York Status

Scouting Report, November 1108

Since the first attack of the Akari, the people have suffered terrible attacks and endured the nightmare of invasion.
The city of York was lost in the first attack and since that night the Akari have placed the city under the rule of their mysterious and dark masters.
The few reports coming out of the area tell tales of human slave camps, with the men, women and children there being controlled to rebuild sections of the city or to fight against their kinsmen when battle is joined with the armies of Albion.

Some even say that there are humans working willingly against their fellow Albiones for the Akari in the hopes of gaining favour with their Unliving masters.

Yet all is not lost. In the midst of such troubles the forces of Albion fought gallantly against the Unliving invaders, rescued the Earl of Chester and held the Warwick circle against the tide of the enemy. Whilst this small force held their ground under the command of the Duke of York, the forces of the York battalion led by the Lord Martial waged war in a small piece of Albion that is fast becoming famous.
Hedgley Moor is a piece of land, just north of the town of ditchit and it was upon this land that a famous victory was won. With forces of the Akari heading south, the Battalion joined with forces of the Nishak, Daemonic creatures that had appeared in Albion a year before and were now reluctant allies in this fight. Together they fought against the Akari and were able to push enough of them back that those at the Warwick circle could withstand the force that attacked their position.

Once this battle was won, a second attack occurred. With orders from the Duke of York and the Lord Regent himself, the York Battalion attacked and destroyed the Nishak interlopers, though their leader 'Honour' was to survive and flee the field.

In one move the armies of Albion had defeat not one but two invading forces.

It is with this knowledge that the people of York cling to their lands with a grim determination. While some move northwards beyond the Great Wall in the hopes that it will grant them some respite from the enemy, others build fortifications around hamlets and settlements

It is in the North of the Duchy that York rallies behind its Duke.

Scouting Report, May 1107

With the Cataclysm came uncertainty in Cornwall. In Alton a strange forest has reared up where none stood before and Scouts report the way through Impassable at present. The Island of Lundy still unreachable via the land bridge and sightings from the ships in the Bristol Gap show the forest covering much of the Island.

The cliffs which mark the stark beauty of Cornwall have become even more pronounced as the Seas crash against them with a force born of the changing of the world. In Exeter the marshlands on the southern edge of Rutterkins wood have expanded making travel by land even harsher in the region and adding to the already dark reputation of the Wood itself.

Caer Pendrinn, Castle in the Sea has escaped the rising sea levels relatively unscathed, which many attribute to the mysterious Dame Melyor of Pendrinn.  The town of Bristol is getting back to normal as people return after the initial destruction caused there and many businesses are now re-opening to the joy of the populace, though travel there can be difficult with the Circle at Alton being damaged in the upheavals. In fact the Duchy is entirely cut off from the transport network as its circles are either destroyed or damaged. This has however, seen a great upturn in the coastal trades.  

Yet for all the happiness there is a sorrow. Rozenwyn Pervaine, Duchess of Cornwall and voice of the young orgaine has been taken gravely ill with some malady of the Heart. Having returned to Caer Pendrinn it is believed that she is being tended to by Dame Melyor and none have seen her outside those walls for many months. As a result the people of Cornwall worry that the voice they so recently gained on the Royal Council of Albion may be lost forever and their Queen put aside for another. Some however are turning to the ancient House of Corvidae, Cornish in ancestry and outlook to be its voice, whilst others see the growing power of the House of Glass as a beacon of hope for the Duchy as a whole.

Of all the Duchies’ Cornwall has long been the least interested in politics outside her own borders. Most Cornish folk are happily apathetic towards the Albion court and feel its decisions have little impact on their daily lives. Community, tradition and local pride are far more important to than directives carried from nobles in other duchies who have little chance of ever understanding Cornwall’s unique challenges.

Religion in Cornwall has been somewhat in flux since the formation of The Trinity. Support for Nethras and The Pendragon grows slowly but steadily but there is still a degree of suspicion about The Hunter, who is seen by many as a warlike northern ancestor who claimed victory over Manannan by force. Worship of Taranis is still strong in some more remote regions and, behind closed doors, whispered rumours of the Lord of Storms’ resurgence are all too common.

Rumours continue to abound about the disappearance of the Mists within the Vale of Avalon, what terrors might it unveil or what ancient treasures may be uncovered. Yet the Cornish mindset remains stoic in the face of adversity. They look to their own and where old communities have been destroyed or displaced, new ones rise in their place.

Scouting Report, October 1106

With the death of their Duchess, York is in a state of unrest.  Although more secure about their future by the coming of many nobles of Albion… there is still much conversation about who will be made the next Duke of the area.

The more pressing new is about the City of Londinium. Although badly hit by the flooding in recent months, during the Cataclysm the ritual circle exploded starting fires that destroyed a large portion of the city.  It is rumoured that all the way up to Wine street is now either rubble or ash. The Albion fleets evacuated many of the population of the city by boat as they were cut off by fire. The more worrying occurrence is that the void energy has brought not only demons to the area, but caused some of those killed to rise again.

In Durham, large cracks have appeared down the Great Northern Wall.  Rumours from Flodden and Uttobourne tell of Celts raiding from the north taking grain and cattle. Although these reports have not been substantiated, old animosities are rising.

The Transport circles in York and Lincoln have both exploded doing minor damage to the outskirts of their respective cities. The Wellspring itself has erupted destroying all in a three mile radius. Residue magical energy left in the area has meant travel there is both difficult and dangerous. None of the scouts that have travelled there have come back, at least not in any condition to speak.

In the city of Norhault the great library has disappeared, leaving behind an Ancient Elven Garden. This has raised the morale of the people of the area and many people have travelled across the country to see the wondrous site.

The banks of the River Ely have burst, increasing the size of the Ely Lake. This has meant that the city of Ely has been trapped on an island between the lake and the sea. Just north, the Hawk Fens are growing in size and farmland as far as Haxby is becoming water logged.

Scouting Report, April 1106

In the majority of York morale is low. With so much time and effort invested into Cornwall and Winchester , it is thought that the young King has deserted their people. The Norhault and York Battalions spent much of their time stopping civil unrest, and trying to make sure that the food reaches the cities.

Like Keswick, many of the people have taken to worshipping wild ancestors to provide for them. Worship of the Mother is at it's strongest in York, but her followers are often shunned by the people and several have been killed.

Like Winchester, people on the East Coast have noticed strange tidal patterns that have scared away fish and sunk several fishing boats.

In Bishop's Aukland troops have ringed the perimeter of the land of Malhault's area. People have defected to his banner in desperation for food and the rumour is that he has some way of getting food in the area. None of this has been seen and very few people who have entered the duchy have bothered returning.

Scouting Report, May 1105

Problems in York are widespread and outbreaks of lawlessness have broken out in most of the duchy’s major cities. Fighting between rival gangs of criminals has entangled many of the locals and death rates are increasing rapidly, whilst the sheriff’s department struggles to keep the violence under control.

The York Battalion has been drafted in to help with the disorder, but they are stretched thinly between guarding the ritual circles (aided by half of the Keswick Battalion) and dealing with this crime wave.

A mercenary army in the service of the Harts has started to move into Londinium. The Northern Fleet has cut off the docks of this self-proclaimed free state, and efforts are made to evacuate loyal Albiones whilst the city is cleared of rebels section by section. So far the army has met only minimal resistance, although outbreaks of rioting and violence have started in places.

There have also been rumours of brutality by certain members of the army against some of the people of the city. Peasants have been found bloodied and beaten in acts of seemingly motiveless brutality.

Morale in the north of the duchy is a lot higher and although the death of the queen has been taken badly the new alliance with their old enemy - the Caledonians - has meant that people are a lot more at ease than they have been for years.

The new circle in York has glowing jewels and an indentation in the altar stone although it does not appear to be public knowledge what these are for. There is a heavy guard on the circle and they have strict orders to not let people near it.

Rumours abound across the city what this circle could be for, and some fear it could be a potential point of attack for Imperial or Conclave attack.