The City is Lost. . . Word reached me late on the eve of the ninth. . . the enemy had penetrated the gates of Trinsic. . . chaos reigned. . . and Hurin was feared slain. Forgoing my studies of the enemy in the city of Wind, I immediately began my journey to Trinsic, arriving there at shortly before midnight on the following eve. What I found there was not Trinsic, it was a city I knew not at all. . . The gates to the city had obviously been forced and a large force of lizardmen and ratmen stood idle within the city. No paladins or soldiers of our Liege even attempted to waylay them. They stood quietly, until their gaze fell upon me. Numbering in the hundreds, I knew there was no way I could gain passage to the city by that quarter. I therefore circumnavigated the walls, coming to the southern gate a short time later. This I found to be abandoned by both ally and foe. Entering the city, I saw only death, devastation and the odd enemy patrol of skeletal knights or lizardmen. Realizing that the city had indeed fallen this eve, I recalled a letter sent to me by Hurin in which he stated that many of the defenders of the city planned to retreat to the Paladin Tower should evil befall the gates of the city. Realizing that this was my best hope of finding allies and the remnants of any defense, I turned in that direction. As I made my way to the northeast corner of the town, I did indeed hear evidence of the battle still raging, perhaps in vain, for the city. Noble warriors, unwilling to give up the city of Honor to the enemy, were perishing by the score. For it became known to me at this point that the enemy had unleashed upon the defenders of Trinsic a type of soldier never before seen in Sosaria. shadow knights they were called, and they were said to fight with a cunning unsuited to the undead. Others claimed to have seen something called a shadow elemental and. . . worst of all. . . the fiery phoenix. . . It was then that I heard the tale of Hurin's fall. . . The previous night, he had stood at the walls at his accustomed post. He stood bravely even when the cloud of swirling death would appear and claim another victim. He stood even in the face of the onslaught of lich lords and shadow knights until all around him fell back to the city's streets. Thus began a desperate battle. I was told that Hurin did not fight alone that night, however. For with him was Konin, a warrior who has gathered to himself some fame for his valiant efforts on behalf of the city. Together they stood side by side through much of the battle. Alas, after much fighting, they were driven back to the wooded park in the center of town. There they were accosted by several shadow knights and a shadow elemental. Finally, Hurin, looking about him and realizing that the city was truly lost, turned and faced his assailants, refusing to give further ground to their advance. "I will flee no more! I will not sacrifice mine Honor for the sake of my skin! For the time has come. I die!" Konin screamed: "No!" Yet Hurin's mind was set and perhaps he grew fey as he saw the city he loved being burned and pillaged around him. He turned and stood before his assailants who swarmed upon him. And, it was then that he spoke those words spoken so long ago in the fields of Beleriand by his forefather. . . for with every swing of his mighty sword he cried: "Aure entuluva!" Which in that most ancient tongue means: "Day shall come again!" "Fall!" Came the sepulchral voice of the shadow knight before him. "Die!" said another. Finally, overwhelmed by his foes, Hurin fell. . . I assume that Konin survived this encounter and lived to tell the tale. Yet I found no trace of him this eve. And, coming to the place where it is said Hurin fell, I found not his body. . . nor any of his belongings. . . Indeed, there are some who tell another story. They claim they witnessed Hurin fighting further into the night, finally falling in single combat with the dreaded phoenix nigh the bank of Trinsic. There, some noble warriors claim that they guarded his belongings from the nefarious thieves and scoundrels who now began to enter the city to prey on the dead. Some of Virtue held the thieves at bay for a time, for they hoped to revive Hurin. Yet I doubt Hurin by that time would have had the will to return to this plane as he watched the despicable scoundrels swarm around his corporeal form, waiting for their chance to pillage his golden armour and mighty sword. For it would have been evident to him that Trinsic had indeed fallen. . . its people had truly forsaken Honor. . . Whichever story be true, I know only that I was unable to find any trace of Hurin during my search, and very soon the battle became heated once more. Those who indulged me by telling me these tales once more engaged the enemy and I added my mystical powers to the fray. Making my way to the Paladin Tower, I came upon the last organized resistance within the city. This small army appeared to be led by one Justin Allard. Before the tower they fought all manner of undead creature as well as the ratmen and lizardmen that were set against them. I busied myself a short distance away, tending to the fallen and reviving those that I could. . . At the midnight hour, however, the very shadows rose against us and the last remnants of any organized army were swept aside by the shadow elementals and shadow knights that then came to the fore. Some fled by magical means. . . others on foot though that meant striking a path through the very center of the enemy army. My good fortune at having remained un-assailed to this point soon gave out, however. For though I made it to somewhat open ground at the center of town. . . it was then that I witnessed the coming of Juo'nar himself. . . Across the bridge he strode, a horde of undead in his train. His visage was terrible to behold, and upon seeing me. . . all his malice and power seemed directed at me through his gaze. Then, all went dark as he assailed me with powerful magic. I am not sure what term I should use for what happened next. For I did not awaken as such. Rather, I found myself floating above the horde of victorious undead. . . and alas! Before me I could even see mine own form. . . singed cruelly by the magics of Juo'nar. Colors seemed muted. The world seemed distant in a way I cannot explain. Yet I was not dead. . . for the world around me yet existed, though seemingly through a permanent haze. Gradually I became accustomed to this bizarre reality and, as Juo'nar made his way to the Paladin Tower, I resolved to follow him. It was then that I began to see the forms of others like myself. . . wispy shadowy figures that also followed Juo'nar. Obviously, these forms also had fallen in combat with the forces of darkness and were likewise held here in this twilight world, perhaps by the power of Juo'nar himself. Upon reaching the Paladin Tower, Juo'nar ascended and made a speech to those spirits who would hear. He stated that Trinsic would be only the first to fall. Further he stated that the dead who wished to remain would be allowed to do so. . . yet the living would never reclaim Trinsic. His speech went on for some time and gradually I began to feel my grasp on this shadow world growing tenuous. Finally, with a wrenching feeling of vertigo, I found myself once again in my own body. . . bruised, singed, and battered as it was. Realizing that no more could be done for the city, I located the means to travel by ethereal gate back to my Order's Hall of Virtue. For it was obvious that the undead had conquered the city. No warriors stood in open defiance of the hordes of the enemy I now witnessed. Indeed, those who survived fled to and fro, trying to avoid the dreaded shadow knights. I myself was at one point chased by three of the dreaded entities at one time. All the while that I sought a means of escape from the city, I saw no evidence that Hurin yet lived. . . yet I had heard two credible stories of his demise. . . With a heavy heart, I evenutally fled the city. Knowing how it would have pained Hurin to see me do so. Yet it seemed to me that to stay would be folly. For whatever reason, the gods seem to favor Juo'nar's occupation of the once fair city. Until this changes, any attempt to reclaim Trinsic by force is ultimately doomed to failure. For, though fleeting victory might be obtained for a trite, that victory would ultimately crumble as the undead would once again rise from the very ground. . . I pray that any force that attempts to liberate the city takes the will of the gods into account. For no assault can be successful without their forbearance.