Ternon Crag Dispatch, Issue 1

Death Soars over the Marches!

Until recently the rumors of miners spotting reptilian creatures flying overhead have been dismissed as conjecture, but now we know them to be fact. These creatures have been seen en masse north of the Crag, around the Scarleforth Lake and along the Hawksmire River.

We at the Dispatch doubt the rumors that these creatures are in fact dragons. Everyone knows that dragons are massive creatures with wingspans that would block out the sun. However even though the creatures seen have appeared much smaller in size, what they lack in size they make up for in quantity and destruction.

A number of the small fishing villages located along those stretches have been razed to the ground by these reptilian invaders, untold lives lost to their ravenous appetites. Our hearts go out to the families of those lost. Although safe refuge is a relative term here in the Marches, the Dispatch encourages our northern readers to consider the dangers of remaining along the banks of the Hawksmere and the Scarleforth. The exhausted mines are not worth the risk of remaining in the area!

Trollkin Bombarded by Captured Cannons!

As the denizens of Ternon Crag are well aware, a number of Trollkin have recently attacked the Skorne occupying the city and rescued many of their kin from South Crag before being driven away. Although the prospect of being caught between two savage forces is hardly appealing it would seem that the Skorne have been partially distracted by the Trollkin attack.

Ternon Crag is not the only battleground between these two armies. The Dispatch has learned that the trolls are also attacking Fort Greywatch. You may recall that the Skorne had taken control of this recently constructed supply fortress soon upon their arrival at the Crag. Now they are using it’s massive cannons to hold back the Trollkin attacks.

Be vigilant, Craggers! If the Skorne are forced to divert enough forces away from our city to deal with the Trollkin we may be able to drive them out of our homes for good!

Unnatural Earthquake Rocks the Hawksmire!

As if the recent reports of flying creatures along the Hawksmire weren’t enough, the area has recently begun to suffer violent earthquakes even worse than those typical to the area. The Dispatch was able to glean information from a Dhunian shaman who requested anonymity in exchange for his insight. According to this source there is more at work here than the ground shaking.

Our Dhunian friend claims that the natural energies that surround the area have been greatly disturbed, and it was that disturbance that has caused the ground to shake. If our sources is correct the area may be in danger of even more violent natural disasters unless whatever disturbed the natural order of things is righted once more.

However the Dispatch would like to remind its readers that this is only speculation at this time. The Dispatch has received reports of a series of explosions on a hill overlooking one of the bend of the Hawksmire which coincide with the start of the quakes and may be related, however with the plague of reptilian monsters in the area we have been unable to send a reporter to the site for a first-hand investigation of the area for confirmation.

An Open Letter to Our Readers

We people of Ternon Crag and the surrounding are no strangers to danger and hardships. Violence is a part of our daily regimen. Our city has survived fire, plague, and a warlord’s occupation. The Ternon Crag Dispatch has been there through it all, keeping our fellow Craggers abreast of the area’s many dangers and concerns.

The arrival of the Skorne have brought more hardship to the good people of the Crag. One among their draconian measures was the cessation of the Dispatch’s publication. But the voice of the Crag cannot be silenced!

As is obvious by now the rumors of the end of our good paper are not true. A handful of our writers have managed to escape to nearby a village (who’s anonymity will grant us a bit of security for the time being) to continue our good work. We have recently made a number of contacts who are willing – and in some cases eager – to provide us with further insight into the recent happenings around our good home. Something is brewing in the Marches, and we at the Ternon Crag Dispatch remain dedicating to rooting out the truth and bringing it to our readers.

* * * * *

And so the Bloodstone Marches Theater of War at Game On!, one of our local game stores, has begun. The first round went well for Legion, who captured their first Strategic Objective, took the Hawksmire River, and held off the Skorne’s bid for their own first Strategic Objective. The other three games in the Campaign all ended in the defender being victorious, so no other territories changed hands.

The Skorne have built up a small VP lead over the Legion and Circle at this point, with the Trolls trailing behind them. However we are doing random initiative each round this campaign (as mentioned previously) and for round 2 the Circle has won the right to attack first. Skorne is second and the Trolls are third. That leaves the Legion behind, likely defending in all of their battles this turn.

Now that everyone’s experienced a round of the Campaign, the second turn should be interesting. I’m already looking forward to next Wednesday.