of the false light in the darkness die. We shall taste the blood of these blasphemers. Silence and shadow will be our armour. Surprise will be our greatest strength. We shall slay every last one of them. Their pelts shall line our halls. Death to them all, death to the... Wait you're not Fenric?
Who are you? Forget what I just said, I wasn't here. I'm just mad.