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T O P I C    R E V I E W
Saer Cormaeril Posted - 24 May 2011 : 03:25:07
Please let this scroll serve to provide Current Clack heard in the taverns, festhalls, waymoots and fence-rows throughout Faerun and beyond. Please feel free to share the Clack you've encountered!
________________________________________________________________________

1 Tarsakh The Year of the Serpent (1359 DR)

Bargemen taking their evening throatslake at The Barbed Hook in Iriaebor report a trio of spell-lit skiffs traveling swiftly across the rapids of the lower Chionthar in the dark of the night the previous evening. Each of these was piloted by a lone, hooded woman of "beauty such that nae I wish to return to my own warm bed!", or so spake Gerdic, a retired Shield of Iriaebor.
In addition, the halls of many Iriaeboren taverns, such as the Prince and Pauper , the Dreaming Dragon and The Old Talking Ox ring with song and accompaniment of quality unheard on the Tor in many generations.


8 Alturiak The Year of the Three Streams Bloodied (1384 DR)

In Suzail, the recent disclosure of an early draft of a Royal Writ has surfaced from two sources in the city, each is identical, and each bears the appropriate seals and insignia marking it as a Crown document. Some language within the Writ has been interpreted by Aeruthain Tembroar, a tall, broad-shouldered man with a hawkish nose and commanding presence from Espar, as advocating the dissolution of the nobility. Tembroar has assembled a great deal of support for his position from wealthy commoners and disaffected lower nobility, alike. Tembroar has come to call this alliance The Wing of the People's Kingdom. The Wing has maintained a civil disturbance in The Royal Gardens for the past tenday. Purple Dragons have been on high alert, though as of yet, no violence has erupted.


22 Ches The Year of the Grinning Halfling (1481 DR)

A trail of blood and gnoll bodies stretching over seven miles, running west, though within view of Thardresk Crypt, was reported by a stable boy at Boarskyr Bridge attending to Paladins of Elturgard changing mounts en route to Triel. The paladins bore a corpse across one saddle, and were said to be in awe of the dead mans sword work. Indeed, it was that same blade that slew two score gnolls over a long chase across Eltugard's north.
A missive that the dead man carried was recovered, however, a sealed coffer and its contents were spirited away by the slavish gnolls, under the instruction of Gryn'zit, Voice of Yeenoghu.
14   L A T E S T    R E P L I E S    (Newest First)
MalariaMoon Posted - 25 Nov 2011 : 12:49:19
21st Eleint Year of the Banner (1368 DR)

Thandror of the Birchridge, a Volodni Druid Master and a member of the Second Circle of Leth, has experienced an unexplained bloom of flowers across his woody flesh and barklike hair. Such a thing is unprecedented amongst the volodni and especially peculiar as the flowers are all exotic species known only to bloom in the rain forests of the far south. As winter closes in on Dun-Tharos, Thandror is feeling the chill acutely and watching migrant birds departing for warmer climes with envy.

The Nentyarch believes this bizarre manifestation and the most unvolodni feelings they have inspired in Thandror have some purpose related to the plague currently sweeping through the treants of the Forest of Lethyr. The treants are falling silent, becoming mere trees with no indication of their former intelligence. Perhaps Thandror’s flowers offer some clue as to a cure.

The Circle of Leth is encouraging Thandror to follow his urgings and head south. They are seeking adventurers with some knowledge of the southern lands to protect and guide the Druid Master on his strange quest.
MalariaMoon Posted - 07 Nov 2011 : 05:38:56
11th Hammer Year of the Ageless One (1479 DR)

Shaell “Dragonfriend” Cazamal, the famed wizard-explorer of Returned Abeir has made a strange discovery whilst wandering in the Sword Lands. Whilst surveying the mysterious Faerie Pools in the forests south of Fanedown, he came across a pool that differed from the others. Shaell, also a noted scholar of Toril’s arcane history was flabbergasted, for the glowing mere closely resembled a pool of radiance, a magical phenomena that has not been seen in the Realms since the death of Mystra. Shaell was given little time to study the pool, for he was quickly attacked by a gibbering mouther. The abomination gibbered with a curious cacophony of emasculated, feminine voices as they fought, their sorcery setting fire to the forest around them.

Eventually, his protective shields waning and his magic near exhausted, Shaell chose to flee.

News of his encounter made quick news when he returned to Fanedown. Whilst Shaell was recuperating at the Steel Sun Inn, he was approached by Berra Breakingeve. Berra was the apprentice of Gorraday the Eunuch, one of the most renowned wizards of the Sword Lands. Berra’s master had also discovered the apparent pool of radiance, but had refused to share its location with his apprentice. She reported Gorraday had visited the pool repeatedly over the close of the previous year, and that his magical capabilities had seemed to increase significantly over that time. Then, just after the Winter Solstice, Gorraday did not return to his tower.

Remembering the gibbering mouther’s girlish babbling as he fought it, Shaell deduced that the creature was in fact Gorraday transformed. Now Berra and Shaell are searching for adventurers to return with them to the pool of radiance. Berra wants to save Gorraday, or at the very least put him out of his misery. Shaell is more interested in the power the pool could promise.
MalariaMoon Posted - 26 Oct 2011 : 05:01:43
25th Marpenoth Year of the Shield (1367 DR)

In a seeming reversal of the accepted order of things, a number of chromatic dragons are rumoured to be paying tribute to the Council of Six in Amn. A snooping Red Wizard on a trade delegation witnessed Waecogglarlen the Nightwight, an adult black dragon, land upon the roof of the old Council House in Athkatla some time past the midnight bell. He was met by a large contingent of men, cloaked, cowled and heavily armed and armoured. In his talons was a silver chest as large as a wagon. The Red Wizard did not manage to get a glimpse of the chest’s contents, but he did claim an arcane light emanated from within when the chest was opened. The men bore the chest away and the dragon took flight.

Since the story emerged, a number of other dragons are said to have visited the Council House by night, all bearing treasure of some kind. None of the dragons could be considered a wyrm of true power, but they supposedly include Yorthaixargaer “Firethorns” the Red of the Tejarn Hills, Ernetiselaezeer the Green of the Forest of Shadows and Caldothra the Corsair Dragon of the Nelanther Isles.

Speculation is rife as to how the Council of Six are managing to exact tribute from these dragons. Some suggest the Council has forged some alliance with the Cult of the Dragon, whereas others think the Shadow Thieves stole some powerful artefact which the Council members are now using to bind the dragons to them.

1st Eleint Year of the Lost Keep (1379 DR)

Battledale has long been known for its Ghost Holds, the abandoned old strongholds of former heroes, villains or ambitious farmsteaders that dot the forests south of Essembra. Recently, the prosaic name for these ruins found a more sinister significance following the fate of an adventuring band known as The Shields Cast Aside.

A winter past, the Shields scoured the Broken House of Cesseille of ghouls. The Broken House, one of the larger and older Ghost Holds in Battledale, was claimed by the Shields as a prize, and they immediately set to renovating the structure as their own stronghold.

As many adventurers are, the Shields proved to be better suited to action and glory than industry, and little work was done beyond making the place habitable. After a few months, their leader, the ranger Gasper Grimmist, returned to the road to seek adventure, and the remaining Shields fell under the sway of their beautiful but conniving mage Lirizael. Much infighting ensued, and at least one Shield was slain by another whilst fighting for Lirizael’s affections. The treasure the adventurers had hoarded was squandered, and many suspected the once noble Shields Cast Aside were behind a spate of banditry on Rauthauvyr’s Road.

Finally, the Lord’s Men rode out to confront the Shields. They arrived at the Broken House just after dusk, and made a horrifying discovery. The Ghost Hold had become literally just that; an insubstantial, wispy image of the structure flickering upon its still solid foundations. Visible at the windows and on the battlements of the phantasmal Broken House were the ethereal spectres of the adventurers. The men of the Shields Cast Aside beckoned beseechingly and screamed noiselessly, but when the Lord’s Men approached they were driven back by a dreadful chill. A moment later, a black feathered owl alighted on a nearby branch. With the voice of a rasping old crone, it announced “The crossroads have been broken,” before flying off into the night. Powerless to do anything in the face of this fell magic, the Lord’s Men returned to Essembra, leaving the Broken House’s cursed occupants to their fate.

Since that day, a few foolhardy souls have dared to visit the Broken House of Cesseille. Those who visited by night say the ghostly image of the hold remains, as do its ghostly occupants. Those who visit by day describe a vacant clearing in the forest, with only a few traces of the foundations to betray a building ever stood there. They also say that in a centre of the clearing grows a clump of black mushrooms, which have grown to perfectly form ‘Bairemuth’, the elder rune for death.
Saer Cormaeril Posted - 27 Jul 2011 : 04:34:30
12 Hammer The Year of the Emerald Ermine (1387 DR)

A Harper active in Arabel reports that Farl Baerad, a Cormyrian sculptor of unparalleled training and talent, appears to be the focus of a plague of crows now wreaking havoc in the city. Upon the initial presentation of his finest piece to date, "Vangerdehast: Supplicant", commissioned by the church of Torm, ten score crow descended upon the courtyard where the life-sized statue was unveiled. Within an hour, the sky was blacked by ten score thousand or more. At sunset, against a blood red sky they took flight as one to fly rings around Arabel, their multitude painting a black halo above the city for an hour, only to descend upon it again. One amongst them, larger with eyes described as red and malevolent, has perched upon the statue, motionless, for a day and even, at that black halos center. The crow still ravage the Arabellan people.
MalariaMoon Posted - 06 Jul 2011 : 16:48:55
17th Alturiak Year of the Arch (1353 DR)

Arcis Kathos, former general of the Little Legion of Chessenta and self-styled Lord of the town of Golden Greaves has been murdered by persons unknown.

Five years ago Arcis disbanded his mercenary unit and disappeared into the Riders to the Sky Mountains with a single henchman. Many pondered what had prompted the canny old warhorse to give up his soldiering ways.

A year after his departure, Arcis returned to Messemprar with a king’s fortune in gold dust. On the upper reaches of the River of Metals he had discovered fantastic deposits of alluvial gold.

Arcis’s find prompted a gold rush, and the town of Golden Greaves sprung up almost overnight. Far from the firm reach of civilisation, it is a lawless place, full of rogues, unscrupulous merchants and former mercenaries. The one thing that has held it together has been Arcis’s iron hand.

With its Lord gone, the future of Golden Greaves looks perilous. Bandit tribes roaming the northern shores of the Methmere are apparently on the move, as is the private army of the Untherite noble Ziyatum-Saltaneh, but Golden Greaves may not even survive long enough to contend with these threats.

Without Arcis to keep them in line, the greedy prospectors will likely destroy each other trying to control the gold.
Daviot Posted - 10 Jun 2011 : 20:43:03
3 Marpenoth The Year of Rogue Dragons (1373 DR)

Westbound traders along the Bitter Well Caravan Route into Semphar often pass by the oasis of Iris Well Spring, site of a single farm that is the home of semi-exiled Ali al-Mustasib and last stop before entering Semphar proper. Said traders are reporting that on this lonely plantation is a crippled half-elven man, missing an eye, several fingers, and one leg below the knee. The elfkin wears the trappings of a Faerûnian alchemist or adventuring wizard, and babbles half-coherently in Common about needing to return to the heart of Faerûn to deliver a dire message. The clack varies on where, but most forms say he delved into the city of Solon/The Citadel of Jorhat/The ruins of Kushk/the ruins of Raudor and discovered a terrible secret that adled his mind and turned his irises a brilliant violet, only to run afoul of a great beast (perhaps a drake or peryton) on his way back to civilization. But Easterner caravan masters are suspicious folk, and refuse to take the obviously-cursed cripple with them.
Daviot Posted - 10 Jun 2011 : 20:08:00
11 Kythorn The Year of the Banner (1368 DR)

According to the taverns of Mistledale and Shadowdale, adventurers and scavengers that lurk around the edges of crumbling Myth Drannor have seen an unusual party of adventurers in those ruins, armed with glowing pistols seemingly more powerful than starwheels and a strange lance-like weapon that seems to work like a Shou rocket. Both, combined with their strange, powerful, gear-laden armor have been enough to give the fiends and monsters of that ruin pause. Some claim that they are merely a powerful group of Gondar holy mercenaries, testing out devices that Gond has yet to reveal to the world at large, while others claim the House of Gond in Essembra is quietly offering a bounty for the recovery of any of this group's strange mechanisms, and at least one mage (whose identity changes with each telling) suggests that these strange adventurers are from another world entire, whisked to Toril by the half-functioning gates that dot Myth Drannor's corpse.
MalariaMoon Posted - 09 Jun 2011 : 18:08:44
17th Ches Year of the Worm (1356 DR)

Where the forest of Gulthmere surrenders to the mighty slopes of the Orsraun mountains, something strange is afoot.

Tanilyn Foxalfain, a ranger of the Vilhon Reach, returned to the area after four winters wandering. She was set upon by a savage bear which she was forced to slay. As she dealt the killing blow, she was stricken to realise she had spent time rearing the very same beast when it was but an abandoned cub. She had little time to tend to her grief. Before the sun had set, she was attacked by another two bears, each an exact duplicate of the first.

Tanilyn retreated. During her adventuring days she’d heard tell of the deepspawn, a monster that could produce clones of the creatures it had devoured. She journeyed to Starmantle, gathered a band of warriors and spellcasters, and returned to track down the deepspawn.

Her quest was a failure. Tanilyn once again encountered the bear spawn, but this time they were different. They were changed, augmented. Some had fangs like massive sabres, some had horns and armour plating, others poisonous spines. Her band fought other clones, forest creatures spliced together to create monsters. Outmatched and sorely wounded, Tanilyn fled once again, leaving her companions to their fates.

The traumatised ranger has since found refuge with the Emerald Enclave. They have grave concerns over whatever man or monster is behind the spawn Tanilyn fought. They want someone to get to heart of the matter; to get to the heart of the matter and then stick a sword through it.
MalariaMoon Posted - 28 May 2011 : 10:52:39
8th Flamerule Year of the Lightning Storms (1374 DR)

Morus Brokengulf II, paladin of Tyr and noble of Waterdeep, entered his family’s sepulchre, which rests in the City of the Dead. He was horrified to discover a giant undead monstrosity lurking within, a creature composed of the amalgamated bones of all his ancestors!

The brave paladin managed to destroy the beast, but a later funeral of the aged dowager Vema Jardeth revealed a similar monster lurking in her family crypt.

Speculation is now rife that the tombs of all Waterdeep’s nobility are so afflicted. Most of the noble’s families are clamouring for Lord Piergeiron to do something, or hiring adventurers to investigate privately. A few families have remained silent, leading others to wonder what lies in their crypts that they don’t want to share with the world.

29th Flamerule Year of the Spur (1348 DR)

The Little Legion, a mercenary band of great fame in the Old Empires, has been disbanded by its general, Arcis Kathos. Despite the long list of highly accomplished and loyal characters who followed his flag, Arcis chose to retain the services of only one follower; the tall swordsman Raelix, renowned both for his astonishing stupidity and his deadly bladework.

The two men were seen leaving Messemprar early this morning with a trio of pack mules. They were heading towards the Riders to the Sky mountains, following the River of Metals upstream.

Although old age and war wounds long ago robbed Arcis of his fighting skills, his tactical nous remains undimmed. Many people are surprised by the sudden dissolution of the Little Legion, but whatever venture Arcis is on, there’s no doubt he has a sound plan.

3rd Eleint Year of Wild Magic (1372 DR)

A duergar has arrived at the gates of Silverymoon bearing a Harper pin and using passwords known only to senior commanders of the Argent Legion. He introduced himself as Vanadun Whitewand – not a very likely name for a grey dwarf! He was taken in custody by no less than four of the Spellguard and ten Silver Knights and escorted to an undisclosed location.

Not long after a group of duergar assassins tried to murder ‘Vanadun’ but were beaten off by Silverymoon’s defenders. Apparently, the attackers used psionics to bypass the Spellguard’s magical defences, leading Lady Alustriel and Taern Hornblade to tentatively identify the assassins as members of the Forak-Erach-Naek; a group of soulknives for hire based in the Underdark city of Gracklstugh.

The true identity of ‘Vanadun’ remains in doubt. The leading theory at the moment is that the imprisoned duergar is also a member of Forak-Erach-Naek who somehow subsumed the identity of his victim whilst trying to mindmurder him. Vanadun Whitewand is not a known agent of Silverymoon or the Harpers, but of course, aliases and covert identities are de rigueur in the field of intrigue.
MalariaMoon Posted - 27 May 2011 : 04:40:57
23rd Alturiak Year of the Prince (1357 DR)

Lord Elorfindar Floshin seeks the whereabouts of his grandson Erialis Farwhisper. Elorfindar is a gold elf who dwells in the House of Long Silences, his isolated, wooded estate which lies between Waterdeep and Daggerford. Elorfindar is over 1,000 years old, an ally of the Lord’s Alliance and the Harpers, and shares none of the xenophobia and haughtiness of his kin.

Not so Erialis, recently returned to the North after two centuries living in Evermeet. In an effort to instil Erialis with some of his progressive views, Elorfindar bade his grandson live amongst the humans in Daggerford. This gambit has seemingly ended in disaster.

Since Erialis’s disappearance, he has been linked with the nefarious adventuring band known as the Companions of the Wreck, who were allegedly responsible for the recent murder of Daggerford’s Lathanderite priest Cael Crownfisher. Rumours have since placed the Companions of the Wreck in Neverwinter, whereas others say Baldur’s Gate.
Daviot Posted - 27 May 2011 : 00:04:19
20 Ches The Year of the Tankard (1370 DR)
Traders in Anathar's Dell have spun dire tales that in the last five winters, an ancient wyvern of awesome size has been preying on caravans along the Tethyamar Trail. An unusually canny sort whose hide is covered in healed wounds, "Ol' Scarhide" as he's been called, usually attacks during the worst of winter weather, using blizzards or driving rain to cover his attacks. No fewer than a dozen small caravans or trading parties in the past five years have fallen to the clutches of this single dragonling, and Randal Morn's government can't spare the coin for a bounty large enough to attract any famous foreign dragon-hunters.

The dwarves of Anathar's Dell are keen to point out (over a few good rounds of drink) that a wyvern of Ol' Scarhide's age and cunning assuredly has a horde to rival his true-blooded draconic cousins, and it no doubt lies somewhere in the foothills of the Desertmouth Mountains, ripe for the right adventurers.
MalariaMoon Posted - 26 May 2011 : 17:51:40
13th Ches Year of the Turret (1360 DR)

A spooked drafthorse bolted down Tulmaster’s Street, in the Southern Ward of Waterdeep. With its cart careening along behind it, the animal hurtled into local landlord Rhan Nhistjal, trampling the man beneath hooves and heavy oaken wheels. When bystanders rushed to Rhan’s lifeless form, they were dumbstruck to find not blood flowing from his torn corpse, but gallons of deep red wine! Further investigation revealed a skeleton of built not of bone but of steel, and articulated by dozens of minute gears and cogs.

This tale was soon the talk of Waterdeep after being put into song by the minstrel Jaran Zun. Not only is Jaran a curly haired, wastrel nobleborn singer of snide, witty yet cruel topical songs, he was also a tenant of Rhan’s until his ‘death’. Jaran was delighted at the prospect of having no one to collect rent money, but within two days of Rhan’s demise, a patrol of City Watch were knocking on Jaran’s door (and those of Rhan’s other tenants) to evict him. The Watch were apologetic, but firm and close mouthed when questioned. Rhan’s former lodgers have since been rehoused with one month’s rent paid by the city purse. Rhan’s holdings have been boarded up, and remain guarded by a pair of watchmen at all times.

Very little is known about Rhan Nhistjal. Gossips argue about whether he was a native Waterdahavian or an immigrant. At the very least, he was a minor landlord in Southern Ward for some score years, yet no one seems to know which of his properties he actually called home. He had no known family, or even friends, and his lodgers report he was an ill-tempered man who used words like they were rationed.
MalariaMoon Posted - 25 May 2011 : 17:38:20
16th Ches Year of the Harp (1355 DR)

A rogue wizard and suspected member of the Zhentarim, one Kerrivan Larazhast, launched an unexpected attack on the Oakengrove Abbey. The Abbey, sacred to Silvanus, lies amongst the Elven Woods north of Mistledale. Unfortunately for Kerrivan, his attack was poorly considered; no less than three Harper rangers were residing in the abbey at the time of his attack.

Bolstered by the magic of the Oakfather Gannon Durei, the Harpers swiftly drove off the Zhentarim mageling. Unfortunately, before Kerrivan’s escape (borne laboriously skywards by a dozen summoned darkenbeasts), an errant lightning bolt split the northernmost oak of the Abbey’s sacred grove. To the surprise of all, a terrified dryad leapt from its sundered trunk and fled into the night.

The dryad’s presence in the grove was unknown to even the oldest of the priests who inhabit the Abbot. Oakfather Gannon believes the damage inflicted upon the oak tree is not critical, yet the dryad has not returned. He is seeking adventurers to scour the local woods and find her.

It is unknown whether there was any deeper purpose behind Kerrivan’s attack beyond typical Zhentarim mischief making, although stories have long persisted of treasure hidden in its sacred grove.
Saer Cormaeril Posted - 25 May 2011 : 05:57:36
1 Mirtul Year of the Shield (1367 DR)

While performing a late-night naval demonstration,the crew of the fast-galleon Filfaeril, helmed by Commander Fearic Valar, was forced to break from pageantry and war-play to conduct a first-light rescue on a sundered curragh in the Lake of Dragons. With equal measure concern and delight, King Azoun IV on board The Crown of Cormyr, his retinue hosting Shanyrria Alenuath, orders Admiral Hazen Kelafin to pursue the swifter Filfaeril. Arriving some minutes behind the Filfaeril, and with a confused squadron of Bleth, Wyvernspur and Truesilver ships behind, The Crown is waved off by flags of plague from the fast galleon.

Three survivors are pulled from the burning, plague ridden curragh, however, Wizards of War indicate the three in smuggling phaenalo, a dangerous drug.

A great many nobles are impressed by Azoun's swift Filfaeril, and many fast-galleons are commissioned in the following weeks.

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