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Dozens of Fugitives at Large After Harrowgard Prison Break
SIGILSTAR—A violent escape attempt from Harrowgard Prison on Zor left 18 guards dead and scores of criminals dead or fleeing into the wilds of southern Thrane.
Thrane army units from nearby Harrowgard Fortress have cordoned off the prison and are investigating the circumstances of the prison break, the first escape since the prison’s construction in the mid 940s.
Cardinal Yannick, expected to visit the site on Zol two days, issued a public prayer that commended the sacrifice of the slain guards and condemned the criminals for their “cowardice in the face of a justly applied sentence.”
“We have no doubt that none can escape the Silver Flame’s ultimate justice, no matter how far they may flee,” she said. “The wise prisoner has an attitude of penance, hoping to have a soul forged anew in flames of silver. But the craven fugitive is a creature of instinct, willing to do evil to satisfy a base urge for freedom.”
Yannick also urged residents of southern Thrane to be vigilant and report any suspicious travelers.
“Let those who would flee proper judgment know that justice is more than a knight’s lance. Justice is also the eyes of the innkeeper, the ears of the woodcutter in the forest, and the stout heart of every Thrane that names a criminal on the run,” she said.
Details on the prison break remain sketchy. Sometime after midnight, a fire broke out along the prison ramparts. A confused battle broke out between rioting prisoners, guards, and possibly mercenaries or bandits attacking the prison from outside its walls. By dawn, one wing of the prison’s main building had collapsed—hours after most prisoners escaped or died in the clashes with guards.
Most of Harrowgard Prison’s inmates were sentenced to long terms during the Last War, often by courts martial for crimes including desertion and gross insubordination. Starting last year, the church of the Silver Flame has taken a more active role in the rehabilitation of prisoners there, offering guidance in religious matters and apprentice-level instruction in several trades.
Brelish Army commanders along Breland’s border with Thrane have stepped up patrols in response to the Harrowgard prison break.
“I figure that if you just broke out of prison, the most natural thing in the world is to try to get across a border,” said Major Ganndo Annatail, “And even a fugitive isn’t going to head into the Mournland—although some of these guys might have been imprisoned so long that they think it’s still Cyre.”
Any fugitives from Harrowgard caught in Breland will be remanded back to Thrane’s custody, Annatail said.
About the Author
David Noonan is a designer/developer for Wizards of the Coast. Before coming to Wizards, he was a daily newspaper reporter in Washington state. Apparently the city hall beat is good practice for an Eberron campaign.
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