DM Blight wrote: ↑Mon Oct 23, 2023 11:38 am Word spreads around soubar the leader of the crimson watch has gone missing after a small group he was leading went out to try and find the missing towns members. Rumors have it that only a man with his face covered and the known wand maker Nalissa Colds came back both of which were beat down and near death. As the town panics a bit one could only wonder what was able to take down zerros.
*Indeed rumors would spread as a man was passing through the rundown town of Soubar, his keen ears picked up a shifting movement upon a log used for a makeshift bench near the fighting pit. A familiar face seen upon inspection. A boot kick to the log to stir the sleeping figure, but that only shot the figure up from a nightware.*
Talks of a man taken, a group beaten...and the ultimate question lingers..
"Why?"
*It didnt take long that a group was forming, for a venture to find a man whos presence is needed in Soubar.*
"If only the bickering could end..."
“We drink to get drunk, we get drunk to fall asleep, when we fall asleep, we commit no sin, when we commit no sin, we go to the Heaven's."
Hushed conversations and troubled glances spread like wildfire throughout Soubar. Disturbing rumors abound, painting a grim picture of the once-reliable Crimson Wach. Whispers suggest that the valiant protectors of the town have faltered, returning battered and bloodies from attempts of saving one of their own and the townsfolk who had been cruelly abducted. The growing anxiety in Souabr has cast shadows of doubt over the effectiveness of those who called them self's the town's guardians leaving many to question if their safety can be truly assured.
After his arrival back into the town with the rest of the would-be-"heroes" and having had spent some time in the Ebon Blade fort, conferring with a handful of others he went back to the stables to retrieve his bird. Happily stuffing his raven back into it's place in his collar he mumbled something to himself about how it's good he didn't tell all those poor drowned bastards that they were going to be saved, but it would have been a really funny joke. He then made his way back to Roaringshore for the day, which while not greener pastures, certainly gave him much less of a feeling he was being watched.
Karos Kerrigan - Animal Lover, Book Reader, Definitely Not A Warlock Baelather Konian - Elf Dad of Elf Dad
On the 25th of Marpenoth, a group of Soubar locals were spotted stumbling out of the mirror dimension, injured and covered head to toe in blood. Szarilana and Dea were seen supporting and carrying Zerros swiftly to the Ebon Blades keep, with several of the blood-soaked individuals following them inside. Those inside left a trail of blood across the first floor of the keep and traveled up the stairs to a bedroom where Zerros was laid down. The lady in white, now more a lady in red, with blood stained all over her white armor and her long white hair soaked in a dark red crimson, went to work healing the severely weakened tiefling. With a hollow look in her eyes, she hastily worked on his wounds like an overworked medic, quick but precise, seemingly determined to just bring her patient back to a stable state. Many eyes were on the lady in white after that rescue mission, but her focus remained on stabilizing Zerros. Questions would have to wait until the leader of the Crimson Watch was safely out of the woods.
...The priest of Cyric responsible for the upheaval at Boareskyr Bridge that occured some months ago, was seen yesterday in Soubar, leading a freshly-bought slave into the Keep...
...Not much later, something strange occured. A profane aura could be felt by ones sensitive to duch things, while whirling red lights and levitating droplets of blood engulfed the top of the Keep's tower for a short time...
...later, the body of the slave could be found thrown unceremoniously into the common burial ditch...
The chosen few, the chosen knew
Spelled out in the stars His prophecy
Raise your fists, now you exist
The bell of doom strikes the thirteenth hour
Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, favoured ofCyric,
Commander of the Crimson Watch
A fresh scrap of paper appeared recently on the weathered, old notice board at what passes for Soubar's main square:
Let it be known, that while commander Zerros Ozmir remains absent, the Crimson Watch does not sleep. I, Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, have taken up the command until his return.
In the meantime, the goal of the Watch remains the same - to assure that Soubar is open to all sorts of business and trade in all possible merchandise, with no restrictions or outside interference.
Current members of the Watch are called to contact me as soon as possible.
The recruitment for fresh blood also remains open for those willing to establish their names within our little settlement.
Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, and for time being, acting commander of the Crimson Watch
Hushed rumours speak various theories - ranging from mundane to wild - on what that, ostensibly temporary, change at the organisation's helm means, and whether its openly stated aims are really cover entirety of its plans and actions - however only time can tell if answers to those questions will ever surface into the light.
The chosen few, the chosen knew
Spelled out in the stars His prophecy
Raise your fists, now you exist
The bell of doom strikes the thirteenth hour
Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, favoured ofCyric,
Commander of the Crimson Watch
A familiar pair of drowbloods could be seen wandering in and out of Soubar several times recently: The pureblood conjurer known as Enakid, eagerly accompanied by the halfblood huntress, Aeryn. The purpose of their visit remains unclear, but they don't seem intent upon returning to Sshamath just yet... or if they do, it will not likely be long before they are in Soubar again.
Upon her final return to Soubar, Aeryn would seem strangely relaxed and cheerful. Whatever their true goals may be, it seems that she, at least, has found some source of joy in her visit...
European player, UTC+1 (+2 during DST). Ex-fixer of random bits. Active in Discord. Active characters:
A strangely comical band of drow could be seen gathering in Soubar last night. Feeling a need to disguise themselves, they initially presented as a wandering minstrel, a sun elven archer, and a pair of white horses; the last of these desperately sought to blend in by grazing indiscriminately on the frozen, urine-soaked scraps of grass in the marketplace while the elf battled in vain to contain her amusement at their antics. This farcical play eventually came to a climax with one of their companions nonchalantly emerging from the shadows with a word of greeting: After that final disastrous act, the party slowly started throwing off their disguises, save for one last valiant effort by one of the former horses, donning a bright silvery helmet atop his dark armor.
It is not clear why they went to such lengths to conceal their true nature. At least four of the group had visited Soubar openly in the past year; two, the conjurer Enakid and his apprentice Aeryn, had even done so this past month. A third, bearing the insignias of Undrek Naudal's House Selmiyeritar, had previously accompanied his matron on one of her visits to the fledgling town. So why the secrecy? Why did Enakid and the Selmiyeritar warrior go to such extremes? They would not say.
What is clear, however, is that the charade must have had a deeper purpose. Upon blowing their cover, the whole group accompanied the Herald of the Black Dawn and acting commander of the Crimson Watch into the Ebon Blades' keep. Only the walls may know what words were exchanged within... but at the end of it, the drow all wandered back out to parts unknown...
European player, UTC+1 (+2 during DST). Ex-fixer of random bits. Active in Discord. Active characters:
A new piece of parchment has appeared on the notice board in Soubar:
"The temple of Shar officially declares Castus the Fallen an enemy of The Lady of Loss.
This individual, known for his ability to negate magic around him, is a dangerous and aimless man. Those who have suffered loss at the hands of Castus are welcome to call out to Shar to ease their sorrows. Those who are ready to turn their pain into more, are implored to convene and answer our Lady's call.
Let it be known that the Lady of Loss and her servants shall not tolerate this blight any longer."
Dark Blessings.
In every corner of the world, Her servants will spread Her word.
This time, near the Boareskyr Bridge.
A Shadowed person clad in black and purple, stood with their shadow servants.
Her suggestion to visitors? To offer prayer and painful memory to The Dark Lady.
"Release your pain, offer the memory of them unto our Dark Lady.
Relieve yourself of those haunting memories.
Offer Lady Shar your being. Embrace Her and She will embrace you!
Do not remain a victim of the oppressors that put you here... Serve Shar.
Awaken to your True purpose."
A minor event was observed yesterday in Soubar. The self-proclaimed Herald of the Black Dawn, in company of a halfling who seemed to be a stranger to the settlement, purchased a slave who was subsequently slaughtered, apparently in the name of Cyric - beyond the walled part of town, but still pretty much in the open. The corpse was then a subject of attempt in necromantic reanimation by the halflling, albeit only partially succesful - the skull bursted out of the body and began to float, with the rest of the corpse remaining dead matter.
In the end, the corpse joined with the others, in a quicklime pit that passes for a burial site here.
Such is life in Soubar.
The chosen few, the chosen knew
Spelled out in the stars His prophecy
Raise your fists, now you exist
The bell of doom strikes the thirteenth hour
Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, favoured ofCyric,
Commander of the Crimson Watch
A cloaked figure, clad in black and silver, would search the Black Abbey, as well as the Soubar Marketplace seeking a slave merchant.
"Should there be any merchant of living flesh with good stock....sell to me.
I will buy the best of your lot.
You will find me camped nearby."
(any RP that people wish to bring toward the question can be Dm'd to my account citing this.)
A new piece of parchment has appeared on the notice board in Soubar:
"The fall has begun. Secrets discovered. Secrets kept. A new power in our grasp.
The fallen angel has not yet fallen far enough. When Castus chose to become a walking blasphemy, his fate was sealed. An arrogant enemy who knows nothing of what will come.
We know of the filth he so desperately tried to hide. Unforgivable acts will be met with unforgivable acts. Vengeance for the Nightsinger will come to fruition.
You think you still have all the power, fallen one?
A large band of drow could be seen teleporting into Soubar last night, bloodied and fatigued, but excited save for a few outliers. After a lengthy exchange in their own tongue, the group would scatter, with most of its constituent subgroups teleporting away in one direction or another.
Those paying attention to such things might note a few interesting details:
A lone half-drow teleported in a good while after the others, just as tired, but bearing markedly less blood on her outfit and hardly any on her weapons. In most other regards, she clearly seemed a member of the group, and was joined by one of the purebloods as she teleported away.
Taken all together, the group appeared to be a strict superset of the disorganized mob that had wandered into Soubar not two months ago. (Though this time, neither equine polymorphs nor blatantly mismatched headwear were present!)
European player, UTC+1 (+2 during DST). Ex-fixer of random bits. Active in Discord. Active characters:
There seems to be a spike of activity around the Ebon Keep in Soubar, recently. But curiously it seems to have nothing to do with neither its formal owners, the Ebon Blades, or current users, the Crimson Watch. Instead, it has been visited by many strange and mysterious folks at apparent hospitality of Illyon, acting leader of the Watch who also happens to be a leader of local sect of Black Sun's worshippers. There are rumours about him, alone or together with the guests, venturing from there towards the Boareskyr Bridge, where they often dissapear for prolonged periods of time in the ruins of Bridgefort. There are rumours about more bloody sacrifices commited next to Soubar's burial pit, and of Herald's search for various exotic artifacts and components. What do those news spell? Are their connected to the plague of murder and necromancy afflicting the lands along the Coast, far to the southwest from Soubar? The questions spring up, as the name of Cyric seems to reach further and further.
The chosen few, the chosen knew
Spelled out in the stars His prophecy
Raise your fists, now you exist
The bell of doom strikes the thirteenth hour
Illyon, Herald of the Black Dawn, favoured ofCyric,
Commander of the Crimson Watch
