This is chapter 3 of the Songs of Errick. It's in the same song type, but is unconfirmed to have been written by him. It's fitting here with the coming for the War.

The First Scouts are Sighted (4/27/2003)

"I write to ye all concerning the appearance and skirmish with several jantalarian scouts last night. A sorceror named Omens was releasing tree spirits when he came across them at the gap in the trees in danjirland. They neither did or said anything until he attempted to speak to them. Then they launched into an attack. At this point he used the symbol of need and several of us rushed to the area.

Respectfully,
Guarrin

Extraction of Information

Hail citizens! As I was part of the crew helpin to extract information from the scouts last night, I did my best to preserve what they did and said. Mind you, there was a bit of commotion, binding, disarming, insults and such so I just extracted what might be useful to know in terms of information. For your perusal:

A Jantalarian scout struggles to move. Finding his actions fruitless, he bellows a shout! "Comrades, to me! I cannot move!"

A Jantalarian scout struggles to move, spitting a vile oath before growling,"When I get out of this, your head is mine!"

A Jantalarian scout grabs a stunned scout and drags his compatriot west!

A Jantalarian scout reaches down and jerks a Jantalarian scout upright.

A scout growls, "We ain't warriors, we're jus' scouts. When our main force arrives an' the crystal with it, your silly little town will become part of Jantalar!"

A scout mutters, "You live with unhuman filth, soon you start to think like them. We'll clean out your mess of a town once we take it!"

Two blood-drenched healers rush in with a litter. Hoisting the scout's corpse between them, the men quickly retreat.

The scout growls, "You breed like the vermin you are, mixing your blood with unhumans. You'll all die like them too!"

A Jantalarian scout gives Folina a hard, steely glare and says, "Give you one chance to throw down your weapon 'fore I split you noggin to navel."

A Jantalarian scout growls at Darra, "When you skedaddle back t' that pit ya crawled out of, tell yer pals that we're gonna have Malwind's head on a pike no matter, but we're more'n happy t' spill yer blood right along side 'im!"

Kriztian

Second Engagement

Jantalarian scouts were seen about the Elven village again later tonight on the 27th of Olaesta. The Order of the Silver Gryphons left to engage the scouts and we were joined by several citizens of the Landing. This time the scouts were accompanied by Jantalarian swordsmen, who knew warrior skills. So be careful when engaging the swordsmen. We also discovered with the aid of Bisco and Brimzstone that the anti-magic field had extended northward from the great statue to two other rooms at the least.

Cryheart Thaxin

Status of the Front (5/10/2003)

A brief report of the current status of the front against Jantalar.

The Jantalarian incursion has begun to push into the Lower Dragonsclaw, just recently breaching the path that separates Upper Trollfang from the forest and plains. While we have been stalwart in our defenses, Lerep Hochstib seems intent on sacrificing the entirety of Jantalar's youthful generation to the cause of claiming the Landing as a port city.

The facts, as we know them:

-A mandis crystal, or a number of crystals are being transported up roads from northwestern Mestanir, OR are somewhere in a stationary location and increasing in power and range.

-The sphere of influence of the mandis crystal now extends across the majority of Upper Trollfang, the southernwestern portion of Glatoph, and is now beginning to be felt in the Lower Dragonsclaw.

-Spells and all forms of magic under the sphere of influence of the crystal are nullified. THIS INCLUDES LIFEKEEP.

-The sphere of influence will likely extend up to and over the town of Wehnimer's Landing within a week, at most two, judging from the rate of pressure we've seen the last few days.

-The Jantalarian regulars are often the first ones to arrive at the edge of the mandis crystal's sphere of influence, and are fairly lightly armored.

-They are backed up by more heavy infantry spanning from perdues, armigers, men-at-arms, and now even footknights and knights.

-The Jantalarian troops wield shoddy equipment at best, and thus take an ample amount of pleasure pilfering our own well-forged goods from our corpses.

I recommend that you exercise extreme caution when engaging the Jantalarians. Even the regulars come en masse, and can be a problem for even the stoutest warriors if not taken seriously. Many people are hurling themselves headfirst into battle and ending up a liability for others more capable for the defense of the town. While I admire the veracity and ferocity of those seeking to defend the town, I must strongly encourage you to use discretion in how you choose to engage the enemy. If you die, there is a strong risk that you will lose your prized weapons and shields. Furthermore, it is often difficult to drag corpses out in the heat of the battle. I try to make an effort to see all corpses safely relocated from the mandis influence, but this can be difficult if you die deep behind the enemy lines and we have no way of knowing where you are.

It is my hope that our resilience and passion, tempered with a strong sense of foresight will pay off when we finally drive the Jantalarians away. Press onward my friends, for victory is our only option.

Sincerely,
Kinshack Starblade, Order of the Silver Gryphons

Of Jantalar Special Forces and Witch Hunters (5/29/2003)

From everything I've read of Hochtib's wars, he tends to send special forces, or witch hunters, behind enemy lines to take out threatening magic users before moving to occupy a city. I'd love to see some of this around Wehnimers. I assume that he hasn't disbanded this group since it was a witch hunter that killed the empress.

-Shonison

I dont believe the witch hunters will be involved in this because of the presence of the Mandis Crystal. My understanding from speaking to the witch hunter that helped us track down the renegade was that they worked by turning defensive magics against their bearers, and since the crystal stops all magic from bein casted, they arent able to work since they rely on their ability to reverse engineer and manipulate the magic in the area.

-Seablade

The Mandis crystal was used when witch hunters were no longer cutting the cake. It was brought in during the War with Mestanir when witch hunters were unable to handle the skilled magic users in that region.

-Kinshack