Whispers at the Fire
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Travellers and foragers in the northwest Rawlins report a slightly diminished goblin presence, and signs of messy carnage. Half-chewed limbs and carelessly flung bits of the corpses are strewn around, until the usual woodland scavengers and carrion-eaters start the cleanup.
Prompt and competent trackers might note large paw-prints, probably wolf in origin.
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:Maythor looks at Mercy then at Lucid: Pasteeeclam's fer kids? :drops his ale and walks out of the boarshead:
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_For reasons unknown, your favourite dwarven priestess of Mercy has elected to make several conspicuous visits to Norwick of late, installing herself in the Boarshead bar. In addition to her garish seashell armour, Mercy seems to have acquired a helmet to match.
The purpose of her trip, however, is not to show off her snazzy duds but to boast of the Chancellor, Lucidious' accomplishments. Whether to lift the mood after the collapse of Lathander's shrine - which seems unlikely - the bloated, toad faced priestess entertains listening locals by reiterating "The Saga of Rando's Throat" presenting the Chancellor as a heroic, fell-handed figure, Rando a snivelling ingrate who begs for his life before the elven official, a sneer upon his cherry lips, casts the villain into hell.
Naturally, the tale is filled with significant unnecessary insights - including a torrid romantic liaison between Mercy and the Chancellor as a significant subplot.
For some reason, telling it once seems six times too little and she returns every day of the week, reminding the remaining locals of the dashing and heroic cut of Lucy's gib._
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_Heard the words of announcement Norwick did,
of one a secretary she becomes to the Chancellor it is.
One whom recently returned to Norwick,
since many months she had left.Since then Harmony could be seen at times,
one that is often so in the days to come,
her presence be found near the Chancellor's side.Despite her new role to serve in Norwick,
the modesty and humbleness of hers still remains.
Smiles softly she often does,
one of a blooming flower in spring it resembles,
to all who enjoys her company she will freely give._
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One fine afternoon, the herald emerges from the great hall with parchment in hand to read the days announcements in town square…
Hear ye! Hear ye!
The Chancellor of Norwick, Lord Lucidious Corvance, Hereby bestows the title of Secretary to the Chancellor upon Lady Harmony of Norwick. All concerns to be voiced to the Chancellor may be made though Lady Harmony in the Chancellors absence. In addition, the Lady Harmony is also granted the right to speak on the Chancellor's behalf on matters of import regarding the Realm. She is to be treated with the honor and respect of one who carries the will of the Chancellor.
…and from there, the herald stresses the shrine of Lathander being off limits and to stay indoors at night due to the rolling fog that may still linger in town.
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As night falls on Norwick and the citizens huddle in the Great Hall an unexpected event occurs. Instead of a heavy fog rolling into town quite the opposite happens. The clouds seem chased from the sky revealing a bright full moon in luminating the lands below in an eerie light. Across the pitch darkness of the sky silvery stars twinkle and ripples of light dance on the waters far below. The night is perhaps arguably the most picturesque ever seen in even an elf's memory as the sky stay clear of any clouds thru the entirety of the night. Though oddly one element seems missing, not a sound is heard, nay a night creature calling or hunting, nay an insect, nor even a gentle breeze makes the smallest of sounds. The night is positively silent as if holding it's breath for fear it would end too soon.
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_Wren Halfabrick returns from the north after a trip of a few days looking somewhat grim, and is heard to inform the gate guards and local merchants that werewolves are running amok in the pass, attacking caravans and generally being a menace.
"The smaller ones go down when you cut their nadgers off, but the older ones.. well… trust me, you don't want any part of those things."_
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_Last nights fog was exceptionally heavy and cold. It rolled into town masking everything in white. When finally the sun emerged the next morning the town looked as it has been. Least until the Shrine of Lathander is visited. Where cool refreshing water was, now a brackish quagmire exists. All the greenery is dead, the shrine destroyed, the statue shattered. event he fountain was seemingly crumbled. Where was a sense of peace and well being persisted, now death and hopelessness await. Citizens can't help but return from the shrine teary eyed and downcast. The one place thought immune to the death and destruction has fallen. Not a hint of goodness remains, not a hint of holy magic remains. It is by all accounts dead.
Abandon hope all ye of faith, for the shrine of Lathander, the light of the land, has fallen casting the citizens into darkness_
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_The guards on the gates at Sam's Hill watch with bemusement as an odd party passes below.
Two dwarves, a male and a female, and a human woman with a massive sword…. lugging a dead gnoll. The gnoll, tongue lolling from its mouth, seems to be wearing a set of fluffy white angel wings.
As the guards stare, the female dwarf sings a Damaran children's lullaby to the dead angelic gnoll. Which starts to snore, until the human woman whaps it and the other two make shushing motions.
As they watch, the odd band ambles down the long road towards Jiyyd.
"There's somethin' ye don't see every day."
"Nah... I see dwarves all the time."
"..."_
-Lagermane
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_Rumours abound in Norwick that the Advisor to the Chancellor, Calendel, was led into town from the North by another Cleric (apparently a follower of Tempus) claiming that he had captured a doppelganger and was taking this doppelganger claiming to be Calendel to see the Chancellor himself to either capture this creature or determine it to indeed be Calendel!
Hours later this same Cleric of Tempus was seen being dragged out of the Great Hall with his weapons confiscated and his hands bound and was quickly led into the local Jail.
Most rumours think this Cleric may have flipped his lid! Some say he had come from Oscura and could very well be under the effects of the evil darkness that surrounds everyone when visiting… Little is known as to what transpired other than those that accompanied this Cleric and his prisoner into the Chancellor's office that night although many have seen Calendel resuming his work around town as though nothing of great consequence had occured._
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During the night word of war machines gets out. Soon after a hin in leather and an elven female in plate are seen leaving the town talking about going to play while another elf goes out apparently to watch… are they serious?
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_As the sun drops and night falls over Norwick the citizens take up a now long practiced routine of leaving their homes and heading to the great hall with animals and children in tow. Braziers are brought out to chase the cold away inside while the townfolk hunker down for another long night. The town healers take shifts checking to make sure that everyone is accounted for and of good health. Some sleep a restless dozing while others stay awake watching the doors to the great hall with weapons or children clenched tightly wondering how long the doors will hold. For the most part the hall is quiet except for the occasional calling of an animal as the night gets enveloped in fog. A few stragglers come in now and again, usually adventurers caught outside, and are quickly checked out by the healers. As dawn comes and the fog recedes the townfolk eagerly leave the hall in a smelly mess which is then cleaned up by recruits or hired hands. The townfolk have gotten used to the dead grass now being turning to dust, the leafless trees and prevaisive stench of rot that seems to linger constantly. Probably the most disheartening is the fact that the fog seems to only descend on the immediate area and not more then a 30 min walk away the land is alive and well with the sounds of wildlife.
Even the shrine to Lathander doesn't go untouched as the death and decay seems to have gone several inches into the consecrated area.
"Cursed and damned" they say._
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Others might remember that this wouldn't be the first time that Grag took the law into his own hands on Norwick ground.
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Dwin inquires with the guards in the area about this event, and whether it is true that Grag man-handled a Norwick Militia Officer. "Not even Grag would be that dumb," he was overheard saying…
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Rumor has it General Grag was talking a bit too much to Zanetar and One known as Loc stepped in to "stop the judging" That was the last people saw of Loc as it is rumored grag turned to him and he went flying over the south gates…
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_Rumor has it that three members of the Norwick militia swooped down on the Banite Zanetar, cut off his head, and played a ball game with it for hours around southgate.
Of course, the fact that Zanetar can be seen walking around town, head attached, makes some people doubt the accuracy of the tale… but hey, something had to have started it, right?_
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Rilia wanders into the great hall and up into the chancellor's office. A short while after climbing the stairs a loud shriek is heard. It seems all her lovely frilly elven plants died as if watered with salt water and her bag of seeds appears to have been turned into writhing wormy bug larvae and mold. A distraught and teary Rilia is seen leaving Norwick long before dark. She pauses only to note the location of the tart Belinda on her way towards the gates.
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When Cyrian learns that Perennia has returned, he promptly goes off to find her.
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_Selene, the Romani Merchant in town, seems to be staying chipper even as the town around her seems more and more rotten. However, her shop still closes promptly at sun-down and she often pays a few gold to make sure everything is stored quickly and promptly.
Lilin is seen coming into town everday with some sense of frustration at having to repaint the signs around Selene everyday as the paint peels in the night. She does seem quite pleased though at the success of their business, and it is widely told that a great deal of the profit the store is making is being donated back into the town of Norwick, though the fog's problems seem to be making the effects of this charity less than noticable.
In unrelated news, there was a small spat between the Chancellor Lucid and the elf Eresse about a certain painting in the Lord's office. Though the issue seem to have been diffused by Lilin, the Chancellor stormed back inside, and Lilin and Eresse were seen standing outside the gates chatting for quite sometime.
Afterwards, Lilin glances back at the already peeling paint on her sign and goes inside to talk to Lucid._
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_Returned Waukeenar faithful Perennia Colfax was spotted entering Norwick's Great Hall not long ago, in the company of Chancellor Lucidious Corvance and the stalwart Locrian Danister. Over the course of the following two days, she was seen coming and going to and from the hall as if she had taken up temporary residence there.
If asked, she simply explains that she has been very well-treated by many people since arriving back in town, and that she intends to reciprocate by helping to return economic prosperity to the region._
