Alderaan Continues to Struggle with Poverty, Homelessness​

The city of Alderaan has been slow to recover after a sudden swarm of mephit monsters raged through and destroyed or damaged several districts. Although the Lemurian Guild was able to respond quickly to neutralize the threat, they could not wholly prevent the loss of life and property. The Kindgom has granted aid from the emergency fund, but one year later the money has dried up and a large swathe of the city remains mired in poverty. Interviews with those living there indicate that most of the people there are the injured and displaced from the attack who did not receive sufficient aid and have nowhere else to go. Unwilling or unable to leave the city, they have been forced to scramble to survive amidst the rubble. Alderaan city officials state that they are “taking the problem very seriously,” but their programs and attempts to help have fallen short thus far.

Venomous Spider Infestation in Surwood​

Ecologists were baffled this week when they began hearing of a large number of strange spiders that appeared overnight in Surwood. They quickly investigated and estimated that several hundred non-native species of Black Widow had spread over several acres in the heart of the forest. While surveying, the ecology team of Johnson and Perkins were met with members of the Lemurian Guild who stated they were the ones who brought these spiders here. They believed the spiders were in danger in their previous habitat and decided to relocate them to Surwood. Johnson and Perkins are unsure of the impact these non-native spiders will have on the local ecology. “As far as we are aware, this is an unprecedented situation. We will monitor the situation carefully and publish the results as soon as we are able. In the meantime, citizens are warned to avoid the center of Surwood as these spider’s bite can be dangerous and potentially fatal.

Goblin Warband Defeated in Thebes​

The Kingdom Army routed a goblin warband that was threatening the Thebes territory. The goblin forces mustered and marched on Thyrsus, the largest city in the territory. A crudely written manifesto stated that the warband intended to establish a goblin city as a safe haven for all goblinoids who live in fear throughout Lemuria. The Kingdom Army garrisoned at Hebring moved quickly and intercepted the warband before they could reach the city. Several battles occurred in the forests and hills before the Kingdom Army managed to push the goblin forces out into the open plains where mounted calvary units were able to break through the enemy lines and break the back of the warband. General Cassius organized the assault and credits the valor of his men for the victory. “We are here to maintain peace and stability for Lemuria. My men fought bravely and with honor to defend their homeland,” he said in his official statement.

Phantom Thieves Nearly Apprehended in Bank of Xanthium Sting​

A joint operation run by the Xanthium Police Force and the Lemurian Guild nearly succeeded in apprehending the infamous Phantom Thieves. They spread a false rumor of a valuable diamond being temporarily held in the Bank’s vaults and laid a trap. The Phantom Thieves narrowly managed to escape. “We have confirmed their numbers, methods, and physical characteristics,” said Rannegan, the Chief of Police. “We will be distributing this information to all local businesses. If the Thieves think they will ever be successful in my town again, they have another thing coming.” As the heist was not successfully completed, no calling card was found at the scene. However, this has not stopped suspicion that the Bank of Xanthium is involved in unscrupulous dealings. Supporters of the Phantom Thieves say that they would not target a business without cause, and even those neutral on the subject are pushing for an investigation. The bank president, Mr. Geld, dismissed the accusations as mere rumor.

New Cults Spreading Like Wildfire in West Neculda​

A group of devout and zealous people in the Neculda County are now espousing two never before seen religions. The first centers around Dirk Stevens, author of a mildly successful line of travel guides. “HE goes before us and advises our path! HE directs our steps and all who follow and dine at HIS table will be filled with HIS power!” proclaimed a speaker to a small crowd. The second religion surrounds Feirfiz, Summoner of Angels and Light in the Darkness. They claim that Feirfiz is the son of a god from another dimension and all who follow him will be granted a path to the Father. Both Dirk and Feirfiz are members of the Lemurian Guild, who were recently sent to the region to handle a band of hill giants. Their followers are adamant that the pair are divine and not merely powerful members of the Guild.

Guild Found Guilty of Misconduct, Pays Fines​

The Crown Inquisitors finished their investigation into the reports of misconduct within the Lemurian Guild. The Inquisitors found the Guild guilty of torture of a helpless prisoner, torture of a helpless intelligent animal, and two counts of theft and assault while performing missions. Dame Cecilia, Commander of the Guild, did not deny the events occurred but also impressed upon the investigators the difficulties of the Guild’s duty and the circumstances surrounding the events. After deliberation, the Crown issued a formal warning to the Guild and levied a hefty fine of 200,000 gp. No further sanctions or changes to reporting procedures were implemented, but the Crown warned that it would be watching more closely to ensure no further misconduct occurs.

An official Kingdom Inquiry is underway as several accounts of gross misconduct have been leveled at the Lemurian Guild. “We are taking these accusations seriously and will fully comply with the investigative process,” stated Lady Cecilia, Commander of the Lemurian Guild.

The Court hears complaints about the Lemurian Guild with some frequency, but rarely do these escalate to the point of a formal inquiry. Three incidents in quick succession appear to have been substantiated enough to begin the process.

ANIMAL ABUSERS?​

A passionate druid described a bloody scene in the forests outside the Capital. This time of year, food is scarce as the area goes through a natural transition towards winter. The druid brought a particularly cognizant squirrel who stated for the Court that members of the Lemurian Guild came, gathered these hungry animals together, then threw a bag of food into the center and watched as the animals fought one another to claim it. These Guild members then captured the squirrel and tortured him for information on the location of an item the squirrel found abandoned in the woods.

TOTURERS?​

Shortly thereafter, the Court received a letter from Numergard where a small-time inmate described in detail how he was captured by the Lemurian Guild and placed into a cell for several weeks. While in the Guild’s cells, he overheard another inmate being tortured for information. “It was awful. I could hear the screaming as he said over and over how he could not give them the information they wanted,” read the letter.

THIEVES?​

Two additional accounts of assault and robbery in locations and times where and when Guild missions were authorized. Lady Cecilia stated that the Guild was using an internal process to look into these events to see if Guild members were involved, but at this point, the King authorized the Court to proceed with an inquiry into Guild records.

GUILD'S STATEMENT​

Lady Cecilia faced scrutiny from the Court during proceedings for her failure to keep the Guild under control as its commander. She responded, “We allow our members a high amount of autonomy so they may react to the unpredictable situations and varied dangers that threaten our fair kingdom. I know what it is like to go into awful situations and have to make hard choices in the heat of battle with lives on the line,” she said, referring to her time as an active combatant in the Guild which earned her the moniker ‘the Silver Valkyrie’. “That being said, we as the Lemurian Guild must hold ourselves to a higher standard commensurate with the power we wield.”

GUILD GONE ROGUE?​

Just last year, the Guild also faced scrutiny for performing missions without following proper reporting guidelines. In an expose published by this author, it was revealed that a number of missions took place without documentation in hopes of keeping those missions secret. This prompted an inquiry and establishment of new regulations on when and how missions are documented and reported to the Crown and Court.

[Real world week 8/22 edition]

People of Nortia Disappear Without a Trace​

Nortia, a small province at the northwestern edge of the Kingdom, continues to experience hardship. First unusual weather patterns have forced the area into perpetual overcast for months, which is starting to impact crop yields. Trade caravans and travelers have gone missing. And now this week, there are reports of an entire town of people suddenly going missing. Mister White and his son took a shipment of goods to the next town down the road, stayed the night, and when they returned, they found the entire village had vanished. There were no signs of struggle nor any damage to buildings observed. “It’s like they all just decided to walk away,” said a confused Mister White.

Alvis Announces International Tour​

Beloved entertainer Alvis Parsley has announced another world tour. The King of Bards now heads to the East where he will play at several venues across all 7 major countries. Most of the time will be spent in the Carmel Kingdom and Hershey Empire. “I had to cut my last tour short for personal reasons,” Alvis said in an interview. “Now that things are a little more settled, it’s time to get back to doing what I do best: bringing hope and joy to the people of the world.”

Art Heist of the Century​

In Xanthium, the Phantom Thieves have struck again. This time they targeted the Rikplatz Museum which earlier this week debuted seven new Donatello paintings. When museum staff arrived this morning, they found all seven paintings missing and the word “STOLEN” was painted on the now empty wall space. The customary calling card was also found, which denounced Donatello as a plagiarist who claimed his apprentices’ artwork as his own. Donatello asserts that the accusation is false and that the thieves are trying to discredit his good name. Xanthium investigators are baffled, and even the Lemurian Guild seems to have made little headway in apprehending the Phantom Thieves.

Prince of Carmel Kingdom Arrives​

Prince Anthony, heir to the Carmel Kingdom, arrived at the capital this week. On the agenda are several cultural exchange events and several closed-door meetings regarding trade and military. This visit comes only two weeks after Lemuria hosted a delegation from the Hershey Empire. Hershey and Carmel have a long and storied past dating back to the original Carmel Empire and tensions remain between the two nations. The King has promised the Council of Nobles that he will not drag Lemuria into the middle of their conflict, but will maintain open dialogue with all parties.

Dutchess of Ylisse Emmeryn Assassinated​

In the dead of night, an assassin infiltrated the Citadel of Ylisse and succeeded in killing the Dutchess, Emmeryn. Emmeryn was well loved by her subjects and pioneered several desperately needed aide programs to help the weakest within her domain. Reports suggest it was a lone assassin who slipped past the Citadel’s formidable defenses, and it was only the quick thinking of young Lord Chrom to rally the guard that he and his sister were not also killed in the attack. The assassin utilized powerful magic to plunge the area into darkness before killing the Dutchess, much like the one that killed Lord Edmund several months ago. Authorities are determining if this was indeed the same perpetrator. After the mourning period, Lord Chrom will become the next Duke of Ylisse.

New Discovery Ruins of Carmel Empire​

A source within a research team has leaked that a new set of ruins dating back to the Holy Carmel Empire have just been found submerged in Lake Lochmorse. Last month archeologists found a set of sealed journals from the Empire’s time and based on the writings they guessed that the area once held a holy site. The area around Lake Lochmorse had been well explored, leading the research team to examine the lakebed. Sure enough, they found a sunken temple. Whether the temple was built there or due to the earth shifting it wound up there is still undetermined. Famed Archeologist and explorer Carolina Tomes is still missing, and so the Guild was called to sweep the temple for traps.

Unification Day Festivities Come to a Close​

Yesterday the 514th Unification Day Festival officially came to a close. In addition to the usual favorites of the parade, grand market, and royal address, this year also saw the return of the Unification Day Concert. Alvis Parsley headlined the show accompanied by a number of musical acts from around the kingdom to showcase the various cultures of our nation. Fans were disappointed that Alvis only played a few songs. The entertainer says that he wanted to share the spotlight with the other acts in the spirit of kingdom unity. The Royal Family also made appearances around the Festival. It was one of the first public appearances of Queen Rose after mourning the untimely passing of Princess Charlotte.

Alchemical Reagents Incorporated Posts Losses​

It has been a tough year for Alchemical Reagents Incorporated (ARI). For the fourth straight quarter the company failed to meet revenue projections. Company leadership points to unforeseen issues with restarting manufacturing after two separate attacks on ARI manufacturing operations earlier this year as well as continued issues with shipping and logistics – an industry wide problem as disruptions to trade and caravan routes have seen an uptick this year. After the continued setbacks, shareholders are beginning to grumble that a change of leadership may be required to turn things around for ARI.

Battalion Re-occupies Northern Outpost​

Villages in the north cheered as a battalion of Kingdom forces moved up to re-occupy the Northern Outpost. After a fearsome terrorist attack destroyed a section of the outer wall and killed a good number of soldiers, the battalion stationed there was temporarily pulled back. “We felt the need to consolidate forces and do some re-training in the Capital,” said General Specific. “We always intended to send troops back north better and stronger than ever.” In the interim, the task of protecting the northern area fell harder on the Lemurian Guild to take care of threats that an armed garrison would normally deter. When asked about the recent spate of terrorist attacks at various military outposts around the kingdom, both the General and the Guild refused to comment.

Lord John Calls for Big Game Hunters​

Lord John of Sherwood is putting out a national call for any thrill seeking hunters to come to his territory to hunt large apes. He is turning it into a contest offering 50gp per head, and an additional 100gp to the person who kills the most of the creatures. Lord John recently began a lumber project to cut down a large swath of Sherwood Forest and convert it into farmland. The project has been stalling, partially due to encounters with the apes injuring workers and damaging equipment. Now it appears his solution is to call in hunters who enjoy the sport and declaring open season.

King Hosts Delegation From Hershey​

The Shah of the Hershey Empire is visiting the Kingdom this week. King Rudolph and the royal family welcomed the Shah and his delegation outside the palace. This has been touted as a cultural exchange with several well publicized events occurring around the capital, but it is likely that several state conversations will also take place behind closed doors. Lemuria has maintained a shaky peace with Hershey, but reports of unrest within the Empire are growing. The Resurgence Faction has been gaining momentum, touting a desire to return Hershey to the prominence of the Empire's heyday two millennia ago.

Phantom Thieves Strike Again​

In Xanthium, local businesses are reeling from another theft by the mysterious phantom thieves. Cece Carmel's studio, one of the premier dressmakers in Lemuria, was the target this time. Cece was outraged, calling for the local police to do their jobs and catch the 'vermin' who made off with several jewel encrusted dresses and thousands of gold coinage. As per their modus operandi, the thieves left a calling card denouncing Cece and Carmel Studios for preying on desperate workers and paying them low wages to toil in awful work conditions. Cece maintains that her business is perfectly legal and her workers are happy to accept the jobs.