::New rumours heard in the Mermaid::
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A group of hearty adventures recently went out to investigate the magical activity on the beach to the west of Peltarch. They appeared a bit later, out of thin air, even their heavily armored fighters looking worse for wear. They speak of a huge amount of the small, but mean birds out on the beach, which were apparently on a kind of wandering and seemed to consider the group a threat. It's also mentioned that this might have to do with their choice in priests, as they brought along the notorious priestess of Beshaba. Apparently though, despite them ending up in such an unfortunate encounter, none of the group fell to the birds which might also be attributed to their choice of priests.
((Well done! Good upping in challenge out there by the DM! Just right, imho. ^^))
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Garbled reports of livestock and other wild animal deaths in the farms and plains northeast of the city. Something big, livestock half-eaten. Farmer's dog ripped apart.
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The common rumor mills…be it the back alleys of the docks, the gossiping hens of the noble district, or the adventurer's in the commerce...have been questioning the wear abouts of a certain Blue Bard recently. The last report had him arriving home with a large group from the Giantspires some tendays ago, but has not been seen anywhere since. While not as prominent within the city as the past, his disappearance during such times has seemed rather out of the ordinary.
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Kitty kitty bye-byes…
Seems Peltarchs kitten population has been biting off more than it can chew of late. Possibly forming a formation swimming team, or a diving squad, the unfortunate kitties seem to have hit the drink, a score of their sodden wee bodies washing up on the shores of the Icelake. No doubt prospecting sailors might nab a corpse or twain, and craft them into a charming hat or kitty-scarf for an appropriately weather-beaten fishwife.
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A very small group of black sails recruited even fewer adventurers for a rescue mission, apparently following up a rumor of some lost caravan. They didn't return to Peltarch for many days, though.
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talks of a ruffed up man can be heard as he is drug up to the peltarch temple with a slight chuckle on his lips
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_Made possible by Senator Mariston and sponsored by the high priestess Lacey, the Greengrass Festival brought many different kinds of people to Peltarch. The main attraction were obviously the very scantily clad dancers from the Sunite temple as well as the flowers and bikinis donated through Lacey.
The festival was opened by a flower tossing, many of the flowers tossed on a field in the traditional manner to drive winter out of the ground and to summon summer. The farthest throw went to Kull who uncerimoniously tossed his flower far beyond the field even. What he might have lacked in style, he made up by sheer distance thrown. Leaving the more gracefully thrown flowers of such pretty ladies as Penny or Lily far behind.
The main tournament event this greengrass was a fight against various bad circumstance, first the participants had to struggle for their footing, fighting off their opponent. Many slipped and lost due to that fact and one mage even used impressive magics to become a powerful fighting machine, leaving quite a few awed from his powers. For the second round the remaining participants were teamed up into random pairs and had to fight blindfolded. The human men both times losing, Drelan and Z getting badly beaten by the team of Ginger and Keira, and Alexi and Ezachiel being downed by the two halflings Gonnar and Peroigo.
After that it was first a decision in the teams while they struggled in a web, then Ginger beat Peroigo in a swift and clear fight, securing the place as second runner-up. Then Keira and Gonnar fought the final, which seemed to take forever, the two dodging each other's blows, tiring each other out. Eventually it was Keira who prove to be that little bit more enduring, winning the grand greengrass prize.
The archery tournament prove to be full of surprises, King Bee making it into the final, defeating midsummer's almost champion Ginger in the first round, Lucid beating the elven archer Sinu and so on. The final dominated by human men, the excellent shot who defeated two of the melee's semi-finalists in the first round of archery, and Call being invited back to shoot instead of the King Bee who seemed to have become beezy elsewhere. In the end it was Aghila, a late appearance who earned the first prize, never missing bull's eyes throught the competion.
Having been betrayed of a first prize in either the melee or the archery, the halflings made a great come-back by simply dominating the election of the Greengrass Queen. It was Gonnar who put the garland of flowers on Ginger's head. The flowers are rumored to have been specially prepared by high priestess Lacey, and visitors claim they could feel the magic emanating from them. Some even blame the heavy perfume that must have been in those flower for distracting Ginger's sense. Others just say she was too tired from pecking and kissing all the pretty halfling boys on the festival.
Most people wonder, though, who Aghilla's mystery lover is that granted him such luck. In the end the whole place was covered in flowers and petals and just about everyone left the festival with a flower in their pockets, some of them rumored to still carry some of the magic in them that was used to grow them even in the cold days of the past winter. Gossip has it that the two hosts Sabre and Pavel stayed behind, their arms around each other and both trying to lean on the other. Sometimes they supposedly even forgot that the fair was over, just standing there not reacting to people leaving and carrying all the things from the festival away._
((Thanks to all who were there! Sorry but I just can't mention all of you, even though you deserved it! Big, big thanks to Nilla and LD (who DMed) and Karnivorr (who helped organize it)! Great fun again :)Also special thanks for participating in the competitions in order of signing up: Gonnar, Besk, Laerlily, Aelthas, Kull, Penny, Keira, Ginger, Alexi, Peppy, Drelan, Z, William, Peroigo, Ezachiel, Celdor, Lilin, Elradriendir, Lucid, Sinu'serlia, Senria, Gurt, Call, Sywyn, Daeran, Juster and Aghila!))
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A few bards may have known it ahead of time, but now the citizens of Peltarch see the proof on actual posters. Advertisements for:
@9050f654de=[size=18:9050f654de:
((Again, contact me (IG: Pavel) if there's fees to be paid for the posters.))
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A pale priestess lifts a thin eyebrow hearing this and begins to make inquiries into the whole matter, apparently with the goal to track down one of the survivors.
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A Tormish priest wandering by hears the circulating rumors regarding the saurial attack and simply shakes his head.
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_Rumors run rampant throughout the city as a large group of adventurers returned from the foothill, some carry the bodies of fallen adventurers.
The story goes that a smaller party went forth into the sea hag cave and were met with some resistance from Sauriels in the cave alongside the kobolds, upon leaving the cave they were met by a Cleric of Torm whom they informed of their findings.
On there way back in to Peltarch they were met be a larger groupd of Adventurers and then suddenly suprised by a Yuan-ti.
Few words were spoke and eventually the Yuan Ti fled, leading the two parties into an Ambush of Sauriels, Thuggrim the Crimson ran right into the ambush to delay them so that his party could escape safely. Some are calling him a hero, while others perhaps think him a fool.
A Gondorian Sentinal also fell in battle to the sauriel ambush, although it was unclear how, as was the same for the Ranger William Morrison, most likely these two also fell protecting those they called friend.
The masked girl Hope also fell in a irrational attempt to recover Thuggrims body while many Sauriels still roamed the hills, many in the foothills that day its said were rather irrational running around and shooting or swinging at anything that moved._
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_According to some obscure rumor a terrible, incorporeal monster is lose in the city. It is said to be a monster meant to dig into the earth, haunting its many denizens, but through a terrible accident its conjuration was not finished properly and it is now stuck traversing through chairs and benches. Some few warn everyone to be wary when sitting down, afraid the monster might devour the unwary chair-user.
There seem to be a few legends already about concerning how this terrible beast has come into existence. One of the more often heard story revolves around a powerful Rashemen witch who challenged the Dark Enchantress herself to a terrible spell duel. The witch is said to have called upon the monster in a last desperate strike, hoping to defeat the enchantress. But before the spell could be finished completely the Enchantress killed the witch by a creative use of a simple mage hand spell, strangling the Rashemen.
Another story involves the deep gnomes, who are also known as fanatic Urdlen followers. Though it is unclear whether they drove the beast from their home, the earth, or whether they summoned the beast on purpose only half so it would haunt those that live above ground. Some fear it may be only a small taste of their true power and much worse would be yet to come.
All legends agree, though, that the monster is not physical and would not be harmed by ordinary weapons. Only powerful magical weapons would be able to hurt it. As thus people are cautioned to avoid sitting down should they find a chair particularly and oddly warm._
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The magistrate has been seen visiting the tradespersons around town, known to trade in weapons, or other booty often given to them by adventurers. He is often accompanied by a guard or defender and handing them a notice to be placed near their stall - after a genuinely friendly exchange…
::Pinned up in the marketplace::
Public Notice:
"Actions of folk of these lands in respect to the lizardfolk bordering Peltarch is already part of our laws and warnings of prosecution are posted around the city. Citizens and visitors to the city are hence reminded and forewarned of the consequences of ignoring these notices.
Honoured traders have been forewarned to remain vigilant for those who may seek to profit from the death of lizardfolk kin in selling their personal effects."
:: The magistrate then goes to seek out the guard-general. Magistrate Barrim was seen pointing out the armour to the marketplace traders so as to make them aware of armours to watch for ::
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People mumble about a purple hin roaming the docks, stopping often to speak quietly with shop owners, guards, and and people that might be walking by. Wonder what the grape is up to now?
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Dentin spreads word trough the inns and the theatre that he is looking to hire a talented writer for a project of sorts, and seems interested in setting up something of a competition. The winner could expect a payment of 500 gold, with another 500 gold bonus if the project yields good results. Whatever is meant with that remains unclear for now.
//PM me or talk to Dentin IG for details.
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The third host, Ocean, barmaid extraordinaire, is certainly the talk of many of the male participants. Her outfit causing many of them to drool and at least one to grope. There was a lull in her cheery calling out of her wares which seemed to often include such esoteric things as "The finest Ass in Narfell" when the bard spent a long time talking in soft tones with Lilly. A short while later though she was lifting spirits and body parts again with her mix of witty repartee and blatant sexuality.
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_The Midsummer Festival seems to have attracted quite a crowd into the city, some of which remained in Peltarch in various states of conciousness.
Talk of the tournament fights seem to center mostly around Senator Mariston who fought successfully with his bastard sword against a mighty barbarian, a fierce beauty and a strong crafter, each fight looking to be a close cut. He lost only one fight in the semi-finals against an elven martial arts specialist and even that seemed to be an even struggle. In the final, Grag faced off without weapons against that very elf in a fight that might have ended badly for the huge half-orc barbarian whose equally huge axe had secured him his victories before. But in the end, he was able to use his superior weight to trip the elf and thus won the tournament. His victory left a few bad tastes with some, though, because he was called back into the ring for the second round even after Hedia had beaten him with her magics before but later suffered the same fate as the elven martial arts specialist in her fight with the strong crafter.
In the archery contest it was particularly the halfling Ginger who impressed with an almost perfect aim, but there were many others with similar skill in the competition. An elven archer who also made it into the last round, was apparently too distracted by the crowd around her and missed the spot on her second and third shot. In the end it was just Ginger and the human crafter Z who kept hitting the spot. Eventually, though, Ginger's aim wavered for the single and only misshot in her otherwise perfect score. She missed the spot and Z took his chance, securing the first prize of the archery contest.
Other noteworthy gossip talks of a small group of lizards visiting the fair and watching the revelry peacefully. A particular interesting show was offered for all those daredevils who wanted to enjoy the midsummer fire very closely as a field of smouldering coals was placed on the ground for them to run over. It's also mentioned that merchants appeared there, some speak of very fine weapons that were sold on the grounds of the fair.
The silvery shimmer of the first day of Eleasis was crawling up over the eastern plains as the two hosts, Sabre and Pavel, were last seen disappearing quietly from the fields holding each other's hands._
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At some locations in Peltarch posters appear, advertising a Midsummer Festival.
((If there's any costs to be covered for placing the posters and/or keeping them in place, please contact me.))
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A pair of Sails members can be heard talking a bit worriedly about an attack in a kobold cave. It seems they were attacked by what seemed to be sneaky human adventurers.
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There have been many rumors of houses being broken into during the darkness of Night, mostly homes within the commerce district, the Peltarch City Guard can be seen speaking with the victims and taking notes of all that has been stolen. There are no suspects at this time.
