Seeing that the first issue of the Mystique was so well received it seems
that it is time to release issue 2!

You will notice there are several new sections in the Mystique. If you wish
to have anything personal added in the next edition please tell us! Once
again, if you have any complaints or compliments regarding the Serin
Mystique, please write us a scroll at Herald!

The sections you can 'look' at in the Serin Mystique are:

Hope you enjoy! - The Heralds

Your reporter has heard some totally unbiased rumors that there is some
fear of the up and coming army of Heralds. I quote from a source I do not
wish to reveal "with an army of bards, the Heralds would be quite powerful.
So, watch out everyone, we might sing you to death!

Displaying an uncharacteristic lack of honor, the Knights have been accused
of stealing the Mystics' item, carrying it away, then placing it on the
ground and gathering around it: a trap for a less powerful Mystic...
Dhunpiel, the Mystic in question, quickly spirited his item back to safety
when the Knights became momentarily distracted by another evil.

In further news, the Mad Alchemist of the Mages tower seems to have a bit of
a grudge against gnomes. I would strongly suggest that any gnomes venturing
into his workshop use a protective disguise so he will not recognize you.

Murderers among the Mystics! Saria, a valiant Herald, was cruelly attacked
within the Herald's own Conservatory. The attacker, a mindmage named
Desmati, merely excused his actions with the statement that "she had never
sang him a song." In addition, the Mystic Dhunpiel attacked another Herald
with even less provocation than the previous attack... How barbaric!!!

Serin, I don't know if you have noticed, but it seems that if you follow the
laws and defend yourself in town, you are severely punished for it! I was
slain by the Justice Lord himself, Jeradan, for defending myself from an
attacking ninja (no names mentioned). It was my fault as I was Lawful and
should have never attacked in Seringale, I do not know what I was thinking!
I will warn every law abiding citizen out there to watch out if someone
attacks you in town, it may be your doom for you are not able to fight back.
My suggestion would be to run, because the lord knows that the ones that are
chaotic won't be punished for their wrongdoings!

News! Just today it seems that Legion, Justice, AND Knights have united to
fight against the Demons and perhaps even Malenfaler and his Mystics who
introduced them into Serin. The Demons and any who aid them will no longer
be under protection of the law, and will be attacked by both the light and
the dark. Even Burzuk himself confesses that this situation must be dealt
with. What could all this possibly mean, and what will be the final result?
Only time can tell!

Legion:

The Legion has decided to make no statement to the Mystique at this time.
Quite a shame, for they provided so much in the first Issue! However, we
have heard many rumors that they seek to destroy the Mystics for some
reason. This aggression may be because the Mystic Tayku was the one to lead
the Demons (who are providing the Legion with some competition in the
business of EVIL) into Serin.

Knights:

The Knights of Valour are not yet full. They seek any race and class, but
would prefer ninjas or thieves. It seems that in the battles between the
Legion and Mystics, the Knights have had a bit of a resting period. Yet,
despite all this, the Demons have seen it fit to slay two of the Knights
when they wore nothing at all.

There is also some tragic news from the Knights about the Squire Zorius.
After a tragic upbringing, Zorius sought to become a guardian of the Light
and a Knight of Valour. He quickly was accepted as a squire, and as all
squires, he was put up against the worst of odds which had to be overcome in
his quest to become a Knight. He fought many battles against groups of
those who wished to slay him for his title of squire and overcame every
trial set against him. Yet, even the most motivated of squires must live
through their days to be Knighted. Unfortunately, Zorius could not complete
this last task. Though his body was strong, his mind has been lost in
serving his country against the worst enemies we have ever known. His
faithfulness toward Lord Soluminus the memories of Aberdour and Queen
Victoria, and the Innocence of Hope led him to his grave without remorse or
regret of death. Soluminus has said that "Zorius was one of the true
faithful, he loved this land and was a credit to the Light, having given it
his most faithful service. I am honored to have called him my squire and
let all of Serin know that we of the Castle will remember his name fondly
and for all time." Those who knew him could say little ill about him, and
may he be remembered as an honorary Knight for his valour in both this world
and others. His memory shall forever live on in those who knew and loved
him. *Zorius has passed away serving in the United States Army*

Warlords:

The Warlords are still without a mortal leader, and suffering because of it.
Though the few there are seem to be faithful, the lack of active leadership
has created a void (and lack of news) within the Warlords.

Mystics:

Recently, there has been a great scuffle between the Mystics and Heralds.
It seems that the Mystics attack the Heralds generally unprovoked, with what
seems to be a lust of blood that can be compared to Vampires. Apparently
there is a grudge between a few of the Mystics and Heralds, an uneasy truce
is at hand, but war may be eminent. It also seems that Mystics have been
under attack of the Legion for some reason that is not yet completely clear.


Justice:

The Justice cabal is now recruiting new members, looking especially for
mages such as necromancers, illusionists, and invokers. They have recently
inducted both Gasire and Youlgen. Vaargus and Khalas were both uninducted
for inactivity, while Marth was removed for failure to live up to the
standards of Justice. It has been said that the Demons stole the Balance of
Justice four times and slew Rothen who judicially guarded the balance with
his life.

Assassin:

Rumors say that many contracts have been filled as of late. Continue to
save that gold and contract any who bother you!

Herald:

There are five new members of the Heralds: Saria, Mothar, Craven, Ravarin,
and Grafner. Though there have been many unjustified attacks against the
Heralds, they remain strong, united and one of the most active cabals in
Serin. There are still several spots open, but apply soon, those places are
filling fast! In addition, the first issue of the Mystique was the biggest
hit in Serin since the coming of the Second Age! Buy an issue before they
all run out!

Well, well, well. The first Serin Gossip column! First of all, in this
first juicy tidbit, I have to protect the informant's name, he is kind of
shy at the moment. I'm sure this will change however. This certain shaman,
we will name Captain Insano for no particular reason. Now, Captain Insano
says that he, and a few choice others, are going to RULE ALL OF THERA!
*gasp* I know what you're thinking! Who is this man, and how does this
affect me, personally. Now, I spoke with another Duergar resident Seringale
by the name of Yeral. He says, and I quote, that he would like to see one
of their kind rule Serin, and that this represents the collective hopes of
all the resident duergars of his clan. Though he is somewhat outcast from
his race, seeing as how he gets angry so easily, perhaps this is a large
portion of the duergar community. On another note, Rothen, a member of some
standing in the Justices, said that, personally, he thinks Captain Insano
has eaten too many Magic Mushrooms. Also, Rothen says he is looking for "A
few good ladies" to "Justicate". He says he is quite available. On a...
Related note... A certain Justice, I hear, was killed by a GIANT DEMON
SQUIRREL! At least, that's what I was told. I won't mention his name,
informant confidentialities, but watch out for the demon forest.

A bit of news today. It seems that Marth, Justice by Extraordinaire, could
not send out the command to apprehend one of the demons, specifically the
Demon of Prisim himself. Why? Nobody knows, but this Herald has his
suspicions. On a happier note, it seems Justice had quite a victory just
the other day. Targyth, the Holy Shaman, has been making himself a thorn in
Justice's side for quite some time. He did receive a sound beating,
however, from Gasire and Youlgen. In a cunning stratagem, Targyth waited by
the witch sisters in Emerald Forest for Gasire, and when eh walked into the
room, woke from their slumber, hoping they would slay Gasire. Unfortunately
for him, it seems the witch sisters fear the Short Arm of the Law (Gasire IS
a duergar, after all), and would not attack him. After a long and drawn out
battle, Targyth invaded the Justice cabal, hoping to slay Gasire once and
for all. He managed to get off blasphemy, blindness, and last but not
least, dysentery (this Herald winces, I once had quite a run-in with the
flu). However, during all the chaos, he had apparently not paid attention
to his own grievous wounds! Gasire got off a last stunning blow, then fled,
while Targyth lay on the ground bleeding form a dozen wounds. Naturally, at
this point, Youlgen walked into the room and as easily as a dog sniffs
another dog, finished him off with his special guard. Though I was not
there to see the entire battle, I have all this on good authority from
Eldorian, the Newbie Avenger. One last thing to speculate on, and I am
through. I happened to notice as I was strolling through town the other
day, there are a LOT of drinking establishments in Seringale! We must have
a lot of dwarves and bards in town (I know I personally drink like a fish).
Keeb Miedo, a Herald of some repute does not see this as a bad thing, for he
is quoted as saying that his motto is, "time is never wasted if you're
wasted all the time!" Personally I agree with this philosophy!

It has been heard that since the demons have achieved their fiftieth
rank, they are seeking revenge against all of those who thought to threaten
them in their youth. So for any of you who took a daring chance by
attacking them... Look out! In addition, it seems that somehow the Demons
have come across the wears that were looted from Nadoshi's corpse. Perhaps
the Demons and the Legion will battle and destroy each other and,
ironically, rid the world of evil, once and for all. Unfortunately, this
hope is doubtful, so this reporter suggests that any who wish to face the
Demons should not venture alone, but prepare with a group of hunters to
bring them down.

In addition, in reference to the demons, the very first warnings of doom,
and the writings of a certain person by the name of Studeyr (if anyone has
made copies of these notes, please notify a Herald fast! They may well hold
vital information that, even if it is too late to be of use to us, might
well be invaluable to the generations that live to see the next event of
this nature.) I will not go over the details of those events here. I will
merely list what I have learned and what I knew as rumors to be confirmed as
truth:

'An Emperor, by the name of Grazz't, is the god of worlds different from our
own. The gods draw power from a world itself, perhaps even from the
sentient beings within each world. Thus, the Emperor apparently has
acquired so much power from his other worlds that he wants to take Serin for
his own as well. The Emperor's world must be a harsh, horrible one: in the
very limited talks I have had with his prized warriors, the strange demons,
this Emperor has cultivated his worlds by "destroying the weak". Very few
beings in Serin are a perfect blend of strong body, strong mind, and strong
will. Even the very few who meet those criteria are apt lose all they now
have if they are pressed into the Emperor's service as comforts often make
one soft. To continue, the gods foresee an "ill fate" approaching Serin.
This Fate cannot be avoided, I am told, but its final conclusion may yet be
able to be influenced, if not by mortals at this point, then perhaps by the
gods themselves. '

'Perhaps if one has listened to the stories and legends of the past, this
may sound somewhat familiar. Long ago, a now banished Serin god discovered
the means to travel between worlds. With his aid and direction, the armies
of the other world invaded Serin. Thankfully, the god responsible for this
was defeated and banished. The cycle of history has begun again. However,
this time, it is the work of the god of other worlds that initiates the
contact, contact which has been anything but peaceful. The other god is, of
course, the demons' Emperor, the one who has already exerted some measure of
destruction upon us as witnessed by the ruins of Valour. Now then, what use
is any of this? I had used this pathetic example, but it did seem to fit
well: a tsunami that destroys a land starts a long, long distance away as a
very small tremor. Is not a small tremor easy enough to influence, and if
so, might not the mortals of Serin, should they know the signs of the past
well enough to recognize the new tremor, be able to influence or perhaps
even determine the outcome of such future events with their own small works
and deeds? '

Without this, the history of Serin, the future generations are doomed to our
fate as we are doomed to the fate of our ancestors.

[WARLORD] Vorach vs Fahren

VICTOR VORACH

[HERALD] Saria vs Nadoshi

After attacking Saria in the spider web she was trapped in Nadoshi finds
that the Herald is not as easy an enemy as he first expected!

VICTORY SARIA

[KNIGHT] Naydra and Kindinalin vs [LEGION]

The Legion managed to steal the Cross, and destroy both of the mostly naked
Knights with no personal loss. At the end of the battle the Cross lay at
the altar of the Legion.

VICTOR [LEGION]

[LEGION] Saerm vs [Herald] Craven

In a somewhat short and unbalanced battle, Saerm chased Craven into the town
of Liberty and slew him. Saerm is quoted as saying "We are about power and
fear. And I do not mean absolutely power and fear. We are no Knights, no
Warlords. We have little honor but only wish to see the shocking terrible
faces as we slew those of the weak. Death is only a part of it. We want
servants at our feet and the realms at our fingertips.

VICTOR [LEGION] SAERM

DEMON Dechimeri vs [KNIGHT] Anvangulen and Kindinalin

Both of the naked Knights were slain outright by Dechimeri the Demon of
Prism. Not much of a battle to see here.

VICTOR DEMON DECHIMERI

[LEGION] vs [MYSTIC]

A long battle between several Legion and Mystic resulted in the death of
each and every one of the Mystics.

VICTOR [LEGION]

Well my first question was presented by Heselimilys and basically he asks
about a note he found lying around the city walls, of the fair city of
Seringale of course, and the note said this:

The war rages on. Those marked are to be taken to Seringale. Our lines
weaken as the demons press forth. Send our cry for aid to all."

He was intrigued by the message and wanted to know more so here is what I
know off the top of my head about this (or think I know anyway). Ok, this
message, I believe, is carried by the refugees you see about town every once
in a while, you know, the ones wandering around looking stupid. That
explains the whole thing about those marked. As for who needs help, I do
believe this message comes from what that war that's going on up north of
Timaran (not a nice spot to visit, I promise!) . Well, the refugees were
obviously sent out from the war zone in hopes of being saved and perhaps to
get other people to help their cause. Not too many elves like to let demons
feast upon their immortal souls, of course some don't mind that much. Well
that's the official answer to the question, but I think there is more to it.
I think the refugees were released only to misinform the Demons, and that
Sakairus, the elven warrior guy, doesn't exist because how many elven
warriors do you see? Well, what the elvish forces wanted was for the
refugees to be intercepted so that they might give false information to the
enemy Demons and lead them into making a pre-mature attack during which the
powerful elven mages (not warriors) could cast a spell they have prepared
and banish them all back to the nether hells. Of course, that's just what I
think. So Heselimilys rest easy I don't think this will matter much to you,
just get a mug or barrel full of your favorite alcoholic beverage and go and
visit the Drunken Scribe because like I always say:

"Time is never wasted if your wasted all the time."

--Keeb Miedo

Sehj recently sent me a scroll because he has been having a bit of trouble
with the ladies. Here's what he said:

"Deer Keeb, I have a problem. It all started with one of the special guards
just a little while ago. I saw her, and it was love at first sight. The
kind you only hear about in epic bardic poems, right? But you see... It
wasn't real love. I found another girl, a nice human girl, and thi, I can
tell is real love. The special guard knows it's over, though neither of us
have verbally said so and normally this would not be a problem. But you
see, every time I see her, it's an embarrassment. Neither of us know what
to say! Please help me, what should I do?"

I think he needs to hire a different scribe that knows how to spell dear but
that's beside the point isn't it Sehj? You have a serious problem don't
you? Here's what I think you should do. You sound like the kind of person
who is easily infatuated. So chances are that true love you just found
probably is the same thing as what you had before with the special guard, so
the answer is quite simple. You are never going to find a lasting
relationship so renounce women, move far far away, and join a monastery.
Isn't that just oh so simple? The only downside I can see is a lot of
monasteries don't like drinking, but I am sure you can work something out
Sehj.

--Keeb Miedo