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A Possible and Partial History of The Free City of Tehmor

The following stories are told by members of the Rumourmongers’ Guild of Tehmor and may be purchased in the Rumour Market.  They may represent the true history of the City, but might have been invented or elaborated upon with the telling…

DM’s note: these stories are derived from the Plots run in games of Forty Factions.

2505

23 Estender

On the Night of the Full Moon a Wraith of a Werewolf emerged from a Mirror in the Hall of Mirrors in the Council Chamber and Ghosted the members of the Citadel Guard on duty there.  An outbreak of Wereghosts then erupted in the Citadel.  The various Temples responded, and eventually managed to Dispel most of the Wereghosts, though the Temples of WAGREN and SOROK spirited some of them away, along with a couple of bodies of WACON Paladins, following a brief skirmish between the Hammers of WAGREN and the Paladins of WACON and PAREL.

24 Estender

The High Priest of ESCUS in Tehmor was elected as Overlord in recognition of his Temple’s contribution to the Dispelling of the Wereghosts.

Amongst the casualties of the Wereghost outbreak was The Honourable Man, Leader of The Honourable Guild of Assassins.  It is rumoured he was a member of the Citadel Guard – or possibly even a WACON Paladin.  As a result, a secret contest took place the following Night for the Leadership of the Assassins, which is determined by the candidates assassinating each other until only one is left or the others have conceded.  Little is known of this contest, which took place in the shadows, but a force of Giant Black Scorpions turned up outside the Mercenaries’ Guildhouse that evening and something happened in the Necropolis around midnight.  The following morning a gravedigger was shot by a poisoned crossbow trap and other such traps were then discovered, some apparently deactivated by squirrels gnawing through them.  The Bookmakers’ Guild subsequently paid out on a candidate from The Black Scorpions having won the contest, with a Mercenary having conceded and the Temple of MIRIMI having earned some kind of Favour.  The Temple of KOROS claimed to have Dispelled the Wereghost of The Honourable Man in the standoff at the Mercenaries’ Guildhouse.

14 Lastra

Unhappy at the Overlord of Tehmor being the High Priest of ESCUS and thinking Tehmor weak after the Wereghost outbreak and under the soft rule of the Good, the City of Vavistor sent its Army to attack Tehmor, supported by elements of its Navy carrying Marines.  Unfortunately the surprise attack coincided with a State Visit by the Pasha of Iklaron, accompanied by his family in his flagship barge, escorted by ships of his Navy. 

An emergency Council of War was called in response to the attack, at which the High Priest of TERRIK made (what he described as) the constructive and peacemaking suggestion that the titular catspaw figurehead High Priest of ESCUS should offer his own head on a stick to resolve the crisis.  This proposal was not taken up by the Overlord.

The Clerics of Tehmor sent a storm and a tidal wave and shone a blinding light at the Vavistorian ships, whilst Alchemists’ Island launched a hail of Fire Bombs at those which approached too closely.  Several ships were lost, but the Vavistorian Clerics managed to shield their ships from the worst of the storm and their Marines managed to land on a beach near the Derevo Estate, behind the East Gate.  The Iklaronian ships stood off and observed events, whilst the Pasha tried to calm his alarmed daughters.

The Vavistorian Army assaulted the East and Mora Gates of the City, but the Factions manning the Walls held firm and the Marines were contained in their beachhead.  Eventually a sally led by the Scorpion Cults and the Temple of KOROS broke the siege of the Mora Gate.  The other attackers then withdrew, the Iklaronian State Visit was able to proceed and the Pasha was able to take his daughters to the fabled toyshops of Tehmor.

20 Lastra

A Quest was announced by the Temple of SHELDA, which had been granted the honour of finding suitor for the hand of Chloë, the 16 year old eldest daughter of the Pasha of Iklaron (scurrilously rumoured to be very ugly).  The following candidates presented themselves:

  1. Lod, a senior Binder

  2. Falcon, of the Knights of the Rose

  3. Plonk, a Bard

  4. Velkar, a Valdrean Mercenary

  5. Amarilla, a female Naval Officer

  6. Clara, a Handmaiden of SHELDA

  7. Redrun, a star Jockey

  8. Thatcher, the female leader of the Free Trade Party

The contest for the hand of the Pasha's daughter was to be held over 5 rounds:

  1. Dancing, at an evening ball

  2. Singing of original love songs, to follow the Dancing at the ball

  3. a Camel Race

  4. Jousting

  5. Chivalrous Conversation

Meanwhile a ship arrived from Kuntax, bringing a racehorse for the forthcoming horse racing event, which was variously rumoured to be a Demon in disguise or a Nightmare of KASHAT.

21 Lastra

The 4 day horse racing event began at the Racetrack.  The Kuntacian horse was disqualified for doping.  Redrun was riding the Pasha's horse, Alhambra, in the Pasha of Iklaron Stakes.  The Favourite was Spulde, ridden by Alys.  Also riding was Yellowrun (Redrun's brother), who won the race, Spulde coming in 2nd and Alhambra 3rd.  Yellowrun and Alys both then entered the Contest for the hand of the Pasha's daughter.

The evening ball was held at the Temple of SHELDA.  Chloë also participated.  The Dancing Contest was won by Velkar, with Lod coming 2nd and Plonk 3rd.  The Singing Contest was won by Clara, with Falcon coming 2nd and Alys 3rd.

22 Lastra

The Camel Race was held on the traditional course outside the City Walls.  3 camels were disqualified and replaced.  Alys won the race, with Thatcher coming 2nd and Lod 3rd.


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