Paragon Times/20040728
Trolls activity on the rise
By Juliana Nehring
Paragon City, Rhode Island, July 28th -- The tense situation continues in the once idyllic community of Eastgate. Police barricades and patrols are ever present, trying desperately to keep the Trolls at bay. The area has been extremely hazardous since the event known as the Hollowing.
The recent increase in hostilities between the entrenched Trolls and their rivals, the Outcasts, has elicited grave concern from Lieutenant David Wincott, leader of the Paragon City Police Department’s Trolls Task Force.
"This Outcast leader, Frostfire, has been causing problems in Steel Canyon for months. It looks like he has decided to become my headache," Wincott said at yesterday's press conference on site in the Hollows. "I can tell you right now, he picked the wrong time to move his operation."
Turf War
Eastgate has seen its share of gang wars, but the real trouble started with the Hollowing. The Trolls in Skyway City wanted to expand their territory, and Eastgate was conveniently close. Armed with high explosives, the Trolls headed into the sewers with the intent of blasting open a large area. What they didn't know was that there was already an extensive cave warren beneath this area of Paragon City. Their initial blasts destabilized a large area and collapsed a section of the zone. When the dust settled, the surviving Trolls realized that they had found an even better area for expansion than they had hoped.
It was only a matter of time before the Trolls' chief rivals, the Outcasts, responded. Reports indicate that Frostfire and his crew have entrenched themselves in a partially damaged office complex in Eastgate's Four Seasons neighborhood. So far, police have had no luck assaulting their lair. There have also been recent reports placing the Circle of Thorns in the Hollows. Witnesses claim the mystics are searching for something beneath the surface, but, as of press time, their exact goal remains unclear. Whatever their intentions, the Circle's presence further complicates the duties of Wincott and his men.
Tragic Kidnapping
There is an even more tragic side to Lieutenant Wincott's involvement with this situation. His son Samuel was taken by the Trolls, prompting Wincott to join the Trolls Task Force in the hopes of finding him. No leads as to the whereabouts of Samuel Wincott have been uncovered, despite the best efforts of the Police Department.
When asked for further details on the subject of his son, Wincott responded with a terse, "No comment."
Heroes Needed
The primary reason for the press conference, called by Lieutenant Wincott himself, was to request aid from any and all available heroes. When asked why he chose this moment to ask for help, Wincott had this to say:
"The Trolls have begun regular assaults on our barricades. Between that and the increased Outcast activity, my men are stretched pretty thin. The department doesn't have the resources to provide more manpower, so I'm putting it out there to all you hero types. We can use any help we can get. I realize there are many grave threats to the city, and I'm not telling heroes to abandon their current tasks. If you're looking for a way to make a difference, though...this could be it."
Lieutenant Wincott's demeanor bordered on desperation as he concluded his address and departed the scene. The situation in the area formerly known as Eastgate grows more difficult by the day. Removing the Trolls will be a challenging and dangerous task. If no help from the heroes of Paragon City is forthcoming the Hollows will certainly turn into a battlefield.