Underworld Adventurer

**This post is a continuing work in progress** In the shadow of the Impossible Keep, rests the settlement of Orm. The walled community rests where the Gloaming Hills meet Sourwood Marsh. Allowing no entry from the coast of the Cerulean Sea, Orm has commanded the marshland for Aeons. Once, durinng the peak of the Empire-That-Was, Orm possessed legendarily decadent gardens. Their ruins rest above New Orm along with crumbling remnants of structures from when the Cerulean Sea stood taller. This shell of a past grandeur, the Orm-of-Old, is visible throughout all points in the modern township and reminds its citizens that the greatest days of Orm have past. All know that the current ruler of Orm, the Rani, cannot accept this truth which is apparent to her subjects. Like many of the local petty rulership across Ur-Dan, she declares Orm a City-State. Ruling from the Impossible Keep, she commands a force of mounted knights and armored foot but rumor has it that she has not the coffers to fund h...

 Following the advice of the elfin archivist Glowerm, PakPak made a visit to the ruins of the Subtle Chateau. He presented a raven that roosts in a courtyard tree there with a small piece of jewelry packed from his adventuring gear. In exchange, the blackbird crowed at PakPak: " For a joining not wholly mortal nor wholly fey, to perform a being that walks between both laws must be swayed. Mine own feather was used to write the contract that binds, in an Impossible place is where those inscribed words one may find." PakPak mulled over the meaning of the raven’s words. After taking some guesses of his own, he met with Kiddo, Phasmo, and Crannoc of the Athenaeum of the Dying Sun to see what insights they might have. He shared with them that he thought possibly that the "not wholly mortal nor wholly fey" part of the raven's reply could refer to a half while "Impossible place" might refer to the seat of power in Orm, Impossible Fortress. He also inquired if...

A second full moon hangs over Orm this month. With it comes the latest news around Orm: The Black Pyramid Arrives!-- Orm's wastrels, mystics, and visionares report visions of an ethereal black pyramid when the late summer moon turned full. The profound feels of cosmic dread they all share marks one thing- the Black Pyramid now visits this realm. What exactly is the Black Pyramid, most cannot say. Beggar prophets share word of the Black Pyramid bringing increased chances of rare encounters into ones life. The Archwizard of the Transcendental Congress of Aureate Precepts has sent warning to seater holders in Orm to be cautious--signs point to profound risks being linked to this extraplanar structure. Castora Cup Announced -- The knightly Order of the Dragon is to host the first annual Castora Cup Challenge this Hunter's Moon. The contest will be held in an open air challenge dungeon constructed in the ruins of Orm-of-Old. Teams of five adventurers, each representing a virtue of ...

 The Rani, ruler of the Impossible Fortress and therefore leader of Orm, has no children. She has no consort, either. It is presumed among most of the court that one of the three young women she has taken in as her wards will be her heir. The history of these women, before they arrived into the Rani's care is a mystery thought best ignored. It is, however, widely believed that the three are siblings. The Wards are ranked one through three. While many assume it is tied to their different ages, these ranks more clearly are reflected in their level of responsibility within the dynamics of the Impossible Fortress.  The adventures around Orm are most familiar with the 3rd Ward. She served as a patron to the adventurer Dogmouth. She was known to have an interest in works of fiction, fashion, and the history of warfare. The 1st Ward of the Rani: Lyceia, the Lady Destina The 2nd Ward: Melinoe, the Lady Glamora The 3rd Ward: Trita, the Lady Valorius

A perigean full moon rose as the harvest moon above Ur-Dan. With it came the fall of an eye tyrant and magical new culinary delights along with the rest of the news around Orm.  The Eye of Terror defeated!- Four joint strikes executed by adventurers has seen the reign of the Eye of Terror come to an end. The first group in freed the Children of Peroma from the Eye collaborating leadership of Attuk and his right-hand ogre Zonk. A second saw a group press all the way down to the Pool of Life and slayed the Eye of Terror themself in battle. A third saw the crushing defeat of a pair of demons known as the Mariliths--allies of the Eye that ruled over the former cells of the Imperial Mother on Level 1. Midnight Maruaders Grizzly Battle for Life- Key to this plan was the hiring of the Midnight Marauders to deliver a barrel of Sweet Dreams to put the Eye's forces on Level 1 to sleep. The Marauders returned from their mission with Ferris the Living Harness badly damaged. Shelby the S...

After almost two weeks of unseasonably hot and dry weather, a day of heavy rain swept through Orm. It may have broken the heat but Ormens are not so sure it will bring a break in the rise of petty crime around the city-state. Here is what else is happening around Orm as the Festival of Flowers arrives: Dreams and visions of a black pyramid have intensified among Orm's spiritually tuned in and/or chemically dropped out. The Phantamorian Captain, Zaxxon , has offered to aid those lost in the deep existential dread that can accompany such interactions with the mysterious structure. While Zaxxon claims to be sharing relief through the esoteric practices of the Ivory Gleam, the opinion among Orm's more conservative set is that the strange being is leading nothing more than drug-laced orgies inside the ramshackle inn the Phantomorians are currently lodging in. The esoteric of the Ivory Gleam aren't the only spiritual matters creating buzz in the Alley of the Gods. The Magi Nazta...

Here are the extended downtimes for characters controlled by Ben and Cullen. Ben- Phasmo and Lirazil Take Refugee in the Twilight Court In the comments to the original "What Have You Been Up To All This Time?" post , Ben presented the following scenario for the magic-user Phasmo and his retainer Lirazil: Phasmo and Lirazel spend the time in the Twilight Shores, where they are granted a temporary amnesty by Lady Blackmarsh despite Lirazel's heritage. In the Twilight Shores, Phasmo studies the urns and boxes from the Tomb of the Third Warden to master the ritual required to banish the Oloth El'gg Ssusson. While he is there he also draws on elvish lore to understand its nature better. Meanwhile, Lirazel haltingly, with stubborn hesitation at times, tries to establish some kind of connection with her kind. Mechanical effects: Phasmo learns the ritual to banish the Oloth El'gg Ssusson and learns something more about its nature. Failure: Lirazel offends the Court of Lad...