Draconic Gazette for April 20

Today Marks the Day of the First Flame!

Across the Isle of Thyraxis, cities and villages ignite with color, celebration, and reverence for the Ancient Wyrm Aurelith the Dawnspire, whose self-sacrifice birthed dragons and magic alike.

From the lantern-lit cliffs of Honeywood to the snow-dusted temples of Frosthaven Port, citizens leave ember nests on windowsills, whisper their hopes into the morning fire, and join the Ember Processions that snake through every major town.

Council Blessings:

A golden flame danced from Vaelora’s Grand Pyre, lit by Thyraxias the Wise.

Pyraxys’s own emberstorm scorched the forge altars of Ember Watch into brilliance.

In Sanctuary, Sylvara’s green-fire serpents coiled through the sky as healers performed renewal rites.

Almyra sent a wreath of blue frost-flame to Frosthaven Port, freezing and then thawing the harbor in a shimmering spectacle.

Zarythas’s storm-wracked flame set Darkwood’s Skytree alight in a controlled blaze of glory.

But celebration comes tempered with caution, for strange signs mar the season’s joy.

Honeywood Adventurers Honored After Defeating Hag

Just days before the Day of the First Flame, a party of adventurers from Honeywood returned victorious, having rescued the village elder, Eldra Windroot, from a nightmarish hag that had long tormented the region under a veil of illusion.

The Dragon Council has issued them a Special Writ of Occupation, granting them legal stewardship over any area on the isle and limited authority to operate as agents of the council.

Elder Windroot was quoted: "They are flame in darkness. Let their fire guide us."

Visitors from Beyond: The Argent Conclave Arrives

A ripple of silver light split the skies above Sanctuary, and from it stepped an ethereal delegation—the Argent Conclave, a mysterious faction from beyond the Veil.

Clad in shimmering cloaks that seem to fade between worlds, the Conclave requested immediate audience with the Draconic Council.

Witnesses say their leader, High Seer Val'tharan, spoke in a voice of echoes and light, bearing “a message older than dragons and newer than time.”

The Council has offered no comment—only that “their arrival was foreseen... and feared.”

Strange Trees Bloom Across the Isle

In the heart of Blazereign, a new phenomenon grips the Isle—mysterious crystalline trees have erupted from the ground in isolated clusters.

The trees radiate low magical hums and reflect light in unnatural patterns. Some shimmer as though alive. Some whisper in ancient tongues.

In a joint decree, the Draconic Council has ordered:

Do not touch or disturb the trees.

Avoid casting magic near them.

Report any changes to the nearest Skywarden garrison.

Skywardens have established perimeters around these groves.

Pyraxys reportedly scorched one tree himself after it pulsed in reaction to his presence, only for three more to rise in its place days later.

Centaur Attacks Mysteriously Vanish

Following the sudden appearance of the crystalline trees, centaur activity has sharply declined.

Once-bold raids near Darkaris, Alaryn Refuge, and Frosthaven trails have ceased entirely.

Some Skywardens believe the trees emit a signal that repels the centaurs. Others whisper that something older and more terrifying is at play—that the centaurs fear what the trees awaken.

Councilor Sylvara noted during the Day of Flame ceremony: “Peace from silence is not always peace. Sometimes, it is fear taking root.”

Magic Malfunctioning—Council Declares a Magical Moratorium

Across the Isle, spellcasters are reporting unpredictable and dangerous effects when channeling magic.

Examples include: A healing spell in Vaelora turning wounds into golden vines.

A divination in Darkaris summoning visions of a triangular eye watching from the void.

A fireball cast in Honeywood, releasing dozens of tiny phoenixes instead of flame.

The Dragon Council has issued a temporary prohibition on magic use island-wide:

“Until we understand the forces reshaping the Weave, magic is not a right—it is a risk.” —Zarythas the Stormcaller.

The Mage Guild of Vaelora is believed to be working closely with the Argent Conclave.

City & Town Briefs

Honeywood: Crowds cheer the returning heroes; Manfred the Merchant hosts a special Day of Flame sale—including “phoenix hatchlings in a bottle.” Buyer beware.

Darkwood: Forests hum softly at night; a local bard swears the trees are singing in their sleep.

Alaryn Refuge: A public display of "harmless cantrips" exploded into a six-winged lightstorm. No injuries, but the sky hasn’t stopped glowing since.

Darkaris: Tree sightings near the quarry have merged with rift signatures. Entry sealed.

Sanctuary: The arrival of the Argent Conclave has put the city on edge; curious magic-lights hover above rooftops.

Vaelora: The Flame Procession nearly turned deadly when a summoned spirit refused to dismiss itself.

Frosthaven Port: Sea ice turned to glass for a full day, revealing skeletal shapes beneath the waves.

Ember Watch: Pyraxys conducts combat trials with increased urgency.

The sky blazes. The trees whisper. The Isle holds its breath.