Caitlin Elopidat

UP: Britannia

    Serpent's Hold - - The rumblings of the earth are a hard thing to ignore, especially when they knock you off your feet. That's just what happened in Serpent's Hold, as well as many other places, as the Zog Cabal tried once again to ravage the people of Britannia. Several were killed in Serpent's Hold, and as if that weren't enough, Several fire elementals appeared from the small crag left in the side of a large rock and began terrorizing the populace.

    Similar reports have come from Minoc and Trinsic, though neither of those cities felt the turbulence much themselves. But nearby to each city a mountain has been scarred, leaving rubble and an open entrance to a cave that wasn't there before. From each of these as well, elementals have poured forth into the surrounding area. Reports indicate that somewhere west of Trinsic earth elementals have done some major damage to the surrounding area, and at least one person may have been killed.

    Both air and water elementals have been spotted north of Minoc, and have killed several local creatures including trolls and local wildlife. It isn't known why so many elementals have shown up since the earthquakes ravaged the landside, but it doesn't bode well for the immediate future.

    The cause of the earthquakes, wildly speculated on since their occurrance, has finally been pinpointed. Early rumors suggested that men in black cloaks were seen in the areas prior to the quakes occurring, performing some sort of magical rituals. It was later discovered that these men were in fact planting reagents, and attempting to cast some sort of spell with global implications. Word has it that they may have been Zog Cabalists.

    This would certainly bear out Lord CrawWorth's theory about the Cabalists attempts to destroy the world and everything in it. CrawWorth did give a short interview, which is reprinted below.

    "'Tis fair to say that the Cabal has finally decided to play their hand. They have hoped for some time to uncover Mondain's spellbook and cast a ghastly spell, known as the spell of Armageddon. Mondain, it seems, had full knowledge of this spell, and intended to use it as a last resort if he did not get what he wanted from the Gem of Immortality. Fortunately he was dispatched before such an atrocity could be committed. The Cabal now hopes to use Mondain's spell to destroy our world. It would appear that they didn't follow Mondain's instructions closely enough, or perhaps they had only a partial copy of the spell, because the earthquakes that they caused were not their goal..."

    It is now believed that Lord British will soon declare the cabal and enemy of Britannia, and they will be hunted down like the dogs they are.

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Sunday, August 9th 1998