Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

A grey orc mage has been brought into the city for questioning. The orc arrived in Varalla's Passage with a strange story of having woken up in the tunnels nearby with his last memory of having nodded off in a cave on the surface world.

The mage's odd story has been judged suspicious enough by Alienor, aide to the 7th Circle's Magister at Arms to warrant further questioning by city and Circle officials. Given the tension within the city, crowded with refugees and mercenaries, the orc mage has been taken to the School of Necromancy for his own and the city's safety. He has been allowed access to the school's facilities and the freedom to interact with its staff having shown a strong talent for the arcane. He is however detained on the school's grounds pending his questioning by Valshar, Eye of the Circle and Provost of the School of Necromancy.

Rumors say that during a surface mission involving several Circle agents and the Chapter Master himself, Archmage Arkentlar, the dark mage Valshar was grievously wounded by an army of amnian soldiers while he was subduing the Cowled Wizard their leader. His body crippled and broken, with practically only his very head and his unnatural right arm still functional, he somehow managed to cast the teleport spell needed to return to the safety of Sshamath, but they say the effort costed him his unlife. Others believe that no, he is not dead, he could never die like that, he is just recovering somewhere safe...No, he is beyond recover, he needs a new body, or new body parts to haunt the Underdark once more...No, he is in truth a Lich, and his body is just regenerating...No, he was a Vampire himself, and the Cowled Wizard damaged him beyond repair with a powerful Sunburst weave...No, he is alive and well, and only avoiding being seen in his momentarily weakened state...

Whatever the truth is, no one has seen him since his undead servants transported his body to his cove right after the party's return to Sshamath. No message can reach him, as his rooms are now shielded against magic, and his servants silently turn away any visitors...

A demonkin wizard has been brought to the School of Necromancy, there to be detained pending an official inquiry into his involvement in a brawl in Varalla's Passage. The arrival of yet another kivvil arcanist in Varalla's Passage has created something of a stir within the anxious city. All the more so as this seemingly powerful wizard took part in an altercation with one of the 7th Circle's own operatives.

Following the fracas the demonkin Zix was detained by Alienor, aide to the Magister at Arms of the 7th Circle. Though Zix came willingly, his impudence and arrogance were both marked in his frivolous and insulting manner. His fate is to be determined subsequent to his questioning by the Eye of the Circle and Provost of the School of Necromancy, Valshar, the Phantom Wizard.

During her own investigation into the altercation in the great receiving cavern leading to Varalla's Passage the legate Alienor found a disturbingly casual attitude in the city guards detailed to keeping the area safe and trouble free. The 7th Circle will file a report with the Conclave pursuant to the conclusion of the official inquiry. The report is to include a request by the Circle to take more direct charge of city personnel in the interest of maintaining law and order during these tumultuous times.

Alienor will also seek to instill more discipline into her charge Israe, whose quarrel with the demonkin mage was at the center of the altercation in the Cavern of Caravans. Israe has shown both initiative as well as a disturbing lack of restraint. Still Alienor yet hopes that the scout will be of great use to her in defense of Sshamath.

The jalil faern, Myr has become an associate member of the 7th Circle pending Chapter Master Ilphryssin's determination on her suitability for full membership.

Finally, a notice has been posted both in the Cavern of Caravans as well as within the city seeking information about the identity and whereabouts of yet another being of infernal or abyssal heritage. The tiefling in question was peripherally involved in the aftermath of the above mentioned brawl. While not threatened with incarceration the authorities seek him for questioning.

A new "trader" has arrived in the city and has been seen offering heavily enchanted wares in the Dark Weavings Bazaar.

The rivvil merchant gave his name as Kovras and identified himself as a native of Calimshan, who, in addition to being a trader, is also a practicing invoker. He has declared his desire to form lasting and mutually beneficial business relationships with several merchant guilds in the city. With Sshamath's ongoing conflict against the armies of its nemesis (an Alhoon of terrible power) whose forces have sealed off the most direct pathways to the surface from the City of Dark Weavings has led to shortages in some areas of trade, as such the arrival of a new trade delegation is welcome news indeed. At the same time, the ability of this merchant's caravan to reach the city has raised some pointed questions about just how he was able to reach Sshamath under current conditions.

Alienor, a Legate of the 7th Circle, has made contact with the kivvil and she has spent some time with him in order to gauge his intentions, verify his associations and ascertain his movements in the Underdark.

((Apologies to Sarvok for the unfinished RP, but I had to go to work.))

*Drunken wizard in corner spits some curses in drow language before wobbling and laughing loudly*

Boo-hoo! We have Gates of Magic! Who needs some rooten pathways?!

*Quickly bouncers pointed out to the guards about this individual to be taken away by two grinning warriors. No one ever seen that drunkard again.*

Family members and, the admittedly few, household troops of Quellar Oreb'le'i are all seen leaving their posts in the underdark and elsewhere under silence, seemingly bound for the family compound. The compound itself is shrouded in darkness.

In an occurance previously unheard of since the arrival of the kin to the city of dark weaving, Yath'alar Lilith and her ever present shadow the deathsinger Velvelin is no longer serving nor attending sermons at the temple of the Queen.

The shrieker mushroom at the main entrance keeps playing the same messages over and over:
In the soft melodic voice of Ardulafae: Pardon the inconvenience but for the time being the merchant House of Oreb'le'i is closed for the public.
In the hauntingly soft voice of Lilith: Any and all trespasser will meet a pleasing death, Lolth tlu malla.
In the jovial voice of Nalirin: Unfathomable divine forces are at play please refrain from entering, bel'la dos and have a fair cycle.

The binding into servitude of Israe'anna by the 7th Circle has been rescinded by city officials as the Drow female has been able to exhibit a talent for the arcane.

Israe'anna has expressed an interest in remaining as an agent of the 7th Circle. Currently, she serves as a scout and infiltrator for the Circle and the city's corps of skirmishers led by Alienor, chief aide to Guilhem, the Circle's acting magister militum.

The possibility exists however that she may be reassigned to serve as an agent for Valshar, the Eye of the Circle.

It is whispered that the shadow mage known as Valshar, current Eye of the Circle, holds the former Magister at Arms Kar'Myr personally responsible of directly helping the traitor Lai'roch to escape the Zhentarim dungeon. However, it seems as though, rather uncharacteristically, he has taken no step to pursue or capture the duo. Some say it's due to his healing wounds, that he will not risk a confrontation until his integrity is fully restored. Others believe that no, he does not believe the witch had any part in it, and he is still gathering clues through his agents. It has even been said that he pretends to be idle, whereas he is already on its way to find the sorceress and avenge himself for some unspecified wrong he believes he suffered, given his vain and vengeful nature, whereas he cares little for Lai'roch at the moment.
Wherever the truth lies, he is rarely seen in Sshamath these cycles, or anywhere else for that matter.

There is talk in the city of problems within Sshamath's armed forces. More specifically that fighting has erupted between the Lake Mist garrison and an elite unit of the city guards. The anxiety is palpable as worried Sshamathians tensely await further news.

An agent representing the combined trading interests of Sshamath's largest merchant houses is dispatched to seek an audience with the city's ruling council, but the Charnag Maelthra has turned the would be emissary away, confirming rumors that the Conclave is receiving no envoys or petitioners of any sort at this time.

Towards the end of the cycle the representative of the trade consortium was seen entering the the 7th Circle's Mercantile Exchange, presumably for consultations with the Circle's leadership.

Some are sure they saw a dark clad figure, almost made of shadows, right outside the Headquarters assigned to the Zhentarim in Sshamath. A few were close enough to see something has been exchanged (a message?), before the figure vanished in a cloud of smoke. Meanwhile, there is talk of another faction involved in the war, but no one knows who they are, nor whether they are allies, or a new threat...
A bold duergar muttered that whenever something murky is going on, the Phantom Wizard's hand is in it...that he should be removed if possible, or at least sent away. He probably didnt mutter low enough, as he mysteriously disappeared shortly after...his companions swear he was right there, then vanished...

Rumours echo down the streets that the entire host of quellar Oreb'le'i has departed the city early this cycle. Some claim to have seen them leaving the city into the tunnels leading to the Misty lakes, others say they saw the column make haste in just about every other direction. A soldier returning from his post in the tunnels resting his weary bones at the Spider kiss tries to recite a marching song he supposedly heard them singing as they passed. Between his drunken voice and bad vocals only a few lines are plain: "Wipe your tears, reaffirm your ties, the battle nears, the murder flies.".

Of the compound the quellar previously inhabited nothing but the subtly glowing floor of the main chamber remains. No remains or traces of the surrounding structures and grounds can be found, the area they occupied is covered by a smooth almost polished surface devoud of imperfections.

A few incidents have been reported in the web of tunnels around Sshamath, mostly involving Undead. A few "individuals" have apparently been murdered in diverse locations by no better specified "walking dead"...also, several pathfinders and guards are said to have heard strange noises, seen weird shadows and sighted other strange things while on duty.

Civilians are advised to remain within the safety of the secured areas of the Inner Varalla's Passage at all costs. 7th Circle agents are rumored to be investigating the matter.