The Daleland's Beholder *

Fair Citizens of Cormanthor, Myth Drannor and Shadowdale,

I have returned safely to my dwellings (thanks to some local farmers who provided me safe-haven) to apologize in this weeks edition. This is truly one of the few times when it hurts to be right. As expected the presumed authority in Myth Drannor have balked at the notion of sacrificing what should be a small fraction of their coffers to enlighten you. Now more than ever, it is becoming increasingly clear that Auryne and her Acolytes in Myth Drannor are financially and spiritually bankrupt to your strife. Many of you I had visited with during the weeks preceding the previous edition of The Beholder and told you I would ask for the sum of what, on average, one piece of gear an adventurer/hero spends his/her gold on. I had promised to disburse the fee I requested to the neediest families in the region, but sadly we all knew what our hearts have difficulty in admitting. Myth Drannor doesn't care any more than the heroes that strut past the holes we live in, the dirty hovels, the shame we must endure everyday. Instead of a fair inquiry as to the purpose of the requested fee, immediately (and predictably) the Hero of Heroes casts a paranoid shadow upon yours truly. I have visited the homes and locals of most of the citizens in this region and have you not seen me dressed in like garb? Am I not dirty and odoriferous from the long travels I endure on foot? Most welcome me into their homes with smiles and offerings of a meal. But all I want from you is your opinion, I want everyone to know what it is to be un-sheltered, unprivileged and un-cared for. To them it would seem, you're not even worth one Commissioned officer's field plate armor.

It takes sacrifice and diligence to operate a force of good. But we have seen neither of these have we good people? Proclamations of great deeds done against invading Drow and undead are frequently banner-ed and crier'd. But there are always more, and they always come back. You're the ones who suffer from the lack of perseverance on the part of your "Holy" saviors. They tout good intentions, but dismiss the evil that is rotting away at the core of this region. It profits them for you to suffer it would seem. More invasions means more treasure! Such blatant apathy will endure until you and your families are washed away. Then there will be nothing, to not care about.


It is with great trepidation that I admit something so publicly, because no doubt the efforts of Myth Drannor upon me will intensify. But just two days after your last issue was posted, several attempts on my life were made. Elves, some with Golden hair and some with Dark hair assailed me as I left the dock where "The Boatman" harbors.While I am sure this boatman would have helped me if he had not set underway already (Maybe he knew?), there was no one to come to my aid. This happened in broad daylight, I was lucky enough to slip away due to having a concoction that makes one invisible. I fell into the river and was washed a distance away from them, but before I got out of earshot I heard one of them say to the others in Elven" Come, let's return to Myth Drannor". Thankfully, many miles away, one of my devoted readers assisted me with dry clothes and a warm floor to sleep on for the night. So it occurs to me that I must not mention the names of those who would be interviewed from here on.

Our newspaper must go underground, I will still correspond with as many of you as I can. However, until these attempts have ceased I will employ my associate to tend to your questions and conduct interviews. This person will greet you with the normal customary expression that we share. Hang in there good people of The Dalelands, your liberation will come.

-Spencer Beholder

*Crimson Knight reads this and sends a reply to the so called impartial moron that writes such garbage as he opens it and reads the words vanish and the parchment bursts into flames with a reddish hue*

your so called paper is nothing but a cheap way to use mass control on people you expect a fee to be paid to you when you was the one that came to us..

as such we did not require a damn fee as we are not greedy little harbingers of the baneites your words spread ill and there fore i have torn up all your papers you sent..

and sent you this reply in return keep your garbage to your self keep your lies to your self keep your unfounded rumors to your self cause you are the greedy one that wants gold..

your are an egotistical self promoting bastard that we all know you to be and i will not have you spreading ill will to a town i helped to defend nor will i sit by and allow you filth and lies spread to those in the other towns i helped to save people from..

so shut you lieing greedy zhent arse kissing mouth and sit the hell down.. or show yourself for what you are a zhent puppet spreading their garbage who cares about one thing only bending over for the zhents and taking gold in return.. so go tell your garbage to them maybe the will give you a gold piece for the arse wipe your paper truly is..

your rag paper is nothing more but the proof you are the fool we have always thought you to be and i would not allow such garbage to even be consider to wipe my arse with let alone anyone elses..

*A hooded, masked figure sits up in the trees, reading the newest ramblings from this Spencer Beholder joker. As soon as he finishes, he pens a letter, later posted in Myth Drannor as a public response:*

Quote :

Dear Drooling Village Idiot,

I must thank you for providing me with such entertainment this snowy day. I found your last editorial a real riot; side-splittingly humorous. It was so bad, it was almost like slapstick comedy on paper.

It seems to me... and to most everyone who will read this... that you completely miss the point as to why Auryne declined to toss coin into an unknown purse. You insulted her, her city, and those she oversees - before even talking to her (and before talking to anyone within Myth Drannor as well, most likely). Then, you give her only one opportunity to reply, but charge her a large sum of money. The money could, for all we know, go to line your personal pockets. Or the Zhents. Or the drow. This sounds much like duress and fraud.

If you truly wanted to help the poor and the innocent, you would organize charitable functions. Surely your Zhentarim puppet-masters pay you enough for that, yes?

As to this assault on your person, it is rather hard to believe, simply based upon the fact that everything else you write is either a lie, or a tidbit of reality twisted into something else. It would not surprise me one bit if you were the start and cause of the altercation.

Freely Yours,
~Tel-Corleithien

*Auryne reads the Beholder and muses to herself* "very interesting how he forgot to mention, in his first letter to me, that his "fee" was for the downtrodden and then goes on trying to worm his way out his web of lies. I find that hard to believe after i asked around and never met a single commoner in the city who has received any charity from him." *she shakes her head* "So this man Spencer Beholder is not only downright greedy but now also has a wounded pride, because someone has seen and pointed out his real self"

* she then goes on to openly sharing the Letters they have traded again and lets them speak for themselves, the letters are again posted around Myth Drannor for all to see*

"Citizens of Myth Drannor you can judge for yourselves. I dont think you need anyone who tells you what you should think or not. Please just take a look at the facts. He has already shown his real face. His own writing speaks for itself.

And as a side note you might find it interesting to know that Spencer Beholder, the man who calls us all to fight and destroy the Tyranny of Shadowdale, walks openly and unchallenged among the streets of Shadowdale. Very unlike other people who offer resistance to the opressors, he is not banned from the city and "hiding" like he implies. It seems the Zhents do indeed like his work.

And as always i am there for anyone who needs to talk to me.

With deepest respect
Keeper Auryne Linthariel"

KnowingMeKnowingYou wrote:

"I would like invite the anonymous author, who for no apearant reason forgot to include his name in his article and of course honored abbot Elijah to have a talk with me..
I am always open for discussion and will not turn anyone away.

Keeper Auryne Linthariel."

PrinceOfBurgerland wrote:

This weather worn parchment is simply rolled up and tied with a thin leather cord, given by a young woman with blonde hair and brown eyes to the nearest representative in Myth Drannor. There is a symbol inked crudely on the outside that resembles a Beholder.

*****************************************************

Esteemed Mistress of Myth Drannor,

I have received word that you wish a conference with me and one of your colleagues. I accept under these terms;

All in attendance will be unarmed, including myself.

Only the parties mentioned will attend, this means no Defenders or bodyguards within 50 metres of the building we will occupy.

No matter the outcome of the meeting, I will be allowed to leave freely and immediately at its conclusion.

My fee for this meeting is 10,000 gold pieces, regardless of how long it takes.

I will not leave until all of your inquiries are satisfied or until I feel my remaining would jeopardize my health.

~

I believe there is an opportunity for both of us, I offer you an exclusive interview as a means to communicate to your people. I will have a barrage of questions for you and your representative that directly relate to the disposition of the people of the Dalelands. I am a traveler and a listener, people talk to me and are comfortable relaying what they normally say behind the security of their doors. As you probably know, my newspaper is well read and is growing in popularity even in it's infancy. We live in an age where information; more than steel and spell, is power. I wield the only weapon the common folk of the land really have, A quill. Which means that people will keep reading regardless if you agree to my terms or not. Because they are ready to draw their weapon and strike! Can you guide their hand I wonder? Do you have the constitution to hear what they say and respond? I think you do.

Before I close I must make clear that none of the terms mentioned are negotiable. I must receive payment just before the interview begins. Please know that my associate will continue my good works in the event that I am imprisoned or executed. I assure you she is an adept scribe and edits my work regularly. Your response can be given to "The Boat Man" where my associate will collect from. I anticipate your reply eagerly.


-Spencer Beholder, Editor in Chief of The Daleland's Beholder

KnowingMeKnowingYou wrote:

*Auryne writes a reply to this.. in addition to giving it to Tahandor.. she also post her reply as well as the above letter openly in Myth Drannor for all to see in serveral places*

Dear Spencer Beholder,

i have to say i was more than a bit suprised by your letter.
When i read your "Dalelands beholder" i was a bit sad that you declined to speak to any who are charged with the Defense of Myth Drannor, instead relying on "hearsay".
I invited you to a talk to give you the oportunity to hear what the Akh´Velahr really do.
All in Myth Drannor know that i always have an open ear and turn no one away who needs to talk to me. I hear out all critics and dicuss their points with them.

When i first read your "Beholder" i had the impression that someone is caring for the city and ist well-being. After reading your reply to my invitiation and the "non negotiable" terms, i must say that i have quite a different impression now. I am wondering if you have ever been to Myth Drannor at all and talked to our citizens and visitors.

That you could even think that i might wish you harm, like you are implying in your "terms", is so absurd that i wont even give it a another thought.
That you even request a payment of such a high sum that hundreds of people could be fed by the food bought by this amount of gold, for a kind invitation to hear the "other side of the Story", shows me that your heart knows only selfish greed.

You write about "the common folk of the city" and put yourself on a level with them, yet you request Gold in excess of what some "common folk" will ever see in their lives for just a simple talk of a few minutes...?

I must say after reading this reply, i see your newspaper in another light.

I am writing this reply as a open letter so that all citizens of Myth Drannor can see the greed that underlies your words and understand the real motivation behind your "work", as well as openly making available your reply to my invitation.

I am very sorry, Mr Beholder, but i have no other chance but to kindly decline your offer. I would have loved to have a talk with you but not on these "terms".

I honestly hope that your heart will find love and peace and you will get rid of this burden of greed before its too late.

with respect
Keeper Auryne Linthariel.

*Karovir reads it all but doesn't comment much on it just says* Nothing but garbs? Several attempts on your life? Why is he still alive then...?

Alathra sits in her laboratory, feet kicked up among some chemical bottles boiling with some acid, sipping a glass of wine while she reads this latest edition.

"Blah, blah blah.... well, I wonder what happened since this guy went from at least pretending to be impartial, to being this openly, if not a Zhent puppet, at least a greedy and annoying little bastard. Heh."

A heavily robed and hooded man is seen leaving the temple of Lathander in the dark of the snowy night. Near the orphanage, a sudden gust of wind throws his hood back revealing a bald-shaven pate adorned with a golden circlet. He hastily pulls his hood close and moves with an almost unearthly speed through the Lathander farms, across the outskirts of Myth Drannor to where the boatman is. With his hood drawn low, he hands the boatmen a sealed envelope, a small pouch and whispers some instructions.

The sealed envelop contains a letter to Spencer Beholder, and should it land in the wrong hands (or for that matter, the right ones), the letter reads:

Greetings Spencer Beholder,

I write to you in my personal capacity as a neutral monk seeking to be impartial, and not as Monastic Abbot of the temple of Lathander.

I can see that your articles of late have ruffled some feathers and drawn less than sterling reception.

Yet, if I were to look beyond your style of rhetoric, I do see some element of truth in your writings. The matters you write about are close to my heart though I may not necessarily have the political clout you seek to effect change, if that is truly the outcome you desire in the first place.

I would like to hear you out, if only to balance the unfavorable responses you have been given thus far. If you deem such a meeting useful, perhaps in the larger scheme of things, then we could explore mutually agreeable conditions for this proposed meeting.

Given your resourcefulness, I am sure you would have no difficulty replying me in secret. I look forward to see where this takes us.

Signed,
Elijah