As Reported by the Avalon Press
The August Heroes gathering proved to be one with heavy combat and unexpected twists. Friday evening, the Heroes gathered in the Five Lions Inn to confront High Inquisitor Nathan. The High Inquisitor had an undead army, several golems, Seneshal Tash under his command and the Hero Xak Vic as a Death Slave. The Heroes marched to confront the High Inquisitor. The fight proved difficult as he had his golems rigged with Sleeping Beauty poisons, which affected several Heroes during the fight. However, the Host was successful, with Nathan subdued and Seneshal Tash freed from his command. It should also be noted that the undead in the fight suddenly disappeared into the earth when the High Inquisitor was brought down. It is important to note that High Inquisitor Nathan was not acting of his own free will. The High Inquisitor was possessed by an item he had acquired, the Ring of Bazmodious. This ring is able to take over whomever is the “owner” of it. As a result, when the High Inquisitor acquired the ring, it allowed what is believed to be Bazmodious himself to operate through him. The Heroes were able to remove the ring from him, allowing the High Inquisitor to return to his own free will. Saturday proved just as eventful.
Early in the morning, Lady Chaos appeared asking for aid for a town in the Dale, which a group of newer Avalonians aided with. In addition, during the morning a group of Heroes were summoned to a demonic auction. There, emceed by the Soul Broker Mr. Doo, Shaun Vicks auctioned off powerful items, including Lord Chancellor Ventrick’s soul bottle. In June 1125, during a fight against theDarkwood, Lord Chancellor Ventrick fell and died. However, an item on his person saved him from death by drawing him into the bottle. Shaun Vicks managed to acquire the bottle, which led to the auction. Ultimately, the Heroes were able to secure Lord Chancellor’s soul bottle and save him. What also occurred after this auction was the ascension of a new Dragon. Several moons ago during the April gathering, the Followers of Light spoke with the Lunk, the Dragon of the Seeker. During this meeting, Lunk revealed he was stepping down from the seat of the Seeker. Zimiir, a drake that has aided Avalon multiple times in the past, was given the power item and mantle of the Seeker and invoked both Saturday morning. With this, Zamiir was able to become the new Seeker. In their first act as Dragon, they named Warlord Dris as their Dragon Knight.
At the end of Saturday afternoon, the Heroes heard the sound of armies marching towards them. None other than Bazmodious and Shaun Vicks, each leading their own armies, met in the field just outside of the Five Lions Inn. Shaun Vicks, having acquired both the power item and mantle of Bazmodious, wanted to take over Bazmodious’ seat. Bazmodious fought back. As their armies fought, the Heroes held back, waiting to see how the conflict unfolded. At some point, Shaun Vick produced a strange bottle which captured Bazmodious. When he disappeared, Avalon rushed in, eager to beat down Shaun Vicks. However, Bazmodious broke free from the bottle. What happened next was a clash between two Hierarchs over the seat. As a result of this clash, something unexpected and previously believed impossible happened. Two divine sparks warring over the same seat somehow fused. This new being, dubbed tentatively “Shabazz,” a fusion of both beings, currently sits on the seat of Bazmodious, both fighting for ultimate control over the seat. As a result of their corrupted fusion, creatures of Bazmodious became corrupted in turn and as a result more deadly. These corrupted creatures were described as similar to chaos creatures with red eyes.
After this clash, Saturday evening began quietly. The Gold and Glory Merchant’s Guild and a Coventry gambling hall, the Fortune’s Forecast, partnered for poker tournament in the Five Lions Inn. Various games of chance were held including poker and roulette. But the evening seemed otherwise quiet. That was, until late at night. In the early pre-dawn hours of Sunday, Zebulon, his demon knight Drakneveer, and powerful undead, were summoned. This late night attack was brutal, with many Avalonians turned into undead. The Dragon Juliet was summoned to help fight back and resurrect all those who perished during the fighting. The fight against Zebulon lasted until dawn, with some Heroes falling asleep in the Five Lions Inn at the end of the fight.
When Sunday properly started, the morning and part of the afternoon was holding the Baronial Faire. The Heroes used this much needed break to mingle, eat, drink, and rest. For a prophecy foretold that later that evening, something big would happen, so the Heroes needed to be well rested for whatever new chaos would happen. Sunday night, Shabazz took the field again, along with Zebulon. In the fight that followed, Shabazz successfully managed to beat down Zebulon. In the process, Shabazz managed to take the Crown of Hell from Zebulon. As a result, Shabazz is now the new King of Hell with Zebulon dethroned.
Monday was not the end of the troubles however. During the last day of the gathering, the Hero Zac Vik was kidnapped again. Dark Servants attempted to sacrifice him to Teera’al in an attempt to summon her to this plane. While Zac Vik was saved, one of the Servants sacrificed themselves instead. As a result, Teera’al was able to cross over from Hell and is now on Midlantia. According to reports, it is believed she is currently in New Gleneden.
As we approach the September gathering, there have been a number of strange rumors. There have been reports of orcs and goblins being more active near Tower Mount… and equally disturbing reports of Followers of Light fighting back against the hoards feeling oddly drained of their vigor. There was one notable and amusing incident where there were reports of an Orc, declaring himself as Guk, harassing common folk demanding to know where Lysander was, the name of one of the Heroes of Avalon. This Orc actually tried going to the Avalon Press offices so we could publish an article demanding Lysander’s location. However, as our offices are located in the Ducal Keep, the guards were quick to slay the Orc and remove him from the premises.