Rumours of Baldur's Gate

[SteelForgedSword]

A rumor speads like wild fire...

The Fist prision was seen to shake and rumble; with screams of rage coming from it's cells.

It is said Jonas, Merielle, Auriel, and Arch Druid Uriel were allowed to see Galen after a lenghy request...

Prior...Fist Father Cale was said to have witnessed the Druids posession by a being of the Plane of Shadow first hand and warded the cell first hand to prevent it's escape...the Druid unable to control himself...

During the night, the party saw to Galen'ael and confronted the power that had taken him over...slaying numerous Shadow Walkers that infested him like a plague...

By a miracle brough about by the actions of his friends, the Druid was cleaned of the evil that haunted his heart...as tears streamed down his face after Merielle's prayer restored life to his broken and battered form...

As the others left, Arch Druid Uriel spoke with the Druid privately...then left.

The door to his cell shattered and unrepaired...the Fist guards scared away....

Galen'ael sat in his cell in the form of a Dire Wolf...his prayers answered..Silvanus forgave him...he transformed to normal form and went to sleep in his cell as midnight passed...no longer infested by the evil that had plagued him.

Before he slept, he was said to have been heard saying his weakness was his own, his possession out of control, but he did not shirk from what he had sown.

He sat and slept, the door to his celllshattered and he did not try to escape. His honor would demand he would answer to Duke Eltan for his crimes when time allowed.

Until then, he stays as he was.

His friends hoping the Dukes would forgive him and show him Mercy...the only gift of the night...fromm Saint Merielle and those who still believed in him...

The mysteries of the Shadow Druids coming to light for the first time....but not wholely...

His cell door open, but he would not walk through it....

[Diamond]

Jorn is seen standing by his farm with a few of the children who have been helping him with chores, not needing to pay them he has managed to save up a bit more gold and decided to have some touch ups made around the farm. Slowly but surely old rotted wood is replaced with fresh lumber day after day when they find the time to do so. With the other chores though replacing the wood is done last and near sunset everyday for a few hours before they go to sleep.

[SteelForgedSword]

Rumors spreads the Galen'ael has refused a trail by the Fist for his crimes, after being cleansed of a horrible taint of darkness.

He is resigned to his fate and only asked his remains be turned over to Saint Merielle of Illmater upon his execution.

It is a matter of honor some say he said in the letters and that his honor demands no less....

[SteelForgedSword]

Rumor has it Galen'ael Glenstalker was executed for his crimes. His body given to Saint Merielle per his final request...

The remains given were nothing giving a hope of possibility of resurrection.....

Rumor spreads the Great Druid is gone; the Fist uncompromising in their delegation of Justice....

[LeslieMS]

[Never the less, Meri will do her best to see his last wishes to her, honored as best as she is able. Once she has done all she is able, she sends for Uriel, so the Druid can be properly tended according to his faith]

Rumor has it Galen'ael Glenstalker was executed for his crimes. His body given to Saint Merielle per his final request...

The remains given were nothing giving a hope of possibility of resurrection.....

Rumor spreads the Great Druid is gone; the Fist uncompromising in their delegation of Justice....

[Mausman]

* Various mutilated corpses of what would appear to be Shadow Druids, are seen hanging from treebranches along the road. The first corpses seen hanging near Cloakwood*

* Eerie howling is heared around the woodland near Beregost, those with a keen eye, can see a dark clothed male on top of the cliffs, knelt on all fours, howling in a lament to his fallen Mentor*

[HollowedHeart]

Bobby T. Longshanks hears the rumor of one of his oldest non-hin friends and simply falls on his arse in shock, his cigar slipping from his lips and onto the ground.

"Yer bloody bleedin' kiddin' me.... I ain' ever known ye ter be a quitter, mate... Bloody Fists... It's all their fault..."

[Slartibartfaß]

The horrible news reach Sheyvya as soon as she enters Beregost.
She listens ... her eye widens.
While the one telling the rumour still speaks (adding macabre details of Galen'aels death) she abruptly hisses, turns around and storms off to the wilderness, the huge leopard following.
She disappears for some days...

[silinrul357]

Shortly after the execution, several of the Fists in the area randomly discovered some of them to have sheets of paper attached to their backs. All of them had demeaning adjectives. That aside, they could also hear a female's voice yelling insults about them in as many vulgar words as can be thought.

About midnight of the next evening, the voice of a beautiful girl could be heard singing in a strange, yet haunting melody. The language was not common, but it somehow added to the beauty of the melody.

(For effect, here's a song link to listen to! Many may be familiar with it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAANKFPchtA)

[theDarkOne]

It is night now, shortly after the news of the execution of Galen'ael Glenstalker and the moon is high in the sky. A huge, dark wolf, amber eyes glowing in the night, is seen standing outside the gates of Baldur's Gate. His muscular form paces to and fro, his teeth barred in anger and foaming at the mouth; the hair on his back standing tall as if in challenge of the Fist, his claws, razor sharp, dig into the ground with each step. He growls... hoping for a fight.

With no reply from the Fist and the night quiet, the wolf leaps into the fields and back to the main road where a black horse awaits. The horse neighs in fright at the site of the wolf just as the wolf, in a single stride, shifted back to his human form. The darkly cloaked figure, hood drawn up, leaps upon his horse and draws a spear, it's shaft glimmering in the moon light. With a command lightning leaps along the spear in terrible arcs. The Shadow Master gives a soft command to his horse and it leaps forward along the road toward the mountains.

The Dark One rides his horse down the road until he meets up with a small contingent of Fist on patrol. He brings his horse to a slow trot as he approaches the men, his hood still drawn, his amber eyes eerily reflecting the torch light. One of the guards yells halt as he notices the dark figure approaching them, his silhouette cast against the moon in the night sky. The dark figure does not stop. He draws his spear, lightning leaping in arcs down the shaft, and fear grips the guards as they draw their weapons. But the battle is over in an instant as the Dark One becomes surrounded by the guards. With his spear pointed at the leader, his gauntleted hand moves in incantation and he speaks several foul words. A darkness overtakes the guards as shadow moves in, enveloping all five Fist warriors and stealing their life essence and feeding it to the Shadow Master. Their bodies fall to the ground, replaced by mere Shadows which dissipate after several minutes.

The Dark One looks at each body satisfied for the moment, then spurs his horse on and continues his trek into the mountains.

[mute83]

more shadow druid corpses shows up. some seem to have been left for the spiders to feed on, others throw in the rivers, some seemed to have been drowned

[LeslieMS]

[As she passes the Merchant Camp, Meri listens to the talk about the camp with a frown.]

'I do hope that you are not speaking of Galen's death so... I was there. His death was swift. Please do not defile the memory of a friend with mistruths. He had accepted his fate, and his fault in his wrong doing. He made a mistake, and suffered for it. His honor bound him to his own punishment without trial. He chose such, and while I wish it had ended differently... It was not anyone's choice to make but his own.

I spoke to him before his death, stood with him during. He had the forgiveness of his god, and forgiveness of those he wished it from. He was at peace with his fate and passed as gracefully as any could hope for. If his spirit had been willing, I would have seen him returned that he could seek to make amends for his misgiving, but, again it was his choice to make. I offered him the second chance, but no one can force one to take such.

I do not think he would not enjoy petty hatred at the Fist over this. He did not fault them for the task of carrying out his sentence. He would not want the land he loved so defiled by blood and hatred I think... Fight your enemies yes, but do not litter what was held precious with the corpses of those with ill intent.

Shadows wrought this chaos, took advantage of a good soul in a moment of weakness, and many suffered for it. I urge you not to let anger and grief cloud good judgment. If a battle must be waged let it be waged against the guilty... honorably. Do not let those that dwell in darkness have the victory of your anger, and disregard for proper conduct. Do not allow them to sow seeds of disharmony.'

[Small wreaths of white daisies and red poppies, symbolic of Mercy, healing and the continuing cycle of things, are left with those who grieve his loss. Words of comfort are offered to those who will hear them. In places of the woods Galen was known to frequent, sprigs of daisies and poppies are left.

Later that day, as she has been known to do in the past for fallen friends, a giant wreath of wild flowers and ivy, bound with red cord is released into the river at the Wyrm's Crossing Bridge. The Saint watches silently as the sun set's and the wreath floats from view. Finally as the sun sinks, she offers her prayers for his sake. Grieving in her own way, she turns from the bridge, and makes her way back into the city.]

'May Mercy keep you well, old friend.'

~~

Bobby T. Longshanks hears the rumor of one of his oldest non-hin friends and simply falls on his arse in shock, his cigar slipping from his lips and onto the ground.

"Yer bloody bleedin' kiddin' me.... I ain' ever known ye ter be a quitter, mate... Bloody Fists... It's all their fault..."

The horrible news reach Sheyvya as soon as she enters Beregost.
She listens ... her eye widens.
While the one telling the rumour still speaks (adding macabre details of Galen'aels death) she abruptly hisses, turns around and storms off to the wilderness, the huge leopard following.
She disappears for some days...

Shortly after the execution, several of the Fists in the area randomly discovered some of them to have sheets of paper attached to their backs. All of them had demeaning adjectives. That aside, they could also hear a female's voice yelling insults about them in as many vulgar words as can be thought.

About midnight of the next evening, the voice of a beautiful girl could be heard singing in a strange, yet haunting melody. The language was not common, but it somehow added to the beauty of the melody.

(For effect, here's a song link to listen to! Many may be familiar with it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAANKFPchtA)

more shadow druid corpses shows up. some seem to have been left for the spiders to feed on, others throw in the rivers, some seemed to have been drowned

[Xanfyrst]

Alistair stares at the many bodies of Shadow Druids and mutters to himself "They must have a whole army..."

[Slartibartfaß]

Several witnesses claim to have seen a female one-eyed elf - wearing an armour made of huge white scales and accompanied by a enormous white leopard.
The elf seems to furiously roam the deeper parts of the Cloakwood and it appears af if she'd search someone or something.
Several of the witnesses add different details to this rumour - the armour is said to be covered in blood, others tell it was instead glowing in bright white light.
But all variants share one detail - the elf never stops to talk and barely seems to notice anyone. The only thing to be heard from her is hissing...

[Khamul the Black]

As the moon starts to set on the horizon, two figures can be seen on the hill where the Shrine of Silvanus sits. The Dark One and the Shadow of the East stand, silhouetted by the light of the moon. There is little movement and both are cloaked in the darkness of the night. The arc of lightning can be seen moving stealthily over the spear of the Dark One. Whispers can be heard between the two, but none can make out what is being said. A nod is given between the two, and the Shadow of the East departs and makes his way to the Shrine of Mielikki.

The Shadow of the East bows in respect to the Lady, then places a note at the base of the statue for the Keepers of the Elder Circle.

*The note is written in blood*

Keepers,

The death of Galen'ael is unfortunate, and vengeance shall be that of the Shadow Enclave. Do not mistake the actions of the Enclave as a favor to the Keepers. Our actions our are own, and the Fist shall pay for their crimes. The balance has been disturbed by the death of Galen'ael and it must be remedied. There is no compromise with the Enclave, so do not attempt to stop us. Your next actions will determine your own fate. Let them be for the balance.

Shadow of the East