Plergoth Press/Issue Six

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http://wiki.battlemaster.org/images/Plergoth.png The Plergoth Press
Bring in Valhalla's head, get a lifetime subscription! Editor: Mendrugo Issue Six, July
The main propaganda sheet and newspaper of Plergoth!

The Scoreboard

July 1, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

A running count of damage inflicted by each side in the ongoing Plergothian Civil War (and the Monster/Undead/Daimon conflict) in the month of July.

July Summary:
Battles won: 1
Battles lost: 3
Casualties inflicted: 82
Casualties suffered: 427

Plergoth:
Daimons killed or wounded: 76
Monsters killed or wounded: 6

Netherworld:
Plergothian soldiers killed or wounded: 425

Monster Swarm:
Plergothian soldiers killed or wounded: 2

Battles Included in the Above Count: 2 (Victory Count)
Cwellndell: 1 (Plergoth: 0, Netherworld: 1)
Ypsilanti: 1 (Plergoth: 1, Monster Swarm: 0)
Gaxano: 1 (Plergoth: 0, Netherworld: 1)
Zisswii: 1 (Plergoth: 0, Netherworld: 1)

Election Results

July 1, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The assembled nobles of Plergoth today gathered in Creasur (or sent their votes by proxy from the field) and decided upon who should lead the realm through this dark time. The results are as follows:

Chancellor: VonGarrett
Minister of Defense: Mistweave
Supreme Judge: Aravan
Minister of Finances: Blurk

Undead Entering Plergoth Lands

July 1, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In the wake of the establishment of peaceful relations with the Necromancer's Servants, a large contingent of zombies under the command of the Dreadlord Sally has been sighted entering Plergoth through the eastern region of Eg Tutnu. As per the treaty, we welcome their peaceful, low-impact presence in our lands, and wish them well in their quest to destroy the agents of the Netherworld, Monster Swarm, and the realm of Vlaanderen.

Dreadlord Sally Guest in Creasur

July 2, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In a scene that would have been unthinkable just weeks ago, an envoy of the Necromancer has arrived in Creasur at the head of a shambling horde of unliving thralls and, rather than being confronted by a wall of living armsmen, they have been welcomed under the flag of peace. The Dreadlord Sally, resplendent in a...erm...tattered burial shroud was, in life, apparently a woman of great beauty and high nobility. Her features are, where they've not...ah...rotted away, still quite a lovely hue of yellowish green, not unlike late summer grasses. Her stalwart soldiers, some of whom still bear the tattered uniforms of Enweilish and Fwugvhorian armsmen, displayed remarkable discipline, marching with as much precision as can be demanded from corpses reanimated by the dark...that is to say...powerful magicks of the Necromancer. And while the smallfolk claim they sense a terrible hunger emanating from the unliving when their hollow eyesockets pass over the living, there have thus far been no incidents of any Plergothians being consumed, or even slightly masticated.

Not so the fate of the Heen/Vlaanderen/Monster Swarm expeditionary force in Naraka, which was gruesomely slaughtered by a four-Dreadlord coalition at dawn. In just the space of a week, the Necromancer's Servants have caused more damage to the Vlaanderen rebels than Plergoth did in the first three months of the civil war. For that reason alone, the Dreadlord Sally deserves our respect and hospitality.

A Dissenting Opinion

July 2, 1007 | By: Fiorello

My thanks to cousin Mendrugo for granting me this forum in which to air my feelings on the matter of the recent declaration of peace with the Necromancer's Servants.

This peace declaration is an unholy travesty! It flies in the face of all that is right and decent and good in the world. As an avid follower of Daishi, I believe in the Great Death that Comes for Us All. I also believe that that Great Death should be the final one, not merely Koshi - the minor death from which there can be a return. Koshi is a vile corruption of the natural order, and an affront to all adherents of the true faith.

Life is only truly valued when it is known to be finite. Life should be lived to the fullest, with the utmost amount of love, hate, pleasure, pain, joy and sorrow wrung from every second. When the end comes and the blackness envelops your soul, all followers of Daishi should be able to surrender to it with the knowledge of a life well lived and a noble and glorious demise. The abberant apostasy of Koshi renders meaningless the life lived and the death earned.

The undead and their Dreadlord masters are an affront to the true faith and an abomination in the natural order. They should be confonted by force of arms whenever and wherever they appear, and hewn by living muscle, sweat, and steel until their corrupted forms are returned to the final embrace of Daishi - the Great Death from which there is no return. The Daimons have also shown that they have ties to Koshi, and they too should be exterminated. If magickal weapons are required to permanently end their existence, we should seek to acquire these for ourselves, rather than selling our souls for an "enemy of my enemy is my friend" treaty.

We must march forth with fire and sword to burn out the apostasy of Koshi and bring an end to unholy resurrections and corrupted life after death. Death to the Pitlords! Death to the Dreadlords! Death to Undeath!!

-Count Fiorello di Succio of Zuhle

The preceding statement is solely the opinion of Count Fiorello of Zuhle, and is not necessarily that of this newspaper or the realm of Plergoth. Vengeful hordes of undead and daimons can find Lord Fiorello at his Zuhlean estate, and there is no need to trouble the rest of the realm. - Mendrugo

Pitlord Invisible Returns to Cwellndell

July 2, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Following his rampage through Plergothian territory, the Pitlord Invisible marched eastward and was promptly crushed by a large Enweilish force, suffering the termination of his earthly form for a second time. As before, he appears to have only suffered Koshi - the Lesser Death - and has now returned to the mortal plane. He announced his return today by sending the following message to everyone in the vicinity of Cwellndell.

Te eing abest Sage dercessions, clum hompecric cominhourgen, utedo le re the mor ces whost unda propetwesee!

Invisible

Daimons Ravage Cwellndell

July 2, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Respawning in Cwellndell at the head of an estimated 180 daimons, the Pitlord Invisible led his hellspawned minions against the small force of Plergothian infantry behind the pallisaded fortifications, killing most and leaving a small remnant for dead. It is fervently hoped that Invisible has a direction other than east on his mind this go-around.

Update - Our sources in Cwellndell have provided reliable reports that the Pitlord is taking his horde westward towards the Meshian city of Ofengail. All of Plergoth breathes a sigh of relief and send prayers that the armsmen of Mesh can finally deliver Invisible to Daishi, granting the Pitlord a death from which there is no return.

Interview with a Necromancer's Servant

July 3, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

While the Necromancer's Servant named 'Sally' was encamped in the city of Creasur, she graciously acceded to Count Fiorello's request for an interview. The following transcript offers unique and fascinating insights into the ongoing Daimon/Monster/Undead conflict that is raging across Beluterra:

Fiorello: Do you retain memories of your life before you entered the afterlife, and do you recall anything of your experiences in the afterlife before your resurrection by the Necromancer? Of what realm were you a citizen?

Sally: Yes, I do. However, I do not have a perfect memory of my death. I do not remember dying, but it was as if, going on a long swim, and going underwater...you know that feeling you get when you resurface? That is how I felt, and just like that, I was given a 2nd life of service. I was a Heroine among the ranks of my former human realm, but as such, we are not allowed to disclose exactly from what time period, nor the name of the realm--it is better that way.

F: We of Plergoth aspire to Daishi - the Great and Final Death Which Comes For Us All. You appear to have undergone Koshi - the lesser death from which there can be a return. I would be very interesting in hearing your perspective on this belief, having personally undergone the lesser death.

S: I can tell you personally that only .01% of all human beings are fit to assume a role of an undead commander. So in a sense, you are right in that all humans are inevitably heading to what you refer to as: Daishi. We liberate the souls from their prisons, the dead bodies...for the most part. I do not know the process for undead leaders, however, because those special bodies are immediately ressurected by the Great One himself. We never see that.

F: We have heard from Hannibal that humans killed by monsters cannot be resurrected. Do they attain Daishi, placing them beyond the reach of the Necromancer, or are those dead merely tainted in some way?

S: They are tainted for our purposes, but we know not where they go. We assume that their souls become corrupted the second they are infected, and thus can only guess as to what happens with them. However the monsters traditionally are useful. They tend to feed on the weak, and thus, help us out indirectly if you get my drift...powerful warriors, are powerful undead. Weak and corrupt humans, tend to be fairly useless undead.

F: Also, what can you tell us of the Daimons of the Netherworld, and their relation to the concepts of Daishi and Koshi.

S: They are offspring of the Great Dragon that mankind slayed so long ago with our help. Since that day we swore to become masters of our own domains...well...those fire breathing beasts appear to have been reproducing all this time. Do not worry, though, they are dumb beasts, chickens running without a head. They are ferocious, but simple of mind, much like the monsters---just ten times deadlier.

F: We have seen that the Daimon leaders, such as our foe Invisible, can be resurrected after death, placing them firmly in the grasp of Koshi. We would be grateful for any information you could provide about them.

S: Their commanders are much like our summoner...the moment our summoner dies, one of the undead leaders immediately "absorbs" in some unknown way or form, all that the summoner was, and is thus, referred to from that moment on as: The Summoner. The same thing works with these Daemons. You will kill all of them many times before they all perish. We simply must wipe out every last one of them, till there are no more to assume the names...in their isolation they have learned an entirely new language, but we understand it. Their desire is to retake the land of their "forefather" and feed/breed/nest here. We replied--as kindly as possible--that we'd eat their eggs for breakfast if they started laying them here, and that we'd send them into the Abyss "well done" if they kept up with this nonsense.

S: We'll see how long they last here.

Rebels Besieged in Reeds

July 5, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

A coalition of forces sent by the Monster Swarm and Heen to aid their Vlaanderen allies were utterly destroyed by the Necromancer's Servants in Naraka. According to field reports, the Beastlords of the Monster Swarm appear to be poorly coordinated and fail to cooperate in offensives, leaving themselves and their allies to be overwhelmed by the lockstep ranks of the undead.

Following the scattering of the Vlaanderen field army in Naraka, the rebels have retreated to Reeds while the surviving Heenite knights are retreating to their desert redoubt, where they hope to hold out against the pursuing forces of Dreadlord Hannibal.

If Vlaanderen's fortunes continue in this vein for the duration of the continent-wide Inhuman Wars, Plergoth should only need to walk into the depopulated ruins and reclaim our secessionist territories once the crisis has abated.

Monsters in Ypsilanti

July 6, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

As the troops in and around Plergoth continue to work to rebuild and refit after the destructive passage of Invisible and his daimonic hellhorde, word comes from the southwestern reaches of Plergoth - Monsters! Fortunately, these fell beasts appear to be without even semi-intelligent beastlord leadership (perhaps they're deserters from the Monster Swarm).

A host of freshly re-equipped warbands are en-route to flay the hides from these renegade beastmen and make them into throw-rugs for the Chancellor's personal suite in Creasur. Tomorrow, look for our special feature: Ten Easy Ways to Serve Monsters.

Victory in Ypsilanti!

July 6, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

A mighty host of Plergothian armsmen swept down into Ypsilanti and fell upon the small family group of beastmen that had been raiding the smallfolk and mutilating cattle in the region. The beastmen, their fur matted and unkempt, their horns chipped and dull, snarled toothlessly as they turned to face the gleaming armored forms of the Defenders of Plergoth.

The beasts were swiftly put out of their misery, and mere hours later the smallfolk were able to creep from their rude hovels begin a joyous celebration that their lands were once again monster-free.

As previously promised, ten ways to serve monsters:
10) Ogre tenderloin with truffle sauce
9) Wyvern rondelles with cranberries and pickled figs
8) Beastman blood-sausage - a somewhat gamey but durable snack for the road
7) Serpent-eye soup - boil the eyes in eel-broth until the mixture becomes gelatinous, then lightly dust with paprika and serve cold.
6) Dragon steak tartar (note: to be properly tenderized, keep your dragon-meat under your saddle as you ride - three days ought to do it)
5) Chilled troll-brains (if you get it fresh, the regenerative abilities of trolls allow just one troll to serve a whole banquet)
4) Pixie-sticks - Catch some pixies and impale them on sharp skewers, then roast them over an open fire while you sing songs. The kids will love it!
3) Creamed chipped cockatrice on toast (tastes great - just don't look at it while the cockatrice is alive...or while you're eating it)
2) Cyclops jerky - smoking the meat over young pine will bring out the hidden flavor.

And the number #1 method of serving monsters is...

1) Join the realm of Vlaanderen. They serve the Monster Swarm body and soul!

Plergoth Allies with the Necromancer's Servants!

July 7, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Following exhaustive diplomatic negotiations, Plergoth and the Necromancer's Servants have officially formed an alliance against the forces of the Monster Swarm and the Netherworld for the duration of the ongoing three-sided inhuman war. As a show of good faith, the Dreadlord Sally presented Plergoth with a mystical weapon of great power that will even the odds when the soldiers of Plergoth next face the vile daimon hordes of the Netherworld. The Necromancer's Servants also pledge the aid of their undead legions should our lands be threatened by our inhuman foes.

Plergoth, in turn, pledges to assist the Necromancer's Servants in eradicating both the Monster Swarm and the agents of the Netherworld, but the alliance treaty contains a clause stating that Plergoth will not attack a human realm on behalf of the Necromancer's Servants, even if that realm is allied with the Swarm or the hellbeasts.

To victory!

Khthon Accuses Plergoth of Treason Against Humanity

July 8, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In a recent editorial in the Khthon Chronicle, editor Henning Mandul accused Plergoth of "siding against mankind" by allying with the Necromancer's Servants. Mandul further accused the Plergothian followers of Daishi of being hypocritical for allying themselves with beings who have undergone Koshi - the Lesser Death.

These accusations only show how little outsiders understand of Daishi. It appears that the only guaranteed method of attaining Daishi - a state in which no resurrection is possible - is to die in battle against monsters. Conversely, if we were to battle the Necromancer's Servants, there is an excellent chance that any who fell in battle against them would be raised to join their ranks, undergoing Koshi. It is not known whether death at the hands of a daimon would result in Daishi, Koshi, or having one's soul cast down into the pits of the Netherworld, there to suffer eternal torment (which is not Daishi - as Daishi leads to eternal peace in the afterlife), but we have a personal grudge against the Pitlord Invisible, and wish to eradicate him and his entire species from the face of Beluaterra.

We hold no grudge (Lord Fiorello's opinions not withstanding) against those who have undergone Koshi themselves. We hope that, some day, they too may know the final embrace of Daishi. We feel that the Apostates of Koshi, who actively seek a means of resurrection after death, are misguided, as they cheapen their current existence and will deny themselves the glory and beauty of The Great Death. Thus, by allying with the Necromancer's Servants, we protect the Daishi followers in Plergoth from being subjected to Koshi against their will, and we increase the chances of attaining Daishi ourselves in battle against the Monster Swarm. There is no hypocrisy here.

As for the charge that Plergoth has "sided against mankind", the Khthonians appear to have either overlooked or willfully ignored the clause in our alliance treaty which states that Plergoth will not battle any human realm on behalf of the Necromancer's Servants, but will only coordinate to battle the Monster Swarm and the daimons of the Netherworld.

More Realms Join the Necromantic Coalition

July 9, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

With the addition of Mesh, fourteen of Beluaterra's twenty-two human realms have become full allies of the Necromancer's Servants. Ashborn, Avalon, Caras Galadhon, Enweil, Fronen, Irombrozia, the Kingdom of Alluran, Luz de Bia, Melhed, Mesh, Plergoth, Republic of Fwuvoghor, Riombara, and Thalmarkin are all allied with the undead, while Old Grehk remains merely at peace.

By contrast, only Sint and Vlaanderen have allied themselves with the Monster Swarm, with Heen maintaining peaceful diplomatic relations with the beastlords. Valentia, Lemundia and Khthon continue to favor neither side, and nobody has, as yet, made any overtures towards the Netherworld.

Netherworld Attempts to Gain Foothold in Beluaterra

July 11, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In the first of what may prove to be many attempts to carve out a literal "Hell on Earth", the forces of the Netherworld have begun an attempt to take over the northwestern badlands region of Beluaterra. Two sorties by Sint and the Monster Swarm, attempting to break the take-over attempt, were thrown back in total disarray. Despite having greater numbers and apparently superior strength, the Monster/human battlegroup was trounced by the daimons.

All Quiet in Plergoth

July 12, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

While great armies clash and the fates of worlds are decided elsewhere in Beluaterra, all is quiet in Plergoth. Aside from a brief sighting of a Khthonian warband passing through Weghie on their way to Haffemet, the Army of Plergoth and Defenders of Plergoth are busily sitting and watching and waiting.

And waiting.

And waiting.

In other fast breaking news, puppies are nice.

Necromancer's Servants Triumph Over Heen

July 12, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Heen, one of the few realms aligned with the Monster Swarm and the Vlaanderen rebels, has just suffered a massive defeat at the hands of the Necromancer's Servants, who attacked Heen itself with overwhelming force and captured both Beatrice, Countess of Kif, Marshal of the Scarlet Mamluks and Lucilla, a Heenite noble.

Our readers will recall that, despite a deal brokered between Plergoth and Heen to stay out of the Reeds-Creasur battle in exchange for shipments of food to their starving realm, Heen joined the rebels in battle against Plergoth, several times assisting in the defense of Reeds and once even marching forth to invade Plergothian territory as the rebels prepared to besiege Creasur. Thwarted only by the timely arrival of our Meshian comrades, they earned the deep enmity of the Plergothian people.

Thus, we welcome the transition of the Heenish mercenaries from the ranks of the treacherous living to loyal thralls of our ally, the Necromancer, in a state of Koshi (for Daishi is too good for them).

Tide Schedules and Retractions

July 12, 1007 | By: Fiorello

Tide Schedule for Beluaterra - July 12
As the moon goes into perihelion, high tide will be reached tomorrow, at approximately sunrise. Swimmers are advised to beware of riptides and undercurrents, as well as sea serpents and sharks.

Retractions: This newspaper was found to be in error in the article Necromancer's Servants Triumph Over Heen when it claimed that the Heen army violated the terms of its deal. Rather than pledging not to get involved in the Plergothian Civil War, the Heen leaders only agreed not to attack Plergoth alongside Vlaanderen forces. While they did march alongside Vlaanderen forces in March/April as the rebels made an abortive attempt to besiege Creasur, they did not technically fight Plergothian armsmen at that time. The first clash between Heen and Plergothian forces was during a Plergothian attack on Reeds.

Criminy, Mendrugo... I knew this alliance with the undead was a bad idea. First you're asking me to interview undead commanders for you (man, that was creepy), then you're cheering when they eat a lot of humans, even if they are Heenies... What's that? Brains? Yes, that's right. I'm the brains of this family. Yeah, right - brains. You already said that. Hey, why are you looking at me that way? Aieeeeee! - Fiorello

Inhuman War Heats Up

July 13, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Two major battles were fought today as the three inhuman factions continue to wage war across Beluaterra. In the far northwest, the Monster Swarm and their Sint allies struck a powerful blow against the Netherworld occupation force in Jolo's Mouth, capturing the Pitlord Ethereal and hopefully preventing the daimons from establishing a foothold on the surface. Cheers for Sint!

Further south, a coalition of Heen, Vlaanderen and Monster Swarm forces again clashed with agents of the Necromancer, who are reportedly arresting adventurers by the dozen and tearing Heen City apart. The battle did a great deal of damage to all involved, but the coalition was not able to dislodge the undead from Heen, where they continue to make a stand over the unmoving form of the Dreadlord Hannibal, who apparently has moved beyond Koshi and entered Daishi's final embrace.

Fighting Continues to Rage Around Heen

July 14, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The fighting between the Necromancer's Servants and the Monster Swarm coalition forces continued today, as the coalition made another strong push against the entrenched positions of the undead in Heen. Despite their superior strength in arms, the beastlords and their human allies were still unable to dislodge the undead from their positions in a dawn assault, and Kagurati, Duke of Tahgalez was captured by the Necromancer's Servants.

After pulling back and regrouping, the coalition forces attempted another assault in the late afternoon. With shadows lengthening, the humans and monsters once more charged into the fray, led by phalanxes of beastmen and dragons in the center of the line. They rent dozens of zombie warriors limb from limb as the human armsmen held the flanks. However, the undead legions rallied, often fighting on without losing effectiveness even after losing an arm or being pierced by dozens of arrows. At the end of the day, as the sun finally sank beneath the horizon in a blaze of red, the coalition was forced to withdraw, leaving the Necromancer's Servants in command of Heen. During the fighting, Seamus of Heen was captured by the undead.

Piwani Rejoins Plergoth

July 14, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In an unforseen show of solidarity and friendship, the allied realm of Enweil today transferred control of the region of Piwani (taken by Enweil from Avalon earlier this year) to Plergoth. The official treaty signing was presided over by Handkor, Chancellor and Minister of Finances of Enweil. Though Plergoth once controlled this fertile region, it lost it in war some time ago (well before the Vlaanderen secession), and it was considered gone for good. Its return will boost both Plergoth's economy and fighting strength, and allow us to more strongly support our ally, Enweil, through the Inhuman-War crisis and beyond. Hail Enweil! Hail Handkor! Hail Piwani!

War of Attrition Continues in Heen

July 15, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The Vlaanderen/Heen/Monster Swarm coalition is refusing to give up, and once more threw themselves into battle early this morning, charging back into the meat grinder that is Heen City in another attempt to expunge the zombies, ghouls and skeletal warriors of the Necromancer's Servants from their entrenchments. Both sides are now mere remnants of the once-mighty armies that clashed here last week, and as the diminishing numbers of the undead ranks demonstrate, those who have undergone Koshi and returned can still attain Daishi in battle.

This morning's fighting was especially rough on the coalition forces, as the beastlord Hargresh was slain, and Patrick and Evan of Heen were captured by the undead.

A second assault in the evening gave proof that the coalition forces are as determined as ever, despite now being outnumbered by the undead occupation force. Soldiers in dented, bloodstained armor, bearing tattered banners marched grimly towards the enemy lines, cold fury in their eyes. Fighting for their homeland, for their capital, and for their honor, they seek to sell their lives as dearly as possible so that the undead will be weakened enough that fresh levies of troops brought in from Vlaanderen might win through and liberate Heen City in the future.

Despite being on opposite sides of the conflict, we can still respect the determination shown by these remarkable soldiers. They truly embody the spirit of Daishi - earning a glorious and final death through heroic actions in life. Warriors of Heen, we salute you!

Netherworld Launches Renewed Assault on Beluaterra

July 16, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Reports are flooding in of renewed volcanic eruptions in the Beluaterra's mountain ranges, signifying the re-opening of hellgates from the Netherworld. From the panicked stories of mountain hermits, goatherders and other folk from those areas (those who were able to escape with their lives and souls intact), several immense armies of daimons have clawed their way to the surface world and are attempting to take control of Iknopata and Jedinchel in Old Grehk.

The Pitlord Arcane leads a vast army of daimons with 250 hellbeasts. Mysterious commands an even larger contingent of 333 daimons. Our old fiend Invisible, perhaps in disgrace due to his repeated requests for resurrection, leads a horde numbering a mere 110 hellspawn. Wispy commands 210, Ethereal 180, Improbable 90, Silent 170, and Unspeakable 140. All together, roughly 1,500 daimons have escaped the fiery pits of damnation and burst forth into Old Grehk in an attempt to claim the sunlit mortal world.

While some are remaining in Iknopata and Jedinchel to secure the approaches to the hellgates, more than three hundred, along with two pitlords, have been spotted moving south towards Zisswit. While their target might be Reeds, we know that Plergoth has been an attractive target in the past. All Plergothian military forces are on highest alert, and we are coordinating with the Necromancer's Servants to coordinate a defense against this unholy assault.

  • Many Iknopatans died to bring us this information...

Daishi Worship Surges

July 18, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

As rumors spread amongst the smallfolk of Plergoth about the strength and intentions of the Netherworld's daimonic armies, there has been a surge among those turning to the faith in Plergoth. In the last few days alone, two new centers of worship for Daishi have been erected by the devout regional lords of Xinjin and Zuhle.

In Zuhle, the forlorn wreckage of the abandoned Omniovoism temple was torn down and the site was re-consecrated and used for the construction of the Daishi worship center. The re-consecration ceremony went well, but the dedication of the Daishi worship center was briefly interrupted by a band of hecklers who are suspected of being members of the Apostates of Koshi. The renegade cultists mocked our priests as "death worshippers" and then fled as the assembled worshippers hurled stones.

Daimonic Dominion Grows

July 19, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Having secured Iknopata for their dark lords in the Netherworld, the armies of daimons have moved south, eager to add Zisswit (which borders Vlaanderen's Haffemet and Khthon's Gaxano provinces) to their "hell on earth". Thus far, all opposition to their brutal occupation has been annihilated.

But all hope is not lost. The army of Plergoth is rallying in Creasur to gather fresh men and materiel for an extended campaign against the hellspawn. We expect to join with columns from Khthon, Avalon, Mesh and the Necromancer's Servants, and will ride forth in an unstoppable tide of steel and sinew (some of it greenish and putrefying) to scatter the damions and slay their commanders as many times as is required to cast them all back into the pits and seal the hellgates once more.

I call upon all fighting men and women of Plergoth. Go to your local recruiting centers and volunteer. Join the Plergothian legions as we ride to face evil, and destroy it!

Old Grehk Reels Under Netherworld Assault

July 19, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

An expeditionary force sent by Old Grehk in an attempt to contain the Daimonic hordes was smashed today in Xerus, where they were ambushed and overwhelmed by forces twice their strength. Jacques of Old Grehk was captured, and even now suffers unimaginable torments in the fiery depths.

Facing no serious opposition, the daimons have secured their control over Jedinchel. Our sources indicate that, in addition to Jedinchel and Iknopata, the Daimons also draw resources from the three territories that comprise the Netherworld. Though the names of these realms in the Damion tongue are not known, this newspaper will henceforth refer to them as Hades, Hel, and Scheol. This gives them the resources of five territories with which to wage war on the sunlit world.

Peoples of Beluaterra! Let us not rest until Jedinchel and Iknopata are free, and until Hades, Hel and Scheol have been wiped clean of the vile spawn of the ancient dragon! Let us march forth with fire and sword in a great crusade to purge these fiends from existence! We have the might! We have the means! To arms! To arms!!!

Fighting in a House Ablaze

July 20, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Members of the lesser Beluaterran coalition (Sint, Vlaanderen, Monster Swarm) massed their forces and struck at a large force of undead that had been positioning itself for an attack on the Daimon hordes in the mountains of Zisswit. Their attack caught the Necromancer's Servants by surprise and scattered them - literally - leaving hundreds of zombies chopped to pieces and strewn across the fields of Yokk.

Ah, the dark lords of the Netherworld must be rejoicing, as the two strongest factions in Beluaterra - the Monster Swarm and the Necromancer's Servants - continue their internecine battles, weakening each other while the Daimons grow stronger.

Necromantic Coalition Launches Counterattack

July 20, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In the first strike of a major counteroffensive against the Netherworld, the Necromancer's Servants and their human companions from Enweil, Avalon, and Khthon engaged a daimonic army in Ippetembal. Casualties on both sides were high, as Kasumi - Dame of Cteduul - was seriously wounded, Kain, Baron of Norjke was killed, and Drak of Enweil was captured by the Netherworld. On the other hand, the Pitlord Wispy was slain, and hopefully his surviving minions will disappear back to the depths in his absence. One Pitlord down, eight to go!

Daimons Falling Back Before Undead Assault

July 21, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Ashborn and the Necromancer's Servants today defeated a daimon contingent in Ircymbar, tightening the noose around the Netherworld's mountainous redoubt. With the Monstrous Coalition to the southwest, Ashborn to the north, Khthon, Enweil and Avalon to the southeast, and Plergoth and Mesh approaching from the south, the Daimon infestation should soon be contained and driven back to Sheol, with the assistance of the Necromancer's Servants.

Battle Above the Clouds

July 22, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

A vast column of hundreds of monsters, accompanied by a smattering of Vlaanderen observers, attempted to cross the high passes in Zisswi and strike at a hellgate today. Though they made good progress through the foothills, with excellent scouting afforded by wyverns and dragons, their progress was halted as they tried to force the high pass of Mount Ziss. Hundreds of daimons awaited them there, and a dreadful battle ensued. Half of each army took to the air, swooping and diving through the skies, jockeying for position as they spat fire at each other and shrieked their defiance. At the pass itself, feral beastmen snarled and grappled with misshapen, evil hellbeasts.

After several hours of fighting, grotesque corpses littered the pass, and greasy, blackened smears on the granite slopes marked the final resting place of both daimons and dragons. With the daimons firmly in control of the skies, the remaining beastmen (and the few surviving Vlaanderen rebels) withdrew to the foothills, leaving Deadiel of Vlaanderen and Nymatal, Count of Naraka, in the clutches of the Netherworld.

Curled Mane Slain in Zisswii

July 23, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The Monster Swarm renewed their push into Zisswii today, throwing hundreds of beastmen and their remaining dragon/wyvern air cavalry into battle against the Daimons holding the pass over Mount Ziss. Lacking the previous day's aerial strength, however, the battle went poorly for the monsters, and they soon fell back, routed, following the incapacitation of Beastlords Snarler and Three Horns, and the death of the Beastlord Curled Mane. Victor of Vlaanderen was also wounded in the battle, as was the Pitlord Silent, leaving the Pitlord Unspeakable in command of the Zisswii daimons.

Netherworld Triumphant on Two Fronts

July 23, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The daimonic hordes continued their string of conquests today, striking in Mokut and crushing the Meshian column that was attempting to link up with the Necromantic coalition. Aamir of Mesh, Tarajist - Minister of Defense and Marshal of the Joppo Sea Devils, and Ricourt - Supreme Judge of Mesh and Count of Mokut were captured by the daimons, and dragged below to the torments of the netherhells. In Zisswii, the hellspawn continued mopping up operations against the now scattered and leaderless Monster Swarm and Vlaanderen survivors. Veritable flocks of winged daimons soared through storm-wracked skies, making a sport of pursuing fleeing beastmen and rebels until their quarry dropped from exhaustion, then descending to engulf their foes in hellfire.

However, hope of victory yet persists. The human realms of Enweil, Khthon and Plergoth have amassed a mighty host in Gaxano, awaiting only the arrival of a massive undead army now moving through Weghie (swatting aside a small band of insane peasants who objected to the passage of the Necromancer's Servants across their fields). Once the anti-Netherworld forces are assembled, the Pitlords will be forced from their mountain strongholds and the hellgates shall be sealed! Onward, to victory!!

Necromantic Coalition Narrowly Defeated in Zisswii

July 24, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Nearly 1,500 armsmen of Khthon, Plergoth and Enweil marched forth into Zisswii overnight, making their way through secret passes towards the blood-soaked pass over Mount Ziss, where the daimons awaited. Due to the rugged terrain and the difficulty of coordinating night maneuvers, only three qarters of the Coalition forces massed in Gaxano reached the pass in time to participate in the battle - the tail end of the column was ambushed by a second contingent of daimons and destroyed in detail in Gaxano.

The coalition forces reached the high pass just at daybreak, and the soft light of dawn illuminated a terrible scene. The pass was littered with the blackened, mutilated corpses of hundreds of beastmen, their tusks shattered, their horns cracked, and their shaggy bodies burnt by hellfire and swarming with maggots. And among them stalked the daimons - tall, winged creatures with muscular, misshapen bodies and visages almost too terrible to behold. As our scouts watched from concealment, they found a Vlaanderen rebel who still lived, under a pile of monstrous bodies. They pulled him forth, screaming, and breathed fire into his face, setting his hair ablaze. Then, as he burned, four daimons each grasped a limb and pulled, tearing the man apart.

As the vanguard arrived, they formed up battle lines and set themselves for attack. A mere 78 daimons defended the pass against nearly 1,500 armsmen, and victory seemed assured. The daimons were not deterred by the sight of so many human soldiers, and flew from their perches atop the jutting crags, howling with inhuman fury.

The battle was joined! Each daimon was soon surrounded by a cluster of armored knights, slashing with swords and stabbing with polearms as the daimons fought back, sweeping heads from shoulders with each stroke of their fellbades. The carnage was dreadful. Ten men fell for every daimon slain, and though their numbers were diminishing, the hellspawn continued to cut a bloody swath through the coalition forces. The list of casualties among commanders was long and terrible - Sir Regstav, Count of Ypsilanti; Sarah of Plergoth; Sammael of Plergoth; robin, Count of Fymmen Otu; Grassus of Plergoth; and Thomas, Count of Xinjin;

After three hours of fighting, the morale of the coalition forces began to waver, and though just a handful of daimons remained on the field, the infantry began to flee in panic, leaving the archers exposed. They bravely stood their ground, firing shaft after shaft at the onrushing netherspawn, slaying one before the daimons reached their lines and scattered them. The last coalition leader on the field was Count Fiorello of Zuhle, whose Freemen slew another daimon in close combat before retreating, leaving the Pitlord Silent and five bleeding and battlescarred daimons in command of the pass.

As the coalition forces scattered and withdrew to the foothills, the Pitlord Silent belied his name by screaming the following message in his foul tongue:

dynarm iustis, proesche areed on icrial.

busquam casionsibe vintrafte, Snarler. rovisset casionsibe in ursellieva, Curled Mane. itur frethel casionsibe vintrafte, Three Horns, so clard.

The Plergoth Press' staff daimonologists have been hard at work translating this passage, and we believe we know the content of his message:

Roast chicken, with curry on rice.

You had the eggplant, Snarler. Roast duck in orange sauce, Curled Mane. Tip more than five percent, Three Horns, you cheapskate.

From this we can determine...erm...that...ah...that the 500 gold we paid the staff daimonologists was a complete waste of money!

Daimons Ravage Dyomoque

July 25, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

With Khthon's field army still reeling from the slaughter in Zisswii, the realm of Heroes was dealt a severe blow yesterday as a daimon horde overran their capital and slaughtered the militia in Dyomoque. The daimons remained today and continued mopping up, slaying a small Plergothian contingent that had attempted to aid the surviving militia.

The Netherworld's assault against the surface world suffered setbacks in other regions, however, with a daimon horde being wiped out in Naraka by a large monster army, and a coalition of human realms and the undead battling a large daimon force to a standstill in Marpii.

Netherworld Resurgent

July 26, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

A vast force of daimons, led by over a dozen pitlords, has emerged from a hellgate in Jobo's Mouth, annihilating the Monster Swarm and Sint forces that had been keeping watch over the gaping volcanic rupture in the earth's surface. Reports from survivors indicate that several incarnations of individual Pitlords were present simultaneously. If there are multiple copies of each Pitlord, that would explain how fiends such as Invisible returned so soon after being slain.

Netherworld armies also crushed opposition forces in Weghie, smashing a Plergothian scouting force, and in Unger, where a Valentian army was ambushed and destroyed.

In response to this renewed threat, the realms of Plergoth and Fronen have joined into an alliance.

Rebel Capital Crushed by Daimons!

July 27, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Despite the overwhelming numbers of scratch militia and monsters packed into the battered walls of the Rebel capital of Reeds, an army of daimons successfully breached the Vlaanderen defensive works in a dawn assault and laid waste to the city. In the heavy fighting, two Pitlords were slain (one from the Unspeakable family and one from the Silent family).

In the aftermath, a Plergothian scouting force came across a band of Vlaanderen rebels in Haffemet, who were apparently fleeing the destruction of their capital. Since a full peace was never declared between Plergoth and the rebels, the Plergothians attacked and slew the rebel fugitives. A fine was issued on Thomas, Count of Xinjin, for his actions in Haffemet, since the stated policy of the Chancellor is to avoid combat with the rebels until the end of the Netherworld crisis.

Netherworldly War Rages On!

July 28, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The Netherworld continued to advance against the forces of the surface realms today. A probe into Ossmat was turned back by the army of Old Grehk, but a larger thrust against Sandefur defeated the defending Thalmarkin and Necromancer garrison seriously wounding Moreira, Arch Priestess of Thalmarkin, Baroness of Pellan was and Piru Petteri, Count of Doatnu. A Pitlord of the Invisible Clan was slain, as well.

Plergoth and Old Grehk Form Alliance

July 29, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In a show of pan-human solidarity, the realms of Plergoth and Old Grehk have formed an alliance against the tide of inhuman evil rising across Beluaterra. Meanwhile, reports continue to come in that the hellgate in Jobo's Mouth has widened substantially, passing through more than a thousand daimons and their Pitlords into the surface world.

Netherworld Forces Advancing

July 30, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

Netherworld forces crushed a monster army in Ffangor today, swatting aside the bestial force with little difficulty. Meanwhile, the vast army of daimons in Jobo's Mouth completed the process of eliminating all human authority from Jobo's Mouth, placing the blighted region under the direct administration of the Dark Lord of the Netherworld.

Daimons Score Another Victory

July 31, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

The Netherworld scored a decisive victory over the allied Sint/Monster Swarm garrison in Binoaramet today, shattering the surfaceworlders and taking many prisoners. The beastlord Stagger, Waldar, Count of Porl, and hannah of Sint were taken prisoner into the hellish prisons of the infernal realm.

Rebellion in Plergoth!!

July 31, 1007 | By: Mendrugo

In a stunning announcement today, Bleeder declared himself to be in rebellion against the democratically elected government of Plergoth. In his declaration, he had this to say:

The time has come to rededicate the government of Plergoth to the faith of the realm. The government must change to bring more stability to the realm in these trying times.

For Daishi and for Plergoth.

Bleeder has vowed to reform the government of Plergoth as a theocracy, with Daishi as the official religion of the realm.

Mistweave attempted to rally the loyalists, mistakenly placing the responsibility for the rebellion on the Disciples of Koshi, causing confusion in the ranks of the loyalists.