The Summer Begins with Mysteries and Mayhem!

WHO DOES THE "DARK KING" PROPHECY SPEAK OF?   -   June 2013

The summer begins with action and adventure! Here is a Quester dueling a Teen Leader CIT honorably, at the Friday Risen Lands Bazaar. What new stories will be shared as the summer progresses?

We have vendured into the lands of Thael, and there was much adventure to be had! During the first week, Questers sailed to Dragon Pearl Island to unravel the mysteries of an ancient curse. It seemed that the ghosthounds would devour her because of the actions of her great grandfather, but the Questers discovered the secret of the island! Then, during the second week, the Questers became emissaries for the fractured elven nations, so that the "Shadow King" Ulderon would be met by honorable characters when he awakened from his millenium-long slumber. What is to come of Ulderon? No one yet knows...

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A Twist in Reality

A GLIMPSE INTO A FRIDAY GAME NIGHT ADVENTURE!     -     FEBRUARY 2013

What lurks under the mountains? In the cracks of reality?

"The current is too strong!" shouted Matt over the deafening din of the rushing water. The black depths extended as far as he could see. No walls, no islands or areas of safety -- just a seemingly endless whirlpool of water twisting slowly off into the darkness. An endless twisting ride through this dungeon's basement didn't sound terrible in theory. It was just the massive vortex a few hundred feet in front of him rather lessened whatever enjoyment he would have had with the experience. 

Aisha relaxed on the platform above, her feet kicked over the edge, and watched Matt flail helplessly in the liquid below. She briefly considered assisting the alchemist, but decided watching him slowly sucked into the vortex was decidedly more entertaining. 

"A maelstrom? Wasn't that the term that Adam had used to describe that thing swallowing Matt? Bleeding magical book and his 'lexicographical' vocabulary. I wonder what he's doing inside that magic box of his with that mad pirate..." 

Aisha was jolted our of her thoughts by a noise that sounded like her friend Raaaawk the vulture's best falsetto. 

In front of her, a large iridescent crack had appeared in the air and was quite rapidly beginning to expand. At the widest point, she saw Cap'n Fuzio's eyepatched, furry, and kaleidoscopically colored head grinning madly. 

In a matter of seconds, hundreds more cracks spread from the center fissure into the surrounding air, displaying another figure -- this one composed of roiling flame emanating from a metal-bound tome. 

"Get the alchemist and run!" Adam bellowed from the other side "That pirate managed to destabilize the barriers keeping this realm from the one in my box!" 

Aisha rose swiftly to her feet and grabbed the long mithril chain she kept wrapped around her waist for these types of predicaments. She spun it over head and readied herself to throw it to Matt. 

That is, until reality broke apart...

Winter Break: Runes on the Black Obelisks

THE SHADOW IS NOT YET DEFEATED... NO, NOT AT ALL    -     January 2013

Of all things terrifying, there is none worse than a snow troll on a teeter totter!

Here is one glimpse of the adventures during the Winter Quest:

The black obelisk jutted from the hard earth, shattered pillars surrounding it like the crown of a deposed king. Oxymoron II, goblinoid master of the arcane, stood atop its bulk and surveyed the landscape around them. It had been a long and perilous journey but it would soon be over. At least, once Archidonic managed to wrap his many legs around the problem of entering the structure below them. 

As if on cue, the tall arachnid chattered loudly: "Sigils and runes! There are marks here!"

Archidonic's comment was followed by a loud clicking and whirring and surprised exclamations from the rest of the group. Oxymoron spun around in time to see large sections of the flat stone roof depressing and warping into the shapes of complex arcane designs. The sight was impressive, but whatever wonder he felt was immediately tempered by the fact they appeared to be forming into humanoid shapes.

Archidonic flew across the stone platform as one of the golems introduced its massive fist to the adventurer's spidery carapace. The second strike narrowly missed the shining wings of his faerie companion Annastasia before colliding thunderously into the floor. This momentary pause was more than enough for the dragonling to swing his shining katana at the rock monstrosity's back. The blades cut deep but the monster seemed to notice them no more than the bite of a particularly angry flea.

A huge battle ensues. The Quests successfully rallied the Dwarves of the Gerash Clan to help defend the people from the resent Ghoul attacks. The Quests help the Dwarves work out their strategies for the battle and keep everyone in line so they work together effectively. 

After being captured, The Questers asked the Deva of the Mountain for help in escaping their present predicament. The Deva replied by cracking the wall of the cage and creating a perilous tunnel for them to crawl out of. The Quest Leader Simon made a fun and exciting obstacle course using the Elk Lodge's chairs that we used to role play the Questers escape. 

(pictures provided by Zodiac Films LLC)

Lin Chu Hao Deposed

THE FEARED EMPRESS HAS LOST HER POWER AT LAST!    -    August 2012

Empress Lin Chu Hao

This woman used to be one of the most feared leaders in Orania. Now, she has vanished without a trace.

Lin Chu Hao Deposed

Finally one of Lin Chu Hao’splots has backfired!  The former Empress of the Empire of the Seven Stars is now in hiding after losing her throne to a popular rebellion.  Sources claim that she tried to capture the House Moonstone dragon, and indeed could wield dragon magic with the help of an amulet she wore.  Her powers, already formidable, were increased exponentially by this stolen magic.  But House Moonstone suspected something was wrong when their heritage dragon refused to answer to their calls, and asked a group of adventurers for help.  After many trials, the adventurers were finally able to confront Lin Chu Hao directly.  Though she transformed into a giant dragon and was immune to most of their attacks, they managed to strike the amulet off her neck, forcing her to revert to her normal form and freeing the House Moonstone heritage dragon.  She fled, relinquishing her power and vanishing.  The new leader of House Lotus, Lin Meili, announced that she did not know where her older sister could be found, but that she gave her full support to the new Emperor -Regent.

Lord Takai Now Emperor-Regent

During the merchant games, Lord Takai, leader of House Tiger, was chosen by the assembled houses to be shogun of the Empire of the Seven Stars.  Now he takes on a more challenging task, that of Emperor-Regent.  Sources claim that, though he supported Lin Chu Hao, he is an honorable man and will be a good interim ruler for the Empire.  He may even become ruler permanently if the merchant houses support him, which seems likely.  His first act as Emperor-Regent was to end the war with the Kingdom of Dawn by signing the peace treaty King Pelinorsent.  As part of the treaty, the Empire returned control of Grand Cattoniato Dawn, while Pelinorceded the lands in Rjonacaptured during the war to the Empire.

Rebellion in Tsaidam

Finally, the people of the Empire of the Seven Stars have had enough.   Last week, they revolted against the Empress in a stunning display of courage and solidarity.  Ordinary farmers, craftspeople, and artisans flooded the streets in a massive demonstration against the restrictive policies of the Empire.  They joined representatives from various nations in a fight against Lin Chu Hao’sguard that spread throughout Tsaidam, engulfing the capital in battle.  When Lin Chu Haowas defeated, her guard surrendered, leaving the city to the rebels with remarkably little loss of life.

Adventurers crouch behind barricades during the revolt

Hunter Freed

The Hunter, the leader of the Wild Hunt, has been released from his chains!  A deva of startling power, he is an unpredictable force of nature.  The Hunt can, and will, choose anything as its target.  Some people claim that its current target is dragonkind.   Rumor even has it that the Hunter now rides the House Moonstone dragon, newly freed from captivity.  One thing is certain: this powerful deva shot an arrow through Lin Chu Hao's eye, forever removing it.  No healing or metamorphasis orb will allow her to regain it.  Some people even claim that the Hunter was helping a group of adventurers when he shot the former empress, and that those adventurers may have been the ones to free him.  Whether this is true or not, the presence of the Wild Hunt in Orania again is something to watch out for.

Shadowy Wasteland Created

Daraku, the fleshcraftingShadow Dragon, made a reappearance last week, according to a group of adventurers.  They described how he had created a massive monster in the Penumbra, a beast that looked like a cross between a fortress and a giant.  It ripped its way out of the tunnels, causing massive earthquakes in the Empire and the Kingdom of Dawn.  The brave heroes found Darakuliving inside of it, and fought him to a standstill.  As he fled, he released a blast of shadowy energy that turned southern Rjonaand the northern part of House Crane’s lands into slag.  It remains to be seen what horrors will emerge from the new wasteland.

Time Travel Madness

QUESTERS PLAY WITH FIRE IN A SERIES OF CRAZY ADVENTURES   -    August 2012

Ancient crime still unsolved

Adventurers in modern dress wanted for a crime committed a hundred years ago

100 Year Anniversary of Great Solaris Fire

100 years ago, a strange band of assassins attempted to murder King Pelinor in the heart of his own city.  They were apprehended, and put into jail until they could be tried.  But they were unwilling to face the king’s justice, and escaped.  In the process, they burnt a large portion of the city to the ground.  They appeared to believe that they were acting for the Light, however.  The little that our records show indicates that they wanted to stop a necromancer named Glitterbones from taking over the world and destroying humanity.  There are indications that such a creature did exist, though its origins are unknown.  It simply appeared one day, as if from nowhere.  But a few clues in the archives point to another shadowy villain around the same time, with the same sort of murky background.  If this monster was also planning something nefarious, it covered its tracks well.  Only brief mentions of it remain.  The assassins were never caught, though it is likely that they did defeat Glitterbones, and possibly this other being, for neither were heard from again.  Not even the most talented seers of the time could find the group of adventurers.  They are part of the Kingdom of Dawn’s oldest unsolved mystery.

Questers Visit the Future

Time travel is never a safe thing to deal with, especially when no one knows how to manipulate time.  Thankfully, the group that traveled 200 years into the future last week managed to return to the present day with their lives, bringing back strange stories of a possible future Orania.  They were frozen in a glacier for two centuries, and awoke to find themselves in a completely different place.  The Orania that we know had been visited by two races of extraplanar beings: red creatures with four arms and two legs, and blue ones with two arms and four legs.  These two races were struggling for dominance over the planet, and the adventurers were forced to choose a side.  Although initially tricked into believing the red aliens, they eventually sided with the more light-filled blue aliens.  In the course of their travels in the future, they reportedly fired a gigantic laser, based in an orbiting space station, at Orania, creating a massive tidal wave.  Though we have heard of triangle ships before, such a space station is new to us here at the paper.  Possibly it is a new version of the triangle ship discovered five years ago by a band of questers, the one which supposedly ran on blood.  Regardless, after destroying all the invading shadowy aliens, the adventurers finally found their way back to the present day.

Daraku Defeated

Daraku may have been one of the most powerful Shadow Dragons in Orania.  He was the creature who nearly defeated King Pelinor several weeks ago, and possesses a shard from the shadow wells of Shadonia embedded in his neck.  His full powers remain unknown, but he is a flesh-crafter of terrifying ability.  Apparently, he was trying to build an army of horrors when a group of adventurers stopped him.  They discovered strange, mutated monsters roaming the White Wolf Nations, and followed them up into the frozen north.  The farther they traveled, the stranger and more disgusting the creatures became.  Ordinary people had been crafted into beasts with multiple arms and eyes, poisonous fangs or saliva, claws and spiked tails.  They retained little vestige of their former selves, and were entirely under Daraku’s control.  He had been making them as shock troops for an assault on the White Wolf Nations, and probably the rest of the world.  Eventually, the adventurers found Daraku and, after a lengthy battle, defeated him.  Whether he is dead or simply sorely wounded is unknown, but he will not be a problem any longer.

New Planar Realms Saved

The most powerful adventurers can be very destructive.  This paper has published reports in the past of entire realms being blasted to rubble or exterminated altogether; events which cannot be healthy for the stability of reality.  But rarely have the perpetrators of such acts been called to answer for their crimes.  Last week, however, one group was tasked to restore balance to the multiverse and fix some of the problems caused by previous groups of adventurers.  They were contacted by a being named Huss, who later revealed himself to be the Arbiter of the Planes, a functionary of the multiverse who wanted to ensure the stability of reality.  He advised the group to play an ancient, magical board game, which deposited them into a gigantic chessboard, a plane in and of itself.  After exploring the world, they met Huss again.  He asked them to nurture and guard new planes while they formed.  They protected planes such as the Plane of Wolves and Spirits, the Plane of Pink and Blue, and the Plane of Steam and Clockwork, and gave these planes their aspects.  All the while, they were opposed by the Cheater, a mysterious being who could travel between planes at will and bend the rules of reality.  Finally, they had to defeat the Black King of the chessboard where they started.  Once the White Queen, another piece on the board and one of their allies, stepped aside, they were able to return to Orania in peace.  We all should be grateful to them, for incursions like that of the Drek several years ago are because of planar instabilities.  These adventurers helped prevent another such terror from being unleashed upon our world.

Invasion Averted

The Kingdom of Dawn has been very unlucky recently, being the target of numerous attacks.  This time, however, an imminent attack was averted when King Pelinor hired a band of brave adventurers to act as a strike force and prevent an invasion before it began.  The leaders of the invasion appeared to be butterfly people wearing tiaras, living in the clouds.  However, when their tiaras were removed, they transformed into hideous slug monsters.  The questers, after many trials and tribulations, discovered the truth about the butterfly folk, and put an end to their plot to destroy the Kingdom of Dawn.  This is undoubtedly the first story reported in this paper in which there was an invasion threatened, but no cities, villages, or even farms were destroyed.  Good work, questers!

War in Orania

EMPIRE DECLARES WAR ON THE KINGDOM OF DAWN!      -      August 2012

Ninjas attack the Bazaar

Before fleeing, the last ninjas alive plunge Thael into a war the likes of which have not been seen for centuries

The Empire of the Seven Stars has declared war on the Kingdom of Dawn!  During the Bazaar last week, which was held in Lorrance, ninjas from the Empire attacked.  They killed everyone who got in their way, not caring who they were harming.  But the adventurers at the Bazaar rallied together, and began to drive them away.  As the last four ninjas were cornered by over thirty fighters, they announced that this was no isolated attack.  They were, in effect, a strike force sent from the Empire.  Though they failed to take over any land, they accomplished their purpose: declare war.  Empress Lin Chu Hao could not be reached for comment, but it is certain that she will press her advantage while she has it.  This unexpected attack left the other nations stunned and unprepared.  The Kingdom of Dawn is sending troops to reinforce the border, but with the Adamantium Guard fragmented such efforts are unlikely to be totally effective.  The Summerlands may come to King Pelinor’s aid, but Lady Ellinore has not as of yet marshaled any significant number of troops.  The White Wolf Nations and the Clans are scrambling to figure out what the best response is, as well.  Though they are not in any direct danger from the Empire, if Imperial forces roll through the Kingdom of Dawn, they could easily continue north.  Empress Lin Chu Hao seems well on her way to making herself an Empire the likes of which have not been seen since Islantia.  Her previous strikes at Cattonia and the Pirate Isles were nothing compared to this.

Walkers from the North Defeated

Sometimes, adventurers can do some crazy things in pursuit of their goals.  Last week, they mobilized an army comprised of troops from almost every nation in Orania to stop the Walkers, horrors from the northern wastes.  First, they went into the future, to Broken Orania, to recover the shadowy phoenix blade, which had been dropped into a volcano.  They also brought it out of the volcano in the present, so that they had two blades.  They asked the dragon Goldheart to purify the blades, as well as the cloaks that they found, so as to remove the shadow taint.  He was able to cleanse one of the blades, and used the tip of one of the unicorn spears to cleanse one of the cloaks.  But while he was attempting to purify the second blade, Thrakaf, Meng, and Hapana Semehe attacked.  Many dragons living in the rebuilt city of Shadonia were slaughtered in the vicious attack.  Jas and Harry, two of the adventurers,  joined with Chernebog to fight them off, but not after much damage was done.  Jas took possession of the light-filled phoenix blade and cloak, while Kyreija took the shadowy ones.  The blades and cloaks contain immense power, both for light and for shadow.  Then the group had to deal with the Walkers who found their way into the College of All Magic’s new home in the dream realm.  Briefly, the teddy bear archmage Power was first possessed by a Walker, then Thrakaf the Nightwalker, but they managed to save him and repel the Walkers.  They learned that the creatures moved through ley lines, and were growing more numerous by the day.  As they journeyed north, they saw more and more Walkers, until they reached a line of white obelisks.  By the time they arrived there, they had called upon all their allies that they could reach.  Houses Tiger, Jade, and Phoenix all sent battalions, as did the Summerlands and the Clans.  The remainder of the Adamantium Guard came as well, along with members of various organizations and groups that would be affected by the Walkers.  The resulting army was able to contain the menace at the line of stones, but the effort was taking a heavy toll.  The adventurers had to stop the Walkers at the source.  After crossing the line of white obelisks, they entered a vicious war zone, but were able to make their way to the lich who was summoning the Walkers.  Furthermore, he possessed a shard of the Shadonian shadow wells, and was using that to power his magic.  The brave heroes were able to cause a massive explosion, bringing down the cave around him, but his defeat came with a price.  Only one of the group, Ethan, returned to civilization.  Harry had been transformed into the Lord of Ice, an ice lich; Jas sprouted white fiery wings and assumed the aspect of a light-filled paladin, courtesy of his phoenix blade and cloak; Kyreija turned completely shadowy; and Acunroo died.

New Krav Leader

In a stunning turn of events, the Krav Mercenaries have a new leader: Kyreija, formerly one of the most light-filled adventurers in the world.  When she got ahold of the shadow-tainted phoenix blade and cloak, she began to be corrupted.  Then, when she cornered Meng in front of all the Krav last week, she proved that she could be the leader the feared mercenary crew wants.  Though Meng was not killed, due to her use of brute toughness and some assistance from Thrakaf, she was defeated, and the Krav accepted Kyreija as their new leader.  With her wings of black fire and dark flaming blade, she presents a fearsome sight.

Queen Isabella Saved

Queen Isabella rules over beautiful Lorrance, one of the kingdoms of the Kingdom of Dawn.  During the annual Flower Festival in Elzbetta, she was attacked by assassins wielding blades coated in the deadly Necron poison.  Though Captain D’Artagnan of the Swashkateers defended her bravely, one of the assassins managed to scratch her with a knife before fleeing.  A group of adventurers at the Flower Festival witnessed the attack, and accepted Queen Isabella’s last request: help Lorrance.  They immediately began a search for the fabled Elixir of Indigold, the only thing capable of reversing the effects of Necron poison.  Alchemist Losif Gorbichov was reputed to be an expert on the elixir, but he had vanished.  With the help of his apprentice, Bim, the adventurers used his notes to find the ingredients necessary for the Elixir.  In the process, they found him being held captive by Nyn Assassins, the same people who tried to murder Queen Isabella, as well as Reneaux, the Vice Captain of the Swashkateers.  After rescuing Gorbichov, the adventurers returned to Elzbetta only to find that it had been taken over by the Eye of Seville, Queen Isabella’s trusted advisor and the leader of the Nyn.  What was worse, Captain D’Artagnan was about to be executed!  The brave heroes rescued him and defeated the Eye of Seville, freeing Lorrance and giving Queen Isabella the Elixir of Indigold.  Thanks to these courageous adventurers, she is safe and ready to rule Lorrance again.

Shadow Dragons Dealt Major Blow

MORE OF THESE MONSTERS HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!    -     July 2012

A fearsome Shadow Dragon battles Questers

Hordes of Shadow Dragons poured down on the merchant games after gigantic black obelisks arose from the ground. Thanks to the bravery and heroism of many brave adventurers, all were defeated or killed.

Shadow Dragons Defeated!

When the obelisks appeared around the Meji Tower in House Moonstone’s land, they acted as a beacon for Shadow Dragons.  The Houses, while trying to eliminate the obelisks, were forced to contend with Shadow Dragons much more powerful than those seen previously.  The only one comparable to these new monsters was the dragon who fought Master Kastagire to a standstill several weeks ago.  He was actually one of those who appeared, along with many of his powerful brethren.  Empress Lin Chu Hao led an effort to enact a greater Sanctuary of Light around the area so that the games could continue, but the Shadow Dragons still harassed the competitors while they were outside the Sanctuary.  Once the obelisks were forced to revert to stone form, preventing more Shadow Dragons from being summoned, the Houses decided that something must be done about the menace threatening the Empire of the Seven Stars.  A strange person who called himself Regret offered part of a solution, as did Tamiko, the former oni girl.  Regret, though later revealed to be a traitor and an enemy of the Empire, explained the secret of the Guon-dao, the ancient weapons from House Tiger: they could prevent the Shadow Dragons from gaining in strength each time one of them was killed.  And Tamiko was able to summon the Shadow Dragons into the Sanctuary of Light, where they were much weaker and more easily defeated.  Many dozens of Shadow Dragons were slain in an epic battle lasting over an hour, including some of the most powerful ones seen yet.  Others fled the battlefield sorely wounded and near death.  Overall, a great victory was struck against the Shadow Dragon menace last week!

Light-Filled Shadow Dragon?

Most of those who have encountered the Shadow Dragons would argue that there is no such thing as a helpful one, that they are nothing more than ravenous beasts.  But those who encountered them during the Imperial Games last week say otherwise.  They described Shadow Dragons with personalities, intelligence, and even a willingness to talk.  One in particular stood out: Aurora.  A fiery Shadow Dragon who manipulated energy in its most elemental form, she spent a fair amount of time talking to members of House Phoenix, and spoke briefly with House Tiger.  Both houses gave her a black obelisk stone, at her request.  Though she did not hide her nature, she convinced them that she sought a different way of interacting with mortals.  In the battle, she fought against her own kind, and even convinced one of them to join her.  There was even talk of proposing her for shogun.  Her final intentions are unknown, but she will be a being to watch.

Meji Tower Falls

The Meji Tower, the most powerful source of magical energy now that the College of All Magic has been destroyed, was destroyed last week by some form of shadowy energy emanating from black stone obelisks.  These obelisks appear identical to those that materialized around the College some months previously; those obelisks have now vanished.  The most likely explanation is that they moved once their task was complete, though it is unclear if they did so on their own volition or by someone’s hand.  They are connected directly to the Umbra, a source of pure Shadow deep under Orania.  They can be forced to revert to small black stones with silver veins in them, but those stones are still very dangerous.  With the help of ancient magical weapons manufactured by House Tiger, competitors in the games were able to turn all the obelisks back into stones, but not before the Meji Tower collapsed, releasing hordes of oni.  All the oni have now been defeated, and the stones are being held safely.

Merchant Games Successful

SHOGUNS FOR THE EMPIRE OF THE SEVEN STARS CHOSEN AMID INTRIGUE AND PLOTTING - July 2012

Lord Takai, one of the new shoguns of the Empire of the Seven Stars, with members of his house, House Tiger

In a startling move, members of House Lotus proposed a democratic election of a shogun. After much arguments, a compromise was reached: the Empire would have two shoguns, one chosen by a vote and one through the games. Lord Takai was the shogun chosen by vote.

Two Shoguns Chosen

In a startling turn of events, not one, but two shoguns were chosen as a part of the Imperial Games last week.  Each house sent representatives to compete against one another for points in various challenges.  Examples include Yugi Chef, Ambush Games, breaking into lockboxes, and many more.  The house with the most points was supposed to choose a shogun to rule beside Empress Lin Chu Hao.  But, when time came to tally the points and select a shogun, a member of House Lotus proposed using a democratic election to choose the shogun, similar to the way leaders are chosen in Grand Cattonia.  Because roughly half the assembled houses wanted to use this method, and half preferred to use points, the Empress decreed that there would be two shoguns, one chosen using each method.  Master Kastagire was elected by the assembled houses, but relinquished his claim in favor of Lord Takai, the leader of House Tiger and the runner-up in the election.  House Jade and House Phoenix tied in points, but House Phoenix relinquished their right to choose another shogun, explaining that Lord Takai was already their choice.  House Jade chose Tamiko, a nine-year-old kitsune girl in appearance with the memories of an ancient monk in an amulet around her neck.  A former oni, she is a radical choice for shogun, so it will be interesting to see how everything plays out.  Empress Lin Chu Hao appeared pleased with Lord Takai as shogun, but ambivalent about Tamiko.

   

Tamiko, the former oni and current shogun

Assassination Attempt

Political intrigue was rife during the games to select a shogun for the Empire, but no one expected it to go so far as a plot to assassinate Empress Lin Chu Hao.  She created the games for the express purpose of showing that she is willing to listen to complaints about her rule.  She explained, “I am no tyrant.  I simply want what’s best for the Empire as a whole.  If the Empire would be better served by having a shogun rule beside me, I will allow that to happen.”  Despite this conciliatory gesture, however, hostilities were rampant.  Wu Xing, a Penumbrian house with close ties to the Empire, was participating in the games to strengthen its alliance with the merchant houses.  It became the center of the plots to assassinate or depose Lin Chu Hao.  Houses Phoenix, Tiger, and Lotus each discovered that Wu Xing, along with House Crane, was planning treason, and warned the Empress.  House Tiger even gifted her with thousands of silver and magical items so she could protect herself.  When members of Wu Xing stood up in front of the assembled houses and announced their displeasure with the Empress, intending to ask her to step down, they were greeted with silence and hostility.  Though Empress Lin Chu Hao gave them a chance to recant, they refused to back down.  To protect them, their leader, Takametsu, offered his life for theirs, taking their dishonor upon himself.  He was ritually executed for treason, and they were spared, but Wu Xing is no longer trusted in the Empire.

   

Members of Wu Xing

Unlikely Alliance

Master Kastagire and Empress Lin Chu Hao appear to have come to an agreement of sorts.  Though initially icy, their relationship has thawed into an amicable friendship, with both supporting the other when necessary.  Kastagire even admitted that, although he does not approve of all of the empress’s actions, she has made the Empire more prosperous and successful than he was able to manage.  During the first battle with the Shadow Dragons, he protected her and her group of Meji while they cast the Sanctuary of Light.  When he relinquished the position of shogun, it was yet another sign that he will not challenge the Empress for power.  She, in turn, seems to trust the former emperor to guard her back, despite rumors that House Jade was involved in a plot to depose or assassinate her.  Though the first time they met he surrendered his katanas to her guard, she allowed him to be armed in her presence from then on.  Both have expressed the desire to bury hostilities and work towards the good of the Empire.

   

Master Kastagire and Empress Lin Chu Hao

In Other News...

YUGI CHEF A SUCCESS; DEVA OF LOST THINGS DEFEATED   -   JULY 2012

Competitors in Yugi Chef

Yugi Chef, Orania's most famous cooking competition, was held last week as part of the merchant games. With Empress Lin Chu Hao, Master Kastagire, and Lord Takai as judges, the competition was a rousing success!

Yugi Chef Successful

One challenge during the games was particularly popular: Yugi Chef, a cooking contest judged by Empress Lin Chu Hao, Master Kastagire, and Lord Takai.  Members from each house created delicious desserts from a variety of ingredients and arranged them in beautiful patterns for the judges to admire.  They were scored on three things: taste, presentation, and creativity.  The only requirement was that they use the strawberries gained by fighting a giant mutated strawberry bush, probably one of Doctor Carbuncle’s old creations.  All the houses did a wonderful job in all three categories, and all the houses appeared to be enjoying themselves.  House Phoenix won, closely followed by House Lotus.  Afterwards, everyone got to create a dessert for themselves.

      

The winner and runner-up: House Phoenix (left) and House Lotus (right)

Deva of Lost Things Destroyed

Ever wonder where missing socks, pencils, rings, and other lost items go?  A group of adventurers discovered the answer last week when they encountered the Deva of Lost Things.  A minor deva, he still has a very large impact on Orania, as everyone loses things at some point.  But no longer!  These heroes defeated him and restored all the lost things to their rightful owners.  People around the world were startled to find objects that had been missing for years suddenly reappear in their homes or on the streets.  Thank you, brave questers!

Rumors and Tidings

NIGHTMARES STALK THE LAND; CHAOS INCREASES     -     JULY 2012

Thrakaf the Nightwalker has returned!

Deadly beings from the plane of nightmare have begun invading Orania, while the nations grow ever closer to an all-out war.

Nightmares Become Real

In the city of Lamerigh, ordinary nightmares have taken on a dreadful reality.  The so-called Nightmare Plague, which until recently had infected the entire city, was causing dreams to become real.  People reported being transformed into noxious insects, seeing ghostly images from their pasts, waking up in strange locations, and more.  Thankfully, a band of heroes was able to discover the source of the plague and stop it from spreading.  They defeated the Darkside Dreamers and restored the dragon Amunok to the Light, bringing peace to the city.  But unfortunately, the disturbances in the Dream Realm appear to have spread much further than Lamerigh.  The dreaded nightmare mage Thrakaf the Nightwalker, a Lord of Shadonia before it fell, has reappeared in Orania.  According to our sources, he was accidentally brought back to life by a group of adventurers.  Supposedly, they were looking into a nightmare amulet that would show them various Lords of Shadonia when they thought of different numbers.  They did not realize that the dreams of the Shadonians they saw, though confined to the Dream Realm, had all the powers of the original lords.  Thus the dream version of Thrakaf was able to become real by using his nightmare powers to step from the dream into reality.  No one knows what his goals are now, but they cannot be good!

Eastern Solaris Invaded

Last week, nightmares turned real invaded the eastern part of Solaris, the capital of the Kingdom of Dawn.  One source reported, “It looked like the nightmares were being summoned by a sable elf.  He stood behind a portal, kind of, and sent them through.”  Rumor has it that this sable elf may have been working for Lord Degamesian.  His motives for attacking the city, however, are unclear.  The Sable Dominion gained no visible power from the attack.  Though battered, the Kingdom of Dawn was able to repulse the nightmares eventually, so the attack led to no territory gained by any party.  Nor was King Pelinor forced to concede in any negotiations as a result of the attack.  He told the paper, “It was a senseless, barbaric violation of the normal codes of conduct.  Rest assured, we shall not let it happen again without retribution.”  Surprisingly, the other leaders at the peace talks agreed.  Lady Ellinore from the Summerlands was interested merely in maintaining amicable relations with the Kingdom of Dawn, a tricky task after the recent invasion.  But at the peace conference, she and King Pelinor appeared to get along fine.  Empress Lin Chu Hao seemed more interested in seeing Lord Degamesian embarrassed.  Relationships between the Empire and the Penumbra have been rocky since he took power.  And from the Clans, Khan Belin Belin-Tul professed little interest in the nightmares.  He explained that he was at the peace talks mainly to inform the southerners of the state of the Clans, which are dealing with yet more strange magic and monsters than ever.  Talking Stone from the White Wolf Nations did not put in an appearance, though sources say that Lady Ellinore has been very successful in her attempt to ally with the ancient turtle-person.

Mirror Realm Destroyed

The mirror realm used to be a strange place, closely tied to Orania but with startling differences.  Most reliable reports describe it as “full of strange creatures, oddly similar to the ones we know, but twisted.”  But others have very different descriptions.  Sera Windwing from the College of All Magic took time away from the rebuilding efforts to answer a few questions.  She explained, “Everyone sees it differently.  It’s a reflection, literally, of those who enter it.  When you look into a mirror and see something that looks odd, you’re probably looking into the mirror realm.  Frankly, I’m glad it’s gone.  You never really knew what was real when you were in there, it was worse than the dream realm.  I’ve heard of people who went realm-hopping, ended up there, and spend years believing that it was really Orania, that they were really home.  Some went crazy in there.”  No one could explain how the entire realm was destroyed, unfortunately.  All we can say is that all the mirrors in Orania cracked at one single moment in time, somehow echoing the shattering of the realm.

Moon Exploded

Through a series of strange events, one of Orania’s moons has been destroyed completely.  Apparently, Professor Romeo, a former Lord of Shadonia, was trying to force the moon to hit Tsaidam, the capital city of the Empire of the Seven Stars.  His motives for doing so are unclear.  When a band of adventurers found out about his deadly plot, they traveled to the moon to stop him.  They used Captain Solaria’s shield to block a Blow of the Apocalypse, which was deflected into the moon itself.  The unstoppable blow caused the moon to shatter.  Although Tsaidam was safe from the full force of the moon, pieces of rock did rain down on it.  One even fell on Empress Lin Chu Hao’s palace, decimating it.  A gigantic tidal wave also hit the city as a result of the moon’s destruction.  The dragon Tsunami acted valiantly to contain the damage, but was unable to entirely stop the wave.  Tsaidam is now rather battered and full of rubble, though our sources report that the chaos is being efficiently cleared away.  In fact, the Empire has responded much more smoothly to the destruction of its capital city than the Kingdom of Dawn has to the invasion of Solaria.  Witnesses in Tsaidam report that the Imperial forces are marshaling everyone into crews to rebuild the damaged buildings, whereas in Solaria it appears as though the citizens are being left to deal with the mess on their own.

Empire of the Seven Stars Intrigue

POLITICAL MANEUVERS IN THE EMPIRE BECOMING DANGEROUS - JUNE 2012

Master Kastagire battles a Shadow Dragon

As Shadow Dragons attack the Bazaar, a surprising hero comes to the rescue. Master Kastagire, former emperor of the Empire of the Seven Stars, is back, and more powerful than before.

Master Kastagire Found

The former emperor of the Empire of the Seven Stars has resurfaced after more than five years of absence.  When he was stabbed by a poisoned dagger, many assumed that he would never recover.  Lin Chu Hao’s confirmation as empress seemed to confirm those assumptions.  But now he is back, still recognizably himself and wielding essence magic.  A representative from the merchant houses at the most recent Bazaar told our correspondent that his presence could destabilize the upcoming “elections” in the Empire.  These elections are, according to sources, mainly a formality, as the empress is “chosen by the devas to lead the Empire.”  The only two rulers who lost the vote in the past were frauds who had gained the throne through trickery and guile.  Or so the spokespeople for Empress Lin Chu Hao explain.  But the presence of another legitimate claimant to the throne could pose a problem for the Empress, no matter how much support she has from the devas.  Kastagire himself certainly has enough power to cause trouble if he wanted to do so, and he appears entirely devoted to the well-being of the Empire.  When a spy for Lin Chu Hao was caught, and refused to reveal information, he spoke casually of killing her and getting information from her revitalized corpse.  And his fight against the Shadow Dragon proved how strong his powers truly are.  The merchant houses’ reaction to his presence will need close attention.  Because of him, Lin Chu Hao may not be Empress for long.

Dragons Gain Shadow Shard

As is becoming more and more common, the Shadow Dragons attacked again, this time during the Bazaar.  But, unlike previous attacks, the dragons had a clear goal and a clear leader.  Their aim was to get possession of a shadowy shard found by a group of adventurers.  Rumor has it that this shard was once a part of the shadow wells of Shadonia.  Even if that is not the case, it still contains vast amounts of shadowy energy, a rich treat for the Shadow Dragons.  Though most of these monsters were driven off, their leader remained, and took control of the shard.  Nothing that anyone could do could hurt it, until Master Kastagire stepped into the battle.  He fought the Shadow Dragon for nearly twenty minutes, trying to get to the shard, which was embedded in the creature’s body.  But even his talents were not enough.  Finally, he lay underneath the Shadow Dragon’s claws, barely keeping them off.  That was when the archdeva of the moon, Moon Kami arrived.  She banished the Shadow Dragon, still with the shard embedded in its chest, and saved the Bazaar and Master Kastagire.

Adventurers Prove Bravery

It is rare that this paper will include individual deeds of heroism, as so many people act in amazing ways and we simply cannot include everything.  But this act seemed especially light-filled and deserving of recognition.  A band of adventurers were fighting monsters in close quarters, and struggling, when one of them, Kuzan, used a firestorm to incinerate their enemies.  Unfortunately, the conflagration grew out of control, and began consuming the adventurers as well.  Aeonvikoris used Guardian Block to save Haunter and Gor, two of the healers of his party.  Though he was melted to ash doing so, they survived.  Using a back-to-back healing burst, they rescued the rest of the group, but could not restore Aeonvikoris.  Master Kastagire, however, could.  He shaped essences to form the ashes of Aeonvikoris into a new body, one with the weaknesses of an undead but the benefits of metal skin and instantaneous regeneration with corrupted life essence.  A fitting reward for such a brave deed.

1,000 Youkai Parade Successful

Every 100 years, the archdeva of the moon, Moon Kami, draws closer to the earth and, for a short period of time, manifests itself in a physical form.  But it can be either Good Moon or Bad Moon, bringing 100 years of benevolence or 100 years of chaos and shadow.  The 1,000 Youkai Parade is meant to ensure that Moon Kami only shows itself in its benevolent form.  The Youkai, generally harmless beings, similar to fae, from the Empire of the Seven Stars, use mirrors to light the moon deva’s path to earth in the parade.  But this time, a samurai named Souma was determined to stop the parade and bring Moon Kami to earth as Bad Moon.  A group of adventurers discovered Souma’s plot, and, after many trials, stopped him.  When the parade happened, they participated in the ritual and brought Moon Kami down to earth safely.  Just in time to stop the rampaging Shadow Dragon!  This paper would like to thank all the courageous heroes who took part in the effort to ensure that the next hundred years are not tainted by malevolent chaos.

Festival of the Moon

Despite strange disturbances, the Festival of the Moon in the village Dakmor went off without any major problems, renewing the village’s ties to the leylines.  Every 36 years, a lunar eclipse over Dakmor forces all the leylines from the Kingdom of Dawn to coalesce around the village, and the festival celebrates this strange event.  During the festival, House Alzari, a supposedly defunct noble house of the Kingdom of Dawn, showed itself to be revived under Irik Alzari, last surviving member of the Alzari family.  He was born in Dakmor, and according to our sources was pleased to return to the village of his birth at such a momentous time.  A mask-seller at the festival described it as “a joyous event, a coincidence of course, but a welcome one.”