(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

You could think that this attack on New Dunwarren was a revenge, a counterattack for the attack on Lower yesterday. But it was not! Listen carefully! Who's behind the murder of Lem and Longhand? I'll answer that at the end. First, I tell you the hole story.

After the attack on the Lower, the Nancies were up to anything, just to hit back. They've found support from the Seekers too. Short before the attack, Seeker Cedric Mason was seen in the Lower, among the attackers, talking about the fight and potions that can help 'em.

They've attacked the Temple of Tyr in New Dunwarren, killed several greycloaks and their main target, Lem. There was Croc, Krithis, Cedric Mason and former councilor Yhaunn among the attackers. They'd succeed but Councilor Longhand'd lead a group of greycloaks against them. Croc was captured and brought to jail, and it's said that the greycloaks killed Cedric Mason too. I'm not sure about that, maybe he was just injured and now they are spreading the news of his dead to make sure nobody's after the Seeker.

It's said that the leader of the attackers, Yhaunn'd taken a relic from the dead Lem. One of the relics which are wanted by the demon called Z...

The attackers retreated to the Lower, Longhand'd followed them... He's headed for disaster. In the alleys of the Lower, Yhaunn killed Longhand, chopped down his head and take it as a trophy. Longhand's body was brought to Upper by a man named Stormstrike. The attackers had disappeared in the Lower.

Now, people of New Dunwarren are trying to raise Lem from the dead. Great! If they succeed they'll have a living dead in their temple. Just think about it! A living dead as a leader! Insane!

But, what more insane is, that they want to resurrect and raise Longhand. A headless body... If they succeed Longhand will be a living dead too! A zombie-like creature in the control of who has Longhand's REAL head! Yes, Yhaunn has his head!

Now, the Seekers are acting like they're searching for Cedric Mason. But, just think again! Earlier the Seekers moved from Upper to the Lower. Why? Because the sheriff'd closed their Hall. This is how the Nancies and the Seekers forged into a secret alliance. Now Cedric Mason is on the run, and the other Seekers keep their names clear.

Toman Vashan saying he's searching for a key signed with a 'Z'. Yes, Z as the demon, who's leading the Formians against us. Maybe he's knowing it, maybe he's just lucky, but he guessed right! Now, I tell you who's behind all of these...

Former councilor Yhaunn is a traitor. He says he's against the tyranny of the sheriff, but this attack proves he's a traitor. In these hard times, when we prepare to save our lives in a deadly battle against the Formians, Yhaunn gathered his pack of nancies and seekers and murdered a very important person, a high priest, who could've been a help when the demon arrives! What is the goal of this? The so called 'FREEDOM' of the Lower? No way! Now, everybody in New Dunwarren and in Upper hates the Lower and the Nancies. And the new group of the Balanced Daggers. They're recruiting but not against the common threat, the formians, but against the Upper. The Watch gonna strike them again and again. That's for sure. And while we're killing each other we're getting weaker and weaker. And the formian attack is upon us.

So, Yhaunn succeed. The force behind him is the same behind the formians and behind the demon. This force may be the drow... or not. But we are doomed for good.

Now, let's have another drink, my throat is dry.

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

They're here, my friend!

Thousands of Formians soldiers are at the gates of Sanctuary, and we are doomed! They are intelligent, they've got a mighty leader, and they are outnumbering us!

How ironic... We've got two uprising churches, and both of them are useless! The Formians resisting the fire, even their leader is a flame-creature, so the priests of Kossuth can't do anything to save us. They're weak! The demon is a mummified giant - they say -, so what can the priests of Kelemvor do about a monster who is stronger than Death? Nothing, they are weak too!

Mycopolis, the druids are left on their own. They can't defend Mycopolis, they're doomed! Thousands of Formians will come through the Canal...

The people of Lower are left on their own, too. After Mycopolis, Lower'll be burned to the ground. The Formians gonna slay every living being in the Lower. The others... they're gonna be slaves again! Who gonna stand against them? The beggars? The gangs of Lower? They can play their kill and hide game in the alleys, but they can't win a war. Not even a single battle. So, I tell you my friend to pack up everything you've got! Your wife, your children, your tools, your gold... everything! And go, rescue from the Lower! Up to Old Sanctuary while you can do it! Sooner or later the Watch gonna close down the In Between and in Lower only Death will stay...

Upper maybe can stand against the first attack. But what after that? We haven't got food supply. We haven't got water supply. We haven't got anything, just a bunch of unorganized militia called Watch and "adventurers", some powerless priests and wizards buried Underdark.

We only've got hope... a little hope... We haven't got heros like Hosfyrd Reev anymore.

We are doomed!

...but let's have another drink, my throat is dry! Maybe this gonna be the last one...

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

Two things are on my mind today, my friend.

Councilors

The first: Is it just misfortune that councilor Longhand's headed for disaster when he fought against the attackers from Lower? Or is it not? I ask you another question! What does a place in the Council worth? What if a councilor dies and he can't be raised from dead 'cause his head is missing? Yes, with the death of Longhand the next candidate will take his place in the Council. Who's the candidate to take Longhand's place? Yes, he's Fizzwiggle... A shifty person in town, and I won't be surprised if his connection to Yhaunn comes to light. Or I won't be surprised if another councilor'll found headless... That'll mean Sparklegem takes a place in the Council. And what's the connection between Sparklegem and the Seekers? Oh, yes, my friend...

Seekers

The second thing is on my mind: Why would the Seekers betray Sanctuary? They are searching the Way to the Surface. If there is a Way, who knows it? The drow knows it. Can the Seekers break through the drow? No way! But they can bribe the drow to show them the Way and let them through... What amount of bribery could be enough for the drow? A town of slaves? We live in a town... with the Seekers... This "trade" would explain why Cedric Mason joined Yhaunn and why Sparklegem's need a place in the Council. The Seekers betrayed Sanctuary! And this trade, this betrayal would explain why the drow sent this mummy demon and his formians soldiers against us. To enslave us! People of Sanctuary are talking about the Watch's investigation after the Seekers. I hope the Watch'll act quickly enough to prevent this betrayal! ...Or under the siege of Sanctuary the Seekers can sabotage our defence!

Then we'll be doomed.

Now, let's have another drink!

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

What a glorious day, my friend!

We've defeated the Formians and their demonlord, Zovaldar! Everybody can see that, if we unite our forces we can be glorious over any enemy! Even with Lower and Upper separated we've gained this victory! We should learn from this!

But nooo, we don't! Lower battling against Upper and New Dunwarren; This man, named Croc is threatening the Watch to get back his equipment, what was taken from him when they caught him in the attack against New Dunwarren - I wonder how he managed to escape from jail!? The Ivory Crusade is threatening the Nancies and the Seekers, while these two groups are starting a new business in the Lower. The followers of Kelemvor are hunting necromancers. And what's with the Balanced Daggers?

Looks like we've finished a war, but instead of peace, another's coming!

And did you heard that the dragon statue at the gate has fallen? What will happen to our trade alliance with the Shadow tribe? The ambassador of Etorix, the Shadow Worm was in town before the formian attack, but this gonna cause a metal shortage again, for sure!

I'm curious about the mad wizard, Halaster Blackcloak, too. He said, he'll lead any people to the surface, who'll join him. At least they'll try. Through the abandoned crypt of this defeated demon, Zovaldar the Malevolent... Sure. One thing is sure: We'll never see those again who step into that crypt with the madman.

Now, let's have another drink!

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

Just as I've told you! We've got our next war! The Watch's prepearing to attack Sslal'teesh to kill everything and everybody out there. With such idiots like this Rubyglow, who tells every "secret" military movements to strangers! A spy could easily get any informations from amateurs like Rubyglow, but he talked about the "secret" plans to none other, than Ambassador Kaur himself, the ambassador of the Shadow Tribe! I've got to laugh! And why the Watch want to destroy Sslal'teesh? Do we want to occupy that territory? Do we know how to get metals? I don't think so... This thing gonna cause a metal shortage again, you'll see!

Meanwhile Lower gonna burn again! The leader of the Nancies, Croc was stoned to dead, just like an other Nancy - maybe Krithis? You can see their heads on pikes In Between. Who gonna take their place? Somebody gonna take the leadership of the Nancies? Or a new gang gonna rise? Maybe the Balanced Daggers? Or the Seekers gonna take over? Or the crazy druids? There is too much silence around them...

Eh, curse them, let's just drink!

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

So, Hoaradin Delorin is off the Council. I'm not surprised. He's a real want-to-be tyrant, but what do you expect from a man, who proclaims himself as the leader of the purifying flame? From a man who says: accept my true or you are a sinner liar? I remember his electional campaign. It was a disaster! I don't know how he managed to get those votes... His speeches were meaningless, religious preachings.

Some people say that the Sheriff is a tyrant too. This town is too small for more tyrants than one. This is why the Spellguard and people like Hoaradin Delorin is off from Power and Leadership. Everybody cooking their own meal, and if we've to choose a leader, than Azzam is our best choice. A tyrant or not, he's making Sanctuary quite safe, and there is no other capable person to control this town.

Hoaradin Delorin's fall is not a surprise. From the day he was on council, he was only arrogantly dictating. He failed and I wish to him to burn in Kossuth's flames forever! But I'm afraid that he won't be able to accept this defeat. I'm afraid that Kossuth's flames gonna turn into Delorin's crazy conflagration. I hope that the Watch'll look out for him and the Spellguard due to their corrupt arrangement.

Now, with the kossuthan out of the picture... What were we expecting from negotiation between fire and shadow, anyway? ...I hope our alliance with the Shadow Tribe will be consolidated, 'cause we need allies, not enemies.

...and another thing! Did I told you earlier, that Sparklegem'll be in the Council soon? Sure I did!

Let's drink to Kossuth's peaceful fire which gives us warm and light!

(whispered in a dark corner of a tavern)

Corruption, murder, execution, anger. Anarchy is growing in our town, day by day. Hard to follow the events.

The Corrupt Hoaradin Delorin's short and disgraceful career has got to an end. He was a selfish traitor for sure, he had a corrupt agreement with the Spellguard, and councillor Rusk murdered him. Rusk'd interest in the Lower, so we can be sure that he didn't do this for justice. Devil can know our "honorable" councillors intrigues...

Shortly after, Rusk was murdered by two assassins - one named Kobe. Who hired them? Never'll know. Why? 'cause Seeker Harold Hatnine murdered the two assassins. He took law in his own hands. This wasn't surprising, 'cause Hatnine is a lowerman. Seekers are lowermen. All of them! Wonderful, isn't it?

But this is not the end of the story! The Watch'd arrested Hatnine in the Last Stand during the Tale Telling contest. He was arrested, sentenced to death, and executioned in a couple of hours. Queer, isn't it? People say Nikitovitch was the judge. Hatnine was stoned, but only a minor part of the mob were throwing stones at him - but they did their work. He died in a pitiful way. The major part of the mob was protesting against the execution. The not-so-clever Rubyglow'd rose against the law, he made Hatnine invisible, trying to make the enforcement impossible. Of course he failed. What else can he do? At the end of the execution the mob were throwing rotten fruits to the "honorables", they humiliated councillor Nikitovitch, councillor Sparklegem, and Rubyglow too. At this point a revolt was imminent, but the mob were without a leader. Where were the Nancies? Nowhere! Truly, we haven't got any charismatic man among us! Instead we've got a tyrant. We deserve him.

Sanctuary is rotting, my friend. We've got councillors like the corrupt Hoaradin, and the gangster lowerman Rusk. We've got a tyrant sheriff. And we've got intriguing factions in the darkness of the caves.

Meanwhile, there were a small group of adventurers who took a boat across the Dark Lake to help some dwarves against duergars. An unorganised group of want-to-be heroes helping dwarves only for the reason of good intentions. If you'd saw them! They were so funny, all of them shouting: "Pleeease, take me with you, take me! I'm the greatest warrior, the greatest hero, the greatest magician! Pleeease take me!". Ridiculous! They left Sanctuary and I think most of them never gonna come back again. They will meet the Judge.

Let's drink to Kelemvor!