Tavern Tales and Rumours

[Tegid]

Late one recent evening, outside the north stables of the Mermaid blazed a garbage fire. By the smell, the remains of some diseased animal or sewer creature were being burned. Some say it was a sacrifice to demons while others called it some pyre for a pet.

[SwordSaintMusashi]

Word in the south is that the usually stern, but helpful priest that tends the Helmite temple in Nashkel has become irregularly irritable towards adventurers, and even the local populace, refusing to heal injuries he views as from a "mundane, trivial source" and that his "Lord" would not smile on aiding people with such.

[Tegid]

Nailed to the message board outside the inn:

shiny onion to switch ~ made of finest yellow ~ seeing is believing ~ Jarixa in the Mermaid

[rorax]

Rumor in gullykin that the militia is deeply concerned by a group of adventurers who came to the village to search the haunted ruins and did not return for few days now. Concerns are being heard about their faith, but no force was sent to search for them.

((Spawns and loot are in place - recommended group of at least 3-4 characters of medium levels))

[Lokan]

The city is buzzing with activity and rumors surrounding the events at Tempus's Tears. Battle and screams of things most foul could be herd raging over two nights.

When all had quieted only a handful of adventurers, and some civilians, who had been rescued by the Flaming Fist, returned. Those civilians that had witnessed the fighting have been seen at the inns and taverns of Baldur's Gate horrified by the experience. Groups of Flaming Fist have been seen returning from the area in horse drawn wagons filled with their comrades. Ceremonies and presentations for those soldiers that died protecting the town are held in almost every temple. An official report holds the number of deceased guards at 20.

An unknown bard has already duplicated a news-like story of the event, and included quotes from the citizens who experienced the horrific fighting. Piles of duplicated scrolls can be found in every inn, and tavern, and some ave been plastered on city walls.

Prominent in the feature is a noblewoman named Kimberly Kash, and a commoner from the town itself Mard Ungo. Ms. Kash is quoted as saying:

"I was trapped in Tempus's Tears with my bodyguards after we were chased into the pallisade by walking skeletons. Already so many had died. My bodyguards fought bravely and died for me. I will certainly take care of their families for their sacrifice...thats just the kind of woman I am. Everyone was certain that we were all going to die, all of the guards were dead, and the only ones protecting us were Banites. One Banite even tried to get the civilians to run our into the fighting ahead of him. I watched him, he just stood back and threw magic at the undead while others ran into the fight! Thank the gods there was one brave Tempite left...a woman!...of course. She ran out into the undead hordes many times, and each time that we were certain that she would not return, she did. But when she had become exhausted and could not continue, we again lost hope, that was until more men arrived; finally followed by the Flaming Fist. Those men of the Fist are heroes! They got us out of there, when the others would not."

Mard's synopsis is as follows:

"I was there from the start of the fighting. The Flaming Fist had sent reinforcements and included a number of other defenders of various faiths. We saw Banites, along with Selunites, and other mercenaries. One Banite seemed to be the leader. I can't for the life of me gather how the Fist would give him that kind of responsibility. All of us where confused, and frightened about the increase in security, but with all those powerful folks around we thought we were very safe. We were wrong. The fighting started, and hordes of zombies came pouring over the hills. The guards and our own dear Battle Chaplain held firmly. The fighting continued, and at one point of the day the walking dead were pushed back away from the palisades. We thought for sure that was the end of it, but we were wrong. By nightfall, the group of Selunites had fled, and left only the Banites and others to defend us!! They fled I say!! It was a horrible night, so many guards perished. Ghosts, and wraiths, and even vampires attacked the group. I pleaded with one of the men to let me out, but he did not listen. Later, the man tried to get us to fight ahead of him. On the second night our Battle Chaplain perished to a vampire, and that's when we all began to panic. If that other priestess of Tempus had not arrived when she did, we would all have been killed. But, I have to say, for what its worth, those Banites did hold off the dead until the Fist could arrive. Another group... some wizard, and his cloaked bodyguards might have brought them, but they are the real heroes!"

in the expose, other citizens are quoted as saying:

I saw a dwarf with spikes on his shoulders. He was givin it good to them zombies

"I could have sworn there was a halfling that could vanish right before my eyes. Little bugger would be there, then he wouldnt...then, somewhere else. I suppose it was all the panic.

"It was that lich. He warned us that if he was disturbed, that he would kill us all. Ill bet some of those meddling adventurers did something to it. It was probably the very ones trying to protect us."

"I'm never going back there. I thought I could follow Tempus, but I was wrong. I hate war."

The news report and the event itself has the opinion of the city split. Some accuse Banites of planning the whole ordeal, some accuse anyone that follows Selune of cowardice, while others praise the bravery of all involved.

Anyone who goes into the area will see piles of bodies both undead and living stretched out in lines leading through the palisades and out into the swamps. Some brave merchants and villagers have gone back into the village to pick through the ruins, but quickly return frightened by what they see.

All of the merchants and guards outside of the Black Gate will warn anyone traveling toward Tempus's Tears from Baldur's Gate that the undead are angry, and the assault isn't over.

[Lokan]

Flaming Fist scouts report continued fighting near the village. A burnt body of one Hexar Kross has been identified among those fallen. Any one that has knowledge of this man can find the body there, or claim him when he returns to the city.

((Will the player of Hexar please send me a PM))

[Matti]

As night surrenders to morning a lonely figure clad in plate is seen near the Black Dragon Gate laboring under the weight of a body. He offers a brief explanation to the city guards and is soon granted entrance into the city, he then slowly moves through the Castle district and into the Upper West part. Near the Thayan enclave he shares a few words with the conscript and soldier outside before entering the enclave, and he is soon after that seen leaving without a body towards the Helm and Cloak, and clearly exhausted by the whole ordeal.

[Ronan]

A well-dressed, bald gnome enters the Helm and Cloak. He sits down, orders some top-shelf whiskey, and smiles at a patron sitting next to him.

"Any news from the north? From Tempus's Tears", she asks.

"Aye, I saw quite a bit of it. Gather 'round, and I'll give you the chant on it..."

A few more patrons and the bartender come near, listening.

"Well I got there a bit late, after things had quieted down a bit and the Tempite lass was too weary and wounded to continue. The Iron Gauntlet was still there keeping vigil o' course, with the priestess Anchra leading them. There was another cutter there, a Rothar, priest of your Kelemvor.

Anyway, after a bit the deaders start attacking again, mostly shamblers an' skeletons. Wave after wave comes, the Fist, the Gauntlet and the Kelemvorite push them back each time. A few Fist bashers fall, an' get ushered into town for their wounds to be treated. Think they had a half-dozen get in the dead-book that day.

So after a bit some cutters notice the ground's a-shaking, botherin' all the deaders in the hills. A group goes out to have a look, and a bloody huge worm pops out of the ground. Tall as the tallest building you've got in this anthill it was, and as dead as the rest of the musties that day. The group gives it the laugh and runs back into town, all alive by my count.

The dwarfs say there's too much rock under the soil for the worm to come near, so its all safe and cozy for a bit. Some blood has the idea to strap explosives an' flammables to a cow, and feed it to the bloody worm. After a bit o' work they get it done, though none o' the berks want to be the ones to lead the cow out to the worm.

Eventually a dwarf volunteers for it, though soon after a barmy fleet-of-foot woman takes his place. She leads the sodding cow out, and sure as sure the worm gobbles it. Well it explodes all right, blowing bits of cow and dead worm everywhere, an' throwing burning oil all about. The sodding deader worm just sits there and burns for a bit 'fore going back underground.

Somehow the barmy lass gave the worm the laugh and made it back to town.

Worm wasn't quite dead then, so a big group goes out and finishes it off. After that, the deaders stopped comin'.

Way I figure it, if it wasn't for the Gauntlet and that barmy woman, the town would be lost. Aye the Fist did a fine job, but they didn't have the hands to hold the town alone."

At the other end of the bar sits a dwarf, his calloused hands and broad shoulders marking him as a smith - an odd sight in a bar full of nobles and rich merchants. Previously quiet, he sets his ale down with a loud thump, and heads turn towards him.

"Fookin' Banites? Yer the barmy one. Aye they helped, fookin' shame they all left alive, too. Nah, tha real heroes be the Fist, the Tempite Jendari, the Kelemvorite Rothar, an' the lady Scisha.

Dat Rothar? 'e stayed with us, gave us healin', tended ta the wounded. Save a'lotta lives, den stood up at the fore o' tha fights. Once I could nay see 'm through all tha sekelies surroundin' him, and them fookers are easy ta see through.

Yer barmy woman was Scisha. Saved me life, takin' the cow out 'nstead o' me. Ne'er seen no one run like her, fookin' know I'da been worm shite if I'da tried."

The patrons frown and offer looks of disguist as the dwarf speaks, who then adds:

"Wha? Ye ne'er drink witha common smith a'fore? Fook ye all, I jus' helped save a bloo'y town."

He then downs his ale and looks to where the gnome had sat, his stool now empty. Frowning and picking something from his beard, the dwarf hops down and heads for the door.

[SwordSaintMusashi]

Word has been that travel on the road has seen less bandit activity. While this in most cases might be spoken of as a blessing, the reason behind it is that most are too scared to be on the roads or hide in the woods to ambush travelers. Strange creatures seem to prowl the forests these days, usual denizens of said territory but "warped and maddened almost beyond recognition!".

Nashkel, on the other hand, has reported no such strange activity around their borders. In fact, they are still booming with activity from those that came to investigate the falling light from the sky.

[Lokan]

Stacks of parchment resembling the ones that were distributed following the battle at Tempus Tears have yet again appeared outside of inns and taverns throughout Baldur's Gate, and then taken in for any patron to take freely. This time it is Titled "The Gate", but still produced by an unknown author.

Word spread quickly on the morning of their arrival that the "gossip papers", as they have been come to be called, had arrived. An influx of morning patrons, mostly wealthy or servants of the wealthy, rushed in to grab a morning meal and snatch up a copy. Places like the Three Kegs, and the Helm and Cloak filled up quickly and the papers made their way into clamoring hands. Those that didn't get a copy made their way to the Blade and Stars, and even lowered themselves and entered the Elfsong. Most of the talk that can be heard in the taverns centers around how the parchments are made. There are too many copies and so well decorated that they could not be the product of just one person.

Discussions among pretentious "scholarly" nobles claim to recognize the style as that of the old Edificant Library, while others argue elvish influence. Some more practical folks just call it trash.

Less is actually said about the content:

"Something about a gang called "the Bells" making trouble in the Docks"

((some of you more clever and worldly inhabitants of the area might realize that the inn keeps may have kept a few copies to themselves for sale. If you see me (Lokan) IG or would like to send me a PM, we can see if they will sell you a copy. The paper will be below the "spoiler". If you don't have a copy you should not have all the information IC, unless you find someone else to fill you in that does have a copy . Don't spoil it for yourself by looking before you buy it ))

Spoiler:

"The GATE"



Bells gang! I said it, they are indeed real! There is a gang of thugs, and thieves that have been causing trouble in the docks area. And get this...they communicate using small ornate bells.

More than one noble person has been lured into the area by the musical sounds only to be robbed. We even learned of many young women of the area being confronted and possibly even taken to work in illicit activities against their will.

The watch has been battling this group covertly for months, but still have not gotten a handle on their activities. If you recall there was even an all out battle between the city watch and members of that gang close to the beginning of this season out in the open docks. The Bells gang has made enough ruckus that almost every guild, group, or enclave in the city is out to get them, and we here at THE GATE are expecting some excitement as the tension builds in the city. So, listen! If you think you are hearing things that sound like bells, and are near the docks, RUN! And always remember, you heard it here first in THE GATE.

[Ronan]

Word has it a caravan was attacked by ogres on the Uldoon trail. Most of the (presumably cowardly) guard survived, abandoning their duties and fleeing to Beregost.

To any who question their honor, they replay "Feh, was just haulin; a bunch'a shite. Old, empty chests and rusty armor. Must mean somethin' to someone, but nay worth dying o'er I say". They do not speak of who hired them, or any other details.

(( Encounter is placed, no DM needed. ))

[dergon darkhelm]

*The halfling spoke to a small gathered crowd in The Burning Wizard in Beregost. His companion sat in the back of the room listening quietly and occassionally nodding*

"I ainna jestin' ye or tellin' no tall tale! Swear it True as Torm. Out Uldoon ther're things that ainna s'posed te be livin' that be ...... alive! I done saw wit' my own eyes an' bled my own blood when a suit o' armor done take a hack at me wit' a sword. "

*he looks around at the skeptical gazes from the common folk*

"No I ain' drunk! Well.... I mean...I wernna drunk when I saw it that fer sure! There were a suit o' armor an there WEREN'T NO FELLER INSIDE IT!"

"There be magic down Uldoon trail that be as queer as a three-balled gnome I tell ye. Mind yer arse ifn ye plannin' on headin' that way."

[Sidhe]

Word soon spreads of a cold blooded murder in The Northern Light, Naskel. A prominent Amnian merchant woman was found with her throat slit and gut opened. Her child, only recently birthed, is missing. A maid and man at arms were also found slaughtered, and a whole trade delegation missing.

With the proficiency of the murders it has been suggested that the killings were funded by one of the Dukes or other prominent Baldurian's.

[Lokan]

Another addition of The Gate is published and distributed throughout the town with slightly less fanfair and fanaticism surrounding the individual parchments, but much more interest in the story behind it. This addition is smaller and less ornate, and would be easy to find anywhere in the city.

The Gate

Update: Bells gang. EXCLUSIVE
We here at The Gate have learned that a local hero, one of Baldur's Gates very own has uncovered the secret behind the mystery of the ringing bells! It seems our hero rescued a fey from the clutches of Bell himself! And rumor has it, he had to delve into the city sewers of all places to do it!

A fey? You might ask. Yes, a pixie to be more specific. The same mysterious and elusive creatures that might be encountered in places like the nearby Cloakwood...if you were lucky enough to ever see one at all.

But why would a creature such as this find itself in our city? They are being used by the evil gangster, Bell, as lookouts for his thugs! Mystery of the tiny musical sounds coming from the Docks...solved!

And who is this masked and mysterious hero you might ask?

Stand watch for the next installment of THE GATE!

[Ronan]

A dozen or so posters can be seen hung about various, random places in Baldur's Gate:

Ema
*below the name is a drawing of the elf known as 'Whitewolf', in her customary white mask. In most illustrations she is scowling, though in two she appears to be giving fellatio*

"This elf is responsible for the deaths of two halflings in Gullykin!"

*scrawled beneath that, like an afterthought*

"She really hates being called Ema!"

A few of the posters have a muddy, hin-sized footprint on them.