Sul 1st Nymm - Creatures in the Fog

Once more the residents of Sharn have the promise of further dark skies and torrential rain. But reports of this oppresive weather have taken a dark turn.

As the fires in the cogs are quenched by the persistent rains it becomes apparent that the source was from an explosion within a lava pool that is currently unused. The foreman, a dwarf named Kordun MacVar, has been arrested for negligence in the course of duty, although he continues to claim that he was coerced into opening the sealed chamber by a group of five people, led by a warforged. The watch have ceased their investigations into this matter as the King's Citadel has taken up the case, rumours abound that there are several Dark Lanterns within Sharn looking for clues.

House Jorasco and the watch are claiming that suicide rates have risen to almost epidemic proportions, most claim that this is simply due to the depression caused by such dismal weather. Many residents of the city are flocking to alchemists, magewrights, wizards and House Jorasco enclaves in search of balms, unguents, potions or herbs that will help them sleep peacefully as they complain that the constant sound of rain is disturbing them and giving them bad dreams.
Inns and taverns are reporting that their drinking rooms are full to bursting point day and night, resulting in an increased number of brawls and other drink related violent incidents. The murder rate over the last few weeks has risen to 8 times its normal figure, and there are fears that this estimate may be on the lenient side as the Hilt is swollen with sediment darkened floodwaters and always has been a place where the unscrupulous would dump their victims, now it is almost impossible to search.
The city's drainage engineers have been working around the clock trying to repair cracked and broken ducts and pipes, but it is the lower levels of the city that are worst affected as many of the sewer systems down there can be dated back to Dhaakani times. There have been several reports of riots in the lower wards as disaffected residents demand that something is done about the flooding and crime rates are soaring as food and sanitation become scarce. The greatest fear is the threat of disease as sewers flow into the streets followed by wave upon wave of vermin.
The city's churches, temples and shrines are seeing their congregations swell as rites and rituals are performed to appease their various deities and send the deceased to their afterlives in peace.

But perhaps the most concerning tales of this stange weather event are those of the creatures that are said to lurk within the fogs that arise as the rains periodically ease. These lulls have begun to grow longer with each passing day and as the summer heat burns at the wet streets a heavy fog rises to shroud the city in grey each time the rains stop. The first reports came from Skyway, sightings of dark shadows falling from the sky, then came the reports of the deaths. Some corpses found in the streets have superficial wounds yet for some reason they are dead, rumours persist that they died of fright. Others have been found with great slices and gashes across their bodies, the cause of death in these cases is obvious.
As the days have passed these events have become more and more frequent , some as far down as the middle wards. The city continues to live in fear.

The Crown has heard the plight of Sharn and has despatched a peace corps from Wroat to aid, in the city's time of distress. We all pray this will come to an end soon.

House Tarkanan has been indirectly implicated in the problems that have been associated with vermin infestations in Skyreach Tower. The nefarious organisation has been seen to be gathering recruits in the districts that the tower passes through. It is strongly implied, directly or indirectly, that the infamous curse borne by the Heirs of Khyber is not only responsible for the deaths of numerous citizens. Also the established and influential businessman, Malaren Dexel, owner of Dexel's Emporium, has made claims against the city watch in the area after it was found that the current Captain of the Guard's son bears an abberant dragonmark. Investigations continue.

Sightings of lizardfolk swimming through the Hilt have increased in the past week, leading experts to believe that there is some kind of migration occuring. Details are thin on the ground but one eye-witness claims he saw "a huge, black, winged-shape leap from the water where the river meets the sea". There have been no confirmations of this rumour, but the "Sharn Inquisitive" endeavours to keep you posted.

Take care citizens, the city is particularly cruel these days.

Slayings in The Cogs. Cog workers in the southern regions of the Blackbones district have been warned to remain alert at all times. There have been several murders in the area with each victim having been flayed, either partially or totally. Although there have been no witnesses to any of these murders, there is said to have been the sound of rattling chains heard in the localities of the murders either before or after the deaths.