This is your local action gnome, Fimble “badger-nose” Gyrotorque with some news that I’m sure all of you have experienced over the past few months. Have you ever stepped outside and noticed something with the weather patterns has changed dramatically? Maybe you’re now experiencing an increased amount of rain that you’re not used to? Or maybe sandstorms have added an extra bother to your normal questing and adventuring. Don’t worry about not knowing the causes of these sudden weather changes, even the experts around Azeroth are unsure!

Meteorologist from region to region around Azeroth are baffled with the sudden weather changes and have yet to come up with a reasonable answer or cause. Could there be foul play at hand? Or perhaps all the wars and hard times have written a check that Azeroth can’t cash.

Spiritual leaders say that perhaps something has been awaken and now is preparing its attack plans! Silly shaman, when have they ever been right anyway?

With the weather changes, areas around Azeroth that already had severe weather problems have become extra dangerous for wildlife that call it home. The crabs of Stranglethorn Vale have been placed at serious risk. With the changes to wave patterns, the crabs become confused with their mating cycle. The weather also puts the crabs nesting areas along the beaches for their eggs at extreme danger. With the monstrous waves crushing the eggs, they seldom have the chance to develop and be born. The animal activist organization known as Druids for the Ethical and Humane Treatment of Animals or D.E.H.T.A. for short, have begun to act in order to save the crabs from possible extinction by taking in stranded crab younglings and any other animal affected by the weather.

Only time will tell what the cause of the weather changes are, but when that cause is found the Stormwind Press will be there to provide you , the public, with the information needed to be known.

On a side note, our Editor in Chief and Senior Correspondent, Tommas Worth, would like for you to know while our correspondents are working hard every day to bring the day-to-day occurrences to your view, sometimes our manpower is limited and happenings go unnoticed. If you have a suggestion, critique, special request, etc… let us know about it! Your comments will remain strictly confidential.

Have a story you wish to publish in our paper? Send it in! We welcome all articles submitted; however, we reserve the right to alter the contents of all submissions prior to publication. Interviews with our reporters may also be arranged with a simple request via the Drop Box, and our translators remain available should one be required.

Well folks, on behalf of us here at The Stormwind Press and me, we would like to thank you for reading this edition of the Badger’s Den. This is your local action gnome, Fimble “badger-nose” Gyrotorque signing off and leaving you with today’s last thought. If you ever plan on being outside for an extended amount of time, be sure to know how the weather will be for that day. It could save you from drowning in a flash flood or perhaps getting a lightning bolt to the head! Unless you run into a damn shaman…… in that case… always wear rubber underwear! Goodnight Azeroth!

Surely if you have been around the Mage District you have smelled a strong odor throughout the area. This foul odor does not belong to a mage up in their tower experimenting. The origin of the odor is the Blue Recluse, a popular tavern, where this past weekend had a scare when Apprentice Chef Connor Rivers stepped out of the kitchen. While he was out, an unknown suspect snuck into the kitchen and added a foreign substance to the fire place. This in turn caused the flames to rise high enough to set the surrounding objects on fire. The flames quickly engulfed the entire kitchen and slowly spread towards the basement.

Unknown to the general public, the Blue Recluse had plans to unveil a brand new ale by the name of Mudruckers Stout, brought in all the way from the swamp infested Wetlands. This new ale is strong with flavor, but it comes at a high price. Mudruckers Stout contains certain ingredients that if introduced to an open flame, the ale will explode as if it were a large bomb!

With the flames edging closer to the basement, the Stormwind Guard flew into action. Evacuating everyone from the district and heroically dousing the flames before they could reach the ale, which in turn saved the entire district from a disastrous fate!

After all the commotion had settled, we were able to catch up with tavern owner Steven Lohan and get a statement on the incident.

“Bless the light we live in such a glorious city! The lightning fast response time by the Stormwind Guard saved our tavern!” exclaimed the thankful tavern owner.

“What will happen now that the contents of your new ale have been made public? Will there be any discontinuing of certain product?” I questioned.

“Now look here little one, I’ve been serving a large variety of ale for a long time now and the only reported fatalities are at a minimum, besides, they most likely deserved it anyways,” he replied in rebuttal.

Strong words from a strongly odorous man. Well that wraps up this edition of “The Badger’s Den”. This is your local action gnome Fimble “Badger-nose” Gyrotorque signing off and leaving you with a reminder to never smoke while you drink! It could have explosive results! Goodnight Azeroth!

“It was a right grizzly scene” said one of the caravan’s guards, who wished to remain anonymous, “whatever ambushed those solders was a right nasty beast alright.”

Aeldon Bernole of Alterac, a lifelong soldier, has been named Lord Commander by Prince Trollbane in Jerome’s absence. “Our priority now will be to search for the missing Lord Commander, to kill whoever took him, and to reinstate him to his rightful place” said Lord Commander Bernole shortly after arriving in Stromgarde.

As the search for Jerome continues, there has been no word on his whereabouts and nobody has claimed responsibility for his abduction.

“If ya’ ask me” said Keeper Rindol Nadee, “I think that foul orc Garosh is behind this ‘hole thing. That monster is itchin’ to release ‘is Horde upon the Eastern Kingdoms again.”

When asked about his thoughts on the missing Lord’s location or who may be responsible for the abduction Lord Commander Bernole responded “Plenty, all of which are enemies of the state and will be brought to justice for this crime. Let it be known that the blood of the foes of Stromgarde will run as rivers until Lord Jerome is found.”

With the Keepers engaged in the assault upon the Lich King as well as searching for their missing Lord, sprits are down, but they remain determined.

A dispatch to Stromgarde received from the court of King Wrynn stated that the thoughts and concerns of the people of Stormwind are with the citizens of Stromgarde. The note further goes on to say the any information regarding the possible location of Jerome uncovered by SI:7 will be tuned over to the Keepers. Though there has been no official word on increasing security around the leaders of the Alliance many have noticed an increase in soldiers surrounding the King.

– Story submission by Tyndy Sparkles Darksproket

At each festival site are tables fully set up with some of the most delicious foods you will find!  During this week long event I caught up with some of it’s participants. A festive paladin by the name of Serenityrain, told me of the joys of being able to enjoy a grand meal along side her friends, especially in such troubling times where such a commodity is rare. She also wanted me to mention to the festival operators that perhaps a less sweet stuffing should be taught to be made.

Another participant I met , Nardog the Noble of Stromgarde, also stated that Pilgrims Bounty was a great time for families, friends, and lovers to have a great time! What kind of time you ask? Well, a great time to… eat ourselves silly! Also noting that Pilgrim’s Bounty is a good time to reflect on the past year’s good memories and remembering what you have to be thankful for.  Many feel they could be far worse off in these times.

Well folks, you asked and I answered. On behalf of “The Stormwind Press”, this is your local action gnome Fimble “Badger-nose” Gyrotorque signing off and reminding everyone to not eat themselves into a coma! From all of us here at the press, we wish you a happy Pilgrim’s Bounty! Good night Azeroth!

Picture by Minika, photographer extraordinaire.

Bloodshed. Heroism. Treachery. Alliances struck and renewed. Over the course of the year-long campaign to retake Stromgarde Keep, acts of admirable courage and vile deception have been witnessed, but in the end, the Light has triumphed.

After being forced from their home by the Blacktooth Grin’s army, regrouping at Menethil, striking a bargain with Stormwind for Alliance support, and a long exodus to claim Westguard Keep as a Northrend base and reinforce it with its exiled people, the Keepers of Stromgarde can finally start rebuilding their Keep.

Battle at the Keep

A year ago, after mistaking a failed coup attempt on their leaders as an assassination attempt by the Keepers of Stromgarde, The Blacktooth Grin and several of their Dread Horde allies attacked the Arathi-based fortress as a reprisal. The forces of Prince Galen Trollbane, unaware at the time of the attempt on the Grin officers’ lives, believed that their most powerful enemy had launched a long-planned invasion. Preparing for battle, they reawakened old alliances, calling upon the Knights of Dusk and Grim Covenant, and more, as time went on, the Golden Army of the Midnight Reveries lending its assistance, along with new allies such as Bane of the Horde, mercenaries, and many other honourable regiments. During the long campaign ahead, the very best fighters of the Alliance would unite against the fierce clans of the Dread Horde, namely Blacktooth Grin, Lament of the Highborne, Suncrown, and later reinforcements such as Grunts, Warsong Ax Men, Thunderhoof Clan, Thunderlords, and Hillsbrad Security.

After a week-long siege, the Grin overpowered the Keepers, who used a cover of explosions that rocked Stromgarde to avoid being followed as they scattered in various directions to throw off their pursuers. The bulk of the Keeper Army fled to Faldir’s Cove to board a ship waiting in anchor. Several supply caravans, civilian groups, and injured soldiers were transported in the opposite direction, towards Southshore and Aerie Peak.

A Keeper surveying the area

More fighting ensued at Southshore, where the Alliance forces were victorious in part due to the withdrawal of Suncrown. At Aerie Peak, the Keepers suffered a terrible blow, some of their members being captured by the Grin. Based on intelligence reports from their scouts indicating that the prisoners were held in Hammerfall, the soldiers of Stromgarde risked everything to retrieve their own, and lead a successful charge against the enemy to liberate their men, before regrouping at Menethil Harbor.

At Menethil Harbor, after a bloody and hard-fought battle at Dun Modr stunned the Grin army, General Stonemug killed the mighty Yagyu, the Blacktooth Grin Warchief. There, while the Grin dealt with his succession, the Keepers waited for a month while Prince Trollbane went to Stormwind to seek Alliance help. Battle-weary after the flight from their home and fighting, they needed a place to regroup and to take their craftspeople and builders, who had been strengthening the Keep prior to the invasion. Stromgarde had soldiers and crafters, but no place to take them to safety, and the Alliance had need of both at Westguard, in the Howling Fjord. A deal of convenience was struck: the Keepers would help build Westguard and reinforce it, and the Alliance would help them take back Stromgarde. This was far from the immediate resources that had been hoped for and that were sorely needed, but in the light of an international incident involving a fallen Stromgarde priest desecrating the Cathedral in Stormwind and returning to his demonic ways during the negotiations, the Keepers were fortunate to get any assistance at all…

While the Prince remained in Stormwind to continue negotiations, a fleet of Kul Tirasian was gathered to take the army of Stromgarde north to Westguard Keep. Unable to enter the Fjord due to a Horde blockade, and forced to bypass Venture Bay due to hostile weather and attacks by Sea-Vrykul, the army eventually landed in Borean Tundra. More trials awaited the weakened Alliance forces as their supplies were burned and their form of transport ruined. Forced to escape through Sholazar with Nessingwary’s support, they crossed Dragonblight, passing dangerously close to Conquest Hold before breaking the siege of Westguard Keep and claiming it as their own.

Finally established at a safe base where they could tend to their wounded and plan for the next phase of the war, the Keepers led guerrilla-style attacks across Northrend, gaining support and resources, and then moved to more important locations to try drawing off the Dread Horde from Stromgarde.

However, due to a frantic report from a scout stationed near Stromgarde of the Grin unexpectedly preparing to burn down the Keep and abandon it, Prince Galen called in what allies could be reached quickly, and launched a brave, albeit improvised, pre-emptive strike on the Horde usurpers. After a heroic and desperate fight, the Keepers were unable to prevent their fortress from being burned, but inflicted serious casualties on the Dread Horde and reclaimed the Keep.

General Stonemug's inspiring speech at the fountain

As General Stonemug said during his inspiring speech before the forces assembled: “We will rebuild, we will grow stronger, and we will visit our revenge upon the Grin. The new banners of Stromgarde will be dyed red with the blood of the Horde scum!”

Home at last, thanks to the courage, dedication and cohesion with which the Keepers and their invaluable allies fought, the people of Stromgarde can now rebuild upon the solid stone foundation of their Keep, cleansed of the foul Horde presence by fire, gaining in strength and re-establishing their presence in Arathi, as well as protecting their new territory in Howling Fjord. In the words of Scout-Guardian Aeldon: “We will rebuild the Keep, and maintain a major presence in Westguard Keep, in order to work in concert with the Golden Army at Wintergarde and contain the Grin Menace in Grizzly Hills. They will regret ever inflicting this scar upon Stromgarde.”

– Letter submitted by Olinore Wargrave, Public Relations Officer of the Keepers of Stromgarde ]]> http://midnightreveries.com/swp/?feed=rss2&p=940 0 http://midnightreveries.com/swp/?p=918 http://midnightreveries.com/swp/?p=918#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:10:15 +0000 Tommas Worth http://midnightreveries.com/swp/?p=918

Mrs. Aurhia Rumbleshot

The Golden Apple Tavern is pleased to announce a new co-owner, Sir Evan Keeys, Knight-Marshal of Stromgarde. In the past, Sir Keeys has been a great supporter of the Stormwind-based, Stromgarde-owned Tavern, even running it on occasion when Mrs. Aurhia Rumbleshot, the current owner, was unavailable.

“There is no one else that I would be trusting,” said Mrs. Rumbleshot, “with the welfare of my tavern. I am having no doubt that Sir Keeys and I will work as well together behind the bar as we do on a battlefield.”

Sir Evan Keeys

The Golden Apple Tavern is located in the Park in Stormwind and is open to all Alliance, though it functions in large part as a meeting place for the Keepers of Stromgarde and their alllies and friends. Mrs. Rumbleshot takes over the bar herself every Friday night at 7 and prides herself on having, in her words, “the best selection on your world or my own”.

Alliance lawmakers are holding a hearing on Wednesday on the effects of a bill that would legalize, tax and regulate the drug — in what would be the first such law in Stormwind, and the Alliance. Tax officials estimate the legislation could bring the struggling faction about 1.4 billion gold a year, and though the bill’s fate in the King’s court is uncertain, Jaina Proudmoore, an avid supporter of the bill, has indicated she would be open to a “robust debate” on the issue.

Stormwind voters are also taking up legalization. Three separate initiatives are being circulated for signatures to appear on the ballot next year, all of which would permit adults to possess felweed for personal use and allow local governments to tax it. Even opponents of legalization suggest that an initiative is likely to qualify for a faction-wide vote.

“All of us in the movement have had the feeling that we’ve been running into the wind for years,” said Miss Proudmore, who has been outspoken in support of legalization. “Now we sense we are running with the wind.”

Proponents of the leading ballot initiative have collected nearly 300,000 signatures since late September, supporters say, easily on pace to qualify for the November general election.  Jeech and Jong, longtime felweed activists who are behind the measure, say they have raised nearly 1 million gold to hire professionals to assist volunteers in gathering the signatures.

“Voters are ripping the petitions out of our hands,” Jeech said.

That said, the bids to legalize felweed are opposed by law enforcement groups across the Alliance and, if successful, would undoubtedly set up a legal showdown with the King’s court, which classifies felweed as an illegal drug.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming months.

Tip #4

Blindweed

The leaves, when ground down to a powder are great to sprinkle into cuts and scrapes to prevent infection and provide pain relief. An infusion is a great digestive aid that speeds up how quickly your stomach processes, alleviating stomach aches and nausea.  It can also gently jump start your lower system if feeling ‘backed-up’.

For instruction on teas, infusions, tinctures, and salves feel free to ask.

Xary the Apothecary brings to you an instruction on how to use herbs in their natural form in the ways of healing, which can be different than their uses in alchemy. A trained alchemist can breakdown and extract specific qualities of these herbs to create elixirs and potions to assist in battle, but what of the herbs in their natural form? A new tip for every issue! Feel free to seek Xarysin of the Midnight Reveries for any ailments or questions.

A full list of herbs can be found in the Midnight Reveries’ library at Wintergarde Keep.  Permission is needed for access to the volumes.

This is your local action gnome Fimble “badger-nose” Gyrotorque coming to you live from the safe headquarters of The Stormwind Press. In this edition of “The Badger’s Den” I investigated the recent reports of numerous kidnappings leading to the infamous halls of the Scarlet Monastery. A record setting twenty-one accounts of kidnapping have been reported ranging from town guards to innocent children, abducted right here in the streets of Stormwind! Before my journey all the way up to the Undead controlled Tirisfal Glades, I was able to talk to some of the families of the known kidnapped.

The Johnson family has recently been devastated with the news of their eldest son, Fredrick Johnson, who enlisted in the Stormwind Guard only six weeks ago.

“He is a good boy who only wishes to protect those who cant protect themselves. Why would anyone want to take him from us!” stated old man Herbert Johnson.

A more baffled family, the Andersons, questioned why their youngest daughter, Rebbecca, was snatched right off their farm in the Arathi Highlands.

“She is only four in the name of light! What coward would take a four year old child from her family! This family can’t handle another loss, for the lights sake I pray someone brings her back to us!” cried Lady Anderson.

The trek to Tirisfal Glades wasn’t easy but sneaking into the Monastery wasn’t a cake walk either. Every corner was filled with stationed guards and priests who weren’t so friendly. As we ventured into the different areas of the monastery, my group and I laid eyes upon amazing marvels which ranged from beautiful statues to the wondrous stained glass of the Cathedral. But these sights were stained…stained with blood. As we made our way out of the Monastery we found ourselves looking at the citizens of the Alliance who were kidnapped.

The sights my comrades and I laid eyes on were some we will not soon forget. We entered what seemed to be the torture wing of the monastery; cages, torture machines, blood soaked gallows with the remains of the tortured littering the grounds. But that wasn’t the worst part, these mongrels were dismembering the very bodies of the dead prisoners, regarding them as possible carriers of the plague or even to be undead sympathizers. Within the area we heard small cries of a young girl, this girl was indeed Rebbecca Anderson, her body looked as if she had been starved and beaten gruesomely.

Tonight young Rebbecca sleeps safe and soundly on her family’s farm, but what I witnessed during this investigation will surely stay with me for life. I leave a message to my readers out there tonight. Keep loving those that you care about the most, for one day you could wake up and they could be gone. On behalf of The Stormwind Press, this is your local action gnome Fimble “Badger-nose” Gyrotorque signing off with a heavy heart to the families who have been informed of their loved-ones fates. May they be at peace.

Goodnight Azeroth.

The 6-year-old boy who is believed to have tied the balloon to his back before inflating it with helium, said he didn’t give it much thought.

“I just figured I might float up a little. I thought it would be fun.”

Little did this boy know, he would be in for an hour and half trip, traveling up to speeds of 25 MPH at elevations as high as 8,000 feet!

The boy’s father had only this to say, “I’m just glad he’s okay. He could have died today. It was a surreal experience for the whole family.”

We, here at The Stormwind Press are thankful that the boy landed in Westfall unharmed. His adventure certainly was a sight to see.