Looking for Help with Research

So about two moons ago, we met Atticus and in that encounter I was given a paper with the drawing of some strange lamprey-like worm. I've been trying to find as much information on it as possible, however most things I find are old wives tales. I did find one bit of information in a book called "The Transcribed Anthology of Arawyn’s Oral Traditions" by Q. Tripp. I found the following passage:

"Every hundred years or so, a great red worm the size of a temple emerges from the wastes to prey upon lost children and cattle. Look to your horses, as they stamp their feet, eyes rolling back in terror, as tremors shake the earth and you will know it has come.
Keep your steps light, for it feels us. Keep your voices hushed, for it hears us. And should you ever meet the beast face-to-face, freeze in hopes that it shall pass. Should it see you--may your deity keep you safe--it’s imperative that you--"

The rest of it is smudged and illegible. I think if I can find the culture where this tale began I could possibly find more. The Sagewardens are digging into what they can with this. If you are willing to help out with research, please let me know and I will keep you informed (OOG: I will add you to the google doc). In particular I am trying to find people of various cultures to assist in hopes that we can pinpoint where this originated. Otherwise I will be asking around when next I am at Feast or you can approach anyone of the Sagewarden Household to lend your aid.

In addition, there is someone lost down in the tunnels where this thing was found. Their name is Dr. Toynbee. If you hear anything about them or if there are any expeditions planned to try and find them, please let me know.

Khala Stormbringer

I've never heard of such a creature, consider my curiosity peaked.

Are you suggesting a research party? Get a bunch of people together with snacks, drinks and books to look into the topic? That sounds like fun! We can separate the research into different cultures, try to narrow it down by the descriptions of the creature and focus on ecosystems that have had reports of similar types of creatures.

Sounds like a very large Gromobulus, like the one the tree's fruit grew. I wonder if there's any connection.

-Lucky

I'm always willing and interested to help out with research. Was this when Atticus lead us all down into those underground ruins? The ones that seem rather incongruous with what we currently know about any predecessors in this area? I've been looking into some of the things we saw during our (admittedly brief) visit, and perhaps there's some connection between what I've been looking at, and this particular folktale.

Well I'm in if you need my help

Thanks to Talaniel and Ebony I have added some additional notes to what we're looking at. It seems there is some sort of ancient underground city directly under Travance. Despite being some sort of ancient Kormyrian ruins, the things found there seem to be strangely advanced. We could use some help with looking into some of this as well. Thank you to everyone who has already offered assistance! If I have not reached out to you yet, please send me a missive.

Khala Stormbringer

How much has been mapped?


~Nalick DeMarche

Might have to check with Atticus if any of it has been mapped. Between the golems that people fought down there and this supposed giant worm monster, I'm not sure it's the safest place to go exploring on one's own. Although we still need to go find Dr. Toynbee down there. Hopefully they are still alive. I know some Travancians went back down with Atticus this past feast, but I have not heard what transpired with them. If anyone was down there recently and can share their story it would be greatly appreciated.

Khala Stormbringer

I was among the group that went with Atticus on Saturday night. Atticus arrived, claiming he needed help to rescue one of his colleagues who was trapped in the tunnels. Our group made it's way to the city, and with relative ease made our way to a building in which the individual was located. To our surprise, he was locked behind a cage reinforced with some form of arcane energy. He had clearly been in there for days at the least, and was almost incoherent with fear. The area next to the cage was strewn with traps, which had to be disarmed before we could begin to open the cage. As we attempted to free him, however, he became hysterical, shouting and pleading not to open the cage, or the "big red" would come. He was barely able to form complete sentences, and seemed very near to insanity. As we continued to open the locks the entire building began to shake. With barely seconds to spare we managed to open the cage, free the individual, and escape before the building collapsed into rubble behind us. I summoned a group of bats to attempt to determine with echolocation what might have caused the quaking, but the only images I got were of something immense sliding it's way under the building.

We eventually brought Atticus's colleague, who's name unfortunately escapes me at the moment, back to the Dragon's Claw Inn. He was severely malnourished and dehydrated, but was otherwise unharmed. I believe both he and Atticus are currently boarded at Darkwood's main campus. Should more information be required, Atticus will probably be willing to talk. I council caution in bringing it up to the other, however. His nerves will need a long time to recover, if indeed they ever do.

Ancient... underground... tunnels... cultists who travel exclusively through them... big red...

Don't suppose there's a connection to the Ceno...?


~Nalick

Where are you getting cultists from Nalick? Also this is an ancient city from what I've heard, not just underground tunnels. This is something old.

Khala Stormbringer

I think "Big Red" is the giant worm monster. If we can find someone who recognizes it from their culture's lore we might be able to find more on it. The ruins seem to be ancient Kormyrian, but I'm not sure if this monster is from that lore or not.

Khala Stormbringer

I'm not sure. So far we have folks of the following cultures assisting:

Costadori
Z'hadeem
Quinarian
Nordejar
Homonculus
Sylph
Selendrian

Even if you are from these cultures and wish to assist with digging through lore, we will happily welcome any and all assistance. Also, if the small passage I found was correct, this thing shows up about every 100 years or so. Which means there might be records from 100 years ago of what happened when it last made an appearance. We have a lot of options we can look at.

Khala Stormbringer

Amhrán is correct. Writing my thoughts down in the order in which they'd appeared seems to have caused confusion. For clarity's sake, the cultists stole ancient literature from Stonefall and travel through tunnels. Where those tunnels may be and whether there are cities connected to them, is unknown. It is my hunch regardless and I will bear it in mind until more truth emerges.


~Nalick

It seems like this subterranean ancient Kormyrian city was very concerned with defending itself against large creatures of some kind -- they had large, astonishingly complex weapons that could be mounted to defend their city against exactly such a large threat as this enormous worm.

I'm confident that clever and knowledgeable eyes would be able to discern more if we could actually get our hands on one of these immense lances for study. We saw them very briefly when we ventured down into those tunnels at the same time Khala mentioned.

I'd also very much like to get the help of someone who's a native of Kormyre in digging through folk tales and oral traditions; worst case, it rules out my hunch.

Khala,
I am proficient in both history and culture. I can aid you in your research.

Father, perhaps if we put our minds together, two native sons would prove better than one. A rather wise idea, speaking as one raised on the outskirts of the Capital.


~Nalick

Nalick,
What do you have in mind? Perhaps some exploration of the caves? Maybe check out the Church's books and tomes in Glangsdale (the ones transferred to the Sanctus Luminarium from Aliander when the move was made)? Any other suggestions would be welcome. But, yes agreed, we should put our minds together. Ancient Kormyrian has always been something of an interest to me.

Father,
Prithee, let us stay above ground and ease into our search. We may begin at Stonefall in the very bureau where other ancient literature was lifted, only this time, giving it back when its use is met. In doing so, we will gather speed and information before deciding whether further travel is necessary.

Ancient Kormyrian has only recently piqued my interest but rather fervently.


~Nalick DeMarche