The Slasher Gets Cut Down

The entity known as 'The Slasher of Veils' has been a threat plaguing all of Tyrra for time unknown. What little we know of him says that he has been devouring world after world for time unknown, and recently set his sights on our reality. The adventurers of Thrush Peake have been fighting a perilous was with him and his minions for the better part of the year, and this past gathering it came to a head.

On the Friday night of the last gathering in Thrush Peake, the adventurers, with the help of Whispers (a quasi-fey who resembles a Mystic Wood Elf who has helped the adventuers before)traveled to another realm in an effort to create a 'back door' of sorts that would allow them to safely enter and exit an area that the adventurers have dubbed the “Deadshade”; an area which is perpetually dark and in which the undead thrive. Anything living within its boundaries withers and dies, and people and animals who venture inside take constant Chaos damage and find themselves weakened and cursed. The Slasher and his minions created the 'Deadshade' and it has been a source of constant concern to the adventurers. Once they arrived at their destination, Whispers began a ritual to call forth ancient spirits that he believed would hold pieces of a key that would open this 'door'. Unfortunately, the ritual also called the attentionof both undead, and cultists loyal to the Slasher, and the adventurers had to defend Whispers from them while also searching for the specific spirits that held the key fragments. It didn't take the resourceful adventurers long to get the fragments, and Whispers was able to use them tocreate this 'back door'.

The following day, the adventurers took full advantage of their door into the Slasher's

stronghold on Tyrra, and forayed into the 'Deadshade' to weaken him and his forces as bestthey could. They decided to attack a group of Wyvern Nests that the Slasher's forces were using to create undead mounts. To combat the flying monstrosities that the Slasher's minions had created, several of the adventurers led by theCountess Dalnya herself entered into battle on Hippogriffs. Leading the charge with magic and deadly arrows flying, the countess and the rest ofthe adventurers made short work of the undead forces and were able to light the wyvern roosts on fire to prevent the Slasher's forces from creating anymore of the undead wyverns.

Later that day, the adventurers returned to the 'Deadshade' to raid a prison that the Slasher's forces were using to slowly kill people and turn them into tormented spirit warriors for his army. Inside the prison, they fought seemingly endless waves of these tortured spirits to reach the centreof the complex where they found a strange crystal that seemed to be pulsing with Chaotic and Entrophic energies. However, Guild Master Thoravon of the Earthen Towers pumped a largeamount of Earthen magics into it and it exploded, causing a brilliant white light to beam into the sky and crack a giant hole in the looming black dome of the 'Deadshade'. It was clear that they had won a decisive battle against the forces of the Slashers with this victory because although the 'Deadshade' still stood, it was clearly very weakened thanks to the adventurer's actions.

That evening what was supposed to be a joyous event turned to terror when She Who Walks as Death, one of her lieutenants and a force of the Slasher's undead crashed the wedding of two of the adventurers, a Mystic Wood Elf named Mel Mel and a Barbarian named Mystogan.

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Continued from Page 1Mystogan is said to have gone with She Who Walks to ensure that she stayed imprisoned when the adventurers locked her away years ago,and it is speculated that she came for him, however what role the Slasher had to play in her return is as of yet uncertain.

According to sources, following the wedding there was a battle behind the tavern involving a skeletal Listani that rumours say was recognizable as Ahri (a former member of the adventurers of Thrush Peake who turned traitor and willingly joined the Slasher's forces) and several of the 'undead copies' of some of the adventurers that the Slasher had created. The fight culminated in the Slasher's forces abducting Whispers and disappearing with him.

Not a group to allow their friends and allies to be taken, the adventurers sprang into action and charged into the 'Deadshade' to retrieve him. It was a long journey to the heart of the 'Deadshade', and along the way they had to confront the copies of Seneschal Natsumi, Lord Ghost, the bandoleer to the Listani Yataar Yontov, and a new adventurer named Zed, as well as the arch-lich Ahri, all of whom were vanquished by the adventurers. They finally found Whispers in a large building, chained to a pillar with cold-forged iron chains, being guarded by the Slasher's chief lieutenant Tiberius, who was impervious to all damage the last time the adventurers confronted him. This time, however, they were ready for him, having crafted special arrows with the help of Court Wizard Beorn and many other dwarves that would strip away his defenses and allow him to be hurt. Thankfully the arrows flew true and although it didn't make for an easy fight, with their typical grit and prowess, the adventurers were able to overcome and defeat Tiberius and free Whispers. According to rumours however, the process of releasing him from the chains required the use of a Cold-forged Iron weapon which also stripped Whispers of his fey powers, leaving him an ordinary Mystic Wood Elf.

Having killed his primary lieutenant, all that remained was to repair the veil between worlds, thus sealing the Slasher out of our world (hopefully) forever. To do so, the adventurers met up with allies from the north and representatives of the Celestial Towers who were casting a ritual to seal the rift in the veil. The adventurers were tasked with defending the ritual from the inevitable onslaught of the Slasher's forces whom they knew would come tointerrupt the ritual. Once the ritual began, they were attacked by a massive undead Orc that was identified as a manifestation of the Slasher of Veils. Despite no less than 6 adventurers resurrecting, they were able to hold off the Slasher's forces and seal the rift, thus keeping the Slasher out of our realm. Here's hoping that he never finds a way to return!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A Message from the County Seneschal

Adventurers of Thrush Peake,

Now is the time of year we celebrate Yule! As such I would like to host and organize a secret gift exchange. We are setting a price range of $10-25. If you are interested please see Natsumi to add your name to the list. We will draw the names Saturday of this upcoming gather during the dinner period. If you have any questions please ask me privately.

Natsumi Kadiri Saito Yoru Seneschal of Kyrinen County

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A DrawingBy: Skittles

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Editor's Note: Skittles, who has contributed many of her drawings to the Herald over the course of her time as an Adventurer of Thrush Peake, asked if she could submit a very special drawing in memory of a good friend of her's and a fellow adventurer, Mystogan, who met final death at this past gathering. On behalf of everyone at the Herald, we were honoured to grant her request. Knowing that Mystogan gave his life to protect each and every one of us who is not capable of picking up a sword to defend ourselves and our lands, this is the least we could do to honour him.

RumoursOnce again dear readers I bring you the best and strangest of the rumours which circulate the county at this time. Some seem to have died down, due to a lack of interest, or perhaps the truth of them was discovered. Maybe even the parties responsible were found and brought to justice.

Anyways, some still linger on the tongues of Tavern patrons, and some new rumours have sprouted entirely. Read, enjoy and for all those brave spirited individuals, pursue these tales with caution, for who know what lies inthe darkness.

“For once I want a lump of coal in my stocking for Yule this year. It's looking like it's going to be a LONG, COLD winter!”

Voice 1: “I hear that the gift exchange that the county is holding is rigged!”Voice 2: “How do you 'rig' a gift exchange?”Voice 1: “You make sure you get Lord Pook! Everyone knows he's RICH!!”

A batch of candy-canes covered in hallucinogenic alchemy was seized in Watchwood, but not before several got into the hands of some unfortunate children.

“I found a magical bracelet in this old well on my property. I swear it has the power to stop aging!”

Voice 1: “I was cleaning out my grandpa's old barn out by Wolf Haven and I found this ancientmirror . . . it was really cool looking, but I brokeit when I went to move it . . . but I can see my grandpa's reflection in the pieces!”Voice 2: “No way!! Do you think it's haunted!”Voice 1: “Maybe . . . I'm afraid to get rid of it. What if it really is him?!”

*Note* Should there be anything within this report whichthe Towers or the Nobility wishes I do not report on, please make it known to me and I will omit such rumours from the printed version of the Herald. As an aside however, if it appears in this column, the people are already talking about it, and suppressing my report will dolittle to the spread of such rumours. Also, any items above listed in quotations, were overheard by me, and arebeing included as direct quotes.

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