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.
Bizarre attacks reported across the Five States, including stories of defenders gaining supernatural strength
By Adam Parvey
Settlements across the Five States have come under attack this week in a fury that has not been seen in a long while. Attacks were not just focused on one town, but on towns, cities, and even graveyards. The ferocity of the attacks was noted by townsfolk and defenders who came to the aid of these towns. However, aside from the ferocity of the attacks another strange thing was mentioned. “The attackers seemed almost supernatural in their strength and dedication,” said one defending resident, “but I saw a mask fall tot he floor and a cowpoke put it on, suddenly becoming stronger than them!” The empowered defenders used their supernatural strength to fight off attackers with ease. Residents shifted their admiration to fear when the empowered defenders roared and appeared to be ready to lose control once the attackers were dealt with. However, soon after their adrenaline wore off the mask would disappear, leaving them just as they were.
Those defenders that were briefly empowered with supernatural forests could not explain what happened. Nor could they remember specific details of the event. “I, well, it was very strange, like I saw everything I was doing but couldn’t control myself,” said one defender who wore one of the masks, “and when the mask disappeared, it’s like it was all a bad memory.” Fortunately, there were no reports of empowered defenders attacking townsfolk.
Would be thief killed by a flurry of bullets
By Wylie Frey
The town of Tumbleweed has certainly seen better days. Though the townsfolk persevere and continue pushing forward, little external commerce reaches Tumbleweed these days. The nearby Gaptooth Breach once provided a bustling economy in the small town, as folks came from all over the region to take on the dangerous but lucrative job of mining precious ores. Once the mine dried up, however, the bustling economy turned stale and was promptly abandoned by mining interests, including the employees who spent their money in the town. The mining company’s Assay Office was abandoned, left to decay with the rest of the town. Rumors of abandoned treasures in the Assay Office, however, have garnered more interest from treasure hunters than the property has from buyers.
“I heard all the rumors, loose floorboards, hidden doors, a forgotten gold bar, it’s all bullshit of course,” said Sheriff Sam Freeman, “why would a company solely interested in making money leave behind anything of value?” On occasion, however, treasure hunters show up looking for a big score. This week, one such treasure hunter arrived and looked for any entrance into the building. Unable to find an easy way in, the thief began trying to pry open the front door. A town deputy noticed and asked the man to stop. “He didn’t seem right,” the deputy said, “just mumbling and saying he was close.” The thief then pulled his pistol out. That turned out to be a mistake. Half a dozen or so nearby deputies saw the thief pull out his gun and they all fired with frightening precision. “The man stood there for a moment and then just fell to the floor,” a witness said. The would be thief was dead at the scene and now serves as a warning for other treasure seekers: do not pull your gun out on Tumbleweed deputies!
Authorities to close off the Tempest Rim?
By Jane Duran
Following reports of several lost explorers and the discovery of several dead bodies, Ambabino authorities are discussing closing off the Tempest Rim. The region is inaccessible to most and requires pathfinding skills most cowpokes simply do not have. As a result, most explorers seeking to penetrate the Tempest Rim find themselves failing. In a best case scenario, they survive to tell the tale of their failure. Worst case scenario, they never realized they failed because they end up frozen in the snow. Ambarino authorities are looking to slow down the rapidly climbing death toll, though it is not a plan that is universally accepted.
“Tourism in Ambarino is up,” said state Senator Guilford Pawley, “and Ambarino has been hurting for tourism, who are we as the legislative body to stop free people from exploring as they see fit?” Senator Pawley is not the only one using this argument. Other explorers have echoed Senator Pawley’s sentiment. “I understand they want to protect us,” said explorer Cara Blanchard, “it ain’t their job to protect me from me.” No other legislators agreed to speak on the record, nor did the governor.
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Beloved Englishman Vanishes!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
Strawberry doesn’t get many visitors from other countries, why should it, it’s just a tiny town in the middle of nowhere, geographically speaking. It’s surprising when someone from another state visits, let alone another nation. But for the last couple of years, one of the most beloved individuals was a British immigrant named Terry.
He claimed to be partially Scottish, born in England, but raised in New Zealand. He was described as having the weirdest of accents and for having an occasional hot temper. He was also well known for preaching his rather radical opinions on class. But everyone in town loved him; he never ceased to make people smile.
Well, this week, he just up and vanished. One night he went out drinking; the next, he didn’t come back. Many expected him to show up, probably drunk. But day after day has gone by, and yet no sighting at all of the cheery fella. Search parties have turned up no evidence; it’s as if the man has just vanished into thin air.
Local Strawberry folk openly hope Terry is okay, but fear the worst. A man like that rarely fairs well out in the wilderness. If this is farewell, then many residents are glad he had spent so much time building memories with people who perhaps didn’t know they needed a friend from across the ocean.
“Flying” fish spotted along the Dakota River
By Donna Deshner
Several fishermen and fisherwomen have reported fish leaving the Dakota River and “flying” inches above the ground. “I couldn’t quite believe it,” said one cowpoke, “I saw something movin’ out of the corner of my eye and pulled my rifle out before noticed it was a fish floating in the air!” The fish was described as flying through the air as if it were swimming. “I think the damn fish thought it was still in the water,” said a fisherwoman, “how it managed to breathe outside of the water is a mystery to me!” Fish, typically, suffocate once taken outside of the water. They are unable to breathe air and in effect, drown when outside of the water. These fish, however, were said to “swim” through the air without difficulty, breathing as if the air were in face water. Once again, it was Dr. W. Bishop who came to explain the strange occurence.
“Imagine another dimension, yes? One that is massively flooded,” said Dr. Bishop, “now you can understand what has happened, the fish is swimming in the parallel dimension but appearing here, in ours. See, mystery solved!” Dr. Bishop compared the incident to the legless horse phenomena reported to be occurring in the Five States. “It is like the horses, the ones with half of their body missing,” Dr. Bishop said, “only the fish is whole, and breathing in water in a different dimension, very simple really.” Those who reported on the incidents said the fish flying in the air did not bite at any bait, as if it did not even notice the tempting morsels they were offering. Though peculiar it is not believe that the flying fish phenomena is dangerous and so if you see a fish flying near a river, there is no reason to be alarmed.
Proposed Saint-Denis Museum Shunned!
By Sofia Kathleen Fairfax (Lead Correspondent)
A long-proposed project in Saint-Denis has received quite a few complaints from notable individuals and the common man alike in recent days. The project? A museum on the criminal history of Saint-Denis and the Five States as a whole.
Simply dubbed The Crime Museum, the building was meant to house historical objects and events from the founding of the city by the French to the present day. While this sounds innocent enough, it’s the glorification of violence that many take issue with.
The museum’s largest wing was meant to reflect frontier violence and recent trends. But this included statues and paintings of either recently dead criminals or those who still draw breath. Most notably, a small mini section was to be centered on Myra Rose Hart, including the portrait that was made of her. Countless relatives of her victims have protested this, and even her direct family is not thrilled about the idea.
But the museum’s director is steadfast that this wing is critical for telling the story of violence in the western United States, and without it, the project will not continue. Negotiations are ongoing but are likely reaching an impasse. It just draws the age-old question back into focus, how does one discuss crimes of the past and present without glorifying those who perpetrated the deeds?
Untrackable attackers on the rise
By Lucien Privitt
More odd occurrences have been reported across the Five States, this time, attackers who cannot be tracked. Several lawmen have mentioned similar reports from survivors of such attacks. “It is odd, folks say they are shot and then they look around and can’t find the shooter,” said one lawmen, “sometimes they see the shooter but then quickly lose track of them and can’t seem to focus.” The inability to focus on the shooter, even when they do see them, has led to a lack of physical descriptions of the assailants. “They could be different folks, or they could be the same,” said a lawman, “I suppose until one of these untrackables gets caught, we’ll never know.”
The “untrackable” nature of the attackers remains a mystery. Neither the lawmen who have taken the reports or the cowpokes who say there were victims can explain the sudden lack of focus. One would be victim said they had a strange feeling about being watched and dodged just as bullets came flying their way. “I turned my own guns on the attacker,” said one cowpoke, “but couldn’t aim at him, I saw him but couldn’t get my weapons to point at him.” One explanation offered is that the attackers invoke some mystic art which alters the perceptions of people around them. “It’s an explanation, I suppose,” said Sheriff Sam Freeman of Tumbleweed, “not one that makes sense, but I suppose it ain’t just possible that the victims are bad shots?” Whatever the cause, cowpokes are advised to seek cover in stores or train stations should such untrackables attack.
The U.S. prepares for Halloween pranks
By Frederick Vannesse
October the 31st has been a day looked at differently by many. For occultists, it is the following their All Hallow’s Eve vigil, a time where spirits will walk the earth once again. For children, it is a time of dressing up and getting free sweets. For parents, it is undesired exercise. But governments, it is a time of trepidation. Every Halloween in the last few years has seen its fair share of pranks. Each year, it gets worse. “It used to be a few children blowing out folks candles or unplugging lights,” said one woman, “now they are smashing pumpkins and lighting fires!” Police all over the state are preparing themselves for another escalation. “If any kids think they are pranking good citizens this year, they’ve got another thing coming,” said one police officer I spoke with, who asked not to be named. More lawmen are on duty in urban areas than on another other night. “I hope its peaceful,” said the police officer, “but I’m prepared for war.”
Russian poet dies
By Ivy Seager
Yakov Petrovich Polonsky has died at the age of 78 in St Petersburg, Russia. Mr. Polonsky was of noble birth and attended the Moscow University, where he and his friends became well known among the university for their poetry. After graduating in 1844 Mr. Polonsky published his first book of poetry, considered some of his finest work. Mr. Polonsky drew inspiration from a wide variety of poets as well as his own life experiences. His time on the coast of the Black Sea greatly strengthened his preference for romanticism. In fact, Mr. Polonsky continued writing poems of the romantic styling ever as realism became the dominant form of poetry. Mr. Polonsky’s work will live on in the many musical arrangements that have been made to accompany his poems.
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