Sea Battles

[Dezza]

People on the coast North of Hurm yesterday reported a large sea battle fought between several long dark coloured vessels bearing blue flags with the symbol of a silver crescent upon them and three larger vessals. While the Silver cresent is widely recognised as slavers from the east coast of Dreger the larger vessels mainsails bore images of a green arrow on one, a blue eagle on another and a rearing red tiger on the third. Atop the masts on all three ships flew a black flag with the image of a red bear apon it. Reports state that balls of fire and bolts of lightning blasted into ships on both sides before they had closed and violent hand to hand combat had erupted. At the cessation of the battle the ships bearing the silver crescent were burnt to the water line and the victors were seen shooting arrows into those left alive in the waters. The attackers then sailed away from the scene with minimal damage to their own ships by eyewitness accounts.

The news fuels speculation in Hurm that a new Pirate Lord operating in the waters around Northern Dreger has declared war on the Silver Crescent Slavers.

In a rare admission Saviar Morgansen current ruler in Hurm and head of the Seven Swords merchant guild pointed out that he was aware that ships of this Pirate Lord the 'Red Bear' had clashed with ships from the Dread Pirates recently as well sinking several of the vessals of the Dread Pirates. He was not too concerned at present as the Red Bear's Captains have been using Hurm as a support base and made no attempt to cause any disturbances there. As long as this remained the case then Saviar would not intervene.

[Dezza]

Reports came in today that inhabitants of Harpers Ferry heard and witnessed a loud and ferocious sea battle occuring off their shores. Some brave enough boarded fishing vessels to sail out for a closer look. They returned reporting that no less than a dozen ships had been engaged in the battle and just under half of them had sailed away again.

One veteran of the sea recognised the Silver Crescent Slavers flags atop a number of the burning vessels and those fleeing as well. Of the other vessels also retreating and leaving some of their own number behind they were identified as belonging to the Pirate Captain Han Wai Clawfist. Formally a Rear Admiral in the Roldem Navy before it was smashed by Bloods forces.

Observers could not make any calls as to who had won the day.

[Dezza]

Inhabitants of Warek on the west coast of Dreger were shocked and horrified today to awaken and discover a merchant vessel had beached itself on the shore overnight. The vessel had obviously been attacked and suffered a lot of damage. What horrified the citizens was that every member aboard the ship had been strung up into the rigging and then been flogged to death.

The sight filled many with terror and before authorities from Hurm could arrive to investigate, the ship had been burned by locals who were superstitious that it was an omen of death for the town.

Reports now indicate this was a merchant vessel travelling from Northpoint to Dryden carrying lumber and other timber products. A spokesman for Saviar Morgensen, the overseer in Hurm, indicated that one of the merchants aboard was using slaves. Saviar's spokesman also indicated that with the recent war on the oceans between the pirate Lord the Red Bear and the slavers he is not suprised at the discovery. It is a well known fact that the Red Bear leaves no man alive any ship that carries slaves.

[Dezza]

Adding insult to disaster. Today reports have come by fast ship from the west coast of Dreger about a slaughter that has occured on the ocean off the coast of Hurm. Almost days after the Dragon destroyed Hurm a dozen triremes bearing black sails and the familiar symbol of the Silver Crescent Slavers sailed into the large host of ships anchored off the port of Hurm awaiting instructions on whether to sail on or be able to dock and unload their various cargoes.

The Slaver ships tore through the unprepared merchant vessels sinking at least a dozen ships before the remaineder could even begin to unfurl sails and begin to try to escape the attack.

Ships fleeing the area of sea report seeing the Slaver ships dumping large sealed barrels into the water off the coast of Hurm. The ocean had become a sea of blood as the sharks fed on the bodies of the lost.

It seems the war continues on the oceans and that Hurm, once a base for the Red Bear has become a city of death and another triumph for the Slavers.

[Dezza]

Response has been harsh and swift it seems. Witnesses have claimed that for the first time in years the Red Bears own ship the massive Blood bear has been sighted off the northern coast of Dreger overtaking the fleet of slaver ships retreating from their attack on merchant vessels off Hurm. In a short but violent battle the Blood Bear unleashed a barrage of magical and mundane power onto the fleeing ships exacting a terrible toll upon the enemy before turning and retreating to sea once more.

[Dezza]

Report:
For months things have been quiet in the oceans and seas off the west and Northern coasts of Dreger as well as the eastern coasts of Mistone. Attentions seem to have been focused on the plague and the restoration of Hurm. That is until recently. With the new sighting above Hurm of a Black Dragon and its subsequent attack on a ship fleeing the harbour there has come another attack.

Authorities in Hurm have not been forthcoming but the nature of the attack has frightened more than a few people. It seems that as the Dragon attacked the ship that had fled the Hurm port a wave of Lizard men had emerged from the waters of the port and swarmed over one of the Red bears ships that lay at anchor. With them came creatures that struck fear into the hearts of many of those witnessing the event. Several beholders urged the lizardmen on and struck death amongst the crew of the Sea Reaver.

The attackers eventually retreated back into the waters of the bay and no more has been seen of them. The ship was badly damaged in the assault and has been placed in the dry dock for repairs. Meanwhile dock security has been bolstered and construction on the seawall and sea gates designed to control access to the port have been urged to greater speed.  The other Red Bear Ship, the Soulreaper, captained by Lion the Brutal left port within hours of the attack.

[Dezza]

It is reported that the Sea Reaver, the ship damaged in the recent attack in the Port of Hurm has finished repairs and set sail with word that the Trueflight captained by Liselle Arcanbow will arrive within days.

[Dezza]

The war still rages!

Several days ago the merchant ship 'Blue Falcon' pulled into the harbour in Hurm with startling news. While on route from Mistone the crew of the Blue Falcon witnessed the confrontation between a ship belonging to one of the Red Bears captains Liselle Arcanbow and a large fleet of a dozen Silver Crescent Slaver ships.

The crew report seeing the Trueflight launch barrages of fire balls and missiles into the enemy ships sinking several of them before being crippled and boarded by slaver crews. As the Merchant ship departed the area with haste lest they too be caught up in the assault the Trueflight's sails and main mast was ablaze with the crew fighting atop the main deck to repel the slavers pouring over the bows. Two slaver ships were attached to the Trueflight and a truly viscious battle was underway.

The crew of the Blue Falcon fled the area without seeing the result of the battle but earlier today word arrived that a large Slaver fleet had sailed past Northpoint towards eastern Dreger.

[Dezza]

(One week from the last report)

Merchant vessels off the north coast of Northpoint today were sent into frenzied motions to escape a full scale battle between two large Red Bear ships and eight of the smaller, faster and more manouverable Slaver ships. Two slaver vessels were smashed into pieces by the catapults aboard the Soulreaper while another was cut in half by the hullbreaker on the Seareaver.

The slaver ships then closed with the larger more heavily armed vessels and their crews attempted to board them. The pirates managed to fend off the slaver attack and sink several more ships before the remaining slaver vessels fled the area leaving the pirate ships to recover and repair their ships before they took chase.

Numerous bodies have been collected from the waters off Northpoint.