BNN: Cove Lies in Ruin
Melissa Tyler May 28, 1997
The once peaceful hamlet of Cove has been laid waste by Orcs, who even now fortify their position and attack the tattered survivors.
It is unknown how long the citizens of Cove were under siege, as they were a self-reliant community that had only limited communication with Britain or any other nearby cities. It is known that peddlers and caravans have been harried by dark creatures in that vicinity for at least seven months. The grim situation was verified by two Rangers, Whiteraven and Shadowglade, who were investigating recent darkling activity.
"We never would have looked so close to Britain for an entrenched Orc community," explained Whiteraven of Skara Brae, "But for Captain Rugerio's recent report that the lighthouse was dark. That in itself is odd, since Cove's lighthouse has been dependable for generations, but he also mentioned that it seemed three men were keeping a lookout, but with their backs to the sea. We thought it might be worthwhile to travel that way.
"It has a very bad feel, does that entire stretch of coastline. The beasts are nervous and there is very little new spring growth. The few villagers we spoke to refuse to quit their homes and move somewhere safe. They've barricaded a small section near the shore and plan to hold out or die trying." It is reported that Lord British was surprised by the news. He responded by sending troops and what part of his fleet that was not patrolling the pirate-infested waters off the west coast. Such tactics proved useless, however, as the Orcs withdrew into secret bolt-holes and could not be discovered. After a week of combing the area, the troops were withdrawn temporarily. The remaining local citizens steadfastly refused to relocate.
It is currently unknown if this is an isolated occurrence, or if other out-of-the-way villages have been similarly attacked. If they have, it could point to an organized assault against Greater Britannia.