The Trinsic Beacon

Dear Reader…

...too often of late the words “Dark Times” appear in the speech of those around us. And who could blame them, when day by day the news of invasions and attacks, of mysterious, dark strangers and creatures from the depths of the Abyss reach us? The beautiful city of Magincia lies in ruins, the Council of Nobles has been slain by assassins of unknown allegiance and purpose, a new king has risen, leaving the citizens of Sosaria in doubts and uncertainty about their loyalty to the throne that Lord British himself once erected in the centre of his realm. Dark times indeed, in which we, the reporters, editors and publishers of the Trinsic Beacon will try to provide a guiding light and a sparkle of joy in the gloom of this age. True to the purpose of the lighthouse which appears in our logo we will attempt to guide you through the shallows and depths of politics by providing the latest news from the realm, to cast a ray of light into the dark shadows of mystery and to bring some joy to troubled hearts with amusing snippets and events from all across the realm.
With these words of introduction we now entrust this paper and all its future editions to those that it is dedicated to… to you, our readers.


The King and the Mouse
by Etienne L'Ennuyer
The last week has been filled with numerous events. Most important were the first public appearances of king Casca, who addressed the citizens of the realm in a speech to rally them to his cause. However, during all the occasions, the calls and shouts emitted by the crowd ranged from suspicious to openly hostile, showing clearly that the newly proclaimed king still has a long road to travel on the road towards gaining the trust of the people. First and foremost amongst the critics are the soldiers of the Yewish Militia, who, maybe unsurprisingly, oppose the king not only for the disturbing events leading to his enthronement but for his elven heritage as well. Maybe more surprising might be the fact that even elves themselves do not easily agree with the idea of one of their race on the throne. Despite this massive opposition the king began to try and reveal the mysteries behind the current attacks, leading the guardians of the realm to places where the daemons and balrons of the enemy had tainted the land.

Sherry the Mouse, friend of Lord British himself, hero of many tales and especially beloved by the children of the realm has travelled the lands to speak to the people in Trinsic, Cove and finally Britain. “Who watches the watcher?” being the question that she asked of the people in each of the towns, finally leading to her tasking the (this time cheering) audience to dig deeply into the mysteries of this day and to find out whether Casca’s claims are righteous and lawful.

It remains to be seen who will prevail and who will be able to pull the citizens of Britannia on their side.


The Virtues must be upheld…
by Pierre Le Canard
… is the gist of the interview that His Grace, Duke Irvyn Middlethorn of Trinsic graciously granted the Beacon for its first edition. Especially in such troubled and confusing times, so he emphasized, is it necessary to follow the principles and teachings of Lord British. Questioned about the appearance and proclamation of the new king, the Duke explained that honour demanded that the kingdom and the succession of kings be upheld; provided that the claims of king Casca have been made in accordance to the law. The whereabouts of former guard captain Avery (accused of the slaughter of the former council) and Lady Aileen should be discovered and a fair trial needs to be conducted in order to shed some light upon the proceedings that led to the proclamation of king Casca.

When questioned about the ongoing invasions and attacks on Trinsic, the Duke offered his condolences to the families and friends of those that fell victim to the assaulting forces. At this time, nearly one hundred lives have been lost either to the foes or the strange magic that affects all of the citizenry, causing it to turn on each other. However, His Grace pointed out that both the guardforce as well as all allies and friends of Trinsic have fought valiantly to protect the citizenry and to throw back all of the invasions to this day.
On a more personal note, the Duke assured us that he is fully recovered now after his prolonged absence and illness. Furthermore, his son, Lord Isidore, has continued his studies and is growing quickly into the role of a heir to Trinsic. The Beacon hopes to be able to supply an interview with Lord Isidore for one of the future editions, to hear more about the thoughts and plans of the future Duke and maybe to inquire about the rumours of his relationship with a Miss Yates.


Yew remains watchful…
by Pierre Le Canard
…is the statement that Besieger Corporal Sineal Walker made when asked about the newly enthroned king. As long as the people’s trust in the new monarch is slim and Casca’s rule not firmly established it would be unlikely that Yew will take up arms and rise against the king and his followers. However, this might change when the new king begins to rule in earnest. Corporal Walker claimed that Yew would be ready to protect the citizens of Britannia from a “racial cleansing”.

It would seem that Yew has fully retreated from the idea of a unified kingdom. In the current period of peace and prosperity, so the corporal, Yew would be content to look after itself. A warning was given to the people of Trinsic who tread a more cautious path and do not instantly condemn the new king without proof.


When Rebels Rebel
by Pierre Le Canard
In an interview with Van Cocidius, the Chancellor of Vesper the Beacon tried to shed some light onto the rather confusing civil war that is currently raging in Vesper. According to the Chancellor, the rebellion against the rebels is nothing more than a personal attack by Militia Captain Escaflowne on the government, potentially with the aim to overthrow it and become the ruler himself. Supported by the militia, Escaflowne faces the trade union of Vesper along with the soldiers of Cove. According to the Chancellor, a week-long ceasefire has been arranged but battles are expected after the end of said time.

One can only hope that the civil war can be ended soon, for Vesper seems to be in a pitiful state at the moment, with union and militia not working together. During the interview, the Swagger’s Inn was nearly burned down by a single orc that had been denied tax for his orc king. Inlookers to the scene claimed that orcs were a frequent occurrence of late.

Freshly from the Pen
Mere minutes before the press would start to create our first edition we recieved news that Lady Flame and Lord Mhor of the famous Bloodguard encountered Nathan Hawke, friend of the now-gone Commander Jordan Jurrel. After a visit to Jurrel's prison in the crystaline caverns and his office Hawke claimed that he would try to fill the position of Commander of the Guards in the absence of his friend. The Beacon will try to secure more information or an interview for the next edition.

Feuilleton

The Beauty of the Sword
On Sunday, the elections to the beauty queen of the Order of the Silver Serpent in Serpent’s Hold have led to the selection of Kareen Grawn, captain of the first royal archers regiment. We are being told that the good captain can string a bow faster than any man, gut a boar with a heavy spear on 20 feet distance and kill an orc with bare hands. Strangely enough we were not given a picture of the new beauty queen…


The Horoscope for February
by Cassandre d'Troi
Frosty (the Snow Elemental)
Remember the girl next door that you moved all the way to Trinsic to get away from? She’s found you. We suggest a long holiday is in order, somewhere safer and quieter, like Magincia. The stars come together in an altogether more harmonious combination later on, however, but not for you.

Shrek (the Ogre)
Try to reign in your impulsive nature this month, as it may lead you into more trouble than you want. However, calmer stars at the end of the month will bring you into less troubled waters, that is, as long as the kraken doesn’t wake up.

Ming (the Mongbat)
Have you heard the expression "He who hesitates is lost"? You will be doing a lot of hesitating this month when you go shopping in the new hypermarket that just opened up outside Britain, and fail to locate the exit for three days. Otherwise you can expect a quite spectacularly tedious month, really.

Leon (the Sphynx)
This month nothing will go wrong. In fact everything will happen absolutely perfectly and precisely as you want it. Make the most of it, however, as on the first day of the next month it is quite possible that you will die a particularly horrible and painful death.

Fead (the Troll)
A horde of mongbats will take up temporary residence in your garden this month. No harm will come to you as a result, but I'm afraid I can't say the same for your pet rabbit. Towards the middle of the month you may find a new romance entering your life, but sadly the stars are not auspicious and it will be gone again very soon.

Deck (the Ant Lion)
This month will see you going on a long interesting sea voyage to a pleasant island in the sun, when you are kidnapped by slavers and sold to the Sultan of Nujel'm. Never mind, your luck will change at the end of the month, although not necessarily for the better.

Mat (the Daemon)
Love is in the air this month, but sadly the wind is not blowing in your direction. My advice is to get used to disappointment, but this should be easy given the amount of practice you'll be having. Expect a sudden death towards the end of the month, hopefully not yours but I can’t promise anything.

Whisky (the Rat)
This is going to be an interesting month for you. Now would be a good time to start planning your funeral. If you booked the undertaker for 3pm on the third Friday that would be about right. I suggest you don’t start any lengthy legal cases, whatever the provocation. He almost certainly wasn’t worth it.

Puff (the Magic Dragon)
That tomatoes you left at the back of the cupboard until they went green and furry will evolve into a new life form this month. Do not worry, unless they also manage to develop language skills, in which case they will start a revolution amongst your foodstuffs who will then take the obvious revenge.

Theseus (the Minotaur)
You could have a hard time because you take things very seriously this month. This is probably a good thing, given the circumstances. I don’t recommend starting to read War and Peace in the near future. Of course, you probably wouldn’t finish it anyway, but your sudden and horrible end will definitely put a stop to it.

Dontfear (the Reaper)
Emotions and emotional situations may get the better of you this month. There appear to be several events heading your way, such as a plague of giant snakes, and a stampede of sheep. You are unlikely to have to worry about the lady suing you for breach of contract, however, as she was born under the sign of Whisky.

Vlad (the Vampire Bat)
The demands you receive this month may cause some resentment. Try to stay calm. Your mother will pay a surprise visit in the next few weeks. This will just about give you enough time to evict the troll that is due to move in tomorrow, but unfortunately not enough to clean the carpet or do the 3 month accumulation of washing you were ignoring.

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The Trinsic Beacon

A Call to Arms and Wits
(PLC)

King Casca is planning a major strike against the enemies of the realm, the Followers of Armageddon. Facing a gathering of citizens at the Court of Truth in Yew, he explained that preparations and the gathering of intelligence has been nearly completed. The king announced that a meeting is to take place on Thursday, the 5th day of February at the 8th hour of the day in Britain. During this meeting, plans shall be made and discussed for the attack that is to be launched on Friday. Up to this point, the newly appointed ruler of the kingdom did not yet reveal any details as to where this attack shall be launched or what opposition has to be expected.

At the gathering it was also announced that on Thursday, a new Commander of the Royal guard will be appointed by the king. Despite several attempts to learn more, the king was not yet willing to reveal any more information on the matter, other than that the new Commander will be put to the test immediately. Their first task, so king Casca, will be to lead the army into battle on the day to follow.



The Mouse fears a Trap
(ELE)

Also present at the Court of Truth and listening to the king’s words with equal interest was Sherry the Mouse; popular legend and friend of Lord British. Her brief conversation with the king himself however did not lead to the confrontation that many of the onlookers had expected or even hoped for. Seemingly unaware of the existence of such a magical creature the king was visibly taken by surprise at their first encounter. It must be noted that the newly instated government seems to lack reliable sources of information, for they appear to be unaware of the gatherings of people that frequently listen to Sherry and her thoughts about the current situation of the realm (and to feed her).

In the light of the invitation to the war meeting extended by king Casca the mouse preached caution. Especially the additional comment that “all leaders” should be present at the meeting seemed to have triggered some alarms. Sherry proposed that the people should gather a while before the meeting itself in order to search the castle properly and thus lessen the danger of any hidden assassins trying to make their move during the discussions. The scene displayed once more that the trust of the people has yet to be earned after recent events.



Warmongering and Diplomacy
(ELE)

It would seem like the enemies of the realm have taken to rather blunt and obvious attempts at warmongering. Lord Irvyn Middlethorn, Duke of Trinsic, suddenly found himself confronted with a letter that, according to his own explanations, appeared to have been written by the leaders of the Yewish Militia. The note threatened Trinsic with war, should they not renounce king Casca immediately.

However, during a meeting at the Councillor’s Hall in Britain, personal diplomatic talks could shed some light onto the situation. Taken slightly aback by the apparently rather direct reply sent by Duke Irvyn the Yewish diplomat and wife of Captain Dart addressed the issues and achieved a mutual understanding between the cities. In the future it would seem prudent to limit diplomacy to direct conversations or, at least, letters delivered personally to the recipient. In addition, the appointment of diplomats and regular meetings amongst them might help to keep an overview in these times of turmoil.

Picture of the meeting in the Councillor's Hall of Britain.

Each Man is his own Kingdom
(PLC)

Mere hours before the publishing we were delighted to meet Nathan Hawke and to be able to talk him into a short interview. I found him to be a man much like the former Captain of the Guard, the now entombed Jordan Jurrel. Thoughtful and quiet, a dutiful servant to the people rather than one to seek power for power’s sake or for the glory of the title. After having spent many years in the Lost Lands, Nathan Hawke is yet unknown to many people, yet he already inspired trust and loyalty in the majority of those that met him yet.
In the light of the announced appointment of a new Commander of the Royal Guard Nathan Hawke stated that he would: “serve the people if they desire it”. In addition, he claimed that his name would be known to king Casca and that he thus might be on the list of potential candidates. From what we gathered throughout the realm it appears likely that many people would favour his appointment.

To keep the memory of Jordan Jurrel alive, many people seek out the crystal caves.

Feuilleton

This week, 10 top beauty tips for all our readers.
Jolie Richesse

1. For the shiniest curls, wash your hair in best Trinsic ale. For extra softness, add a beaten egg too. Remember to rinse the beer and egg out afterwards, otherwise you may attract a lot of attention but for all the wrong reasons.

2. If you suffer from reddening of the cheeks, make a lotion from ewes’ milk and orfluer flowers to cool your skin. Remember to use fresh orfluers, the dried ones have a rather different effect which you don’t want to know about.

3. To get rid of spots quickly, smear them with a mixture of onion and lemon juice for the astringent effect, and garlic for the curative properties, leaving this on for at least an hour. You won’t look or smell very nice, but then you probably wouldn’t be going out anyway, if you have spots.

4. You can keep skin young and fresh-looking by bathing it in the early morning dew, gathered before dawn, preferably by moonlight. Just remember to go to bed early the night before, as otherwise you’ll develop nasty dark circles under your eyes.

5. If you didn’t remember to go to bed early, dark circles can be reduced by a paste of blood moss, ginseng, and sulphurous ash. Leave it on for about 10 minutes, then rinse with cold green tea. Don’t eat any of the paste, but it’s safe to drink any spare tea.

6. Shaving rashes can be relieved by a face mask of milk, honey, banana and finely ground wheat flour. Smear it generously over the affected area after shaving, leave it for 5 minutes then rinse off with lukewarm water. Any spare makes quite a nice addition to your breakfast cereal.

7. For the more mature among you, facial wrinkles can be reduced by tying your hair back very tightly to stretch the skin. Unfortunately this won’t work for wrinkles elsewhere. Bathing in milk is said to help, but the dairyman’s bills were too big for us to test this very far.

8. To add extra sparkle to your skin for that very special night out, try a light powdering with gold dust over your cheekbones and anything else you want to emphasise. It may not make you much more attractive to look at, but anyone who can afford that much gold is going to be considered very desirable.

9. Make your eyes dark and lustrous with a few drops of a strong nightshade infusion in each one, which will last for several hours. Remember to dispose of the rest of the infusion very carefully, as you don’t want to poison anyone inadvertently.

10. For those men among you going bald, it is always best not to attempt disguising the fact by trying to comb longer locks over the top. Believe me, it’s far more noticeable that way, and really not attractive, especially in a high wind. Cut it short and make a virtue of it.



Spot Sherry the Mouse!!
Hello children! Sherry the Mouse is travelling all through Britannia to look at each and everything there is and to find a LOT of cheese. Maybe she is comming to your homes too? You better keep an eye out or you might miss her!

This week though, Sherry is in Tokuno. We sent someone there to make a painting of her looking at all the exciting things that you can see there. But Tokuno is a very big place and Sherry is a very small mouse, so we are not really sure on whether we managed to get her onto the picture properly! Can you help us and spot Sherry on the picture?

Letters and Advertisements

Quote:

Dearest people of Trinsic, it is my honor to announce, that Tabbitha, my new apprentice, and myself wilt build a library. Thou wilt find a hort of knowledge there, on any related subjects. Nonetheless, it is, that this undertake costs us some gold, and for all the pity, my saved money, nor the one of my young apprentice, would be sufficing. So I asketh thee, honorable people, to donate. I am aware that this might be a valuable question, but thou wilt be pleased about this collection. Yours sincerely, Attorok (a blue sigil with a palm hand is under the paper)

The Trinsic Beacon

Quote:

Royal Ball Citizens of Britannia, Last Friday we have stuck the first blow. The evil forces at Yew, Britain and Magincia were repelled by the Royal Guard! To celebrate this momentous event I invite all Citizens of Britannia to a Royal Ball! The ball is to be held next Sunday, the 15th, at 8 o’clock, at Castle British. Come in all your finery and the highest spirits! Lord Casca, King Pro-Tempore

Here be Dragons!!
(PLC)

Last Friday, the new Commander of the Royal guard, Nathan Hawke, led the troops of Sosaria into their first battle against the common enemy. Three of the fear-inspiring crimson dragons had been spotted: one in Britain, one in Yew and one in Magincia. Warriors, mages and supporters from all corners of the realm took to the field and managed to wrestle them down one by one.

Commander Hawke stated afterwards that the victory in itself might not have been a great breakthrough in the current war efforts. It would seem like the invasions continue with unbroken strength. However, Hawke emphasized that the achievement might serve as a symbol for the citizens of Sosaria. Once more did they strike together against the common enemy, setting their own personal differences aside to protect the realm and their homelands from danger. Both the commander as well as Lord Casca believe this to be an important first step on the road to a unified front against the dark forces invading Sosaria.



Who leads the Leaders?
(ELE)

On Wednesday the leaders of the cities and groups of Sosaria were invited to a meeting at the counsellor’s hall in Britain. Under the guidance and patience of Lady Flame of the Bloodguard various ideas were discussed on how to gather information and how to stage battles.

During the meeting, which can only be described as bizarre, the differences between the leaders and their followers surfaced in nearly shocking ways. Our attending reporter returned with a hammering headache and the conviction that the wearing of jester hats should be mandatory for some of the attending parties. However, despite the obvious inabilities of some participants to concentrate and the obvious lack of interest for the problems of the realm a few basic measures were decided.

In future battles, healers are asked to wear brown robes to be easily noticeable on the battlefield. Essential supplies, such as bandages and potions will be dispensed in order to help the wounded recover their belongings even amidst the raging fires of the crimson dragons.

Furthermore it was agreed that each town should scout its own territory. Runners should distribute news amongst the towns while all information is to be collected at the counsellor’s hall in Britain, which is to serve as the headquarter for now.

After this meeting the following attack of a crimson dragon came almost as a relief and managed to do what common sense and good manners had not: to shut some of the worst people up.



News from (the other) Front
(PLC)

Seeing how the fate of Trammel towns is closely tied to the tides of war in Felucca the reporters of the Trinsic Beacon ventured into the devastated realm to gather news and information first hand. In talking to the local citizens we were surprised to learn that the battle over the towns and their sigils is only a small and, to most of the contestants, unimportant aspect of the war. None of them seems to care much about the massive invasions that are launched by the actions of some of the factions on their facet.

During my visit I spoke to IceCast, a notorious murderer and fighter for the Council of Mages faction as well as some of his friends. Garbed in strange tribal garments of glowing colours and hideous masks they paused their struggle to answer some questions.

It would seem as if the battle is mostly balanced, with the power readily tipping into either direction daily. While most of the factions are considered to be of roughly equal size it is assumed that the Shadowlords have recruited the greatest number of followers. Despite this dreadful success it would seem like the Council of Mages has the upper hand, having established a reputation during the battles that are mostly fought at the moongate in Yew and the bridge of Despise.

In conclusion we found Felucca to be a curious land of strange manners and rituals, but for the sake of our readers we shall venture there again in times to come to report about those aspects of the war as well.




The latest Fashion

For all those of you going to strut your stuff at the Royal Ball on Sunday, here is a little advice from our resident fashion editor, Jolie Richesse.

Hello readers! I hope you will all have taken note of my beauty tips last week. If you have, you will be in perfect shape to wear the most beautiful clothes for the Royal Ball.

Bear in mind, however, that it is probably best not to try and outshine the King. This is not diplomatic, and in the past has been known to lead to peevishness and even executions. Besides, remember the dictum “less is more”. Aim for a restrained elegance, though there’s no need to be too subtle.

So, what to wear? First, let’s consider colours.

Black of course is always in fashion, and every women should have that little black dress in her wardrobe. But usually it’s been there for many years, getting a little bit sadder and a little bit tireder every season. So this time, forget black. Buy something new to welcome the start of the spring!

Pink, particularly a really stunning candyfloss pink, will really make you stand out from the crowd. Acid greens, turquoise, sky blues and sunshine yellows are also going to be very big this season.

Browns are not to be recommended, far too dull for such a fashion parade as this will be. You don’t want to look like a wandering healer who’s wandered the wrong way.

Snowy white is so last season, but is still remarkably popular amongst the less fashion-aware. Let’s face it, it’s really not a practical colour, as the moment you spill even one drop of wine on it you’ll have to go home and change. Or you could just brazen it out.

Blaze and the various neon colours have also had their day, fortunately, although a few brave souls still seem to want to expose themselves to ridicule.



Dancing for Beginners

For the Royal Ball we present you the newest dance from some faraway land the Jester Rah’njar showed to us. A few delinquents were selected and had to step on each others toes until we had most of the dance reconstructed and painted for you to enjoy.

1) Opponents take positions opposite each other, about two paces apart.

2) The dancers courtesy or respectively bow to their partners before they take one step forward taking the hands of their partner.

3) Release the hands of your partner, turn to the pair besides you and salute them.

4) The pairs move clockwise around exchanging positions and bow/courtsey to each other.

5+6) The pairs face each other again and take their hands spinning around to exchange their positions and afterwards take a slow step back standing apart again.

The Trinsic Beacon

Royal Carnage
(PLC)

Last Sunday his grace, the king pro-tempore Lord Casca called for a royal entertainment and the realm gathered for what would prove to be one of the most shocking experiences that the Beacon reporters had to cover until now. Following a short speech and a notable but fruitless attempt to initiate a dance like the one we published in our last edition, the king called for the festivities to begin, supposedly not knowing that he had unleashed a carefully contained version of the Armageddon spell.

In short order fields of fire and poison filled the grounds of the great ballroom, followed by an abundance of magical creatures of more or less violent natures. After fleeing onto the balconies I felt like staring down into the mouth of the Abyss itself, spotting the first casualties amongst the waves of fire and noxious fumes. And as if that were not enough, the castle staff became enraged and attacked the guests, completing the slaughter that was meant to be a harmless amusement. Needless to say that we did not manage to find the buffet, nor any juicy rumours about the social life of Sosaria’s upper crust.

Papa, can I go to the Ball?
(PLC)

Just what is it with worried parents and their tendency to keep their beloved children safely away from anything that might even be remotely fun? Yet in the wake of the royal devastation of Castle British one of said parents crossed some lines, going as far as to chain his daughter to a chair in an undead-infested keep, guarded by no less than five horrible daemons.

Bone masks and flowing black robes are rarely a sign of sanity, yet some of the statements made by the girl after her rescue suggest a deeper and more sinister background than mere family troubles. It would seem that papa is plotting to either destroy the world or to achieve eternal life… if not both. Adventurers suggested furthermore that the daemons holding the keys were the same kind that assaulted the citizens of Sosaria at the king’s first memorable “entertainment”, the royal hunt. Is the necromancer truly one of the hidden enemies of the realm? Maybe even one of the Followers of Armageddon?

These question will need further investigation and a questioning of the girl, but for now our praise goes to Goose, Rott, Manticore, Myph’zar and Miss Polly who found the five keys to the girl’s chains and to the necromancer for relieving us all from the royal “ball”.

News from Vesper
(ELE)

Sometimes the world is just too strange and this story goes right into the “you couldn’t have made it up” category. It starts innocently enough with the good news that the civil war in Vesper is finally over. But instead of restoring the order and repairing the damages both in the minds and property of the people the chancellor announced that he would step down now which, if the reader remembers, was exactly the reason for the civil war to begin. But instead of stepping down beforehand on the chance that the war can be avoided with new elections the slaughter is conducted to its bloody end and THEN call out for new elections.

To top it all off though, the former rebel leader that started, led and eventually lost the civil war is now running for the position as chancellor of the republic of Vesper. With the only other candidate so far being the former captain of a royal archer regiment and now traitor to the crown Devante.

In such a ridiculous situation nothing remains but to pity the poor citizens of Vesper who are subjected to such a clownery in their leadership. Should any of them wish to move to more stable and less corrupt towns then we would recommend Buccaneer’s Den. Pirates at least have –some- honour. Just remember: parlay.

Feuilleton

Jolie's fashion tips continued…

Hello again readers! Sadly, due to space constraints, not all my fashion tips made it into the Beacon last week – rest assured, I have had words about this! But never mind, as the Royal Ball was diverted, you can use my advice for the next ball (which a little bird tells me will be in Trinsic itself).

Continuing with the colours:

Reds are generally out, except for our magnificent Bloodguard, of course. Particularly avoid crimson, something just not quite right about it. However, a very dark red twinned with a bright colour could look quite good, but be careful as it might remind someone of dried blood – not tactful given what happened in the castle recently!

Vibrant oranges and purples could be considered, but orange is very difficult to wear and can do dreadful things to the complexion. Purples tend to be on the sombre side, though moving to the magenta end of the spectrum will certainly make people take notice.

(On the subject of colour, perhaps I was a little too hasty in condemning blaze along with other neons. After seeing Lady Flame’s absolutely ravishing dress on Sunday, there are clearly a few people who really can carry it off. But not many.)

Once you’ve picked your colour, wear whatever you like! As long as it’s something. Less may be more, and nakedness is indeed beautiful in some circumstances, but too much less is more than enough, and not suitable for a Royal Ball.

It goes without saying that grunge is most definitely out. That’s so last season, well, several last seasons, really. No ripped pants or tatty doublets with wine stains. Only the finest materials: clean, new, and excellently cut.

Wear something that will display and flatter your assets, rather than the shapeless robes that seem so beloved of the general populace (to my eternal puzzlement). Armour is certainly not to be recommended at a ball, rather hard to dance in.

And I understand the Duke has repeated the wish of his Royal Highness that no weapons be displayed. Something of a pity, in a way; I always think a dashing young man, pectoral muscles rippling beneath the finest silk shirt, jewelled hilt of a rapier peeping coyly through the folds of a velvet cloak as it does that wonderful heavy swirl about his masculine hips (That’s far enough – Ed.)



Britain Badgers beat Minoc Mountaingoats 2:1
(Samuel Baker of Sosarian sports)

Dear readers this time your brave reporter dared to travel to the wild lands of Minoc to witness the game of brains versus brawn. The fourth in the league and clever playing Goats welcomed the second placed brawling Badgers in the Minoc fields.

Standing knee-deep in what appeared to be an abandoned turnip field the badgers won the toss and started the game with a furious charge before the goats managed to halt and check them with only few casualties. For two minutes both teams struggled around a stand-still until one of the Goats elbowed a badger behind the back of the oblivious referee. With their best defense player being removed into his own universe of male pain the lines broke, allowing the badgers to score!

A slightly cross-eyed but even more determined Mitch led the kick off and this time the badgers managed to literally overrun the defending goats equalling the score. Two players of the Goats had to be dug out of the field and replaced with players who could still stand.

Thus ended the first half and enjoying a good Minocian Stout I watched the Goats male mining cheerleaders in their kilts performing a daring show and I have to say, if for their beards the experience would not have been that unsettling.

The kick off led by Mack stomped the goats into the turnips, leaving the goalkeeper alone to stop the enemy. Being brighter than his looks suggest however he was not stupid enough to stay and be crushed. He was not seen again during the game and so Britain scored again.

As too many Minoc players were wounded and could not continue, the referee declared the Britain Badgers as the victors, secure their second place on the tables for now.

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Looking for chocolate! I´m willing to pay anyone handsomely who can deliver sugar, vanilla, cocoa liquor or cocoa butter which grow in the lands of Ilshenar. - price to be agreed upon at delivery - Stewan Seagull, Baked Delights, Trinsic (ICQ: 53403360) OOC: Chocolate ingredients drop of ANY paragon creature in Ilshenar. I suggest the shadow wisps at Spirituality shrine for ease and numbers. I wont pay outrageous prices, maybe 100gp for liquor and butter, 200 for vanilla and 300 for sugar.

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Shine alongside the Beacon… Do you have an event that you want others to know about? Do you have something to sell that others should know about? Do you want to tell others about your experiences and stories? Do you have an opinion that others should hear? Let the Beacon cast its guiding light upon your news, reports and advertisements! Send in all that you would like us to publish on your behalf. Help us out with your images, work as a freelancing reporter or just tell us about interesting things that you would like to see covered in one of the Beacon’s editions. Just leave a note in any of the places where the Beacon is sold and claim your part of the Beacon.

The Trinsic Beacon

Peaceful Splendour
(PLC)

After the rather disastrous ball hosted by his grace, the king pro-tempore Lord Casca, many calls could be heard from disappointed citizens who had hoped for a “proper” ball. And where else could such an occasion be hosted better than in the beautiful parks and the town hall of the golden city?

Thus, Duke Irvyn Middlethorn invited the citizens of the realm to Trinsic and to the wonderful Snowflake Ball, initiated and set up by T’lara and Stewan Seagul. All through the night the guests from all parts of Sosaria celebrated, enjoyed the wealth of food and drink and shared the latest news and gossip.

Amongst the guests were Nathan Hawke, Commander of the Royal Guard together with Lady Flame of the Bloodguard, the Comte of Skara Brae Emile Lampet, Captain Bladius Dart of the Yewish Militia, all current candidates for the Vesper elections (including Momo) as well as many other guests of various origins, importance and cities. Considering this it is almost a miracle that the ball ended with just one minor incident, apparently caused by an angry dwarf.

Near the end of the ball, Lyonya Davion from Vesper and Spud Goodsoup from Cove won the prices for the queen and king of the ball.

Vesper Elections
(PLC)

Monday evening saw the beginning of the Vesper elections. Candidates for the office of the Chancellor of the Republic of Vesper are the militia captain Escaflowne, Devante Stirling and, surprisingly, Leo Madsen from Yew.

During the initial speeches, Devante Stirling, former commander of a royal archer company, now traitor to the crown and dubious tradesman, declared the rekindling of the Minoc war to be his top priorities. In a quite ironic but maybe not surprising reply to this the assembled Vesperian militia members received a thorough beating by the visitors from Yew later on, after a disagreement about an attending drow led to a smaller skirmish. One can only recommend that the starting of a war be put on hold when not even the own townhall can be considered safe from the “enemy”. On the economic side Stirling declared that silver would be introduced as new currency (most likely due to the fact that there is no gold left) and that trades and industry will be strengthened.

Militia captain Escaflowne on the other hand declared that his first priority would be to bring peace to Vesper. Coming from the man that started the recent civil war this must be considered as a slap into the faces of all that suffered during these hard times of unrest and rebellion. Despite several questions the captain did not extend the planned peace to other towns such as Minoc or Yew, so it has to be assumed that the warmongering will continue with this candidate. On the economical side Escaflowne promised the complete rebuilding and cleaning of Vesper and its channels, improved availability of goods and new wealth and fortune for the citizens. However, it remained quite unclear on where the funds for such an endeavour should be acquired.

Speaking last, surprise candidate Leo Madsen from Yew seemed just as surprised about his stepping up as the assembles listeners. His seemingly improvised and badly thought out speech consisted of nothing but promises of riches and comforts, with no mentioning on how these should be acquired. Considering his hometown it might be safe to assume however, that his rising to power in Vesper might at least end the wars between Yew, Vesper and Minoc, possibly bring peace to the region.

All candidates considered, the fourth one, a gorilla called Momo, must be considered a serious alternative.

East or west, Slugmaster is best!
(ELE)

Our congratulations must go to the noble architect Slugmaster, who has won a nationwide contest to improve the area of West Britain Bank. Mr Slugmaster’s design has been greeted with universal acclaim, and an artist’s impression is shown below. We understand that the works will begin quite soon, and we look forward very much to enjoying the amenities provided.

Feuilleton

Jolie's interview with the Duke…

Dear readers, today I have for you a most interesting achievement, something no other fashion reporter has ever managed – an exclusive interview with Duke Irvyn himself! I report below our conversation.

Jolie Richesse: *Overpoweringly charming smile* Your wardrobe is legendary - I remember it was speculated once by the Sosarian Morning Poste that you had become lost in it!
Irvyn: *slightly uncomfortable expression* The speculation was entirely baseless. It is true that I have a large number of clothes, but my valet takes care of the wardrobe.
Jolie Richesse: *Pats her hair coquettishly* Ah of course, your valet. He always seems to have you looking very well. You never seem to be in the same suit two days in a row.
Irvyn: He takes very good care of me, yes. *nods*
Jolie Richesse: Is it true that you have one suit for every day of the month?
Irvyn: *shifts slightly in seat* That may be so. I have not counted them.
Jolie Richesse: *Gamine grin* But you are always seen buying new clothes at the city markets.
Irvyn: *rubs chin* That is true. I see it as important to uphold trade, especially when people have made the effort to travel to Trinsic and set up a stall.
Jolie Richesse: But of course, these suits are just your everyday wear – and so smart you always look – what do you wear when you, ah, relax on the beach, perhaps?
Irvyn: *rubs chin* I do not ... that is to say, I rarely go to the beach.
Jolie Richesse: *Opens eyes wide* But surely you must relax and take an holiday sometimes?
Irvyn: *bland expression* Yes.
Jolie Richesse: *Pouts* But you’re not going to tell my fans, ah, readers what you do?
Irvyn: *half smile* Even a Duke is entitled to some privacy.
Jolie Richesse: *Pouts again, looking a tiny bit disappointed* Ah well, a girl has to ask, no? *Saucy wink*
Irvyn: *raises eyebrow slightly*
Jolie Richesse: *Coughs and pats hair again* So you have all these fine suits, but, if I may be the tiniest bit bold, they are all rather boring, aren’t they? Only ever one style, and so few bright colours? Although your ice-green at the ball last night was most outstanding and unusual!
Irvyn: *considers briefly and shakes head* I have not really thought about it. A few of my waistcoats are in bright colours but I believe I prefer to be boringly sober. *small smile*
Jolie Richesse: *Best persuasive smile with hint of fluttered eyelashes* Perhaps you might allow me to suggest some ideas for a makeover? Move with the times, adopt some new ideas, yes? Your hair too, only ever one style .... *Waves hand to suggest many possibilities*
Irvyn: I am afraid I have many demands on my time, Miss Richesse. *gestures at litter of papers on desk*

And with that my too-short time with the ever-charming Duke was at an end. A bientôt mes amis!


A View on the ‘Trinsic Snowflake Ball
(By Caitlyn, Age 6)

(Note from the editor: We took the liberty to transcribe the girl’s letter into a vaguely readable form. Compliments to her teachers.)

I didn’t get to stay long at the ball as it went past my bedtime, but it was a hundred times better than the scary, dangerous one in Britain! I got to decorate cakes, listen to nice music and dress up pretty and eat lots of food, and best of all I got to dance at last! Everyone looked like they were having fun if you ignored the bad words and fighting from some, but I think that’s normal where they come from… Lots of important grownups came, they didn’t seem to want to dance but they did lots and lots and lots of talking and fake smiling to each other which must have hurt their faces.

There were even animals! Two scary but beautiful big red cats, some horses, an orange squirrel and some llamas. Much better than demons! Duke Irvyn’s squirrel, Bianca couldn’t go because she’s small and might get trod on, which was sad because I wanted to look after her, but I drew her to show what she would have looked like if she was allowed to go! Very pretty! I hope there is another nice ball soon, everyone was so beautiful and dancing with Stewan was fun!

Letters and Advertisements

The following messages are part of the Vesper elections and do not, in any way, represent the opinions of the Trinsic Beacon.

Quote:

My fellow Vesperians I am Governor-General Devante Stirling, of Stirling and Kendall Trading Company and former General of the victorious Union of Vesper. and i want to be your next Chancellor. Vesper is in a dire state, The wars with the Yewish and failure to defend our borders... have shattered the confidence of our warriors. The recent, bloody and somewhat pointless Civil war has shattered the Vesperian economy our failures have shattered the pride of the Vesperian people. But pride will be restored a new, Stronger Vesper will rise from the ashes of the Civil war If you choose to elect me as your Chancellor i have great plans for Vesper. A new system of currency will be brought into the Republic... replacing the now worthless and ever declining Britannian gold coin. Our economy will be restored and our Industries rebuilt. Our scattered army will be reorganised and retrained, Our warriors will be rewarded for their valiant service to the Republic they will fight to defend our great republic with renewed confidence, both on land and at sea. Lost territory will be regained, our allies defended and liberated from Yewish oppression and fear. We will not surrender and become servants of Britannia, we will not serve a king, Human or Elven. Vesper will rise as a dominant power in Sosaria once more, and the pride of it's people restored. But these things i can not do alone... any man who claims he can would be a liar The road to recovery will be tough, you will all have to do your part... nothing is free,you will only get out what you are willing to put in. Britannia thinks of us as a nation of playboys and wenches, together we will prove the world wrong. Vesper is united once again, and we will go forward as one. Vote for me so that we can rebuild Vesper.

The Trinsic Beacon

What lies beyond?
(PLC)

Mericles, necromancer, thread to the realm and worried father, appears to have more on the agenda than protecting his daughter from the woes of Sosarian Society. Apparently, he has been contacting daemons or other creatures from the facets beyond, plotting his rise to power and the quest for eternal life. On a smaller scale it would seem like his daughter’s lover has already fallen victim to these evil plots, having been trapped on just this horrible plane.

However, there is a communication crystal, currently broken into four parts, that might help to establish a connection with the poor sod and potentially even release him… or whatever horror lurks beyond the gate. During the last two days adventurers from all over the realm gathered to follow the clues that Mericles left for himself, eventually discovering the fragments in several places in Ilshenar. Lacking the knowledge to move or manipulate them, it was decided that the necromancer’s daughter, Hannah, should be escorted to the locations to try and learn more. This will most likely happen on Friday, setting out at 8pm.

Meanwhile, the discussions continue on whether the clues left by Mericles are really just the footnotes of an insufficient memory or a carefully laid trap. Despite the fact that the man with the skull helmet displayed more than one kind of madness already it might be prudent to not fully underestimate him.

First image shows the crystal near the earth elemental huts to the east of Exodus’ Temple. The upper right section displays the crystal hidden in a display in the north of the Gargoyle town. Lower left image has been taken in the Juke and Exodus castle, specifically in the small extra tower at its southern side while the last scene is from the large temple in the centre of the savage village.


Many Ways to Win a War…
(PLC)

Escaflowne, last month’s traitor to the republic, is now the new chancellor of the Republic of Vesper. Starting (and pitifully loosing) a civil war does not seem to be a reason for holding grudges in Vesper, considering that the former leader of the Militia won with landslide victory against Devante Stirling, Leo Madsen and (the Beacon’s favourite candidate) Momo the gorilla.
Such a victory becomes less surprising knowing that nearly all of the voters were members of the Militia themselves, including some that had not been seen on duty for weeks or even months. Rumours that large amounts of “volunteers” had been “drafted” before the elections could not be verified.

According to Yewish publications the militia is preparing for another war against Vesper, following the statements of the new chancellor made in the campaign (see last edition of the Beacon). Meanwhile, the population of Minoc is standing up against the warmongering, declaring themselves followers of Commander Nathan Hawke and the royal guard and refusing to fall under the control of one of the quarreling territories again.

Templar. Templars? Templi?
(ELE)

We hear that the Knights Templar are trying to make a comeback. It's been a while since they have been seen in Britannia, and much longer since they maintained a garrison in Trinsic. After the departure of Prince Orlando, there were few occasions when they travelled this far south. They have already obtained some recruits and are stepping aside from their normal secretiveness to hold a couple of public oath-taking ceremonies on Friday and Sunday. Sadly this clashes with Nathan Hawke's continuing quest to destroy the power of Mericles the undead lord, but hopefully a few will attend.

Interestingly, they have left their home of Templewood to take up residence in Yew, with no known or obvious explanation for the move. No disrespect to the good people of Yew, but it's not really the sort of place one would expect to find noble paladins. There could also be some difficult cultural clashes between the Yewish church with their strange beliefs and the Templars, who hold to the true Virtues of Lord British. But in any case we wish them well.


Murder and Anarchy in Cove
(PLC)

While wandering through Cove and looking for someone to interview tonight we came across this gruesome scene, which resembled a shrine or warning covered entirely in blood and horribly mutilated body parts. With the former Covian army having turned into mercenaries and opportunists there appears to be a certain lack of protection for the village itself. Only one mercenary could be found in the entire area and this one, going by the name of Hendrick, seemed utterly unbothered by the gruesome display and neither cared to do something about it, nor dared to speak to the reporter or set a foot out of the garrison building.

Parading around on the market squares of New Haven might look pretty and entertain some of the younger adventurers, yet it might be advisable to leave at least someone capable behind to protect the own citizens from being slaughtered in the meantime. Or maybe the good citizens of Cove could not afford to hire their own mercenaries?

Feuilleton

Let the Games Begin!

Tonight saw the very first tournament at the arena south of the Trinsic Moongate in Felucca. Overall it was quite a learning experience, both for the organizers, who were experimenting with the ruleset as well as for the spectators and fighters, who tried to get a feeling for both the (still rather primitive) arena as well as their opponents. During the discussions it was decided that the ruleset proposed by IceCast should be applied in the future.
We have discovered a version of them that we hope to be the final and currently applied set:

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Mage vs Mage: No poisoning skill No spellweaving skill No bushido skill No ninjitsu skill No chivalry (with the exception while fighting a necromancer) No potions No petals No faction aids (with the exception while fighting a necromancer) No apples (with the exception when fighting a necromancer you are allowed to have 10 apples) No petals Both mages must wear a spellbook & candle in hand No Pets/Summons No kingdom reborn client users No omening self/casting protection Hpr cap of 10 Dexxer vs Dexxer: No faction Aids No animal forms that allow faster speed movement No explosion pots No pets/summons No invis/teleport items No smoke bombs No kingdom reborn client users No bugged quivers of rage (Youll know what i meen when you use one)

The night began with a draw between Superkeke and Deathamp, which ended in one nearly getting feathered, the other smelling somewhat singed and both too exhausted to actually defeat the other. Fulgar proved to have more breath, quickly vanquishing ZioX in the second fight, followed by DeathCourier who managed to bring down Ma’Jeseter in a long and exciting battle. Out of the free-for-all-rumble, Fulgar and IceCast emerged as the last ones standing to compete for the position as the winner of the night. The battle raged for a good long time and it was only once both had stripped themselves of all their little gadgets and potions that IceCast could drive the victory home in a serious of explosions and magical discharges.


The Horoscope for March
by Cassandre d'Troi

March - Frosty (the Snow Elemental)
You can expect to make some new friends this month, but then lose them again after a hunting trip goes badly wrong. Getting lost in the Moonglow forest will be bad enough, but nearly being disembowelled by a goat is just embarrassing.

April - Shrek (the Ogre)
This would be a good month to buy a new suit of clothes, or perhaps two would be better, one to wash and one to wear. Remember the washing part, it’s the reason your love affairs never last very long.

May - Mat (the Daemon)
A laissez faire attitude towards life isn’t really going to work for you this month. You need to maintain a focus, otherwise the nasty shock you’ll get round about the 19th is going to be much harder to cope with. But things will get easier after that; I’m assured that getting used to life as an undead doesn’t take too long.

June - Ming (the Mongbat)
Remember the expression: “Eat, drink, and be merry; for tomorrow you die”? I would suggest doing a lot of eating, drinking and merrymaking, starting as early as possible this month, as you may not have much time.

July - Leon (the Sphynx)
Don’t go for any long lonely walks this month. And beware of sheep.

August - Fead (the Troll)
This is not a good month to look for a new job, start a love affair, or even throw a few dice. You can hope as much as you like, but Lady Luck isn’t even going to glance in your direction, let alone do any smiling. My best recommendation is just to stay in bed all month.

September - Deck (the Ant Lion)
If you’ve ever had the fancy to stand in an election for public office, this month could see your chance. But it’s probably best not to, as the assassination rate for public officials is about fifty times that of normal citizens, and there’s an arrow out there with your name on it.

October - Whisky (the Rat)
If you managed to survive last month, this month would actually be quite a good one to start a lengthy legal action. Unfortunately you will find that this is necessary when you are arrested for treason and thrown into Britain jail. Whether the charges are genuine or not, it’s going to take a while to get out of there.

November - Puff (the Magic Dragon)
Emotions and emotional situations may cause problems for some of you, but only early in the month, while others of you sail serenely through everything at this time. However, that’s no reason for relaxation, as by the end of the month you’ll all be wishing you’d stopped the world and got off.

December - Theseus (the Minotaur)
This is not a good month to quit smoking, as you are in line for rather a lot of stress. You will narrowly escape death at least three times, or maybe not. Perhaps it would be a good idea to make sure all your affairs are in order and your will is up to date. Assuming you do survive, the stars move into a more pleasant conjunction at the end of the month and you can relax for a day or two. But no longer.

January - Dontfear (the Reaper)
Honesty is the best policy, they say, but be careful this month, as your habitual blundering lack of tact could put you in some unusually sticky and painful situations. I recommend you avoid answering any questions, especially when there is a pan of boiling toffee on the stove.

February - Vlad (the Vampire Bat)
This month would be a good time to redecorate your house, but wait until after the 10th, as a freak storm caused by an unusual alignment of the planets will largely demolish it. You may find yourself beset by demands from friends and family, but you must be strong and resist. You will need all the time you can get for yourself, and to deal with the builders.

The Trinsic Beacon

Outrage in Britain
(PLC)

The escort for Lord Clainin from the healer’s shop in New Haven towards the moongate and safety was overshadowed by an éclat at the meeting in the Councillor’s Hall of Britain. Filled with disbelief in the safety of Lord Clainin the citizens that had previously protected him turned to flooding both King Casca and the Commander of the Royal Guard Nathan Hawke with insults and accusations. While the King extracted himself from the obviously pointless discussion it was Nathan Hawke that tried to calm the masses.

When that failed however he laid down his by now infamous pink cloak (which had Jolie in a fit) and declared that he would now “go home”. Has the Commander of the Royal Guard truly resigned from his position? Why did the crowd suddenly turn upon the one that was the most trusted up until now? The Beacon will try to find out more for its next edition.

Outrage in Britain – a Commentary
(PLC)

Dear readers,
as the reporters and editors of this newspaper we face a daily strife to gather and present to you the news from all over the realm. And while our views might occasionally be biased due to our homes we were still appalled by the decline in the overall education and intelligence of Sosaria’s citizenry. While the occasional sheepfarmer from the outskirts of civilisation might be considered amusing by the public it becomes clear that entire regions of Sosaria fall victim to propaganda and lies of the worst and disgusting kinds. Especially the rural and war-devastated regions of the north seem to spiral into an ongoing abyss of decay of values, virtues and laws.

One has to wonder where the blatant lies that infect and taint the spirits of formerly upstanding citizens have their origins. Considering how they separate friends and allies on matters such as race, origin or culture it has to be wondered however on whether these are not the fruit of another, more subtle attack on the kingdom. Are those that mislead the minds of farmers and workers just the spearhead of a more cunning and yet more horrible assault, an assault aimed to target the integrity and soul of the realm? Can we truly blame the commander of the guard for despairing in the face of such ignorance and blind stupidity?

In our quiet observations we had found Nathan Hawke to be a man striving to do the right thing… even if in doubt what the right thing would be. Is it not that courage to stand up and act against the foes of the realm that placed so many heroes of legend into the centre of movements that time and again saved the Kingdom from collapse and destruction? Yet instead of remembering the teachings of Lord British the citizens of the realm cast down the virtues, turning to bickering and strife, to lies and slander, to hatred and distrust. Is it not that which the enemy of us all seeks to achieve? Have we not cast down a man tonight that had stood up to be a symbol against the unseen foe? If this were the case then the realm would have suffered a defeat both grave and silent that it will long struggle to recover from.



News from the End of the World
(PLC)

Days before the newest happenings at Britain the Commander led a group of citizens from all over the realm out to further investigate the matter of Mericles’ dark deeds and the hidden plans that the necromancer appears to be forging. Despite the fact that the mage must have left the firm lands of sanity long ago for a world all of his own it appears that he is still following some kind of plan.

Helped by Hannah, the necromancer’s daughter the adventurers managed to retrieve the individual shards of the communication crystal and to charge and reassemble them. What happened then could best be described as a trance, in which the young woman managed to communicate with her love, currently lost in what must be considered a daemon-filled dimension, if not the Abyss itself.

The discussion about whether one lost boy is worth rescuing when the safety of the entire realm is at stake was instantly rekindled when the adventurers heard that a gate had to be opened that might, if not closed quickly enough, spill more than just the lost lover back into the world. Further meetings should decide the issue and reveal more on what needs to be done to safely resolve the situation.

More Gruesome Displays
(ELE)

After our reports of a gruesome display of gore and body parts in the village of Cove it would appear that Trinsic suffered from a similar crime in the last week. Unlike the mercenaries of Cove, however, the guards of Trinsic reacted quickly, searching the area for suspects and removing the frightening display.

During a search a suspicious drow was discovered that had run out of the city just after the crime had been discovered. When questioned, the drow assaulted the guardsmen but was quickly and efficiently subdued and brought in for questioning. A clerk explained later that the drow had to be released for the time being, since no proof could be found that it had played a part in the creation of such a pointless and horrible display.

Falling under a still effective ban the drow was removed from town while the investigations continue.

Feuilleton

Vesper Regatta a great success!
(PLC)

Sunday and Monday saw the first public event hosted by the new chancellor of Vesper, Escaflowne. The great Trinsic Regatta consisted of three races, one towards Nujel’m and Buccaneer’s Den, one upriver from Vesper to Minoc and the last one through the narrow channels of Vesper itself.

Trinsic’s own team sailed the winds and currents onwards to a glorious triumph, closely followed by the excellent crew of Skara Brae. Vesper’s own team came third out of more than six ships in total that had lined up for the Regatta. At the end, one of the islands within Vesper was turned into a water bar to celebrate the results and all participants and despite all the previous doubts the smell of rum soon blocked out the odour of the channels.



Market Day in Yew
(PLC)

As a small token we brought an impression from the last Skara Breaen wandering market, this time in Yew. We highly recommend this market to all our readers. Soon to come to a town near you as well.

A special gift for those looking to save money

by Jolie Richesse

A special gift for those looking to save money

Dear readers, some of you have asked how I can be always so perfectly presented, and commented that I must spend a great deal of money. Naturally this is so, and of course one should never begrudge a penny spent on one’s appearance, but for me the Editor is always so open-handed and most generous with expenses. (Be careful – Ed.)

However, I do appreciate that many of you may not be quite so privileged, and therefore today I am going to tell you a most amazing full beauty treatment that will cost you nothing at all!

First, go to the tailor shop and pick up a few of the offcuts and discarded bits of material. Then to the river, where you must collect some handfuls of mud. Make sure you pick out the bits of waterweed and gravel, also any small animal life that may have been included. Then smear the mud generously over your face (avoiding the eye area) and any other bits of you that you want to exfoliate, and massage gently for a few minutes.

Then rinse your hands, roll up the bits of cloth together to make a pillow, and just lie back and relax. Perhaps look up at the sky and watch the clouds, listen to the birds, or hum your favourite songs. However, do not fall asleep, or the mud may set solid and require a chisel to remove it! If you are doing a full body treatment, this may create a little problem.

After about 20 minutes of relaxing, wash yourself clean in the river. Gently pat yourself dry with the cloth. You will find yourself rested and refreshed, and your skin will be smooth and glowing!

Tips:

• Make sure you only take cloth from the tailor which is not wanted. Trying to walk off with a whole new roll may cause some difficulties for you.

• Obviously it is better to choose a clean river for this – outside Trinsic rather than inside as in a city all sorts of rubbish may end up floating around. In any case it is better that you don’t swallow any of the mud. Your stomach does not need exfoliating.

• Do not do this in the rain; first you will get very cold which could cause pneumonia, and second, it will just wash the mud off straight away when you are lying down and relaxing.

• If you desire a full body treatment, it is recommended to find a very secluded spot. This will help avoid misunderstandings and perhaps prosecutions for indecent exposure.

And that is my free beauty secret for everyone. I hope you enjoy it. A bientôt mes amis!



Find Sherry!

Hello children!

With all the boring adult things going on that we need to write about we nearly forgot to tell you about the newest adventures of Sherry the Mouse! But… now that we finally found the time we went to spy on Sherry and again we took a picture of her travelling, and guess what, Sherry saw a unicorn! Is that not exciting? But look at the drawing and try to spot Sherry first! Where is she hiding this time?

The Trinsic Beacon

Dear Readers

The staff of the Trinsic Beacon apologises for the recent lack of editions. Unfortunate and unforeseeable technical difficulties kept us from reliably delivering our news to you. However, a new press has been installed and once more the pens are sharpened and poised as our service continues. In addition we are thrilled to bring to you an announcement concerning the Beacon that you will find at the end of this edition.

Yours faithfully
Pierre Le Canard


Before the Last Gate
(PLC)

Yesterday, a division of the royal guards under the guidance of Commander Nathan Hawke and Lady Hannah completed the construction of the magical gate that is now ready to be opened. Placed upon the ley lines that formed during the destruction of Magincia it is said to be an opening between the Trammel facet and the void, supposedly inhabited by daemons.

Commander Hawke stated that now, with the completition of the gate, nothing would stand between the royal guards and the final destruction of Mericles and the rescue of Lady Hannah’s lover. He explained that on Thursday, the final incantations would be spoken to open the gate, at which point the mages of the realm would weave a powerful spell to destroy the evil creatures on the other side. Afterwards his location will be known and guards will be sent out to apprehend him.

All involved parties were certain that the affair could be ended before the weekend.

In Memory of Lord Clainin
(PLC)

On Saturday, the king pro tempore Lord Casca invited the citizens of Britannia to say their final farewells to Lord Clainin, a well-known and much loved mage and scientist. While not usually keen on making a public appearance and rather staying with his books and experiments, Lord Clainin nevertheless left a lasting impressions in the hearts of citizens throughout the land when he stepped up to offer his vast knowledge for the protection of the realm.

To honour a great man and to remember his long and influential life we have decided to bring to you some excerpts of the words spoken at this memorial service.

Lord Casca:

Quote:

Citizens of Britannia. We have gathered here today to pay tribute to a most honorable man! With many great deeds Lord Clainin has served the Kingdom to his dying breath. A terrible loss. *at this point the king lowered his head in mourning*

Quote:

In his honor a memorial has been erected in the gardens of the castle which we will visit shortly. *the king raised his hands* By the Virtues I give you... Lord Clainin! *the crowd joined in*

Nathan Hawke

Quote:

I am not going to talk about the virtues although the Bishop of Trinsic sent me a nice book on the subject. Dear brothers and sisters of Sosaria. I would like to make a short speech in commemoration of our dearly departed Clainin. *he bowed his head* You may learn something of him tonight we hope.

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As you maybe aware Clainin recently awoke from his troubled sleep and was rescued from Haven under the command of King Casca and we escorted him to a safe house for his own safety, even though we were attacked during this mission. It seems that mission was undertaken in vain for Clainin was shortly after murdered by Melissa despite my best efforts to save him. Clainin was a great man, he was apprentice to none other than the legend Nystul. It was Clainin who assisted in the building of the structure still found in the courtyard built to aid in the detection of Minax. He was a member of the royal council after Nystul left and indeed was a comrade of mine and one of those who gave me orders and read my communiqués always with interest. Indeed it was Clainin and Dupre who rallied the people when left without both Nystul and Lord British. He forged the first alliance with the Meer against the Juka. It was he who assisted the Meer to cure the plague of Yew. With the aid of the Guardsmen. Clainin was also a healer of note who cured one Commander the Royal Guard of a dreadful poison which was inflicted through Keeonan after several treks into various dangerous places assisted by the Royal Guard. In other times he built the abortive magical barrier designed to defend Britain against magical attack when Yew and Cove were overrun by orcs and the Waker of the Dead had been summoned by Belo Ondariva not long before. *Hawke looked down and shed a tear* He revealed Ramuz the Shadowlord in the guise of Odric to the assembled Royal Guard! It was Clainin who also led the Royal Guard to meet with Inu the Crone in Tokuno to face her challenges so she would translate the journal of Malabelle. He was present at the time of the Blackrock explosion that destroyed Haven, due to the concentration of the volatile metal within its walls being collected by traders from adventurers while the detector was active in Moonglow. It was this which caused him to go into a coma for a long time only recently recovering. To be murdered at the hands of Melissa. I saw this myself. Finally he was the author of Observations of the Shards, A Chronicle of the remains of the Gem of Immortality and will be dearly missed by all. That was the life of Clainin

Market Day in Cove
(ElE)

Even in these troubled times there are occasional moments of respite and celebration that help to raise the spirits. One such event was the market day in Cove, which turned out to be a great success with many visitors from all parts of Sosaria. With great effort the citizens had turned their village into a festival, offering many goods to the interested crowds.

With new wars looming in the still troubled and shaken region it is good to see that at least some traces of civilisation struggle to keep their feeble hold on those few still living there. It remains to be seen how long the integrity of the former-army-now-mercenary company can be sustained when pitched against their former allies and now enemies from Vesper.

Feuilleton

The Horoscope for April
by Cassandre d'Troi

April - Shrek (the Ogre)
This month the stars are encouraging you to make hay while the sun shines. Up until the middle of the month, anyway. After that, you can enjoy the memory as things go from bad to worse. You will finally achieve an ambition and get to meet Lady Melisande, but it’s unlikely she’s going to turn out to be the girl of your dreams, more like nightmares.

May - Mat (the Daemon)
A new friendship will bring you excitement and interest this month. Unfortunately it will also land you in the debtors’ prison after you blow all your savings on the Vesper horse races. There is a risk of suicidal impulses around the 25th. Try to resist them, however, as the planetary alignment on the 26th is really quite good and things might start to sort themselves out. But probably not.

June - Ming (the Mongbat)
Your financial affairs are likely to be under some strain this month. I recommend you look for a good lawyer, well trained in bankruptcy procedures. However, the stars are always changing, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Although you may find this is just a large bunch of fire elementals waiting for you.

July - Leon (the Sphynx)
I advise against eating muffins this month. And avoid the colour red.

August - Fead (the Troll)
You are likely to have quite a few problems to iron out early in the month. Actually later in the month too. These may rob you of time, focus, or even your life, but after the scramble is over things appear to even out nicely for a day or so. Don’t relax too much, however. It won’t last.

September - Deck (the Ant Lion)
Pyramids are particularly bad for you this month. If you insist on visiting one, make sure you are prepared for the aftermath. Your friends and relatives won’t be too amused when you come back as an undead. It’s really not pretty and mummy bandages get everywhere and trip people up.

October - Whisky (the Rat)
You’ll have a good time this month when you run into some old friends you haven’t seen for years. Unfortunately it won’t last, as they’ll be re-arrested and sent back to jail very shortly. If you’re careful, you won’t go with them.

November - Puff (the Magic Dragon)
I am afraid things are not looking good for your love life this month. If you’re already in a relationship, you won’t be very shortly. If you aren’t, don’t expect that to change. Perhaps you should try being a little less fierce now and again. There’s a very fine line between assertive and aggressive.

December - Theseus (the Minotaur)
Romance is definitely on the cards for you this month, but try not to get over-excited about things. Beginnings are such fragile times, and the delicate shoots of love need gentle nurturing. Unfortunately, given your usual bullishness and ability to trample all over everything and everyone, things are likely to go horribly wrong.

January - Dontfear (the Reaper)
Navigating this month successfully will take money, patience, inside connections, favours, more patience, more money and power. Sadly you don’t have any of these, so it might just be best not to go out at all.

February - Vlad (the Vampire Bat)
You are likely to do quite a lot of successful hunting this month. I suggest you remember to wash the blood off your clothes afterwards; that sort of thing does put people off and they may seem uncooperative and even unfriendly. In consequence, don’t expect a good profit on anything.

March - Frosty (the Snow Elemental)
The pressure of leadership may weigh heavily on you, but it's not inspiration or brilliance that's needed. A calm and quiet approach is most likely to be successful. So that almost certainly isn’t going to happen, and I would suggest you make sure all your affairs are in order as quickly as possible.



Sensual Saté
by Stewan Seagull

You´ll need:
1/4 pd sirloin beef, diced to the size of a plum (the fruit)
ginger, lemon grass
coconut milk, Tokunese soy sauce, Tokunese oyster sauce
Nu´jelmian curry paste
garlic, black pepper, caraway
vegetable oil
twigs of rosemary

Marinate half the beef in 2 tablespoons oil, currypaste (one tea spoon or more, depending on how hot you plan the evening to get),
one clove ground garlic, one teaspoon ground ginger, two pinches of black pepper and salt each, six caraway seeds, one teaspoon each of the soy- and oystersauce.

The other half of the beef goes into a marinade of 2 table spoons coconut milk, a dash of miced lemon grass, one half teaspoon of

the currypaste, a sprinkle of each the soy- and oyster-sauce, three cloves of ground garlic and one teaspoon oil.

Let the meet rest in marinades at least three hours, better over night.
Pin the meats onto the rosemary twigs by turns and fry them in butter or oil.

(The meat will give you strength for what´s to come, as the rosemary and exotic spices drive up the heat.
Just don´t mess it up, as you´ll not find someone else that night, thanks to the garlic)



The Beacon Shines
by PLC

Many changes loom in the near future and we wished to let you, our faithful readers, be the first to hear about it. Along with the installation of the new press we have managed to secure a plot not far from Trinsic’s western gate and we are proud to announce the beginning of the construction of the Beacon’s new office and, more importantly, a theatre and event venue for the City of Trinsic.

As a fundraiser for the building we present to you…

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Jolie’s Fashion Parade

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Do you think you know about fashion? Is style your life? Do you dare to throw yourself before the greatest critic of all times? Then dress in your finest garments and take part in Jolie’s Fashion Parade! Details to follow in the next edition.

The Trinsic Beacon

Into the Void…
(PLC)

In the evening hours of Sunday, Commander Nathan Hawke and a large section of the Royal Guards assembled to try and enter the void in order to challenge and defeat a beast called the “Void Changeling” and to rescue Dorian, the lover of Lady Hannah. To the surprise of all those assembled it was not Mericles who managed to open the gate into the void, but Nosfentor, one of the Shadowlords.

How this came to pass, no one could say now, for Mericles vanished in the following confusion. For as soon as the gate was opened, the Void Changeling, a terrible beast of shadow and poison sprang fort to assault the assembled army. Of the battle itself we could not bring you any impressions, for the fearsome being spew forth great clouds of poison and bile that brought illness to all that were close and your faithful reporters had to retreat into the woods or risk being slain. After a moment of surprise though, the Royal Guard pressed the attacked and managed to overcome and slay the creature.

Once the guardian of the gate was defeated, the army ventured into the void itself, ending in a curious place which consisted of a precarious platform floating in the star-filled void. Even worse, the trap was sprung and large amounts of daemons and creatures of the underworld awaited the valiant fighters, many of which fell to the claws and teeth of the fearsome foes. After a lengthy and hard battle however the Royal Guard managed to gain the upper hand and, once the tide of the battle had turned, to defeat the remaining creatures.

Finally, once the strange platform above the void had been secured, the fighters found Dorian as well, standing in the centre of a blood-drawn pentagram. The joy of the rescue however was brief, for the once young man had aged considerably during his stay in the void and was now but a shadow of his former self. On command of Nathan Hawke, Dorian was brought to the Trinsic Healers.



DeVoid of all Logic – a Commentary
(PLC)

Strange times are afoot and the happenings of the past night have not managed to shed a light onto the motives and reasons for any of the occurrences that we reported about in weeks past. And worse, we find that the focus of the Citizens of Sosaria begins to stray from the important issues at hand towards a jolly hunt across the facets, in which the original goals and foci have long since blurred and vanished.

Yet let us take yesterday’s victory as an opportunity for a small résumé. During the last weeks, the attention of the Royal Guard has been almost exclusively centred on the person of Mericles, the “mighty” necromancer. Yet what is he, really? A villain that left his notes in convenient places strewn all over Ilshenar, to ensure that they would be found and read by whomever so wishes? A villain that is gullible to the point where it embarrasses his opponents who need not even try hard to outwit him? A villain that shows up dutifully and powerless to be trapped; baited by a heap of junk nearly as stereotypical and false in its appearance as the contents of a Yewish school book? A villain that cannot even do any deeds himself, but has to call upon and be in the debt of one of the Shadowlords itself in order to fulfil what he had bragged he could do? A Shadowlord, no less, who seemingly could not have cared less about the army which she helped to rescue Dorian, vanquish the Void Changeling and its minions.

Is this truly the danger in which Sosaria finds itself?

Or is this just a ruse, a false image conjured and played by those with deeper and darker intentions. Of course, the Commander of the Royal Guard had been the first to drive the merry chase along. Garbed in the spirit and colours of a Nujel’mian bagball cheerleader he provided all the necessary hurrahs and huzzas to keep the momentum going, yet appears to lack any of the strategic genius and caution that he once claimed to possess. How else can it be explained that an assault on a strange magical place such as the void was conducted with nearly no intelligence at all, nor any plans beyond “lets go and kick them, hurrah!”? How else can it be explained that all the words of planning and caution are generally supplied from the side-lines, usually out of the ranks of the Bloodguard or the various town factions? Is such a carefree mentality the result of pure arrogance or the deeper knowledge that none of these happenings are a real danger?

We also cannot help but notice the silence of King Casca, who made himself quite rare during the past weeks. Nor have any of the made promises been fulfilled. Former captain and now suspect Avery still remains hidden. No trials have been conducted to finally reveal the circumstances of the slaughter at Castle Britain. Nor has the populace or its leaders been given any insight into the nature of the mysterious new council. No matter whether the prey of the Royal Hunt is deer, Mericles or poor Dorian, the similarities are striking and the effects on the minds of the citizens identical.

Thus we ask ourselves and you, our readers: is the true enemy the one that was vanquished last night, or is this no more than a veil to occupy the minds of the citizens of Sosaria? Was this a victory indeed, or no more than an idle challenge and no more meaningful than the riddles of the Easter Bunny?

Local News

Gwen Irma Wounded
(PLC)

In the aftermath of yesterdays Battle in the Void (see page one) we found that Lady Gwen Irma, popular leader / spokeswoman of the Elven Quarter of Trinsic and member of the Council of Trinsic had been gravely injured by one of the fell daemons. In a short interview one of the Duchy’s local healers confirmed that the injury had indeed been severe, but that Lady Gwen was alive and recovering, albeit slowly. Brother Owen of the Trinsic Paladins of Honour explained later that once the physical needs had been seen to, there would be need for a spiritual cleansing as well, in order to avoid a lasting taint from the daemons that inflicted such a horrible wound on her. Up until now, we have not yet had an official statement from either the Duke or the Elves of the Quarter.

On behalf of our readers and staff, we wish a speedy and complete recovery!



Works Begin on Trinsic Beacon Offices and Event Venue
(PLC)

Dear Readers, the headline says it all: we of the Trinsic Beacon are excited to inform you that the work on our new offices and the planned theatre and event venue has begun. We will keep you updated, of course, and hope that we will soon be able to invite you to the great opening.

Feuilleton

Easter Bunny Eggcites Britain
(ELE)

During the easter days, Castle Britain had a most unusual visitor. Much to the enjoyment of the children, the easter bunny appeared on the castle grounds. But the riddle that it posed to the people of Britannia was all but easy and suited for children. For all those that could not figure it out, the solution was: “Are you eggcited to become a bunny?“



New Sosarian Museum
(ELE)

With the works now completed, Sosarias newest museum and reward hall is finally open for the public. While still empty, it will soon begin to fill up with stories and items to record the events in the realm and those that had the greatest impact and influence in them.

The reward hall can be reached through an energy vortex near the Councillor’s Hall in Britain.

The Trinsic Beacon

Of Shadow Lords and Councils
(PLC)

While Shadowlords threaten Sosaria it slowly seems like they already won, for the throne of the realm is currently held by a lord that is barely more than a shadow himself. And, even worse, elected by a council that consists of no more than shadows and whispers either. For all that the citizens of Sosaria know, it could consist of Lord Casca’s favourite sock puppets.

A glimmer of light is cast into the shadows only by Commander Hawke, who at least tried to maintain the impression of a working government as he invited the reporters of the various newspapers of Sosaria to an interview on Monday. Sad to say however, the most important message delivered in said meeting was that even the Commander himself rarely gets to see the king. Are we to assume then that the royal guard is not even a royal one, but a nearly independent institution now? Worse, Commander Hawke had to admit that the king seems, quote: “less inclined to participate”. Which leads us to the only one question that we so much wanted to find answered at said question and answer meeting, but which was still denied to us again: Who, really, rules the realm?



Peace in the North…
(PLC)

What is a dream of so many citizens now has another chance at becomming true. On Monday, Commander Hawke announced that a moot is being planned in which the leaders and citizens of the realm are called to try and achieve a lasting peace treaty to finally end the wars in the northern territories. What appears to be a weekly event full of merriment and talks might be far more serious, since the Commander implied that the dispatch of royal troops (or troops loyal to the crown) might be a possibility in order to try and protect the citizens of the contested territories.

What hope sprang forth from such an announcement however was quickly culled by the presence of the ‘word of the worker’ in the person of a raging fanatic from Yew that flooded the otherwise constructive meeting with the usual yewish propaganda and increasingly childish and desperate insults. One can only hope that the ‘word of the worker’ is in fact really just the word of ONE worker. If not then the peace talks may be doomed already, due to the fear and hatred of the yewish militia and church against everything and everybody not part of their own, narrow little world.

A Monstrous Regiment
(ELE)

All are equal, but some are more equal than others - a quotation that could easily apply to some of the more backward-looking areas of the north, namely those dominated by the so-called ‘Church’. However, finally it seems some of the citizens have taken the initiative to try and rid themselves from the oppression of the more equal zealots who run the supposedly religious foundation.

What few may have expected, however, is that it is the women who are rising, if necessary against their husbands, fathers and brothers.

Nailed to every church door in Cove and Yew were notices rejecting the oppression of women by this ‘Church’, which is in fact nothing more but a misguided sect perverting the teachings of Lord British for their own cause. By this oppression they guarantee their own power, wealth, and the right to do as they wish.

During the Beacon’s investigation we could find no woman willing to speak up, which is not surprising. Even Sergeant Wilkes of the Yewish Militia expects the ‘Church‘ to take bloody retribution for this (in their eyes) outrageous appearance of free will in their minions.

The Beacon ensures total anonymity to all members of this new movement that are willing to give an interview.

On the more humourus side, certain establishments in Vesper and Buccaneer’s Den have announced a “relief convoy” of a totally different kind in order to help those men currently suffering from their wives’ protests.



Dorian’s Memorial Service
(PLC)

In the presence of his wife Hannah and many notable citizens from all over the realm, Dorian’s memorial service was held last Saturday. After a few words from his wife, the body was placed onto the deck of a ship and the assembled mourners watched as the burning vessel drifted out towards the sea.

Even though few had known him in life, his rescue and memorial service were true signs of the virtuous souls of the realm. Filled by compassion, by honour and valor many citizens had risked their lives for a stranger and his love. Thus, Dorian shall be remembered as one who had to endure great suffering, but who finally managed to inspire and unify many people in the realm on their virtuous quest.

Local News

Trinsic Cottage Hospital
(PLC)

A clerk from the Duke’s office confirmed today that the construction of an additional hospital building will commence shortly. With the dramatic increase of refugees from the war- and plague-ridden northern territories additional facilities were necessary, so the official statement. Located halfway between the western gate and the public moongate, the new Trinsic Cottage Hospital will provide free healthcare services for all citizens of the realm.

Feuilleton

The loneliness of the long distance hero
(Jolie Richesse)

Dear readers, how often does one dream of finding the perfect man? Strong yet vulnerable; tough yet compassionate; noble yet humble; a man who is moreover handsome, brave, stylish and distinguished. Can such a paragon exist? The answer, mes amis, is an unequivocal yes!

I had the most great privilege to ask Commander Nathan Hawke to tell me a little about himself, at his so kind invitation to all reporters to come and question him. At first he hesitated (perhaps put off by the boorishness of the Yewish so-called reporter), but then it was as though the two of us became alone in the room and he opened up his soul to me.

Of course it was already known that he was a childhood friend of the former Commander Jordan Jurrel, whose so great sacrifice and regrettable demise will be forever remembered. Both went into the service of the Kingdom, but their ways parted: Jordan into the glorious sun of heroic fame, and Nathan into the long dark night of undercover danger. But despite the many years of their separation, our Commander misses deeply still his boyhood companion, and never will give up his hope for Jordan’s return.

With great pathos, and yet stoical acceptance, he revealed to me his loneliness and uncertainty. He told me that he has no longer a real home, or a real family; that he sleeps only with his sword and she is his best friend who never lets him down. Also that he wishes Jordan to be here and himself still far away, for firmly he remains convinced that Jordan would be a better Commander. Even he thanked Lady Flame and others for helping to keep him under control. Perhaps fearing to show more his inmost feelings, he recounted also to us that he has a fondness for Feluccan red wine, enjoys an occasional pipe and likes a nice book at bedtime.

Thus you see that with a single question I, Jolie, was able to persuade the Commander to reveal himself as never before. I bring to you all a more human face of this formerly mysterious figure who leads the Royal Guard with such graciousness and simple humility.

With very great thanks to the Commander, I wish you all a most pleasant week. A bientôt!



May Day in Cove
(ELE)

People often shout ‚Mayday!‘ when they need help, but today May Day was being shouted in Cove for quite a different reason, where they celebrated it in style. The Covians showed their usual inimitable skill in decoration and provided a fantastic feast down on the docks.

However, they had to call in some help for the entertainment, which was provided by a Skara Braen fortune teller, and Stewan Seagull from Trinsic (pictured), who did a sword swallowing and fire breathing act. I hope neither is a reflection on his baking!

The Hor(r)o(r)scope for May
(by Cassandre d'Troi)

May - Mat (the Daemon)
Be cautious when gardening in the next few weeks, as the compost heap at the bottom of your garden will evolve some new and interesting forms of poisonous plants. Fortunately they won’t survive past the next full moon. Next time you feel like smoking some nightshade, be more careful about where you put the half-burned remains.

June - Ming (the Mongbat)
Your problems are going to escalate abruptly this month when a bog thing moves in with you, attracted by that old carpet you’ve been meaning to replace for the last five years. It really is time to do it now, but be careful, as extreme tact will be needed to persuade the bog thing to go back home.

July - Leon (the Sphynx)
It would be best to avoid chickens this month. And don’t eat any lettuce.

August - Fead (the Troll)
If you have any self-help books, now would be a good time to start reading them in earnest. Every single planet is aligned against you this month, and you’re going to need all the self-confidence you can muster to deal with your home life, social life, and working life, all of which seem likely to come to an end very shortly.

September - Deck (the Ant Lion)
This month you will unfortunately be suffering from recurring nightmares for at least three weeks. However, none of them will come true so you need not worry about them. What is going to happen to you will be much worse. Don’t bother planning anything beyond the 23rd of the month.

October - Whisky (the Rat)
All the various decisions you have made over the past few months have set something serious in motion. Don't waste time trying to influence it, just wait for the result. In the meantime, I suggest you prepare yourself for some comprehensive changes in your plane of existence.

November - Puff (the Magic Dragon)
This month you can relax. It’s going to be filled with interest and excitement, but for everyone else, not for you. The closest you’ll come is when you find that your local shop on which you depended for years has closed down, and you have to explore up the road to find somewhere else to buy a pint of milk and some cat food

December - Theseus (the Minotaur)
If you got through last month, this month would be quite a good one to give up smoking. The planetary conjunctions in May suggest a series of shocks, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, and lightning strikes, all of which are not good for people with heart problems (I don’t mean your love life). Anything you can do to improve your chances would be helpful.

January - Dontfear (the Reaper)
This month sees the planets coming together into a most harmonious conjunction for you, signalling a joyous occasion, perhaps a wedding. Definitely time for a big and happy party. Unfortunately, the mood will be somewhat dampened by the stampede of Titans shortly afterwards, but you can’t have everything.

February - Vlad (the Vampire Bat)
The ancient dragon you heroically slew last month will come back to haunt you in the next few weeks. It’s never a good idea to get on the wrong side of something that’s 20 feet tall and breathes fire. Of course, ghost fire won’t harm you or anything else, but it’s going to ruin your social life as very few people will want to know you until it’s faded into the astral plane.

March - Frosty (the Snow Elemental)
An unexpected lich lord and his minions may give you some problems this month. However, I understand hospital food is greatly improved these days, so don’t worry too much if you actually survive the encounter.

April - Shrek (the Ogre)
Your love life has been a bit up and down over the last few months but the stars suggest a period of stability is coming shortly. This is likely to be a good thing; remember that life is really much easier when you’re single, and you won’t have to worry about things like housework and washing.

The Trinsic Beacon

Orcs and Fungi
(PLC)

That orcs are quite a gruesome sight is nothing new, but up until now the only things that they grew were either in their ears, their boots or beneath all those layers of leather and armour that never ever seem to come off. However, it seems like they have now taken to growing some kind of plant, or seek to, at least. In several places, such as Moongates and orc forts, strange, greenish seed pods have appeared that are all but indestructible by all means employed so far. No one yet knows what would grow if those seeds fell on fertile earth, but given that the orcs take quite an interest in them and given some clues that suggest them being in league with the Shadowlords themselves it seems unwise to wait and find out. As a countermeasure, Commander Hawke had some fungi gathered to try and infect those seeds. Whether or not this plan can succeed will be revealed soon and the Beacon shall report.

Last minute note: Apparently a new seed pod was found tonight on Horseshoe Island, at the very location in which the gate into the Void was opened by Nosfentor, the Shadowlord.



When the Puppets Dance – a Commentary
(PLC)

Mad mage Mericles vanished, yet before even the festivities are fully planned and begun, a new threat to Sosaria arises, this time in the rather burly and smelly shape of an army of Orcs rushing to assault the outlying villages of the realm. And true enough, more hints are found for the involvement of the Shadowlords; more plans within plans, more dangers both known and unknown. Thus the puppets dance, but neither the puppeteers nor the play is quite understood.

Even worse, only the more crude and blunt puppets can be seen at all. Neither Mericles nor the orcs show a higher level of sophistication. How many puppets, then, dance without their strings being visible? How many cunning plans evolve without the realm becoming aware of them? The murder of the old Council had not been foreseen by any that were in a situation to prevent it. How, then, can we believe to know all the plans that are in motion just now? The answer is simple: we cannot.

In fact, looking at the warmongering, the lies, the propaganda, the hostilities, the bizarre sects and cults that fester in some regions of Sosaria one might be excused for suspecting another ploy of the Shadowlords at work. What might look excusable, or even funny at first (like an entire church dedicated to a dead ostard unfortunate enough to get in between some danger and its master, thus becoming an involuntary ‘martyr’), is in fact nothing but a separating wedge driven between the citizens of the realm. And even the attempts of some to show that they still follow Lord British are laughable in the face of obscure cults, warmongering and even the outright denial of the old King’s teachings.

Today, the Beacon says: ‘Thank you.’ Thank you to the orcs, to Mericles, to the fearsome red dragons. For they and only they alone managed what words and reason could not: to unite the citizens of Sosaria against their common enemy, the Shadowlords. However, this occasional cloud of vague cooperation will not be enough. It is time to unite again, to remember the teachings of Lord British and to rebuild the realm in the name of all that he stood for.

Moonglow Festivities
(PLC)

If one seeks to plan some royal entertainment, one would be well advised to look towards Commander Hawke rather than the king himself as an organiser. Even without the Nujel’mian bagball cheerleaders the Commander managed to arrange a row of events that far surpassed the violence and bloodshed that had to be wiped up in the aftermath of Lord Casca’s entertainments. Archery, darts, some kind of bagball event and ending with an open stage night and ball; the past week offered something for nearly every taste and interest.

The only blood spilled was from the nose of the Commander himself, who was assaulted by an orc and a drow during the ball on Sunday. Neither must have had a bright moment, for doing so in the middle of the crowd set a small army on their tracks and after a merry chase (in which they were consequently too stupid to actually run away, rather than just around) they were beaten down swiftly.

Covian Confusion
(PLC)

After a due time spent as a mercenary company, the Covian Army now seems to have reformed to its former... state. No interview could be secured yet, but several villagers from Cove claimed that the return to an army state was due to a lack of successfully finished mercenary contracts and the resulting lack of payment. Now it seems that the army is once more living out of the taxes of the local population. We wish the army well in their endeavour and encourage our readers to send in suggestions on what the covian forces could turn into next week.

Speaking of the covian coffers: an entire shipment of gold from Trinsic nearly fell into the hands of orcs that tried to intercept the vessels and guards carrying them. With skilled manoeuvres the crafty sailors from Trinsic managed to break through the blockade of orcish warships, but soon after landfall in Cove itself the pursuing orcs unleashed a storm of arrows and shamanistic spells onto the covian guards, wounding many and nearly capturing the gold. However, the gold will not do a lot of good, seeing how Baron Octovius hardly waited for it to be carried out of the Trinsic West Bank before he availed himself of the first picks of jewellery and gems.

Local News

A Mongbat a Day…
(PLC)

… keeps the healers at bay, as the old saying goes. But even for those that do not trust the old witch recipe of mongbat-wing-tea there is now a hope of conserving or improving their health: last Friday, Duke Irvyn Middlethorn opened the new Trinsic Cottage Hospital for the public. During the small festivity the Duke emphasized that treatment and care will be free not only for members of the Duchy, but for all law-abiding citizens of Sosaria, following the tradition of the virtuous guild of healers founded by Lord British. Especially the near endless stream of refugees from the war-ridden northern territories as well as the injured from the recent battles with the Shadowlords’ minions can now be welcomed and cared for effectively. For the beginning, the staff will consist of the local healers Lady Madeline Warmbow and guardsman Iljian, as well as an apothecary staff member offering various herbs and potions at a reasonable price.

Feuilleton

Five tips for men for that very special date!
(Jolie Richesse)

1. Wearing freshly washed and tidy clothes, without patches and holes, will definitely help you look and feel good. If possible it may even increase your confidence levels for that special evening. However it is a fine line to tread as some women like to think a man needs looking after, and if you present yourself with too great perfection it may have the opposite effect to your wishes!

2. If you think you can carry it off, a little discreet cosmetic application (such as powdering over that nasty burn on your forehead, the sword slash on your cheek, or alternatively the acne scars on your chin) can work wonders. But remember not to overdo it! Also think of the woman – is she the sort who admires heroic scars? (Note: acne never falls under this category and it is definitely best to work on concealment.)

3. Your hair must also be carefully checked. That it must be washed goes without saying (see previous editions for a delightful beer and egg treatment for truly soft and shiny locks). If you feel the grey in your hair has gone beyond maturity and towards senility, hair dye should be considered. But be very careful to go for the natural look, unless you really think neon is your colour! A good cut is vital too, especially for those thinning on top. Your local hair stylist will be able to advise you.

4. However, hair in the ears or nose can be embarrassing. To get rid of this unwanted hair shaving is possible (though awkward and risks bloodshed), but the best and longest lasting way is to wax your ear lobes and nostrils. Waxing the chest can also be a good option if you think she might object to hairiness. But you must remember this is not something to be approached lightly as it will cause great pain. Only the strongest and bravest men should attempt waxing!

5. Finally, don’t forget to wear a deodorant, aftershave, and/or other perfume for that fresh feel throughout the evening. Pick your fragrance with care, considering the balance of floral notes with musk and woody or herby accents. But take heed, for this is a solemn warning (and applies to women too): perfume should stimulate, not asphyxiate!

A bientôt mes amis!

Sometimes a Sword goes right to the Heart
(Jolie Richesse)

Dear readers, those of you at the ball on Sunday might have witnessed the ceremony when Hannah was inducted into the Royal Guard by no less than Commander Hawke himself. Further, he did this by offering to her his sword, no less! He said that he was to make to her a proposition, and several present watching speculated that this might be a proposal of marriage. There seemed to be some disappointment when it turned out only to be an invitation to serve in the Royal Guard!

But I have to tell you, mes amis, that to me the presentation of the sword was clearly something very deep and meaningful, and indeed might as well have been a marriage proposal. You see, in many times it is very hard, particularly for a man, to say out loud - or indeed completely understand - what he feels. But in such circumstances, the use of symbols is a way that the subconscious mind takes to show the true feelings.

A sword, of course, is a very strongly masculine symbol, and Nathan’s sword is most especially important to him. You will remember that he revealed to us his inmost feelings about his sword when I asked him about himself. Now he gives this deeply important part of himself to Hannah. Readers, this is symbolism of the most obvious and elemental form! Thus he shows to everyone - even if he does not yet realise it - that she is the woman he truly desires and means to make his own.

The Trinsic Beacon

Orcs Suffering from Disease!
(PLC)

Tonight, orcish forces launched a small raid against the western gates of Trinsic, but were repelled quickly. Much more interesting than this small skirmish however was the note that was found on one of the orcs, hinting that the orcs in Yew were infected by a disease unknown to them (in addition to all those that orcs are known to spread) and that they looked for a cure.

Quote:

Urk at Yew is deading. Um Urk mus fin kewr. Big wozaa not no.

An incognito investigation with the help of a local healer revealed that several orcs at the fort in Yew indeed suffered from a disease, weakening them and causing their skins to pale to an untypical grey shade. Duke Irvyn told the Beacon in an interview that he would place all known orcish settlements under regular observation to see what course this disease will take.

Yesterday, a small force of the Royal Guard infiltrated the orcish caves in disguise to try and learn more about the strange seed pods. It was found that the orcs water the pods with a strange, darkly glowing potion which is mixed from several ingredients. A sample was obtained by Madeline Warmbow of Trinsic, and has been given to Hannah to see if any of the royal alchemists can identify it or find a way to counteract it.

From the Duke’s Office:

Quote:

By decree of his Grace, Duke Irvyn Middlethorn of Trinsic: The West Gate Guardhouse and Records Office has been refurbished to serve as a central point for gathering and sharing information obtained by anyone during the current threats against the realm. In these times, troubled by the danger of the Shadowlords, orcish attacks and a weakened realm, it is the hope of the citizens of Trinsic that this new outpost for the Royal Guard will help to reinforce and centralise the efforts against the common enemy. There is a chest on the front step and another one inside where books, notes or items can be left. There is also a bulletin board outside which can be used for messages. All information will be archived into the bookcases which will be open to everyone. We ask for the help of the Royal Guard and all defenders of the realm to gather and dispose all available information there, to be compiled and made available for the public. In the name of the people of Trinsic. Irvyn Middlethorn Duke of Trinsic, Servant of the Realm, Defender of the South, etc.

Feuilleton

A Wedding!
(Jolie Richesse)

A quick note only from Jolie today, as the editor is being most impatient!

It seems love is in the air around Trinsic, despite what my colleague Cassandre may claim. Perhaps stimulated by the news of Nathan and Hannah which I revealed to you last week, a little bird tells me of wedding news in Trinsic this very day! You may have heard, dear readers, rumours of the return of the terrible Kaldorian army, who from time to time decided to ravage the continent of Britannia.

After their last failed skirmish, most returned to their homeland of Gorimdor, but a few remained. Most notably Corwin, who set up a thriving ale import business and is well known in the town. There has been a longstanding and well known engagement between him and Hildy of the city guard, in the most romantic fashion, lasting all through the last war between Kaldor and Trinsic. The seemingly doomed lovers, on opposite sides of the battlefield, nonetheless remained firm and enduring in their attachment.

Well, now the Kaldorians are back, and it seems that again they seek nothing but war against the citizens of Britannia. Corwin has been recalled to the army, and gone most willingly according to some of his friends. But, before the Kaldorians can force him to split from his one true love, he today married Hildy in a secret ceremony performed by Gwen Irima and attended by a few friends. We wish them all possible happiness. Truly, mes amis, romance is not dead!

The Trinsic Beacon

An Outrage
(Jolie Richesse)

Dear readers, today it is necessary that I write for the Beacon the editorial, and apologise for the lateness of this publishing. And why? Because I must also tell you of a most outrageous, terrible, horrifying, episode that has occurred. Our very own Pierre Le Canard is at this moment in the Trinsic Cottage Hospital, recovering from severe injuries that may leave him scarred for life! The doctor tells me that he has two broken ribs, many cuts and abrasions from splinters of wood, and moreover, he has been shot twice with arrows. From Pierre himself I learn that he was first trampled by an undead and a horde of guardsmen – which is not so unexpected and an explainable accident – but then he sheltered behind a door which the Vesperians blew up, and not content with this first attack on him, they shot him! How can this be acceptable?

These disgraceful, shocking, contemptible and cowardly actions by the Vesperians must not go unrecorded! Not only do they attack the city of Yew (although it is of course possible that the Yewish are the most annoying people in Sosaria and one might therefore find some sympathy) but they have no compunction about including innocent bystanders in their ravages. Our noble editor and my so-dear friend Pierre was doing his always so splendid job in bringing to you, our readers, the full news of what is happening in this great land of ours. He spends many hours travelling and investigating to bring the truth to light – and there is no use seeking it in those pathetic publications from other cities – and yet this is his reward: to be cruelly, wantonly and unthinkingly attacked! Truly the so-called militia of Vesper are nothing but barbarians, soulless and without respect for anyone. Also cowardly, to attack an unarmed civilian and no doubt to laugh about it and glory in their self-proclaimed strength!

Certainly these Vesperians are no better than the orcs which seek to bring havoc to all places. Indeed one might think it quite possible that they are working with the orcs, for both display a so-great shared interest in klomping everyone. And it was most obvious they have no desire for peace, since the only representative sent to the peace talks with the Commander Nathan Hawke was that capricious, traitorous dilettante Devante Stirling.

The Beacon is given to understand that the Duke is to issue a formal letter of protest to the Chancellor of Vesper. But, mes amis, how can this be enough? It is true that our beloved and worthy Duke is first and foremost a man of peace, and he has indeed kept our beautiful city aloof from so many conflicts, to its greater prosperity and strength, but surely something so offensive, shameful and despicable demands more! Perhaps if our readers were to appeal to him, he might consider some stronger action against these pusillanimous northern cravens.

It is to be hoped that Pierre will make a most swift recovery. Rest assured, dear readers, we hope to bring you better news in our next edition. And of course we shall never fail to continue our quest to bring you the truth, beauty and joy which so delight your hearts.

Breaking News - Beacon Exclusive: Royal Army on the March!
(ELE)

This scoop was obtained at the last minute, almost as the presses were about to roll. It comes from an impromptu interview by our intrepid reporter with Commander Nathan Hawke, who graciously attended the Trinsic Fight Night. According to the Commander, the king’s patience has finally ‘worn thin’ and he plans to put a decisive end to the series of attacks on loyalist towns. As was indicated at the recent peace summit at the Moonglow Lycaeum, we can now exclusively confirm that the Royal Army will march under direct orders from the King. They are to take up position on the borders of Minoc and Vesper, forming a barrier to protect the citizens of the realm against the ruthless attacks of the self-proclaimed ‘republic of Vesper’.

Humans are the better Orcs…
(ELE)

While the north succumbs to war and violence once more, the remainders of the Sosarian strength battle the hidden enemies on the move against the realm. Led by Commander Nathan Hawke, a company of the Royal Guard in orcish disguise crept into the caves beneath the mountains of Yew to learn more about the plans of the ‘wozzah’ Mericles and his orcish followers. With surprising ease the adventurers managed to establish a contact with one of the orc bosses, which allowed them to learn more about the activities hidden in the darkness of that cave. While the seed pods have not grown further they are still being watered by what alchemists titled a ‘darkglow’ potion, apparently consisting out of luminescent fungi and daemon blood. The latter was wrung yesterday from the body of a rather reluctant and extremely uncooperative blood daemon which was found lurking in (entirely unsurprisingly) blood dungeon.

It is the hope of the Royal Guard that the reward for delivering this to the boss will be the title of ‘gud orc’, along with the ‘wurd’ which is the password required to gain access to wozzah Mericles’ cave in the depths of the orcish dungeon. One might laugh, were it not a deadly dance of plans and counter plans with the safety of Sosaria at stake.

Feuilleton

A Beautiful Night
(Jolie Richesse)

It is surely a rare person who would not want to look young and beautiful. But how many of us can stay that way? As they say, Trinsic wasn't built in a day, and achieving a goal may take time. Further, if one requires to continue to look attractive and fresh every day, one must follow not just an efficient beauty regime, but also do it all very regularly. Beauty, dear readers, takes much dedication.

But it need not be a lengthy and difficult task! For many of us in our so-busy lives it is not possible to maintain a regular and intensive beauty regime, unless of course it is a part of your work! And most sadly there are not many of you so fortunate as myself. However, for those of you with less time to dedicate, here is a simple schedule to make yourself a beautiful glow quite naturally in only fifteen minutes a day before you go to bed. Yes, that is all it takes!

You must prepare yourself beforehand with all the things you will need.

First you will need a large bowl of warm water, with some pleasant smelling herbs in it (it does not matter which ones for this, only that they make a nice scent which you find relaxing). Secondly, a gentle facial scrub mask and some good skin moisturising cream (for the best ones I will give you the receipe next week). Then you will need some soft cotton wool, some coconut oil, and thinly sliced cucumber. A towel will also be required.

Put the bowl of water on the floor by a comfortable chair and everything else on a table nearby where it can easily be reached. Now for the complicated part!

Sit in the chair and put your feet in the water. Let them soak and inhale the pleasant scent rising from the water – perhaps it may be a good idea to wash your feet before doing this.

While your feet soak, take some of the soft cotton wool and apply the facial scrub, massaging it gently around your face but avoiding the eye area. That is what the cucumber is for. When you have applied the scrub, next take the coconut oil and pour a little onto the top of your head. Then, place a slice of cucumber over each eye to deal with puffiness and dark circles, and while that does its work, massage the coconut oil into your scalp for at least 5 minutes, pressing quite hard and working the oil down to the end of the hair.

After all the above, remove the cucumber from your eyes so that you can see what you are doing. Then, take your feet out of the water and now you will of course need the towel. Dry them gently and thoroughly. If you wish, some toenail clipping and rough skin removal can be done now while the feet are softened and warm.

Next, rinse the facial scrub from your face with lukewarm water and pat your face dry. Do not remove the oil from your hair – an overnight treatment will ensure beautifully shiny and strong hair in the morning. Finally, apply the moisturising cream generously to your face and neck. Now, relaxed and soothed by your beauty treatment you will get a good night’s sleep!



Trinsic Fight Night a Success
(ELE)

For those that prefer a bloody over a beautiful night the Trinsic Fight Night might be just the thing; featuring neither cucumber nor a relaxing bath for the feet, other than a mixture of blood and sweat soaking through the boots since the only rule was once more that no rules apply. Thus it was that contestants from all over the realm fought, struggled, shot and burned their way through their opponents until local armsman Van Cocidius won the temporary title of Fight Night Champion. A new Fight Night has been announced for next week, so seize the chance to wrestle (cut, slash, hack, burn) this title this title away from him.

Wild Wild Ilshenar...
(ELE)

Similar to the ritual of the Fight Nights the Duchy of Trinsic invites all adventurers to its weekly Ilshenar expedition. The trip is generally an attempt to get as many people as possible into as big a trouble as can be found and the excitement and willingness of the participants can only be explained by temporary madness. However, the shared madness makes for a generally good time, at least up to the point where the only working door leads right into the lowest levels of the Abyss (see picture).

The Trinsic Beacon

Royal Decrees
(PLC)


On Sunday night, king pro tempore Lord Casca uttered the following decrees:

• A Royal Census is to be conducted in the month of June, during which each citizen of the Realm is to be registered and will be required to pay a one-time tax of 1000 gold pieces.
• As announced by Commander Hawke, a part of the Royal Army shall be stationed in the borderlands between Cove, Minoc and Vesper, to offer protection for the citizens of the realm against assaults from the self-proclaimed republic of Vesper.
• Commander Nathan Hawke is relieved from his duty, with his predecessor to be announced in the next days.

The decrees were followed by a storm of outrage from nearly all witnesses. Protests continued afterwards and gathered strength as the news were spread across the realm. Nathan Hawke was not yet available for an interview.

War against Peace
(PLC)

War has begun in the north, where the vesperian ‘army’ felt threatened by the tremendous force of less than ten(!) Royal Soldiers in a small-crate-fortified outpost on the Cove-Minoc-Vesper-crossroads. According to chancellor Escaflowne, this apparently lethal danger to Vesper was considered an ‘invasion force’ (all ten of them!) with which the tyrant king from Britain means to overthrow the ‘republic of Vesper’. Consecutively the vesperian ‘army’ moved out to slaughter this small detachment of the Royal Guard and to burn it down as a sign for their bloodlust and brutality.

Chancellor Escaflowne further stated that this first, initial attack was a counterattack, though he could not explain how it is possible to counter something that has not yet taken place.

King pro tempore Lord Casca already reacted to this attack with a letter, from which we took this quote: "The so-called ‘Republic of Vesper’ has been a thorn in my eye for some time. And now they dare attack the Royal Guard? This is an outrage!" The letter also states that reinforcements will be sent to strengthen the crown’s presence in the area.

Political Suicide – A Commentary
(PLC)

When subtlety is the name of the game, then it is the small moves that matter. In previous editions we have already detailed the problems and unsolved mysteries around the new king and his rise to power and we shall not bore you once again with these accounts. Up until now, however, there was always the doubt, the possibility of both truth and deceit that surrounded each of the individual steps. These decrees, however, appear to be nothing less but a blunt lunge at the integrity and unity of the realm.

A census and taxes are sure to agitate many citizens, especially in the already heavily taxed and tithed regions of Yew. One can only pity the farmers that do not only suffer from taxes to the militia, more or less voluntary (and torch-inspired) donations to the ‘church’ and now have to pay large sums of gold to the crown for unknown purposes. The blunt dismissal of Nathan Hawke from the position of the Commander of the Royal Guard is sure to alienate those that worked closely with him in order to try and reveal the plans of the Shadowlords, Mericles and now the orcs. Hints and rumours concerning the march of the Royal Guard to the borderlands in the north might bring the Realm to the verge of a civil war, if not way beyond. Countless smaller occurrences sowing doubt and distrust into the crown and its chosen emissaries shatter the strength and heart of the once great Realm of Lord British.

In our studies and interviews, in our countless travels that carry us all through the Realm, we have come to the conclusion that all of us, citizens from the north and south, the east and west, the capital and the farthest regions, friends and foes alike are targeted by a much greater and sinister plan. Hatred, falsehood and cowardice are the names of the Shadowlords and it is those feelings that they seek to inspire in us all. And they succeed.
This dark hour might mark the end of the Realm and Sosaria as we know it, lest we all unite and put aside the differences and problems that lead to those dark feelings. Let us cut the strings of the puppets that dance to the Shadowlords’ tune and return to the legacy of Lord British and the heroes of old.

As a sign of good faith, of a will to unite against and to overcome the Shadowlords, we ask all of our readers to wear a yellow or golden sash, cape, surcoat or any other visible piece of clothing as an outward sign of their support to the Realm and its citizens.



The Philosopher’s Seed
(ELE)

Even without the guidance of its former Commander, the Royal Guard continued its search for clues and information concerning the strange seed pods gathered and grown by the orcs. Temporarily led by Hannah, they followed the trails (or fumes, in this case) to a number of alchemists that might be able to shed a glow on the luminescent potions employed by the greenskins.
However, the Royal Alchemists, hired by the king himself, appears to have been given a wrong and entirely useless potion by Lord Casca, thus making the resulting report about as interesting as a covian newspaper. Either we are the witnesses of a particularily malfunctioning bureaucratic system or we have to conclude that an attempt to mislead the Royal Guard has taken place.
Only marginally more helpful was a captured orcish alchemist, who garbled nothing of interest while he was being taken to a secure location to be questioned later.
The only useful trace found were the names and mannerisms of some teachers that taught both the Royal Alchemist and the mage Mericles, opening a potential venue of gathering more information about Mericles’ studies. In addition, more potions were acquired from the orc caves to have the Royal Alchemist perform a proper study of the fluid.

Yew Elections
(ELE)

Sunday saw the launch of the yewish campaigning season which will end in the election for a new mayor for Yew. The overture was staged by William Smit, who ranted extensively and to the amusement of most listeners about the need for slaves, wars and reigns of terror. After this, the candidates followed the usual patterns of campaigning, promising prosperity and success to the militia, the church and the citizens. Dylan Nottinbury tried to impress with plans of continuous spending (without mentioning where the gold should be gathered that is to be spent) and his well thought out and nearly comically patriotic choice of clothing. David Brooker followed a decidedly worldly course, suggesting a cut in tithe to the church and instead concentrating on taverns and (not fully understood and therefore somewhat curious) theories about foreign trade. He was followed by Kain Raslo, a veteran and aging citizen of Yew who might not have the most inspired and revolutionary programme, but impressed the audience with his sincerity and dedication to Yew and its people. Last (and possibly least) was Jack Nottinbury, who somehow lost himself in obscure explanations on why slavery was bad for the working class and how taxes should be restructured to get more gold while annoying less people with them.

Overall, the campaign promises a quite diverse field of candidates and we will look forward to the results of the yewish elections, which are to happen in June.

Feuilleton

Recipes for Beauty
(Jolie Richesse)

As I promised to you last week, my readers, here are the recipes for the facial scrub and the moisturiser which you may use with the beauty regime I described for you.

For a most excellent facial scrub:
You will need a coconut, some brown sugar, butter, and a little flour.
Break open the coconut carefully and collect the milk in a bowl. Then scrape out the white flesh and press it to remove as much of the juice as possible. Finely grate the pressed flesh and put it in the bowl with the milk. Then clean the fibres away from the shell and with a grater (a fine gauge carpenter’s plane actually works quite well for this) scrape the woody outside until you have about half a cup of what will look like sawdust. Mix the coconut shell, the grated flesh, and the milk altogether. Add some flour to thicken the mixture to a fairly stiff paste, butter to moisturise, and some brown sugar to induce sweetness.

Rub the mixture over your face, massaging gently with your fingertips. Repeat several times for the best effect. Then rinse your face well with warm water and pat dry.

This will not keep, so the rest is safe to eat if you do not mind the slightly gritty texture. I can assure you that it tastes very pleasant!

For intensive moisturizing
Collect for yourself one cucumber, some fresh leaves of the aloe vera plant (the best are found in Nujel’m), some yoghurt, a root of ginseng, cornflour and some cocoa butter.

Peel and grate the cucumber until it is what may be described as mushy. Press as much of the thick sap as possible from the aloe leaves and add this sap to the cucumber. Finely grate also the ginseng and add that along with the yoghurt. Mix well and when you have a smooth liquid, beat in the cocoa butter and cornflour until the mixture is a light and fluffy cream.

Spread a generous amount of the cream over your face and neck, rubbing in gently. Wipe off the excess but with a soft dry cloth, do not rinse it off with water. Leave overnight and you will find your skin smooth and soft in the morning.

This also does not last more than a few days, but I cannot recommend using any excess as food. It is not harmful but the taste is much less pleasant!
A bientôt, mes amis!


Quickly Noted
(ELE)

As you may or may not have heard, the former Vesper Militia reformed into an army proper which, we assume, is an only legitimate step if you plan to wage wars in foreign lands. Along with this change in titles came a change in uniforms to an ominous red and black.

You will understand how surprised we were to read in Bertram’s Guide to Guilds (available in every well-stocked library) that red over black are the colours of the venerable Federation of Thieves and Beggars. Or, when set up in checkers, the colours of the most honoured Guild of Assassins. Curious coincidence? Rare case of insight and self-awareness? Prophetic sign for times to come? Or just a blind followup on the colours of the Knights and Mages of Kha, a long dead and gone sect of doubtful morale and purpose?
One can only guess…


The Hor(r)o(r)scope for June
(by Cassandre d'Troi)

June - Ming (the Mongbat)
The stars are suggesting some strange portents this month. Expect some interesting changes in your working life, when your current manager is replaced by someone from the darker phases of existence. My understanding is that Shadow Lords thrive on constant conflict, so the office is not going to be a peaceful place for a while.

July - Leon (the Sphynx)
Llamas should be avoided this month. And muffins.

August - Fead (the Troll)
Assuming you survived last month, this month is relatively calm. The infestation of vampire bats in your back garden may provide some attention-grabbing moments for you, but otherwise your life will be fairly tedious.

September - Deck (the Ant Lion)
The ogre who moved in next door recently is likely to start a quarrel over that boundary fence you moved. You should have known you were chancing it. However, around the middle of the month things look up for you, as he will be distracted by the baby lava lizards that follow you home after a hunting expedition. Tip: next time, don’t kill the mother.

October - Whisky (the Rat)
It would probably be a good idea to give that undead slayer sword away this month, as you wouldn’t want to cut yourself accidentally after the 15th, or maybe 16th. Any silver you have lying around should be safely hidden, and sharpened wooden stakes should be removed from easy reach. Also I recommend clearing the garlic out of your garden.

November - Puff (the Magic Dragon)
This is going to be a much more exciting month for you. Around the 10th of the month you will get caught in a massive storm and be lost for several days. As a result of the soaking you will probably get pneumonia, but not badly. You will recover in time to be caught up in a major earthquake that’s waiting for you on or around the 25th.

December - Theseus (the Minotaur)
It would be beneficial to ensure you’re on good terms with your friends and neighbours this month. You seem to have offended one or more gods, and the resultant plagues of locusts, flies, blood, sheep and demons are not going to make life easy.

January - Dontfear (the Reaper)
Last month’s Titan stampede leads to some interesting consequences this month. Unfortunately the stars were not able to supply any definite details, so you will just have to wait and see. (There were some vague hints – if any of you would like to write in and let me know what happens, it would perhaps help to clear my inner eye.)

February - Vlad (the Vampire Bat)
Expect some fun and excitement this month when you go on holiday and meet plenty of fresh stimulation in strange places. I recommend taking some good armour and weapons with you, however, or plenty of reagents and a good spellbook. Exciting does not equal safe.

March - Frosty (the Snow Elemental)
This month sees you surrounded by the threat of poison, and it looks as though giant snakes in particular are going to haunt you, given the particular planetary conjunctions that pertain to your stars this month. Don’t leave home without plenty of orange potions. Come to think of it, keep them with you at home too.

April - Shrek (the Ogre)
A month filled with romance and sweet dreams is in the stars, but sadly it’s going to bypass you again. However, if you go hunting in the orc caves I can guarantee some resounding victories.*

May - Mat (the Daemon)
Unlike those born under the sign of Shrek, this is definitely your month for romance. Someone you thought of only as a colleague is going to start meaning a lot more to you, and things will potentially develop very fast. However, be careful as many people have hidden secrets in their past, including you. Honesty may not be the best policy.

* For the orcs.

The Trinsic Beacon

Special Victory Edition!

From your temporary editor, Jolie Richesse

Dear readers, our usual editor Pierre Le Canard decided to take this time of all times to be sick, or perhaps go on holiday, I am not sure. In any case he is not here. And what events he has missed!! I assure you, he will most definitely be kicking himself from here to Vesper and back!

Today we present for you a special Victory Edition, in which we shall show you the entire week’s vital moments!

Firstly, on Monday, Van Cocidius again led most excitingly his exploration into Ilshenar, where were found many brigands hiding in the town of Mistas. Once defeated, a journal was found dropped on the floor which pointed to them having kidnapped Commander Nathan Hawke! Moreover, it proved beyond doubt that the self-proclaimed King Casca was precisely responsible!!!

From that, on Thursday, a most dramatic rescue of the beloved Commander was led by none other than our own distinguished Duke!

Next, most clearly and directly as a result of our Duke’s remarkable ability to bring people together in amity, a display formerly unprecedented of tolerance and unity in Yew! The intended conference on Saturday to discuss the joint threats of Casca and Vesper became suddenly a joint conference including Vesper, talking of united action against Casca!!

And on the very next day, the whole of our land of Sosaria rose up in arms against this so foul usurper!! The city of Britain has been most splendidly liberated!! The coward Casca has fled into hiding!! Surely the date of 14th June will forever be remembered as one of the most magnificent and glorious of days ever to be seen in these lands!!!

Yet again, on Monday, our reinstated Commander led us all – still united – again to the orc mines. There after a tremendous battle the orcs were most thoroughly destroyed!! Thanks must go of course to the eminent alchemists of Trinsic who worked night and day to produce the strongest of explosives for this most vital task!

Mes amis, I do believe we are living in very momentous days of history! And each of us has a part to play, no matter of the most small or the most great! Naturally our so wonderful city of Trinsic, with our inspiring and illustrious Duke, shall be in the forefront as always!

[Note from typesetters: enough with the exclamation marks, we are running out.]


Comment - the immediate future
(ELE)

For now, Britain is liberated. The search for the usurper must now begin – all we can say at present is that he has not been seen in any of the cities.

At least the citizens of Britain can breathe a sigh of relief for now. Forces from the united army will reside in the city for a while, to ensure that the coward Casca cannot try to return. Nevertheless, vigilance is needed everywhere, not just to find Casca, but to guard against his hirelings. As Commander Hawke warned, they may yet be sent out to wreak revenge.

Trinsic shall of course open its doors to any refugees who have fled the horrific depredations of Casca and his hired brigands. Medical care is freely available at the Trinsic Cottage Hospital, with no charge. The orphanage will take in any children in need, and the largesse of the Duke extends also to free accommodation in Trinsic’s inns for those made homeless during this war.

Over the next few days, however, there will be entertainment and celebrations provided for all in Britain. Tonight the famed Trinsic Fight Night will transfer to Castle British for any who wish to take part. Tomorrow, the town of Yew is arranging a “Fancy Dress Brawl” in the Cat’s Lair Tavern. And on Thursday, we have heard rumours of games being organised, although no details were available when we went to press.


An artist’s sketches of the expedition to Ilshenar (Monday 8th June)



Here be dragons (Thursday 11th June)
(JR)

Following the terrible discovery in Ilshenar, and the failure of King Casca to make any reply to his letter, our Duke made the so bold decision to finally declare himself against this usurping pretender. Thus he initiated a search for Commander Nathan Hawke.

Knowing that the Commander has become highly regarded by all peoples, in hope the Duke issued a notice to all parts of the land. And his hope was most splendidly fulfilled – a great host answered his call, from Yew, from Vesper, from Cove, from Skara Brae, from Britain, indeed all corners of the land! Everyone was united in the desire to find the beloved Commander.

By great good fortune, the Lady Hannah was able to tell of a mysterious dream she had (of which I will discuss more in a later edition), regarding a cave in a mountain, with fire and streams of lava.

Led therefore by the Duke, the brave adventurers essayed a trip to the Chaos gate in Ilshenar – and believe me, mes amis, this is a most well named place! The mountain and streams of lava were indeed found, but Hannah did not feel it was right. And there was no sign of the Commander, only a strange beast appearing like a huge demon, but who seemed to know of the Commander.

Thus the way was made to the Honor gate instead, and when was found a volcano, and a cave of most gigantic fire-breathing dragons surrounded by streams of boiling lava, Hannah became of a certainty that this was the place of her dream.

And so indeed it proved, dear readers! The noble Commander, most grievously cut and burned but still by the grace of all gods alive, was found deep inside the cave. This naturally required much brave combat with the ancient wyrms which infested the place, but of course this united army was ready and willing.

He was taken from that terrible place to a secret location – although I can now reveal that it was the healers of Yew – and there he addressed us briefly, proclaiming that the rebellion against Casca had started in this place, before falling into a deep and it is to be hoped restful sleep.


United at last – at least for now (Saturday 13th June)
(ELE)

On Saturday, representatives from the whole of Sosaria came together to discuss the rebellion against Casca. It was notable that Duke Irvyn’s relaxed confidence showed a marked contrast with Captain Bladius Dart of Yew, who seemed nervous, unable even to sit still in his chair.

Then again, perhaps this could be explained by the Yewish agreeing to sit at table and talk with at least a semblance of cooperation with Vesperians, Covians, elves, and sundry other representatives of all that the somewhat insular and bigoted peasantry of Yew hate so much. Duke Irvyn, of course, has far more experience in diplomacy of the highest order, and indeed might be considered directly responsible for everyone agreeing to work together.

Commander Nathan Hawke, thankfully recovering well from the wounds sustained during his kidnapping, was able to be present. He was fully supportive of the decision taken: to raise a united army from all present, in order to retake the city of Britain and, if possible, to capture Casca himself and bring him to trial (though this was apparently viewed as contentious with a number calling for immediate execution. However, the point is moot for now, as Casca has not been captured).

Discussion turned briefly to the next steps. Who fills the void (no pun intended) left by deposing Casca? It was largely agreed that a new Royal Council should be chosen, this time by election from the citizens of Sosaria. (It is the Beacon’s opinion that Commander Nathan Hawke should - and indeed probably will - be appointed as the head of the Council, by general acclamation.)

Sadly, Vesper refused to take part in such a Council, thus the dream of uniting the lands must for now remain just that.


All your base are belong to us (Sunday 14th June)
(ELE)

Probably one of the greatest armies Sosaria has ever seen gathered at Stonekeep in readiness for the assault on Britain. People were there from all the land, from Yew, Vesper, Cove, Skara Brae, Britain, Trinsic, and all points far and wide.

Trinsic's advance scouts were able to warn of Casca's brigands waiting at the western pass, and also managed to penetrate Lord Blackthorn's castle and confirm that the usurper had already fled. Medical supplies were additionally sent ahead.


The forces from the Duchy of Trinsic, with the Duke himself at their head, joined with the Knights Templar, the Skara Braens, the Vesperians and the Bloodguard to advance on Britain from the north east. Commander Nathan Hawke also accompanied this group.

There was a mighty host of brigands waiting on the main road, and more of their fellows poured in to hinder the approach as much as possible. But after heavy fighting the brigands were finally routed and the combined force advanced into the city. There were some injuries amongst the army, but no recorded casualties.


It is notable that the ordinary town guards, unlike Casca's "Royal" guards, were happy to help fight off any brigands who dared to enter the city limits. The Duke reported seeing one of the Royal Guards apparently commanding the brigands, but, like his master Casca, the cowardly dog soon turned tail and ran.

After further checking of Lord Blackthorn's castle (with no resistance from the remaining Royal Guards in the vicinity) and checking that the streets were free from any remaining brigands, the victorious army gathered in the throne room of Castle British. There Commander Hawke addressed them briefly, and then all dispersed to prepare for the next day's final assault on the orcs.



The mines are mined (Monday 15th June)
(ELE)

Again the great united army gathered, this time in Britain, and was led by Commander Hawke to the orc mines. There was fierce fighting against wave after wave of ferocious orcs, but the army won through to the final secret cave.


Here they faced the toughest challenge yet, as from the moment they entered the cavern they faced massed ranks of orc mages with every possible protective spell wound about them. This caused great problems initially, with the Duke narrowly escaping death on at least one occasion.

However, once enough of the army had penetrated to the cavern, the orcs were swiftly defeated. The seed pods were burned with liquid fire, and then explosives were placed at strategic points around the caves, as directed by the Yewish sappers (naturally the Yewish would know all about destruction). Leaving the explosives timed to go off, the army swiftly exited the caves and returned to Britain, where after a brief speech by Commander Hawke, each dispersed to rest and recover.


I am happy to report that the Duke is recovering well from the minor injuries sustained during the episode. I am sure he feels his bruises and burns are a small price to pay for the ending of the (admittedly uncertain) threat from the orcs and their seedpods. It remains to be seen what counter strike will be launched by the necromancer Mericles, who like Casca is still at large.