Disgruntled Zhentarim...

Posts : 270 Join date : 2012-04-28

Apparently the Zhentarim within Shadowdale would find themselves receiving reduced rations and a lack of pay. Their would not be any visible lack of discipline; due to the strict nature of their training, however within the Old Skull Inn, drunk off-duty Guards would complain about their lack of spending coin and miserable conditions they would be forced to endure for the moment... The townsfolk of Shadowdale would find themselves brutally taxed, farmers having the majority of their crop taken without pay. Even perceived insults would result in harsh penalties upon the commoners within the city...

Posts : 2005 Join date : 2011-01-15

"Battle-Captain," Fidheliss says as iron gauntlet meets mithral breastplate in ringing salute,

"My time as mercenary was not without profit. All that I am, all that I have, I offer unto the Dreadfather and his armies." As he says this, a platoon of fifty soldiers, each carrying a chest containing ten-thousand stags begins to file into the barracks.

//i will be in-game this evening, if a DM could please remove the gold from my character. thank you.

Posts : 270 Join date : 2012-04-28

Following the donation - the Zhentarim spirits would increase; though the heavy handed tactics would still be required to fill the gap in missing Rations. Sergeant Fidheliss would find awe and respect wherever he went from his fellow Zhentarim. The Zhentarim at least would find their pockets full of stags, and they would have no qualms in extracting their necessary rations from the Farmers.

Posts : 144 Join date : 2011-05-17

Helen sighed to herself. She had arranged the delivery of the chests as commanded so they arrived immediately after his words to the Battle Captain, since he had placed her in command of his finances. Secretly she'd been hoping to use some of the gold for a good apartment for him when one came free.

She was happy though. He was back where he belonged. Always steady, even so his footfall was firmer and more energetic now he was treading the streets of Shadowdale again; the confident swing of his dreadful morning star was seen again by the cowed citizens; the ranks of the Zhentarim were beginnning to feel the force of his presence among them. Her back was straight with pride in him as she stood in the lee of his cloak, serving the warrior of Bane.

Posts : 208 Join date : 2012-01-09 Location : New Jersey

A pair of Zhentarim Swordhands reported to have been collecting rations in the far outskirts of the town never reported back from duty...

...On the edge of one of the farms, two men lay in a shallow grave. No doubt, within a few days, the smell would begin to attract curious animals to the area, unearthing the remains. If anyone cared to examine the remains, they would find the bodies riddled with stab wounds in sets of four, as if punctured by a pitchfork.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Sun May 06, 2012 9:13 pm

Drawn to the dead, Vincham looks over the recently disturbed earth under cover of night, weary that the Zhentarim do not catch on to his nocturnal excursion.

"Killed with farmer's tools? Oh, this is going to be very interesting for the local populace. Most grim indeed."

Drawing his hood and lifting the veil up tight, he moves back into the city limits under the blanket of darkness, leaving the bodies exposed.

Posts : 1482 Join date : 2011-11-22

/// 500,000 gold taken from Fid. I spent it all on Booze and Wenches though. Sorry.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Mon May 07, 2012 3:21 am

*As he pass by, he discovers the two excavated bodies. He frowns, and with a few acidic spells, melt them entierly while grumbling.*

That's no way to do a proper job...

Posts : 458 Join date : 2011-01-14

Richo frowns at the situation around him, he knows that can't convience the officials this time neither pay for food since his money will not be enough neither will find food to buy, so he does what he knows better he moves out of town and moves near the grove starting a prayer to the Oakfather to bless his hunt and heads into the woods with the hope to find as much prey as possible.
Few days later a huge elemental entering the town at night from the far north side of the town and set up a small butchery near the farmlands spreading the word to those that have to eat for three days to come first and others to follow, also in some sacks he has gathered whatever fruit of the woods or roots can be eaten.

////he is 23 lvl druid with over 40 survival when buffed if I remeber well penting Dm aproval and answer of what he managed to gather.

Posts : 728 Join date : 2011-10-12 Location : EST

*Roman detects the air of unrest at the farms and though thinking, "Hmm... starving farmers... there's no money in that!"... He would proceed to send word to the Lathanderites of Myth Drannor notifying them of the Shadowdale farmer's plight.*

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Mon May 07, 2012 2:01 pm

Jack Maybe watches the arcanists, keeping any who need it in line.

Posts : 208 Join date : 2012-01-09 Location : New Jersey

A few days later, the owners of the farm on which the bodies were found are nowhere to be seen. After hours of searching, neighbors notice their bodies hanging from poles, and posed as if they were scarecrows.

Rumors circulate that the farmers are grumbling increasingly about Zhentarim persecution.

Posts : 458 Join date : 2011-01-14

Richo returns to the town after another night hunt and set ups his small butchery feeding as much farmers he can with prey he got this night.
He learns for the dead farmers and his face gets darker, he then start to talk giving advices to the farmers that come to get his free food.
"Fellow Dalelanders you know me and I know you from a small kid I was one of you and I am still one of you. I know hunger can drove people crazy and I understand you but do not attack the guards even if their actions seem unjust to your eyes, it will only lead to more deaths you are not warriors you are farmers do what you know better make the earth grow, this crisis will be over and the I will speak to the commanding officer for your situation. Till then adjust survive and if you need food or money come to me!"
These are some of his words then he waits for the day to come and goes to the poles tasking down the bodies and is making sure the guards see it was him so don't blame the farmers for it.
If the guards try to stop him he stops and asks them politely to continue even offering 1000 gold to each for the"cause" of Bane knowing the guards don't get paid well, but the same time not make it sound like a bribe.
If he success to take the bodies he calls for the clerics of Chuntea to offer the dead a proper burial.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Tue May 08, 2012 12:42 pm

Were any to be in the Shadowdale centre at a specific time, when the morning's rays were just beginning to climb over the roofs of the nearby buildings, they would have seen a panicked boy, not much older than fifteen winters come running along the road from the north, headed for the House of Plenty, to start bashing on the door with all his strength, tears streaming down his face and the thin sandals he wore reduced to scraps.

After the boy was calmed down, he would have explained, in between sniffles; Him and his family live - lived - on the outlying farms. With the small area of farmland they had showing few sprouts that month, they were barely growing enough food to feed themselves. A handful of Zhentarim swordhands, armed and covered, appeared in the night, stating that it was their 'right' to procure supplies, them being the defenders of the Dale. All but one moved a little strangely, as if they were drunk, but no smell of alcohol lingered. The speaker, the one who was sober, he drew his blade and motioned for the others to find what they could. His father drew his sword from an old, leather scabbard leaning against a cabinet - "Da had been an adventurer when 'e was young'r..".

The speaker, their captain, the boy assumed, he made a vague gesture with his free hand, chuckling coldly.
The soldier's blades fell.
His father roared at him to run. Somehow managing to avoid the obstacles in his way he managed to scamper out of his house, chased by screams of pain and growls of defiance. He was the only one that escaped...

***

Opening up the rooms after giving a polite knock, the landlord of the Old Skull inn frowned as she walked into one of them to find a scattering of dust on the floor. Swiftly surveying the room, and finding nothing missing that could have caused such a mess she finally shrugged. "Least it wasn't a pyromancer experimenting, hah."

Sighing softly she brought out the small brush and pan that she kept to 'tidy' the rooms, at least a little, for it's next patrons, and moved over to the dust pile. A couple of precise hand movements and the pile was tidily scooped up. She opened the window and just like that, what was left of the veteran Zhentarim swordhand left the building, to be deposited in the rose bush just outside.

Approved by DM Umbra

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Tue May 08, 2012 12:55 pm

A young woman with a girlish face watches the ongoings with a bored stare. Within a few hours, illness runs rampant as the poisoned food makes its way into the hands of both Zhentarim and civilian alike. By night fall, the bodycount would be final.

Rumor has it, that earlier that morning, a woman had been found dead near one of the food stalls. Her eyes had been plucked from their sockets and her lips sewn shut. The gaping slash at the woman's throat was the apparent cause of death. It seemed that whoever who'd done it had wanted to make an example of the one witness to the crimes.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Tue May 08, 2012 2:10 pm

Freshly ascended Watchful Sister Kelinda Cain keeps track as best she can of the going on within Shadowdale, these recent hostilities from the shadows not being lost on her. She can be seen moving amongst the poisoned and dead, healing those she can, spreading the word of Bane, and how His laws help safeguard against this, in the face of such misfortune to turn on one another being testament to suicide.

She forgoes part of her rations, dedicating the difference to the guards.

"Tch , this is what happens when you allow the Chaos in. It is time to put aside our differences for the people of Shadowdale.."

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Sat May 12, 2012 2:28 pm

A very well known priest that has not been seen in some time stops by at the supply tent, making a deposit of fifty thousand stags to make sure the poisoned soldiers are tended, and that the food supply is changed and restocked. The grumpy tiefling priest even takes the time to make sure the food is blessed and protected this time, warding the area and food supply carefully, taking his time, before walking off. He'd order one of the Watchful Siblings to maintain the wards for the coming weeks.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Sat May 12, 2012 2:40 pm

Kelinda Cain readily accepts the job , She is in the area regardless so it makes sense. She maintains the wards and double checks future supplies of food as they arrive, splitting the task with others when her business calls her elsewhere.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Wed May 16, 2012 1:31 am

Hector hears of the attacks and orders a group of Swordhands and Vanguards to go out and collect the bodies of the victims for inspection.

Subject: Re: Disgruntled Zhentarim... Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:51 pm

a number of men including a charismatic old man hooded and careful has been talking to those who seem the most disgruntled and dissatisfied spreading coin and provisions and promising that things will be better if the Zhentarim were removed and the church of bane torn down, these men are subtle and they point out that for the banites to execute men who were obviously innocent for a crime they claim these men tried to frame them for doesn't make the zhents very believable victims of false accusations, they convince as many as will listen that Cyric promises freedom and an end to tyranny, for Cyric wants only to see all tyrants ( or anybody that wishes to see law and order prosper, though that part is left out) fall on the end of the hidden blade and poisoned in their own homes, the Church of Cyric has now increased it's base of secretive followers from the ranks of the poor and disaffected as well as several disenchanted ZHentarim soldiers, promising them that they will have a better chance at promotion if they are free to make their own promotions through means that would get them hanged by the clergy of bane and their restrictive laws.

the Cyricists make sure to watch carefully anyone who they are about to approach or have recently approached, being sure to kill any who might turn them in, they make sure to hide the bodies and spread rumors that the disappearances are from the Zhentarim which is a believable lie all the people approached were critical of the Zhentarim or the church of bane.

» Announcement by the Zhentarim
» A non Zhentarim bounty
» The Zhentarim's Captives
» Toast to the Zhentarim
» Decree by the Zhentarim