June 1st, Year 71 - State of Hardholme Address

-- It has been 6 months since the Arrival of the 71st. --

Over the last several days you have noticed strange posters floating around The Reach, and several other places in town:

"Vera’s Mid-Year State of Hardholme Address at Town Green!"

It’s dated for this afternoon, and doesn’t seem like something to be missed. Heading to the Town Green, you can see most of your friends from the 71st and the 70th on their way as well. There is a small wooden stage assembled with a crowd gathering. The Town Council is all here; most of Hardholme is. Before long, Vera of the 3rd is introduced, and walks out on stage - she stands on a large box; she’s a Gnome after-all.

''”Citizens of Hardholme! Good afternoon! I have gathered you here today for two important pieces of news. The first, and perhaps most troubling news I have heard in a very long time. Citizens of Hardholme, I present to you the Slayer of Steepridge.”''

Dar of the 15th walks on stage with Jondry - the Slayer of Steepridge in tow. Jondry has a chain around his next, he limps slowly behind Dar. Jondry’s eyes look empty - the Dragonborn’s left arm swings flaccidly as he limps along, dragging his left leg. Dar aggressively shoves him to the front of the stage, removing the chain from his neck, for all the crowd to see. He stands there, wobbly, with dead eyes - the Dragonborn doesn’t seem to know where he is.

''”My husband, Dar; Hero of the 15th Year has finally brought this monster to justice. How, you might ask? The Slayer has been spending his days and nights right here in Hardholme! For years! Troubling news, indeed. I assure you all, the Town Council will be investigating just how this monster was able to live right under our noses for so long. ''I promise you, here and now, Arrivals of Hardholme - old and new; we will find the traitors who aided and abetted this monster and bring them to justice. We cannot allow this demon another morning here in Hardholme, though. He was expelled from Hardholme once - you can see clearly just how well that worked. ''Over the last several days, we have tried to extract information from the Slayer - though he is as purely evil as you would suspect. He has given us nothing. The Council has decided that only one option remains. Dar, if you would?”''

Before Vera can finish her sentence, Dar has knocked Jondry to his knees. In an instant, Dar pulls the giant two-handed hammer off his back. With precious little effort, the hammer severs Jondry’s head and neck - snapping them from the body like a dry twig - with a chilling, crisp crack. Vera winces. Jondry’s headless body convulses and squirms while Dar grabs and lifts the head and neck. The crowd cheers - though you can see many are also silent. Several Orcs come on stage and remove the body of Jondry, Dar exits with the head-and-neck in hand.

''”Justice has finally come for the poor orphans who lost their lives to that horrible creature 17 years ago. Let Davros itself know and mourn them. On to the second piece of news. My fellow Hardholmians; we are entering a new age. The Pioneer’s Guild has been hard at work on a great many things - not the least of which I will present to you today.”''

Several people scurry on stage; pushing and dragging an object, covered in a sheet. It is placed center stage, over the pool of blood left from Jondry’s execution.

''”Deep in the Gem Mines, we have discovered an incredibly rare new elemental metal - Veranium! This metal holds in it an innate magical energy… an exploitable magic energy! A  renewable power source! Forgive me if I’m getting carried away with the technicalities of this. My fellow Arrivals; today we usher in a new paradigm. Hardholme will enter into a new age of security!” The people around the large object rip the sheet away, revealing a metal humanoid made up of all kinds of different parts. Vera approaches the side of it and snaps a switch into place; the large object begins to faintly hum and glow a light blue color. The crowd roars in applause - ooh’s and aah’s wash excitedly across the aural landscape.

''”The Pioneer’s Guild currently has plans to add a dozen of these Defenders to the completed palisade project - a project successfully funded by the Town Council! What you see here is our current prototype, and we expect to implement the first dozen shortly after the palisade is complete. This will insure our safety against the untold dangers of this New World; something myself and the Pioneer’s Guild hold very close to our hearts. Something that has gone unchecked for far too long. They will also provide invaluable assistance to Constable Jackson Bowers in his efforts to keep these streets clean of the evil we executed here today.''

''Thank you all for your attendance today. Let us be sure to continue to show our New Arrivals kindness - and let us not forget that the 72nd are right around the corner! Please, all are welcome to volunteer for the trip to Old Hardholme to recover our new friends, 6 months from now! Thank you, and goodnight!”''