Reaction to Issue #2 of the Runewick Reporter

[Juniper Onyx]

((This is open RP and may provide a little backstory/ancient history to new players. Feel free to add your own reactions!))

Bernie travels to Runewick to check his dormant wares there, and hears the Lizard in the Square, "Jefferson Gray Returns..." Immediately, Bernie runs to the Lizard and tosses him a silver coin, snatching the paper quickly!

A cold chill runs up Bernie's back at the mention of that long forgotten name from the days of Gobaith. Back then, Bernie remembers fond memories of Jefferson as the Lord of Trollsbane, before his father Dusty Bottoms declared Greenbriar's independence from Trollsbane, the Country of Briar, and the tense tolerance of each other which became greater once Hellsbriar emerged. His father and Jefferson held opposite views of what to do about it. Greenbriar protected it, Trollsbane wanted to destroy it. Jefferson had argued with his father many a night about it, while Bernie was in the next room working on his crafts.

After his father died, Dusty tried to repair the fracture between Trollsbane and Greenbriar, and even opened good trade and friendship with Jefferson, before Mr Gray's days as an outcast and outlaw. Perhaps his father was wrong in supporting Hellbriar, because soon all of Gobaith was consumed and Bernie found himself in Galmair. Briefly for a time, every time the outlaw Jefferson was sighted, Bernie was always available to provide trusted, unbiased, safe trade. It was a quite profitable friendship and yet Bernie was never afraid of Jefferson. He would never harm Bernie or allow him to be harmed. They had a bond spanning years that few would understand. Bernie's trust, trade and professionalism was something Jefferson had always valued.

Many had criticized Bernie for trading with outlaws, but "It was just Business," Bernie would mutter to himself, but that wasn't entirely true. He did have a small place in his heart for Jefferson and mourned the fact that he had passed. Bernie shuddered just as he read the part about Jefferson being a Lich. This was new and unknown. Bernie thought, "With Mas coming soon, it's likely all sorts of undead will rise from their graves. Will Jefferson the Lich, remember him? Will there even be a sparkle of recognition in those cold, dark, soulless eyes? Or has he finally succumbed to evil and abandoned all humanity?

Bernie let out a deep sigh, and wondered if this was fate; cruel and heartless. Bernie muttered, "What are the odds that we return at the same time?" He put the paper down and looked up at the sky, shaking his head thinking about cruel Gods and their games with their mortal pawns. Then with a deep sigh and some fear, he moved quietly toward his depot, the paper falling to the ground at his feet.

[Irina Monteira]

She put the newspaper aside with a worried sigh.

She had already read this issue of the newspaper several times and then rooted around in the archives, but she found nothing about this Jefferson Gray.
It terrified her.
And she equally feared for Runewick, her beloved Aswe and all the inhabitants of Illarion.
So far, Letma and the threat it posed had been more a narrative from books.
But she felt the danger becoming real, creeping closer to her.

She had to talk to Aswe about it - maybe it wasn't as bad as that reporter had written.