TEXT: Aventurian Herald; Efferd 1040 FB
  The Prince of Uthuria is Here!
  Aventurian Herald 175
  Political News: Guardian of the Circle 
  Declares Convocation of the Church of Efferd
  Bethana/Vinsalt/Al’Anfa. For months, the hidden conflict 
  smoldering in the Church of Efferd has been threatening to 
  erupt into a conflagration. In the apolitical Church of the 
  god of the ocean, the discussion about an additional Master 
  of the Surf has become quite the political issue. The Church 
  of the Lord of the Tides is in danger of driving a wedge 
  between its various communities.
  Regional News: Straw Puppet Parade 
  Divides Festum City Council
  Festum. As the 8th of Phex approaches in chilly Festum, 
  tempers are heating up. The Grand Council is quarreling, 
  and Councilwoman Firnski plans to lead the Atmaskottjen 
  Parade through the middle of town to honor Rondra and a 
  Bornish dignitary named Linjan of Elenau.
  Panorama: Big Game Hunt in Uthuria
  Belhanka. According to rumors, certain interests in Kuslik 
  plan to exhibit a tame “escaladir” in the zoo, alongside other 
  Uthurian beasts. This giant monster resembles a fanged cow 
  with a horned ridge. Caspar Khoramsfright, famous beast 
  hunter and questador, reveals what he’s learned.
  B
  elhanka. Prince Anajo I of the 
  people of the Owangi and the 
  realm of the Tapiwakpa, son of 
  King Anwa-ti and Queen Kaliru, envoy of 
  Uthuria to the colony Nova Methumisa, 
  was welcomed to the harbor of Belhanka 
  with great fanfare. With the words, “We feel 
  honored to be at the service of the glorious 
  eagle tribe, much endowed by Nandus, and ad 
  finalem to explore its blessed Terra Cognita and 
  civilization,” the young prince stepped onto 
  the dock. His arrival was accompanied by 
  cheers that were at first a bit sparse but then 
  increased quickly. This historical occasion 
  marks the first Uthurian visit to Aventurian 
  shores.
   
  Prince Anajo I arrived on the caravel 
  Prince Sirlan, which has made numerous 
  voyages to Uthuria across the Fire Sea at the 
  behest of the Imperial Aventurian Company 
  (I.A.C.). This time, the hold contained 
  not just exotic goods like jade, coffee, and 
  gold, but also crates filled with the prince’s 
  personal wardrobe and also gifts from his 
  homeland, for those he plans to visit during 
  his travels. He handed the first such gift 
  to Pervalia ya Tehrdilion, First Admiral of 
  the town and Primesta of the Republic of 
  Belhanka, who was waiting to welcome him 
  at the pier. She received a precious statue 
  of white jade with a human body and an 
  eagle’s head. It depicts the lord of the gods, 
  called “Pra-Jobo” by Anajo’s people. “This 
  White Horas,” Prince Anajo said, “shall be a 
  confirmation of the factum that the Uthurian 
  people of the Owangi and the Aventurian eagle 
  tribe will fraternize in a cultural and spiritual 
  way.”
   
  The Prince and the Admiral then 
  addressed the crowd to explain how this 
  new friendship will benefit both realms. 
  There were many words praising the 
  peaceful gifts of colonialism for both sides. 
  Belhanka benefits like no other town in 
  the Horasian Empire from the influx 
  of precious colonial wares, wonderful 
  customs, and myriad stories from the 
  southern continent. The Owongi will 
  benefit from the progress that the Horasian 
  Empire can deliver. Citizens cheered the 
  visiting dignitary until he was carried off 
  in a specially-crafted carriage to attend the 
  next appointment in his crowded schedule.
   
  But why is Prince Anajo visiting the 
  Horasian Empire? He intends to travel 
  the land for a whole month to experience 
  our culture firsthand and spread it among 
  his own people. Accompanying him is a 
  patrician from Methumis named Lessandero 
  ya Strozza, lord of the aforementioned 
  I.A.C. and the Banking House ya Strozza. 
  With his own eyes, Anajo will learn and 
  see what the future holds for his tribe 
  now that they are allies with the Horasian 
  Empire. He will meet with nobles and other 
  dignitaries, both mundane and clerical, and 
  will even meet the Horas himself in the 
  Palace Sangreal in Horasia. Prince Anajo’s 
  schedule consists of many private meetings 
  with important people. We do not know will 
  be discussed behind these closed doors.
  What political meaning this visit entails 
  for the Horasian Empire and its colony at 
  Nova Methumisa remains to eb seen. Surely 
  Khadan-Horas knows (in his flowery way 
  of speaking, Prince Anajo refers to Khadan-
  Horas as “Superb Son of the Golden Coatl”) 
  as, no doubt, do Khadan-Horas’ court and 
  advisers, Prince Anajo I himself, and Amero 
  ya Vespati, governor of the colony of Nova 
  Methumisa. What is certain is that the 
  people hold the Southern Sea colonialism of 
  the Horasian Empire in well regard.
   
  What political meaning this visit entails 
  for the Horasian Empire and its colony at 
  Nova Methumisa remains to eb seen. Surely 
  Khadan-Horas knows (in his flowery way 
  of speaking, Prince Anajo refers to Khadan-
  Horas as “Superb Son of the Golden Coatl”) 
  as, no doubt, do Khadan-Horas’ court and 
  advisers, Prince Anajo I himself, and Amero 
  ya Vespati, governor of the colony of Nova 
  Methumisa. What is certain is that the 
  people hold the Southern Sea colonialism of 
  the Horasian Empire in well regard
  Arela Weißblatt (Dominic Hladek)
  The Voice of the People: 
  The Prince
  What a beautiful man! Ah, to be 
  young again and to go to Uthuria, to 
  be saved from the grasp of a giant 
  ape…
  –Cebanne Darow,  
  manufactory worker from Simiavilla
  ***
  It fills me with patriotic pride. Our 
  glorious realm has made an alliance 
  with brave followers of Praios who 
  live deep in the jungle, and together 
  will now shine the light of civilization 
  on all blasphemies and machinations 
  of the Nameless One! I will do my 
  part and buy shares in the next 
  voyage scheduled by the I.A.C. 
  We must stand up to Al’Anfa’s 
  blasphemies and imperialism, and 
  show them who holds dominance in 
  the colonies. It is a fact that the 
  interests of the Horasian Empire will 
  be defended in Uthuria! Long live 
  Anajo I, Prince of Uthuria! Long live 
  Khadan-Horas!
  –Solates Fock,  Horasian patriot
  ***
  Where else but here in Belhanka 
  could one such as myself speak 
  this aloud, but this caricature of a 
  prince, stuffed into his fine threads 
  like a wheel of head cheese, is 
  no more than a marionette being 
  paraded about to drum up business 
  for the I.A.C.! The Uthurians are a 
  proud, independent people, and it is 
  a real shame that their chieftain’s 
  son has become a compliant slave 
  of the narrow-minded nobles. It 
  is outrageous that this is being 
  celebrated here, in Belhanka, where 
  citizens have freed themselves from 
  the chains of the nobility!
  –anonymous student from Methumis
  Ron Owen (order #9400483)
  
  Aventurian Herald 175
  Guardian of the Circle 
  Declares Convocation of the 
  Church of Efferd
  should not branch too often, lest it lose itself 
  among lesser streams and creeks.”
   
  At the end of his sermon, the venerable 
  Guardian of the Circle revealed a great 
  surprise. In the month of Hesinde, he will 
  travel with a delegation to Brabak, where 
  the Master of the Surge South Sea will lead 
  him on an inspection of the temple. “I hope 
  that I will meet with the High Blessed One 
  of Al’Anfa and with representatives of the 
  Horasian Church of Efferd,” the Guardian 
  said. He then asked all Blessed Ones to 
  journey to Brabak to join in the discussion 
  about the future of the Church
   
  What he meant regarding the future 
  of the Church, he did not say, as it please 
  Boron. If it comes to pass, this will be the 
  first convocation in the history of the Church 
  of Efferd that brings together Blessed Ones 
  from all over Aventuria, including the 
  estranged congregations in Al’Anfa and the 
  Horasian Empire.
  Muliro Larekos 
  (Martin Schmidt)
  Aventurian Herald, Tsa 1038 FB
  “This is going too far!” – Straw 
  Puppet Parade Divides Festum 
  City Council
  F
  estum. As the 8th of Phex 
  approaches in chilly Festum, 
  tempers are heating up. The Grand 
  Council is quarreling, and Councilwoman 
  Firnski plans to lead the Atmaskottjen 
  Parade through the middle of town to 
  honor Rondra and a Bornish dignitary 
  named Linjan of Elenau.ntil today, the 
  parade had been restricted to the Warehouse 
  Island, meaning that 
  the infamous Thorwal 
  Drum (symbol of the 
  bravery of Festum’s city 
  guards, and main 
  attraction of the 
  parade), which was 
  made from the skin 
  of the evil pirate, 
  Atmaskot Blood-
  drinker, did not incite 
  any larger conflicts. 
  But now, Domain Master 
  Gernot of Halsingen, along 
  with other long-time residents of Festum, 
  has sided with the councilwoman. Guard 
  Captain Elkman Timpski, especially, is of 
  the opinion that the parade route should 
  be extended to cross the Toll Bridge and 
  enter the Old City. Those opposed to the 
  plan include many followers of Hesinde, 
  merchants both small and large, and even 
  B
  ethana/Vinsalt/al’anfa. For 
  months, the hidden conflict 
  smoldering in the Church of 
  Efferd has been threatening to erupt into a 
  conflagration. In the apolitical Church of 
  the god of the ocean, the discussion about 
  an additional Master of the Surf has become 
  quite the political issue. The Church of the 
  Lord of the Tides is in danger of driving a 
  wedge between its various communities
  Many observers and believers looked to 
  Bethana with hope, but the Guardian of 
  the Circle remained tight-lipped (probably 
  to avoid the inevitable accusation that 
  he favored one side over the other in this 
  argument). Even demands by the head of 
  the Church for congregants to refrain from 
  quarrelling and avoid casting insults in 
  public (as reported in the Aventurian Herald) 
  went unheeded among some members of 
  the clergy. There is no other way to interpret 
  the words Efferdan ui Bennain delivered in 
  a recent divine service. “Every river needs 
  tributaries, that its life-giving water shall not 
  run dry. But,” ui Bennain continued, “a river 
  Political / Regional
  retired Magister Alwin K. Nodwinger, 
  himself a council member and former 
  spokesman of the Festum Council of Arts. 
  They fear that dangerous protests might 
  erupt during the parade, aimed not only at 
  careless Thorwalers, but also at Norbards, 
  goblins, and Maraskans, 
  all of whom enjoy 
  burghers’ rights and 
  privileges in Festum.
   The Grand Council will 
  vote on the matter soon. Those 
  in the know think the vote will 
  be close, even though the 
  traditionalists hold a majority. 
  The atmosphere in the city 
  is already tense, and people 
  who have experienced 
  Festum’s cosmopolitan 
  flair will be surprised by the 
  growing feelings of animosity 
  towards “wretched immigrants” 
  on the one hand, and “narrow-minded 
  saber-rattlers” on the other. We hope, for 
  the quarrelsome council members’ sakes, 
  that they will make a wise decision, but 
  surely not everyone will be happy with the 
  outcome.
  Alriksej Gerberow 
  (Daniel Heßler)
  Fantholi, Efferd 1038 FB
  The Countess of Bearforest 
  Adopts a Daughter of Noble 
  Lineage
  B
  earforest County, efferd 1038 
  fB: Our editors were shocked 
  recently when a grim Weiden 
  knight dashed into the writing room of 
  the Herald to hand us a dispatch from 
  the Countess of Bearforest. It seems that 
  the corpse of a messenger sent forth on 
  a delivery many months ago was found 
  near Leinhouse. Phex be praised that his 
  murderer didn’t find the report he was 
  carrying. We now present that report here, in 
  its entirety. 
   
  County Bearforest, 10th of Hesinde 1037 
  FB: It has been barely four months since 
  the cowardly attempt on the life of Walderia 
  of Lionshead, Countess of Bearforest 
  (as reported in AH 168) at the Bowyers’ 
  Celebration in Olat. Now the aged Countess 
  has made the following announcement. In 
  a solemn ceremony, she adopted a young 
  knight as her daughter—a rare act among 
  nobles—thus founding a new line of 
  succession for the County of Bearforest, with 
  the consent of the Duke. 
   
  The celebratory tournament was held in 
  the peaceful fishing village of Olat. Firun 
  had already clad the fields, meadows, and 
  forests by the Mistmoor in winter snow. 
  The black walls of the Countess’ fortress 
  rose like a dark figure from the ominous, 
  fog-enshrouded waters of the Nine-Eye 
  Lake. The bitter cold prevented all but a 
  small crowd of chosen guests from arriving 
  to honor the future Countess. Representing 
  the Duke’s family was Walderia’s brother, 
  Prince Walthard, her grandniece, Princess 
  Walbirg, and Shieldcount Kerling of 
  Lionshead, Master of the Greencoats and 
  former Master of the Knights of the Grove. 
  Many famous heroes from the counties of 
  Weiden proved their skill in the tournament, 
  which also served as a readiness test for the 
  campaign against Haffax. Attendees were 
  especially moved when Master Eisewyn 
  and Yolanda of Fallowfield sang a duet 
  dedicated to the memory of Count Waldmar, 
  Walderia’s brother. Geiserich of Haffstone, 
  the disputed Steward of Comital Pallingen, 
  was noticeably absent from the celebration, 
  reinforcing the rumors of his envy and 
  resentment towards the young heiress, who 
  descends from old Bearforest nobility. It is a 
  shame that no proof of his involvement in 
  the assassination plot has been discovered.
  Divine service was held to honor Firun 
  and Rondra, according to long-standing 
  tradition, after which Ivrain ni Catholainn, 
  the Pro-Legate of the Church of Firun, 
  presented Ifirn’s blessing to the young, 
  charismatic heiress. The Countess chose the 
  10th of Hesinde for the adoption because 
  it was also Griseldis’ 27th Tsa Day. During 
  her speech, she referred to the outrageous 
  assassination attempt from four months 
  ago: “As my life was taken and returned 
  on my Tsa’s Day, so shall today signify the 
  beginning of your new life. Rise, Griseldis of 
  Pallingen, bound forever to me as daughter.” 
  All present were touched to see the normally 
  strict and reserved ruler overcome by 
  maternal emotions.
  Thuronia Kupferstich (Axel Riegert)
  Aventurian Herald, Efferd 1039 FB
  Brabakan Spring 
  Awakening
  N
  agra. This kingdom by the cape 
  has existed for over two centuries, 
  but at times it seems almost brand 
  new. To the burghers of Brabak certainly 
  it has always existed, though to be honest, 
  nobody beyond its borders ever felt that the 
  kingdom was very important. This has been 
  changing in recent years, as if the kingdom 
  is waking from a deep sleep, like a beast 
  coming out of hibernation. 
   
  It all began in the year 1035 FB when the 
  Brabakan flotilla set sail on a secret mission. 
  This was the same year that the Crown 
  gave permission to a very old Brabakan 
  family to build a wharf and create a trading 
  company called the Brabakan Amalgamated 
  Occidental Company, or BAOC, for short.
   
  The new company’s ships sailed first to 
  Gyldenland, a symbolic voyage honoring the 
  many Gyldenland travelers who had already 
  made the round trip voyage successfully. 
  But while foreign traders and lords blinked 
  their eyes in surprise at the fleet’s bravery 
  (or smiled secretly at its foolishness), the 
  BAOC managed to establish a kontor here 
  in Nagra.
   
  Two years later, even the Northland Bank 
  had found its way to the royal city. That 
  same year, the trading company’s ships 
  finally returned from Gyldenland laden 
  with goods for Brabak. The Crown soon 
  issued the Codex Mizirion, a set of laws for 
  the entire kingdom, including the Risso 
  Archipelago, which had grown increasingly 
  important (almost every trade route used by 
  free traders and the BAOC to reach Uthuria 
  leads through the archipelago). Today, 
  Brabak maintains a thriving colony, Porto 
  Sancta Elida, in Uthuria. Trade with the 
  remote southern continent is now the topic 
  of conversation on everyone’s minds, and 
  not just in the royal capital but also here in 
  Nagra. Countless goods, such as lumber, 
  jewels, plant saplings, and wild animals, find 
  their way to the markets of Brabak. Apart 
  from the BAOC, many free traders also try 
  their luck on the dangerous passage. The 
  Horasian Empire is investing in southern 
  trade as well, and is even building a harbor 
  fortress in Nagra. This decisive move is 
  predicted to create an advantage in the 
  struggles with the empire’s eternal rival, 
  Al’Anfa, and also serve as a springboard for 
  passengers on their way to the Horasian 
  colony of Nova Methumisa.
   
  It might feel like a prophecy, but Brabak 
  seems to be casting its gaze increasingly 
  towards the southern continent and the 
  riches that it can provide through trade. 
  The future king, Prince Peleiston, shows no 
  sign of diverting from his father’s plans; if 
  anything, it seems as if the Crown Prince’s 
  convictions have only strengthened. Time, 
  the province of Satinav, will tell if Brabak 
  can prove itself the equal of the Horasian 
  Empire and Al’Anfa. When it comes to 
  exporting the Aventurian spirit to Uthuria, 
  Brabak’s prospects look pretty good, at 
  least as far as proud Brabakans and many 
  foreign observers are concerned. Thus, 
  developments here by the cape indicate that 
  Brabak’s spring awakening will continue for 
  the foreseeable future.
  Nandurio, Blessed One of Nandus in Nagra
  (Christian Bender)
  Aventurian Herald, Efferd 1039 FB
  Ron Owen (order #9400483)
  
  Aventurian Herald 175
  Khunchom Harbor Post, Phex 1038 FB
  Hilbert of Hartsteen: the Fall of a 
  Garetian Noble
  was the Herald’s depiction of Rohaja of 
  Gareth as the “heroic Empress.”
   
  He saves his worst accusations 
  for last, and directs them against 
  the Imperial spouse. Allegedly, by 
  employing a vast network of agents 
  who refer to each other as “heroes,” 
  the Imperial Privy Counselor spies on 
  subjects, including even those whom the 
  Crown names as close allies, in order 
  to eliminate his own political enemies. 
  This secret network’s most prominent 
  victim to date was none other than 
  Imperial Arch-Chancellor Hartuwal 
  Gorwin of the Great River, whose 
  murder by cultists of the Nameless 
  One was actually a cleverly staged 
  diversion. In reality, Hilbert believes, 
  Rondrigan Paligan had the Duke of 
  the Morthmarches killed because he 
  was among the strongest supporters 
  of the Oxblood Charter, and his death 
  strengthens the Crown’s hold over the 
  nobles of the Middenrealm.
   
  Hilbert’s confused ramblings might 
  be outlandish and without substance, 
  but they show that some long-
  established Garetian nobles pay more 
  attention to rumors than they should.
  Charef ibn Saiman (Jürgen Suberg)
  Editor’s Note: If you find yourself 
  stirred to action by Hilbert of 
  Hartsteen’s paranoid claims and absurd 
  stories, just visit this Khunchom Harbor 
  tavern and visit the disgraced Knight 
  of the Realm for yourself. Witness 
  the wasted human potential and the 
  questionable rotgut that qualifies as 
  liquor on this part of the continent. I 
  can only hope that Hilbert of Hartsteen 
  commits himself to the Noionites’ care, 
  and soon.
  (Baltram of Liepenberg, for the 
  Aventurian Herald) 
  (Carolina Möbis)s)
  K
  hunChom. Banishment from the 
  Middenrealm to the hot Lands 
  of the Tulamydes seems to rob a 
  person of both sanity and decency. One sad 
  example is Hilbert of Hartsteen, former 
  Palsgrave of Broadgrove, who was convicted 
  on charges of corruption and abuse of 
  authority. From his exile in Khunchom, 
  Hilbert claims to know of a conspiracy that 
  threatens the Imperial Throne and involves 
  the Empress’ husband, Rondrigan Paligan.
   
  Hilbert, a Garetian by birth, is 
  willing to share his sketchy theories with 
  Middenrealmish travelers for the cost of a 
  glass of abszinto, and eagerly welcomes them 
  into his new home, a sleazy, harbor-side 
  brothel. According to Hilbert, the twelve-
  times cursed traitor, Helme Haffax, is a mere 
  puppet of the Imperial Crown, whose skills 
  are overblown and who poses no real threat 
  to the Middenrealm. Hilbert continues by 
  stating that the fear of the former Imperial 
  Arch-Marshal was created artificially to 
  bind the realm’s vassals to the Throne and 
  stop the lords of the various provinces from 
  claiming the rights they earned through 
  the Oxblood Charter, such as the right to 
  exercise sovereignty over their provincial 
  troops.
   
  If you think that Hartsteen’s political 
  horror stories can’t get any funnier, read on. 
  He also says that the Aventurian Herald, a 
  blatant mouthpiece of the Imperial Crown, 
  played an important role in this conspiracy. 
  For example, he points out that the Herald 
  raised no critical voice about the marriage of 
  the Empress to a servant with an unsuitable 
  pedigree. According to the bitter Garetian 
  noble’s account of events, the Herald referred 
  to the marriage between a captain of the 
  fleet and a scion of an unimportant Al’Anfan 
  grandee family as “an event to be celebrated,” 
  and points out that the Herald devoted more 
  space to a description of the bridal gown than 
  to the terms of the new alliance. The final 
  straw for the former Knight of the Realm 
  B
  elhanka. The Belhankan Watcher has obtained 
  further information about the Prince’s planned 
  travel route and destinations. From what they 
  have been able to learn, Imperial advisors have scheduled 
  Prince Anajo’s itinerary almost down to the minute. His 
  Excellency will travel nearly 300 miles through the northern 
  Horasian Empire in a specially-built carriage provided by 
  the Imperial Kuslikan Coach Manufactory. His visit will 
  culminate in a meeting with His Horas-Imperial Majesty 
  Khadan-Horas, Emperor of the Horasian Empire and King 
  of the Dulcet Fields and the Southern Sea.
   
  Here we present those details of his journey which have 
  been released to the public.
  Day 1-3: Belhanka
  ♣ Ceremony marking the arrival of Prince Sirlan, amid 
  cheers from the crowd
  ♣ Welcoming speech by Pervalia ya Tehrdilion, Primesta of 
  the Republic of Belhanka and First Admiral of the city
  ♣ Address the people of the Horasian Empire
  ♣ Reception at Rahja’s Palace on Dere in Belhanka, 
  organized by the Guardian of the Cup, Gylvana von 
  Belhanka 
  ♣ isit the Oro Nero, the first coffee house in the Horasian 
  Empire, in the Penumbra neighborhood, to relax with an 
  Uthurian drink
  Day 4-8: Methumis
  ♣ By request of the Prince, a fitting with a tailor from Drôl
  ♣ Personal meeting with Duke Eolan IV, Berlînghan, a 
  benefactor and supporter of the I.A.C.
  ♣ Walk the Colorful Walls
  ♣ Visit Duke Eolan University and give a lecture on 
  Uthurian derography for students of the Efferd School
  Day 9-10: Silas
  ♣ Reception with the Priorium of the Guild Masters of Silas
  ♣ Tour the dwarven neighborhood of Simiamada. Visit 
  several goldsmiths and tour an exhibition of masterpieces 
  created by the jewelers and smiths.
  ♣ Tour the Lizard Gardens
  Day 11: Sibur
   
  Events in Arivor necessitated last-minute changes to this 
  part of the route. The planned visit to Arivor to meet with the 
  Arch-Ruler Nepolemo ya Torese and tour the Saladanian 
  smithies has been cancelled. Instead, the Prince will 
  journey through Sibur, where the governor has promised to 
  illuminate the Prince on the town’s famous silver industry.
  Day 12-21: Vinsalt
  Many scheduled receptions and celebrations. High points 
  include:
  ♣ Visit to the Vinsalt Opera for the premier of the play, 
  Uthurica
  ♣ As requested by the Prince, private lessons in rhetoric at 
  the Academia Horasiana
  ♣ Masquerade Ball at Castle Baliiri
  Day 22-26: Horasia
  ♣ Imperial Reception, with the Praetorians serving as 
  Honor Guard
  ♣ Visit the Temple of Praios Sancti Ucuriani
  ♣ Tour the Palace Sangreal
  ♣ vening of conversation with Khadan-Horas
  Day 27-30: Kuslik
  ♣ Meeting with the Magister of Magisters Aldare Firdayon in 
  the Halls of Wisdom
  ♣ Reception with the Kuslikan Notables
  ♣ Return to Uthuria, sailing from the harbor in Curonia
  Quido Berylli 
  (Dominic Hladek)
  Belhankan Watcher, Efferd 1040 FB
  Route and Itinerary for the Prince of Uthuria
  Regional / Overview
  Aventurian Herald, Rahja 1039 FB
  Mourning in 
  Perricum
  P
  erriCum. Even though we 
  are glad of the outcome, the 
  successful completion of the 
  campaign of good Empress Rojaha of 
  Gareth against Mendena cost the lives of 
  many brave heroes.
   
  One of the most important nobles 
  to fall during the campaign was the 
  highly decorated Colonel Wallbrord of 
  Lionshead-Berg, Baron of Perricum. This 
  long-serving officer and former Marshal 
  of the Dukedom of Weiden led the troops 
  of his Margravate in the charge against 
  Mendena. Those who served closely with 
  the colonel during that final battle say 
  that he caught an arrow in the chest and 
  fell while rallying his troops for the final 
  strike at the heart of the city.
   
  The dying man transferred command 
  to his son, a captain in Lord Wallbrord’s 
  own regiment, who had been fighting 
  nearby when the colonel was wounded. 
  His duty fulfilled, the great man, a 
  member of the proud and glorious 
  houses of Lionshead and Berg, breathed 
  his last in the arms of his son. The new 
  commander collected himself quickly, 
  gathered the troops with his courage, 
  skill, and determination, and pushed the 
  enemy towards the harbor with a brave 
  attack.
   
  Upon learning of these events, the 
  Empress summoned the valiant captain 
  to the palace. As he kneeled before 
  her, she offered her condolences and 
  proclaimed his father’s death a terrible 
  loss for realm and province. Then, in 
  recognition of his deeds, she dismissed 
  the charges of a crime which had been 
  leveled against him several months ago.
  The deceased Baron’s title passed to 
  his illegitimate daughter, Elissa, to the 
  general surprise of his subjects.
  Xandros Fernel 
  (Marcus Friedrich)
  Kuslikan Courier, Travia 1038 FB
  Terror at the Harvest 
  Celebration
  H
  orasian empire. On the 1st of Travia, 
  His Honored Majesty Baronet Efferdan 
  Wavestone announced a Harvest Festival 
  pleasing unto the Benign Mother, to be held at 
  his hunting chateau, north of Grangor. Invitees 
  included young and old from the surrounding 
  area, as well as the brave heroes who defended 
  the way station at Dawfield one month ago. To 
  ensure the safety of his guests, the Baronet rode 
  out to investigate rumors of marauding robbers in 
  the nearby forest and thus wasn’t present for the 
  festivities.
   
  No doubt Wavestone’s absence is what attracted 
  an evil creature to the festival. It is believed that 
  a vampire gained entrance to the chateau by 
  concealing itself among the servants. Once it 
  revealed itself, a magical barrier prevented those 
  present from leaving the area, and no outside help 
  could gain access. To further its evil ends, the 
  vampire summoned walking dead that took up 
  weapons from the hall and assaulted the terrified 
  guests.
   
  Early on the morning of the 2nd of Travia, 
  bodies from the Boron yard were found defiled in 
  the forest. Later it was discovered that the local 
  shrine of Efferd had been desecrated, and all water 
  supplies, including nearby bodies of water, had 
  been poisoned. The surviving guests then steeled 
  themselves for a second night of attacks from the 
  vampire and his undead servants. On the third 
  day of their captivity, and despite suffering from 
  terrible thirst, the guests and servants managed 
  (with the help of Phex and Efferd) to drive away 
  the nameless terror and break the spell.
   
  The Aventurian Herald mourns the brave heroes 
  who lost their lives fighting against the undead. We 
  also salute guard Beppo Sator who dutifully stood 
  his ground and gave his life. Aslam, mercenary 
  captain from the Lands of the Tulamydes, died 
  a hero’s death holding off the undead creatures 
  so that others could escape, and the beloved bard 
  Helmut left Dere with a final, beautiful song on 
  his spinet.
   
  In their memory, and for the protection of 
  future generations, a shrine of Praios was built, 
  consecrated, and devoted to the holy Horas in 
  front of the hunting château. The ceremony took 
  place on the 3rd of Travia.
  Jette Alessa Ravenguard and Hesindion Machandel 
  (Janina und Marcus Robben)
  Ron Owen (order #9400483)
  
  Aventurian Herald 175
  Belhankan Watcher, Efferd 1040 FB
  Big Game Hunt in Uthuria
  But then I see a beast, no joke, large as a 
  witch’s hut in Weiden, but much scarier. I keep 
  a cool head (I like to tell myself that, but in 
  reality I’m terrified) and I think “Sneak a little 
  closer. It is just a big cow.” Well, in reality it 
  is more like a bull from the Netherhells. Not 
  a real demon, of course, but with more teeth 
  in its jaws than a damned Ifirn shark. And as 
  I get closer, I see that the thing is so big I hurt 
  my neck looking up at it. Honest, its neck starts 
  two feet above my head. And the fur was... 
  Well, let’s call it blood-black. And the beast 
  stinks! Something like a cow, but one that has 
  been dead longer than a salted Thorwalian 
  cod at the end of winter. Lucky my nose is so 
  crooked—I can barely smell anything.
  Then BAM! It suddenly goes crazy and begins 
  to run! I think, I am being quiet, so what 
  spooked it? And then I think to myself, fine, let 
  it run away. But no, it runs TOWARDS me, as 
  if Hell’s Sultan himself was sitting on its neck, 
  guiding it. And you know what? There was 
  something on its neck.
  I ran like hell, which is why I am still alive. I 
  know when to run and when to attack. This 
  time, I run. And I run and run and meet a 
  family of Jucumaqh, savages that live on the 
  southern continent. They are skilled fighters, 
  beat you to a pulp with their clubs. But I know 
  one of them, and lucky he recognizes me, so I 
  don’t get beaten up. Instead we have a smoke 
  by the fire.
   
  My Jucumaqh friend tells me about the 
  creature. He says these beasts are really quite 
  peaceful, except during mating season. But 
  there are these parasites, Kalladir or something 
  like that, a type of blood worm. They use their 
  jaws to clamp onto the necks of these peaceful 
  giant cows, and then they suck blood and inject 
  a poison that makes the cows insane. The Jucs 
  call it an escaladir, which means “peaceless.” 
  Yes, the very same label Thorwalers use for 
  their craziest pirates. Fitting, isn’t it? And I saw 
  such a thing on this cow’s neck. So I ask: “Say I 
  remove the worm from the neck, does the beast 
  become tame like a priest of Tsa on Rohal’s 
  Day?” The Jucumaqh says he doesn’t know 
  what a priest of Tsa is, and if what I’m asking 
  is will the beast then grow as calm as a kerelo-
  monkey after the hour of Rahja (I call it that 
  here in Belhanka; he used other words), then 
  yes, that is what happens. “Well,” I say, “then I 
  will remove the worm.” You should have seen 
  their faces. The warriors were all whispering, 
  and their eyes… My knees begin to shake when 
  I see their eyes. They are brave jungle warriors, 
  but they are terrified of getting too close to an 
  escaladir. Of course you are afraid now, I say to 
  myself, but said is said, and said is done, which 
  is why I’m in Uthuria, right?
   
  The next day I think to myself, maybe you 
  will find it asleep and things will be easy. Of 
  course, when I find it, it’s awake. Would have 
  been strange if luck had been on my side for 
  once. So I hold my nose and approach it from 
  downwind, which makes the smell of the beast 
  even worse. But this time I am quiet and get 
  very close. I have my throwing knife with me, 
  the one I used to knock a silver coin from a 
  coachman’s hand back in Baliho. Hopefully I 
  haven’t lost my edge, I think to myself. Then 
  I stand up and throw. And hit! Man, I think, 
  what a lucky day! Now, “hit” doesn’t mean 
  “dead.” The worm is still on its throat, but 
  at least the beast is distracted. So I move even 
  closer.
   
  Now, if you think I am going to say that 
  I climb up and throw myself on its neck, you 
  are quite stupid. You can go try something like 
  that, but I want to live a little while longer. I 
  take my spear, stand off a bit from the beast, 
  and stab. I am quite good at aiming, and by 
  the eighth or ninth stab, BAM! I hit. My spear 
  pierces the worm. It twitches on the tip like a 
  pike drawn from the water, but I ram the spear 
  into the ground, draw my knife... What, boy, 
  you there, in the last row, yes, you. Take a look, 
  when I say knife, I mean this one. Yes, a damn 
  B
  elhanka. Among the passengers 
  disembarking from the Prince Sirtan 
  was an adventurer from remote 
  Baliho named Caspar Khoramsfright, a 
  famous beast hunter and questador who 
  has spent the past few years in Uthuria 
  hunting big game in the jungle. It is not 
  hard to picture him. Imagine a rough, 
  muscular body and a chiseled and unshaven 
  mercenary’s face with a nose broken so often 
  that it resembles a leaning watchtower built 
  in a swamp. Then imagine an unpleasant 
  yet strangely alluring smell of musk with a 
  hint of resin and tobacco. Finally, dress this 
  image in the snug-fitting leather hide of an 
  Uthurian jungle lizard, add a necklace of 
  predator’s teeth that would make a Bornland 
  bear jealous, and you have Caspar. The 
  daring traveler arrived with many large 
  crates and cages in tow, destined for the 
  Kusliker zoo. When I asked him about their 
  contents, he would say only “beasts.” It took 
  a further 30 minutes of questioning to worm 
  some more information out of him.
   
  According to rumors, certain interests in 
  Kuslik plan to exhibit a tame “escaladir” in 
  the zoo, alongside other Uthurian beasts. 
  This giant monster resembles a fanged cow 
  with a horned ridge. Caspar attracts an 
  audience even when he isn’t sitting among 
  his peers in a tavern in Belhamèr (the 
  Sailors’ Quarter, where we conducted this 
  interview), and he punctuates his tales with 
  loud exclamations and cracks of his Baliho 
  cattle whip. Since the hour was growing 
  late, I asked him to summarize his thrilling 
  report of the hunt.
   
  I always say, the farther away the land, 
  the bigger the prey. Believe me, Uthuria is so 
  far away that a forest elephant is but a pup 
  compared to an Uthurian beast.
  One day I enter the jungle, even though it is 
  so hot you won’t send your dog outside. After 
  three hours, I think “What a waste, this day.” 
  Panorama
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  Rapiro Floretti and the Rose of Uthuria
  &
  Rapiro Floretti and the Curse of the Skull Eater
  Will the legendary Uthurian rose help Rapiro Floretti win back the heart of his beloved Domna 
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  the infamous Al’Anfan, Dottore Damnato?
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  Credits
  Publisher: Ulisses Spiele GmbH, 
  Industriestr. 11 65529 Waldems 
  Steinfischbach
  Editor: Carolina Möbis
  Contributors to this Edition: Christian 
  Bender, Marcus Friedrich, Daniel Heßler, 
  Dominic Hladek, Axel Riegert, Janina and 
  Marcus Robben, Martin Schmidt, Jürgen 
  Suberg
  Illustrations: Markus Holzum, Nadine 
  Schäkel, Sabrina Klevenow
  Composition and Layout: Christian 
  Lonsing
  English Version
  Translator: Daniel Mayer
  Editor: Kevin MacGregor
  Layout: Emma Beltran
  The Aventurian Herald appears bimonthly. 
  All material copyright © 2015 by Ulisses 
  Spiele GmbH. THE DARK EYE, 
  AVENTURIA, DERE, MYRANOR, 
  RIESLAND, THARUN, and UTHURIA 
  are trademarks of Ulisses Spiele. All rights 
  reserved.
   
  This publication is protected under 
  the copyright laws of the United States of 
  America. No part of this publication may be 
  reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,  or 
  transmitted, in any form or by any means, 
  whether electronic, mechanical, photocopy, 
  recording, or otherwise, without prior 
  written consent by Ulisses Spiele GmbH, 
  Waldems. 
  machete, as you say it. So I draw my machete, 
  which I call “Fernlove.” You know, ferns? So 
  I draw it and hack the worm to pieces. The 
  peaceless cow doesn’t become peaceful all at 
  once, of course, since the poison is still in his 
  blood. So I roll to the side, I don’t want to be 
  crushed. I run away and wait. After a while, 
  the beast settles down and goes back to grazing 
  as if nothing had happened. Believe it or not, I 
  throw my lasso around its neck and lead it back 
  like a cow from the pasture.
   
  He has become a good friend, this beast. 
  I name him “Birsel the Escaladir,” after my 
  favorite cow from the time I worked for the 
  cattle barons. Well, I called her Birsel the Cow, 
  “Birsel” for short, not escaladir, of course. And 
  tomorrow we go to Kuslik or whatsitsname, 
  where the beast goes to the Zoolobota... 
  Zoologa... Zoologa... to the zoo. It’s a pity, I 
  really like him.
   
  What, you ask if the worms are contagious? 
  Haven’t even thought about it. But no, if they 
  were, I would have met somebody who caught 
  something, back in Uthuria. People don’t catch 
  worms. Does a worm grow back? No, I can’t 
  imagine they do, or it would have already 
  happened to Birsel on the ship during our 
  journey home.
  Quido Berylli 
  (Dominic Hladek)
  Ron Owen (order #9400483)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dark Eye, The [multi]/Misc/Aventurian Herald/Aventurian Herald #175.pdf