First, there was the drought. Villagers and farmers alike complained about the lack of rain and ground water. It's a miracle Radelia managed to keep up a steady supply of ale and wine - which of course resulted in many a drunken brawl.

Then came the thunderstorms. The magical community of Alder Hill tells me they suspect magical influence, and I wouldn't be surprised, I've rarely seen storms this heavy and prolonged.

The Melskhaur embassy was hit by a lightning bolt during the last storm and was badly damaged. Of course, the Melskhaur immediately blamed the Ifrin, and although they have pleaded innocence, the Town Guard was hard at work preventing the looting of the embassy by Ifrin groups. Always willing to seize a chance, our little Ifrin friends. In the end, this resulted in the interim closing of the Melskhaur embassy. We hope that Ambassador Màuhbat will reconsider this move.

There have also been reports of roving bands of Bírdun in the vicinity of Alder Hill, probably drawn to the river by thirst and moving downstream towards our town. I caution all villagers to keep an eye open for these vicious brutes and inform the Town Guard immediately if you see any Bírdun.

Lastly, there have been rumours of increased activity in the old ruins on the far side of the river. Some say that this is due to an increase in the magical field around it, some suspect it is a band of roving marauders and thieves, and I've even heard it say that it's the builders of Onþazkinel come back to reclaim their ancient home. I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that there is no truth to these rumours. I have been to the ruins myself, accompanied by trusted members of my staff and the Town Guard, and have found no evidence of any unlawful activity there.

So, don't worry about things going "bump" in the night, it's probably just a drunken Troll fainting in the streets. Thanks to the ceaseless efforts of the Town Guard, and thanks to you, our villagers, Alder Hill is quite safe.

Thank you for listening, and take care. See you next month!

TeeKay
Mayor of Alder Hill
Fantasy SC