(From the diary of Boblig Goodberry, Mayor of Fishmund; Smallfolk Sovereignty; Year 1380 PL)

I thought that things would settle down once we forced the Empire folk to leave, but it sure doesn’t look that way. The weird dangerous weed keeps growing and growing, and there is something wrong going on with the fishes and the sea itself. If things keep going like this, I’m afraid that we will have to abandon Fishmund and relocate our community elsewhere. But how am I to break this to the neighbours. We have been living here for generations, and many of the farmers have their entire family’s livelihood dependant on the land they have sowed for their entire life, just as their grandfathers and grandfathers of their grandfathers. Them empire folk might not have problems with moving elsewhere, with all them wars and problems and things, but we of the Sovereignty have chosen this land because it is calm and peaceful, and we are not used to such hardship.
But at least the young lads and lasses still keep smiles on their faces, even in these troubling times. They know nothing of how the world is outside the Sovereignty, and they do not understand that some things are just purely evil and malicious, the most harmful things they know of are nettles and  toadstools, and those are harmful only to those who know nothing about them. But their naivety troubles me a little, for they think these weeds, and these strange dangerous occurrences around the village are of the same manner. I’ve seen many of the curiously wandering around the forests and trying to befriend those weird animals that started appearing, and they seem keen on finding out about this infestation. I’ve heard that some of them even conversed with the weird Empire folk before they moved out, and were against our intervention against them. I’ve even heard some of them talking about wanting to become adventurers, or alchemists or wizards.
I understand that the young will always be curious before they come to their senses, but this is too far.
But few lads in particular trouble me the most. They were the ones who befriended the Empire charlatans, and they called themselves their “apprentices”. I don’t know what craft they believed to know, but it surely ain’t anything good. Well these apprentices now go around the village doing some parlor tricks, mainly to impress the lasses, but nothing good can come from it I’m sure. They think that this infestation isn’t a curse, but a blessing that we do not understand, and that better times shall come soon. Well I ain’t convinced and am suspicious of what these rascals want to do. But still, I know these boys since their birth, and I know that their hearts are good and pure. Misguided they may be, but I’m certain whey would never do anything harmful. Perhaps I’m just old and morose, and seeing these young folk happy in these dark times just makes me remember my own youth, perhaps better times really will come soon. Well, only time will tell.