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====== Festival of the Moons ====== __Part One__ \\ **Date:** Sunday, April 24th, 2011 \\ **Players:** [[andrew|Andrew]], Daniël, Henk, Hertzog, Peet, [[rich|Rich]] \\ **Level:** 6+ __Part Two__ \\ **Date:** Saturday, April 30th, 2011 \\ **Players:** Alicia, Andrew, Anton, Diricia, Guy, Henk \\ **Level:** 4+ ===== Guild Announcement ===== A little more frequently than once each year, the two moons which circle the night sky cross paths. This event is celebrated in Lockenport by the Festival of the Moons. At festival time, dignitaries arrive in Lockenport from the settlements and nations of the mainland, and often from even further afield. Representatives from the River Kingdoms rub shoulders with ambassadors from the distant dwarves clan-lands. Emissaries from the northern Horselords dine with delegates from the remote jungle empire of the tieflings. During the day of the main festival, Lockenport explodes into a hive of activity with the various guilds and merchant families competing furiously to put on the most impressive and entertaining events for the city's many visitors. Negotiations, trade deals and political machinations are an integral part of the day, with many allegiances and deals struck during each crossing of the moons. The Irregulars Guild plays a particularly important role during the Festival of the Moons. Groups of Irregulars are assigned to act as guards and escorts to the many groups of visitors, as well as to Lockenport's local dignitaries -- or at least, those local dignitaries who can afford to make use of the Irregulars' services. In the last couple of decades, competition for the services of the most notable of the Irregulars has become so fierce that most Irregulars have to handle a number of different assignments during the day. The Guild employs a fleet of pages whose job it is to take new assignments to the Irregulars scattered around the city as the festival progresses. The primary mission for all Irregulars is to ensure the safety of whomever they are assigned to escort. Some assignments have additional, more complex instructions, but there is always a secondary goal of collecting information that will help the Irregulars better understand events in the wider world. It is a long-standing tradition (and part of the Guild's contract!) that Irregulars must make themselves available to serve during the Festival, even though there is no purse paid by the Guild for the day. This occasionally triggers some moans, especially from more senior guild-members. Despite this, everyone understands the value of the guild's traditional role, and all Irregulars assist with Festival duties. ===== Festival Groups ===== **Petru's Group** * [[clunk|Clunk]] * [[eckhardt|Eckhardt Swan]] * [[petru|Petru]] * [[stoella|Stoella Brookhollow]] * [[wizen|Wizen Jnr.]] * [[zulak|Zulak Grayd]] **Leetor's Group** * [[acorn|Acorn Claypot]] * [[angus|Angus Thorinsson]] * [[ashanti|Ashanti]] * [[leetor|Leetor the Maker]] * [[qira|QiRa]] * Suarez the Cannibal ===== Lockenport Herald ===== ^ SABOTAGE AT BOAT RACE ^ RUNAWAY WAGON CAUSES MARKET CHAOS ^ DARING TEMPLE RESCUE ^ | The champion minotaur racer Breeze had a narrow escape at this morning's boat race when his boat sank near the Lower Docks. Afterwards, race officials claimed that there was strong evidence of sabotage. Witnesses reported seeing a shark in the water near the sinking boat, but it was driven away by a group of Irregulars. Duke Runstrid, who won the race, generously donated his winnings to the widows and orphans of members of the Fisherman's Guild. The Lockenport Authorities have not yet named any suspects in the sabotage case, and said only that they are "following leads". | Part of the Merchant Ward near Market Square erupted into chaos early yesterday as an out-of-control wagon toppled over, releasing dangerous creatures on an unsuspecting public. Thanks to the swift action of a group of Irregulars on duty nearby, the monsters were put down without any serious harm to passers-by. "It was an astonishing day," said Hettie Lorgs, "I'd just made my best ever sale -- a little blue bowl it was, and then that business with the giant walking brains happened. It still makes my heart race thinking about -- he paid me twenty gold!" The driver of the wagon is being questioned by the authorities. | An upcoming group of Irregulars undertook a daring rescue operation to extract gnomish sailor Gallard from the remains of his crashed boat. Gallard and his craft became lodged in one of the upper windows of the swan-shaped Cygnus temple after some sort of boating accident. Witnesses described a whizzing sound as the craft shot through the sky above the Upper Ward. A six-person team was dispatched to the scene and were able to safely lower the unconscious sailor to the ground. "It almost hit me on the head", said young witness Mellis Huntleboone, shortly after a narrow escape from a falling grappling hook. | ^ MISHAP AT GRESHTIK'S BANQUET? ^ SNAKE-MAN BLAMED FOR BAD NEWS ^ MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSITY HEIST ^ | Rumours are circulating this morning that a rare public event hosted by businessman Karaden Greshtik erupted into panic after a magical demonstration by renown wizard Julwar of the North went wrong. At first Greshtik's guests thought that the surprise appearance of a monstrous beast was a planned part of the show, but the banquet hall had to be temporarily evacuated while the beast was dealt with. Julwar could not be reached last night for comment on the incident. | Visitors attending Avandra's Blessing ceremony this morning were surprised to be joined by a heavily-guarded snake-man. Flanked by an intimidating group of Irregulars, the creature listened with the audience as the members of the Brotherhood read out the five portents for the year ahead. Moons, Star, Death, Darkness and Freedom were the words sent by Avandra, and some spectators were quick to blame to presence of the snake-man for the unusually gloomy augury. (For a full analysis of the ceremony, see Yentik's Quill on page 4-5.) | Authorities are refusing to comment on the target of yesterday's heist on the Lockenport University. A group of gnomish scholars visiting the University buildings shortly after the incident claimed that a number of items, including some sort of weapon, had been stolen by a group of dragonborn. Dean Cargill refused to verify this story, and said only "It was terrifying, I thought I'd never get that rare left-handed ridge scraper back". (Read the article "What's the University Hiding?" on page 9, for more on this story.) | ^ SEWERAGE CRISIS NARROWLY AVERTED ^ SILVERTONGUE HOSTS TREATY SIGNING ^ HORSE SHOW A SUCCESS ^ | The Waste Disposal Guild today issued a public apology for any inconvenience caused by the overflowing of sewerage ducts in the Merchant Ward yesterday afternoon. A spokesperson for the guild blamed the problem on "some horrible creatures that live in the sewers" and added "if it wasn't for the help the Irregulars gave to Tussiq, the problem would have been much, much worse". | Yesterday, Orryn Silvertongue hosted the signing of an historical treaty between the Genasi Defense Council and representatives of Bael Tavesh, the tiefling empire. The treaty is a mutual defense agreement between the two signatories. "Once again, Lockenport is privileged to bear witness to a gesture of friendship between two of our allies." (See our exclusive interview with Orryn Silvertongue on page 6.) | A large delegation from the lands of the Horselords attended this year's festival, and as usual, an impressive selection of stallions and mares was exhibited at the auction. Alcor (of Alcor's Stables) felt that this festival's horse show was one of the best attended. "Prices weren't quite as high as last year though," he noted, "but I think that's just because there were some astute bidders in the audience". | ^ ASSASSINATION AVERTED AT MASKED BALL ^ MOON PASSING PREDICTIONS FOILED ^ PLAY OPENS TO POSITIVE REVIEWS ^ | An assassination attempt was narrowly averted during the masked ball hosted by Jeltin Dresk last night. Members of the Irregulars guild stormed into the hall just in time to unmask a malfunctioning warforged, and prevent it from shooting Jeltin's nephew, Graven. The motivation for the attack is not know, but some witnesses claim the malfunctioning warforged belonged to one of the dwarves from Chief Blackstone's delegation. (See Yentik's opinion piece on the dangers posed by unaccompanied warforged on page 8.) | Some visitors to the Temple of the Sky mocked well-known scholar Otioc of the Orbs after his prediction of the exact time of the Crossing of the Moons turned out to be wrong. Confusion also reigned at the docks, where the display of fireworks was set-off based on Otioc's calculations only to fizzle out more than twenty seconds before the occultation took place. "There's nothing wrong with my calculations," Otioc was heard to mutter, "the moons themselves must have gotten it wrong". (See the article "Otioc under Investigation by the Forecaster's Guild?" on page 7.) | Director Brotl's lavish performance of the "Order of the Unassuming Bard" opened to largely positive reviews during yesterday's festival. Eminent merchant and generous patron of the arts, Gorik Sumner was in the audience for the late-afternoon performance, and he surprised both the cast and watchers by producing the adventuring group whose exploits were the basis of Brotl's production. Audience member Stully Riverlegs, aged 8 said, "I liked the bit with the exploding ghouls best". (For Yentik's thoughts on the play, see the review on page 11.) | ===== XP notes ===== /===============================================\ | XP notes: Part 1 | |-----------------------------------------------| | Flesheater Shark = 500 XP | | Asha, Oni Mage = 1000 XP | | Lorius, Dragonborn Elementalist = 350 XP | | Nissa, Follower of Tiamat = 600 XP | | Dragonborn Examplars (2 x 600) = 1200 XP | | Dragonborn Spearfighters (2 x 250) = 500 XP | | Undead Creature of the Orb = 1750 XP | | Strangler Jill, Changeling = 350 XP | | Quest: Boat Race = 450 XP | | Quest: Avandra's Blessing = 300 XP | | Quest: Dragonborn Delivery = 300 XP | | Quest: Signing of the Treaty = 300 XP | | Quest: Stolen Blade = 600 XP | | Quest: Theatre Performance = 300 XP | | Quest: Greshtik's Banquet = 750 XP | |-----------------------------------------------| | Total = 9250 XP | | Per person ÷ 6 = 1542 XP | \===============================================/ /===============================================\ | XP notes: Part 2 | |-----------------------------------------------| | Ustilagors (3 x 300) = 900 XP | | Osteopede (2 x 700) = 1400 XP | | Quest: Horse Show = 300 XP | | Quest: Dragonborn Escorts = 500 XP | | Quest: Tea with the Oltarns = 450 XP | | Quest: Gnome Rescue = 500 XP | | Quest: Sewerage Crisis = 600 XP | |-----------------------------------------------| | Total = 4650 XP | | Per person ÷ 6 = 775 XP | \===============================================/ ===== Other mission reports ===== ^ Previous mission ^ Next mission ^ | [[return_to_the_lezhar_marshlands|Return to the Lezhar Marshlands]] | [[threat_of_the_undead_horde|Threat of the Undead Horde]] |