Good morning, heroes. In accordance with our previous discussion, my writings regarding your dealings in Dalganaf and the spellforge are being withheld from general publication. I hope you have found the records of my research to be of value. However, the below piece has been released for wide distribution as I did not believe it to contain any sensitive information.
Be well and safe.
Khelek
The last moments of Dalganaf are mired with confusion and disjointed information. On the day the undead arrived, many of the survivors recall the smell most vividly as the prevailing odor of rotted flesh filled the city cavern before the moans of the assailants did. Amid the confusion and chaos, clear orders did not emerge from the palace for many hours, leaving the common folks to make their own way.
Most citizens - confident in the city's defenses - opted to barricade themselves inside of their homes.
Some simply decided to leave, as the main entrance to the city remained unobstructed.
A smaller portion made their way to the Foundry - possibly the most well-defended building aside from the palace - only to discover that it was from the Foundry where the bulk of the undead emerged. We spoke to one woman who managed to escape the Foundry alive: a blacksmith named Kuldira Coaljaw.
"I had just started as an apprentice - three months on the job - so I can't say I had a good sense of what was going on, but everyone seemed to be acting peculiar. Arundil [ed. the foundry wizard] in particular, who was always kind of kooky, basically disappeared into his room a few days before the invasion started. I remember one day he and Durgeddin [ed. the forgemaster] came into the forge room and they were arguing something fierce about this ring that Arundil wanted to have cast in the spellforge. It had to seat this weird gemstone that looked kind of like a brain. Durgeddin was cussing him out, said that the stuff he was working on was abominable. But Arundil said something about 'desperate times, desperate measures' or something else like that that crazy folk say."
Kuldira recounted some anecdotes of her bizarre final days at the Foundry while we dined at her private workshop just outside of Scornubel. She lives a quiet and successful life now and does not seem ashamed of her time in Dalganaf like many of the other survivors do. "I was not born in Dalganaf. I was raised in a lesser clan and moved there to apprentice since they had a spellforge. In those old days, it was hard for a woman to get an apprenticeship at a forge, but I had no shame. I just wanted to prove myself. So, when things got bad, I felt no obligation to stay and fight. I turned and ran."
Among all of her stories, perhaps none were so harrowing as the final one. "The night before things went bad, we got sent home early because Arundil and Indalla [the Foundry's bookkeeper] were having it out, screaming all up and down the halls. I liked Indalla. I think everyone did. She was not a smith but had a lot of interest in everything we did and seemed to genuinely care about the Foundry and the workers, like a house mother. But I think Arundil didn't like her looking over his shoulder, so to speak. They butted heads a lot, but that night it was bad. Arundil was threatening her, and I don't think Durgedding wanted us to see that."
"But we should have stayed. The next morning, Indalla did not come in to work... that is assuming she had ever left. I went into her office to check in on her, but it was locked. I shouldn't have done what I did, but I put my ear to the door and listened. Arundil was in there, speaking to some woman whose voice I didn't recognize. For some reason her voice poked at me like barbs and I could listen no longer so I went back to work."
"An hour later we heard screams from the forge room. An apprentice spotted a couple of zombies pulling themselves out of the drainage duct. We were kind of all in disbelief with what was happening, but then Arundil came in along with a demonic-looking woman with wings and the two of them made short work of the first dozen zombies. He then started weaving together some kind of barrier spell, but then there was a blast from the other side of the duct and a before we knew what was happening there was a big old hole right in the back of the foundry and zombies were pouring out of it. Arundil and the demon fought on, but what could I do? They would send a fireball to cremate a dozen zombies, but I could see the heads of hundreds more lined up behind them in the cavern. It seemed inevitable, so I left. I didn't find out until months later that the city had fallen."
And with that recount we conclude what is known today about the fall of Dalganaf. At the time of this writing, one of our agents has informed me that the Heroes of Vildanel have succeeded in their quest to bring the spellforge to Ghisale, so perhaps we have closed this grisly encounter with the city lost to time.
I hope to report soon on whatever exploits follow for our precious Heartlands.
Kelehk of the Quill
Leaffall 15, 1491
Though it is late in the day, we must continue our work: exceeding our expectations, our call for information regarding Dalganaf has been met with new firsthand accounts of the later days of the city.
Early in the year of 1297 DR reports began to emerge of peculiar activity in the city: sulfurous odors permeated the waterways, livestock grew ill, no less than six residents became afflicted with madness, and a series of misfortunes befell the ore trade routes from the north. Residents posited many varied causes for the happenings such as them being ill omen from the gods, the yield of sacrificial rituals given by local orcs, or karmic justice for abusing the spellforge. However, the theory which grew to prevail within the court of King Igban hinged on the arrival of a strange visitor whose name and description has been lost to time.
Three weeks prior to the fall of the city, this man did arrive. It was not his first visit to the city, as he was a regional adventurer who made a habit of returning to Dalganaf to mingle with the residents at the local tavern and barter for magical armaments at the foundry. He was a cheerful and gregarious man who would regale the local youths with tales of his heroic deeds, sometimes staying to indulge in festivities for weeks on end. However, his last arrival was less than joyous, with his demeanor being significantly more solemn and reserved. It is reported that he kept only solitude for several days after arriving and he did not congregate with old drinking companions nor did he entertain the children. Some days after his arrival he went to visit King Igban - as he had done many times before - but by the accounts we received he never returned from the palace.
There were three days leading up to the first appearance of the zombies which can be most vividly recalled by the citizens, starting with a proclamation from the king to seal the city as a response to an unknown threat. While in most modern cultures this would have been met with panic and dismay, dwarves are a more stalwart folk and met the king's order with fervor and loyalty. However, after the third day, with no answers given by the king and no foe identified the citizens grew frustrated and uncoordinated.
The first horde of zombies - shepherded by a duergar necromancer - emerged from the abandoned mines. The city was ill prepared for such an unexpected appearance. The common understanding is that the horde emerged from a freshly opened passage to the Underdark, allowing them to amass undetected.
Unfortunately, the mysteries of this invasion - the strange visitor, the ill omens, the king's proclamation, and the sudden appearance of the undead - may never be fully understood. However, it is my hope that our beloved adventurers will emerge soon to a new dawn and illuminate some answers.
As the sun sets over the mountains named as such, reports have emerged that our heroes have successfully entered Dalganaf via its sealed waste passage. Upon entering the palace they did unknowingly bring about the awakening of the resting undead in the palace and the city, entombing them with perils of tremendous risk. And the very latest information now in my possession is that they have encountered and bested the mummified and reanimated form of Dalganaf's late king.
As a service to enrich these chronicles we have conducted research into what little is known to the outside world of Dalganaf.
Dalganaf was founded as "Dalganaf's Wake" 430 years before the Dale Reckoning - so "negative 429 DR" to some - as most Dwarven cities of the time were: a mining outpost established by a particularly bold and charismatic dwarf seeking to find his own fame. In this case that dwarf did not live to witness his own fame as "Dalganaf the Brash" was killed in a cave-in shortly after establishing the mining base. It was named in his honor days later.
Dalganaf never flourished as a mining operation, though it quickly made a name for itself through its foundry which supplied refined materials to the gnomes, elves, and budding human dales which had begun to dot about the region. Around -360 DR the city gained a powerful alliance with a lesser Netherese wizard enclave, and it is this alliance which allegedly birthed their spellforge. This allowed Dalganaf to become a prime provider of magical armaments in the region, solidifying the prominence of their small but influential settlement.
Dalganaf retained this posture for over 1500 years through the fall of their Netherese allies and the reigns of several kings, each one being devoutly protective of the foundry and ensuring their operation would not be compromised by outside influences. This all changed in 1297 DR when under unknown conditions a powerful necromancer infiltrated the city and raised a zombie army which would drive a decimated population to flee and seal the city behind them. It is unknown how such an overthrowing could take place given the mass of powerful weaponry that the city had amassed, though some records of survivors claim that betrayal by trusted officials was a primary cause.
The last king of Dalganaf - who is hopefully now laid to final rest by our heroes - was King Vergal Igban. King Igban was known to be a quiet and reclusive ruler who largely maintained the status quo and entrusted his advisors to guide the ongoing operations of the city. His closest advisor and friend and the captain of the city's guard was Lord Falmore Rivenswald. His court chronicler - whose name appears on most of the documents which has escaped the city at the time - was Lord Jansen Ashbrew. He had no children, and the plan of succession was unknown, though it was not unheard of for a dwarven king to bequeath the crown to a friend or a paragon of the community.
Though we do not know the current fate of our heroes, we have confidence that they have prevailed over their challenges thus far and now face the horrors of an amassed undead army standing between them and their objective at the foundry.
Dear Champions of Vildanel,
I hope this writing finds you well, as you have gone to a place where my network's delivery capabilities are somewhat limited. Please note that the article herein is at present time not for public release. After speaking with both Ghisale and Morris I have come to understand the importance of your work's clandestine nature, and therefor for the time being these works shall serve only as a private chronicle of your accomplishments until such a time as it is appropriate for disclosure.
Khelek
In recent days speculation had begun to mount that our saviors from the gnolls had departed the region eastbound as quickly as they had arrived. However, it is now known through reports from The Wandering Wyvern in Iriaebor that the adventurers have instead departed north toward the lost dwarven city of Dalganaf along with a guide by the name of Nettles who descends from that same city. Scant few details of Dalganaf are known to the public - largely due to the secretive nature of the city's descendants - though it is known that Dalganaf was abandoned and sealed shut nearly two-hundred years ago. It is also known that Dalganaf was not a major dwarven power and did not purvey conventional dwarven mining facilities. Instead, Dalganaf's chief export of record was magical armaments furnished by its elaborate foundry. This facility allegedly hosted an ancient apparatus known as a "green-flame forge" or "spellforge".
Our heroes likely proceeded northbound toward the arc of the Southern Sunset Mountains where Dalganaf was known to have resided. Along the way it is believed that they slew another small band of orcs and then slid cautiously through orc territory in the foothills where they may have caused some alarm and were forced to progress hastily. At this time there is no evidence to suggest they were caught or otherwise harmed by the orcs. Editorial suspicion suggest that Nettles is well versed of paths into Dalganaf that would be otherwise difficult to traverse, such as waste or water-ways.
In full honesty, our reporting network is not well-suited for subterranean activity, so efforts are being made to widen our capabilities and continue to provide this essential service of chronicling what could well be an adventure of paramount importance for the region.
Kelehk of the Quill
Leaffall 14, 1491
Today comes news from Iriaebor, City of a Thousand Spires, the Heartland's Gateway to the East. Reports confirm that the Champions of Vildanel were involved in thwarting an assault by marauding orcs against a wagon transporting young nobleman Grenville Lesterac, Baron of Lesterac. Lesterac is a small, private municipality in the Heartlands and is Vildanel's nearest neighbor. At this time it is not believed that Lesterac was assaulted during the gnoll attack despite its proximity and relative value as a target. The young baron was escorted by his servant Venaire and two armed guards that seemed ill-equipped to stand against a full band of orcs.
Although the timely intervention of the heroes was fortuitous, it is also believed to be coincidental: our information reports that the heroes were not sent to aid the baron, but rather to take on a new mission in the vicinity of Iriaebor, and at the time of this writing it is believed that the heroes are currently residing there seeking a contact of unknown origin.
With information about the nature of this new mission being sparse, this has lead our organization to speculate: we believe that the heroes were sent to Iriaebor at the behest of Ghisale to recover items pertinent to her important work on the plateau.
Concerning the plateau, we have received word that the first band of returning refugees - a well-furnished contingent of a dozen young men and women - have arrived back at the village bounds to begin their work of cleaning up and organizing the reconstruction effort. In a statement to one of our correspondents, young Seb Morove offered the following statement upon looking at on his ruined homeland for the first time in near a month: "Never have I seen a place that looks so familiar, and yet so new."
Kelehk of the Quill
Leaffall 10, 1491
Amidst all the positive news emerging in the wake of Vildanel's fall, regional investor "The Sellance Company" has issued an offer of moderate loans - up to 800 gold worth of materials and labor - to individuals seeking to construct businesses in the Vildanel village center. Furthermore, these loans will be offered without collateral for any refugees of the gnoll attacks who return to Vildanel to rebuild. Sellance will be offering revenue-based repayment options, implying that they will be heavily incentivized to promote the success of these businesses.
A representative of Sellance by the name of Morris offered the following statement: "Sellance has always prided itself on using capital growth to heal and elevate communities, and the largest untapped source of capital in The Heartlands at this time is from adventuring. Fortunately, we are now witnessing the leading edge of a new wave of adventurers in The Heartlands, and victimized municipalities such as Vildanel stand to benefit greatly from this surge."
Morris indicated that Sellance played a pivotal role in locating the source of the poisoned groundwater at Vildanel. He also suggested that the gnolls likely employed a demonic entity for this nefarious task, or that such a demon might be feeding off of an unknown magic power source in the plateau's aquifer. This entity has allegedly been dispatched by our local heroes.
In related news, reports indicate that mysterious stones - perhaps tied to this unknown magic - continue to be discovered in the region, and that Ghisale and Rin likely continue their archaeological work though the whereabouts of their worksite are still unknown.
Kelehk of the Quill
Leaffall 7, 1491
In the lull following the defeat of the gnoll warband at Vildanel we have conducted a series of investigative queries in to the state of the region:
Foremost, we have received confirmation from trusted sources that the "Maddick" at the heart of the gnoll warband is actually Christopher Maddick, a disgraced Zhentarim agent who is believed guilty of the murder of his own client. In the early year of 1486, a young midland noble by the name of Jensen Pierce was found murdered in his own home whilst Maddick was serving as his bodyguard. Evidence suggests that Maddick's weapons were used in the massacre and it is known that he fled the scene following the incident, never to be known again by the public until now. It is believed that Maddick is now in the custody of the Lords' Alliance.
We have also confirmed from our contacts in the Emerald Enclave that the council of gnoll tribes has converged at a secret location in the Reaching Woods known as the "Oath Grove". At this meeting it is believed that appointed leader of the unified gnoll forces - Rabinack - was discussing with tribal elders and an unknown third party the price and conditions of releasing the warband prisoners to said third party. As we do not have any sources at the Oath Grove itself we do not yet know what the gnoll reaction has been to the reports of the prisoners being freed.
Perhaps the most shocking new detail to emerge from our sources pertains to this mysterious third party. Allegedly the chief representative for this group has been operating under the pseudonym "John Snell", which is of course a reference to the fabricated individual who serves as manipulator and "boogeyman" of regional nobility. Though the name predates the Spellplague, the Font of Knowledge has no record of an actual individual with the born name John Snell in its records dating back to the dales of old.
On a more positive note, scouts under my employ have reported to me that Narn and Bo Parsnuck have been tearfully reunited and that Elias Morove - found laying at Death's door - has been returned to us by the grace of Leo and Hazelmere. Along with merchant Goff and rancher Levi Winston, this group has taken residence at Parsnuck Farm to await the return of the refugees.
On the topic of the refugees of Vildanel - currently recuperating near Berdusk - we have heard reports of a dozen of the young and able-bodied preparing to make the return trip to their fallen home with the aim of rebuilding. The elderly and the orphaned children now make for the refugee camp at Scornubel under the watchful eye of Tabitha Rinear. One such orphan - a most beautiful lass named Maelin - seems to have caught the attention of our heroes who were reported as spending some time speaking with her recently.
Scouts in the region of Vildanel have also been on the lookout for Ghisale and Rin who are believed to be operating in the area but have yet to spot their location. We now know from our inquiries to Baldur's Gate that Ghisale is an archeologist under the employ of the Museum of the Sword Coast. Baldurians may recall that this museum was founded in 1487 to house artifacts brought back from the east following the fall of the New Netherese empire.
We close today's long periodical with the update that our band of five champions has returned to Vildanel to perform some additional investigation of the site. As I conclude this very writing I am hovering above their location, but I dare not draw this article out any longer as it has already attained an impressive length and a strange new individual has just appeared at the village center, making himself known to our heroes. So I close this article now, so that I may turn my attention to their conversation...
Kelehk of the Quill
Leaffall 6, 1491
"This 'Maddick' and his ilk should never have involved themselves in the affairs of gnolls!" This statement came from a particularly gregarious gnoll spotted walking alone on a forest path later in the day. Wishing to remain anonymous, the gnoll was willing to inform on what he knew of events that transpired today following the liberation of Vildanel while also disavowing the warband and asking the rest of the region to "let the gnolls be gnolls, but resist the foolishness of war".
By his account, our band of champions surveilled the town and took stock what meager possessions remained in Vildanel. The houses remaining appear to belong to the family of the mayor, the Morove family, and an as of yet unidentified family with a single child. Notably, it appears that at least one individual may have safely escaped the Morove family home on horseback.
The heroes then rode north to the regional camp of the gnoll warband. Using covert tactics the heroes infiltrated the camp and made short work of Maddick's crew whilst friend Rin liberated two gnoll captives: a female gnome believed to be the missing Ghisale and a female halfling believed to be the missing Bo Parsnuck. At no surprise to our informant, the gnolls were reluctant to rush to Maddick's aid once it appeared he had been outmatched and they allowed the heroes to take him in to custody, though they would not allow the release of their final captive: a local rancher named Herschel who allegedly had clandestine dealings with Maddick. Two of Maddick's crew - a sly halfling rogue and a shadowy human warlock - fled the scene and remain at large.
In related news, news from the Uldoon Trail reports that the band of Vildanel refugees now nears Berdusk where they will be able to enjoy warm beds for the first time in half a tenday.
Kelehk of the Quill
Eleint 30, 1491
As the sun rises over the plains, my agents from across the countryside have confirmed to me what I had most hoped. Our champions have succeeded, and the village of Vildanel has been liberated from the gnoll menace! In a valiant surge taking place under the cover of darkness the heroes tactfully dismantled the occupying forces, pack by pack. Even gnolls attempting to flee to alert their base camp were continuously thwarted.
Details are sparse but some other select information has also been collected;
The leader of the assault on Vildanel is a human man by the name of Maddick, and the newly appointed "great leader" of the united gnoll forces is named Rabinack. At this time little is known about these individuals, but our research efforts continue.
The well water at Vildanel has been poisoned from an unknown non-natural source. This will likely pose a significant hurdle to resettling the area.
Aside from the well, four structures at Vildanel remain intact: a large stone home on the north side of the village, an accompanying shed, a large home on the east side of the village which was upwind of the blaze, and a smaller home on a hill to the south.
As we open on a new day for this decimated community, something tells me that our Liberators of Vildanel are not yet ready to rest in their duty to bring justice to the Heartlands.
Kelehk of the Quill
Eleint 29, 1491
What brilliant radiance is this?!
I see beacon of promise, streaming down the Uldoon Trail with marked haste!
No sooner did my prior missive reach the eager hands of seasoned adventurers in Berdusk than we find fresh hoofprints heading southward towards righteous cause! When I heard of this departure, I could not help but take to the trail myself to pursue these rumored heroes.
On yesterday's eve, as I peered down through the passing storm I spotted a band of bedraggled warriors - a Zhentarim reclamation team - who had run afoul of said rumored heroes. Though they were reluctant to admit their defeat, through my peerless investigative skills I may paint the following picture of this motley band of would-be champions;
A gallant half-elf, perplexingly attired in gleaming plate but wielding a flute as his weapon;
A brace of halflings, one of whom sent the Zhentarim wagon up in flames with a flick of his wrist, and one who beat their veteran warrior to submission with his bare fists;
And what's this? A brace of bird-folk - a brother and sister of my own kind?! - one of whom held a combatant fast in place by sheer force of will and one whom called down a radiant beam of destruction from the heavens! And if I understand correctly, one of these winged wizards may yet only be a fledgling!
Excited by these scant details I hurried in pursuit of the heroes, but my wings grew tired despite my mind's protests and I only caught a glimpse of them as they veered from the trail on route to Vildanel. No doubt, I did spot a pair of my feathered bretheren! However, as I sought landing to rest I did come across the sorrowful village refugees - now packing to move northward - and I was able to spend some time with a young man by the name of Rennick Bertram who shared a great deal about the aims and character of these mysterious individuals.
"After all that's happened, I really couldn't comprehend what was going on when I saw them coming down the road", said Rennick. "I figured 'this is it, the brigands are here to take everything we have left', but no... they were so generous, especially the little bird girl..." Rennick took a moment to compose himself, left again bewildered by the benevolence of the adventurers. "They said... they said they would go back to the village, drive off the gnolls, find our lost folk... It's all more than we could ever hope for."
Among those though to be spared by the gnoll attack yet still missing include the following:
Narn and Bo Persnuck, children of local halfling farmers Bavik and Sonna Persnuck;
Goff, a half-orc workman under the employee of traveling merchant Mae Vitral;
Village sheriff Elias "Eli" Morove, father to refugee Sebastian "Seb" Morove;
A gnome explorer by the name of Ghisale, separated from her mute kenku companion Rin.
Taking Rin as a guide, the adventurers advance towards the village ruins where my own associates report that gnolls continue to maraud about the area for reasons unknown. By my estimates they shall arrive in a days time and doubtless lay waste to the vile beasts, restoring peace and hope to the heart of our land.
Sincerely with hope,
Kelehk of the Quill
Eleint 27, 1491
Behold this!
A sprawling, vital, yet unassuming landscape;
A loosely woven yet strongly bound fabric of cultures;
A homely bedrock of the Sword Coast which is naught but an afterthought for the denizens of Waterdeep and Yartar and yet pumps the very lifeblood of their livelihoods!
This glorious expanse which many of us call home - The Heartlands! - gives much, and much more than is known to the peoples of Faerun. It grows our grains; it shelters our livestock; it buffers us from the political machinations of the south; it houses untold historical significance from Darkhold to Baldur's Gate, from Candlekeep to The Reaching Woods!
And now as I write this, I deliver hasty word to you all that The Heart has been struck, and...
it...
is...
bleeding!
Thought not yet all details are known, a trusted agent of mine reports that a small farming community called Vildanel - tucked in the Green Fields - has gone aflame, razed by a large band of gnoll invaders with motives unknown. Immediately this has given great cause for concern by a number of regional powers, some of whom I have already spoken with representatives thereof. They have given the following public statements.
Priestess Tabitha Rinear - who oversees a refugee camp in Scornubel for the victims of the rampant giant attacks in the north - has stated, "This tragedy strikes us all as neighbors under Torm's Guidance and Amaunator's Light. Our prayers go to the victims, both living and passed, and we welcome them to join the embrace of our humble community."
An anonymous Warduke with the Lords' Alliance has posted a 50 gold bounty for actionable information on the movements of the gnoll raiders, 200 gold for the assassination of their leader, and 500 gold for the leader's capture. This fellow has sent word encouraging the survivors to seek refuge and employ at Baldur's Gate while the matter is investigated.
An envoy of the Emerald Enclave by the name "Fire Meadow" suggested in her statement to me that these are local gnolls - also citizens of this same Heartland! - and that their actions have been manipulated by a yet unseen malevolent hand! What intrigue!
When asked for comment, a representative for Zhentarim - calling themselves a "publicist", whatever that may be - has stated that their organization has "bolstered their regional forces" and are "negotiating with regional lords on a renewed defense contract".
And though these grand forces of our homeland may yet be mobilized to further action, I must also perform my duty as a journalist and proclaim to you, dearest reader, this simple truth: please do your part to treat this wound. If you are of an adventuring spirit and an able body, do travel to Vildanel yourselves and see what can be done to stem the bleeding, repair the damage, and repel infection. In doing so, only then may you find the true spirit of this vibrant Heartland which binds us all to a purpose far greater than any outsider may assume.
Sincerely, your humble scribe...
Kelehk of the Quill
Eleint 24, 1491
