Magic in Aquor

[wangxiuming]

There are supposedly a few whispers of people detecting faint traces of magic at the base of the mountain trail in Aquor. Most dismiss this talk as insignificant, however. For now, anyway.

[Vicissitudes]

The rumours are quickly followed, in recent days, by similar claims made by an excessively nervous and frightened halfling woman wearing dull robes and scuffed spectacles. The rumours spread out from the trading house in the Exigo trading post and the inn in Aquor where, so the story goes, this halfling woman spends most of her time studying and speaking nervously of what she saw.

So the story goes, this halfling woman claims that she was hunted and accosted by a massive ghost who is attacking all mages on the route, sucking their life force dry. The ghost, the halfling claims, is working with the bandit cartel on the road, and conspiring together to hunt, kill, and rob all mages who prowl the route, and furthermore that there are probably a great number of other ghosts watching from the hills, ready to help.

Given the extreme nervousness and vague fear of the halfling woman from whom these supplementary rumours originate, it's unclear exactly how much and what part of them are true, but judging by the fervour and honest fear of the timid little hin, it's likely they have at least some grounding in fact, as she sure as the nine hells does not believe herself to be telling untruths,

[wangxiuming]

The trail of odd magic seems to grow stronger and farther. Those who investigated may have noticed the magic leading from the base of the mountains in Aquor to at least a ways into the High Mountain Trail.

[wangxiuming]

Several packs of winter wolves within the High Mountain Trail have met their end. Their corpses were burnt and charred unnaturally.

[wangxiuming]

Pockets of the High Mountain Trail have begun to exhibit an unnatural coldness. These same patches of earth are coincidentally marked by strange holes that burrow deep into the earth, almost as if several creatures had clawed their way out of the deep underground.

[wangxiuming]

The trail of magic deepens. The cold climb begins to exhibit the same strange energies that seem to flow through the High Mountain Trail. Meanwhile the residual magicks at the base of the ascent into the Spine only grow stronger.

[wangxiuming]

A second devil was rumored to have made an appearance within the High Mountain Trail, purportedly offering to bargain with "worthy" individuals. Whether the appearance of this creature is related to the strange magicks flowing through the mountains, or even the appearance of the other devil at the Exigo outpost is unknown.

[Urithrand]

Though the Aquor militia are loathe to admit it, the consistency of rumour and fear amongst the general populace has sparked an investigation into the strange happenings on the mountains, and patrols of mercenaries and the occasional red wizard can be seen patrolling the area.

[wangxiuming]

As outsiders begin to intrude upon the Spine, the trail of magic suddenly fades, abruptly and without warning. Whispers of the devil also fade, and a few wonder whether there ever was one to begin with.