Jiyyd Rumors
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The curious and observant traveler that still travels to or by Jiyyd can spy new signs of life near the chasm. On the safe bank, near to where once was the forest glade, home of Eluriel and gathering place of the Shesae, there are signs of regular camping in what is now left of the forest. Tracks of a lone humanoid seem to walk in circles around the remains of a single campfire, and there are the telltale signs of a small tent having been pitched near it.
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In the old battlefield where bodies still turn up now and then, and bandits roam amongst gigantic bugs, there is the remains of a tower. The tower is a beacon of life amidst a great deal of ruins and the barren stench of death long lingering, where new life seems to have sprung.
A group of adventurers apparently trekked far across the lands, from well into the Norwick ruins and graveyards, to the tower near Jiyyd, to fulfill some sort of quest from a spirit.
They must have succeeded, since there is greenery atop that hill now, and the fresh atringesnt scent of vervain.
When inquiries about this fly around, there are those that say these adventures started with a rose…
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Z is spotted riding, at a full gallop, towards the Jiyyd ruins.
Several days later, he is seen returning to Norwick. He looks tired and worried.
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_He tips his head and replies.
"Remembering what occured here. I spent hours sitting here, listening to the conversations of others, as did hundreds of people. I felt like returning… a case of nostalgia, if you will. Assuming anyone who comes by has a story of Jiyyd they are willing to share, I thought perhaps I would chronicle them. Tell me... is this a worthless endeavor?"_
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Telli stops by to have a bowl of stew and ask the Herald what he's up to.
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People passing through what was once Jiyyd see a man in red and black armor in the old commons, sitting on a log and writing in a book as some sort of stew boils in a battered cookpot that rests over an open fire. A blade rests across his lap, under the book he is constantly writing in, and whenever the denizens of the lower planes get too close, he beats them back with it. Any that acknowledge his presence are greeted with a polite nod and offered a seat and bowl of stew.
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Those watching the old road to Jiyyd would have seen a large group depart for Mintas Rhelgor. Several hours after their departure, sounds of battle could be heard on the Windy Plains, as well as screams from an otherworldly creature.
Those who dared to venture close enough to see were confronted by a demonic spider of some sort, larger than a house and determined to kill the group, driven by a blood fury.
In the end, the travellers were triumphant, but not without cost. One of their own dead, the price paid for the defeat of the demon.
Sadly they marched back to Norwick, and took her remains into the apothecary.
The next morning, the formerly deceased lady was back amongst the living, although still quite weak from her ordeal.
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A Pale Man in what seems to be Eastlander attire can be seen making frequent trips to what was once Ormpur.
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There have been a few skirmishes out towards the ruins of Jiyyd… not the least of which involved hordes of pissed off demons, and adventurers running back to the ferry like naughty kids who got caught with cookies, looking haggard, but triumphant.
There have been at least two trips out what way where strange things happened, including the glow of an active Menhir out towards the plains a week ago. Weren't those shut off?
Each time, old Lem is heard to talk about that weird Druid guy, and how he thinks Jiyyd is officially a lousy place to take a pretty redhead, and that the Druid fella should know better, even if he DOES have that big dog with him all the time.
Said Druid also seems to spend a lot of time now.... looking out over the water. Simply sitting, sometimes talking to himself or writing, but often times simply sitting there, looking out at something that may or may not actually BE there.
The latest thing old Lem talked of was an old fella approaching Jerrick, then an elf woman, then three trees glowing and the three dissappearing, only to reappear hours later, just as they were.
Strange.
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*The fallback from the redoubtable Thorn's Eastern Outpost leaves Jiyyd's forces occupying Jiyyd itself for the first time in the conflict.
Many bodies of friends fallen are laid out, and the odd man known as Solais, whom the Legion seem to treat as some sort of mighty and honored friend, solemnly performs a ceremony, and disappears bringing the fallen back to life. His great sacrifice much improves the towns number of defenders, and soldiers and adventurers alike retire for baths and food while they may, as a significant portion of Jiyyd's fields, lying east of the once thriving village burn dully beyond her walls.
At dawn, General Lyte is found penning small notes at a desk she has had moved out to the western gate. On the desk sits two score of purple ribbons which anyone visiting Jiyyd would have noted tied in her hair before the start of the battle for the village.
When each note is neatly completed, she ties it to a ribbon.
When the tidy notes are all done, she quietly hands the colorfully festooned notes, which flutter down like little maple seed helicopters when dropped from a distance, to her good friend the druid Belia, who turns into a hawk, and flies them away to the east, towards the main camp of the enemy, to be dropped not at the command center, but to the mainline camp regulars, from a height beyond archery range.
Any caring to peek over her shoulder, as she wrote, would observe the following, written in a rather cheerful, neat, elvish hand, seemingly more suitable for birthday wishes, than enemy bound hands.
**_"Soldiers of N'Jast,
Jiyyd's defenders grow weary of slaughtering the unordered and so easily killed trolls, orcs, peasant militia and untrained horsemen we have fought thus far.
We ask you to spare these unschooled throw-away troops, and actually begin to send forward your more skilled formations.
I look forward to the beginnings of the actual clash of real battalions soon, and feel pity towards these slaves you have had us ground to ashes below your feet.
Think of these pitiable remains, as you march through them tasting their choking dust, to our waiting blades and spells.
We await you, refreshed and eager for an actual battle, at Jiyyd's main defenses.
Cordially,
Lyte Bry'Gaede, Operations General
acting under
Major General Grag
Royal Troff Legion
Jiyyd"_**
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Telli enters town accompanied by two dwarven clerics and strips her helm off sweat caked to her face as she looks to find Lyte and Grag immediately.
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Grak is seen at Jiyyd inn, obviously searching for someone
"Hpmh? Them all weakling females have fled. Bah! Grak says.
This all reminds Grak aboot them hairy currs, who decided to claim them stimky-rotten forest-hamlet. Grak still remembers how them forest-vermin ran, eagerly abandoning their silly tree-homes.. Har Har har snickersLooks at orc Frag's Mad Killerz -company buzzing around and shakes head
Hurh? Them sell-souls are all lost. Them bes abandoned ancient ways long ago and there bes price they soon bes paying. Something, which Grak will nots be looking at… Unless.. rubs hands eagerly Town opens its fat coffers and feeds Grak purse. Aye, with enough coin, dem town woulds get protection frem Grak's clan.. Unless of course, dem town wunts to see its wheat-fields aroond this town feeding dem invading warparty's stomach....
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General Theaon can be seen heading towards the northern farmlands with Sergeant Jerrick and a few Legion privates. Word is that the general is planning on reshaping the entrance into the northern farmlands to make any attack from that direction extremely difficult.
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With the erecting of the sign and shuffled preparations of battle… one figure is absent from Jiyyd and its walls. Telli's no where to be seen and last reports claims she was on a mission to secure food for the war to come. Whether true or not, she's been uncharacteristically absent for the last couple of days.
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A sign goes up in the center of now silent Jiyyd, written in dark purple letters. A simple black plow and the words 'Jiyyd' grace the top of the billboard.
_"Defenders of Jiyyd.
For any who are not aware, before we turned over our answer of "no" to N'Jast's evil ultimatum, before Jiyyd fired any shot or took any action of any kind against this invading army from a this distant land, N'Jast purposefully did attack the unarmed women and children trying to evacuate this town, slaughtering many.
N'Jast's barbaric troops shot down our innocents, for no reason whatsoever. Their pretense at wanting us to "join" them was shown for what they really are about, for once and for all.
If their troops will slaughter innocent women and children trying to flee a coming battle, it is clear that we face a foe equal or worse in moral scruples to Ostromog, who at least has the excuse of being a bugbear.
If these rotten wretches choose to move on Jiyyd, we must stop them. Not only are our empty homes in Jiyyd behind them, but behind those, what remains of our people, all the peoples of Norwick, and of Peltarch.
It may be we are caught in political schemes beyond our control and of which we are not a part of, but, this does not mean we should flee and hide and give the enemy the thousands of acres comprising the rich farmlands of the breadbasket of Jiyyd.
Consider the straits of the enemy now, and if he took Jiyyd.
At his back are endless miles of winding, mountain roads, packed with ice and snow. Goblins harry his supply lines. He is pressed to keep in basic supply.
If we present Jiyyd as a gift, he can settle in, rape her resources, and press on Peltarch in his own time.
Then, time is with him, for the region would lose the abundance Jiyyd provides. Norwick would be saddled with famine, feeding not only her people, but also those who cultivated food that fed Norwick.
Trade with Peltarch would be disrupted. The war might last for years.
So, those of you who will fight, know that you fight for all that is right and good. These creatures have proven themselves murderers of children, at no cause at all.
Fight for your homes, your wives and husbands and children.
Know that the good gods are with you, and against these tyrants who act worse than bugbears.
Lyte Bry'Gaede
Operations General, Royal Troff Legion
First Seat of Safety, Jiyyd Council"_
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_*Late in the night after the final meeting with the N'jastians, the figure of a small woman can be seen standing naked in the stream that runs into the lake in sadly silent Jiyyd.
A curved sword is drawn, and she is performing some manner of ritual or very precise sword kata.
Every so often words can be heard, as if she were talking to herself…except, a very light flapping...not a pixie...can be heard in the dark, marking her time in her solitary exercise in the waters near the lake.*_
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Benji spends his time on watch with Tendukes Rifling Company discussing the greatness of crossbows, comparing methods of crossbow marksmanship, and scoffing at the silly 'Stick and String' shooters.
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Rats can be seen swarming out of Jiyyd and the surrounding fields, heading east.
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_*"General Lyte, her plate seemingly newly shined, and wearing a purple armband with a black plow and the word Jiyyd printed on it, answers the gate.
She checks their credentials to make sure they are who they represent to be, and then escorts them through Jiyyd, to the farmlands east of town, and settles them into a farmhouse which seems to have been rearranged
precisely to accomodate a force of soldiers.I hope this will do. I have had a supply of food and firewood carted in, and the well here is good. I'd like to keep you and your men here, back out of sight, for a surprise to N'Jast, if and when it comes to a fight.
Is this agreeable, sir?"*_
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A contingent of troops resplendent in the armour of Peltarch arrive at the gates of Jiyyd. An elf stands at the fore the golden yellow flashes on his armour mark him out. He strides forth and addresses the gate guard.
“Hail the Gate! I am Captain Neverith of the 5th Archangels Corp of the Peltarch defenders. We seek entrance to offer aid.” With this he awaits the response of the guards.
