Melody

“Although, upon first inspection, the creatures found roaming the new area of the forest look very similar to the Dungeon’s creatures, we do not believe them to be so. We (Greensongs) did a delve into the forest to determine the validity of a potential dungeon leak and below are our findings.

Since the “branch” of the Ranger’s Guild located in Annahmia is defunct, we of the adventurers’ guild have been upkeeping the Bestiary for both the Dungeon and the Enchanted Forest which surrounds it. These new findings have been listed under a new tab labeled ‘Myrkwood’ as the locals are already calling it.

The bats collected seem to be a cross of an enlarged cave bat morphed with the Javelin Squirrels that we are already familiar with a different coloration and attack pattern than the Drop Bats located in the Dungeon. They are also capable of flight, unlike the bats located in the dungeon. We lack the tools and expertise to check affinity currently, but they do not appear to be dungeon spawned. This observation is supported by the variance in shape and size, suggesting this is a new species that is naturally reproducing, as opposed to being spawned with magic. We are unsure what to name these at the time, but will update the bestiary when we have a name as well as a good sketch of the final form of these creatures. It is likely that they will branch off into at least 2 different species.

The spiders that were crushed and gathered also seem to be a different species than those found in the dungeon. These one prefer to dig into the roots and dirt, building small pitfalls to capture the feet of travels or leaping out to drag in prey, as observed in at least one altercation with a flying bat squirrel that was stolen away upon being smacked out of the air. Their toxin seems to mostly be numbing but we are unsure of additional side effects because of expedient poison remedy. The toxin is, at the highest, mid apprentice leveled and should be cured by most potions and spells as well as some local forest herbs (further testing required).

In addition to this, Myrkwood had several of the normal forest creatures wandering around, albeit far more aggressive than usual. Because of the darkness we have unconfirmed sightings of moving bushes and strange tree like creatures. The only forest regulars that we didn’t see at least one of were the hedgehogs.

There is also a large owl variant located in the center of the new area, mounted by a strange creature that is not currently identifiable.

The mana affinity in the new area is tilted closer to dark, but the enchanted forest’s presence can still be felt strongly throughout the area.

In conclusion, this new area and creatures are not currently being deemed as spillage from the dungeon.

-Jorn, Greensong”

“At least that is one thing we won’t have to worry about.” Melody massaged the bridge of her nose as she set down the copy of Jorn’s report. If only that were the only letter she’d received today, her life would be so much easier. Unfortunately that was the only one in the pile on her desk with any semblance of good news in it.

In addition to the stack of complaints about the choked up trade route north and the casualty reports from the incoming settlers, she’d also gotten her messenger back from Eastreach. The letter was obviously written by a scribe whose entire job consisted of saying no in the most convoluted way. There were a lot of extra words, and paragraphs of legal jargon, but it boiled down to ‘Annahmia is not only not a recognized town of the kingdom yet, but it is also independent of Eastreach’s jurisdiction. If you don’t pay us taxes, why would we spare a hand to help you?’. It even went so far as to suggest that because Ostlind paid tribute to the lord, in the form of bribes and smuggled goods no doubt, that they would be reinforcing the human settlement if anything.

That’s right, the human settlement. It doesn’t matter how far they got, the humans would always look out for themselves first. In truth, it was hard to blame them as the kingdom was bordered on almost every side by non-humans. Border tensions were usually tense, if not outright war-like.

Melody looked up to Davis, who was standing against the door to her office looking over her shoulder out the window, and sighed.

“Davis, I need a full count of our soldiers and our inventory. It looks like we are going to devolve into war with Ostlind very shortly, and we do not have any help coming from Eastreach. The only silver lining is that the forest behind us isn’t being overrun by the dungeon.”

For the first time since Davis had reported the state in which the delegation sent to Ostlind returned, beaten bruised and bleeding, the beastman smiled. It wasn’t the usual smile that he’d crack every now and again around food, but an eerie smile that opened too wide and showed off far too many canines. A subtle reminder that Davis was still largely a beast, and one that was out for blood. He rolled his shoulders back, straightening out and cracking his shoulder blades while flexing most of his muscle groups, and responded to the affirmative.

The Lupane departed the office to go gather his men and women of the guard and prepare them for battle. They wouldn’t march today, but they needed to be ready to go at a moment’s notice. Melody, in the meantime, started drafting another letter to Eastreach, pleading them to change their mind and intervene, knowing full well they would most likely reject her request without reading it.

At the same time, Melody drafted another letter to the Adventurer’s guild. Although it was known that the Adventurer’s guild did not interfere in politics beyond the management of dungeons and monster subjugation, they were composed of a large percentage of non-humans. She included Eastreach’s last letter and suggested that it would be beneficial for both parties that control of the dungeon town didn’t fall into such racist hands.

It hadn’t been her intention at the time, but she made sure to let them know how cooperative she’d been with the Greensong party, including the list of tax breaks and land grants they’d been given and hinting that more could be in store if they found it in their heart to garrison a few more parties there in the event that ‘the dungeon got out of hand’ or ‘the wildland savages invaded’. It was not the most subtle message she’d composed, but it wasn’t supposed to be. It came off exactly how it was, a last ditch effort of a desperate people who were just trying to survive.

With that composed, Melody gathered what was left of her dignity after begging for the lives of her people, and set out to find Jorn and then Davis. The dwarf took her letter as well as her thanks for the investigation of the forest, which was not technically their job. They’d already done so much for Annahmia that Melody felt guilty for even asking for more help. But the town came before her pride, so that is what she did.

There was nothing left to do but break the news to the garrison in person, so she set off toward the barracks.

The barracks were a collection of oak buildings that were built along the palisade on the northern side of the town. The palisade was still a new and growing addition to the town and would eventually encompass the majority of Annahmia along the northern and western sides. There were plans to eventually upgrade the wall into dungeon stone or warded basalt when the town could afford it, but for now they were settling for a double wide wall of sharpened logs that stood almost 12 feet tall. There was a walkway between the two sets of wall for the town guard to patrol, and a couple barracks built in the shadow of the inside of the wall.

Outside of the wall were several of the farms, which doubled as an area cleared of the forest that had been springing up unnaturally fast since the enchanted forest appeared in this corner of the kingdom.

In front of the barracks were a gathering of those of the guard who were on duty or in the barracks, accompanied by Davis.

“Ms. Mayor, the guard welcomes you.” Melody smiled at the beastman’s formal behavior and returned the bow he’d welcomed her with, although slightly shallower as he’d insisted she did. Something about presenting the proper hierarchy and chain of command or whatnot.

“Status report, Davis.” She didn’t appreciate ordering him around like that, considering him more of a friend than a subordinate, but it always made him more comfortable.

“Not counting the six currently out of commission, we have 112 guardsmen and auxiliary guardsmen ready to defend Annahmia with their lives. Most are equipped with spears and swords forged from the copper found in the dungeon with a couple brass weapons sold to the guard by delvers. 31 of them are bowmen, and the dwarves are wielding their Forged. We have a few magi, but none powerful enough to qualify as a battlemage.”

Annahmia’s guard consisted mostly of non-humans. It was a collection of half-breeds, elves, dwarves, a gnome or two, and a few humans. Obviously they were not all on hand right now, but from what she could see she was impressed. Every one of them stood there with a determination in their eyes that told Melody they’d die to protect their new homes, even the humans. The state of their armor left something to be desired, being mostly boiled and copper studded leather, but Melody hoped they had enough time to mine and forge more chain link armor.

“Alright, Guardsmen of Annahmia. I am here today to tell you that war is on the horizon. It is not a war that we want, not a war that we looked for. It is not a war for land, or a war for glory, nor a war for wealth. It is a war for our homes. A war for the place that we’ve finally carved for ourselves in this Kingdom.

“Unfortunately, the war is not with the forest, nor the dungeon, nor the wildlands south of those. It isn’t a goblin tribe or a coven of kobolds. It isn’t even with our eastern neighbors of the Brakkens. It is a war with our own countrymen, the men of Ostlind. They have constantly harassed us and pecked away at us since we arrived, and there is little doubt in my heart that they are only getting started.

“I know that some of you hail from Ostlind. You may even still have family and friends up there, loved ones you left behind. I only ask that, if they march on Annahmia, that you not stay your hand. That, if your brother is complacent in the subjugation of our people, you stand up to defend your home against him. I implore that you steel yourself with the hard reality that there is a fight coming our way, whether or not we want it. We need to be prepared.”

As Melody looked out at the hardened gazes of the men and women collected there, she did not see fear or grief. She didn’t see the simmering anger nor the rising bloodlust of men who wanted to go to war. There was no cheering and shouting, or men beating on their shields, like the war speeches she’d read about. She saw only grim determination and resignation on the face of everyone present.

There was definitely a war on the way, and she wanted her people to be ready. If they were going desert she wanted them to do it now rather than during battle, and if they weren’t, she wanted them to reach out to their families in Ostlind and tell them to stay home. The war that was coming was not going to be pretty.