EFU:R Gossip, Major Events, and Rumors (IC Knowledge)

[Mort]

::[ Alturiak 20th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

Commoners speak of a serie of melees that broke in the in-between opposing the Sanctuary loyalists against Ascensionists & Battle-thirsty ruffians -- following the kidnappings and mugging of several adventurers in the sewers by Mad Marge and her cronies.

A Spellguard agent was taken hostage which led Director Abala to organize a war party of ragtags and adventurers to reclaim its defender. However, before all-out warfare broke out -- the Agent was returned in a colorful clown outfit with a ticking bomb upon its chest. The sight sent most into a panic before the bomb, a dud, exploded into a mist of colorful fireworks.

While most of the war party disbanded, a party decided still to descend upon Lower Sanctuary, weapons in hand. They were greeted by a mob of pitchfork along with Mad Marge, her revolutionaries and the Ascensionists. Most of the adventurers were driven back, but not before Mad Marge made out with their savings...

[Canzah]

A Spellguard broadcast calling Wayfinders and Associates to Serena Tower was heard around middark on the 21st of Alturiak.

Some uneventful hours later, reports from those who dare to wander outside of the shield speak of an exodus of disheveled and malnourished individuals leaving Serena Tower and heading down towards the Sanctuary below.

Who these ragged and torn newcomers may be is something that remains to be seen.

[Divine Intervention]

The large influx of newcomers to Lower has already begun to make an impact.  Understood to be convicts from somewhere on the surface, criminals of all stripe have started to lay claim to the empty alleyways and streets of Lower.  New gangs have emerged and competition over turf is fierce.  Knifing's, burglaries and muggings have increased dramatically as in Upper worried citizens whisper about the beginnings of a potential "crime wave".  

Several larger brawls have broken out within and without the crone, with Lowersmen talking of a particularly rowdy fist fight between a dozen members of the "Varad-Azuul Family" and their associates against the native "Dirty Whiskers".  As the dust settled the dwarves of the "Family" are said to have emerged thoroughly triumphant whilst their foes crawled away to nurse broken bones and savage bruises.

The future of Lower remains uncertain, as speculation runs rife above and below as to how bad this instability may grow...

[Ladocicea]

::[ Alturiak 24th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

The gruesome scenes that many have witnessed in the sewers have become a less regular occurrence. The burst and torn bodies of Chosen are happened upon only occasionally now, though the consensus seems to suggest that this is not because The Thing in The Sewers has been dealt with... Far from it.

Instead, The Chosen seem to be enjoying something of a resurgence. Their movements have grown more organised, their ambushes have become more sophisticated, and their incursions into areas of the Dunwarren ruins populated by humanoid races have become more frequent and daring.

It is clear that something, behind the scenes, is happening, though to date nobody seems to have figured out what that is...

[Howlando]

::[ Alturiak 27th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

A momentous day for the Sanctuary-below.

The poorly-defended slum of recent-transplants and eccentric Lowersmen withstood a tremendous assault of a strange new foe: gigantic ant-creatures covered with a hideous and grotesque form of parastic-fungus. These rotting 'formians' poured through the broken and shattered Lower Sanctuary Canal Gate and were slaughtered in great numbers by  the doughty yet disorganized Lower defenders.

As the swarm of rot-ants poured past the defensive lines and into Lower Sanctuary, many vulnerable commoners were seized by the formians and dragged away. All of Lower seemed like it was about to be completely overrun when Priestess Delina Sigerlin, beset by a huge swarm of ants, performed some manner of ritual spell in her last and final moments. Wild darkness fell through the caverns of Lower, and there was a tremendous and powerful earthquake - when it was over, hundreds of formians had been crushed by a titanic cave-in collapse in which large parts of the Canal Ward and the entire Canal Gate area were buried in massive chunks of rubble.

Following the assault, a brave group of Lowersmen were tasked by Winston to strike out into the Underdark in order to rescue as many victims that had been kidnapped by the giant ants as possible. After many hours of arduous fighting far from Sanctuary, it's said that at last the heroes returned with a number of rescued and grateful men and women of Lower.

The casualties were thankfully surprisingly low during the assault, and after the shock of such a powerful cave-in many Lowersmen are heard to remark that, after all, having the vulnerable main gate cavern collapsed is more blessing than hardship.

The disaster was, however, a stern reminder of just how vulnerable the disorganized settlement of 'Lower' really is to any manner of horror that would raid it and its people.

[Caster13]

::[ First of Ches : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

A buzz of excitement spills out of the House of Governance along with a number of commoners and Red and Black Guild supporters. The next election has been called and in addition to Director Edgin Crane's seat being up for election, the seeming disappearance of former Director Narvis Naerfaine means prospective candidates will be battling for two open seats.

All throughout Upper Sanctuary, discussions are held regarding the events of the past few months as many consider whether the Reds or the Blacks shall dominate the Directorate in the coming days. Meanwhile, others are excited at the prospects of the Sanctuary Stadium being filled with spectators for the Great Games.

Regardless of each individual's reason, many citizens in Upper Sanctuary are looking forward to the coming days.

[DeputyCool]

Several hours after strange noises and vibrations were heard within Lower Sanctuary,  the curious denizens of the Sanctuary Below begin to find out the cause. Rumors trickle from person to person,  most swearing they heard it directly from a talkative off-duty Sojourner.

After weeks of being docked, the Sojourner ship finally set out on a mission to seek new planes to escape to. Though they did not find anywhere remotely habitable,  the crew did witness a fearsome battle between two other planar vessels. Further details vary, as every teller has their own embellishments upon the fight,  but all accounts agree: The Sojourners returned with the bedraggled survivors of a ship called The Stardrinker,  a curious group of freaks and adventurers who, for now, seem forced to reside within Sanctuary.

[Divine Intervention]

The city of Sanctuary has been transformed these last few darks, as the Upper wards are bedecked in varying shades of red and black, streamers and banners of both guilds vying for space with innumerable flyers.  Good natured debate as well as violent scuffles further mark the start of the election season proper.  On the streets advocates of each party clamour for the attention of passers-by, proclaiming the superiority of their own policy and ideals whilst decry their opponents as fools, frauds and buffoons.  

Ordinants stationed in the Chapterhouse and those returning for a time from field duties take to the square and housing districts to speak to any who will listen of the need for action and firm leadership, embodied in their beloved figurehead, Rhiannon Kingsley.  Meanwhile confident and more dubious supporters of her opponent, the incumbent Director Crane speak of his relaxed attitude to campaigning, evidently spending his darks enjoying the company of Sanctuary's finest women and pleasures.

In the other vital race for the seat of the disgraced Narvis Naerfaine, two relative unknowns of the political landscape are locked in a propaganda battle for the hearts and minds of the citizenry.  The thoroughly upper class, noble hunter "Lord" Connell Smythe-Falconer as a somewhat well known monster hunter and wayfinder is said to enjoy the support of a deal of his normally red leaning comrades as well as the powerful Black guild voting blocs.  However, in the poor quarters of Upper many hungry mouths mutter bitterly that a man of privilege who has never known poverty can hardly hope represent them as a Black candidate.  

The lesser known Gerhardus Gunnvaldurson retains popularity amongst the minority of dwarven citizens, evidently leading a small sect known as "The Tempering".  Yet to the vastly human population he virtually unknown but for his association as a Wayfinder-Sergeant.  Though touted as a wise and solid head by the Red Guild he will assuredly need to prove his mettle and excellent policy in the coming darks if he hopes to win the acknowledgement and approval of the voters...

With the Great Game announced to take place in four darks, it would appear to most observers that it is all still to play for in the Ches election cycle.

[Divine Intervention]

As the campaigning period begins to draw to a close, with only two more days for the candidates to sway the undecided voters to their camp, both guilds have stepped up their efforts in a frenzy of tireless work.  Slander and insults ring back and forth from the furious mouths of loyalists to each party and in the form of mounds of posters.  

The tale on the lips of many springs from a recent and very public drama in the middle of Freedom Square.  It is said that the Black Candidate, Connell Smythe-Falconer was seen to march into the city dragging a beaten female dwarf known to some as Dolir Lagmalitet alongside a feral gnoll.  This strange tableau swiftly turned bloody as Falconer slew the savage beast and pronounced he had found the supposedly philanthropic artificer Dolir trading with this creature.  Shocked citizens watched on as the dwarven woman admitted to her dealings before an astounded Gerhardus Gunnvaldurson.  Black Guild supporters trumpet this sorry incidence as proof that the Tempering, and by association Gunnvaldurson cannot be trusted, whilst even some of the Red Guild are shaken that their candidate could be involved with such dubious characters.

Meanwhile the Black position has been furthered strengthened after the candidate Falconer returned in the last dark with a trove of baublium, rumoured to have been stolen from the authorities by one of the criminal gangs of Lower.  As the baublium meter returns to safe levels the Black Guild has wasted no time in making political capital from this event...

[Caster13]

::[ Ches 10th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

Late in the dark, Red Guild candidate Gerhardus Gunnvaldurson gave an announcement and speech at Simm's Square in the Public Housing Vault. There, the dwarf introduced himself to the multitude of residents and commoners who were curious to hear what the candidate had to say. Following a brief introduction and some disparaging words against his opponent Connell Smythe-Falconer, the candidate spoke a few words of how the Red Guild stands for prosperity.

By this point, the crowd that had gathered had been quiet and seemingly unimpressed. That changed, however, when the dwarf set his staff upon the ground such that it stood on its end. A series of quakes suddenly followed, shaking the entirety of the Public Housing Vault. The ground around the standing staff began to twist and turn, large portions of the ground jutting upwards and then moving away like waves upon a lake.

Finally, with one last tremor rolling across the ground, the very earth itself raised a massive boulder of metal oar studded with beautiful emeralds of all shapes and sizes. The dwarf laid into this massive boulder with his gauntleted fists, emeralds splintered off from the main boulder and commoners began gathering them in excitement. Eventually all that was left of the boulder was a single, massive, beautifully cut emerald which the candidate picked up and personally delivered to Sister Sarah Pond within Starag's Rest with the intention of it being used to fund various projects throughout Starag's Rest and the Public Housing Vault.

While Starag's Rest and the populace of the Public Housing Vault is considered a stronghold of Black Guild support and a good majority loyally stand for current Director "Ma" Murik, a small number of residents can be heard openly wondering if perhaps the Red Guild, with the likes of Candidate Gerhardus Gunnvaldurson, could spread greater prosperity throughout Sanctuary.

[Canzah]

While recent events in Upper Sanctuary all relate to the coming election and campaigns of the candidates, 10th of Ches had different things in store for the Sanctuary below.

Rumoured to have begun with a bounty set by the Scarhides for one "Captain" Mack Wythers, hours later the central parts of Lower had erupted into a chaotic battlefield between various factions and gangs all looking to make their mark.

The fighting has since simmered down and the Lowersmen slinked off to their respective corners nursing their wounds, yet the hunt for this elusive Captain continues by those greedy or bloodthirsty enough to claim the bounty.

[Divine Intervention]

::[ Ches 12th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

It began as a day of revelry for the citizens of Upper Sanctuary, as multitudes of fans and enthusiasts descended upon the vast Sanctuary Stadium to witness this cycle's Great Game.  Good natured rivalry alongside drunken brawling abounded, with many Watchers called in to police the enormous crowd.  The Game itself got off to an electric start, and the first half came to a conclusion with the Red Team two points to one in the lead.  

Yet it is not the scoreline that is the tale on the lips of the people of Dunwarren. As the half-time break drew to a close and the second half was about to begin, a detonation was heard clearly throughout the stadium, followed by a rumbling tremor.  Moments later an ear splitting siren began to scream out a warning to all districts of Upper, a pre-recorded broadcast informing citizens to stay indoors and remain calm.  Some panicked adventurers and more orderly Watchers managed to get clear of the Stadium before it engaged an emergency lockdown.  

What followed the general alert is a matter of debate, given the panic and fleeing masses that swarmed the streets and Freedom Square.  It is generally agreed that some kind of militant faction of the Ascensionist's were able to infiltrate the vital Baublium refinery and therein detonated large improvised explosives.  Exactly how much damage was done remains unclear and the Spellguard are quick to reassure the populace there is no major threat, but have issued a directive stating as a precaution efforts to stockpile the mineral are to be redoubled as the patriotic duty of all citizens.

A running skirmish between the forces of Upper and Lower raged through the In-Between ruins as the saboteurs fled towards the alleys below.  It is said a dozen brave or foolhardy would be heroes pursued the criminals all the way into the slums below, where they were met by a large force of assembled gangsters.  It was not long before the shattered remnants of this expeditionary force were seen fleeing back into the Shield, reporting that a number of their comrades were now captives in the hands of the mastermind of this attack one Edwyn Nibley.  

Thus followed a long and terse hostage situation, with several of the co-conspirators of the attack held prisoner against the release of those in Lower. However as negotiations broke down, and the militant Ascensionists refused to turn over their hostages, the Spellguard declared their actions were tantamount to acts of war.  Even as this ominous pronouncement rang through the heads of those in the city, metal cannisters began to rain down on the streets of Lower Sanctuary.  Bursting on impact, a thin blue gas rapidly spread through the district and the heavily armed gangs, already on edge were nudged into a berserk frenzy by this terrible new weapon.

The slaughter was terrible to behold, screams of butchered women and children echoing up to the city above.   Brother turned upon brother, mother on child as men became wild beasts, tearing at one another in a panicked frenzy.  Streams ran red as rivulets of blood flowed across cobble and earth to stain the streets crimson.

As dust and gas settled, a macabre scene lay sprawled across the every back alley and square.  Worried civilians emerged to weep for the dead, widows and orphans seeking slain fathers and husbands who would never come home.  Negotiations seemed to be reopened and prisoners exchanged, but it is scant comfort to the people of the Lower wards who have paid a hefty blood price.  Many have simply locked themselves in their homes to pray for better days, whilst others mutter about vengeance upon the Spellguard and their lackeys.  Some even advocate sacking the Cathedral of Ascent, bitterly laying the blame for so much death squarely at the feet of Nibley and the Cult...

Meanwhile in Upper, Freedom Square lacks its usual buzz, whilst the paths and House of Trade are virtually deserted save for the lonely merchants hawking their wares.  Strangers are eyed warily as animatrons take up position on street corners.  Watcher patrols and presence has been doubled and in a show of martial might the Auxiliaries of the School of War have been deployed enmasse to the streets and sweeps of the In-Between, ruthlessly surpessing any insurrection, unrest or crime.

[Divine Intervention]

::[ Ches 16th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

Yesterday the announcement of the first Ches election cycle victor was made before a large crowd in Freedom Square.  In a close run race, Connell Smythe-Falconer was decreed to have won.  Black Guild supporters drank and made merry long into the wee hours, whilst dispirited Red Guilders focused on pushing their agenda in the hope that they could at least unseat Crane and procure victory in the second round for Rhiannon Kingsley.

With the polls open for ballots once again as of Ches 16th, hungover Black Guildsmen took to the streets again to attempt to defend their incumbent Director Crane and secure a thoroughly black Directorate...

[Howlando]

::[ Ches 19th : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

Lower Sanctuary was inundated by an infamous "Worm Rush" in which thousands and thousands of spawning rock worms descended in an avalanche through its streets and alleyways. Although the worms were destroyed in huge numbers, clean-up proved more difficult... despite the best culinary efforts of a local hissing troglodyte "chef." The stench of dead worm lingers in the air, and their juices stain the streets.

[Divine Intervention]

::[ Ches 22nd : Year 162 : 1384 DR ]::

As voting at last drew to an end today, the announcement rang out through the streets of Sanctuary that the second directorial appointment of the Ches elections was decided. The incumbent, charming Director Edgin Crane had lost his seat to the valiant efforts of the Red Guild, spearheading a campaign for the re-election of Director Rhiannon Kingsley.  Loud cheers echoed from Red Guild crowds and the Society Chapterhouse alike, whilst a stoney faced Crane was seen leaving the House of Governance and retiring to the House of Heroes.  Ordinants and Red Guild propagandists have been quick to put about that Director Kingsley will issue a speech in the coming days of her intentions now she is back in power, along with an undisclosed further pronouncement...