SPECIAL REPORT:

GIFTED HIDE DARK EVIL AMONG THEM: CITIZENS SHOCKED AT VOID WOMAN

Last week, The Millenialist broke an exclusive story obtained from the secret inter-scribe mail network that the gifted use to communicate amongst themselves. This week, our crack reporters have expanded upon that story, with new details that are bringing shocking results.

Notes from our sources have indicated that the Gifted have not been entirely listless of late: if they seem to have been doing very little, it has been because their real purposes have gone unseen. There seems to be some conflict in their ranks concerning a "Lady of the Taint" or "Lady of the Void," a dark figure said to lurk in Old Taeorn. Several of the Gifted, including a Mr. Juril Elman (also known as "Joruus" or "Jorus") seem to have been her servants, and are said to be responsible for the recent upheavals in Nitlas, Chute, and perhaps even the recent earthquakes. Mr. Elman claims that these disasters are actually the responsibility of an even more mysterious character known as "The Dealer," who offers people their hearts desire and twists it to suit his purposes. Both were said to have been working for this mysterious Lady, who is either a new political player on the scene, living among the wastes of Old Taeorn, or working for the destruction of the world as we know it and a thousand year empire of darkness. The Gifted have reportedly decided not to expel Mr. Elman from their meetings, pending a decision regarding his involvement and possible position in said empire.

Public outcry against these actions, since they have been revealed in The Millenialist, has been extreme, and anti-Gifted sentiment has been growing daily. Our editorial board wishes to stress that taking matters into one's own hands can be dangerous when dealing with the force-touched, and advises that those forming lynch-mobs should cease at once. Several politicians in New Taeorn and other nations (notably ambitious youngsters) have led the call to ban the Gifted from holding public office, however, showing that in those nations with representative government, it is working like clockwork.

DEATH COMES FOR THE OLD... AND THE YOUNG

Throughout the continent, plague has been striking the old and infirm, as well as some newborns. While very few healthy people have contracted the disease, those already in the grips of ailments or injuries they might otherwise recover from have instead deteriorated rapidly.

As is common these days, rumours of Gifted influence abound: dark figures are said to roam outside cities struck by this dread disease.

ANOTHER VILLAGE CRUMBLES TO DUST

Another village was struck by a small, localized earthquake, this time outside the Papacy. The village of Kohat near the city of Telkari collapsed under strange siesmic pressure.

The Papacy has been swift to react to the disaster, bringing relief aid to the villagers and sending in workers to relocate or rebuild homes. There is still no explanation for why the land cannot remain still, but rumours of Gifted involvement remain commonplace.

MINISTER SCRIVEN PROVES GOOD POPE BY CLAIMING GOOD IS GOOD

Minister Scriben has now been elected Pope, providing the Papacy with the leader necessary to avoid having to change their name. (If they had a king, would they be a Kingdom? If the King were a Queen, would it be called Queens?) Pope Scriven has moved rapidly to solve many of the Papacy's pressing problems, incorporating some of the rebel leaders into his new government after personally brokering a peace agreement that made him the darling of diplomatic corps everywhere.

Not only that, but the new Pope hasn't been slacking in the theology department, either. He's been busy overhauling the Church's teachings, culling a great deal of "misguided" scripture. Apparently, he believes that passages suggesting that good ends could be accomplished by behaving in otherwise evil ways towards people got in the way of the True Teaching: that "good is its own reward and dark deeds do good no good." Skeptics in New Taeorn have been waiting with hushed expectations for Pope Scriven's first encyclical, which they claim will be titled, "The Book of the Blinding Flash of the Obvious," but most observers are heartened by the new spirituality within the Papacy.

LONELY HEARTS

As a service to our readers, the Millenialist prints the following:

1) Young, devastatingly handsome but recently married man seeks numerous women with which to have affairs. Bride is to young to appreciate finer things in life, please help.

2) Golden-haired child of the fallen sun. Needs help and understanding.

3) Young woman (early 30's) requires new husband, as last has recently and tragically died. Must enjoy fishing, hunting, and most long walks in the country. No city-boys need apply.

Brought to you by:

PROTECT YOUR HOME: GET

FORCEWARDS!

In these troubled times, it's more necessary than ever to protect your home and your family from those who would take them from you. Certainly, there's the town watch and bodyguards, but what do you do when the shapeshifting Juril Elman is out to get you? Our FORCEWARDS are guaranteed to prevent the Gifted from even entering your home! Keep your family SAFE!

C. GHAMA WINS FIRST EVER LOTTERY: WHAT WILL SHE DO? MOVE TO CHUTE

Mrs. C. Ghama of New Taeorn took home several hundred thousand New Taeorn towers after winning the first ever New Taeorn Lottery. The once-humble Ghama is now one of the richest people in the city.

When asked what she would do with the winnings, she proved that her newfound wealth won't change her. "I'm going to Chute, a good land in which to help the sick and needy and save them from their terrible mouse problems." Certainly, all those towers will buy an awful lot of cheese. Several rowdy bar-patrons in New Taeorn, claiming to be spokesmen for the mice, have offered to set up a "Chute Mouse Trust Fund" to provide rent money for needy mice in the city.

LANGLEY TRAINS ITARIANS IN TOKOL

Tokal enthusiast Lamuriel Langley seems finally making headway in his quest to make the Itarians into good followers of Tokol. The Cult is hardly spreading like wildfire, but its gains are coming steadily.

Foreign policy analysts have been eyeing the growth of the cult with some suspicion. Naturally, the growth of the Cult of Tokol sows ground for new alliances favorable to the Tokol-dominated New Taeorn Council. This, in turn, makes the positions of the councilmembers that much more secure...

EDITORIAL

Sorry: Due to pressing research concerns, there will be no editorial this week. The editor is in the field attempting to ascertain the truth behind many of the implications in our lead story.

-M. F.