Adventures in Karameikos: News from Mirros

ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE
What began as a series of gruesome killings in the foreign district involving unnamed victims who apparently were adorned head to toe in tattooed script of an unknown foreign language soon escalated into the Abduction of the Princess and a number of Highborn ladies from an assortment of other lesser Monarchies scattered across the Known World by members of the Leviathan Cult.
This terrible chain of events reached its crescendo when the King’s Astronomer declared that the Constellation of Stars known as the Eye of the Dragon had opened. Investigators for the Crown now believe that these events are linked to the appearance soon after of the Demon Tower that now casts its maleficent shadow over the city. Fiends now prowl the fog drowned streets and alleys of our great capital, Scurry over our rooftops, and crawl through sewers and tunnels beneath our feet. Clerics of the church of Karameikos have fallen ill and are unable to produce healing magic.

In light of these terrible events the foreign district is now declared off limits, the Population there ordered to evacuate. Anyone visiting the city is warned to avoid the foreign district at all cost and heed the directions of the City Guardsmen.

Friar Alar Ganus
Frairs Almanac


EVIL UNLEASHED ON MINISTRY
The more significant Horrors that were previously confined to the foreign district have apparently spread to the Ministry of the Capital. Witnesses report spotting a dozen small, Ape-like humanoids with scythes for hands moving along the roof tops of that district and into the Ministry Building itself.
Up to a hundred and twenty of the Ministry officials and support staff who were thought to be inside the building at the time of the incident have apparently gone missing. Initial encounters were thought to have been made with these Apes by City Guardsmen stationed on the Ministry rooftops, however Investigators for the Crown are remaining tight lipped as to where those guardsmen are, as no bodies have at this time been recovered. It is thought that the creatures have carried off the remains of the dead.
The Ministry district has now been included in the evacuation cordon with the foreign district and all citizens currently residing near the Ministry have been instructed to leave their homes.
No word as yet from the Prime Minister who is on retreat at the Synod Council of Kelvin where the Crisis is under church review but he is expected to return within a few days to emergency Ministry quarters currently being established in the west wing of the Palace to take control of the remains of the Ministry and get things functioning again. Despite this tragedy, and the growing Crisis, the King has declared that he will remain in the Palace once the Prime Minister returns while rest of the Royal family is evacuated.
The Crown has at this time placed a restriction on river travel.  Only official vessels with vital commerce have been granted a movement order.

 Friar Alar Ganus
Frairs Almanac



REDPHAGE POISONS THE CAPITOL
With the return of the Prime Minister expected in the next few days, his arrival will not be met with applauding crowds of citizens rather a cloud of red dust that has blown in from the Dymrak to blanket the city in a thick tannin haze – it has apparently settled over the city permanently and has combined with wood smoke produced by our very own chimneys to become something truly poisonous.

This Redphage is now responsible for terrible sickness amongst the population – particularly those on the south Bank. The Poison Rain has caused hair-loss, pigment change, and even a bloody cholera amongst what is now thought to be over ten thousand citizens. Those living on the harbour of the Capitol are urged by the Crown to flee into the countryside if they have not already done so.  City Guard wish to inform anyone caught looting in the Capitol will be executed without trial. That part of the city is declared off limits. Mercifully however it seems to have driven the fiends to seek shelter.

IN RELATED NEWS the Royal Astronomer was found impaled on a spire of the dome of the Tower of Astronomy. Investigators for the Crown continue to be tight lipped as to the villain behind this crime.

Friar Alar Ganus
Frairs Almanac



PRIME MINISTER TAKEN BY FIEND
In a rare break in the foul weather that has smothered Mirros; the carriage of the Prime Minister, overdue from his return from the Synod was discovered outside the city walls, its coachman slaughtered, the horses decapitated and fed upon along with most of the Prime Minister‘s Staff. While Investigators for the Crown are tight lipped as to the fate of the Prime Minister, a trail of blood leading into the Harbour district has been discovered. According to denizens who frequent the area of the old river-barge docks, a large fiend with the appearance of a dog or a wolf has been using the area as a hunting ground. If the people of this once great capitol were in need of proof that the demon tower had extended its reach beyond the foreign district we are told will protect the northern half of the city, the loss of the Prime Minister would be it.

In light of this terrible news, the King has assumed direct control of the Parliament until such time as the crisis is ended.

IN OTHER NEWS a fire is burning uncontrolled through the ministry. The timber structure thought abandoned since the fiend incursion of several months ago has been devoured by a fire that has added to the red miasma that is killing the city. Firewardens have refused to enter the no mans land that is the district of ministry and it is now certain that the hill will be lost once the fire spreads beyond the Ministry building itself. The Crown has asked for Volunteers to enter ministry and pull down buildings along the riverside district.

Friar Alar Ganus
Frairs Almanac



PRINCESS FOUND ALIVE IN MINISTRY
Volunteer crews tasked with pulling down the burning Ministry have discovered the Princess. Missing these four dark months and thought murdered in some ritual just prior to the appearance of the Demon Tower, the Princess, dishevelled and soot covered, was found by a group of Volunteers who were pulling down a building near Inkmans Lane . It wasn’t until a Volunteer Guardsman previously of the Royal Household Guard recognized the child and rushed her to the safety of the Palace.

The Palace is yet to comment on the Princess Winfried’s condition other than the fact that the Princess is recovering.

IN RELATED NEWS the heroes who rescued the Princess were attacked by fiends while exploring the Palace Grounds as part of their reward from the King. Though the King was not with them at the time, the Minister for War who was escorting them around the grounds, perished during the attack.

The Palace is yet to comment on the terrible breach of Palace security that allowed the fiends into the grounds or the previous slaying of the Royal Astronomer.

IN OTHER NEWS the King has declared a bounty on every fiend killed of one hundred gold Royals. Bounty hunters of all persuasions are invited to the Capitol to hunt these fiends into the Darkness.

Friar Alar Ganus
Frairs Almanac


ROYAL PROCLAMATION
I have looked this day upon our dirtied and poisoned Jewel of civilization. Though our Losses are great, and our wounds deep, we shall be restored through the blood, sweat, and tears of our own souls. For are we not the heart of the Kingdom. Evidence having surfaced implicating several citizens in Treason, we shall stand tall and bring them to Justice.

Ministry will be rebuilt, and the Southern Shore reclaimed from the evil that plagues us. Let every Man, Woman and Child know that their King holds their Loyalty to heart.

The previous editor and founder of Friars Almanac, Alar Ganus Friar was killed resisting arrest under charge of Treason. After I was presented with overwhelming evidence, I instructed Royal Investigators that Friar Alar Ganus was intimately involved in the Abduction of the Princess, Numerous murders including that of the Prime Minister, and the Arson of Ministry and was to be arrested for Treason. The Monster of course resisted arrest and was killed in a siege in the Print-works of Friars Almanac along with several hostages. Though the Royal Investigators were not able to bring him to trial, this wretched villain has been duly punished for his crimes. Friars Almanac will however continue on without him under Royal Seal.


This fifth day of Beetles,


RUR King Stephan Karameikos


For the DM: This should provide a selection of events over a week that terrify your Players.