The Westbrooke Express: May 7th, 191 F.T

## THE VOHNENHEIM QUESTION

The world is still reeling from the mysterious destruction of the Sidonian Republics eponymous Capital City, and the death of its leader, The Bright Father. With the west delving further and further into chaos, many ask: What of the east? Although the Sidonian Republic annexed the settlement of Vohnenheim earlier this year, no reports of their presence has been found since the tragic events in Leomoth earlier this spring. As such, many in The Republic of Westbrooke and beyond are calling into question: Is the Sidonian Republic able to enforce its will in Duloris?

All signs indicate the answer to that question is no. It seems the people of Vohnenheim have been forced to fend for themselves. Which begs the question, should Westbrooke annex Vohnenheim? Although it is no doubt a strategically important location for securing stability in South-Western Duloris, there are many who doubt that its inclusion would be economically viable or sustainable, as well as others who are politically opposed to the towns introduction into the Republic. The people of Vohnenheim have always been on the periphery of the people of Westbrooke, and most agree that the town itself was founded by disenfranchised citizens of Westbrooke, long before the Republic was founded.

The office of the Archon & the rest of the Council have said little on the matter, with the Archon stating that, "Whether the people of Vohnenheim join the Republic of Westbrooke is up to them, and them alone". In keeping with the rules set out in the Westbrooke Accords, the Archon has made it clear that unless two-thirds of Vohnenheim publicly announce their wish to join Westbrooke, he would make no move to integrate them, for better or for ill. Still, there are some who doubt the Archons claims, and many expect military operations to increase along the Republics southern border.

### HEROES OF THE REPUBLIC

Today we honor two warriors of the Republic, who have put their lives on the line for their fellow soldiers, and citizens alike.

The first is Lieutenant Daniel Corhauser of the 2nd Westbrooke Infantry Regiment, a unit known as "The Golden Horns". While on a patrol in the North-West, Lt. Corhauser found his unit caught in an ambush by the Serpent-Folk of the Swamps of Draymor. Most of the unit was, thankfully, merely captured, no doubt to soon be the victims of some barbaric ritual. Luckily, Lt. Corhauser and four of his fellow soldiers were able to avoid capture.

Leading only a small fraction of his usual men, the Commander of The Golden Horns led a daring night-time raid on the serpent-folks base of operations, reportedly infiltrating their rudimentary fortification using a magical disguise & pretending to be apprehending his own men. Having successfully entered the enemy camp, Lt. Corhauser reportedly set up a series of elaborate ambushes within their very walls, until the defenders were reduced to nothing. Afterwards, the men of The Golden Horns were reunited with their fellow-braves, ransacking & burning the enemy fortification into nothing.

Lt. Corhauser declined further inquiries, stating that he was simply protecting the lives of his men.

Our second hero of the day is Captain Apollo of Starcrest, a commanding officer in the 7th Westbrooke Infantry Regiment, a unit known as "The Starcrest Phalanx". Captain Apollo is reported to have faced down a group of three migrating "Titans" from the north, who strayed too close to the city he and his men have sworn to protect. Taking a group of fifteen men with him, Captain Apollo was able to quickly set up three of what he has referred to as "Kill-Boxes", which reports indicate are subterranean traps involving sharpened wooden spikes.

He instructed his men to lure the rampaging Titans into these Kill-Boxes, upon which they were able to be swiftly dealt with, offering little danger to any of his men. Reportedly, however, the largest of the three TItans was able to avoid the Kill-Box, having seen its monstrous brethren fall prey to the deadly traps. As such, despite pleas from his men, Captain Apollo took on the burden of facing the monster, wielding his crystalline hammer dubbed "Devotion". And indeed, Captain Apollo showed both great devotion, and valor, dealing a series of powerful blows to the Titans legs. However, reports indicate that Captain Apollo met his match at the hands of the Titan, and only thanks to a timely intervention by his fellow soldiers was the beast able to finally be brought down. We spoke with Captain Apollo on the matter, who had this to say:

"ALTHOUGH I WISHED TO AVOID ENDANGERING MY FELLOW SOLDIERS, THEY PROVED THEIR MIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD THAT DAY. WE HAVE BEGUN MORE EXTENSIVE TRAINING IN THE SLAYING OF LARGE FOES, AND I SHALL DISCUSS WITH MY COMMANDING OFFICER ON MORE SPECIALIZED TITAN SLAYING UNITS TO FURTHER SECURE BOTH STARCREST AND BEYOND."

Although the Age of Strife is long gone, and the Mythic Heroes no longer active, we can see in these two brave souls that the spirit of heroes is still alive and well. We thank Lieutenant Corhauser and Captain Apollo for their service, and their bravery.

### THORNES "WEAVE OF WESTBROOKE" THREADS ITS FIRST STRING

The election of the Republics second Chief Magister, Janus Thorne, has thus far left the common man of Westbrooke unchanged. However, it seems that is about to change, as Magister Thorne has recently unveiled the first stages of what he calls "The Weave of Westbrooke", a new magically-based public transportation system. We had the pleasure of speaking to Magister Thorne on the matter, and he offered many insights into what he believes will be an incredibly important project.

"Chief Magister, can you explain to us what exactly the 'Weave of Westbrooke' is, and why it is being constructed?"

"Of course. The Weave of Westbrooke, of course, takes its name from the Weave of Magic, which grants Arcanists such as myself their abilities. To put it simply, it will allow for extremely fast transport of both passengers and cargo to designated places across the Republic of Westbrooke. It operates through a combination of both arcane and mechanical means. As for your second question, the Weave of Westbrooke will offer a new, safe alternative to traditional travel, at a fraction of the cost."

"And how exactly will it work?"

"I'm glad you asked. Frequent passengers of railways will find the Weave of Westbrooke familiar, with passengers and cargo being placed into cars in a manner not dissimilar to typical trains. However, instead of travelling along a long, expensive, and easily damaged railway, it will instead travel through the weave itself. For the more magically savvy, it will use highly advanced conjuration magic, although unlike traditional teleportation, it will not be instantaneous. This is due to the intense amounts of magical energy required to transport such a large amount of matter. It is also to reduce chances of passengers experiencing nausea and other common effects of teleportation."

"And will this be free to use?"

"No, it will not be. Such a system requires maintenance, employees, and several rather expensive arcane reagents. However, be assured that the price for transportation will be affordable for all in The Republic. We estimate a humble price of five dollars per passenger, an amount that will not change regardless of the distance 'travelled'."

We thank Chief Magister Thorne for giving us some of his time, and insight on this new, exciting development. We look forward to giving you future updates on the project in the future.

### THE RACE OF TEN WINDS WINNER ANNOUNCED

The Grand Race, known as "The Race of Ten Wins", took place earlier today, with a surprising victor. Aspiring athletes, inventors, and arcanists from across the Republic of Westbrooke traveled to the Capital City earlier today to give it their all, with many more coming to spectate. Strange mechanical contraptions, magical footwear, and as reports indicate, a man with clockwork wings, all made their appearances at what many are hoping will be the first of many similar events. However, it seems that old-fashioned athleticism has won the day, with Rosewater, owner of Rosewaters Tinctures & Perfumes, surpassing all of her competitors. While most stuck to the most obvious path, it seems Rosewaters commitment to the unorthodox proved the right play, with many reporting her running across their rooftops in order to get to the finish line the fastest. She has one the grand prize of one thousand dollars, as well as free drinks for a year at The Black Wand Saloon.

### OFFICER OF LEGAL AFFAIRS CANDIDATES

With the separation of the Office of Internal Affairs looming ever nearer, two candidates for the newly created Office of Legal Affairs have made themselves known.

The first is Chad Thundaris, a human man originating from Telbrade.

The second is Emelia Eiselbron, an Orcish woman from Lofthaven.

Unfortunately, few people have commented much on either candidate, with most considering neither of them to be particularly interesting. Several people have even cited the newly created position on the council as "the most boring job in the world." We here at The Westbrooke Express couldn't agree more.

Elections for the Republics first Officer of Legal affairs will take place on August 1st. Potential applicants are encouraged to announce their candidacy as soon as possible.