Seekers,
Ariel Mapplewood and I are investigating the curse of Dunwarren. We are beginning to believe that it may in fact be real. Here is what is known thus far.
The Deep Gnomes who once called Dunwarren, now called Sanctuary by us, home were split into a number of different factions much like us. Two of the factions were the Naturalists and the Mechanists.
It seems that the Naturalists placed some type of curse upon the city as the Mechanists, who built the Machine and the Animatrons, did so in a way that they felt was evil and unnatural. From what little understanding I have of the Machine the animatrons are created by using negative energy to bind the spirits of elementals. Other parts of the machine may work in a similar fashion.
There does appear to be a link with negative energy and the city. This can be evidenced by the large amount of undead deep within the bowels, primarily undead Deep Gnomes.
I've spoken with a Deep Gnome, though not affiliated with either of the above factions, who confirmed much of what I've already written. It also appears that the Appetite, so long as the machine remains active and draws heavily upon negative energy, is immortal in the most literal sense.
We are unsure what exactly the Appetite is and there are many theories. Some believe it to be an undead Beholder Lich, while others believe it to be something else entirely. It may even be a byproduct created by the Machine itself. Virtually every theory put forward has the Appetite feeding and sustaining itself through the negative energy which powers the Machine.
I tell you all of this because we fear that if the city is truly cursed our recent troubles may simply be more than accidents of fate. We are beginning to put together a survival plan in case things go horribly wrong.
Our primary focus at the moment is toward the dock located on the Central Shore of the Dark Lake. We wish to secure this area, as it is easily defendable, and the access to the dock can be used to dock a ship.
The way forward at the moment is uncertain, but we believe it best to have something established outside the city. Even if our plan falls through it is a good strategic location to hold. We wish for the Seekers to be heavily involved in this project.
I know you have access to a ship. I would like to use the dock as a point where we can begin conducting freedom raids once we have something established on the shore.
Signed, Kedrick Reynolds