The Call of the Hound
A n c i e n t Blood – A Living World storyline Set in the Grand Duchy of Dunstrand of the [Fantasy] Steel Realms.
Ancient Blood’s Due > Ancient Blood – Test of the Bogmile Wolves > The Call of the Hound
Current Year: Common Year of the Steel Realms, 9169 > after Arvban Keep Strike.
Historical Events of Relevance:
Defining Moment: All of the Riverdans were devastated when, in CY 7950-7986, the Nanford River changed course during the Storm Times and Dwindor Swamp became a living thing itself and gained the appellation of “Mighty Dwindor”.
Aftermath of Gruxxand the Necromancer’s ascension to Lichdom: CY 9168/q3 > The Guild of Solars recorded everything they could about The Soul Scourge and the Dreams Leading Up To It and they and others used their skills to interpret the meaning or significance. Afterward, Orrish attacks increase… across the entirety of the Steel Realms.
The small group that partook in the Arvban Keep Strike, leaves the ruins to the River Rovers of the Riverdans, safe and ready for their assessment and final report. They are guided west into Cerrans Grant and swiftly to the south side of Bardens Gap in the Riverdan of Tufflim. The main army marching on Blue Willow Valley is following the dried up Nanford river bed that runs through the old lands. Those moving slowly as part of that group are asked to meet in a small farmstead of Ardlac. There the full company of the Bogmile Wolves come back together. Any wounds are healed.
House Malor has sent word into the Riverdans to the Lily Theurgists of Mondaides of an effort by the Orrish to seemingly set up another base of operations in the southern Hawktail Hills. This time at an old abandoned keep – another of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands. Apparently it is also the site of ancient breaches that may be reopened and allow them to spread if they are not stopped. This is made known to you by one of this occult order that your own occult knowledge has nearly no reference point for. She is a tall human with sharp angular features. Her hair is blonde and short, she is dressed in a red robe with bronze trim. She carries with her a staff topped by a bronze eagle, its wings wrapped about the tip.
“I am Apprentice Liza of the Lily Theurgists. Warnings came from deep in the House Malor’s Panopticon of a dire evil presence fixated on the location. All they can say is the divinations were surrounded by black omens, like through a glass darkly, the image of the presence could not be made out. Though the baying of dogs was heard through the entire vision… and from this the location of this threat was assessed. The ancient keep known as ‘The Dog Fort’ is to be the scene of a dire threat. Go there, and send word what you find. Stand firm before the dark, and if it is within your power, stop it before it eclipses the light. The forces in Blue Willow Valley are contained at great cost and the army will proceed there, but reinforcements arrive everyday.”
“I give you this token – she hands you a bright pyrite lapel pin of an eagle with a single piercing eye – that you may speak to it and it will carry the message to me if you should not be capable of curtailing or discovering their efforts. No more is known, not dates or times, not specific nature, not size of the threat – only that the dark gods have obscured it in The Pattern from even the masterful divinations of House Malor. That is concern enough.”