Rumors of the Northern Sword Coast

[dakalb]

A dwarf in white cloth is seen around the river placing a big block of salt, a cigar wrapped in wax paper, and a flask of rum in an opening. Then he climbs a tree and waits patiently while drinking some rum for himself.

[sweetlikesplenda]

The Keep is much more quiet of late. Forty of the roughly sixty soldiers of the Keep are now stationed along the River Chionthar. Camp is set up and most of the men and women seem to be guarding the newly arrived materials staging along the river for the bridge construction. Rumor is that soldiers pace the river keeping orc raids at bay. Some say the soldiers may also be there for other reasons, as missives are sent back and forth between Triel and the small Radiant Camp. Missive seem to flow out and to various groups and individuals.

[Wyatt]

The self-proclaimed protector and druid of the northern woodlands, known by some as Ol' Ran'll Cobb watches the scene. As he sees the log harvesting beginning he lets out a resigned sigh and begins to move toward the encampment, dark intent evident in his singular eye. Catching a glimpse in the clouds, he pauses, eye following the black shadow blotting out the night sky. As the screams begin and the acrid fumes of acidic fury are smelled the old druid smiles faintly.

"Apparently someone has already beaten me to the task this evening. Not the way I would have chosen but...*he shrugs* ...the enemy of my enemy..."

He returns to the wood, watching to see if the harvesting begins anew, prepared to take action against it if necessary.

((Moved to the appropriate player thread. DM Soulcatcher))

[Wyatt]

In the aftermath of the draconic attack, once the sun rises and the true damage can be examined the northern druid begins the overwhelming task of addressing the destruction to the woods. Though not his forte, Cobb can be found using his limited magic to do what he can for the verge, burned away by the dragons spittle. As he works his lone eye often flits skyward, likely keeping an eye out for the dark beast that harmed his precious woods. As he exhausts his magic for the day he seems particularly weary, more so than normal. His brow furrowed, he returns to the sanctity of the wood to repent, pray for guidance, and recuperate, many more days of effort still ahead of him.

My Lady of the woods, queen of the forests,
You have suffered my service, endured my incompetence.
Yet still I linger, ever deciphering your will, always wondering how to serve appropriately.
The path before me lies forked, the road is divided.
Both ways lie imperiled, each with its own dangers.
I am one-eyed yet see your path worse than a blind beggar.

If it is your will, oh Daughter of Silvanus,
Guide your poor servant, lead your foolish worker.
Strengthen my will and harden my resolve,
That I may always carry out your will, without my own interfering.
Until I return to the dirt, to foster new life.

[Wyatt]

The eastern edge of the Reaching Wood near the Hellrider encampment has grown more dangerous since their incursion. Within the fringe of the woodlands are found creatures turned horrifically to stone. Strange noises are also emanating from the wood; ear-piercing howls are heard and thick brambles seem to grow up overnight, thorny and menacing. When men venture into the wood tinkling laughter can be heard from unseen sources. It all conveys a very clear message to stay out of the forests.

[Almarea90]

*A tiefling in blue robes bearing the symbols of Candlekeep can be seen attaching the following page in the noticeboards of Candlekeep, Baldur's Gate, Soubar, Beregost, Nashkel and Greenest*

Coastal Chronicles - Tharsakh 1358 DR Year of the Shadow


Tarsakh


1st Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - Thorak (banditry), Matthew (necromancy), Ethis Samos (murder), Lynn Valma (poisoning and murder) are due to be executed in the upcoming tenday.

2nd Tarsakh, Fortress Westmarch - The Lord's Alliance marches in forces and easily takes the fortress, they then continue forward towards Darkhold.

2nd Tarsakh, Winding Way - Increased activity of the Whitewood Vanguard is witnessed on the Winding Way and in the lands north of Baldur's Gate.

2nd Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - A child disappears from his house during the night. Before his disappearance, the child laments several times the presence of a creature with flaming eyes and antlers.

3rd Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - The Breaking, a local celebration of the day the last ice breaks, takes place at the Harbor. The dukes attend with offers for the population, thanking those organization that provided vital support during the crisis of this winter. This year, the celebration also marks the end of the food shortage in the city.

4th Tarsakh, Along the Chiontar - The beginning of the works to build the bridge across the Chiontar East of Baldur's Gate is officially marked by the establishment of a worker camp with supplies and a meeting between the involved parties.

8th Tarsakh, Boareskyr Bridge - An altercation takes place between the Zhentarim skymages and likely a Black dragon, judging from the acidic breath wyverns and skymages were drenched in. Most of the bridge still stands.

10th Tarsakh, Northern Lands - The Hellriders and Red Shields cross the River Reaching, although the bulk of the army comes from Asbrvan is still travelling towards Hluthvar. A group of 500 orcs from Uruk Lurra attacks an outpost of Elturel and Scornubel but are quickly overwhelmed.

11th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - The Grand Knight of the Order of the Radiant Heart is seen at the head of his men heading towards Fort Triel. Rumors circulate of a deal between House Sashenstar and the Chiontar Charter & Seaward Supply. After the mysterious disappearance of two more children, the patrols of the City Watch are increased.

11th Tarsakh, Tradeway - Many signs are knocked down by something with hooves. Even though many suspect the local wildlife, traces of a partially smoked cigar point at a humanoid vandal.

18th Tarsakh, Tradeway - The perpetrator of the vandalism acts towards the signs on the Tradeway is identified as an awakened deer, known for its consumption of alcohol and cigars.

15th Tarsakh, Greenest - The Windride, Shaundakun holy day, takes place.

16th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - A work of art belonging to House Anjinson is stolen, however the thief is apprehended by a group of adventurers.

18th Tarsakh, Friendly Arm Inn - The tomb of Ser Billy is desecrated by an unknown perpetrator.

19th Tarsakh, Nashkel - The elves Antares and Elquendi save a family of the Western Heartlands from the Zhentarim occupied territory and bring them to safety in Nashkel.

20th Tarsakh, Friendly Arm Inn - The tomb of Ser Billy is reconsecrated by members of various churches. Ilmateri and selunites among them. Guards at the Friendly Arms are now taking shifts on the walls to watch over the tomb.

22nd Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - A trade agreement is signed between House Divine and the Whitemask Theater that names the former their sole provider of textiles.

22nd Tarsakh, North of Baldur's Gate - A Zhentarim scout camp is attacked by the Whitewood Vanguard, who departs with a prisoner of war.

23rd Tarsakh, River Chiontar - Fourty soldiers of the Order of the Radiant Heart are now stationed at the construction site of the bridge to fend off any orcish attack.

23rd Tarsakh, Lion's Way - The druidic grove is desecrated by an unknown cultist accompanied by a giant snake. The cultist apparently lured two travelers and spilled their blood during an unholy ritual.

23rd Tarsakh, Corm Orp - The Hellriders and Red Shields occupy the village.

23rd Tarsakh, Reaching Woods - A black dragon attacks the lumberers of the Lord's Alliance with a spry of acid killing most of them and severely damaging the surrounding forested area.

24rth Tarsakh, Lion's Way - The druidic grove is soon reconsecrated by the Archdruid of the Green Enclave.

25th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - The dukes announce that the treaty with the Zhentarim is broken and that they will stand with the Lord's Alliance. The Black's Network replies accusing Baldur's Gate of breaking their commitments and requires they payment of 50% concession on taxes on the import and sale of all Zhentarim luxury items for a period of six months of the year of 1358.

25th Tarsakh, River Chiontar - A group of renegade orcs guided by a troll necromancer raids a caravan near the bridge construction site, but is defeated by the Order of the Radiant Heart. An ancient elven dagger and a recipe book are recovered.

26th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - John Smythe of the Chionthar Charter & Seaward Supply Co. is offered a contract by House Sashenstar but he, according to the rumors, refuses. The company however, appears now busy between Elturel and Iriaebor.

26th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - A giant crab is summoned in the Eastern Farmlands. The identity of the summoner is yet unknown.

28th Tarsakh, Baldur's Gate - A trade agreement is signed by House Sashenstar and a House from Elturel that will, according to the rumors, boost the influx of food in the city. House Sashenstar is also aiming to fit the newly developed ice breakers in their fleet.

28th Tarsakh, Cloakwood - A blighted Treant is defeated by a group of three people who allegedly came out of a rabbit hole.

Author's note: if anything is incorrect or missing, do not hesitate to contact me.

In faith,
Scribe Edelgarde Spades

((OOC Disclaimer: If you would like something added in future works feel free to send me a PM or poke me on discord. In order for me to avoid involuntarily metagaming I kindly ask that the request is delivered as follows:

- Either IC (missive or in game if you prefer)
- Or OOC with a link to the relevant rumor post in the forum
))

[renshouj]

≈ Greengrass

On a rainy afternoon in the Reaching Woods, a forest currently surrounded by war, a lonesome druid could've been spotted in the shrine of the Green Goddess.

Celebrations of the Greening are often loud and festive in the faith of Eldath, song and dance expected and welcomed. This year, however, this druid celebrates it by herself, and prays for peaceful times to come. Her celebration would last no more than a couple hours, and she'd soon disappear amidst the trees.

[YourMoveHolyMan]

A man in a jacket and hat the color of dirty roads, or sun kissed mud and his skin-changing ally take to the north for several days. The pair working as a team. Anything shiny tucked away, Pass Without Trace and Non-Detection their chief allies because what they hunted they did not mean to catch. And they certainly did not mean to be caught by it.

Sometimes at search during the day, other times at night, they scoured the moors and fetid swamps of the north for traces of a particular something, or someone.

[YourMoveHolyMan]

An evening passed and a bright new dawn arrived, as the revelers of a morning based faith far to the south would say. The pair continued their diligence in the muck and grime. The man in the hat reporting back through Sending to let their comrades know they were alright, a dirtied silver badge in hand as he did so. The shifter rarely stayed still, or indeed, in one state of being, favoring land or aquatic based forms as their search carried on.

[YourMoveHolyMan]

Another day of the pair was spent in the wetlands, the shifter of the pair yet favoring her smaller forms to blend in with the local life. The man in the hat keeping track nearby in his usual skin.

The search continued.

[Order of Blackrose]

Over the past couple weeks repairs have been conducted at the bridge fort due to the damage that the Black dragon had inflicted.
With many of the Blackrose soldiers already called back to Fort prominence and with the war the rages on in the east only a relatively small number of Troops seemingly remain that Make of the Force of the Northern Barony protecting the Vital trade way which is Boareskyre bridge.

[Winterborne]

At the leave of Captain Vanders of Triel, supplies are moved from the Boarskyr Bridge to the front lines at Corm Orp by wagons bearing no markings.

((Moved to the appropriate thread. DM Soulcatcher))

[YourMoveHolyMan]

Smoke and ash waft up in the air from the ruins of Bridgefort.

The interior is picked over clean, unmarked wagons arrived in a line to make off with the captured supplies therein.

As for the dead, they're yet burning in a pile on the hill top, a funeral pyre afforded to the fallen.

Black feathered arrows with silver filigree stick out from palisade walls, arrows used to cut banners of three troupes left to fall in the muck and ash.

A rough carving is left upon one wooden post, a crude crescent with a jagged mark that might be a tree or lightning, depending on the observation of the viewer.

Beneath that, however, are words marked in a clear message to someone who had weight upon the field.

[Leramak]

Lord Thistle would arrive at the Tent camp on Boareskyre Bridge with a well armed force the look of dismay at the aftermath of the battle.

The look anger could be seen in his eyes before he would walk into the camp alone. As he walked toward a vantage point above the camp he would look to a woman with tears in her eyes. "I am sorry lass, Your son was brave and did his job well." *He would move to the vantage point and begin to speak to the crowd.*

"A Terrible tragedy happened here yesterday, one that saw many of your, sons Daughters and friends Murdered by a company known as the Whitewood Vanguard. They attacked us because they were after twelve zhent soldier that were stationed at the Fortress across the way, but gave no care for who else was station there or who it affected." He motions to them all. "It is you all that he has affected. There action were an attack on Soubar itself and the people living here on Boareskyre bridge. That fortress was a defense against the monsters of the night, it protected the trade that followed over that bridge that brings food to your bellies. That allows you to sleep soundly at night. IT was our people that were murdered just because of the insatiable blood lust of a few." *He looks them all over tears filling his eyes* "I have and will fight for you all until the end and this will not go unpunished. We have been through so much, and there will be so much more to go but together we can endure anything. We are people of the North and our resolve is as strong as ever." If they so much as set foot within the walls of Soubar, the Area of Fort prominence or here they will be strike down by those that were affected by this blow. But I am only one man an cannot weather this alone. I ask you all to join me in this fight, Pick up your sword and dawn your armor and take vengeance for those we have lost. I will spare no expense, not one. If you shall fall your families will want for nothing until the end of their days this I swear to you until my last day."
Chests of gold and armors and armament would be brought forwards and divided among all those that would join.

They would all leave and return to Soubar
A similar speech would be made within Soubar before the day was done.

[Rhifox]

Sometime following the Bridgefort attack, Tarina, in her tent at the head of the Zhentarim expeditionary host, prepares a poppet in the likeness of Michael Dunn. In the dead of night, she cuts her palm and weaves magic upon the doll. Over the next several nights, Michael will find himself attacked by a series of nightmare spells while he sleeps. Preceding the first nightmare is a dream that delivers one word: <Betrayer.>



(( Out-of-game spells used with DM permission ))