Assassination Attempt Thwarted Head of Elven Rangers Saved | Lords of Darkness Blinded by Justice Evil cultists planned to plunge the Realms into anarchy by the assassination of Teminoe, the leader of the Elven rangers; reports Sosay Gruffnut. Teminoe was briefing a group of adventurers he had gathered to save the forest from certain destruction, when the assassin struck. Questions have already been raised as to whether the assailant was linked to the group behind the demise of Lorthas Varney, the previous head of the human rangers. Perhaps this attempt on Varney's Elven counterpart is in some way connected to the appearance of mysterious 'Lords of Darkness' - the would be assassin was heard to mention them before his attack. The WRG frowns upon rumour mongering, but if these beings are prepared to try and kill upstanding figures without revealing themselves directly could it be they that are responsible for the blood plague that has besieged us of late? These questions will never be answered by Teminoe's assailant. Luckily, both the famed Knight of Serin Sir Balin and the much lauded fencing champion Montgomery Fitzwilliam-Murdoch were to hand to dispose of the threat to Teminoe's life. Although the unknown warrior was determined, Murdoch's swordplay soon foiled his vulgar fighting style, and the victor stood over the corpse of the evil warrior. Never one to hog the limelight, Murdoch extended his thanks towards Sir Balin. 'I couldn't have done it without his aid - it's good to know that we have men such as him to assist us in our struggles against evil.' Elias Demarkus

Clowns! Unqualified Scouts play dangerous game Julia & Veran: Boy Scouts The tragic state of affairs concerning scouting recently came to the Gazette's attention first hand, when we encountered the incompetence and impudence of half rate tanners, masquerading as talented. These ignoble shysters are putting valiant adventurers at risk by fraudulently posing as scouts, without any proper training or teaching. These bunglers trounce around the Outlands taking pay and dangerously leading the trusting authorities and adventuring community a merry dance. When their obvious incompetence shows they are quick to lay the blame on anyone in order to hide their own failings. Well known adventurer Lander, priest of Garl Glittergold commented on his disapproval of these bumpkins, 'It's a shame we have to put up with it.' he said shaking his head in disgust. A dismayed stranger to the Western Realms was alarmed by what he saw. An initiate of the Black Tower upon observing these fools representing of the Western Realms scouts, stated, 'I praise the day when I see a good scout in these parts.' Scouting is an essential element for the professional party when travelling the Outlands, and after all the Outlands is no place for amateurs. We set about locating Varn, Guildmaster of the Dellgate Scouts Guild to ask his opinion concerning these individuals reckless, not to mention potential fatal behaviour. Despite a representative of the Guild not knowing his own Guild head's whereabouts, we tracked Varn down for his views. Showing us around the lustrious Dellgate Guild, the Guildmaster expounded his concerns whilst locking his well stocked potion cabinet,

'These so called scouts should think really hard about joining a proper Guild so they can learn training and respect, so problems like this may no arise.' We at the Western Realms Gazette urge those of the adventuring community and the authorities to question the legitimacy of those who call themselves scouts. Then maybe we can oust these frauds as well as protect the reputation of proper scouts everywhere. Peregrim Bright Dellgate Graveyard Parents killed by orcs? Or just plain unlucky? Give your loved one's a home at the Dellgate Graveyard. Here your deceased will lie surrounded by the many other famous, heroic bodies who rest in these peaceful, ancient surroundings. Such luxury is worth killing for! To have some one buried in our Graveyard please fill in the following details and deliver them to The Western Realms Gazette Offices in Dellgate. Name: Occupation: Race: Cause of Death: Epitaph: Your Name: The Graveyard will soon be open to spiritual visitors at www.realms.force9.co.uk/SR/grave.htm

Saviours of the Forest WRG boys make good At the Western Realms Gazette, we have always felt that if you truly believe in a cause, you must be prepared to stand up and be counted. Hearing rumours of strange forces at work in the Outlands, three intrepid representatives of the Gazette were despatched to investigate. The trio consisted of (Monty) Montgomery Fitzwilliam-Murdoch (owner), Chief Editor Peregrim Bright, and visual impressionist Jolly Molson. Upon arriving, they met a motley band of those brave warriors on whom our lives depend and were soon joined by Teminoe, Head of the Elven rangers. After some initial hostilities (resolved by the heroic actions of Sir Balin and Monty) it became apparent that the forest was ill - corruption spreading throughout the wilds. At this point the true heroic nature of these brave men became apparent - they would be unpaid, and all were ready to give their lives up for the sake of the Realms. Teminoe explained to those present that a Sylvanesti known as Ravantil had become corrupted by an unknown power, and had replaced the mythical Heart of the Forest with a darkly tainted substitute. This was sending waves of corruption out, twisting the laws of nature and resulting in the raising of the dead and the wholesale destruction of Nature. It was up to those present to stop Ravantil and restore order to the Forest. It was barely ten minutes after setting off that the first minions of evil were encountered, the heroic adventurers wandering into a clearing populated by beings that appeared to be the living dead! A short but bloody fight ensued with the walking corpses put to rest. Many more of the foul undead were encountered as the party pressed deeper into the forest. The work of necromancers especially apparent in the creation of a magical trap catching the party unawares. In an unstoppable act of heroism, Montgomery stepped into a circle of apparently magical nature, to find himself mystically transported into the heart of an undead ambush. Divine aid soon came to aid his peril in the form of Sir Balin, and the pair felled several creatures with the aid of swords and exotic fruit. After some time, the group found a blind Elven seer known as Scarlaris, who was accompanied by a mighty being that was

referred to as the Guardian of the Forest. The seer told of the corruption of Ravantil, and offered the party a new Heart of the Forest to replace the corrupt one, if any were up to the honour. In the absence of any who considered themselves worthy, Monty stepped forward to shoulder the responsibility. It was around this time that Peregrim, enquiring about the Lady Trafarian, heard one of the few Elven adventurers, known as Sollatus, speak against his human colleagues, claiming that the matters of humans were of no concern to elves. It is clear that there are many members of the ancient races who believe that the land belongs to them and them alone. Many feel that it is precisely this kind of attitude that leads to ill feeling between races and it is clear that this is one elf who is likely to find himself pilloried should he ever have the nerve to enter Dellgate. The struggle to the Heart of the Forest was fraught with danger, encountering many more abominations created by the heart. On the trek Ravantil was found and slain. Close to the Heart of the Forest a pair of mighty black creatures were encountered. After punishing the battered heroes they disappeared, only to be found again, guarding the Heart of the Forest. The powers of the Gods were brought against them, as the Gnomish priest Lander prayed for a miracle from his Lord. This took place in the form of a cunning illusion, distracting the abominations whilst Peregrim and a Trollball player known as Rasco sprinted towards the corrupted Heart of the Forest, carrying the new Heart. They replaced the evil Heart with the pure one, only to succumb to the evil hearts malignant influence. As its foul energy entered them they were driven insane, filled with bloodlust. The fight that followed was a brief yet brutal affair, with friend turning on friend, but soon order was restored, and the area surrounding the Heart seemed to become renewed. The exploits of these heroes threw up many questions. Are the Sylvanesti as trustworthy as they have always seemed, or are there too many that view humans with utter contempt? Who are the mysterious strangers who seemed bent on thwarting the adventurers? And above all, are there enough heroes left in the Realms? Sosay Gruffnut

Continued from back page Avondale on the other hand have made a solid start, with their great fan following for the team's impressive takedowns. The main problem with the Assassins is that their urge to kill often keeps their mind off the scoring and as with last season, lost out to injury and the banning of several players for illegal kills in their opponents shower room before the game. However we can only speculate as all true Trollball fans know the season will have many surprises and the Western Realms Gazette will be there with it's resident, official pundit, Rasco Ghoulcrusher of the 10 Taverns Dragons with his own valuable insight. On this note the WRG tracked down Rasco's and the Dragons elusive manager Jimmi the Spoon, scouting for talent outside the Lepers Bell, and managed to conduct a brief interview. WRG: You must be pretty impressed with your team's success. Any reason for their astounding rise up the table? Jimmi the Spoon: I'm putting it down to the sheer determination of the boys. They've all worked hard for it and they deserve their time in the public eye. WRG:A lot of people have said that you'd be languishing at the bottom of the premiership - do you have anything to say to the critics that you've proven wrong? Jimmi the Spoon: Certainly - if they wish to discuss the finer parts of the game with my boys then they're welcome to, as long as the Temple of Sheetra isn't going to chase after me asking for donations towards their healing. WRG: Are you happy with your latest signing? (Rasco Ghoulcrusher, sponsored by the Gazette) Jimmy the Spoon: He's doing just fine - he came in for some stick at first - there was that dumping in the Outlands incident, but he proved himself there, as he has done on the pitch. WRG: He's definitely made some fans following his decapitation of the most hated referee in the league. Any comments? Jimmy the Spoon: Speccy Spacpacket was never popular with the crowds was he? It's just a shame that the healers were on the scene so quickly - apparently he'll be back to the game soon. WRG: Any final comments? Jimmy the Spoon: Yes - but all I'm going to say is that I've got a secret set of signings - and these little bastards don't take prisoners. Whilst the fans are left to speculate this mystery signing, we at the Gazette will endeavour to find out more. So far all we can say is that we believe that the signings are in some way linked to the mysterious explosion at the archmages tower some time ago. Caspian Klent

Full Coverage of the New Troll Ball Season Valguard Sets the Pace Champions continue to dominate the league With the new Trollball season underway it hasn't taken long for Valguard to stamp their authority on the Trollball League. With only a few games played, last years champions have brushed aside all opposition with only one loss to their name. Meanwhile the much-hyped new Dellgate line up has done little to satisfy Duke Nazgar's promises of sponsorship with them languishing a sorry seventh. Although the opening games cannot define this seasons champion they give a good picture of the potential contenders for the title and a surprise showing in the upper half of the table is the appearance of the 10 Taverns Dragons. Previously a Sunday league team, their winning of the Killogs Trophy has allowed them to enter the premier Trollball League. Pundits initially scoffed at the part timers presence but from current performance they are a potential bookmakers nightmare. Challenging Valguard for the title spot at present are both the Drakeport Dragons & Avondale Assassins who both have games in hand. The Dragons and their contingent of foreign imports (or more to the point immigrants) look capable of threatening the champions. However will they suffer their usual mid season slump when the continentals begin to get temperamental? Continued on inside back Killogs League Top 8 Teams Played Wins Losses Valguard Victors 6 5 1 Vacarin Vipers 6 4 1 Drakeport Demons 4 3 1 Avondale Assassins 4 3 1 Hohelm Hornets 6 3 3 Tannay Terrors 6 3 3 Dellgate Destroyers 5 3 2 Ten Taverns Dragons 5 3 2

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