Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Why I Want To Go: KOSD Questing II: Slumbertimeland

 By Kieran/Kyra "Omri" Barry


Once upon a time, in a land far far away... Well, not so long and not so far, our tale begins in the land of Blackavar. Knights of the Sable Dragon's order began amidst war. A dragon tyrant driving the others to greater heights of conflict with other denizens in Blackavar, not merely with words but implied with mind control. While a few may have used this as an excuse to terrorize, the other dragons once freed agreed to the truce set by the original five of the Knights of the Sable Dragon, Bardus, Carnac, Taunton, Wilmont, and Gautier. They will slumber and their eggs will remain undisturbed.

The years have passed. Blackavar became a part of the Realms unreachable to the whole. A Divine War was fought in the interim. Garm deemed that a god should fall, and Rexan was chosen. Rexan passed now two and some years ago, his body consumed. That caused its own now resolved issues. His soul? If it can be called such, was thought destroyed, gone, never to be a bother. If poison and deceit were to become the domains of godhood again it would not be Rexan's.

Once upon a time there was an adventurer named Chan. Flawed, as all adventurers are. Their story is one that ended before mine in the Realms began. I knew them as an angelic spector of Justari, and that a few of my new friends owed their lives to Chan's actions in defeating Rexan, taking on enough soul points that them being an angelic spector was a blessing given the destructive force they faced. And yet. They are now called Amawar. Their history is anew. Chan's sacrifices in some part undone.

Rexan as a sliver is back. Blackavar's Sable Dragon has an egg that is being kept by the Auroran church. If hatches they could be a cause of resurgence of conflict in the Realms. But they are an innocent, potentially. Danny, a child taken care of by the Storyteller, is missing in Blackavar. One of Baron Guatier’s (as it seems families of significance within Blackavar share names to the founders of the Knights of the Sable Dragon) guard was found murdered, her death tied to a storytale figure as told by a talking mouse.

Coincidences are hell of a thing in the Realms. I've learned not to trust them.

As Flamekeeper of the Order of the Lantern I make it a point to inform others of what is necessary to know. Some have come to associate me with a magnifying glass that's now turned to fairy dust. There's trouble afoot and it's centered around Blackavar and these common threads. How they weave together, I do not yet know. There may be more I do not see.

Given that a child's life may be at stake, potentially taken by the shadow of Rexan's former self, I would not say I am excited about it. I am eager to investigate more into the going ons, and am not opposed to using the Blackavar Harvest Festival as a light prelude into the work that follows. And it’ll be an opportunity to get to know the denizens of Blackavar better, strengthen relations between them and the Realms. Please take care not to harm the talking animals.


OOC:

Last KOSD questing in September 2024 resulted in us uncovering a conspiracy from mind flayers to hatch the egg of the Broodmother of the Sable Dragons. We fought a dragon. A bridge was made that connected Darkvale and Blackavar. I tend not to be accurate about what any given event would specifically entail, but what’s laid out in the event description looks awesome. I’m particularly looking forward to festivities on Friday, then diving into the plot that John has laid out for us. I especially appreciate the care the event is taking to be inclusive/welcoming to newbies.

The format of a potential open marketplace for us to explore is also a fascinating one that I personally have not experienced/seen before and I'm excited to see each and every glittering facet of this fascinating gem of a story John is planning out.

I’ve been looking forward to this for a while and am grateful my schedule allows me to attend!

Oh, and do keep an eye out for items that look like this. A) is a page from the Storyteller's book we presume, and B) is some sort of key, its numbering unknown in significance. Both items were located within Slumbertimeland in the Three Bears house.

(A woodcut page with a story of the 3 bears as it relates to the child Danny, including an illustration of 3 bears and a 7 pointed star)
(A wooden key with a 7 pointed star head, and the number 1 in the center of the head)