Welcome to the Dreamer's Au Courant, a bi-weekly newspaper covering major events and changes within the city.
In the paper for Friday, 24 September we'll cover two ongoing happenings that effect everyone's time in the city.
The NightStalkers
The news came to us in pieces - something was coming to the city. On Wednesday 9 September, Eldryck Venym gave them a name. He stood in the Center of the city, near the Heart, and warned us to be ready. He told use that The Nightstalkers would arrive. He even provided the date. He promised that they would cleanse the city. That Saturday, Eldryck's statement proved to be correct.. Two brothers - Ravyn Morphus and Nocven Oneirsom arrived in a bloody crossing through the bridge Eldryck had prepared - WishBringer. They appeared as dreamers do, albeit with some disturbing tendencies.
Claiming to be immortal, the brothers had no interest in conversing with the dreamers present. Instead they left for the Lost Caves declaring their intent to hunt - and to feed. The brothers relished in the hunt, and in the kill; the dreamers attempts to harm the NightStalkers themselves bore no fruit. Neither chakram nor arts affected either brother.
A few days later, the brothers were joined by another - Nadia Ivanov. Her arrival was a simple affair, and her demeanor was more controlled.
In the days since, their hunting has led to the complete disappearance of all mares on four of the eight outer planes; the Lost Caves, the Cenotaph of Dread, the Chasm of Souls, and the Ossuary of Dread. For the loss of the mares on each plane, the city shook as the balance shifted.
On Tuesday, 15 September, Kanto led several dreamers in a ritual to create fixed poles that release a regenerative stream of DreamSoul. Dreamers placed these poles through out the Cairn of Sorrow and in a few other hunting spots hoping that the dreamsoul would infuse with the mares and negatively affect the NightStalkers.
Additional attempts were made in other areas as well. A concoction of pure dreamsoul made invisible and infused with the oil of Harrow leaves to hide the scent was injected by needle into each mare in Harrow.
However, the NightStalkers have not been seen since these endeavors.
The Echten Hatchlings
On Wednesday 16 September, the first of the dark mare eggs hatched after being moved to the Lost Sea. Emerging from it near the portal to the Dark Awakening was a small emphant with a warhorn. He proudly declared himself Echten Squire. With this revelation, Sadara attacked him and he was collapsed very quickly. He retreated to the portal of the Ancient Temple and the energies there restored him. After a time, Sadara left and Hrrum told him of the Echt home in the Palisades. The Squire seemed reluctant to believe the tales he was told of the Darkness and the Coven. Nonetheless, he listened and promised to tell his siblings.
On Friday 18 September, the Squire was joined by Echten Hellion, from the egg and nest in the Basin of Stars. Echten Hellion is much less willing to consider the misdeeds of the Coven and the other Echt than Squire. And both remain unfailingly loyal in their declarations. Squire showed Hellion around the home in the Lower Palisades, and both seemed to settle in. After this tour, the Veiled Woman appeared. The Echten Squire didn't seem to know her, and was a bit fearful. She placed a bright green gem into Squire's claws. She told him that he could be redeemed, or judged. When she was asked why, the Veiled Woman responded "For falling short", and left.
On Tues 22 September, the egg in the nest of the Sewers in the Lost Caves hatched, with Echten Trooper emerging. She was hesitant at first to greet the dreamers that had assembled. But after some coaxing and with a tail wrapped around one's leg, she emerged to greet the rest that awaited her. She was excited at the prospect of meeting her brothers, but they did not appear before she left. She has a fondness for games of chance and spent much of her first evening asking dreamers to play with her. She would hand out pairs of maracas that matched her own, when she lost. At her urging, the egg that had been nested at the bottom of Mt Illapse was moved to its mate on the Secluded Beach of the Lost Sea. The two eggs are still there, waiting to hatch.
Later that evening, after the Trooper had left, the Squire returned. He was anxious to explore the Lost Sea, where he had been born. After an encounter with Zirobolus (who didn't seem to like the Squire much), the Veiled Woman appeared again. She welcomed the Squire home, to the Lost Sea. She declared that she had dreamed of his return, and the whispers that perpetually surround her stated that she had planned for his return. But the Squire did not recognize the place as home. The Veiled woman declared that he was the legacy of their efforts, while the whispers declared him an abomination. She proceeded to offer the Echten Squire freedom for the Coven while the whispers promised that she would enslave them to her instead. She proceeded to place three statues and block the whispers while she promised them a more perfect form. The Squire has declined, for now.
A minor edit was made to clarify that the Echten Hellion was not present when the Echten Squire was given the green gem.
Photograph Submissions
If you'd like to submit an area or photograph for consideration, please contact Koriania.
This weeks photograph was taken by Stalros, depicting the two NightStalker brothers in Nightmare Form floating above the FreeSpirit meeting on 13 September.
If you'd like to contribute articles, events, or other ideas for the paper, please contact Koriania.