The Ireem Chronicles

A letter was left in the Chronicles' office, which may or may not be related to those strange and mysterious objects that has been appearing in Ireem recently......

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All in all you're just another brick in the wall

As for long we people of the sands used the land and lived on it. We didn't own it, we didn't claim it, we didn't deny access to anyone, and we didn't destroy it. We roamed the sands, we herd our cattle on it and we lived in peace with it. The land fed us and we took care of it in return.

Then bricks and stones appeared, taking up the sands, claiming it, taking away our resources for food, and eventually made us work for our money. No cattle we can longer herd, no land we can roam, we only have our tents left to sleep in. And without us noticing, even making us believe we still do own the sands, they finally opposed their laws upon us. And though we are with many, we aren't heard, the doors are closed on us, the palace sealed, our pathway broken up.

But we are determined to free that pathway again, one way or the other. And if that means we need to scrape the mortar away in between the stones or set the city on fire, we will. Sooner or later, the walls will crumble down and our way will be free again.

BLA (Bedu's Liberation Army)

What is the stories behind these strange things which appeared in and around Ireem?

The Thirsty Djinn returns to The Good Knight Tavern!

After days of sitting empty, with stocks in low reserves and not even a tinkling of a bell on a pretty dancer's foot, two unlikely forces joined together after they couldn't stand to see the waste any longer. With flintlocks and spears drawn, a small group of both Bedouin and Pirates moved in to raid what was known to the citizens of Ireem as The Thirsty Djinn, looking to swindle the barrels of rum and take all they could from the till. Luckily they were met with zero opposition, and they proceeded right to the after-party, getting drunk and dancing the night away.

Sources tell Chronicle's reporters that the Djinn who had formerly operated the tavern, a nasty little vampire who took far too much pleasure in diabolical acts such as cutting the wings off of Fae, had been asleep for many weeks prior to the take-over. The undead left in charge, known about the city for his attraction to mischief and biting off more than he could chew, was most likely busy and tied up with other issues when the group moved to ransack the business.

A notorious pirate and new proprietor of the Good Knight Tavern, Majid Axel, spoke with a Chronicles reporter, looking happier than camel who had just been milked. "We've been so busy, since re-opening the bar! Travelers, townsfolk, why, even the Sultana and her guards have stopped in to have a drink!"

A citizen whom we caught on the streets had this to say about the change. "I am glad to see the little tavern thriving again, with good ale to quench your thirst, alongside beautiful and talented dancers to entertain your eyes." The citizen then crinkled their nose, lifted a hand to pinch it and whispered, "I just wish the pirates would take a bath before they go to work! It takes a lot of rum to forget the stench you're sniffing!"

However, there is some concern that the two pubs in the city are now both owned by the same cohort of slavers and their Bedouin subjects. “This really is a bad news to the citizens of Ireem,” an irritated lawyer told us, “I strongly suspect that both pub are actually run by the same group for profits reasons, and that is bad news to the consumers. We will be keeping a close eye on them and report any price fixing activities if they arise.”

BREAKING NEWS: An outbreak of an mysterious virus is sweeping Ireem

The Chronicles can report that a number of people, including some honourable knight and dishonourable slavers, are suffering from this mysterious illness. The cause is unknown so far and people are reported unable to heal either from Anna's Clinic or from simple resting in the bed.

Doctor are advising caution to all citizens and aviod any unnecessary confrontation. Also anyone who is caught looting in the city while the knights are unwell will be punish by the most serious of punishment: spending a night in the cell with Nino, Richard and Granny.

To whom it may concern,

I bring you much greetings and blessings. I am writing you this very day to address something that disturbed me greatly. As I sat upon a balcony this morning nibbling a bit of pastry as I drank my tea, a servant came in with the latest edition of the chronicle. As an avid reader of this delightful newspaper I was henceforth shocked to see such accusations and defiling of ones character within this long established source of news and entertainment.
I have known this young woman for quite a long time and felt the need to speak out in her defense. One should never tell only a single half of the story especially when the story is given with a twisted view that it leads the reader to assume much about the person.

Let me start by addressing the charges brought upon this young woman by such a senior Lawyer concerning her helping to free a slaver. Under no circumstances was she involved in freeing this man. Instead what happened was the young lady in question heard a call for help about this slaver attacking knights. As she is a physician she went into the knights hall to see if she could offer her help to those who may be in need. Upon arriving at their Headquarters she discovered the Slaver had captured this most renowned and senior Knight. Feeling this was perhaps not the wisest place for her to be she turned and quietly made her way back out the way she came. The great and long service knight Babak bowed his head to her and let her pass without an argument.

This lady in question has in fact on many turns sacrificed her own financial means in order to help those captured and sold upon the auction block within our Beloved Ireem. She simply chose to leave a situation that she felt was not wise nor safe for her to be within. Especially as this particular knight who was captured within the hall by said slaver had in fact approached this lady in private and made a very unseemly advancement upon her person.

On a different time she did in fact to her own embarrassment set to help a young bedu woman who had been captured by this same knight and another cloaked man who informed her he was making a citizen arrest. When she arrived at the knights hall it was to hear the cloaked man inform this young bedu woman that he was pressing charges upon her person for resisting arrest. Now out of kindness and concern the Lady she asked the young woman how she came to be here. The young woman explained that she had been in her encampment when this Senior Knight and this disguised man attacked her telling her she was under arrest. Now the Lady in question looked shocked for she did not understand the newer laws in Ireem granting knights the right to arrest whom ever they please where ever they please. She informed the young woman that this was not to be and took her away with her. The Lady in fact did council the young woman to go to the Imperitrix to plead her case and clear her record of any past crimes. She truly felt that the young woman should have to answer to justice no matter how old the crime could be. One must still be held accountable for one's actions and choices. In fact when the Lady was informed of her mistake concerning the law, she returned to the Knight in question and very humbly apologized. The Knight in question accepted her apology most graciously and offered her a rose.

Now my friend please do not misunderstand me the Lady does not in anyway say she does not make mistakes nor that sometimes her ideas do not get away with her resulting in mischief, but this is a malicious attack on a young Lady of the Court. One should pause and ask why. Why bring up topics that twist the truth of the situation and make it such that useless drama is convoluted and made to be more then it simply appears. Perhaps my dear friend that one should look to those who seek to defile this Lady's character and simply ask why. What do they gain from such attacks upon her person?

Sincerely and yours in service,
Lady Anonymous

Today, the Chronicles is bringing you the first chapter of a series of interesting articles about other part of Arque. Written by a Xule native, Ai Vaari Maalt Xule. She was hailed from the southern cape of the land, and she has been working on a complilation of Lore from that part of the world which might not be so familiar by our readers. The exotic and vibrant culture and social aspects are richly diversified, and the Chronicles are delighted to obtain the rights to publish them here for our readers

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Part One: Amazonia and Xule, history of Loa worship

The Loa are the spirits of the voodoo religion practiced in Amazonia, Umbra, Xule, and other parts of the Arque. They are also referred to as 'Mysteries' and the Invisible ss, in which they are intermediaries between Ohbeya ( or god)—the Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity.

Unlike demons or angels however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served.
They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service. Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for a distant Ohbeya.

Ohbeya is associated with both benign and malignant magic, charms, luck, and with mysticism and ancestor worship in general. In some nations, Ohbeya refers to folk religions of the Amazonia lands. In some cases, aspects of these folk religions have survived through synthesis with Zin Ray and the Destruxtrix Hora Ma symbol ismss and practice introduced by Perziansettlerss, as well as the Gul of the north . Casual observation may conclude that Hora Ma and Zin-Ray symbolism is incorporated into Ohbeya worship, but in fact may represent clandestine worship and religious protest.

writen by Ai Vaari Maalt Xule