For now anyway. I'll try to relate last night events as accurately as possible, even though I was not actually present and I'm writing this account of the events as my cousin Camus Vandali related them to me.
Last night, a group of brave souls of Brittania responded to a call of help from the people of Vesper who were being overunned by an invading force of highwaymen. I'm not exactly sure as how this came about since Camus tells me he arrived at Vesper a few minutes after the fight had gotten started when our brave warriors were just about done clearing up the town from these bandits.
Apparently the highwaymen had attempted an amphibious invasion of the city and they had to be repelled all the way back to their own boats, which they parked by Vesper's docks. There, our heroes found a note (unsigned) directing the highwaymen to 'hold their ground' and to stop our warriors' advance at all costs, lest they found out where all the highwaymen were coming from.
The note seemed to indicate that the secret to this mistery could be solved if the group follow the trail north, towards the minoc mines. And so our valiant warriors proceeded to make their way north, fighting as they went an astonishing number of highwaymen. In a courageous struggle, where none lost their lives I believe, our heroes had to face the very bulk of the highwaymen forces (including some highwaymen Clerics) advancing at a painfully slow, but necessary, pace.
Finally, after hours upon hours of heavy fighting, they made it to the mines only to dicover the highwaymen had been using a gate to send reinforcements and supplies from their home base. Upon stepping through the gate, our heroes found themselves in different land altogether. They would later found out this place is called Drabu (did I get the name right?) which some of us old timers used to call Papua before. Although already very tired and almost out of supplies, our heroes refused to give up and continue to repel back the enemy forces.
Their efforts finally paid off as they approached the old bank of the town which of course was overunned by highwaymen as well. There inside one of the buildings were a few 'highwaymen jailers,' a couple of highwaymen spellcasters (I forgot what they were called) and the very Leader of the highwaymen himself! (I forget his name also, was it Thomas?). After one last valiant struggle that would take the lives of many of our warriors, incluing my cousin's, our heroes prevailed and managed to kill Thomas and the last of his forces.
When the dust settled, the discovery was made that the highwaymen had been keeping a man prisoner. This man was Franklin, who turned out to be the major of the town. Franklin then proceeded to explain what had occured. It appears the highwaymen were initially a 'salvation' army for Drabu and its people. The people had had a bad winter and a failed harvest had put them all in a near state of starvation. The highwaymen were assembled with the distinct purpose of helping them overcome this threat but somewhere along the line they rebelled against Franklin and the town leaders and imposed martial law in their own town. What followed is pretty easy to figure out since the highwaymen were still in need of food and supplies. Instead of asking our realm for help, they decided it was safer to go ahead and 'take by force' the stuff they required. And of course the rest you know.
Franklin was very thankful for our help but still the situation of his people preoccupied him so he made sure to do what the highwaymen were unable to do, ask us for help. He told our warriors that Drabu was in need of food, tools, and other supplies (like clothes) for his people to use and get their economy back on track. Later Bishop Duncan would appear in the bank to reiterate this fact.
Duncan has officially asked to all those who are willing to donate whatever food and items we can spare. He has setup a 'donation box' inside the throne room in the Castle to facilitate this process.
I would encourage all of you who have been blessed with many possessions and wealth to help our poor neighbors with some food, clothes, or working tools or whatever else they could use to put themselves back on their feet.
And thus the Highwaymen threat has been averted, at least for now. Oh, here's the list of the brave warriors who helped won this victory against evil (forgive me if I forget anyone): Cloudchaser, Ciara, Malacin, Camus, Jim, Trishara, Fizchivary, Silivans, Edison, and there's a couple more whose names escape me at this moment. To all of you brave souls, in the name of the Queen, I salute you!
- Lord Lionheart