[Riconus Xind'ell]

First Brightening of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate, Era XV Post Fractum.

Pre-emptive attack by seperatist vysticchi sparks racial hostility throughout area.

PORTSHIRE, PRIME PROVINCE- It was late in Junctior's 6th evening when a band of seperatists, carrying the banners and wearing the tabards of Har'oloth's Kitrye'veresi, Embracing Oblivion & Chaos Dawn Houses (the city's 3 Major Houses), advanced on the walls of a once-defenseless City of Portshire. However, following a report from the Imperial Intelligence Agency, it was the Sapphire Guard who laid in wait for the attack, and valiantly crushed the vysticchi onslaught. All invaders were either captured or killed, at the expense of 8 wounded Guardsmen... 3 of whom, later parished from their injuries.

While it was a decisive victory for the City of Portshire and Sapphire Guard, feelings of celebrations were also accented with those of rage. Long has Har'oloth been one of several rogue vysticchi undercities, trading freely with the questionably loyal city of Vortex under the nose of the Imperial Forum, and Portshire citizens held a rally the following brightening in criticism of that policy.

Sir Riconus Xind'ell, Earl & Thane of Portshire - as well as General of the Sapphire Guard - spoke out against Har'oloth and urged the Imperial Forum to heed his call for justice. Reports speculate that as a Syl'rosyan and Imperialist, he may have been a reason why Portshire was chosen for the attack.

"How many more Aelyrian citizens must fight and die before these extremist rebels are dealt with!?" cried out Earl Xind'ell before a sea of protestors. "I ask - nay, I beg - for the Imperial Forum to seek justice for the men lost defending this great city. In times of crisis, whether in Jaedaxia or in Narim, our government has always mobilized the Empire's intellect and might against those who seek harm against Her people; I have every confidence they will see the extremist vysticchi scum pay for their misdeeds!"

While the Thanal Office of Portshire is urging calm, many of the town's citizens have gone frenzied, defiling the corpses of the dead vysticchi and spreading racial anti-sentiment throughout the city and beyond. While the Sapphire Guard, who also acts as the city's constabulary, has promised order will be kept, the militia notorious for its light-born supremacism has shown no interest in disturbing anti-vysticchi protests, nor the desecration of the vysticchi killed during the battle. Furthermore, the Sapphire Guard has closed the city's gates off to any vysticchi travellers, and other dark-born races, such as esh'lahier elves and orcs, are requested not to visit, for their own safety.

Funeral services for the fallen soldiers will bring the entire city's business to a standstill on the 8th evening of Junctior, where all citizens and Guardsmen are asked to attend. Those vysticchi captured are expected to face execution following interrogation by a military tribunal, and as with the seperatists already killed, their heads shall stand on pikes outside the city's land and sea gates.

We will keep you updated on this event as it develops.