Jasper McCarrin

UP: Britannia

    News came quickly that Sir Duquelle was missing. There was no real evidence of foul play, but tensions were running high regardless. Sir Duquelle was nothing if not punctual, and he never shirked his duties at the castle. His sudden, unexplained absence brought thoughts of dark alleys and sharp knives.

    Feeding the feeling that something might have happened to him was the sighting of three strange figures at the castle milling around his chambers. This was right around the last time Sir Duquelle was seen on the castle grounds.While no one was able to say who this trio might be, one chambermaid happened to notice that all three wore the same necklace. A necklace with some sort of black insignia on it. Quite odd.

    Deciding I'd seen enough of castle intrigue, I decided to wander down to CrawWorth's home in Trinsic. Renee, Xarot's wife, had suggested I do so. She had said that he had a journal of information about the Followers of Armageddon. This I wanted to see.

    I quickly located CrawWorth's living quarters. Sparce but comfortable, it appeared as if his home doubled as a meeting area for the local guard. Regardless, I found his journal as well as a few other tidbits. It seemed CrawWorth and Sage Winslow strongly disagreed upon the existence of the Followers of Armageddon. Winslow doubted there was such a thing, while CrawWorth struggled to prove that they not only were real, but that they planned grievous harm to the realm. This argument didn't sem to have been resolved, but the events of the past week or so seemed to bare out CrawWorth's assertions.

    CrawWorth spoke of a man in Skara Brae who knew of a meeting place the FOA used. I made my way to Skara Brae and spoke with him. Not exactly a cooperative man, he did have an easy price. I bought him an ale, and he told me what he knew.

    Vesper. My home town. This is where the Followers of Armageddon had been meeting. When I arrived, I found the place in quite a state of disarray. A hastily executed retreat from this site appeared to have been the chosen exit of the FOA. A few minor items remained. (What's a pundit?)

    Watching over the area was a guard named Morgan. I spoke to him briefly. He told me that he was mostly there to see if any of the Followers of Armageddon returned. And to then try to apprehend them. He also told me that it was widely believed by the local guards that three moderately high ranking members of the FOA were at large in Britannia. He reiterated Lord British's desire that these outlaws be captured and brought to the Court of Truth in Yew. Any who deliver one of these three FOA members would receive a significant reward from our Sovereign. The next question is, of course, where to look...

From the Town Cryer - The Journal of Ultima Online, Wednesday, September  2nd 1998