A student newspaper that is part of my “Enchanted Forest” D&D campaign. 

 

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The Giant Statue

by Staff Writer

Everyone knows about the giant statue and I’m sure many of us have taken a field trip and seen it.  I measured it myself a few years ago using certain calculations based on the length of shadows and estimated it at over 150 feet tall!  Here are five facts you may not know about the giant statue.

1. The first recorded instance of the artifact being called The Cursed Statue is during the Vampire War which lasted from the late-1500’s until 1607, when much of the Enchanted Forest and even Dragon Egg was destroyed.
2. It is believed that the statue was constructed in the Dark Ages and served as a focus and temple for an unknown goddess.  She was believed to give good luck, wealth and happiness to her worshippers in return for their faith.  This faith involved torture, ritual mutilation of themselves and others, and ceremonial sacrifice.
3. People are warned against going alone to the statue.  Even touching it can be dangerous!  This newspaper was not able to learn details, but there are said to be secretive guardians at the statue site, who “protect the interests of the Enchanted Forest.”  We are not sure what that means.
4.  Many believe that if the statue is harmed in any way the unknown, evil goddess will live again and bring her doom upon us all.  An inscription from the statue (source unknown) reads, “Death to any who defiles this place.  Death to Him.  Death to Her.  Death gathered upon death stretching forth my hand into the future and the past.”
5. In his 1972 book, Points of Interest in the Enchanted Forest: An Adventure Tourism Guide, Doctor Forcrath Silverspur, writes that no one knows when the statue was built or why it is so large, but in the late 1500’s a group of dwarves attempted to bury the statue.  They failed for some reason and today the statue remains buried up to its mid-shins.

Raising the Dead: Did You Know?

by Thulunil Ummair

Did you know that being raised from the dead is not as easy at it seems, and there are good reasons why it doesn’t happen very often?  First Priest F’Rhogar Goldleaf said that “The biggest hurdle in bringing someone back to life is the person must have a compelling reason to return.”  Normal things like loving one’s family, enjoying life, and so on aren’t enough.  Fulfilling a mighty oath or vow, an all-consuming revenge, and so on are the sorts of situations where a person might be a candidate for the magic.  Thus, “We try and speak with the dead first, cast the runes and perform other divinations to see if a deceased individual will be a good candidate for revivication.  In my sixty-seven years as a priest, I have only seen four successful resurrections and performed only one myself.  Our temple receives several hundred requests from within and without the Forest each year.”

Then there is the question of whether or not the Great Dragon will approve the priest’s request.  This is a simple matter because if the answer is no, the spell request will not be granted.  Fortunately our god seldom denies the request.

Finally, many people believe that if you cut off someone’s head or burn their body, then that person cannot be raised from the dead.  First Priest Goldleaf says that this is not true but declined to go into specifics.  He also denied the efficacity of certain methods we won’t go into detail about here for fear of shocking some younger readers.  He pointed out that these apply more to vampires but even then the remedies are not “universally effective.”

The First Priest ended the interview with, “Those who think that magic or magical beings follow universal laws or procedures are mistaken.  The belief that it is possible to penetrate to the Why and How of things is dangerous thinking, and has caused much suffering throughout the ages.  We’d do better to content ourselves with What, Where, and When and leave Why and How to the gods.”

Coming Attractions

• A short interview with a ranger who has worked with the new special squad that was formed this year.  Also, other special squads from the present and past.
• We learned about the Giant Statue this time.  What about some of the other points of interest in the Enchanted Forest?
• Possibly some interesting art from a talented human artist from outside the forest!

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Staff

Biri “Wondermist” Blackwing, Editor-in-Chief
Thulunil Ummair, Assistant Editor
Ann Wycoff, Contributing Editor
Your Name Could Be Here!

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Classified Ads & Notices

1. If you enjoy what you are reading and are in the Santa Cruz, California area and would enjoy a life of adventure in the Enchanted Forest, you may leave a note in the comments or send the DM an email to the address listed in the About page.
2. Looking for help repairing a recently raised barn.  The people I hired got drunk and didn’t do a very good job.  Will provide food, and beverages will be non-alcoholic this time around.  Also, payment for work will be provided after the work is completed to our satisfaction.  No professional builders, please.
3. Goblin family looking for situation in Dragon Egg and East Egg.  We are skilled at most farm tasks and have excellent references.  Ask for the Gloo Family in East Egg.  Please note that none of us can read.
4. Our family would like to thank Burhe, Blase, and Fursel Moonspur, as well as unknown members of The Red Rose Society for rescuing our father from the Ogre Hills.  May the Great Dragon bless your lives forever!
5. I represent a dwarven concern interested in the excavation of certain, forgotten burial sites.  Our latest project is the investigation of a site causing harm to the forest both by attracting undesirable elements and by the presence of certain energies or forces within the catacombs themselves.  Who knows what effect errant and misunderstood magic is having on the ecosystem?  Leave a message at Levar’s Eyeballs, West Egg or reply to the Gazette.  Sorry, dwarves and gnomes only.
6. Editor’s Note:  There have been many ad requests concerning missing persons due to the recent attacks along East Egg Road.  The Dragon Egg Militia Office (DEMO) has asked that citizens direct all inquiries to them.  Also, we will not be publishing ads involving bounty hunters, vigilante groups, citizen committees, etc.  Thank you for understanding!