Thar Shaddin

As you stroll through Marn, you notice an elaborate poster hanging on a nearby wall. It bears the face of an attractive elven woman against a backdrop of Marn's buildings, with the powerful figures of the city guard standing beside her. Her smile is unnerving, and her golden eyes seem to burn through the paper. You notice a stand stocked with pamphlets and fliers beneath the poster. Curious, you push through the forming crowd to have a look.

MARN RESTORATION CAMPAIGN

“For the glory of Marn and its people!”

Marn is Thar Shaddin's beautiful garden, and its citizens are its flowers.

But in order for a garden to thrive, it must be free of weeds.

Ever since its establishment, Marn has shined as an unparalleled beacon of virtue and justice. Together, we've stood strong against the evils of magic and have prospered for our righteousness. Under the protection of our most noble government, our garden has thrived amidst desolation and enjoyed an endless spring.

Yet there are those who would threaten this peace. Briars have grown among Marn's flowers, and thorny vines are slowly wrapping around your children's throats. If left unchecked, these weeds will run rampant and consume the paradise we've worked so hard to create.

The government has yet to officially recognize many of these threats, so please write in and urge them to open their eyes. Put on your gardening gloves and help your government weed out its enemies!

Lady Navarre, Servant of Marn

Protect Your Family! Know Marn's Weeds

You see an image of a demonic gnome reaching toward the reader, with thorny vines shooting from his arm.

As the insurrection struggles against Marn's might, every citizen should become familiar with the agents of Marn's corruption:

The Marn Rebellion: A Magical Conspiracy

The shadowy rebellion against Marn's government is merely a front for the enemies of Theodin. These demons seek to purge Marn of its average citizens and instate a magical dictatorship. If this rebellion remains unchecked, no citizen will be safe. The leaders of the rebellion will stop at nothing to topple Marn's government and usher in a tyrannical regime.

Marn's rebels are naturally deceptive -- unlike most of Marn's weeds, many successfully pose as productive members of society. If you suspect someone you know may be an agent of the rebellion, contact the city guard immediately. We cannot afford to take risks.

Dwarves

These chaotic creatures are the servants of Marn's shadowy pro-magic elite. Many dwarves claim to dislike magic, but this is merely a front for their sinister intentions. They serve their masters in hopes of being rewarded with magical trinkets to oppress the people of Marn, as they are too foolish to use magic on their own. Bloodthirsty and merciless, dwarves are among the insurrection's most violent supporters.

If you have any doubts of their immorality, read Lady Navarre's tragic story on page five.

Gnomes

Gnomes serve as the "brains" of the insurrection. They power their non-replicable inventions with insidious magic in an attempt to disenfranchise you and your family. By monopolizing Marn's technology, they intend to throw the economy into chaos and make off with your hard-earned bishani. Those in service of the insurrection are hard at work creating magical monstrosities to terrorize Marn.

According to eye-witness reports, the insurrection has employed many gnomes to sneak into the homes of faithful citizens and abduct their children. The cowardly rebellion must resort to blackmailing innocents in order to gain support. Several parents share their tragic stories on page six.

Trolls

Trolls, by their nature, lack the mental capacity to question their magical masters. Like dwarves, trolls serve as enforcers of the rebellion's agenda. As most are incapable of realizing the gravity of their actions, they must be shown sympathy and understanding. Advise your troll friends to support the government before the insurrection can corrupt them.

We also strongly urge trolls to avoid mating with other races. While we appreciate the loyalty of our troll supporters, we cannot allow Marn's flowers to be corrupted.

Werewolves and Shifters

These beings are among the most dangerous of Marn's weeds and the very embodiment of dark magic. The insurrection encourages them to use their perverse nature to infiltrate Marn's society as humans. Shifters are frequently used to assassinate pro-government citizens and officials. Werewolves -- easily the most brutal of the shifters -- brutally execute the rebellion's most vocal opponents.

Loyal shifters are encouraged to pledge themselves to the government in order to avoid suspicion. Counseling will be provided to those who seek to live comfortably with their curse. For a reformed werewolf's testimony on the evils of the rebellion, see page seven.

Faeries

Faeries are emodiments of magic and agents of destruction. Fortunately, these creatures are not common in Marn. Those who know faeries are encouraged to report them to the city guard.

WE STRESS THAT NOT EVERY PERSON BELONGING TO THE ABOVE GROUPS SUPPORTS THE REBELLION. THOSE WHO PLEDGE TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RECEIVE THE SAME TREATMENT AND RESPECT AS ANY MARN CITIZEN. HOWEVER, AS A WHOLE THESE GROUPS MUST BE VIEWED SUSPICIOUSLY.

THIS LIST COVERS BUT A SMALL SAMPLE OF MARN'S WEEDS. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT A THREAT HAS NOT BEEN FULLY ADDRESSED, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR NEAREST CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER.

In Memory of Those Lost to the Rebellion

You see a large list of people supposedly killed by the rebellion or its alleged supporters. After each name, the article lists the person's age, occupation, and the race of the killer. Notably, of all the races given for the murderers, only three are human or elf.

This Week's Featured Story: A Testimony from Lady Navarre, Founder and Leader of the Campaign

As you turn the page, you see the same profile of the elven woman at the top of the page. This time, the backdrop is an ink map of Marn decorated with colorful flowers. Yet again, her icy expression throws off the pleasant imagery.

People of Marn,

After reading over this pamphlet, I'm sure you're all wondering who I am. Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Navarre, and I, like many of you, have suffered at the hands of the rebellion.

When I was a little girl, I enjoyed playing with my friends in the streets of Marn. Most girls my age enjoyed playing inside with their dolls, but my best friend Samantha and I loved causing trouble for the boys. Sammy organized a little gang of girls to chase around the boys and threaten them with hugs and kisses. My father in particular got quite a kick out of it, and at dinner our parents would ask us who was currently winning the war.

But one night, Sammy didn't return home from our game. The next morning, I learned that she'd been attacked by a shifter on her way to dinner. They found the remains of her ten-year-old body strewn about the street, torn to shreds by powerful spells. I'll never forget the face of her mother as my father struggled to console her. After that, the games stopped. My father sat me down and explained to me that I could no longer go outside without supervision, and that we'd have to play inside from now on. But it didn't matter. With Sammy gone, none of us felt like playing anymore. Our childhood was over.

Why, my friends, have we allowed this to happen? What happened to the days when we could walk the streets of Marn without fear? The guard does its best to protect us, but our enemies continue to grow.

Despite my grief, I told myself it wouldn't be fair to blame that man's actions on all shifters. Surely not all of them could be that barbaric. But as reports rolled in of grisly murders by werewolves, of dwarves fighting in the streets, of gnomes running family businesses into the ground... my doubts began to grow. Something was wrong with this picture, but I failed to act. Instead of speaking out against this injustice, I told myself that everyone was equally capable of evil and remained silent. I shudder to think what Sammy must have thought of me then.

Oh, but rest assured, I paid dearly for my silence -- in blood. Recently, my father, Lord Vesurian, went to a dinner party with Madam Vendeleur, an esteemed scholar at the University. Shortly after he arrived, two dwarven assassins broke in and murdered everyone present. Hacked them to death with magical weapons, no doubt provided by their masters. My father had always supported the government and spoken out for the people of Marn, and so the rebellion saw it fit to silence him. The dwarves laughed as they chopped the host in her children to bits. When her husband, Lord Modestine, learned what had taken place... Never again do I want to hear a man cry like that. The city guard had to tear him from the remains of his youngest daughter. That he even recovered from such a terrible tragedy is a testament to his strength and character.

Madam Vendeleur, however, wasn't as lucky. I'm sure many of you reading this may have met that wonderful woman at the University. No doubt she directed you to a book you were looking for, our helped you students out on your research projects. Perhaps you read her interview in the Daily Tattler. She had been seeing my father at the time, and his death was too much for her to take. The dwarves took her face and her lover, and then she took her own life. The night after the incident, she threw herself from my own balcony, consumed by her grief. As I looked down at her mangled body, frozen in shock, I considered jumping off after her and ending it all. A world that would destroy such an innocent woman wasn't one I wanted to live in.

But I changed my mind. I wouldn't let those monsters win. And so, I abandoned my given name and became Navarre. I devoted myself to fighting the rebellion and its corrupted agents. I will not rest until our great city is purged of the weeds that would ruin it.

Our government is tirelessly fighting against the rebellion, but it has failed to recognize the true threats that made it possible. Simply cutting up the weeds won't solve our problem -- we must uproot them from Marn's soil. Join me and encourage the government to fight against these clear and present dangers to our society.

Forever Your Servant,

Lady Navarre

A MESSAGE FROM LADY NAVARRE

People of Marn,

When I first decided to announce this campaign, I admit I had my doubts. I had a message to share with my brothers and sisters, but I feared that my words would fall on deaf ears. Who would listen to a naive little girl like me? The night before I had my posters printed, I stayed up all night wondering if I was wasting my time. I finally decided that I had to follow my heart, even though I knew I'd make a fool of myself in the process.

I cannot thank you enough for proving me wrong.

The support we've received is nothing short of astounding. Many have stopped me in the street to thank me for my efforts, but I always remind them that this is not just my campaign -- its ours. We started this together, and it flourished thanks to your hard work and devotion. Our posters now hang all around the city, and many establishments proudly display them on their windows. We've shown the insurrectionists that this is our city, and we won't tolerate their crimes any longer. The weeds are ashamed to show themselves.

But there's still a long way to go before our mission is finished. I want to live in a Marn where I can feel safe to settle down and have a child of my own. I want my child to be able to go out at night and catch fireflies with her friends without fearing she'll end up like Sammy. The road before us is long and difficult, but we will walk it together.

Change begins with the people, which is why I am announcing the formation of a task force. Ideally, this group will function as a city-wide neighborhood watch. It will not have any official authority, and it will answer directly to the guard. Citizens of all ages and races are welcome to apply, as long as they provide us with their papers and pledge their loyalty to the government. Registered magic users are also welcome. This task force will hopefully foster a stronger sense of community and show the insurrectionists that we are willing and able to defend ourselves. A sign-up sheet should be hanging to the right of this flyer.

Finally, I implore businesses and officials that have not yet pledged support to the government to do so as soon as possible. Any campaign representative will be happy to add you to the list and put up flyers in your place of business.

Forever Your Servant,

Lady Navarre

COMMUNITY UPDATE

This weekly bulletin will highlight Marn's heroes and expose its enemies. It will also announce any campaign-related events and fundraisers. If you have any information that you would like to add, please contact your nearest campaign representative.

Shady Business

Lars, a wealthy gnome industrialist, seemed to be one of the government's staunchest supporters. He has been providing Marn's guards with leather armor for many years and was a respected member of his community. During a visit to Peppercorn Sauvichild's shop, Lady Navarre witnessed his true colors when he threatened the clerk with an armed bodyguard.

After some questioning, Lady Navarre discovered that Lars had been extorting Miss Sauvichild for some time. His invoices showed a history of radically unfair transactions with Miss Sauvichild, and he reacted violently when confronted about his actions. During his conversation with Lady Navarre, he showed clear disrespect for the government and the guard and made it clear that he only cares about profits.

The Marn Restoration Committee would like this incident to remind Marn's people that no one is above suspicion, even the government's most loyal supporters. We consider Lars and his bodyguard potential insurrectionists and encourage them to turn themselves in to the guard. We would also like to thank Miss Sauvichild for her bravery and encourage all government loyalists to support her with your business.

Banquet

In the near future, Lady Navarre and Lord Modestine will be throwing a banquet to celebrate the success of the Marn Restoration Campaign and to acknowledge our government's efforts against the insurrectionists. All government loyalists are welcome to attend. The date and location will be announced within the week.

MARN GARDENING FORCE

A crimson coat of arms bearing a crossed sword and trowel covers the top of the page

The Marn Gardening Force is a group of concerned citizens dedicating to preserving the peace and tranquility of Marn and strengthening its communities. Headed by Lord Modestine, it shall be composed of numerous watches dedicated to maintaining order within their respective districts. Combat experience is not required for membership, but is necessary for higher-level positions. As a Gardener, you will be a symbol of the strength of Marn's citizens and their quest to purge the city of its weeds.

Duties will include nightly patrols and dealing with residential disturbances. Apprehended offenders must be immediately turned over to the guard.

Applicants will be expected to pledge their allegiance to the government and provide campaign officials with documentation. If an applicant is a registered magic user, that must be made clear upon registration.

The Marn Restoration Committee encourages citizens over the age of 18 to register themselves on the sheet attached to the back of this flyer.

Elite Guard Applications: Lady Navarre seeks experienced and talented warriors to serve as her personal bodyguards. Applicants should be male, physically fit, between 18 and 30 years of age, and of respectable appearance. Those seeking this position should schedule an appointment with Lady Navarre for inspection and questioning. This group will not be officially affiliated with the Gardening Force, but members of the Gardening Force may apply.

A large banner now hangs where you first saw the poster so long ago. It bears the official emblem of the Marn Restoration Campaign -- a crimson flower with sharp, razor-like leaves and petals against a black background. Fresh copies of the old flyers hang beneath it, along with a few new ones that catch your eye.

RESTORATION CAMPAIGN GALA

In celebration of our success against the insurrection, the Marn Restoration Committee shall be hosting a gala at the University this Saturday.

For a small admittance fee, you may enjoy an evening of free food and entertainment. Lady Navarre, chairman of the committee and leader of the campaign, shall address the guests prior to the feast and make important announcements regarding the campaign's direction.

The gala shall take place in the University's auditorium and the adjacent dining hall, and shall last from late afternoon until midnight. All of Marn's citizens are welcome to attend, provided that they are loyal to the government. We urge guests to arrive early, as you may be turned away should we reach maximum capacity.

Special invitations have been mailed to Marn's dignitaries and outstanding citizens. The committee requests that these individuals respond as soon as possible. These VIP guests will have the opportunity to dine with Lady Navarre and other committee leaders.

The admittance price is 10 bishani, which will be waived for guests who present their invitations. In order to ensure maximum security, all guests shall be searched before they are permitted entry into the building.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Marn Restoration Committee officially welcomes Lord Alexander Marquelis and his son Ashleigh into its ranks.

Lord Alexander, the current patriarch of House Marquelis, has long been a friend of Marn. A dedicated father and philanthropist, Alexander taught history and archaeology at the University for over twenty years and headed numerous research projects. He was a close friend of Madam Madelynne Vendeleur, a recent victim of the insurrection who succeeded him in his research position. Alexander now serves as the committee's treasurer.

Sir Ashleigh Marquelis, a University graduate and former member of the City Guard, has been appointed as the head of the Marn Gardening Force. Lord Modestine shall still serve in a directorial capacity.

Important: The committee is searching for a newspaper that will be willing to print its articles and advertisements. Interested parties please contact either Lady Navarre or Lord Marquelis.

A MESSAGE FROM LADY NAVARRE

Citizens of Marn,

I am pleased to announce the Marn Restoration Gala's success. Your outpouring of support warmed my heart: attendance was far higher than I'd expected, and I had the honor of meeting many of you in person and hearing your stories. Originally I started this campaign solely to address societal issues in Marn, but thanks to you it has become so much more. Together we've touched lives, rekindled hope, and brought Marn closer to a peaceful future. Now more than ever, I stand confident in the righteousness of our cause.

Perhaps you've noticed I am pointedly avoiding mentioning the bombing. Discussing it at length will only encourage the perpetrators, so I will address it briefly and move on.

Many of us lost loved ones. You will find a list of casualties attached to the bottom of this flier. Once the curfew is no longer in effect, the Marn Restoration Committee will host a candlelight vigil for those affected by the tragedy. We will mourn, but we mustn’t cower. Our enemies meant to frighten us, but they've only strengthened our resolve. When struck, a lion does not submit – it goes for the throat.

That is all I have to say on the matter.

In response to Marn's recent shift to marital law, the Marn Restoration Committee reaffirms its support for the government and encourages all citizens to follow the City Guard's mandates to the letter. Be cooperative – if you notice any suspicious activity, do not hesitate to seek out a guard. We condemn any activity that interferes with the City Guard's attempt to maintain order.

This, however, does not mean the City Guard is above constructive criticism.

The Marn Restoration Committee formally rebukes Captain Camulous Smithson for his conduct during the bombing's aftermath. Rather than trying to maintain order, he used a tragedy as an excuse to arrest me. This arrest was motivated by politics, not suspicion of a crime. Such reprehensible behavior is unacceptable from a man of his reputation and stature. Captain Smithson is an accomplished soldier worthy of our respect, but this committee firmly believes his actions were detrimental to Marn as a whole. As such, the Marn Restoration Committee advises that the government issue a public reprimand for Captain Smithson.

I must stress this condemnation does not stem from my difference of opinion with Captain Smithson. Doctor Metarie Sehkhara, another detractor of mine, wasted no time in aiding the victims of the bombing, despite being injured herself. I may not agree with her stances, but I commend Doctor Sehkhara for her compassionate response to the tragedy.

Our movement will soon see a few changes. Lady Lorenna Abernathy perished in the bombing, so her parents, Lord Sors and Lady Jacqueline Abernathy, will replace her on my committee. Additionally, Lord Alexander Marquelis has named me his successor as the head of House Marquelis. He shall remain the patriarch, but I now have the authority to speak and act for the family as a whole. The Marquelis family embraced me as one of its own after my father's death; as their new leader I will do everything in my power to repay their kindness.

My offer to officially assist the government's purge of insurrectionists still stands. My next letter will come once I receive a response.

Forever Your Servant,

Lady Navarre