Keystone City News Scroll

September 18th

 

Freelands' Troops "Sent to their deaths!"

 

Following the collapse of the Fortitude talks as covered in News Scroll dated September 11th, the first minister, Tarwin Goldwood last week authorised the launch of a military fleet, targeted upon the Lordenor town of Scarport, despite three of the senior ministers voting against the move.

It was a bright morning when the fleet returned, the sunlight shimmering upon the blue waters near Northbrough headland. Little did the local inhabitants of know that within moments of the navy ships docking at their peaceful port they would be immediately swamped with casualties of a battle they had known nothing about. Unable to cope with the massive influx, the town's doctor and two nurses reacted admirably, moving casualties to shelter in temples, churches, and even public houses.

"I can't believe the number of casualties," said one of the nurses as she hurried past with a tired expression, her arms full of bandages and trailing a number of volunteers. "They just keep coming! What the [expletive removed] were they playing at sending these poor men and women out?"

Though details of the matter have remained under wraps until now, with the return of the fleet we are able to confirm that three hundred Freelands' troops launched on September 14th, carried by two navy warships and escorted by three light frigates. A headcount of those returning to Northbrough suggested that only ninety have returned alive, and more than half of those are seriously wounded.

Upon receipt of this news, KCNS immediately contacted the Freelands Council to ask for an explanation. Acting as spokesperson, Yventanya Brightbark, the sciurel minister, informed us that the decision had been taken when leaving the Fortitude talks to launch an immediate counter strike upon Lordenor, in retaliation for the increasing number of attacks against Freelands shipping lanes and coastal towns. Although willing to talk, Minister Brightbark admitted that she was unable to give us any details about the attack, and revealed that she along with Vellian Ashwood and Nuna Grassblade, the vulpani and muscai ministers, had voted against the action. Supporting the launch were Silas Swiftplains, Seleya Chase, Romon Silverwater, Jaros Wainwright, and Fenisha Rockden, the leonin, lupari, lutrani, human and ursai ministers.

Minister Brightbark has expressed her deepest sympathies for the families of the casualties, and confirmed that one of those lost was Gero Silverwater, nephew to the lutrani minister.

Despite this, Minister Silverwater himself has shown no sign of withdrawing his support for First Minister Goldwood's war campaign, making the comment in that, "I voted for the strike because I thought it was the right thing to do. Irontooth is a growing threat to our people, and cannot be ignored." When asked whether that meant he would still have voted as he had if he had known the outcome, his expression became cold. "Of course not," he stated. "I would have voted to attack another target instead, and I would still not have withdrawn my nephew from his regiment. He was a soldier to the core, he chose his path, and his duty, and not even death prevented him from performing it."

KCNS expresses its sympathy to Minister Silverwater, and his family, and wish to state their admiration for his dedication to duty despite his personal loss.