Rumors & Events of the Upperdark - Blue Lantern Keep (ex-Rockrun)

[Dolorof]

The caverns of the Upperdark mostly experience frequent but mild earthquakes, with a few strong ones that collapse routes or fill the caverns with rubble.

In a peculiar event throughout the caves, some plants go through all their life stages in a matter of hours. From a sprout and seedling to a fully formed tree that soon withers and dies, leaving behind seeds to restart the process.

The old Rockrun, now being rebuilt by the Company of the Blue Lantern and its allies, sees itself mostly intact. Though in a harmless occurrence, many of the rocks around the settlement turned strange colours, from green to blue and yellow, and even pure white or black. One even had a stripped pattern. And another tasted like very well seasoned meat. The genasi that found that out was laughed at. Many others tried the rock soon after.

After spending many days in seclusion, the deep gnome known as Meredith can once again be seen wandering the Blue Lantern company fort. As she observes the commotion about the colorful rocks, she finds it best not to eat it for now and decide to spend most of her time around the mines and offering rubies to Caladuran's shrine.

[BloodRiot]

While mostly keeping to himself, the male drow warrior had become an habitual sight in Rockrun. Though soon after Ilhara vanished from her den, he was seen making a short visit, before departing Rockrun all together. He took a boat towards Mist Lake and was last seen heading towards the Myconid Circles.

[JIŘÍ]

Two women were seen descending into the depths of Kro's Labyrynth. Both wore ritual war paints on faces.

[Febriel]

Sitting in an abandoned building in Rockrun, Mitheera performs the sending ritual. Which the intended target would hear as a gentle whisper..and a pang of irrational worry.

"Ilhara where are you?"

[DaloLorn]

A drow courier from Undrek Naudal, bearing the insignia of House Selmiyeritar, would attempt to deliver a letter directly to General Morex of the Blue Lantern, or as close to his inner circle as they were allowed to (though likely with some dissatisfaction if forced to interact too actively with one of the Eilistraeens). If forced to surrender the letter to a lesser-ranking member of Rockrun's government, however, they would offer little complaint - they have clearly been instructed not to stir up trouble if it can be helped.

The sealed envelope would not offer much indication of its contents to outside observers, but one thing can be inferred here: It appears Selmiyeritar is making diplomatic overtures to their unusual neighbours.

[DaloLorn]

An odd trio could be seen teleporting just outside Runner's Pass: A Vhaeraunite priest clad in the scales of a blue dragon; a red-robed drow conjurer; and an enthusiastic, impressionable, and well-armed half-drow woman in orange leafweave. The odd visitors wandered westward throughout the settlement, with the two drow seeming to be educating the halfblood on Rockrun's history, Eilistraee, and magic, before they teleported back whence they came.

[DaloLorn]

After months of emptiness, the Guides' old den is exited by the strangest creature: A towering mithral-plated figure, almost golem-like in its armor, bearing a green cloak. Soon afterwards, the stranger returned into the den, and could later be seen emerging with Ilhara by his side.

Yet... not Ilhara. Though the young drow's features and equipment remain unchanged, and she still seems to know the more prominent of Rockrun's inhabitants by name and appearance, her mannerisms are quite unlike the woman that disappeared in the early stages of the Godswar. As she guides her companion throughout the settlement, she seems light on her feet, untroubled; beset by a growing sense of nostalgia after their visits to Runner's Pass and the Lighttouch Garden, but still somehow happy: A far cry from the gloomy paranoid assassin that had vigilantly stalked the village's surroundings before the cataclysm.

Whatever she has found in her travels, it seems to have had a powerful restorative effect on this worn and weathered soul...

[Hakken2]

Three dwarfs from Kraak Helzak is guiding two humans through Rockrun. They seem to be on a expedition and taking samples of mushrooms. At village of rockrun two of the dwarfs stay for rest. The third one guides the humans towards Kraak Helzak.

[DaloLorn]

A drow courier from Undrek Naudal, bearing the insignia of House Selmiyeritar, would attempt to deliver a letter directly to General Morex of the Blue Lantern, or as close to his inner circle as they were allowed to (though likely with some dissatisfaction if forced to interact too actively with one of the Eilistraeens). If forced to surrender the letter to a lesser-ranking member of Rockrun's government, however, they would offer little complaint - they have clearly been instructed not to stir up trouble if it can be helped.

The sealed envelope would not offer much indication of its contents to outside observers, but one thing can be inferred here: It appears Selmiyeritar is making diplomatic overtures to their unusual neighbours.

Another courier from Undrek Naudal could be seen trying to deliver another missive to Morex. They would be somewhat more insistent on getting the message to its recipient: If hindered from doing so, and if the previous one had likewise been stopped, they would openly question whether the first message had even reached the General's eyes, offering a stern reprimand before conceding and handing the letter over.

Whether or not this occurs, the courier's mannerisms are regardless somewhat more antagonistic. It seems they are no longer under orders to unconditionally play nice, though they're still trying to avoid a major incident.

[Steve]

OOC:

Updated thread title & context. PM me if you see a problem. Cheers.

[DaloLorn]

After a courier from the Keep delivers a reply to Selmiyeritar's latest message, a well-dressed young drow bearing the house insignia arrives at the gates. It is not entirely clear whether her clothes constitute formal attire or adventuring gear - they are elegant enough to possibly be the former, and flexible and well-enchanted enough to be the latter, but seem to have no intrinsic protective value besides whatever is offered by their enchantments.

Identifying herself as Linathyl, First Blade of House Selmiyeritar, she allows the guards to confirm she has neither weapons nor wards to remove (though she does not surrender her spellbook unless and until instructed to do so) while stating that she is responding to an invitation to speak with the Keep's rulers. She does not insist on an immediate audience, however, nor does she hold any illusion that she should be expecting one: Instead, she asks for directions to wherever she might wait until she gets her turn.

If allowed to keep her spellbook, she would likely spend most of her time busying herself with taking and revising notes, apparently working on a new spell or two.

Hidden: show

[DaloLorn]

Upon the completion of her meeting with Morex and his allies, Linathyl would immediately make her way back to Undrek Naudal. Whatever she has or hasn't accomplished, her stance doesn't change much between the time she entered and departed the old palace of Blackrock Keep, nor the rest of the settlement: Only she and the Lantern leadership know what has transpired, and may share it out to their respective allies...

[DaloLorn]

After months of emptiness, the Guides' old den is exited by the strangest creature: A towering mithral-plated figure, almost golem-like in its armor, bearing a green cloak. Soon afterwards, the stranger returned into the den, and could later be seen emerging with Ilhara by his side.

Yet... not Ilhara. Though the young drow's features and equipment remain unchanged, and she still seems to know the more prominent of Rockrun's inhabitants by name and appearance, her mannerisms are quite unlike the woman that disappeared in the early stages of the Godswar. As she guides her companion throughout the settlement, she seems light on her feet, untroubled; beset by a growing sense of nostalgia after their visits to Runner's Pass and the Lighttouch Garden, but still somehow happy: A far cry from the gloomy paranoid assassin that had vigilantly stalked the village's surroundings before the cataclysm.

Whatever she has found in her travels, it seems to have had a powerful restorative effect on this worn and weathered soul...

Once again, Ilhara's months-long absence appears to have been transformative: As she wanders in from Rockrun Pass, she carries herself with a calm confidence, a sense of certainty above and beyond the happiness of her previous visit. She seems at peace, somehow, ready to face the future no matter what it may hold.

At peace, but not emotionless. As she wanders through the Keep, the young sorceress is reportedly overcome with awe at the settlement's transformation, quickly forgetting the purpose of her visit as she explores every nook and cranny from the gates all the way to the mines. Once or twice, she is seen stopping in places like the Lighttouch Garden, moved to tears by what has been done in her absence... and at other times, she grumbles quietly to herself, apparently unable to find the old den she and the Guides once used as a base.

Eventually, she retires to a room in the Blue Moon to rest...

[Kevin_Smith]

A group of three entered the Blue Lantern grounds, and with them they brought a big mirror. They stayed at the Elder Brain Inn, the mirror stayed with them.