Nivalis 10th, 10,016
BREAKING NEWS! (Taken from Simul Quarterly)
"It has come to our attention that there was a recent attack on Dry Gulch!
Witnesses say that a group of less than a dozen, but more than eight people descended upon the northern ship port of Dry Gulch and attacked a seaman. Not only was the ship burned to ashes, but the dock in which it was parked. Unfortunately, the owner, Warren Thule, was killed in the incident, alongside his wife and four children.
It has also been clarified that this group of murderers did so with the use of fire magic. One witness overheard the spells being spoken by one perpetrator, while the rest were, allegedly, standing around and helping fuel the aforementioned attack.
It is not clear if local authorities have caught any of the suspects, but the good people of Dry Gulch have been preparing for a witch hunt....This does not sound good, people of Simul. This does not sound good at all.
This is your local News Officiant, Lynn, signing off..."
Messis 2, 10,017
Read more in BREAKING NEWS
Laughter and merriment could be heard throughout the kingdom as the farmers were once again celebrating another good harvest. Food and drink flowed freely as the unsuspecting people of Simul were watched from the shadows. Hooded figures lurked just outside of anyone's sight, their eyes set on one target; the very food the farmers were celebrating. Not just what they had harvested already, but all of their fields. Every piece of wheat, bean, or ear of corn was doomed.
The robed figures kept watch just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They waited until almost everyone had gone to sleep. Those that remained in the fields or the barns were too drunk to notice anything. Even if they had been sober, they would not be able to stop what was about to happen. Once the robed figures felt it was time to move, they did. Flames roared to life around them to burn every last plant to cinders.
Nothing was spared. Nothing.
Anything and everything that stood in their way burned with the precious crops. Enough food for dozens of families turned to ash before anyone realized what was going on. The smell of smoke and the sound of roaring flames pulled everyone from their beds. Horror and panic hit everyone who witnessed it. Men, women and children all did what they could to put out the flames...though, their efforts were in vain. The heat from the fires evaporated the water before it could even reach the flames. Screams for water...screams for help. Many could even be heard calling out to the mages they had shunned. Asking... no, begging for help. Those that could have helped cowered behind their locked doors, fearful of what could happen if they rendered aide. Great numbers of magical and non-human beings fled from their homes as registrations became more common, alongside the growing racism against them, leaving the human communities more vulnerable than they had ever dreamed.
This was not an isolated incident; farms across the kingdom were burned. Dry Gulch, SkyHaven, Subury, Wingston, Timberholde, Ferax Villum, and even Concordia were hit alongside multiple other villages and farming areas. It was almost the same story at every farm that was burning:
Those that could have helped refused.
A small few cities managed to save food. Their mages were quick to respond and quell as many of the fires as they could. However, even with their quick actions, much of their food was destroyed. What could be salvaged was inventoried and stored in the safest places people could find.
Alongside the massive loss to the winter food supply, hundreds of people and livestock were also slain. The countless lives and resources that were lost in the night left all that witnessed the horrors of it choking on the smoke and ash of their dreams . What witnesses hoped was a sick nightmare was revealed to be anything but. The nightmare was real and no one knew what to do. Cries of sorrow and a strange letter filled the air. The letter was simply written on paper bearing the Guardian's seal;
“We of the CONGREGATION will not be silent. If the King won't hear our cries, we will make him. We will starve him out if we have to, along with anyone else who would follow his laws.”
The news of all the fires across the kingdom had the streets of Eleutheria humming with hectic whispers or outright blame against magic users. Conspiracy theories about what happened spread like wildfire; The letters from the “CONGREGATION”, and the Guardians had everyone terrified. They were all looking to Ferren for answers. No word came for hours, confirming for the people that what happened was far worse than before.
Eventually, Ferren emerged from the castle to stand on the highest balcony of the capitol. His normally charismatic voice was filled with sadness as it echoed through the heart of Simul. Even his appearance suggested he had not slept. His clothes were a rumbled mess and his hair was far from tamed. Redness surrounded his eyes from intense crying.
“It is with a heavy heart that I address you all in such a manner. I am sure you have all heard the news by now. Our kingdom…has suffered a tremendous loss. The crops that normally sustain us through the long winter have been destroyed. Burned to a crisp alongside the brave men and women who tried to stop the inferno. Their sacrifice ensured that everyone could gather and defeat our oldest of foes. The cause of the fires is still unknown but we believe it to be a series of horrible accidents. I would love nothing more than to believe that, but with witnesses coming forward, it has been apparent that the attacks were perpetrated by magic users. The best people we have are looking to find the cause of what caused this tragedy…”
Ferren's voice cracked as more mist threatened to fall from his eyes, the acting king haphazardly wiped away the tears that never fell as he tried to compose himself. He kept his face hidden for a few minutes in silence before he moved his hands to speak again.
“We can move on from this tragedy as one but I need the help of every Simulian. We do not have enough food for the winter. As of today, all food is to be brought here to Eleutheria so it can be rationed out appropriately. All are welcome to come and get your daily meals. Those of you traveling great distances will be allowed to get enough for a few days. Every month, we will be shipping out ration bundles to each city and community to sustain. All magical beings wanting their rations are required to provide their registrations. This is to keep us all safe and uphold peace of mind. We have also decided to place a special barrier around the capitol to help further protect the food we will all need to survive. It kills me to have to do this to you all. Rationing will leave us all hungry as we try our best to make it through these trying times. I encourage everyone to do what they can to provide for their families. If you have extra, please give it to those that need it more than you. Hunters, share your bounties as you get them. Farmers that have lost their crops should reach out to us. We can provide seed to hopefully grow something before the cold seasons hit. We will make it through and come out better for it. May the Gods bless us and help usher us through the trials they felt, we as a people, needed to endure.”
"If you have any questions relating to the recent events, any citizen of Simul is welcome to write to me directly. You may also tag Malum Distantia via Simul Social. Please Simul, love thy neighbor as they were your own family. We will succeed."
OOC Note: Dry Gulch, as a whole, was very obliged to follow these orders.