EFUA Gossip, Major Events, and Rumors (IC Knowledge)

[core]

Following the return of King Antoine Trenada's battered column to the Dominion, rumours began to fly around the Docks of a renewed Mist Raider offensive. This clamoring of fishwives and malcontents was to be vindicated, the Sons of Sabuth acquiescing once again to the wont of the Raiders.

They were permitted free passage through the Docks, this fearsome, howling host of warriors, proceeding onward towards the Dominion.

They filtered through the outlying alleys and streets with ease, openly sacrificing women and children as they went. Eventually met by a group of adventurers, they were not beaten off before exacting a heavy toll upon the Dominion.

For King Antoine I, it was to be the last straw. Through a speech at the apex of the Ziggurat he proclaimed his intent to march immediately upon the Docks, to put an end to Horton Grouse and his Sons of Sabuth and to once more take the ward under his control rather than face enemies on two fronts.

The forces of the Dominion mobilised once again, albeit subdued and considerably fewer than had departed for the Maiden's Tower. The streets of the Docks were quickly deserted, many barring themselves inside of their homes and many more simply abandoning the district entirely.

A force of Sons, however, were to meet the King as he made his incursion ahead his column of Stygian soldiers, supplemented by loyal adventurers and defector Docksmen of the 'Confederacy'. Though it was called the justice of Umberlee, the justice of the Order and the justice of the King, Trenada himself dubbed it but one thing - salvation.

The column was confronted immediately by a group of weary Sons, headed by Admiral Horton Grouse. Exchanging but a few words, the pale and drawn Antoine Trenada made his way immediately for Admiral Grouse as battle commenced, the latter sneering and laughing even as they fought.

Following a brief clash in which the Sons were thoroughly trounced, Grouse made his way for the Temple of Ilmater, Trenada on his heels. Barreling inside, the door slammed shut and locked ahind them.

Minutes later, with the Docks ward dazed and subjugated, many began to wonder what had become of their King.

Upon gaining entry to the Temple, it is said those present were confronted with a gruesome scene of slaughter, the stink of human offal strong upon the air. A pile of corpses, man, woman and child lay before them, blood an inch thick upon the floor. Laughter echoed from deeper inside of the Temple.

Pressing onward, a small hideaway was found, seemingly used by the erstwhile Sons of Sabuth. At the end of the darkened room stood Father Michael clad in black, joyous and proud and laughing maniacally as he stood above the ritually slain body of Horton Grouse, a dagger plunged into his chest. The King Antoine Trenada sat slumped aside him, facing the wall and giggling madly from around his thumb, stuck into the corner of his mouth.

What occurred from here is more or less a blur, though it is said that Father Michael declared his fealty to the 'One True God' and escaped from the Temple, leading his pursuers upon a merry chase around the Docks and slaying quite a few. King Antoine Trenada was led from the ward, staring blankly and occasionally murmuring to himself in a sing-song voice, utterly mad. Sons of Sabuth were seen to unveil themselves upon the streets in Ruby uniforms and proceed to engage in wholescale slaughter.

Whatever else can be said, the whole of the Colony has been rocked to its very foundations, left leaderless, defenceless and under threat of imminent destruction.

[DeputyCool]

As the sun rose above Ymph, silhouetted against the dawn could be seen the Floating Enclave of the Transcendent Conclave as it rumbled on it's new course towards the Lich's Territory...

As the enormous, floating rock entered over the witches lands, great swarms of undead could be seen flocking to the mage's stronghold. Whether teleported atop the rock by the Witch, or simply flying up as the great, undead wyverns did, the Mages and their Consorts took on heavy resistence from H'bala's hordes. Even from the Ziggurat, the flashes of powerful magicks and the sound of battle could be heard.

As best the onlookers could tell, the Maiden herself boarded the Floating Enclave in a radiant flash of sinister red light. Shortly thereafter, could be heard a terrifying explosion from within the bowels of the Conclave's fortress. Already, some whisper that it differed from the explosions of the Maiden's pigs. It was then that the trouble for the Conclave began, and some go so far as to whisper that it was sabotage.

After the first terrifying explosion, spell battle of proportions few have ever seen was joined. Speculators assume that Razul and the Witch met in a terrifying show of arcane might, and shortly thereafter could be heard H'balas rage as she was flung from the Enclave's very floor, to hurtle into the dawn light.  But, as she falls, a single finger extends upwards...

A ring upon withered bone flickers, once, and disappears...

Explosions such as not been seen upon Ymph for two thousand years rock the Enclave. Her final spell sends devastation upon the Rock. Huge sections of it are torn asunder, and the Enclave began to spiral madly out of control. The Enclave twisted, and turned, sometimes fully upside down as it careened towards the mountains. The forms of the defeated Caliphars and Consorts could be seen falling from the spiraling enclave to their inevitable deaths...

Out of control, the Transcendent Conclave`s floating Enclave - smouldering and with large sections of it broken - passed over the lands of Ymph, smashing into the mountains that divide east from west.

The fate of the Enclave is now uncertain. Having crashed it's way through the mountains, it continued on, floating unsteadily. As to survivors, none can as of yet say...

 

[Howlando]

With the Conclave and its shield gone, the ruins at night have once more become scenes of regular skirmishes and raids. Many have taken to hiding within the confines of the Temple to Jergal under the protection of the Pallid Mask and the many brave adventurers who have been defending it, but many others continue to huddle in the relative safety of the Ziggurat or their boarded up homes throughout the Docks.

Well known recent events include:

The somewhat unexplained departure of most of the soldiers of the Stygian Armada. It is speculated that their members have taken their mad King elsewhere in search of a cure to his curse, although others suggest that they have simply fallen prey to cowardice or prudence. A small group of Stygians are said to remain, but they have been mostly out of sight from regular duty upon the Ziggurat.

The somewhat notorious Lord Stenton has taken advantage of the power vacuum to declare himself Steward of Ymph, and his retainers have begun to hand out equipment to militia members and any others willing to defend the Ziggurat.

A small flotilla of fishing vessels under the command of Horter Roose departed Ymph. Their intention was to take as many refugees as possible and escape the dangers of Ymph. Unfortunately, the entire flotilla - packed with refugees - was burned and sunk by Count's blockade of Ymph. Only a few adventurers with strong lungs lived to tell the tale. Hatred of the Count of Old Port is at an all time high.

As the desperate of Docks and Dominion seek out safety for the nights, some speak of only one rumored hope: that somehow the meek, long-time guardian of the Temple of Jergal - Lotheri Sanq - might recall some ancient secret of how to mitigate the threat of the Nightrisers of Ancient Nebezzdos.

[Talir]

Alturiak 28th, 1378 DR

The Docks fall under the heavy assault of Nightrisers and the bonewyrm Marrozhentul. The survivors are few and all taking refuge in the Temple of Jergal.

The Ziggurat is crippled during the previous night's raid.

The Nightrisers walk the ruins in large numbers.

The amount of living dwindle...

[Howlando]

The Last Shouts:

The moon is dimmed by thick Mist, giving the evening an air of bleak lightlessness, like the much prophecised darkening that would see the skies black forever.

Tales of the Netherese reconquest of Ymph spread about the desperate survivors of their City - of untold legions, rising out of the depths. From the Gobsquat, the shrieks of butchery resound.

With pitiful screams, the last of the goblins of the gobsquat are butchered by the nightrisers, a few survivors scrambling and slipping in the blood of entrails of their fallen companions... running into hidey holes and the sewers below.

Nightrisers patrol the Docks, butchering any last remnants - although there are few, now, with most of its inhabitants gone or dead. Some fled to the Wastrel, heavily barricaded now, others making their way to the Governor's Isle where rumors of safety are to be found.

Many of the Dominion's residents remain within the Ziggurat, believing there to be safety to be found in the ancient quarters of the great stepped stone -

- the bottom most level is abruptly blasted through, and chattering Nightrisers hordes swarm up from this unexpected weakness, sprinting through the chambers, cutting down all they find.

More Nightrisen swarm the Ziggurat, driving even Nduro and a few desperate last survivors into the Mythallar Chamber, where upon they barricade the doors.

Chants of victory from the legions of the Nightrisen fill the air of cold Nebezzdos.

A Nightriser champion atop an undead horse, wielding a flaming scythe, plants a great flag upon the peak of the Ziggurat. With thundrous roars, huge bone-construct beasts emerge from the sewers. THe nightrisers swarm over the ruins.

The air of the Temple District is filled with the sounding of disciplined, marching, skeletal feet.

The door of the Temple to Jergal - refugees crammed into its confines - Bursts open abruptly.

The Mouth of the Risen speaks: I announce the coming of representatives of our Legions.

I announce the coming of Sub-Warden Anghoul Mordrimm.

I announce the coming of Sub-Warden Ghula Yaggzahar."

"I announce the coming of Sub-Warden Lamorak Sanq."

"They will speak with you. Attack them not, or you shall all surely perish."

The Sub-Warden Lamorak Sanq, mounted atop a fiery steed, announces the victory of the Nightrisen over the living -- yet, drawing a jar from inside of his surcoat, he offers a gift.

Lotheri Sanq, Jergalite Scrivener, steps forth to accept the ornate jar from the Sub-Warden -- along with an ancient scythe forged of dark steel.


The Sub-Wardens are seen to each bow their heads before Sanq in apparent reverence, the man himself becoming less and less confused, voice gaining surety and volume -- finally, proclaiming himself Warden of the Nightrisers.

"These halls .. these endless halls! It has been so long! I am Imperator! I am Warden!

[Lotheri roars, so that all the Legions of Nightrisen can hear his dread cries]

My Nightrisen, NEBEDZZOS RISES FROM THE DUST!

This City is no longer for you. It is no realm for those that breathe.

You are outcast. Take your women and your young, and depart. Leave, and never return.

Bewildered, the adventurers walk through the line of Nightrisen standing at attention - exiled from the city, their fate uncertain and unknown.

As the adventurers and warriors of the Dominion and Docks and Ruins stumble out from the gates, a group of hooded and robed Dreamers are there, waiting.

Great tendrils of Mist are thick all about them.

As the Mist swirls all about, thickening, a sense of great weariness and calm falls upon you.

The Dreamers wait, patiently, the torch light flickering in the gradually increasing mist.

As the mist thickens -

You hear the Dreamers speaking softly, "The Second Great Shrouding is finally upon us"

Your eyelids go heavy, and slowly, one by one, you each collapse into slumber.

Each of you, falling into a sleep......

he Dreamers move about you, lifting your sleeping bodies, placing them into the waiting wagons.

They carry your sleeping bodies to their sacred cave, along the shores of the Lake of Mist.

Its long intended purpose is finally ready to be fulfilled.

Elsewhere in Ymph, the mist thickens, but not all sleep as you do.

The Mist falls upon the Ziggurat of the Dominion, conquered by the Nightrisers, with only a few desperate survivors remaining in the Mythallar Chamber.

The Mist falls upon the Docks, as the false ilmateran Father Michael unveils his grand banners of Cyric upon the walls of the former Governor's Isle.

he Mist falls upon scattered exiles throughout the Island, as they desperately seek rurmored places of safety in the far eastern parts of the Island.

The Mist falls upon the Grand Master of the Numinous Order, bellowing commands from besieged Castle Blackhearth.

The Mist falls upon H'bala, her body damaged but soon to recover from her great fall, as she works on her powerful ritual and curse.

The Mist falls. For three years, Ymph is shrouded.

For three years, you slumber as the Island of Ymph changes outside of the safe confines of the Dreamer's cave.

And so concludes Chapter Two of EFU, "Escaped from Underdark: Archipelago"

[Howlando]

This link from Revan and Egon may be an easier way to read about the last scene of EFU:A