11/10/2003
(The Wehnimerian Perspective)

Baron Lerep Hochstib's War against the people of Wehnimer's Landing came to an abrupt end on Feastday when the last of Jantalar's Troops were defeated on the battlefields of Upper Trollfang.

Earlier that morning, the Baron graced the citizens of Wehnimer's Landing with his voice. "There are preparations yet to be made, but your time is short, so use it well." says Lerep himself. "Spend the day in the company of those you call friends, with those whom have the misfortune to be family, and set your affairs in order, for before this next dawning those who raised their hands against the Emperor's crystals shall be taken from you."

In the weeks prior to the final confrontation, we received intelligence reports that Hochstib infused himself with Mandis Crystal shards, and was performing ritualistic sacrifices to further augment his power. Several of our Gnomish Allies also stated that his troops built a small fortress southeast of town, just out of our reach.

"Prior to the initial skirmishes, the town Militia pushed out one of the mobile siege towers to Lower Dragonsclaw." says Ulial, a loyal defender of town. "The skirmishes started out slow. The Jantalarians advanced slowly from the Hidden Settlement towards town. Unfortunately for the Jantalarians, they never made it past Lower Dragonsclaw. Their tracks were stopped dead by a Superior Fighting force. Surely Feastday's victory will be remembered and celebrated for generations to come."

It turns out that Hochstib himself was feeding his troops lies about the people defending Wehnimer's Landing. "We were always told that the people of the north were evil, and had to be stopped." says a former Halberdier in the Jantalarian army. "The Mandis Bane weapons were crafted with Fire and Brimstone in the bowels of Luukos' realm. It angered us, and prolonged our will to fight, and die for liberating Wehnimer's Landing. It shocked me to find out that we were the 'evil ones'."

Hochstib's plan to expand Jantalar, and conquer Wehnimer's Landing thus came to a crashing halt. "It was clear that Hochstib was desperate." says Kabriel, a local resistance leader. "He captured myself and a few other resistance officers, and brought us to the tower just outside the Vornavis Outlands. He thought he could try and make up for his defeat by blaming his failed campaign solely upon us."

On top of the resistance leaders who were captured, he also had Mystic Orthen, Inquisitor Philnep, Knight Maldon, and Lerep's sister Delphinuria. Sources formerly close to Hochstib indicate that he intended to sacrifice them one-by-one to further augment his power over the Mandis Crystal.

"Hochstib's was going to first sacrifice the Turamzzyrian Inquisitor Philnep." says Izalude, another resistance leader captured. "He was then going to frame Cryheart for the murder, and extradite us all to Tamzyrr for questioning and trial. His plans were cut short however, by people locating us with scrying spells. When Lerep went to stop the rapidly approaching lynch mobs, his Herald Holswort turned on him and released all of our bindings. Holswort's instructions were simple: Our Strike Team was to kill Hochstib, while he escaped to Vornavis with Delphinuria and Philnep."

Shortly thereafter, the resistance lead by Sir Cryheart, met Lerep head-on. They attacked him, slashing him left and right. Eventually the final blow was struck by a man by the name of Falicor. After the last of Hochstib's energy vanished and things calmed down a bit, Delphinuria and Holswort came back to congratulate the resistance in their victory. Delphinuria has taken leadership over Jantalar, and vowed to end the war with the North, healing the wounds they have caused.

"We warned him! We told him if he showed his face near the city again, we wouldn't let him escape," says Tenken, a local wizard. "We should seriously think about considering renaming Wehnimer's Landing to Hochstib's folly."