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.
Masked outlaws wandering the Five States asking a simple question, “Trick or Treat?”
By Adam Parvey
Across the Five States, strange reports have swept through towns and settlements alike of masked individuals carrying leather bags and walking the roads by day and night. Dressed like any ordinary townsfolk or ranch hands aside from the masks, these strangers approach people, sometimes alone, sometimes in pairs or small groups, and ask a peculiar question: “Trick or treat?” Witnesses say the masked figures then flip a coin, and depending on the outcome, either hand out sweets or commit acts of sudden, brutal violence.
In cases of “treat,” the masked visitors distribute candies of unusually fine quality: rich caramels, peppermint sticks, and chocolate drops said to rival the confections sold in Saint Denis’ finest shops. A few children have been seen delightedly clutching these sweets, while others, recalling the violence that followed similar encounters, refuse to touch them. Those less fortunate to witness the “trick” side tell grim tales of assaults: some punched or struck with blunt objects, others stabbed or hogtied. A handful of victims were shot, and several have died from their wounds.
Lawmen from New Austin to Lemoyne are baffled. There is no pattern to the attacks—no clear motive, no consistent description beyond the masks and the leather bags. Some sheriffs suspect a band of outlaws playing on local superstitions, while others fear a growing, organized cult spreading chaos for amusement. Town meetings have turned tense, with citizens arming themselves and travelers being eyed with suspicion, especially if they carry a bag or wear a scarf over their face.
Despite patrols and investigations, not a single perpetrator has been caught. The masked figures appear, perform their grisly coin toss, and vanish without a trace. As autumn deepens and word of their deeds travels, many across the Five States have begun locking doors early and warning children to steer clear of any stranger asking for a “trick or treat.”
Poppy demand soars and drives gatherers to New Austin
By Jose Chavez
In New Austin, travelers and locals alike have been seen scouring the plains, gathering wild prairie poppies by the armful. The sudden rush began after word spread that an unknown buyer was offering gold for the flowers, more than most make in a week of honest labor. Wagons loaded with poppies have been spotted heading toward the desert edge, where, according to rumor, a man dressed in black pays out of a heavy coin purse and asks no questions.
While the trade has stirred excitement, it has also drawn suspicion. Some claim the mysterious buyer is using the poppies to produce opium, a drug gaining quiet popularity in the larger towns and cities. Yet without evidence, lawmen admit there is little they can do; picking and selling the flowers is not against the law. For now, the plains are dotted with bent backs and burlap sacks, as fortune-seekers pluck the bright yellow blooms beneath the unrelenting New Austin sun, hoping gold still grows from the ground.
Woman avoids her horse’s fate thanks to good Samaritan
By Jane Duran
A woman traveling in Ambarino says a good Samaritan saved her life after her horse collapsed after succumbing the cold near Barrow Lagoon, the small frozen lake known for claiming travelers year around. Stranded and freezing, she feared she would not survive the night until a stranger appeared on horseback, offering her warmth and safe escort back to her cabin. The mysterious rescuer left without giving a name, but the woman says she’ll never forget the act, calling it proof that kindness and decency still live on in the harsh wilderness of the Five States.
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Trader delays delivery without explanation
By Odell Clifton
In Blackwater, a frustrated buyer is voicing his anger after what he called the most “nonsensical delay” he’s ever seen. His ordered shipment arrived hours late, though the driver had been spotted several times that same day, circling through town and even making loops across the Great Plains. “I am reasonable, I know delays can happen,” the buyer told reporters, “but I saw them driving that wagon around in circles in and out of town!”
When the trader finally arrived, dusty and expressionless, they offered neither an explanation nor an apology, and certainly no discount. Locals speculate they may have been lost, confused, or avoiding someone on the road, though none of those theories have been confirmed. The odd scene has become a bit of local gossip, with townsfolk joking that the trader must have been trying to wear down the wagon wheels before making the delivery.
Man survives horrific beating
By Donna Deshner
A man was found just off a road in the Heartland, beaten nearly to death and left in the dirt. Ranch hands headed to Valentine for supplies discovered him early one morning, barely breathing and unable to move. They rushed him to the Valentine doctor, who said it was a miracle the man survived at all. For several days he drifted in and out of consciousness, too weak to speak. When he finally awoke, he described a horrific ordeal that has left townsfolk shaken.
According to his account, he had been ambushed on the road and dragged to an open field. There, several individuals tied him up and mocked him, saying they wanted to see “who could kick him to the other side first.” What followed, the man said, was a cruel game. He was kicked and stomped repeatedly until he lost consciousness. He remembered the sound of laughter before everything went black. Investigators found wagon tracks forming a loose circle at the site, suggesting the participants parked their vehicles to mark the “arena” for the event.
The man remains under the care of Valentine’s doctor, suffering from two broken ribs, deep bruises, and several missing teeth. Lawmen are searching for anyone who might have seen a group traveling together that night, but so far no leads have surfaced. Locals are growing fearful that they could be the next victim of this cruel “game.”
Strange Woman in Lemoyne Swamp?
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax – Lead Correspondent
There are many reports of strange people in the swamps and bayous of Lemoyne, especially as the months grow short and the cold sets in. There are, of course, the legends of Agnes Dowd, the ghost of Bluewater Marsh, and the more recent Kamassa Witch, but new tales continue to emerge.
One such story is of a woman in a long gown being seen near a model church. She speaks clearly and properly, gesturing at strangers to come closer. Nobody has, either out of business, paranoia of the Night Folk, or just straight up fear of the woman. It always happens after midnight, and always in the same area. One passerby found it odd that she didn’t seem to shiver, despite wearing only a gown.
Another stranger noted that she politely said her name was Geraldine. A cursory glance at burials and baptisms in the region doesn’t show a woman under that name, at least not in the 19th century. The gown is also described as being from a different century. One local in Saint-Denis said this all sounded similar to a poem she heard long ago, of a strange woman from the forest under the same name, who could not feel the cold, whose presence caused flames to grow, and all who spoke to her seemed to fall under her spell.
What stalks those gloomy marshes at night is anyone’s guess. Imagination? Ghosts? A centuries-old being from across the seas? If anything walks among those old trees, it doesn’t walk alone.
Naturalists angered over hunting tactic gaining popularity in the Five States
By Ivy Seager
Naturalists across the Five States are voicing outrage over a brutal hunting trend spreading through the frontier. Hunters have begun using throwing weapons such as knives and hatchets to bring down animals instead of relying on rifles or bows. To naturalists, who already condemn the killing of wildlife for sport or profit, this method is especially cruel. “They do not die instantly, they feel pain, they suffer,” one protester said, arguing that such tactics show a disturbing disregard for the lives of the creatures that roam the land.
No one is quite sure why the practice has become more common. Some claim it is a test of skill while others say it is simply a way to conserve ammunition. While a few hunters boast of felling deer or coyotes with a single, well-placed throw, most admit it takes several hits before an animal goes down. This often leaves the carcass bloodied and the hide too damaged to sell. Even among seasoned trappers, many agree the so-called “throwing sport” has done nothing but increase suffering and waste on the frontier.
The Five States Herald 