Kulthea stands divided as it prepares to enter into what may well become the bloodiest civil war in its history. On one side stand those shrouded by allegiance to the unlife, on the other, those who have vowed to drive all unlife from Kulthea.

It started innocently enough, with a letter being nailed to the oak tree in Kelfour's Landing Town Square. This letter began:

"Wake up Kulthea!! Members of the Council of Light do not serve the undead unwittingly. We are not so thickheaded. We know our services will aid the cause of the undead. We also know that our services will ultimately be rewarded... In the end we will all die."

Laeg Cearnach, professional thief and admitted author of this missive states, "Because of the publication of this letter Lythe murdered me in the Claedesbrim dungeon without warning or provication. He then proceeded to drag my still warm corpse about the dungeon to prevent a cleric who was trailing behind from providing aid."

Kelfour Edition spoke with accused murderer, Lord Lythe L'Green. "I slew Laeg because he embraced the Shadow, stated he would work to further the Unlife and that he would corrupt others if he could," L'Green said. "I do not believe that I have committed murder; I believe what I have done is right and just, and that all who wish Life to prosper on Kulthea must join in the battle against the Unlife and those who serve it."

Shortly after the murder of Laeg Cearnach, L'Green, on a hunting expedition in Upper Kaldsfang, was struck down by Cearnach who claims he then conversed with L'Green's ghost. "He [L'Green] told me he would have to deal with me in a "permanent manner". Despite this threat I did not interfere with his resurrection by Sindar although I knew precisely when it was being effected and still had my ring set to the location. It would have been a simple task but I stayed my hand." Cearnach said.

A confidential source told Kelfour Edition that L'Green was, on another occasion, slain by famous thief, Lady Valeria Deering. Deering apparently claimed vengeance for the murder of Cearnach as her motive.Unfortunately, this event is unsubstantiated and Lady Deering could not be reached for comment.

In yet another battle, Lythe L'Green's younger brother, Lerek, Cearnach approximately eight times with a wand, only to be himself viciously slain by the angry thief. "I hewed him down with one swipe of my dark laen broadsword,"Cearnach said.

In his justification of the murder of Laeg Cearnach, Lythe L'Green has said, "This is not murder. This is war, and a primal struggle between the most basic choice: Life, or Unlife. Those who league themselves with the Lord of the Grave shall fall before the Light as wheat before the scythe."

Under pressure, L'Green and Cearnach drew up a treaty which would serve as a token of peace. Said treaty, however, was ultimately rejected by both sides, and Kulthea hurtled ever closer towards Civil War.

Renowned ranger Martin Kinzan was overheard saying, "Is it possible we may be on the brink of civil war here?? Will it no longer be safe to walk the streets of Kelfour???"

Hasty meetings were called on both sides. Lady Wisraith Winterwind, Chairperson of The House of the Rising Phoenix issued a public statement: "At this point I wouldlike to say that all of the talk of 'war' I have heard, and all the warnings that 'war' is going to break out have NOT come from the House of the Rising Phoenix."

Lady Valeria Deering, spokesperson for one group, said in response to that statement: "If Wisraith shields Lythe behind the mantle of the Rising Phoenix, then the Phoenix protects a murderer and it is thePhoenix who will begin the final confrontation."

"The confrontation draws near," Lord Maruko Ashimine, member of the House of the Rising Phoenix, is reported to have said.

Events took a turn for the worse shortly thereafter when notoriousranger Rune Arundel was overheard saying, "I'd like to throw preaching Wisraith in the bottomless well." Following this statement, Arundel attempted to murder Winterwind while on an excursion in Upper Kaldsfang. Says Winterwind: "She [Arundel] said before she struck that she thought Kelfour's would be best served by having me slain." Events leading up to the assassination attempt on Winterwind are unclear. KE spoke with Arundel about thesituation. "Wisraith Winterwind is a spineless coward," was Arundel's comment.

"I had no desire to kill Rune, for I know that she suffers from bouts of what seem as madness to me, though she would ever claim otherwise. I could see no other explanation for this attack, and she offered no other one as replacement. Nonetheless, with her summoning of the powers of Shadow, my life was at risk, and defensive measures were called for." Winterwind told KE. "I destroyed her weapon to try and prevent her doing me harm. This I did three times, after three separate attacks, one of which did me hurt."

Arundel's attack on Winterwind is believed to have been a personal vendetta with no relation to an organized group. However, sources reveal that Arundel stated before "[Winterwind] has called me evil once too often. I alone take full responsibility for my actions in an effort to quell the vicious tongue of the Phoenix and its chairperson."

Winterwind stated, "Arundel has publicly apologized to me for the attack and I hold no particular "animosity towards her, even if, to this day, I still totally fail to understand her motives or what benefits she believed would surface as a result of my death. I consider the matter entirely closed."

The attempted assassination of the Chairperson of the House of the Rising Phoenix may have been interpreted as a gesture of war if not for the statement issued by the young ranger, Arborious Dragonson. "Rune's attack on Wisraith was of HER own feelings at the time. We had no hand in it. Rune's attack MAY NOT be used by the House of the Rising Phoenix as an excuse to pursue all-out war."

It appears that many of the events have been carried out under the guise of "sudden madness." Is there some plague raging through Kulthea that affects personages at different times? KE spoke with noted healer and psychoanalyst, Surtey Akrash. "There is indeed madness in the land and I am growing rich on the payment for services required because of this madness," Akrash said. "There is no cure, except perhaps the execution of those who appear to have been overcome by it."

Both sides appear to be doing everything diplomatically possible to avert what could become a massacre. Sources claim the respected House of Argent Aspis will perhaps enter into the war. Strategists have determined that even the powerful House of the Rising Phoenix cannot stand against the combined forces of the opposition.

Respected healer, Rhys Corwinson, stated the supposed position of Kelfour's other clerics and healers. "I would strongly ask those of you preparing to engage in warfare to consider the effect of the joint withdrawal for a time of all the lifegiving Clerics and Healers from the land."

Brother against brother, friends destroying friends - Kulthea is indeed on the brink of a holy war to end all wars. Who will triumph, the forces that declare themselves to follow the path of 'evil' or those who stand in defense of the forces of 'good'? Residents of Kelfour's Landing now must live in fear of assassinations, retributions, robbery and torture because of their religious beliefs bodes ill indeed.

Diplomatic negotiations are in progress. Duels have been announced although whether they will be fought is unknown. Meanwhile, subterfuge continues and those in power on both sides have been warned to be alert to assassination attempts.

As KE went to press, a seemingly unrelated incident occurred in which two more Kelfourians lost their lives. Whether this new rash of murders signifies discontent within the ranks of the Council of Light, or is just another example of the madness that has struck Kulthea remains to be seen. Allanon DeLion, younger brother of Lord Riverwind Entreri, challenged Alhana Wayfinder, sister of noted cleric, Lady Taarna Wayfinder, to a duel to the death. Wayfinder accepted only to recoil in shock as DeLion struck down first Garette Dayne, a young bard, then slew Mikhail Minnehan, a fellow thief. As Minnehan fell, DeLion snatched his valuable scimitar and made away with it.

DeLion met his death at the hands of Lady Wayfinder shortly thereafter and his gruesome mace and shield were taken as bargaining tools. At almost the same moment, Lady Deering slew Lord L'Green in the town square. All parties were later resurrected, weapons were returned to their rightful owners, and peace appeared to have been restored. The patronage of Eissa's Temple grows ever greater as those who leave this place of sanctuary do so in fear for their very lives.

The boundaries dim, enemies fight side by side, and friends have slain friends. The crusade continues as darkness descends on fair Kulthea. A final plea from one who wishes to anonymity: "Will there ever be an end to this madness? How many more senseless murders must occur before we realize we are heading for anarchy and the total annihilation of that which is dear to us? In the name of Eissa let this madness end."