Whispers at the Fire
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::For the last few days, a curious scene seems to repeat itself in the forest. A beautiful cougar with a peculiar red highlight to her tawny fur seems to attack her prey to grapple, rather than kill. If after a while the prey keeps acting like any of the hundreds of animals she has hunted before, she completes the hunt. This cougar doesn't seem to be capable of speech herself, but does seem to respect creatures with sentience in her territorial hunting habits::
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Willow can frequently be overheard asking adventurers and hunters to try their best to avoid killing the local wildlife.
"Something's going on, we're not sure why, but the animals are gaining a whole new awareness across the Rawlins. PLEASE be careful with your bows and blades and if you have to hunt, do it up north, 'key?
I mean, you don't really want to eat something which can argue in intelligent and philosophical terms for its equal right to live, do you? And you don't want to kill something just for the sake of ending a life, right? If it's neither food nor threat, then just chill! Maybe even talk to the critter - you might learn something!"
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Fantastic rumors are floating around the Norwick campfires about sentient animals speaking to people. Some say that a badger came into town and began speaking in common but was killed by a guardsman. A while later, a white stag came in to retrieve the body of the badger. Others claimed they heard an old dwarf talk about a large bug that spoke to him and asked why he was hurting it before he killed it.
A druid dressed in bearskins and a red-haired woman returned to south gate with an even bigger tale. They claimed they met a large wolf in the Howling Woods that not only spoke to them, but appeared to grow increasingly intelligent as he did so. He had just been awakened and said that others like him were gaining powers of thought and speach, and the capacity for organized revenge. The entire Rawlinswood is becoming sentient The wolf mentioned a dream vision of a blinding light somewhere in the south. What is happening?
Login: AubreyMaturin
Characters: Romulus Grey, Bard the bowman
Trotter, Spooky halfling ranger
Shesarai Foutopolis, Red-haired cleric of Mystra
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After a successful mining trip, several members of the Crafters Union are seen rolling into town with a new cart filled with chunks of ore.
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The one and only Derek Underhill, hinnish entrepreneur of some repute, was spotted sauntering about in Norwick recently, hiring a mixed group of adventurers for a mystery mission.
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Maki replies.
_I don' think excriment n' crystals would really do much so it ain't a worry! …Unless the quartz was enchanted n' the excriment 'ad pixie dust in it, then things could get interestin!
As for me kin? Ehhhh, if its the kin you're talkin' about, I think I got an idea of who yer talkin' about. And nae, it ain't a hin thing! 'e's just sort o' the lively sort! Nice fellow.
I'll give 'im a talkin' to n' see if 'e can perhaps explain to me wos goin on, n' I can communicate t'im that 'e needs t'be more careful around them portals n' such!_
Maki also makes a mental note to try and 'professionally' make attempts to channel and focus the energies of the menhir in a more professional and classy manner.
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_Sirion's reaction to the news literally reverberates towards the North.
"Seriously? …Maki, is this a Hin thing? Is it hereditary?
You try to talk them down, I'll look and see if there's actually anything going on with Menhir before the amateurs start rubbing quartz and excrement on it and singing at them.""...It's as though no one taught their children to fear the conduits of raw dimensional energy."
"AND DOES ANYONE HAVE A COPY OF BELMAR'S NOTES?! WHAT?! HE NEVER MADE ANY!?"_
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A band of six adventurers: two red-haired women (a mage and a cleric), two blond teenagers, a lumbering bear-like druid, and a halfling bard were seen entering South Gate late at night from the direction of the ruins. They were in a happy mood and spoke of battling undead in the Norwick crypts. They were then seen dividing spoils and having a jolly time.
The hin began performing on pipes, and blew a loud horn which knocked several people over. The red-haired mage yelled "Chaos Rules!". Shortly afterward, a large red Slaad appeared among them dancing merrily to the pipe music.
The Slaad called the hin his master, and said that he brought a message of warning. He said the firmament was weakening and creatures like him found it much easier to slide into the earthly plane. He called upon his master to repair the firmament. He said that chaos shards were needed. His master and friends must find them, and use them to repair the Menhirs. One shard would be needed for each standing stone, and one each for those performing the ritual.
Login: AubreyMaturin
Characters: Romulus Grey, Bard the bowman
Trotter, Spooky halfling ranger
Shesarai, Red-haired cleric of Mystra
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A fairly healthy group of young proud adventurers stopped by the hills towards Norwick town center, to let the guards know that numerous factions of globlins were attacking… waiting in ambush.. casters, tossers, elites and what have you amongst them .. as that wasnt enough a group of the blueish small creatures seen in a cave in Jiyyd and in the Giantspire were among them too. Let travellers know to be cautious they said and headed to the Inn for a well deserved rest.
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Four adventurers return triumphant from the direction of the Misty Pond - a lumbering bear-like man, a reedy young woman in a dark cloak and two pretty red-heads, one in leathers and one in a striking purple outfit. They chatter excitedly, laying out an assortment of goodies to divide by the gate and revelling in their victory over vicious orcs and curious colourful spirits of dooOOoom!
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A tall and skinny young woman in a rusty chain limps past the guards from the south, then pauses, swivelling around to comment:
"They kicked me in the SHIN, ok? Some of them even bit me! There was a whole gaggle of them, just a stone's throw from the gates, so you guys might want to, I don't know, ask for extra shin-guards or something, from your boss."
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The Guards of Norwick warn the citizens and passing adventures not to go near the bear cave in the Goblin areas. According to the rumour the new bear living in the cave has proved out to be quite terratorial, and is guarding the cave's entrance.
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*Outside the Crafters Union, a sturdy wagon is loaded with lumber and large rocks.
Once it's fully loaded, the crafter known simply as "Z" climbs aboard and heads north.*
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Pushing a barrel filled with earth, sod, and a shovel, Albry makes her way to the fairgrounds…
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As of late, there seems to be more commotion and noise coming from the Norwick Crafting Hall.
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Coming across said holes during her morning jog, Albry ambles to the Grapevine and inquires of the patrons if they know who or what dug the holes, and why.
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The Norwick fairgrounds are full of holes - one or two appearing dug by shovel, but most looking like the result of some mad burrowing beast…
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Legion Captian Romulus was seen entering the Grapevine in the company of a red-haired woman dressed in Romani garb. He was overheard by one of the stewards renting a room for her, and telling her not to try hunting alone as it was too dangerous.
"Is that his wife?" someone asked. "No. His sister!" came the answer.
Login: AubreyMaturin
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Beourn Battlemail, accompanied by several of his kin, make their way from the Hold to the Union hall. Two of the dwarves carry a wooden chest between them. Beourn punches the key into the Union hall lock and turns it. He pushes the doors open, waits for his kin to enter, then follows and shuts the doors behind him.
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_Sirion spins a tale of loss.
"It's a specter of person who died under a terrible strain. It happened during one of the wars. They feel betrayed by Norwick…whether or not Norwick actually did anything to deserve such treatment cannot be said. Spirits tied by strong emotion ignore anything that might disrupt their narrative, because to them that is the only thing that allows them to be."
"However, I am absolutely certain whoever they are they lost their family. War, murder, betrayal...father, daughter, wife...one can never be certain of everything. But I know loss when I see it."_
