callumf

From the Book of the 200 Days:

??and as it drew closer, the happenings across the land intensified. The first starfall occurred as Jurrel (at that time, Commander of the Royal Guard) returned from a pilgrimage through several of the facets.

The starfall struck several locations throughout Britannia. The first crater discovered was within the grounds of Castle British. After the star crashed into the ground, detritus was scattered through the area ? and strange creatures were spread through the courtyard. As the Royal Guard assembled, several groups moved the creatures aside so the others could speak with the Astronomer Botanical.

The Astronomer informed those in the throne room that the star fall would spread across the land, and that each of the craters should be investigated as soon as they appeared. He did not inform them of the nature of these attacks, merely that they would occur. Looking back at the events, it is unsure whether Erisk withheld information, or was truly ignorant of the true nature of the starfall.

As the Royal Guard lead Erisk to Skara Brae ? the site of the second fall ? Jordan Jurrel joined the group. Clad in strange armour, on which Britannic runes swirled and danced, the paladin held forth the Brightblade, and assisted his Guard in cutting down the elementals that had been disturbed by the star?s impact.

After a short time, there was a strange rippling across the crater ? and a hideous, multicoloured horror pulled itself out of the earth. Looming over the Royal Guard, the thing sprayed a blinding ray of light across the town, blinding several; who were fortunately assisted by their capable companions.

The paladin encouraged his followers to resist the advance of the creature, and they slowly weakened it, until it was destroyed. The remains ran back into the crater? and the crater?s crystal slowly dimmed.

Jurrel lead the Royal Guard back to the Castle, where the Astronomer mentioned in the time to come that more stars would make their way to Britannia ? and that the populace should be vigilant. Jurrel then informed the Guard that other disturbances in the land needed to be seen to.

Of course, it is easy to remark now that Jurrel was not treating the starfall with the seriousness that some might think would be due, but then, they encountered??

(the rest of the book appears damaged)

(from an unknown author's journal)
As I ran back to the town, I was astonished to see three streaks of fire in the sky. ?Mother!? I cried, ?Mother, it is happening again! Just as before! The stars fall from the sky.?

Mother didn?t reply, but then, she doesn?t speak much anymore.

I grabbed my sword, and the sash that I had received the year before last, and ran all the way from home, past the bank, and towards the Castle.

Others were making their way towards the Castle at the same time; talking, shouting, pointing at the stars that twinkled and glittered up above ? and the three that continued on their course towards the ground. Fighting my way past the crowd of gawkers, I pushed into the main hall of the Castle, as Jordan Jurrel stood in front of the others.

He was telling them not to be scared, that a man called Erisk (who was stationed in Minoc) had plotted the fall of the next three stars. I readied for the instructions to find the stars ? and perhaps encounter the strange beasts that others had spoken of ? but instead, Jordan told us of another problem. In Skara Brae, a lich had stolen part of the star that had fallen there, and made off with it.

Thinking of how impressed Mother would be, I followed as people opened magical gates, and went through to Skara Brae. Darting past the crater, I saw a moongate that seemed quite normal, apart from the odd purple spark within its dark blue colour. I went through, and found myself on top of a small tower ? and surrounded by hordes of undead. Fortunately, a meaty-headed and meaty-handed warrior managed to pick off the ones that were threatening me. The oaf looked at me and laughed, taking note of my scrawny arms and slight build. ?You have nothing to fear, little one. Mac will keep you safe. Want me to carry that pig-sticker for you? Looks a bit heavy?? Then he laughed at me, and strode outside, to take on more of the undead.

I ignored the idiot, remembering what Mother also told me about situations like these, and crept outside. Many people were fighting the undead creatures. I followed Jordan and his cohorts along the road ? until we found the lich. Although it was like no lich I?d seen before, almost glowing ? and in its hand, it held a sliver of crystal. As I watched from the treeline, it drew a symbol in the air with the crystal, and summoned forth a twisted creature made up of spare parts and used bones.

As the people there fought the thing, I noticed the lich was concentrating on the crystal it held. With a tearing noise, it opened a gate ? but an unnatural, blood red one. With a cackle, the lich stepped through ? as did a sizeable portion of the scenery.

I moved towards the gate, staying beside the larger people ? and that oaf Mac ? until I found myself in a mirror version of the crossroads we had been at a moment before. The lich was there, and it was ranting and raving at the people that surrounded it. It was calling out, summoning not only more undead, but the murderers of the land, promising them wealth and powers beyond their imaginings, if they would slay the hapless denizens of Trammel. And the murderers answered its call.

The Lich then screamed ? at first, I thought, in rage but it seemed in pain ? and seemed to twist in on itself. The crystal in its hand seemed to pulse once, and then the lich had become something else. It roared, and attacked the Royal Guard. As it did so, the murderers and scum of the dark facet appeared, and started attacking the Royal Guard, distracting them from their task. The battle was long and bloody, fought on many fronts, with the Lich and its minions attacking the Guard.

I watched as the battle unfolded, seeing as the Royal Guard slowly managed to defeat the lich, and the Commander reclaim the sliver of crystal. Jordan then opened a gate back to Castle Britain, and started ushering people back through. I stepped forward, and noticed Mac, bloody but happy standing nearby. ?Hah!? he said, ?The runt survived!? I ignored him, and tried to step past him, into the gate. He blocked my way. ?What? No thanks for someone who saved your life?? I ignored him again. He pushed me backwards. ?You?re not going anywhere until you say thank you, runt!? he grunted.

I mumbled something under my breath. ?What?? he said, leaning closer, ?What was that??

My blade was quick. Mac fell to the ground. One of the murderers nearby stepped forward from his hiding place in the trees. I gazed at him. He smiled back at me.

I think I?ve found a new home. I can?t wait to tell Mother.

Elendrik notes that after returning to Trammel, Jordan asked the Royal Guard to locate the three stars ? and to ensure that no one attempted to take slivers of them. It seemed that the Lich had been adversely affected by the fragment it held.

Elendrik also noted that the strange magics the Lich used to empower itself and the beings it summoned had a side effect of creating five strange items.
Badiche ? Undead Flame
Lance ? Undead Bane
Staff ? Lich's Arm
Bracers ? Arms of Death
Axe ? Last Gasp

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Letter to Sir Geoffrey

Following the quieting in the Ophidian battles, Erisk the Astronomer Botanical was, tragically, slain by an Ophidian Beserker. Since you have indicated that we should not persue measures against the Ophidians at this point in time (due to their political instabilities and the ongoing diplomacy) I have taken it on myself to instruct the Royal Guard to locate a new astronomer.

The Royal Guard located a man calling himself Sunnansky, in Zento. As far as I can ascertain, he did not seek payment for his assistance, but instead set the Guard three tasks. I am not sure what he entirely sought to achieve, as the tasks themselves seemed nonsensical. Perhaps, in itself, he meant to show them... But no, I am not sure. All I know is that he asked them to all stand in a line and repeat a word, then shave a large number of sheep and bring him the wool, and finally assemble several scrolls to locate a 'distant point', whereby they then escorted the gentleman to that point - where he then claimed to be able to see that three more stars had fallen on Britannia.

I have only had a brief talk with Sunnansky, and I must say that he seems rather unfocussed. However, he has assisted the Royal Guard in locating three more craters. This brings them to a total of eight; Britain, Skara Brae, Moonglow, Magincia, Trinsic, Jhelom, Minoc and Yew. I am continuing my examination of these craters, and will visit the new ones during the week.

Your servant,

Jordan Jurrel
Commander of the Royal Guard of Britannia

Notice: Fake Blackrock pendants, rings, earrings.
To be brought to the attention of the people of Britannia.

I, Jordan Jurrel, Commander of the Royal Guard wish it to be known to the public that there has been an influx of at least ten sets of pendants, rings and earrings that at first glance seem to be fashioned from Blackrock, but on closer inspection are actually clever fakes, using a type of polished obsidian to mimic Blackrock. These items were believed to have been placed in the Felucca-side of Verity Island; outside the town of Moonglow. It may also be possible that some items have been found on the Trammel-side as well. The reasons for these fake items being present is not yet known, however this will be investigated in due course. Should you find any of these items, please attempt to contact myself, and I will confirm that they are in fact fake. I do not believe it is in my best interest to take these items from you, but please keep them safe, as they may be needed for evidence.
Signed,
Jordan Jurrel

Notice: Arrest of Lady Ethel
To be brought to the attention of the people of Britannia.

I, Jordan Jurrel, Commander of the Royal Guard hereby notify that I have exercised my power, and arrested one Lady Ethel, of the House by the Telescope, Moonglow. Lady Ethel will serve detention in Britannia Prison, Yew, for an undefined period until such time as a hearing can be convened. Lady Ethel is accused of the following crimes:

First - convening the Royal Guard without the authorisation of a member of the Royal Council
Second - bribing the Town Criers to convene the Royal Guard
Third - commissioning an item of jewelery made from a dangerous substance
Fourth - involvement in a criminal activity

I will inform the public through the usual method when a hearing has been arranged.
Signed,
Jordan Jurrel

Notice: Arrest of Dreskin
To be brought to the attention of the people of Britannia.

I, Jordan Jurrel, Commander of the Royal Guard hereby notify that I have exercised my power, and arrested one Dreskin of no known address. Dreskin will serve detention in Britannia Prison, Yew, for an undefined period until such time as a hearing can be convened. Dreskin is accused of the following crimes:

First - involvement in the manufacture of an item of jewelery made from a dangerous substance
Second - the manufacture of fake items; duplication of said items with the intention to defraud the public

Both the above crimes are also examples of involvement in criminal activity. I will inform the public through the usual method when a hearing has been arranged.
Signed,
Jordan Jurrel

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Father Antos writes:
I hate puzzles. I loathe them. They are the very thing that nature cries against. Think on it. Does the cat discuss with the mouse, and put the mouse through many tests to allow the mouse to come to the conclusion that it is inferior?
No. A cat stalks the mouse. Bats it a couple of times, and then eats it. Job done.
Yes, yes, I know some of you will say a cat plays with a mouse for a while, but that will prove the point of my existence to you; that I am superior, and all of you shall die. Or rather, shall need to be removed. Because I don't want to kill you! Oh no, of course not! I'm not a murderer. It's just that I see you as an infection. Corruption. And you need to go. But I won't play with you, my little mice. I'll show you the truth of the masters – and then save you from the way you are corrupting the land.
But less of this, you came here to read about the puzzle, didn't you? About the tracks and meeting places those four left. Oh so clever, those mages. They love their games.
So you followed their clues then? The little bits and pieces of a trail they left?
From poor orc in the jail, to the ruined Honeycomb in the orc settlement in Cove?
Your analytical minds tracked down the clue there, taking you to the broken hArp behind the beekeeper's hive in Vesper.
Oh yes, and from there to the Conservatory of Music in Britain, where a rusty cuTlass was seen.
The cutlass lead to an old run down shop in Buccaner's Den, where you found an empty botTle of wine.
And there's no finer vintage than that in the Empath Abbey Winery, which was where a damaged fishIng pole was recovered.
This, of course, came from the Haven docks, where a slow timepIece was ticking its last tock.
And in Magincia's Tic Toc Shop, a stained bandagE suggested that the next stop would be a healer's house; one located on Serpent's Hold.
Which was where the grim find of the skull of an unfortunate necromaNcer was located. And then, in the necromancer's arena in Umbra, an evil mage's spellbooK.
This lead you to the location under the hedge maze, to the crystal ball, where you needed to place the letters in order to find your way to the Four's gathering chamber. Ah yes, the way certain letters appeared - that was the key.
And once the way was open, you could stop them. Oh, but you made noise, so much noise. All those little vermin scampering here and there, here and there. And they knew you were coming! So their plans have changed. They've made their move. And we'll feel the effects of it very soon.
I hate puzzles. I loathe them. But what is more, I hate it when people interfere in things they know nothing about. Falling stars. Blackrock. Prophecies and rumors.

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