Aetolian Game News
Remembering the Forgotten
Written by: Anonymous
Date: Friday, September 17th, 2021
Addressed to: Everyone
Broiled in a contest of cloaks and daggers, the realm was set on a knife's edge as guards were found mysteriously slain in the streets. From stalwart Zealots to fearsome Carnifex, no sentries were left unscathed by those random acts of violence. Driven to find retribution for the loss of their kinsmen, the guilds launched their own investigations across the continent to find those responsible for the murders. Lead after lead and with their eyes turned inward, paranoia reared its grisly head and gnawed at the edge of order and reason. Rumors circulated of cloaked figures moving through the shadows and dissonant whispers calling out from simple children's toys.
Were the killings a precursor to something big? Another resurgence of the elusive Kult of K? Were the trinkets found near the scenes of the crimes truly artifacts or even related to anything at all? Who exactly were these faceless murderers dancing out of reach? With no clear answers in sight and undeterred by the sovereignty of the cities, the Carnifex carved and intimidated their way from one lead onto the next until they had their alleged culprit: a young Mhun girl named Yvel who matched the description wrangled out of a terrified butcher's boy several weeks prior.
Imprisoned within the Shadow Keep and her cries for help unanswered, the pressure mounted as the Carnifex plied their callous trade until the girl finally began to break. Soon, the first of the assassins emerged in a failed attempt on taking the Carnifex Commander Mjoll "Foehammer" Seirath's life. Details spread across the continent of a ragtag crew of misfits and vigilantes responsible for the murders taking up the mantle of the Forgotten. Passing themselves off as saviors of the common people and representatives of those who felt crushed beneath the oppressive whims and ambitions of the four Great Capitals of Sapience, the Forgotten delved among the villages to recruit and strike viciously into the hearts of the capital cities. Blood. Tears. Ruin. Though the lands of Sapience are no strangers to turmoil, being soaked and nourished by the often deadly whims of heroes and villains alike, the carnage came more feverishly as the Kult of K named the Forgotten pretenders and gruesomely clashed with the vigilantes.
In an effort to curtail the growing threat forming among the villages, the Great Capitals responded with reactivating a coalition of the four powers dedicated to stamping out universal threats to the established order - the Gray Accords. With the stakes getting higher, growing in tandem with the assassinations plaguing the realm, Enorian, Bloodloch and Spinesreach found mysterious humming discs tucked away within their libraries. Cautious of what they might be, some cities elected to destroy the discs while others opted to study them. Intercepting a traveler trying to leave the city, Enorian found another disc rumored to be meant for Duiran.
Each Capital, following their own clues and drawing upon their strengths, narrowed in on the Forgotten's operations. Talks of rituals and deals being forged circulated but before any true answers could surface, squads of empowered assassins emerged alongside corrupted Lieutenants of the Forgotten and began striking at leadership of the three cities and Duiran. The Tyrant of Bloodloch, Tina Cardinalis, was the first to be taken. In a whirlwind of shadow and ash, roaming squads of assassins and Lieutenants relentlessly searched and attempted to imprison more. Guildmasters, Secretaries, Ministers, and more were hounded - some repelled the attacks, but others weren't quite as fortunate.
As Ilario, leader of the Forgotten, taunted the four Capitals, the guilds of Sapience utilized their gifts and made clever ploys to find the stronghold of the elusive leader hidden beneath Rebel's Ridge. There the final confrontation was made. Despite his traps and carefully laid plans, it was the supremacy of the four cities that emerged from the depths of the Warrens of the Forgotten victorious and Ilario dead.
Though he lived no more, Ilario had ensured that despite his moniker, he would never be truly 'Forgotten' as the city states found themselves with more questions than answers, wondering what it all could mean.
Penned by my hand on Kinsday, the 20th of Niuran, in the year 497 MA.
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