S.I.G.I.S Issue #5 (Day 4)
Posted: Wed Aug 09, 2023 7:18 am
S.I.G.I.S.
4rd Market of Savorus, Hashkar 123
Xaositect Shenanigans Unleashed: Pranks Ripple Across Sigil's Factions
SIGIL - In an unprecedented turn of chaotic events, Sigil's various factions found themselves at the receiving end of a deluge of pranks orchestrated by none other than the enigmatic Xaositects. The mayhem began with a skill event that spun the city into a frenzy of confusion and laughter, as the Xaositects, true to their unpredictable nature, set out to make their mark on the factions that have long held sway over the City of Doors. From the mighty Harmonium to the elusive Dustmen, no faction was spared from the pranks that erupted across Sigil. Reports flooded in of missing documents, mysteriously rearranged furniture, and even peculiar magical effects that left seasoned wizards scratching their heads. As the Xaositects reveled in their gleeful chaos, the factions were left scrambling to maintain order and ascertain the source of the disruptions.
Amidst the chaos, a dedicated group of volunteers in the Hive Ward managed to corner the main perpetrators behind the pranks. In a tense confrontation that escalated into combat, the Xaositects were brought face to face with determined defenders of order. The ensuing battle was as unpredictable as the Xaositects themselves, with surprises at every turn. One of the culprits met a fate as bizarre as the pranks they had orchestrated – falling victim to the appearance of a towering lizard of some kind that seemingly materialized out of thin air! Witnesses recount a mix of awe and disbelief as the massive creature clashed with the Xaositect, resulting in an outcome that left the Hive Ward buzzing with talk of the peculiar encounter.
Though the chaos may have subsided, the impact of the Xaositects' pranks lingers in the minds of Sigil's factions. As the city regains its equilibrium, questions remain about the true motivations behind the Xaositects' antics and what their next unpredictable move may entail. One thing is certain: the City of Doors is no stranger to upheaval, and the Xaositects have ensured that their presence will not soon be forgotten. --Urth Flatglide
Slaadi Hordes Hit Tradegate
TRADEGATE - The usually peaceful Bytopian gate-town was today wracked with a storm of Slaadi, which literally fell from the skies like rain. Merchants and shoppers received scant seconds warning as clouds of broiling chaosstuff spewed seemingly from nowhere to blanket the burg and surrounding fields, before the frog-beasts began to rain down. Stalls were crushed and three market squares were evacuated as, according to a Hornungs Guess made by sheltering wild mage Prax Wilde Evercell, some three thousand Slaadi descended upon the burg, hopping and pillaging and devouring anything they came across. It was as if Zeus himself started lobbing thunderbolts at the burg", shouted Evercell above the chaotic clamour, Nobody knew what was happening; it was wonderful!
Residents of the burg seemed less enthusiastic. It's going to cost me a great pile of merts to fix up my kip", growled Gord Goldenale, proprietor of the Bub-filled Mug, one of Tradegate's better taverns. Half the slates fell off the roof when a handful of Slaad landed on the roof, and the other half came loose when some barmy wild mage got overexcited and created a chaos surge, or whatever the leatherheads call 'em. I am not a happy cutter."
The sudden influx of ravenous amphibians crushed hopes of a successful Festival of Lights in Tradegate. The event, which occurs simultaneously in several of Bytopia's main burgs, celebrates a year of productivity. Citizens I spoke to were devastated that all their preparations; putting up streamers and flags, preparing food and brewing drinks, painting murals and planting flowers about the burg; had been wrecked in a matter of moments. One small girl sobbed, Those horrid frogs ate all the cakes and biscuits I baked for the festival. It's not fair! Why did they come here?"
The frustration the would be Bytopians are feeling has only been compounded by the fact that the neighboring gate-town of Ecstasy, which by rights should have been stricken by the Great Chaos Tromp next, seems to have been skipped altogether. Residents of the burg are far from smug, however; they know as well as I that the chaotic Slaad might double back and visit their burg at any time. True to the burg's good reputation, however, the folk of Ecstacy have shown considerable compassion and have sent wagons of food and bub to allow the festival to carry on. With the unpredictable travel times between burgs of the Outlands, however, it is uncertain whether they'll arrive in time.
Meanwhile the Slaadi have disappeared. All at once. And nobody's got a clue where. --Laxuli Phae
Letters to the Editor
Readers of S.I.G.I.S.,
I am writing this letter to make Cagers aware of a particularly oppressive situation happening on the Prime world of Toril. I've been spending a fair amount recently of time in one of the larger burgs on this world a quaint city known as Waterdeep (a harbor city, and one of the largest burgs on the sphere). This city is controlled by a sect of bashers known as the Lords of Waterdeep, and these are the sods that worry me. Now lots of prime and planar burgs have some sort of monarch or ruling class that likes telling berks what to do, and in the majority of cases all their subjects know who these high ups are. But not in Waterdeep, oh no! The exalted Lords of this city literally hide themselves behind strong illusionary masks of magic (which I am a witness to) so that no one but the other Lords know their identities. This is outrageous! What are these pikers so afraid of anyway? The only time you will ever see their faces is when they give up their post as Lord for some other secret basher to take. And who, you might ask, elects these bashers? A democratic majority of the other Lords, of course!
To top this all off, the only outwardly recognized Lord is an incredibly rich paladin Hardhead-type named Lord Piergeiron. Makes me suspect that the rest of the Lords are all a bunch of rich nobles who have all the money and all the power. Who speaks for the little folk, I ask? This wouldn't be all that bad, I suppose, if these Lords left a basher alone and minded their own business. But the laws, particularly against magic use, are so oppressive, they make Ribcage look like Mt. Olympus! And this is not just my feeling on the matter cutters. Another friend I ran into in the city thought the same thing about these so-called Lords. He told me he had a goodtime gaming in the little burg, but he said he noticed that, the Lords seem to have an iron grip over whatever goes around in the city. The Hardheads can only dream of such control.
"Even worse", he continued, "a Spellslinger comrade of mine cast a minor spell only to be approached by some official berks demanding for him to register!" Warning him that no magic could be used without permission! It almost makes a blood glad to be back in the Cage! Indeed. Could you imagine the Guvners trying to register all the wizards in Sigil? How preposterous!
As you can gather from all this, Waterdeep is really a pretty down-trodden little burg. The rich and powerful oppress the masses, and all the while they stay hidden under impenetrable masks to keep their crimes dark as they go unpunished. But the saddest thing is, the citizens seem to have swallowed all the screed about keeping the peace, and the might of the Lords, and they willfully bow to their governance like they were powers or somethin'. It is a shameful situation to say the least. I know that I, for one, will dedicate my future time in this world to help lift the shackles of oppression from its citizens. I hope others would join me in this righteous endeavor. --Author’s name not supplied