DM Ioulaum's catalogue of events

[DM Ioulaum]

April - May - June - On-going (Daggers in the Dark)

Participant
-Unnamed faction(s).

Details not public, ongoing faction plot.

[DM Ioulaum]

10th of June, 2015 (The cycle of life)

Participant
- Sergei Dracovitch
- Guston Fairhand
- Isabella Villame
- Flynt Heartly
- Coreska Falconheart

Hidden: show

While socializing around the camp fire near the Friendly Arms Inn the druid Sergei heard leaves rustle down below, near the forest edge. Sergei suspected it was a small animal. After a short while curiosity got the better of him and he set out with Guston Fairhand to investigate. Isabella remained behind alone, laying lazily on a bench near the fire.

Down and behind the great bolder Sergei and Guston found the corpse of a rabbit. Half a corpse to be exact, for his legs and hindquarters had been ripped off and (apparently) eaten.

Intrigued by the mystery Sergei and Guston investigated further. Finding no traces of a leopard having used the nearby tree the investigation moved on to wolves, at Isabella's recommendation. Guston looked for tracks but couldn't find any. Sergei noticed the fleeing tracks the rabbit had left, surrounded on both sides by fairly small dots which indented the ground, but not very visibly. He could have easily missed them.

After some debate Isabella suggested the culprit might have been spider. Sergei and Guston agreed and the party was momentarily alarmed. It might have been a plague spider?!

Further investigation yielded no results, so Sergei and Guston returned to the camp fire. At this time Flynt and Coreska had joined the group. As the party continued to discuss the dead rabbit and the potential of plague spider involvement the suspicion shifted instead to phase spiders. The tracks did end somewhat spontaneously. However, Sergei could find no trace of magic having been used in the attack.

Out of further options but not about to give up the mystery, Sergei decided to commune with nature. His communion revealed that the predator was still nearby, but losing interest quickly with all the people in the vicinity. Sergei could sense its hunger, the parts of the rabbit clearly not having sated the predator.

Sensing the animal's unease with his companion Sergei prepared himself for combat and moved down into the dark to mediate and wait. He could not risk such an audacious predator harming innocents on the Trade Way. After a while the predatory presence couldn't resist the bait any longer. A sword spider erupted from nearby foliage concealing it, jumping and dancing its way to a slightly surprised Sergei. A second spider also appeared, green and spitting acidic poison and webs.

Sergei responded immediately to defend himself, and it did not take long before his companions came running too. Guston charged bravely while remarking on the large size of the monstrous spiders facing them. The fight ended quickly with the demise of the Spiders once Sergei turned into a Water Elemental, and Isabella threw in a flurry of magic missiles to finish them off.

Rewards
- Incremental ticks of XP as time passed.

[DM Ioulaum]

11th of June, 2015 (The departed?)

Participant
- Nemessis Lesander
- Faenus Lesander

Hidden: show

Deep in a cave near the Friendly Arms Inn the brothers Nemessis and Faenus Lesander are finding their way, exploring unfamiliar ground. They soon come upon a cavern filled with a pool. After defeating several bats and taking a short rest, they press on.

They run into more bats in the cavernous corridor they are following. They pause momentarily and hear sounds coming from the cavern they had just left. Water slomping, and as they come closer, buzzing and popping.

Re-entering the cavern with a pool they notice a strange luminous entity levitating near the water. Nemessis and Faenus cautiously approach, and the buzzing and popping increases as they draw nearer.

Within a few moments of their approach the luminous entity suddenly emits a reverberating loud noise, making the cavern appear to shake. Although it might just have been the effect of the disconcertingly loud noise reverberating through the cavern. Briefly afterward, a flash erupts from the luminous entity, and the brothers are momentarily blinded.

As their sight returns they observe that the entity is now in-fact split in two. A new entity has come into being, right next to the original one. Immediately afterwards the two luminous entities rapidly float in opposite directions, shooting down tunnels into adjacent cavers - and disappearing from sight.

The brothers pursue one of the lights and stumble upon the ghostly specter of a long deceased man. The specter does not react to their presence, but the brothers are appropriately vigilant and even frightened. Just after the light passed the specter rasps a rhyme or riddle of some sort,

"Lo the lights do dance"

" Ere nightfall they may prance *It gurgles*"

"Never.... Do they rest"

"For this existence... It is their last test *with a last rasp*"

Nemessis observes that the local wild-life appears to avoid the vicinity of the specter, judging by the tracks he can see. Faenus then recalls that as an Annointed Knight he has heard gossip of magical beings being compelled by wizards, priests, and even deities. Perhaps these lights or luminous entities are performing some sort of task? Despite much debate and speculation the brothers can only come to the conclusion they don't know what to make of it.

A brief while later they continue their exploration, cautiously and vigilantly, before departing the haunted caverns after skirmish with a foul Drow creature from the depths.

Rewards
- Incremental ticks of XP as time passed.[/quote]

[DM Ioulaum]

2nd of March, 2016 (A spider the size of a temple)

Participant
- Eldarian Al'maire

Hidden: show

Knight Errant Belladar Korn of the Duchal Court has returned from his liason position to Berdusk. He brought news of a giant Black Widow that had pursued a party of Berduskian scouts sent to Greenrest to protect the town against bandits.

The bandits were slain, and the scouts nearly as well. After feasting on the bandits the scouts happened upon the scene of the slaughter in the Snakewood, attracting the monster's attention. After a hasty retreat and even an attack on their night camp, the scouts returned to Greenrest.

The Town quickly buttoned up, windows were shuttered, lights went out, and people huddled together for two nights and a day. But no attack came. The scouts determined the giant spider had moved on to the Sharp Teeth of to Durlag's Tower, evidenced by a destroyed Amnian Caravan they found along the Uldoon Trail.

Upon their return to Berdusk the Knight Errant was appointed to investigate the matter, which sounded far-fetched and suspicious. The inhabitants of Greenrest confirmed the tale however, and giant earth puddles across the Greenfields dispelled what doubt might have remained.

Together with his squire Belladar Korn tracked the behemoth to the Sharpteeth Woods, confirming the scouts suspicions. But they lost track of the creature in the woods. A pack of Sword spiders was ridden down and spiked on their lances as they returned to Greenrest, and finally to Berdusk.

The Knight and Squire were then dispatched to brief the local authorities of Scornubel, Elturel, and Baldur's Gate. In Baldur's Gate Belladar learned that the Order of the Radiant Heart had faced such a behemoth once before, years ago, in the Cloakwood. Back then it had apparently come from the Sharp Teeth, but its origin beyond forest that was not determined. There was no record in the Duchal Court of the battle, only of the request and its completion, for which a Paladin known as Arkaine was credited, among others.

True to his honor, Belladar decided to bring warning to Beregost and the Friendly Arms Inn. A messenger was already sent to Amn from Berdusk via the Snake Wood, but that warning might not reach Beregost and Nashkel for months, having to come by way of the Cloud Peaks.

The Knight Errant traveled to Beregost alone, leaving his squire in Baldur's Gate, and conveyed the caution to Knight-Commander Eldarian Al'maire of Lathander's Temple there. Eldarian was grateful for the warning, but upon inquiring what would be done, and who to inform with further information, learned that the Lord's Alliance considered the matter: not their problem. So long as the behemoth stays south of the Chiontar and does not hamper trade (too much) the Dukes have no intent of throwing men at it.

This left Eldarian worried, knowing that the Black Widow in question had been described as the size of a small temple, and easily destroyed an armed Amnian caravan. Belladar said that he had not laid eyes upon the creature though, so more could not be learned. Eldarian correctly guessed that the Knight Errant would head to Candlekeep, to gather information on the sort of creature the Alliance might have to face.