Sharn Daily Breaking: Issue #57704

p. 1

DROAAM STRIKES SHARN AGAIN

22 Zarantyr, 998 YK

Catastrophe has befallen our city once again! The despicable nation of Droaam has decimated much of the Stoneguard district in an event that will be remembered as the Tragedy of Lower Northedge. Thousands of galifars of damage was done, but the true devastation is in the good lives lost in the attack. Preliminary casualty counts range in the hundreds, including several brave first responders of the Sharn Watch.
Morale may be low, but it seems our enduring city holds no shortage of bravery! The story of the enigmatic Crypt Crew is one shrouded in mystery, but a mystery the City of Towers should be thankful for! The group united once again to stand against the treacherous ogres and vicious gnolls, and emerged in a bittersweet victory. Fighting alongside the Crypt Crew were Hadrian Rowntree and Brendon Grelth of the Sharn Watch, Zanog, Ur, and Jit of the Harbingers of Aegis, and Philip Arthur d'Tharashk. Ur and Jit were tragically slain during the battle.
The valiant Crew not only managed to vanquish dozens of gnolls and kobolds, but even toppled ogres, giants, and a vicious creature known as a gorgon - a beast plated in full armor capable of encasing its victims in stone. One of the Crew members, the dashingly charming Maleakos, fell victim to this creature, but fret not! Our grateful city quickly and generously arranged a full restoration in conjunction of Angelica d'Jorasco of House Jorasco.
"It was horrifying - remarkable - it goes beyond words," says Freya Burkhead, former resident of the Stoneguard district. "We heard the explosions, and the screams and...and the monsters...and there was nowhere we could go, nothing we could do but watch as those...those horrible kobolds set our building ablaze. But then as if the Silver Flame itself sent them, the Crypt Crew leapt onto the scene, slaying beast after beast...I, we, called out to them, to the Crew in desperation. It was quite literally a godsend to watch as walls of water extinguished the buildings and...and to see children and adults saved, rubble caught with their bare hands, and to finally hear the man named Viribus as he fought his way through the flames to save us...I will never forget you, Crypt Crew."
A truly powerful and touching report. A memorial service for the brave souls of the Sharn Watch and the civilian lives lost is being arranged as we speak. Can any hero save us from the madness that has befallen our city? Stay tuned to find out!

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p. 2

VISCOUNT TSITAK AVOIDS ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

A shocking development arises from eastern Breland! The dwarven Viscount Okeanos Tsitak of Eastern Breland, politician of much of the eastern region of the nation and leading proponent of the New Cyre settlement, survived an assassination attempt against him this past Sar. This dastardly act comes mere weeks after news broke of Viscount Tsitak's development of an aberrant dragonmark. The viscount, in a contentious public appearance, promised to investigate the history and nature of the strange mark.
The assassination attempt occurred at a public rally when a small group of individuals began to attack the Viscount and his entourage, and launched deadly explosives into the crowd seemingly at random. Tragically, several of the Viscount's personal security force was slain in the attack, but fortunately for Viscount Tsitak and the rest of the crowd, several templars of the noble Harbingers of Aegis were present to foil the attackers and save the crowd. For those who are unfamiliar, the Harbingers are an ancient peacekeeping organization that have arbitrated contentious situations throughout history, helping to keep the peace amongst peoples and nations.
Aside from the Viscount's security force, there were thankfully no deaths as a result of this attack. Is the assassination attempt related to the Viscount's shocking new revelation? Is there some grand conspiracy involving the Viscount's stance on New Cyre or the aberrant dragonmark? Were the assassins connected to the Viscount's heritage in some way? Was it simply yet another nutcase in disagreement with the Viscount's political views? Whatever the case, dozens of innocent lives are owed to the Harbingers. The Sharn Inquisitive will cover any further developments.