Something's Rotten In Nakaba
All roads lead to Nakaba it seems. The Unlikely Association have encountered much in their short time together, with many of the recent (and not so recent) strange goings-on seemingly linked to the coastal city.
With the threat of war looming on the horizon, the following few days are uneasy. The Queen summons her war council, and with the belief that Greta plans to distance herself from this attack, it is agreed that an attempt to stop the approaching army before it reaches the city is the best course of action. The self-proclaimed “Iron Queen” can be dealt with once the immediate threat is removed. Not wanting to cause concern within the city, an agreement is made to send a contingent of wizards from the University and druids from the Hunter’s Guild to the east, in the hopes of finding the army underground. While the search is underway, the ranks of the Knights are bolstered in and around the city, pulling in soldiers from nearby towns and keeping all Knights on duty. This increased presence of Knights doesn’t go unnoticed, and murmurs begin to spread throughout the streets of Kureta’s capital that something is coming. The search for the goblin army begins well enough. Using the arcane runes left behind by the Oozes and Changelings, the wizards are able to divine that heading east is the correct course. Preparations are made to collapse the tunnels from above using druidic magic, in the hopes of burying the army before it can emerge. Should the plan not be entirely successful, if the army can at least be slowed or thinned it would be considered a small victory. But alas, there is no army to be found. The magic users head as far east as Aztaun, following the river’s course – but there is no evidence of underground tunnels, which is confirmed by the druids who take the form of beasts and dig into the soil. Having travelled more than half the distance to Nakaba, the search is halted, and the magic users return to the capital. Word is sent back to the queen on their findings, and questions are raised as to what exactly is going on. 13 days pass, and no army arrives. The Queen convenes her council once more. Rumours abound by this point; a decision must be made on whether the increased defences remain. It is decided to keep the additional Knights for a few more days, before returning somewhat to normal. Unsure of what has happened, The Queen decrees Greta Boulderfist a traitor to Kureta. With the evidence provided by The Unlikely Association, The Iron Queen is to be tried for treason – as well as a myriad of other crimes. As expected, the leader of Nakaba denies the charges, though somewhat unexpectedly, she agrees to come quietly. Held in the prison under watch of the Knights of the Shield, Greta awaits her trial. She has much to answer for.
- Some 30 odd years ago, Godric's birth mother, Verana Mavros, was tricked by a group of Nakabans into travelling to the Deddo Forest, where they attempted to conduct a ritual that would bind the newborn tiefling to their will. When the spell failed, they sought to kill Godric and Verana both, who were only saved by the Shadow Witches. Due to the dire circumstances Verana was left with, she had no choice but to abandon her baby and join the witches for the safety of them both.
- Atlas' earliest memory is of waking up in the small town of Kanish, which sits within Nakaban territory to the north of the main city. He was found in the river with a strange arcane tome, filled with mystical arts beyond his understanding. Growing up in Nakaba, Atlas is no stranger to the city, yet its more recent mysteries are as a surprise to him as anyone. With his shapechanging abilities, it seems he has a deeper tie to what's going on than he knows.
- Some months ago, Veda's home was broken into by potential kidnappers who sought to steal her son away. With the help of her father Coda, the bards were able to repel the attackers - but for the safety of her son, her husband Ely Lunam has secreted the child away until it is safe to come home. A recent revelation from Lust suggests that these same people tried to "buy" her when she was a child, roughly some 30-35 years ago. Cassandra De La Hûne, who seemed to have been spying for Nakaba, revealed in her journal that they referred to Veda's child as a "Nephilim", a child with the mixed blood of the divine and the hells. When trying to reveal her secrets, Cassandra was assassinated in a joint effort by The Reapers and the Silent Owls.
- An elven spy for the Bhen Aillesel has recently gone missing in Nakaba. The elf is using the name Sophitia Mason, and appears as a human woman. Kaylessa Moonsnow is worried for her, as the spy's most recent messages suggested that something was very wrong in the city.
- Princess Olwyn, youngest daughter of the queen, has been afflicted with Lycanthrope during an attack on the royal caravan. With Godric and Valkia Orbeck's help, the attackers were defeated and only a couple of guards were killed. Olwyn was turned into a tiger however, a curse she has bared for some time now. Recent memories of that day suggest that at least one of the attackers was a shapeshifter...
- Tobur Fûne, the visionary behind the construction of the Airdock, had been bed-ridden for some time. The party discovered that he was being dosed with poison, and the poisoner was a shapeshifter from Nakaba.
- After completing their exploration of the Ruins of Akai, the party were attacked by a contingent of soldiers led by a dwarven priest. The group were clearly marked as Patrolmen, the law enforcement and protectors of Nakaba. How they knew of the expedition is still unknown.
- Most recently, Kureta City was attacked, and an assassination attempt was made on the queen. The assassin, disguised as Commander Devianne, was another shapechanger. The assassin cried "for freedom" as she made the killing blow. The city was attacked by black oozes, which dropped clay tiles with arcane symbols on them - similar to the symbols found on both the shapechangers the group have encountered.
- Commander Devianne - the head of the Order of the Shield - is missing. She left on a diplomatic mission to Nakaba some weeks ago, but in her stead a shapeshifter disguised as her returned, with the commander's equipment. The current whereabouts and state of the commander are unknown, but it is hoped that she is still alive, somewhere in Nakaba.
- The queen revealed that recent supplies of precious metals and gems have begun to dwindle. These are primarily supplied from the Bounty Mine, a largely dwarven community with deep ties to Nakaba, another heavily dwarven settlement. Although there is no proof of wrongdoing here, the queen believes it is not a coincidence.
With the threat of war looming on the horizon, the following few days are uneasy. The Queen summons her war council, and with the belief that Greta plans to distance herself from this attack, it is agreed that an attempt to stop the approaching army before it reaches the city is the best course of action. The self-proclaimed “Iron Queen” can be dealt with once the immediate threat is removed. Not wanting to cause concern within the city, an agreement is made to send a contingent of wizards from the University and druids from the Hunter’s Guild to the east, in the hopes of finding the army underground. While the search is underway, the ranks of the Knights are bolstered in and around the city, pulling in soldiers from nearby towns and keeping all Knights on duty. This increased presence of Knights doesn’t go unnoticed, and murmurs begin to spread throughout the streets of Kureta’s capital that something is coming. The search for the goblin army begins well enough. Using the arcane runes left behind by the Oozes and Changelings, the wizards are able to divine that heading east is the correct course. Preparations are made to collapse the tunnels from above using druidic magic, in the hopes of burying the army before it can emerge. Should the plan not be entirely successful, if the army can at least be slowed or thinned it would be considered a small victory. But alas, there is no army to be found. The magic users head as far east as Aztaun, following the river’s course – but there is no evidence of underground tunnels, which is confirmed by the druids who take the form of beasts and dig into the soil. Having travelled more than half the distance to Nakaba, the search is halted, and the magic users return to the capital. Word is sent back to the queen on their findings, and questions are raised as to what exactly is going on. 13 days pass, and no army arrives. The Queen convenes her council once more. Rumours abound by this point; a decision must be made on whether the increased defences remain. It is decided to keep the additional Knights for a few more days, before returning somewhat to normal. Unsure of what has happened, The Queen decrees Greta Boulderfist a traitor to Kureta. With the evidence provided by The Unlikely Association, The Iron Queen is to be tried for treason – as well as a myriad of other crimes. As expected, the leader of Nakaba denies the charges, though somewhat unexpectedly, she agrees to come quietly. Held in the prison under watch of the Knights of the Shield, Greta awaits her trial. She has much to answer for.
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