Mission Statement:
To endeavor to bring to all residents of the Five States the most current and important news from across the entire Five States region. Never yellow, the Five States Herald vows to serve only the people of the Five States, from New Austin to Lemoyne, free of charge now and forever.
Heralding the New Year!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax – Lead Correspondent
The great ritual of life, the celebration of a year’s end, and another year’s rise. I can’t say with certainty, but it would not surprise me if the ancient Egyptians of old celebrated like this, happy to be alive when the sun rose upon a time. Of course, I do not believe those denizens celebrated as we do.
Saint-Denis has become quite well known for its flourish and perhaps brazen displays of fireworks and other explosives. What had once been the sound of cannons a few decades ago, now light up the night sky in great flashes of joy, instead of bombs bursting in the air.
The men and women gather, and they talk, and they drink, and they do everything the mind and heart imagine and desire. What is left behind, well that’s for the city to clean up, and they shall amid a grumble.
I personally think it’s a silly tradition, only celebrated by those with the fortitude to stay up so late, and with the precious time to afford not doing anything the morning after. It’s just the passage of time, an altogether powerful yet mundane thing. But of course, I won’t shake my fist at anyone having fun.
Mass graves covered, but sorrow not quite forgotten
By Jose Chavez
The rare and heavy snowfall has finally started to let up, but the cool air and blanket of snow remains. Yet, beneath the deceptive beauty of the snow lies a stark reminder of Armadillo’s recent tragic history. As drifts settled across the town’s outskirts, they obscured the mass graves hastily dug during the devastating outbreaks of plague that ravaged the area over the past year.
Local residents, those who remain after the sickness drove many to abandon the town, spoke somberly of the snow’s unsettling effect. “It’s as if nature is trying to bury the pain for us,” said a saloon worker. But others, like undertaker Eldin Grubb, view the snowfall with grim practicality. “The ground’s frozen solid now, but come spring, those graves might need tending again,” he said, “snow doesn’t erase what happened here.” As Armadillo struggles to reclaim its footing in the wake of so much loss, the snowfall serves as both a temporary shroud and a poignant symbol of the town’s unresolved sorrow.
Some were hoping that the snow burying the sorrow would also bury the plague itself. But experts say the various plagues of Armadillo will likely survive in the snow and flourish after the thaw.
Body under ice, lawmen wait for thaw to investigating
By Jane Duran
The relentless winter continues to tighten its icy grip upon the northern territories of Ambarino. Snowfall has rendered much of the region impassable, blanketing the peaks and valleys in a thick, unyielding shroud of white. Yet amidst the howling winds and drifting snow, a chilling discovery has brought a measure of dread to the few who dare traverse this unforgiving land.
A lone traveler recounted his harrowing experience to this reporter after making it to the slightly warmer weather of Strawberry. The traveler said they were traveling down the Spider Gorge and arrived at Lake Isabella. “I was going to see if any ice fishing was possible, but lake was frozen solid,” they said, “but, what I did see reaching up was a hand.”
He described how he knelt to inspect the gruesome sight, unsure if he had actually seen what he though. Brushing away the snow he had a clear view of a hand reaching up in desperation. The unfortunate soul, appeared to have succumbed to the elements long before the lake froze over.
The traveler hastened to Strawberry, the nearest town, to report his discovery. A deputy took the report and has begun to gather a posse. “The fact is that, this person is already dead if they are frozen in a lake,” a deputy said, “and we ain’t gonna be much use presently, so we plan to head up as soon as the snow let’s up.” Once the ice melts a bit, deputies believe they will have a better shot at recovering the body. “If it’s frozen solid, it may be well preserved,” the depuety said, “so no rush, as we may still be able to identify the victim.”
Rising crime linked to Del Lobo gang
By Odell Clifton
Following last week’s report on the alarming rise in violence across West Elizabeth, new evidence points to the Del Lobo gang as the likely architects of the chaos. Known for their ruthlessness and lawlessness, the gang appears to have extended its reach far beyond its traditional strongholds in New Austin, infiltrating the more prosperous and relatively stable region of West Elizabeth.
Blackwater Chief of Police Oswald Dunbar confirmed that many of the recent robberies, murders, and attacks on stagecoaches bear the hallmarks of Del Lobo tactics. “They move in like a storm—fast, violent, and with no regard for life,” Chief Dunbar explained, “these tactics match what federal authorities have warned us about.” Authorities suspect that the gang may be exploiting the region’s bustling trade routes and Blackwater’s growing prosperity as lucrative targets for their operations.
It is not just direct attacks from the Del Lobo that have authorities concerned. “Many attacks are from unaffiliated gangs, small time operations with no connections to anybody,” said a federal investigator, “however, they are far better armed than they ought to be and we suspect the Del Lobo are arming them.” This accusation comes as a connection between the Mexican government the Del Lobo gang is being investigated. US authorities believe that the Del Lobo gang is giving away older weaponry and replacing it with military grade rifles. “They only have so many men, so at some point, will have too many guns,” said an investigator, “but if they can get small operations to cause a bit of chaos, all the better for them right?” The investigation is ongoing.
Treasure hunter falls to death
By Van R. Seldon
A resident of the Five States and well known treasure hunter has died this week. They had made the journey to Roanoke Ridge to search for a hidden treasure at Brandywine Drop. Brandywine Drop is a small, but high water fall that flows into Kamassa River. A fisherman who was fishing at the bottom of the fall heard the scream as the treasure hunter fell. “I heard a holler and looked up,” the fisherman said, “I saw a feller and a horse falling from the sky!” Both the treasure hunter and the horse both died on impact. Investigators found a small camp at the top of Brandywine Drop. There they found enough personal belongings to identify the treasure hunter and notify their next of kin. The investigators examined the area and found a disturbance in the ground, where the horse likely lost its footing and fell. The death was ruled an accident.
WANTED!
Investigators: Travel the Five States and report on what is going on.
Writers: Write the stories investigators find!
Photographers:
To take photographs to be used in the Herald.
Can also do all three!
Federal revenue agents arrested by Saint Denis police
By Aloysius Levron
In a shocking twist, three federal revenue agents were brought into Saint Denis in shackles. Saint Denis policemen say that the agents opened fire on them while returning from an investigation. “We finished examining a crime scene and were on our way back into the city,” one policeman said, “and then the agents opened fire on us.” The policemen returned fire, killing several agents before forcing the three survivors to surrender. The agents were held for a day before they were transferred into the custody of federal officers. Though the details of the investigation have yet to be revealed, federal attorneys say that the policemen are in the wrong. “The story being told is false, the revenue agents did not attack lawmen returning from a crime scene,” the attorney said, “in fact, the revenue agents were conducting a legal stop of a bootlegger, who then opened up fire.”
The story goes on that two of the bootleggers were in fact Saint Denis policemen. The revenuers claim the bootleggers fought them off and forced them to surrender. Several minutes after the surrender, a police wagon showed up and two bootleggers changed, putting on their police uniforms. The arresting officers say this is a lie. “The revenuers are just lying to cover up their frustration,” the policeman said, “they ain’t doing their own job so they are panicking and shooting at any wagon they see.” This case is likely to be wrapped up in legal battles for weeks to come, if not months.
Clashes between bounty hunters and outlaws increasing
By Frederick Vannesse
The Five States have become a proving ground for bounty hunters and outlaws alike, as violent clashes between the two grow increasingly common. From the rolling plains of New Hanover to the arid mesas of New Austin, rivalries born of greed and vengeance are leaving trails of blood and broken lives in their wake. Both sides seem locked in a relentless struggle, each spurred on by the promise of fortune—or survival. While historically, outlaws were the mouse to the bounty hunter’s cat, they are now fighting back.
In Lemoyne, reports emerged of a daring confrontation on the swampy outskirts of Lagras. A group of bounty hunters, led by the infamous tracker Samuel “Ironfoot” Cain, engaged a band of fugitives hiding in the bayou. Witnesses described a chaotic firefight in the mist, with gunshots echoing across the water and bodies sinking into the muck. Other outlaws arrived soon after and pressed the bounty hunters into a defensive position. State lawmen joined the fight and together with the bounty hunters succeeded in capturing three wanted men, but at the cost of two of their own. “It’s a job that takes more than a steady hand,” Cain later remarked. “It takes a stomach for loss, too.”
Meanwhile, in West Elizabeth, the lawless edge of the Dakota River has become a hotspot for ambushes. Outlaws using the riverbanks as cover have begun targeting bounty hunters traveling between Strawberry and Blackwater. One hunter, Eleanor Graves, barely escaped an attack with her life. “They know our routes,” Graves warned. “It’s a game of cat and mouse, but the stakes are life and death.” As violence continues to escalate, the lines between justice and lawlessness blur, leaving many to wonder if peace can ever be restored—or if the Five States are destined to remain a battleground for the desperate and the bold.
The Five States Herald 