Teamwork
An editorial by: Robert Mitchell of the Rhy'Din Vindicator

"Where have all the heroes gone?" It seems to be a question on the mind of a lot of the common citizens of Rhy'Din, who have suffered the most in the recent outbreak in crime. Circulating amongst them are the City Watch, and the Scathachians, but for some reason, there just doesn't seem to be that large of a dent in the crime levels. Could it be because of the lack of teamwork on the part of the city? There seems to be a prevailing attitude of, "Someone else will take care of it." But the problem is, aside from the occasional brave heart, or the circulating and overworked groups, there is no someone else. In my opinion, the first thing that would need to be done has already been mentioned in this here paper; the Scathachians and the Watch should make a pact to work together. Watch statistics show that only 1% of the members are magic users, and that is 'hedge magic' -- the rest are common people. The Scathachians, on the other hand, are trained warriors with a certain level of magical ability amongst their number. So, how can they work together? The first answer is, of course, to do away with the prevailing animosity. There is little reason for two groups dedicated to the same cause to be treating each other like the criminals they're trying to put away.

There needs to be a serious sit down between Governor Helston and the Sisters of Scathach about what the Governor needs from the Sisters in terms of help, and how they might be able to do so. Then she needs to speak to her Watch about how they can benefit from the help, and likewise, how the Sisterhood could benefit from the Watch. There is something to be offered on both sides. The Watch could certainly use some fight training; the Sisterhood could use a little training in judiciary matters -- while their self-appointed task is an important one, a truly civilized would relies not on the judgment of one small group in dealing with matters, but on the civilization as a whole. The second answer is this: The common citizen does need to get involved. They need to learn how to defend themselves, they need to learn how to guard their lives and those of their neighbors from the unholy elements loose in the city. Magic users of all levels should practice defensive measures; warriors should teach the common how to protect themselves. Everyone law-abiding should be willing to reach out to their fellow citizen and offer what they can. Is this an idealistic view? Yes. Absolutely it is. But truer words were never spoken than this: If we don't start working together, then we will surely die apart. Tell us what you think: We're always listening.

Basic Public Safety Tips from the Watch

The Rhy'Din Watch has released these public safety tips in the hopes to save more lives and reduce crime on the streets. 1. Stay indoors at night. While some criminal elements of Rhy'Din operate during the daylight hours, most prefer to commit their crimes at night. Staying indoors is not a guarantee of safety, but it reduces chance encounters. Especially avoid areas that have been noted to be a problem in the past. 2. Lock your doors and windows. In high crime areas of the city, consider getting bars and an alarm system of some sort. Dogs are also considered to be a good deterrent. Common citizens who don't use magic may also consider contracting with a mage in order to add wards to their property in order to keep out the magic using criminal element.

3. Travel in groups, the larger the group the better. Never travel alone, especially at night, if it's at all avoidable. 4. Know your area, where the Watch stations are, where you can find safe haven if you're being followed. Pay attention to who is around you, their demeanor and whether or not they look as though they're considering an attack. 5. Buy a weapon and learn how to use it proficiently. The Rhy'Din Watch offers some basic self-defense courses, but training with a weapon and carrying it all times will help deter less violent criminals. Those who know magic should study it further and become proficient enough to heal, protect themselves and teleport or open a portal to some safe place if an attack is imminent.