Disaster was narrowly averted at the Royal Academy of the Arcane Arts and Sciences earlier this month when a small but powerful group of creatures escaped the confines of a research circle causing a number of deaths and considerable damage to several buildings before the island was secured by units of the 75th Assault Regiment. Brigadier Lord Morran Bartholemew-Saneth, Commander of the 75th reported that in addition to the destruction caused on the island itself, several of the Water elementals which guard Janitria at their stations in the lake had to be pacified through the recasting of Rituals.

Reporting on the incident, Captain Tireza al-Halein Adjutant for the 75th said, "We still haven't determined exactly what happened. In addition to some powerful water elementals, there were other creatures we believe might have been Nereids, Magical beings who are at home in the water. These had the ability both to shape change, and to cast a powerful glamour on their victims.

They seemed to be working in cooperation with the elementals - not impossible, but still extremely rare.

"We suspect that a critical flaw occurred during the casting of a Summoning ritual, in an Earth circle being used by one of our visiting scholars." she added. "The presence of two types of being suggests that the original casting was somehow compromised, since only one sort of creature ought to appear. It's also possible that the caster was using a flawed scroll, but we won't know until we clear away the debris." Captain Al-Halein also confirmed that a Contact Other Planes ritual might be necessary in order to determine the exact cause of the mishap.

About a dozen faculty and students suffered deaths, although most received life spells in time to restore them. Three troopers from the 75th required resurrections, in addition to another twenty who also needed life spells.

Academy investigators speculate that the senior researcher in the circle, a Wolvaeran named Sigmund Von Wickendorf, Arch-Wizard of Life and Death, may have accidentally Obliterated himself. A spokesperson for Mother Juarista O.B.D.F.L. Dean of the College of Healing Arts, confirmed that Meister Von Wickendorf had not resurrected on the island, although he did acknowledge that the wizard's spirit may have returned to his homeland. Since Wolvaera lies in the Ouachitamugi Mountains to the west of the Sarr Kingdom of Myrr, it may be several months before the mage's fate is known.

His Royal Majesty King Elenaro Ar-Din held a solemn ceremony of Remembrance on the first day of Spring, to honor the memory of the Knight called Janus, once the King's trusted comrade and friend. After keeping silent vigil through the hours of darkness at daybreak, His Majesty presided over the planting of twin oak trees upon a high bluff overlooking the Gateway River and the Realm of Dar-Khabad. As he dedicated the first, the king spoke briefly but eloquently of the heroism of Janus, and the many decades that the two had stood together against the evils which once laid waste their fair lands. His Majesty concluded by offering the wish that the spirit of his former companion might someday be found in an exalted place like the one called by humans, the "Heroes

Graveyard." Then one by one, all of those present stepped forward and spoke a few words of respect.

As many in Evendarr have discovered, Janus was n honored war hero of the First Dimensional War, called the "Dark Wars" or Dagorim Gurthrauko by the Quentari Elves. His destiny led him to become the legendary being called by mortals, "Guxx" - the most powerful of the Destruction elementals ever known in all of eastern Avalon.

"The defeat of Guxx in the Duchy of Ravenholt last year, and the final end of Janus as the true hero he once was, has finally permitted us to place our fallen knight into his proper niche in our history." said one of the nobles in paying tribute. "What we have come to believe is that Janus had defeated the former manifestation of that dread creature, but was somehow taken into it against his will, possibly as a result of the awesome forces both magical and elemental that had been unleashed on that terrible day. Today we have brought his legend home where it belongs."

The knight's arms - his great sword and shield- were recovered in the final battle and returned to His Majesty by Duke Andros of Ravenholt. They will be displayed in the Hall of Heroes at Din-Oth, the Quentari capital.

At this point the Queen Mother Arienwen took her leave, commenting that she was feeling a touch of chill, which would do her ill at her advanced age.

(Reliable sources have estimated the age of the King's mother-in -law at more than twelve hundred years.) His Majesty then dedicated the second oak to the memory of another hero of that same conflict. Dame Vanira Niloriel, for whom this elven city had been named.

A commemorative plaque was then set into a stone upon the site, and the Ceremony concluded with a great feast and the performance of several Bardic Odes and Songs written especially for the occasion.

Since Yuletide at least forty persons, many of them children have disappeared from this mining town in the Anymdin Mountains, victims of small but powerful raiding parties which many of the local residents believe are Nimani Slavers. Striking with lightning speed and only at night, they targeted outlying farms at first. By the beginning of March even families on the outskirts of town were being carried off.

Hoover Muckleberry of the Berrybonnet Clan, which runs the largest of Dilligath's many breweries, swore that he saw the colors of that feared Duchy on tabards worn by the group that kidnapped his entire family .

"I were asleep in the barn, where me damma rules me to go when th' brew's upon me, " the distraught Hobling recounted, insisting that he was "Naught but tastin' the batch for t'see if it be snuffer."

"I heared 'em cryin' out but they was a-horse, an'me only on me shanks, I was. Took me Damma an' six younglings, an' her da an'ma, too. " he sniffled. "An one of 'em hit me wi' a magic that buzzed me head, an' shivered me shanks an' I was like to die."

By daybreak, the Sheriff had ridden out to the Muckleberry farm and confirmed his story. A group of hastily deputized townspeople set off immediately after the scoundrels, but their efforts were thwarted by a huge avalanche which blocked the road to the Niman border. The raiders have also been known to leave the travel ways and take to the Mountain trails, always in a westerly direction.

A company of the Baronial Guard has been dispatched to the area, and a source in the court of Baron Freedan Barnae has sent word to Count Tenwyn Dalton of Lower Volta that the marauding has ceased at least for the moment.

Big News From Boris and Natasha!
Hey! Dis is to tell you people dat de Voltan Bear Tawern will be havin' dis great new menu wit different kindsa food excep mebbe for de chicken. We gonna try to let you get your own food instead of de wench bringin' it to de table. So some in an' give it a try, eh?
Boris an' Natasha

Cap has retired as the Innkeeper of the Crown and Anchor Inn. On April 9th, 596, the new innkeepers, Kera and Ulrick Freeman will re-open the Inn under the name "The Raven's Perch Inn."

Wanted:
Copy Formal Scroll
Permanence Scroll
Damage Aura Scroll
Moneys and services to be bartered. Contact Sir Bosk Wolffe at Houlie Hollow in Eastwyck, Dragonshire County.

FEAST!

The Ducal Household wishes to announce that there will be a Feast celebrating the Birthday of His Grace Duke Andros Ravenhurst Holmsong, It will be held at the Great Hall on the night of April 13th, at 6:30 pm. All townspeople are welcome to attend. It is a celebration of the leaving of the snows of winter, and anticipation of the planting season. Any interested parties should pick up information and reservations at the Voltan Bear Tavern, right next to the Great Hall.

Amadeus, spellsinger of the Baljar Gypsies has been seen several times in dep conversation with Piper of the Folke. When questions as to what they were discussing, all Amadeus could day was, "De Harmony is changing. We must hold tightly so it does not slip away again. We were not in tune, but I tink I unnerstan' what will fix de problem. All de spellsingers must use dere power carefully and do not be distressed of it fails. Listen wery deep and find de Harmony. you must be in tune wid it as de power ebbs and flows. If any of de odder spellsingers confused, dey can talk to me an' I try to help."