In the middle of Boneharvest this past autumn, an explosion was heard through all of the South Farthings, Fiddlehead Hills, and even beyond. This scribe can verify that it was audible from at least as far away as Riverton. Witness accounts had placed the epicenter of the explosion very close to the Town of Elmerton. I journeyed there and found the accounts to be accurate. Apparently, Abraham Blackgate, otherwise known as Boom Blackgate and the patriarch of the Blackgate family, had placed a very large bomb, for a reason unknown to me, a mere mile to the east of Elmerton Lake. When it exploded, it blew away a wide section of swamplands, leaving a large crater that, strangely, has yet to fill with water as one would reasonably expect in such a wet environment. Luckily, the saturated ground had absorbed much of the blast that otherwise might have done much more damage. Unluckily, however, the blast had other consequences.
It is no secret that the lands around Elmerton have strange qualities. It was only a decade ago that 39 square miles of the area were covered by the mysterious Evernight Forest, a place supernaturally starved of both light and sound. Some claim that the Evernight never actually went away. Perhaps that is the case, for the recent explosion seemed to release a dark energy that continuously lashed about the area, dampening any magic and hurting any living beings it touched. The epicenter of the blast was completely obscured by this energy, though out of that center, strange humanoid spider creatures began to appear. They were hostile and began spinning webs across the walls of the crater. Members of Elmerton’s Town Watch and even some citizens were there to meet them and engage them in combat.
Soon, Irvanshirian soldiers arrived to join the fight, and some of the kingdom’s noble houses even sent their own militias to help as well. That battle has raged until only recently. Due to the nature of the wild magic that could not be controlled, the noble houses involved petitioned the aid of the mage guild known as Concori Ayre. The mages who first arrived on the scene proved unable to control the magic; they were forced to call in three ayres from the guild to help. All three ayres are very capable magic users, and in the last day or two they have managed to bring the area under control and even close the portal that had been opened to wherever the spider creatures were coming from.
Coincidentally, since last year, this scribe has had several sources report that humanoid spider creatures were inhabiting the abandoned settlement of Marshall’s Landing, and it was thought that many of them had relocated to Elmerton, likely at the same time as the supposed “Invisible Citadel” was teleported there. The spiders’ leader, one called the Web Queen, has not been seen in Marshall’s Landing since then and also was not known to have shown her face at the explosion site turned battlefield. Instead, she is believed to be within a small patch of forest to the north of Elmerton. The area is surrounded by spider webs, and several of the spider creatures that escaped the battle made their way there, entered, and have not been seen since. The small area must have extra-dimensional properties if it is able to support as many spiders as have been reported to have gone there.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, my initial report to the Magestic Messenger about the explosion was delayed due to my being sent to several places along Irvanshire’s border with Tohmshire to investigate news of portals opening in random places and expelling all manner of strange creatures. The bulk of these portal sightings happened in a cone-shaped pattern heading, from the area of Marshall’s Landing, southwest, the exact opposite direction of Elmerton, so I can only assume the portals were somehow related to the explosion. However, I soon learned that the Portal Authority was hard at work shutting down these portals whenever they appeared and covering up any evidence that they had existed. I did not manage to find any real information about the portals or the strange creatures that may have come through them.
Since the three ayres have subdued the magic at the explosion site, I have not heard any more reports of wild portals; however, it has only been a day or two…
I suppose we will soon see,
Jessup Collingwood
Traveling Scribe
Just two nights ago a small group of unidentified assailants attempted to rob one of the larger food stores that is shared between locals and the Blackgate family. As they broke through the fenced off area to the main storage area, the robbers were met with resistance by the former DoD members. After a short but very violent clash the would-be-robbers where driven off into the night.
When asked for a statement about the successful defense the unlikely guards refused, saying that they had work to do to repair the fence and make sure nothing was lost in the scuffle. They went off to work and nothing else was said.
Not sure what has them so inspired but these are men and women who are very serious about the defense of both food and people.
Limnis Brodracker
Traveling Scribe
(An astrally-projected sheet of paper appears on the wall of the Crossworlds Tavern)
Come one, come all! It’s time for the 125th annual, interdimensionally wonderful and incredible Open Stage Night at the Crossworlds Tavern in Marshall’s Landing on Magesta! On the 27th evening of Maygrelian, in the 149th year of the Age of Arrival (Standard Magestan time), join us for a night of talent, wonder, and competition!
Are you the best dancer in Pyross? Got pipes that can bust glass from Pitch? Or a sideshow that would OOO and AHHH even the slimiest Greshenthallian? From poets to bards to comedians to magicians – now’s your time to share your talents with the entire Dabbleverse.
Dinner will be served and is complimentary to all guests! As always, the TOP prize is 10 gold. Oh my cats – that’s amazing!
To the honored guests of Marshall’s Landing,
It is this chronicler’s deepest regrets to inform you that Scindow Tretiov was found stone dead by a local hero. Dogwood, the local hero, reports on the circumstances of the deceased’s passing. It was a bright and beautiful day. Birds could be heard singing among the freshly sprung branches. The sweet scent of morning drew swelled in the air. The leaves rustled calmly as a delicate breeze caused them to flutter. The sun had been rising quickly that morning. Short bursts of clouds moved through the sky giving relief to the heat of the day.
Witnesses report that they heard Dogwood calling for assistance. “Help! Help!” He had said. The sun had kissed his cheeks and the wind caressed his hair as he attempted to thrust life back into the newly deceased. Dogwood tried with all of his might to bring back the man who had fallen to his doom, but he was simply out of luck.
Dogwood, a local hero, was asked about what happened. His tunic was slightly unbuttoned exposing his crisp chest hairs. Dogwood appeared slightly panicked, a rich musk of honey and something more primal wafting from him. He paused, “Uhh he looked real dead. I didn’t really know him that well.” When asked if he tried to help the deceased, Dogwood remained composed glimmering with a shadow of elegance. “I mean a little bit. It was sad. It looked like he fell and smashed up his face real good.”
Though Dogwood could not save the life of the person who died this day, he will be remembered for his acts of kindness. He will be known for the valor he showed as he did all that he could to help. Dogwood had a chivalrous message for the people visiting Marshall’s Landing, “Careful! Sometimes its real slippery.”
Sincerely,
Lyrc Fret
Battleday, the 5th Day of Newgreen and of the Year 127 of this Age of Fortune
Heroes of Elmerton,
It is my pleasure to wish you a prosperous new year and to thank you once again for your help in proving the innocence, honor, and integrity of the Noble House Lav’Endros before the Noble Conclave during the month of Boneharvest last year. Our success means that we have been elevated to the status of Major Noble House and have been awarded roughly one third of House Windlock’s land and assets. While House Windlock was able to maintain jurisdiction over the City of Eddinberg and the massive expanse that is the East Farthings, Lav’Endros has gained jurisdiction of the former Windlock land that borders our land in the South Farthings, as well as an additional larger tract in the eastern Icewind Mountains and western Great Frostwood.
Most of my winter has been spent working to assimilate the acquired Winlock assets and records into our own while giving that house’s subjects the time they need to vacate the areas we have taken stewardship of. As some of you already know, House Lav’Endros had been preparing formal invitations to several of our allies, including you Heroes of Elmerton, to join a number of House officials in mapping out the northern land and giving some assurance to the locals that we will use every tool at our disposal to protect them from the War King, whose troops have been allowed by Windlock to move into the area and establish many military forts and supply routes. However, due to a very recent development, we are going to instead entreat King Adamar to lend us Irvanshirian soldiers for this purpose. Something more pressing requires the skilled and specialized attention of the reader.
Just yesterday, both the Elmerton Manor House and one of the Banta Kinswae encampments were attacked by truly strange, vicious beings, the likes of which I have never seen before. They had the faces of giant spiders but their bodies were humanoid. They carried an energy about them that seemed astral in nature, but strangely so. They were very quick and their attacks were efficient and deadly. My soldiers and wolfkin were largely ineffectual against them. The attack was only a warning, though, and after the spider creatures had made their point and returned from where they came, we discovered a ransom letter had been left behind. The letter stated that assaults such as these would continue unless House Lav’Endros began paying an immense amount of gold as a continuing “protection fee” since we had been responsible for the former “clients” halting their payments. The price was high enough that, even if we intended on paying, we would be unable to.
My wolfkin managed to track the strange creatures back to an area known as Marshall’s Landing: as the crow flies, twenty-two miles southwest of Elmerton. While this was one of the areas ceded to us by House Windlock, it was not something we had considered worth investigating until today.
Based on what I have witnessed, I can say honestly that this is not a thing that House Lav’Endros nor the Banta Kinswae can handle on their own. Therefore I am appealing to you, Heroes of Elmerton, to help us investigate and bring to justice those who would threaten our House, Pack, and Territory. Unfortunately, I know very little of what to expect from this area, save that there were many small structures built there, possibly to house soldiers, though they have been abandoned for many years. Our investigation of Marshall’s Landing should begin as soon as possible.
Calling You Back Into Service,
-Baroness Lobea Lav’Endros