The Harvest Moon Consortium

[rdjparadis]

Posted 11/08/06 19:35 (GMT) -- Naphier

A slender figured woman approaches the government building in Lapis Port commons. She seemed as if she floated on the wind itself. Her foot steps made no sound. Her gait was even and subtle. The gaurds at the door stop her and inquire on her business. She says she is to see the mayor. When questionned about an appointment she simply stated that he was expecting her. Soon she is lead inside to the mayor's meeting room and comfortably seated. She remains as silent as a spectre as she calmly waits.

The mayor enters the room clearly angered by her presence. When he speaks his frustration overcomes his apparent anger. Even with his troubled mind he remains calm and well spoken.

"I understand you have urgent matters which we need to address." His diplomacy is his best chance of survival.

"We no longer wish to harm the innocent people of this city to simply have a voice that is heard." The black robed figure replies. "We seek to end conflict between you and your militia. We seek our freedom."

The mayor stiffens at the recollection of the current attacks on his city guards. Many of his best patrolmen had recently disappeared at the hands of the clergy of Shar. No solid evidence could be found to solidify this claim, but it was now clear the suspicions were correct.

"We have only a few requests that need be filled. First we want the same treatment as the citizens of Lapis. The freedom to pass through the streets free of harassment from the city guards. We simply wish that the militia will no longer interfer in our existence. Second we wish a voice in your council. We of course will offer our protection from the Cyric and Bane cultists which grow ever more strong in Anchorome." The dark eyed woman sets out her demands as if they were self evident truths and simple basic rights.

The mayor turns redder than a fire beetle's belly at these demands. "How can you expect me to explain this to the Paladins? To the clergy of Lathander? To suggest such an alliance is insane!"

She calmly replies. "I do not suggest alliance. I simply suggest what must be done for us to maintain an amiable existance. The paladins will hardly need more than a hint toward the memory of what happened last time they retaliated against us."

"I do not ask you to forge an alliance dear mayor, simply a peace treaty if you will." She finishes her argument.

After some moments of contemplation the mayor concedes that he has no choice. Which she cooly replies "You always have a choice, mayor, we have only made it a simple one."

"Yes you have." The mayor replies. "That settles your first condition. Now as for your second demand. I cannot simply allow you to appear at city council meetings."

"I do not expect for us to be well recieved and I do not expect this to happen over night. For the time being you shall call upon me before you make decsions which may affect our church in any way." She finishes as she puts on her hood and prepares to leave.

They end their discussion in full agreement. "I shall call for you soon Miss Heavensbane."

The hooded woman nods and glides out the door as silently as she came. Thus begins the political ascension of the Church of Shar.

[rdjparadis]

Posted 12/18/06 16:12 (GMT) -- Naphier

A pitch black shroud covers the streets of Lapis docks. Litte Mera, Mera Gooke (that's one Mera) finds herself lost in the thick of it. Confused and a bit frightened she makes her way through the darkness and past shadow fiend after shadow fiend. She wonders to herself what dread doom has been brought against the land.
Once in Lapis commons she finds that the dark has cleared and it is actually day light. Confused by this phenomenon she heads out to the campsite to see if she can find some friends to aid in the investigation. A cold wind nips at her heels speeding her to her destination and to her awe she finds the farmlands are being dusted with snow although it is fairly warm out.

She comes across some adventurers enjoying the warmth of the campfire and gets them to listen to her tale of Lapis docks' condition. The group quickly decides to move in and find the cause of this horrid phenomenon. Upon inspection they find the docks district to be in the exact condition she described; shrouded in darkness and infested with shadows. Outraged by the undead blight, the good cleric Winterhawk begins to exterminate the shadow fiends. Soon he finds that they are brought back to un-life and many more are coming to stop him. Overwhelmed and exhausted, Winterhawk's companions convince him to halt his attack. They speak momentarily with Grantian, the local street vendor, who is covered in a black robe and hood. He tells them he cannot say much of the plague that has stricken the docks. They sense a great fear in Grantian, yet he seems complacent about the new residents of the area and even tells them that trade has been good.

Noticing the massive group of shadows loitering about in front of Shar's temple the group decides to enter and further their investigation. Repelled by the great evil in the area, Winterhawk remeains outside of the temple and soon looks elsewhere for refuge. They attempt to question Zach, the cleric who guards the temple. He provides them with some information and alludes that the new inhabitants of Lapis are the doing of the dark queen, Shar. After some harsh words from Zach, the companions decide to take thier leave and investigate elsewhere.

Outside of the temple they find that Winterhawk cannot be found. Disturbed by this they soon surmise that he must have taken refuge in the temple of Lathander. There he was, talking with high priestess. She attempts to explain that she knows of the trouble and that there is little she can do. The mayor has decreed that the followers of Shar are residents of the city and have the same rights as all of the other residents. They quickly blame the mayor for being a weak-minded fool. The high priestess tries to sway them and says that she doesn't believe he really had a choice in the matter.

They soon seek out the mayor and find him securely surrounded by gaurds, perhaps formulating ideas of what to do about this blight. Bold little Mera Gooke walks right up to the mayor, asks him to bend down near her, and she slaps him square in the forehead. The guards were quick to act and snag her up off her feet and threaten to arrest her. The mayor convinces them otherwise and they let her go with a simple kick to the bottom. He tries to explain to them that he is powerless to restrain these shadows by lack of man power and lack of morale. You see the shadows are present but they do not attack and they actually protect the people of Lapis to a better degree than the few available guards can. Disgusted by the mayor's inability to keep these evil creatures from Lapis the companions begin to berate him and he walks away from the conflict.

The companions decide to speak with some more of the inhabitants of the docks district and quickly make their way to Red Willie's Saloon. Inside they find more commoners robed in black, even Willie himself has donned the outfit. The crafty drunkard Iris asks his friend Willie what's going on and where did he get the robes. Willie explains that the dark acolytes handed them out to the merchants so that they would be able to speak with the shadow fiends who walk the streets. He even goes as far as saying that the shadows have been good for business. Iris asks where he can find these acolytes and Willie claims they only appear when they want to be seen. Then he whispers to the group that they might try looking around the gladiator arena.

They finish up their drinks and proceed to the arena where they find it to be a pool of darkness with shadows all around. They notice a powerful portal inside, but upon inspection it is only a portal and the source lies elsewhere. The roving cleric Iris attempts to speak with the shadows asking where he might find some robes or the acolytes Willie spoke of. They only grunt at him at first but one eventually steps forward and gives him a set of robes. Iris hastily dons the outfit and finds he is able to communicate with the shadows. The shadow tells him that they are going to stay in Lapis and that Shar has promised them this freedom if they remain in her service. Clearly disturbed, Iris attempts to find out as much as he can, but the shadow spoke in circles and told him very little. The companions soon found the shadows were taking a great interest in the conversation and decided it was best to take their leave.

Finally they decided to speak with the Knights of the Radiant Sword. The paladins were none too helpful though. They tried and tried to explain that they lack the man power and morale to lead an attack on the new populace of the docks district. They explained that since Mistress Amothrawen passed on the Golden Katana members have been scarce and none have come to refill the ranks. No new recruits to the Golden Katana and none to join the ranks of the Radiant Sword. They also explain that before the shadows came that many of the militia and the paladins vanished. They know it was the followers of Shar who did it, but they claim things have been better now that the shadows are here, even crime has gone down.

Terribly disturbed the companions wonder what steps they must take next to try to stop this flood of darkness upon the land. Clearly they do not have the numbers to led a direct attack and the stealth of Shar's shadows may make it nearly impossible for them to infiltrate the ranks of the shadows.

OOC: Lapis docks district is still covered in darkness and shadows walk the streets. They will not appear in the PW since it is difficult to keep that set up throughout resets and such. Please play like it is that way though. Thanks!

[rdjparadis]

Posted 01/29/07 20:46 (GMT) -- Naphier

Three women stand in the only dark shadows they can find in Lapis docks. They all speak vehemently with one another and appear quite misheveled. They plot something... yet we may never know what it is.

Throughout Lapis people's faces are glowing and happy.
The town scribe has now enlisted himself as the town crier and can be heard shouting "Out with the darkness of Shar in with the light of Lathander... Our city is plagued no more!"

The Lapis docks are not peaceful, but actually bustling with business and many of the locals are running about town like the first day of spring. The portal that once flowed with darkness and shadow is no longer present.
Shar's temple once fairly hidden from view is now not much more than rubble. The temple is now fairly empty after the Vail twins, Lorgan the dwarf, and most of the Badger Clan lead a strong attack against it.

The heroes have won the day, but what slowed the portal? Why did not larger armies of shadows come forth? Was Shar's attention elsewhere?

Elsewhere

The mage Alastair and the vampire Emerald begin their journey to Cyric's temple. Just outside of Tagnar's tower they are attacked by a brigand of Cyric Followers and Tasslehoff Lightfoot. They move to oust Alastair from the cult of Cyric. They fight a hard battle, but the great mage was amazingly powerful. The battle lust in his eyes and heart thrashed them like marionettes in a galestorm. They had no chance even with the aid of Tass.

Alastair's power lust drew him into Tagnar's tower... searching. The second source stone called to Alastair. Cyric tried to dissuade Alastair and strip him of powr, but Shar's grip was too tight. She drew him to the crystal where his power increased. Could this simple task have been enough to make her lose attention on the battle in Lapis? Perhaps something in Tagnar's Tower was to consume Alastair and Shar wanted him for her own use.

Of these thing we mortal may never be sure.
Only gods know what our earthbound eyes don't see.
The twisting path of a god may appear to be a cliff.
Though to a god a road may still be.