Recent Events #3

June 10
The Kethem Heavy Warship Deathblow, the Heavy Merchant Sunset, and the Heavy Merchant Golden Boy were reported missing two days after their expected return to port in Bythe. The Kethem Light Warships Haffer, Youngstown, and Fith's Hammer traced the planned route for the three ships. No sign of the three were found. Hestor Matlock, Admiral in charge of Bythe's naval contingent, claimed that finding debris was unlikely, but that further unspecified efforts to determine the fate of the three ships was underway. The Deathblow marks the fifth Heavy Warship to sink in the past three months, joining the Bradford, the Delphy, The Wrangler, and the Grindstone in a bizarre string of incidents. The KHW Marauder and the KHW Trasin Verisan, home ported in Ostenar, Bekar, are due for retirement later this summer as well. The nearly completed KWH Hardkill will be joining the fleet at that time, but this still leaves the navy more than 10% under strength with regard to Heavy Warships. Rumors concerning stepped up ship construction abound, and many Greatholds are already pouring funds in to modernization programs for the ship building facilities. In Bythe, Fith is overseeing a 100,000 gold revamping effort funded by Bradford Great Hold for the Armert Drydock facility.

In a related story, Lessor Holder Bravin's covered drydock on Bravin Island suffered from a serious fire during the evening. Bravin is rumored to have a new class of vessel that could be a significant improvement over the current Light Warship design. Bravin is said to have boasted to friends that his new class of vessel will make it possible to open up real trade routes across the Cair sea, currently only undertaken by agile raider class ships that carry very little cargo. The new ship was to be unveiled the next day; what damage the fire has caused is not yet known.

June 13
Graffon Hold Head Warden Krusko announced today that a massive warehouse full of a new drug called "Urakai Madweed" had been found on the Bythe waterfront. The madweed was destroyed, and further investigations into its origin are underway. Rumor has it that smuggling in of the stuff from somewhere in Pranan is suspect. Inquiries into the sinking of the Jaded Whale, a Kethem Heavy Merchant sunk under mysterious circumstances during an Evael run last year, have been reopened, although what connection there could be between the two is not obvious.

In other news, Holder Montor's Treasurer, Thale Laskana, has disappeared. Montor stated that his books appear to be in order and the cause of the Laskana's disappearance is unknown.
At the same time, Graffon Hold Treasurer Manon Elseth died of unknown causes. Attempts to raise the body were unsuccessful, although it was rushed to the Healer temple. Elseth was described as extremely agitated for the previous few weeks, and was rumored to have been followed by a cat (a harbringer of death in Kethem mythos). An investigation is ongoing, with one lead suspect; Krusko is searching for an unspecified individual who Elseth apparently hired to guard his back prior to his death.

June 16
The Moment of Truth, a raider class trading vessel owned by Lessor Holder Palaski, suffered severe damage while ported at Noru Castle. A piling securing the ship to the dock snapped, collapsing a section of the dock and allowing the vessel to swing around, hitting rocks in shallow water. Palaski estimates a one to two month layover for the Moment of Truth before it can resume raiding missions against the Trolls.

June 18th
King Scrattle, the 92 year old monarch of Kanday, died today. His son, Prince Vevalier, now 71, has succeeded him as King of Kanday. Vevalier is considered a moderately conservative man more interested in economic prosperity for Kanday than any kind of military aggressiveness. The overall affect on relations with Kethem are unknown but not expected to deteriorate.

June 19th
A Druidic temple, Oaken Solitude, burned to the ground under mysterious circumstances. Two druids were killed in the incident. Olgar Smigen, Archpriest of the fire temple in Salta, officially denied any knowledge of the fire, despite rumors of Druid/Fire Cult friction since the death of Selgar the Fiery at the Bythe Fire Temple ground breaking ceremony. Mapleleaf Hess, Archdruid of Oaken Solitude, was quoted as saying "we knew nothing of the infidel Selgar's death ... although it is obvious that he was rightfully punished for his wicked ways . . . but if the firegeeks want to make a fight out of it, so be it. Druid's Death comes not often, But when it does nature's laws do soften, so by the light of a full moon, death returns to repay the boon". The next full moon is on the 14th of July.

June 21
The Troll coastal city of Grivag has fallen to the Kethem Guard First Corps. An official pronouncement by the Kethem Council cleared the way for Kom to become an official providence as surveyors begin the long task of dividing up Kom into Holds. The holds are to be parceled out by voting at Great Hold meetings and at Kethem Council meetings. Major Holder Fith has expressed his intent to set up a screening program for gold ring wearers to select the individuals to lead the civilization of Kom. There are also rumors, however, of a tax increase for a short duration in order to fund the initial hold construction costs.

June 23
The Kethem Guard has invited a number of leading researchers to Noru Castle in Arketh to study an ancient artifact recently recovered from pre fall ruins. The exact nature of the device was not disclosed, but several key specialists have accepted the invitation. This occurred alongc* in the midst of rumors concerning a falling out between the Hcetlac Cult and KNI. The KNI has lodged an official protest with the Kethem Council, although the exact subject of the protest was classified. Arketh Province representative to the Kethem Council Reskin Bradford is expected to resolve the problem at the next Major Hold meeting for the Bythe area (on 5 July).