Rumours of Sshamath

[Storm Munin]

A warband of the House of Sshamath was seen leaving the city this cycle only to return hours later covered in sooth, slime and drying caked blood.

Patrons of Gloura's tavern claim the priestessess were seen hiring adventurers in the tavern hours later.

[Faerynn]

A male drow wizard has been frequenting the Gloura's Wings. He has left a note with the bar keep that any adventuring band that comes through that needs the assistance of a wizard may seek him out.

He comes through about every other day to see if there are any takers. He calls himself Mortis.

[Melisende]

As Alienor relaxes at the Gloura's Wings, the gloura tending bar gets her attention and mentions that a male wizard seeking employ has been checking at the tavern regularly.

After a soft chuckle, Alienor replies that such a male would do better to show his abilities by tracking down those whose services he wishes to enter. She does leave a note for the mage, however.

On it is but a single sentence.

"I am the one they call the Azure Lady, find me and prove your worth, wizard, if you wish for rewards commensurate with real talent."

((Feel free to PM me if you wish to set up a meeting.))

[Rasael]

Conclave seat holder Ilphryssin Arkentlar has called for another meeting of the Citizenry to discuss the Vharr Latyema Undertaking. All present there will be granted the opperunity to voice their opinion and influence the Conclave's decision.

The meeting will be held this Cyle. (Saturday 16th of Februari, 22.00 PM, GMT + 1) (subject to revision if many people have trouble attending)

A messenger bearing Conclave's seal was seen being ceremoniously dispatched from the 7th Circle Headquarters, by Ilphryssin. It is anyone's guess what message was being so formally sent. The messenger was seen heading for each of the Schools of Magic in turn but did not stop at the Temple of Lolth.

(See here for details as to the Vharr Latyema Undertaking)

[Rasael]

Following events at the Spider's kiss and the subsequent Charnag Maelthra occupation thereof an official statement is released at the 7th Circle headquarters detailing how events of the attack led to the dispersal of the Citizen's Assembly at the Spider's Kiss.

Ilphryssin has made clear a new Assembly to continue discussing the Vharr Latyema undertaking will be called, even while the Inquiry into previous events is still ongoing.

In the statement he makes it clear the attack was perpetrated by Agents seeking to stimy the growth of S'shamaths wealth and power. Their fear of the Vharr Latyema undertaking spurring them into a desperate attack on the Conclave member himself.

The statement ends with the proclamation: The City will prevail.

///Kudos to all involved, I think it was a really fun meeting. I was happy to hear that you all thought likewise.
///Yes - the Underdark sure was crowded today!

[Servin]

Apparently the room of the seer, Xercia Dantress has been found trashed! Rumour has it, Xercia herself got furious after some scrying and has demolished the place. She was made to pay for the damages done. No complaint has been lodged with Charnag Maelthra to further pursue the matter. Perhaps the state of the room convinced the landlord not to file charges... for their sake...

[Kenshin]

It seems that tired of the disgracefully shabby state of the large tunnel that serves as the main route in and out of the city, popularly known as known as Varalla's Passage, the mage Guilhem has penned an open letter to the Conclave. In it he has called upon that body and especially its newest seat holders from the Temple of Lolth and the Seventh Circle to open their coffers and hire the necessary workmen to restore the thoroughfare to an acceptable condition.

The letter went on to describe the economic impact of the extremely poorly maintained tunnel on merchant traffic which, as everyone knows, effected nothing less than the lifeblood of the city. Furthermore, Guilhem stressed that in the materialistic world they inhabited the state of disrepair in the passage would surely be interpreted as a sign of weakness by the other Illythiiri city states of the region. A development, the sorcerer pointedly wrote, that was most undesirable in such a competitive landscape as the Northdark.

The powerful mage finished his call for action by volunteering the services of his own workshop to guide and organize the necessary work after the Schools, the Temples of Lolth and Vhaeraun, and the Seventh Circle have disbursed the necessary funds for the project.

[TalonofWindspeak]

Thinking this is good news, finally fixing up after that damage done by the Alhoon and his armies. They might as well blow the top off and, and, make a real grand entrance, a proper one, and with a massive arched gate and all..

hmmm, time to be spendin' some money on slaves and workcrews... this will be no small project

[Rasael]

The 7th Circle announces it will begin contracting artisans to commence the clena up of Varalla's Passage. It has also lodged an open petition before the Conclave to undertake a fortification effort in the affected tunnels.

[Empoweredfan]

There is a feeling of fear around the bazaar of S'shamath. The increase of weapon sale and the recent killings have caused the merchants to become a bit more withdrawn, and there is a rumour that the next to be targeted will be non-drow merchants, or even the drow that trade openly with outsiders.

That is the word from some of their customers. . .


(This may be fearmongering)

[Empoweredfan]

A rumour is spreading like a wildfire, that the temple of Lolth suspects traders from the surface to be behind the thefts of sacred idols. It has also been suggested by several parties that the temple have taken it upon itself to hunt the thieves down, aided by 'visions' that is supposed to have been sent by Lolth herself. Talk like this have been plentiful the last cycles, but the addition of detailed retelling of a meeting between a prominent member of House Sshamath, and a chosen of Lolth have sparked a new wave of unease.

The rumour started first amongst the goblin slaves, whom for one reason or another, have become fairly well informed during the last year, and jumped social boundaries as soon as word hit the Bazaar. The buzz is so that it would be impossible for a governing body like the Conclave not to hear of it.

There are a lot of speculations going around the merchants now, especially those that are connected with the surface, and how profitable S'shamath remains, with the added risk of being targeted by the temple of Lolth.

(How the goblins came to know of these rumours is another tale that consists of coin, gambling and a theft of 3 cups and one, not quite round, ball.)

[Hoihe]

A few Illithid merchants who travel between the Hive and Ssamath speak of a man with a pale skin, a notable moustache and a silver hood, wearing mithral plates on his torso. The man is said to have been very tall, and it appeared that cold air surrounded his fists as he discussed with the various less aggressive Illithid of the Hive. It is said that he has visited the Hive and then teleported away after marking a rune..

[TalonofWindspeak]

A few whispers and rumors are heard of citizens and strangers in Sshamath, the one thing they have in common they all wear purple exteriors! Whether it be robes or armor, it be purple, some say it's just the latest trend in colors and fashions, others suspect something deeper...

You might see a group of these all dressed in purple if you are lucky! Usually only 3-4 to a group, a mixed bunch, could be Graykin, Drow and even human! Usually they converse in an ancient tongue, possibly recognized as Draconic?...

[Rasael]

The joint schools of Necromancy, Evocation, Divination, Enchantment and Conjuration are rumoured to have presented a working Vharr Latyema to the Conclave. A participating team from the School of Mages was given observer privilege, not being an officially recognised School of Magic.

The Ward Spire was said to draw power from the Weave by linking it to the City's Mythal or to nearby Earth Nodes. It then focusses the collected magical energy through an enchanted Crystal which functions as a lens-loom. The lens is randomly adjusted after each casting, allowing the Ward Spire to cast any of the inscribed spells unpredictably. The participating schools are reportedly quite proud of their artifice's abilities, commenting that the lens-loom crystal method surpassed all initial expectations.

Strange crooked Pillar like structures are now under construction at the entrances to the City from Varalla's Passage, as well as the City's immediate borders. No new orders for Ward Spire artifice have yet been place however, feeding speculation that the participating schools may be disgruntled by the cost. An alternative explanation has also been offered by Political lobbyists, in that the participating schools are trying to offer the remaining schools a chance to join now that the project is succesfull - spreading the costs of construction and increasing the spell arsenal available to the Ward Spires.

So far sceptics have asked for a public demonstration of the Ward spires, calling the reputed private demonstration a staged display to mask failure and a waste of precious resources. Some sceptics were in turn accussed by Citizen entheusiasts and involved suppliers of being spies from Ched Nasad, jealous rivals, or simply worthless troublemongers. In the aftermath one "deadly" spell duel was fought between a mage from the school of Transmutation against a rival from the school of Evocation. Evoker Nel'sel'or Del'uran, also known as the Frigid, has been struck from the dueling competition roster after losing. The mage was polymorphed into a sewage elemental by an empowered spell. The Mythal did not reverse his transmutation at the end of duel for he was in no mortal danger. The sewage elemental was last seen flooding through the Arena's drain system towards the City's sewers. His opponent commented that he would expect to see a humbled Nel'sel'or again in ten years, though he was prepared to undo the spell if offered sufficient incentive.

It is also rumoured that as news spread of the succesfull demonstration a number of Faerns from the School of Necromancy began petitioning the Conclave to place several Ward Spires directly across the Temple of Lolth. It is unknown what other mages support the petition, if any.

[Jaden]

Parchment barring this logo can be seen hung throughout the tunnels and the city:

Many of the Drow who have been in the area for a bit recognize the emblem of that worn by Shur Silverblade and his crew, The Baleful Maw.