p. 1
CITY PLAGUED BY GANG WARS!
17 Zarantyr, 998 YK
Violence! Crime! Monsters! The hearty city of
Sharn is no stranger to these things, but it seems a new conflict is close to reaching its peak here in our very streets. The halflings associated with the clandestine organization known as the
Boromar Clan have long made their influence upon the city felt, and no harm has come to fall upon the city because of it. Or has it?
Recent events seem to indicate that there is a gang war occurring under our very noses! The night of the last Far saw a break-in at a
Boromar-owned warehouse in Lower Central Plateau. Now, the perpetrators of such a dastardly plot have yet to be identified, but reports confirm that six
Boromars were slain in the confrontation! No other evidence or bodies were found at the scene of the crime, and the artifacts preserved within remained largely untouched, save for the destruction of an unidentified stone statue.
Now, what type of enigmatic association - or,
Sovereign Host save us, individual - would have motives as unusual as these? Vengeance against the
Clan? Thirst for the kill? Yet to be seen! And yet, the violence is not yet concluded! On the previous Sur, The Discreet Turnip tavern in Lower Menthis Plateau was ransacked and its patrons slain! (see p. 13 for the obituary.) Present at the scene was a horrific creature - the shape of a man, but the body of a crustacean, slain and covered in violet blood. Is this the monster responsible for the woes of the
Clan? It would have seemed so - until the plot continued to thicken!
Just yesterday's Sul saw the carnage brought right outside the windows of our citizens! Middle Menthis Plateau saw an incredible brawl between the
Boromar Clan and the newly emergent Crypt Crew (see THE CRYPT CREW REVEALED, p.2). An eyewitness, Agnes Dorian of Middle Menthis Plateau, witnessed the scene, was eager to comment on the conflict.
"Well yes, those young boys were walking in the square outside my window when they began swatting at something that wasn't even there! I did not recognize them at first, but I thought they had gone mad! That was until I peeked out my garden window and saw several man in the attire of the Clan attacking the boys from afar! I realized the boys must have been some under mind spell! Well, I say it was a right ambush, and why?"
When does this mysterious plot end? Where does it begin? A new mystery of blood, revenge, and heroes has graced the esteemed towers of
Sharn!
p. 2
THE CRYPT CREW REVEALED
by Selmyn Carwyse
A
recent publication of the Sharn Inquisitive formally introduced the city to a group of adventurers colloquially referred to as the Crypt Crew. Its six (unofficial) members are Dooturr the skeleton, N'nchyk the triton, Maleakos the tiefling, Ashpin the half-elf, Verin the half-elf, and Viribus the human.
The article gave a harsh, but cursory, glimpse into the endeavors of the Crew. They were observed fighting for the city in the Battle of Upper Dura, but later reports called into question the virtue of the group. I managed to land an exclusive interview to get an inside scoop on their perspective of the events.
"What happened the day of the warehouse ransacking, from your perspective?"
Viribus answered: “We were attacked on the street, and noticed we were being attacked by gnolls from the top of a building. After we handled the attackers on the street, we investigated the building - which turned out to be the warehouse. Within the warehouse, an undead beast emerged from a crate.”
There were no previous reports of such a creature, but the levels of damage to the warehouse do match this claim. As for the undead beast...there were no other eyewitness reports of such a thing, but if it is true, then we can only thank the Crypt Crew for ridding the city of it.
"Did you know the attackers in the street?"
Viribus once again responded, “They were men - fanatics - that weren’t happy that we were learning their secrets.”
"And is it possible that you are able to tell me of these secrets?"
“No. Not for your own safety.”
What precisely this means is anyone's guess, but the tone Viribus used made it certain that the men were more dangerous than the secrets were worth.
“Were the men with the secrets commonly associated with the gnolls?”
This time, it was N'nchyk who responded: “Throughout the following days we saw both groups alongside each other, but supposedly, the men were none the wiser. But I have reason to believe they were lying.”
"Did these men have a name?"
Ashpin: “N’nchyk?”
N’nchyk: “Ashpin?”
Maleakos: “N’nchyk?”
After careful consideration, N'nchyk said he was not at liberty to discuss their name exactly, but did include that they were from the
Shadow Marches. He could not confirm any rumors that they were from
Droaam.
“The people that died that day - Darlina Arte, Nathan Warren, Adam Murry - did you know them?”
Maleakos: “Not in the slightest.”
Ashpin: “Apologetically, this is likely the first any of us have heard those names.”
N’nchyk: “The first time we saw them, they were being hucked off the roof by a gnoll.”
Whether or not the motives of the men and the gnolls are included in their dangerous secrets remains unclear.
“Describe your perspective of the Battle of Upper Dura.”
Ashpin: “Pretty war-like. Quite terrifying. Caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, really.”
Dooturr: “A lot of carnage. Explosions.”
“Is there anything else you’d like to make special comment on?”
Viribus: “In the article, it was made to believe that we simply destroyed the inventory deliberately. And I have told you that there was a bodak waiting for us when we entered the room. The damage to the facility was a result of the battle. And if anyone had seen what that creature could do, they wouldn’t blame us for having double [the damage] that had happened to the room. There was also a report of missing funds and herbs that I can do nothing about, that was an ex-party member of ours. He has since left our group.”
This ex-party member was the goliath Nayries, who could not be located for a comment.
Philip Arthur d'Tharashk, featured in the previous article about the Crew, was not present.
The mild manner and humility of the Crew makes a convincing case that their true nature was incorrectly depicted. The group has since been officially inducted into the prestigious
Clifftop Adventurer's Guild, and have been endorsed by
Sir Theobald Evans himself. I believe it is with the support of many that I say I can sleep soundly at night knowing these new heroes are protecting our city.
Further information remains confidential at the wishes of the Crew.
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