The Stonelands and the Goblin Marches - Part Five: Rumors and Events
The regions known as the Goblin Marches and the Stonelands are filled with legends of the ancient past and current happenings. Travelers in the region need to be aware of both. The following are rumors and legends which may or may not be true, but are important to note. They have been gleaned from various sources.tavern tales, goblin legends, dragon secrets, and old forgotten manuscripts.
- An evil human cult has an underground temple in the center of the Goblin Marches. Supposedly they hire mercenary orcs and ogres, and have built a huge labyrinth with the help of kobold and goblin miners. This cult worships Cyric, the Prince of Lies and God of Death. They have many undead servants. These cultists are now attempting to create a dracolich to honor their god, but first they need a willing dragon and some magical formulae from the Cult of the Dragon. They may try to trick otherwise altruistic adventurers into obtaining these formulae for them under false pretenses.
- An ancient book called the Yielding Tide speaks of a forgotten city-state that may once have existed in the High Moors. Supposedly the powerful wizards of this city captured a minor goddess in order to steal her power. While the city and its wizards are long gone, those who know the legend (and they are few in number) believe the unnamed goddess is still buried under the city's ruins. She might grant her rescuers their heart's desire - or she might slay them in retributive anger.
- A powerful band of human and dwarven adventurers recently scoured the Goblin Marches, killing all goblinoids they found. Whole tribes were destroyed or forced to abandon their lairs. In the band's wake, displaced goblins roam the countryside, and other creatures, such as medusae, claim the empty cave complexes.
- An orc prisoner captured by Cormyrean soldiers south of the Storm Horns claims that orc and goblin tribes are much closer to uniting than anyone believes. He boasts that Cormyr will run red with blood shed by orc weapons within two years. He would not give more details - other than to snarl that the goblinoids were not being led by an outside force. If there is any truth to this, the Neidlig goblin tribe must be stirring.
- Travelers from the north say the Great Desert has begun to spread southward again, and that the sand dunes are expanding at a measurable rate. Duststorms and high winds are said to be increasing in the area.
- Rumors of extraordinarily large worgs are spreading throughout the Marches. Supposedly, a tribe of goblins crossbred their worgs with some other creature (some claim a spell or magical item must be involved) to make them more dangerous. These beasts are said to stand almost 10-foot at the shoulder.
- Huge numbers of undead have begun to appear in the Stonelands, their source or creator unknown. Some blame the Zhentarim, while others claim these are the long-dead inhabitants of an ancient empire which once ruled the area.
- A creature heretofore unknown in the region, probably unknown in all the Realms, has been spotted in the Goblin Marches. This four-armed, insectlike being stands only five feet tall but possesses the strength of a giant. Eyewitnesses report it is cutting a swath of destruction and screaming in an unknown language. A cleric who cast a tongues spell says that it is demanding to be returned to its own world.
- A gnoll/orc border raider band found a wooden war galleon amid the huge rocks of the Stonelands. Although the obviously misplaced ship shows signs of incredible age, it is basically intact. Some say it is a magical flying ship, left over from the decadent Asramian assault on the Cloudlands. Others claim the vessel can sail to other worlds.