REPORT | HAUNTING IN THE MIDLANDS

[sarahbarah 7105]

[!] A missive has been sent to members of the Brotherhood of Saint Karl stationed across the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska.

 

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R E P O R T S  F R O M  T H E  F R O N T 

T H E  P A T R O L  O F  T H E  M I D L A N D S,  5 6 0  E S

 

 

KRUSAE ZWY KONGZEM

 

Issued by

FOOTMAN NADYA WEISS

On this 19th of Joma and Umund of 560 E.S.

 

 

VA BIRODEO HERZENAV AG EDLERVIK,

 

THE PATROL COMMENCED AT DAWN, consisting of the following members: Lord Marshal Magnus Rauðrdag, Sergeant Willam van Leuven, Armiger Erik Colborn, Footman Nadya Weiss, Footman Anaksandr Amador, Footman Edvard Ludovar, Initiate Isabel vas Ruthern, and Page Alekzmirez Korvacz.

 

The Lord Marshal led this valiant company of eight as they rode through the gates and headed southward into the midlands. Their route took them through the battered ruins of Veletz and onward toward the Korvacz holdings, where they conducted a brief survey of the area. Finding no immediate concerns or hostile activity, they pressed further into the vast, open plains just shy of the forest’s edge. It was here that the patrol first encountered an unsettling shift in atmosphere.

 

A creeping unease settled over the company as they neared the woods, as though an unseen force weighed down the air itself. The soft whispers of wind through the tall grasses took on a sinister quality, resembling hushed voices that carried words just out of earshot. Every flicker of movement in the distance drew their eyes, nerves awry despite no visible figures appearing. Though nothing could be seen, the inescapable sensation of being watched gnawed at the patrol’s collective mind, heightening their awareness and unease. Pushing onward, the patrol entered the Woodland region, where the dense canopy above dimmed the light and muffled the world around them. Their pace slowed as an eerie stillness seeped from the shadows beneath the trees. Then came the voices.

 

“Help… please, someone!”

 

The cries were faint at first, but distinct. The Lord Marshal reined in his steed, lifting a gauntleted hand to silence the company as they strained to listen. The cries grew louder and more frantic, yet something about them felt… wrong. Too precise. Too hollow. The sound of despair seemed to come not from an unseen victim, but from the forest itself – a mimicry of human suffering. Uneasy glances were exchanged as the cries splintered into fragmented wails and whispered pleas. The deeper they pressed into the woods, the colder the air grew, until it seemed to sink into their very bones. As they approached the edge of the treeline, the patrol halted, their steeds shifting uneasily beneath them. Beyond the towering spruce and pine lay an unnatural darkness – a void where light could not penetrate. The air felt thick, oppressive, and with it came a sudden wave of sorrow that settled like a shroud over the riders.

 

The overlapping cries of shrill, haunting voices suddenly rose in chaotic frenzy, surrounding the company on all sides. The shouts grew harsher, more accusatory, and it became impossible to discern any singular source. The steeds reared nervously, and the soldiers fought to maintain their composure amidst the unnatural cacophony. Sensing the source of the disturbance, the Lord Marshal bellowed above the voices: “It’s ghosts, phantoms! Do not let them influence you! Everyone with aurum or slayersteel, line up front now!” The command, however, was met with a grim realization. Of the patrol, only two carried weapons lined with aurum. Recognizing their disadvantage, the Lord Marshal made the decision to withdraw. With an organized retreat, the company rode back from the edge of the forest.

 

The patrol returned to Valdev without casualties but shaken by the events in the Mardonlands’ woods. It is clear that a malevolent presence haunts the area beyond the plains, manifesting as phantoms or spirits that seek to unsettle any who wander too far. Further investigation will require a better-prepared force equipped with aurum, slayersteel, and perhaps the guidance of one versed in spectral phenomena. The nature of the voices – both their mimicry and their accusations – suggests that the forest holds an otherworldly threat. Whether it is tied to the ruins of Veletz or some other force lurking in the midlands remains to be determined. Until then, vigilance is advised for any who venture into the Mardonlands’ woods.

 

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IV JOVEO MAAN,

His Excellency, Magnus Rauðrdag, Lord Marshal of the Brotherhood of Saint Karl.

Her Ladyship, Nadya Heloise Weiss, Footman of the Brotherhood of Saint Karl.

 

[House of Weiss 45]

A copy of this report is kept in the House of Weiss archive.