Happy New Cycle

Welcome to the New Cycle.  

As we venture forward into 36 ACI discoveries abound in the Kingdom.  With the horror of Drachen well behind us, peace seems to have taken hold over the Kingdom as a whole.  Individual counties of course are still plagued by the usual faction warfare, guild maneuvering and noble household machinations. 

The Brotherhood of Balor continues to expand their growth, claiming territories in southern Analova previously held by Justice. Speaking of, Justice has seemingly abandoned many of their outposts in Krymm, choosing to consolidate their power into larger outposts in each principality. 

The Nemeans continue to appear lethargic as they lose territories in Analova and Azara to encroaching Griffons Gambit and Triad forces.  The Granite Spire has conversely expanded territory into Tor and Fadlan. 

Clan Chattan recently went back to war with Nurnberg at Fallsburn.  While the Scots defended the city, the Falcon showed that it was not going to sit idly by in Falkenburg.  Rumors of the loss of major leadership and the return of an older regime invite danger from the Reich. 

House Valeeria and the Chalice of Thought recently turned to arms over a series of islands in the northern Altarian Ocean.  

Times change, but are never boring in the Kingdom of Praelia. 

A sense of unease

The strange guildsmen of the Grave Dancer’s Union are often noticeable by the strange uneasy feeling that can be felt in their presence. Just exactly why this happens is something of a mystery to outsiders. Rumors circulate that it is a curse from God.  Some speak tales that Old Man Rum brought shame upon his people and this shame radiates through his brethren.  One particularly common explanation proposes that their constant presence in the necropolises and among the dead bodies simply taints the soul and becomes noticeable to others.  The wilder theories suggest the feeling of the netherworld itself permeates through these guildsmen.  

Maybe it is all I your head, but maybe there is more to it. Do you dare to risk being wrong?

Extended hit randomization

Head

1-miss

2-forehead 

3-eyes

4-nose

5-mouth

6-throat

Arm

1-hand

2-wrist

3-forearm 

4-elbow

5-upper arm

6-shoulder 

Leg

1-foot

2-ankle

3-shin

4-knee

5-thigh

6-hip

Torso 
1-clavicle / neck

2-chest / shoulder blades

3-ribs / ribs

4-gut / lumbar spine

5-waist / tailbone

6-groin / butt

Riding hit chart

1,2 = rider / 3,4,5,6 horse

Strange Mask found

a threat or just an odd artifact?

Tobias Crowell discovered this mask on the rotting pile of refuse just Northeast of Welch gulch. It could just be the mask of some actor or perhaps a woodworker’s toy.

Still, the position on a pile of refuse found heaped in the middle of the road on the way to Shadehaven implies to some that this was a warning.

Masks often imply warnings, trash heaps likewise convey ill intent. If this isn’t a simple discarded toy, this could potentially be a dark sign of something coming to bring great harm.

Plague hits Kingdom

From the southern banks of the Analova River to the northern shores of the Ruby Sea, as far west as the Llobregat and out East nearly to Lake Overturf, a quarantine is established. Creatures from the Shade Realm are known to carry this plague and are capable of infecting god fearing people turning them into pallid and grotesque beings with limited speech capabilities. They may look like Zombies, but they are not. Do not attack them, turn them over to the Barber Surgeons in the masks, they are trained to help.

Additionally, areas of burning fire have erupted along the land breaking into wildfires and sending local wild life into frenzies. Be aware.

Brouhaha and Spite Launch Week at Wizard World Tulsa and Beyond!

Tulsa and the world witnessed the launch of several new products at the Wizard World Comic Con Tulsa this September 7, 8 and 9th. Amid the myriad of costumed cretins, participants were first to play the newly launched Brouhaha game and Spite expansion for Lords of the Land!

Spite, the second expansion to Lords of the Land came to herald not only a new series of Lords to challenge for the Land but also the newly upgraded game board and pieces. Now featuring a quad-fold board and thicker chip-board pieces, Lords of the land has never looked better!

The week continues with demonstrations all along the way as we learn more and more about the new games and maybe even hear something about a new games on the horizon.

Faction Book: Chalice of Thought now available

After a long wait the Chalice of Thought Faction Book is finally available to order!  

There are those who the townsfolk call outsider, ronin or worse.  These people are often the cast out from society, opting instead to live away from the cities and towns... to live as travelers.   What some may call vagabond, they call family.  To the Chalice, the path to self discovery begins when you accept that you will never be accepted by society at large.  

Inside this book you will find:

• New aptitudes, benefits and drawbacks.
• Combative techniques and procedures
• Mind and body altering substances
• The mysterious shaman and the spirit world
• Geography of the Weedy Swamps and surrounding areas
• The secret shame of the Nidingr

and much more.

Peace Restored to Capital - Kingdom Long to Recover

The Order of the White Talbot leads knights on 4 month siege of the Capital, finally retaking the city from the remnants of Draco Drachen's occupying army.  Though it took cutting off Nicholshire from all supplies and the death of nearly 6,000 occupying barbarians and Justice soldiers, the coalition formed by Grand Master Sir Steven Dunbar drove the remnant army from the city with great strength and prowess.   Sir Dunbar led an army consisting of his knights, supplemented by 2,000 Talbot men at arms and 1,500 archers.   

In addition to the Knights of the Talbot, the retaking force was helped by the allies from the Unbound, the new faction from Maarek's Landing, recently founded as a counter force not restricted by the non-aggression treaty signed by the other 9 greater factions at the Conclave of Tempest Point.  This treaty, although broken by the Granite Spire, prohibited the factions from assisting in any way with the war.  Although many joined the Unbound as a result, several others simply fought without any badges or flags of faction affiliation.  

In Breitenburg, a peasant's revolt drove Duke Aiken from his position.  Aiken was killed and ousted by newly named Duke Desmond Wade.  During the assault, Wade challenged Aiken and his general OX.  The peasants fought the Duke's Guard until OX himself turned a pistol onto Aiken and shot him dead. Desmond Wade claimed the crown as the body of Aiken was turned over to OX.  OX, was seen skinning the body of Aiken shortly before fleeing the city, where he has not been seen since.

Rumors persist that the body of Aiken was not in fact Aiken, but that his wounded body was shuffled off by local Doctor Michael Seraph.  The scuttlebutt says that Seraph took the body to revitalize Aiken and by using strange medical practices make him stronger than ever before.

Tanaka the Dragon Slayer has remained under the care of the Barber Surgeons at Nocturne. Castellan Maarek Elets declared that once he is restored to health, a great festival will be held in the capital for he and the rest of the heroes of the Drachen war.

Among those to be celebrated for great service:

• Tanaka Yuki, Dragon Slayer of Praelia  -  The Honorific Chain
• Lord Raziel Mendoza - The Golden Eagle
• Sir Steven Dunbar - The Azure Fasces 
• Lord Sigmund Mendoza - The Promethean Torch
• "General" Ironsides  -  The Sable Anchor
• Honda - The Sable Anchor
• Barber Louis Mariamborg - The Golden Eagle

Stalemate at Maarek's Landing

Reports all across the land tell of the brave and valiant men at Maarek's Landing that faced off against the Justice army on two fronts. Fighting across the great bridge, Justice forces slowly made their way into the city, breaking through to the city.

The Unbound, Duke Valguard's new faction held them off for hours, until they were attacked from behind in the city as a force of Justice sappers emerged from a tunnel dug from beyond the walls. luckily this second force was much smaller, but the danger was sufficient to allow Justice to gain a couple of crucial advantages.

Many went to Valhalla this day, said the Duke after the battle was over. Though Justice was routed, they succeeded in destroying a huge portion of the Great Bridge, effectively cutting Maarek's Landing and the Hinterlands off from the rest of the Kingdom.

Ships sailed south, but were stopped dead in the water as a small fleet of Justice ships was sunk in the relatively shallow waters, creating a bottle neck leading to the MacKreg strait., making ship travel impossible. For the moment, it would seem that the Unbound were victorious in the defense of their city, but have been taken out of the war until that bridge is repaired of those ships are moved.