The Brightshore Observer
Septimus YEAR 25
Potential Dangers
Citizens of Brightshore should be aware of dangers that threaten our city. I do not share these to incite fear, but rather to open our eyes and encourage us to band together in defense of our city. Those whose skills lay outside the martial realm can be of great assistance alongside our brave adventurers and guards.
Recently, a band of adventurers caused upset amongst a fearsome priestly order. This order, called The Watermakers, controls the flow of water in their desert city of Qatec. They force those living in the city to purchase all water from the order, which shows to what horrific lengths they will go to maintain power.
The Brightshorian adventurers prevented the Watermakers from obtaining a powerful artifact, and as a result, it is likely they will strike at Brightshore itself in retribution. Thus, we all must be prepared. There are citizens and members of the guard working to defend the city, but watchful eyes could save lives. Be aware.
Additionally, a long-lasting war rages below the ground, in the Underdark. It may eventually involve us here. While the Drow Houses of this land are presently engaged in fighting one another, there is a House that has taken insult at the actions of some Brightshorians, and the day may come when they will decide to attack our city. We must stand strong and find true friends to help us in the days to come. We can survive, and thrive, but only if we stand united.
The Murder of Magfina
Not long ago, Brightshorians in the docks district made a gruesome discovery: a body, cut completely in half. The Drow victim would eventually be identified as Magfina of the ship Joyfish, previously of the Gost Citadel, and originally of House Floshem.
Those that investigated her murder were able to use magic to speak to her even from the grave. She provided them a description of her attacker, a description that matches the appearance of a Drow-produced ‘Warforged’ called Apple Slicer.
But what was the motive and the circumstances surrounding her murder? Was it truly Apple Slicer? To answer those questions, we must know more about the Drow as well as Magfina herself.
In the Underdark, various Drow houses fight each other in a long, ongoing battle. House Floshem, Magfina’s house, could be considered a neighbor to Brightshore. Our own Chancellor, in building his Citadel, found a passage that led to the Underdark, and indeed, into the territory of House Floshem. He took a group of adventurers into this passage, fighting the Drow and eventually taking one captive. This captive was Magfina.
Here, dividing truth from embellishment becomes more difficult. The Chancellor claims that he offered Magfina sanctuary, as that she would be executed if she returned to her people. He claims her only reason for staying after her capture was fear of her own people. Yet, he has also admitted publicly that he captured her for questioning.
Additionally, Guildmaster Baern Wildeheim was employed by the Gost Citadel at that time and reported building a luxurious prison for Magfina. Other sources report that the Floshem made multiple requests for Magfina’s return, which were ignored. In retaliation for this, members of the Gost household were kidnapped by House Floshem. According to sources, these actions are what first brought Brightshore to the attention of House Floshem.
In more recent times, a discovery of purple worms, capable of destroying the stone foundation of our city, were found to be under the control of House Floshem. Hraesvelgr Brynja, concerned for the safety of the city, hired mercenaries and journeyed forth to destroy these worms. It is for this ‘crime’ that she is imprisoned. The Council, after hearing of the threat of the worms, passed the law prohibiting travel to the Underdark (to keep any adventurers from dealing with the growing threat to the city). To their credit, they feared any action by Brightshorians would further instigate House Floshem, and it is possible that Hraesvelgr Brynja’s actions may have added fuel to the flame of their hatred of Brightshore, but so too was it an act that may have saved us from utter destruction.
It is with this all this in the background that we must view Magfina’s murder. She was a member of House Floshem, and Apple Slicer is not. They, then, are enemies to one another in this war between the Drow houses. It is likely that to the Drow, this is simply a casualty of war.
But what of us, in Brightshore? We must consider that if Magfina had not been brought here, she would not have died here. If she had been returned to her people, she would not have died here. But because she was brought here and kept here, away from her people and their defenses, she was killed here. And also because she was brought here, Brightshore too stands alone and in danger.
There are alliances we could make so that we do not stand alone against the onslaught of House Floshem. We have friends willing to come to our aid. But will the Council choose to accept these friendships, or will they again be ignored, like the pleas for Magfina’s return? She needed not die here, and we need not face this grave future alone. The Council must act.
Descent into Duskfall
The Duskfall is a scary and weird place! I do not recommend going there, even by accident.
So some people I know decided to take a job by Captain Bolt to go look for a Lady Drumlin, but the daughter. The captain man told us we were allowed to go into her house and look, so we did. Once we walked in the door, we were not in the same place we saw from the outside. We were in some crazy magic person’s home! We got attacked by a stove and salt shakers, then attacked by a giant dirt monster and almost drowned in ale, and three of us then got attacked by a hungry plant. Blitz almost died! Many times! The magic person told us we were crazy. Some of us seemed to act weird in the end, but then he teleported us to the stars and told us to confront our madness to go home instead of fighting a giant jelly cube. Which worked! Then we returned with Lady Drumlin… somehow.
– Shimmer on Silver Clouds
GARG DO SPECIAL JOB FOR GUARD EVEN THOUGH GARG NOT LIKE GUARD MUCH. GARG GO WITH GROUP TO DRUMLIN MANOR. INSIDE, GROUP GET HUNGRY AND GO TO KITCHEN TO ROAST PIG. STOVE STEAL PIG FROM GROUP SO GARG KILL AND EAT STOVE. STOVE WAS A LITTLE OVERCOOKED BUT NOT BAD. OTHERS IN GROUP RUDE TO OWNER SO HE COLLAPSE ROOF ON GROUP.
WHEN GROUP WAKE UP GARG’S AXE GROGHILDA ASK GARG TO GO TO CELLAR. IN CELLAR CUPCAKE FIND MANY CERAMIC DOLLS AND TAKE. GARG TAKE ONE DOLL THAT GROGHILDA’S FAVORITE. REST OF GROUP RUDE TO GARDENER SO GARDENER BEAT THEM WHILE GARG AND CUPCAKE DRINK ALE WITH OWNER. THEN GARG TEACH CUPCAKE AND OWNER ORCISH TWO-STEP IN BALLROOM AND HAVE GREAT TIME WHILE OTHERS GO AND COMPLAIN ABOUT PLANTS OR SOMETHING. AFTER THAT EVERYONE ELSE GO CRAZY BUT GROGHILDA TELL GARG TO STAY WITH THEM AND GARG ALWAYS LISTEN TO GROGHILDA.
THEN OWNER TRY TO TAKE GROGHILDA FROM GARG SO GARG HIT OWNER WITH GROGHILDA. THEN GARG REALIZE GARG NOT KNOW OWNER AT ALL BUT OWNER MAKE GARG HEAD ALL FUZZY AND GARG GIVE HIM GROGHILDA. THEN OWNER GIVE GROGHILDA BACK TO GARG SO ALL FORGIVEN.
OWNER TELL GROUP THAT GROUP IN PLACE CALLED DUSKFALL. THEN OWNER CAST SPELL AND EVERYONE GO TO STRANGE STAR PLACE WITH BIG GRAY BLOB. GARG REALIZE THAT GROGHILDA NOT USUALLY TALK TO GARG AND GARG POOF BACK INTO BRIGHTSHORE WITH LADY DRUMLIN AND COLLECT REWARD FROM GUARD.
– GARG
Drow Warforged Attack!
House Floshem Responsible?
Local Guildmaster Reports!
As I was leaving town with JT, Tera, Investigator Aidan, and Ander Winterfell, we were attacked by four Warforged. They killed the guard at the gates, then attacked us. They focused on JT and, more than that, his shield. It was a fine shield with a lizard rampant in the background, the foreground being a flower and a strange branch.
After killing them, we began to patrol the streets, where we had seen more combat. Unfortunately, the Warforged seemed to be fleeing. Maybe chaos had been their only goal. We caught more behind Wilgrim & Neslan’s. We killed them, but then were encased in magical darkness.
In the darkness, people came and removed all the dead Warforged and all the dead bodies. They also stole JT’s shield. After we escaped the darkness, I went into the sewers and found dead bodies of Brightshore citizens, which I retrieved.
The make of the Warforged was very similar to that of another Drow Warforged, known as either Orange Peeler or Apple Slicer. After conferring with Hraesvelgr Katla, I learned that the ambassador from House Aizu of the Drow had warned of House Floshem attacking.
The Warforged that attacked evidently had no souls or intelligence, as they were untouched by most of Tera’s bardic spells. They also sucked the blood from those they attacked, using it to heal themselves. The sigil on the shield was that of House Floshem.
It seems to me that House Floshem has declared war. What does the Council want us to do?
– Guildmaster Baern Wildeheim
