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Public Notices / Re: Rumours, Gossip and Whispers.. ((DM Posts Only))

« Last post by Rainman on December 24, 2021, 12:56:09 pm »

The annual Gift Day starts today over the next six days, where the West Netheril Trade Company setup a Gift Tree in the top market area. This tradition going back to the first days of the city and gifts are placed under a snow covered tree for the citizens. 

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Background Progression / Aarden Sovereignsoul

« Last post by ElvenStarr on December 21, 2021, 03:27:53 am »

Aarden Sovereignsoul

Aarden was raised within the Hadrian temple to Mystryl and was seemingly given to the priests before a time he could remember. Being raised as a squire to a young spell-blade, and in turn, becoming a knight of the weave himself was troubling on him throughout his childhood and adolescence. What seemed like every step he took, he was either tempted by carnal pleasures and desires or a disappointment to his peers, therewithal his celestial blood one could understand the shame he may have bared. Scolded time after time, his adopted father, unable to relate to his "son" had eventually married. With his new family, and child on the way, Aarden eventually fell into obscurity, and thus began to live at the temple before his teen years.


Aarden, a flirt by nature, and a young romantic, in his sixteenth-summer, easily fell for a young half-elven woman two summers before he would fall from grace. Awestruck by her beauty, kindness, and general lack of prejudice how could he not do everything in his power to make her his, and just that is what he did. For two years his temptations and faults were forgotten as he loved another being as they also loved him. He began to channel with clarity during prayer, and those of the temple would remark his devotion, attention, and drive had seen an unexpected boost. Indeed, all was well in the orphaned plane-touched's life.

But not all stories have such jovial endings. With two years of good graces, and Aarden finally being seen as responsible and maturing within the eyes of the temple, he was so very close to an understanding and acceptance of the oath he would bear, but fate or the gods themselves did not have this in store. His lover, fetching a parcel in the farmlands outside Hadrian was caught in a seemingly freak incident. A rogue-mage having rented the unused cellar room of a now long forgotten inn, said to be selling fireworks, and other small explosives to the peasants. They had been experimenting with powerful magics, or so the locals explained as bright-blinding lights would beam through the cellar door. Seemingly unable to wield the raw force he had somehow created, those who looked on from afar or somehow survived to say they saw a massive ball of pure white radiance, blinding, and expanding outward from the cellar erasing all organic life in its path before abruptly ending. With no trace of any "rogue-mage", nor their notes, or equipment to be found. Not even the bones of those caught within the sphere were present, and all were assumed dead. All but the mage, who couldn't have perished, with his equipment, notes, and even clothing being gone.


Upon hearing of this, Aarden was thrown into a fit of rage, though, how could he not? His pregnant wife was now nothing but a memory... With his wife and child gone, Aarden sought the authorities. Alas, when told it was accidental, and under Arcanist investigation, the guard captains hands tied, and unable to say more, something unhinged in Aarden, and with a balled fist, he stormed from the office. Returning to the site of the accident, he wept for his now gone family and promised vengeance. As he left the farmlands, he took a scythe in hand from a tool barrel and sauntered away, an aura of woe following him.

For days he hunted the man down, lead by the faintest of arcane trails left behind, and runes traced upon the cellar. If Aarden could do this, why couldn't those in charge of the investigation? After a ten-day, following descriptions, paying out his meager life savings for information, and partaking in favors that would dishonor him, and bring shame to those he loved and devoted himself alongside. He'd found the mage, now in hiding within an inn outside the floating city. In a small port near Conch is where Aarden first earned his title, with little finesse, and even less discretion he entered the inn, walked upstairs scythe in hand, and like a rothe, blunted his way through the door. A mage when caught off guard isn't the most challenging of foes, especially not one so drunk, washing away their sins in alcohol. Before the man could even utter an incantation or wave his hand to cast, Aarden removed them with a swipe of the scythe. A pained scream escaped the man who pleaded and apologized for his sins. But Aarden was too far gone, too much had been given to redeem his family's death, and he wouldn't stop here. With a fell swoop of the scythe, the mage was no more.

 Though with this, what was once Aarden was no more, and with the death of this mage, a sorcerous power awoke in him, vengeance and his actions leading up to so culminated alongside his celestial blood sparked, alongside his training with the temple. Unhinged, sadastic, and willing to do anything for coin, Aarden the Mage-killer worked for the highest bidder alongside many other mercenaries, Like Boofy the Kenku Scout, and Vyc "Scuzzy" the Ravager, before finding his way to Conch. Promised power for those willing to take it, he joined the Diiri's boys alongside his sellsword-born mates and began to work his way up the ranks.

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General Discussion / Re: Retiring Lauriella

« Last post by Winterhawk99 on December 20, 2021, 05:16:28 am »

I have finished Lauriella's story. It was an honor for me to play her and watched as those around her influenced her through 6 servers. She was a great review character. Here is the end of her story.

I call it Lauriella's Last dance. You can find it at the top of the forum:

As I said, Netheril will be the last server that my review character Lauriella will play in. She was a great two-year character that many of the Nwn servers I played her on changed her. Here is the last of her story. It is dedicated to all the players and Dm's that encountered her through her life. Perhaps one day I will combine all the journal entries from servers to make a couple of novels and filter out some minor inconsistencies in names or ages. I may do that after I finish the last children of hell novel. I am not sure. For now, her last story is put here for your enjoyment. A character well played, and a life well lived. Thank all those that participated in her development and story. I hope I have done your characters and npcs well in this story.

http://www.harvestmoonconsortium.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=96

Winter.

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Public Notices / Re: Rumours, Gossip and Whispers.. ((DM Posts Only))

« Last post by Rainman on December 19, 2021, 03:27:15 am »

An excavation crew has cleared a shaft to another level of the crypts beneath the Conch graveyard.  The crew were funded by West Netheril Trading Company and the company also paid the Solemn Mourners of Conch gang an undisclosed fee to be able dig unmolested.   Oddly, WNTC have not explored the level themselves but instead said they will pay good money to anyone who delves into it and brings back information.  There is much speculation amongst barflies about what is down there, with some saying it must be dangerous if WNTC are not willing to send their own people down there.  Nevertheless adventurers are already rushing to the graveyard.

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Journals & Backgrounds / Re: Eliezra Baldwin's File

« Last post by Fiverine on December 19, 2021, 02:05:34 am »

The tensions in the slums finally exploded today.  A new gang, the Black Tails, tried to seize some of the livestock the refugees had brought with them whilst some rogue mages attempted to take some children for slaves.  Several members of Diiri's Boys and Kizurra the White were on hand as well as myself so both groups of attackers were swiftly dispatched.  But what then transpired was far worse. 

One refugee by the name of Daggith has been in a state of maddened grief from his traumas.  His paranoia and guilt have been infectious and Diiri's Boys and the Fane of the Thorned Rose used this unrest to convince some of the refugees to leave the camp and go to their respective groups.  Vyc and Aarden the self-styled Mage Killer did not protest at Sid taking some refugees out of the slums to the Loviatarian den.   Sid is apparently a member of both groups, which I cannot see ending well for him. 

There were too many villains for me to fight alone, and I have no right to prevent people from leaving if that is their wish.  It filled me with sorrow that these people I have fed and tended to when others would not could so easily abandon us.  They will be hurt and even killed where they have gone and I can do little about it.  Kizurra was the only other one there I felt did not just view the refugees as exploitable resources.  She tried to cure Daggith's mental state but sadly could not.  I later met Volandis Webberman who also seemed to be a good soul. 

Some brave and grateful souls stood by me and will stay with us.  But Sister Mylene broke down when I told her the bad news that so many had left, though a generous donation for her from Kizurra was some small consolation.  Mylene was weaker than usual.  Ostian told me she had one of her visions while I was arguing with the thugs outside.  He handed me a sheaf of tattered papers she had been scribbling on during her rapture.

It was all sketches of people.  It was our flock.  I could recognise some of them easily- little Ostian, Arlow with his braced leg, some of the refugees who stayed.  None of the ones who left were pictured, so I realised she must have had a vision of the near future.  I leafed through the sketches and marvelled at how talented she is when channeling the Broken God. 

There was one of me.  At first I chuckled sardonically at how she seems to see me.  Standing resolute with my sword high, my cloak glowing with rays of light or energy.  The shrine was in the background and clearly I was protecting it.  After that little moment of self-absorption I noticed something far more significant in the sketch.  I was not alone.

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Journals & Backgrounds / Re: Eliezra Baldwin's File

« Last post by Fiverine on December 17, 2021, 07:11:12 am »

For a few weeks refugees were flooding into Conch but it seems most of those fleeing the raiders have arrived now.  I've done my best to help them.  Many are camping with my people so I've been busy collecting food and bandages for them.  While they are reasonably safe for now, I worry.  The gangs see the masses as a fertile recruitment ground.  Diiri's Boys will naturally grab most of the desperate souls seeking such work.  They do not appreciate our shrine's work with the refugees, either.  I imagine anything that gives the refugees hope would infuriate the Boys. 

There was one small (though mixed) sliver of hope recently.  I saw an armoured woman in the Market District and the markings on her armour appeared to be those of an Ilmatari cleric.  I wanted to approach her and tell her of the shrine but unfortunately she was in the company of Vyc, the gnoll from Diiri's Boys.  Lauriella considered him an ally of sorts, but I would prefer to avoid any contact with Diiri's goons right now. 

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Public Notices / Re: Rumours, Gossip and Whispers.. ((DM Posts Only))

« Last post by Master_Sarevok2021 on December 13, 2021, 11:13:51 pm »

There is much of note of late in the realms.

In Hilltop, the hins and their many refugees find respite from their woes by an influx of coin and supplies from Allies and they have managed to get their food and housing problem mostly under control with the new refugee hins and have managed to form a militia. However postings from the Fane in Conch has some concerned and some curious. Most hins proclaim that all they need are their own gods to fortify them in the times to come, but many of the former Dark Stalkers seem interested in the fliers and mutter of “getting their just punishment”

In conch a religious duel of the minds seems underway in the Slums as the same Fane, a group of known lovaitorites makes offers of strength to those that bend to the maidens lash. Many fear and obey as the Angels of Small virtues advised and tear down the posters to use for fires.

But some of the more despondent stare towards the Fanes known location with a far off look. Could the lash ease the pain they few from their lose of home and family? Is a few moments pain worth the chance for strength…maybe revenge?

The Slums vibrate more with the throng of refugees, but it seems the stream has paused for now. Still the leader of the Diri boys rages at the Souppers and works to hire more of the desperate to their ranks. In the market, the West Netheril trading company begins hiring more guards for their caravans on the ground and bemoan the increase in bandits; with some openly exclaiming when the city was under Netherese rule nothing like this happened.(this is up for debate in many circles)

And the arrival of the rumored bands of mercenaries slowly comes true as four flags begin making their stand in camps on the outskirts of cities from Conch, to Sullivan to Hadrian and Southbank. The times feel calm for now though….but even the most drunk of fools can sense something is coming….

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Public Notices / Re: Posters appear on buildings in West Conch (the slums)

« Last post by Fiverine on December 13, 2021, 10:59:11 pm »

Any refugees arriving in West Conch are invited to visit the north west corner where the Angels of Small Mercies will treat your injuries, give you something to eat and a place to rest your head. 

IMPORTANT:  While this is a free service, we do need some tinder to start our campfires.  Fortunately we have found the fliers posted by the Fane of the Thorned Rose burn extremely well! If you see any of these on your way to us please remove them and bring them along to help us start a nice little campfire for you to warm your soup and rest at. 

THE ANGELS OF SMALL MERCIES

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Public Notices / Re: Notices from House Mistari

« Last post by SteelsSweets on December 13, 2021, 04:51:43 pm »

House Mistari is still accepting interested parties for membership.

Any are welcome to express interest though we specifically seek a mage and bard.

We have gear and goods for use by house members, including those who are able to cast.

Seek out Mistress Mistari or another member of the house to learn more.

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Public Notices / Re: Fane of the Thorned Rose

« Last post by SteelsSweets on December 13, 2021, 04:36:52 pm »

Posted in Hilltop