March 14, 2001

Balle was rich. Unbelievably rich. While in Samsur he had acquired Dranal's carving tool to crack open the Mnemosynes, but the tool apparently had far more uses than its maker knew.

He found the key discarded on the ground near a known Virindi war camp by the Obsidian Plains. A spoil of battle either unseen or unwanted, and Balle happily slipped it into his pocket. It was only later that night that he took out the strange artifact, the twisted rings dimly glowing purple, and thought he saw in its alien outline the makings of a key. He took out his carving knife.

And then the following morning, while traveling along the eastern shore to the north of Wai Jhou, he came across the floating Trove.

Balle now made his way to Tufa, after trading and selling the contents of the Trove in Ayan Baqur. All those rumors of travelers being slaughtered on the outskirts of town actually helped his profits. When people were scared, they became foolish.

His mind still spinning at the value of what he'd found in the Trove, Balle didn't notice the glowing shapes floating softly toward him. Even had he looked up, he would not have known what a Doll was. Later, the echoes of his screams still carried far over the deserted sands.

March 21, 2001

The Hopeslayer has fallen and, as with the former winter snows, the Undead wane in strength and power. Even the Shadows, once dire invaders of the land, no longer bother to curse those adventurers who slay them. Yet despite all sense of victory, a suspicious pallor still haunts the season.

For into this scene moves a new enemy.

Virindi have been encountered, in forces never before met in such aggression. This month marks the arrival of the Virindi Executor, as well as two entirely new creatures added to Dereth's already full and deadly bestiary: Dolls and Marionettes, both corrupt results of Virindi experiments gone fantastically awry.

However, far more has entered the world this month than mere Virindi-induced calamity. For those skilled in the lockpicking arts, strange puzzles present themselves. The solutions? Whether in the Virindis' carried keys or the Mnemosyne pyramids remains to be seen. For those of a more scholarly bent, archaeologists are said to be searching out inspiring Undead lore. And, for collectors and hunters, new springtime trophies can be gained, able to be crafted into unique and useful items. At least, such has been rumored by certain poachers, themselves bedecked in cured trophies of the land.

Truly, Dereth has awoken from its winter hibernation. And whatever forces have been set in motion this spring, surely the Virindi control the strings. The ultimate goal of these floating puppet masters? A force of mystery, as of yet unknown.