Shafted (Dark Dreams Incident)

After being rejected by the House of Nobles, the self-proclaimed Lord Foreign, Muttface, declared war on humankind and rallied the gnoll armies in the south. One of his key outposts was a mine in the southern ramparts of Duskwood. The darkest of his army, the necromancers of the Rotpaw tribe, conjured their black magics. Their villainy was far beyond that of normal gnolls. They enjoyed the carving of flesh more than eating it – something Muttface could not understand.

In light of this information, it was only fitting that when the mass of heroes gathered that they would rid the mines of these pests. However, more opportunistic eyes fell upon the venture. Father Longhat, a "priestly" man with a strange, white hat, took the opportunity and volunteered to lead the charge against the gnollish invaders. With aid from the Order of Nancy Teapot and agents of the Shadowtalon Company, the battle ensued.

It was not an easy task, however, seeing as the gnolls were prepared for the heroes. They had pilfered turrets from NiaTech and stationed them up the winding pass to the mines. Just past these contraptions stood the gnollish troops in formation, led by the infamous Festerbite. His tactics were that of brutality and sheer carnage. Many of the order retreated from the battle while others stood to behold the horrors that had awaited them. For – in all certainty – the gnolls were not the greatest threat they faced that night.

An aberration stitched together by the Rotpaw was a thing of pure nightmare. Its long, insect like body was crafted with the flesh of dozens of corpses. Humans, gnolls, ogres, it did not matter; beings from all creeds and kinds were utilized in the most foul nature. This monster had no face nor features. It moved in an unholy nature as if it were a cockroach and the heroes its next feast. Acid rained down upon them, mangled mandibles tore them from their hiding holes, boiling sweat shot upon them from afar, and the long body of the beast wrapped around them and choked the very life from them.

In the end, the heroes were left scattered in the forest... and the monster dead. There was no celebration to be had for their victory. Suffering was all that found them. The injuries wrought by such a night were forever carved into their minds. They planted one of the magical Duskbreaker Seeds as they were instructed and left.

Since then, strange, shady activities have begun at the location.

((Written by Selvatore))