By Chester Seaton, News

29/12-The harsh winter faced by Northern Crowndon this year cleared up late last week, finally providing Imperial Authorities a window to make contact with several townships thought lost to the snowstorms and Blackwood shortage. While many of the towns were found in rough condition, with several dead from exposure or starvation, reports indicate that the situation is not nearly as bad as previously feared.

In several of the towns, most notably Nostholm, casualties were kept to a minimum thanks to the efforts of an anonymous benefactor. When IA officials arrived, they found the townsfolk, including those reported as having been evacuated and lost, gathered in the town hall, eating a humble but adequate feast of goose and vegetables.

“About a week ago, an air ship flew over, dropping crates,” said Nostholm’s mayor when questioned by officials. “We thought they were bombs at first, on account that the ship looked like air pirates. But the crates were just food and a couple lumps of Blackwood. Saved our skin it did.”

A similar report was delivered when officials made contact with Alexander’s Crossing, sixty miles east of Nostholm.

“It was this ship, see,” one citizen said. “Rickety lookin thing, balloon all patched up and its boiler coughing black smoke, like they was burnin coal. Came through the night before Advent, dropping food. I could just see the name, something strange, like the way they name military ships down south. The Perdicious Platypus or some such nonsense.”

Imperial Officials claim that they currently do not have, nor have ever had, a ship named the Perdicious Platypus in their fleet. One anonymous source, however, claims that the descriptions of the mysterious ship match the profile of the Pernicious Platitude, the vessel of notorious pirate Roderick Beauchamp La Pierre.

Officials have written off this claim as complete nonsense, and we here at the Gazette are inclined to agree.