The Greenglade Massacre

The Greenglade Deception

  Also known as: The Greenglade Massacre, The Vo-Len Incident, The Eastern Kurnok Vengeance  

"They arranged the bodies like a feast for carrion gods, each wound telling lies that would reshape the river's politics for generations to come."

—Chronicle of the Toxic Waters

  In the darkest hours before dawn on the 5th day of the Bull, Year 13945, the toxic currents of the River Vo bore witness to an act of deception so elaborate that it would echo through the annals of river house politics for decades. What transpired at the inspection point north of Vo-Len was no mere massacre—it was political theater written in blood and bone, performed by actors whose understanding of brutality had been honed to deadly perfection.  

The True Architects

  The masterminds behind this elaborate ruse were no primitive tribal warriors, but a coalition of forces whose very existence threatened the delicate balance among the nine river houses. Scout Nok of the western Kurnok provided the expertise in authentic tribal warfare, his knowledge of Eastern Kurnok hunting practices serving as the foundation for an illusion that would convince even experienced investigators.   Kurgan Weinrich, proprietor of The Jungle's Claw Tavern and shadow agent of House Iron Wake, orchestrated the deception to protect his secret alliance with Captain Grimharbor of House Ashen Chain. The undead captain's skeletal marines had eliminated the Eastern Kurnok threat during the three-way battle, but inter-house protocols prevented them from taking direct action against the captured House Greenglade marines who had witnessed this forbidden alliance.   The executioners themselves were figures transformed by their journey through Nolavor's poisoned realm: Thronn Zamda, the half-orc ranger whose slaying of the white crocodile had already marked him as the most wanted poacher in the jungle; Fouk, the Vorcian rogue whose Velasha's Emberclaw Toolkit proved perfect for crafting authentic torture wounds; Sherman, the goliath whose meat puppets provided disturbing commentary throughout the proceedings; BöötMóöntch, the corrupted aasimar whose bloodhunter expertise lent clinical precision to the killings; and Valdin, the dragonborn paladin whose reptilian features and Oath of Conquest made him an ideal instrument of terror.  

The Performance

  The massacre unfolded as a carefully choreographed skill challenge, each phase designed to create authentic evidence of Eastern Kurnok vengeance. Scout Nok supervised with the fervor of a master artist, his distinctive drawl cutting through the pre-dawn air as he explained the requirements for convincing tribal warfare.     The systematic elimination of fifteen House Greenglade marines began with meticulous precision. Each death was crafted to tell a specific story—wounds positioned to suggest feeding patterns, ritual scarring applied according to documented tribal practices, and personal effects scattered to imply the motivations of crocodile-folk raiders seeking revenge for past affronts.   Fouk's expertise with the transforming toolkit allowed them to create implements perfectly suited for each grisly task, while Valdin's Channel Divinity broke down the prisoners' psychological defenses through waves of supernatural terror. BöötMóöntch applied their bloodhunter methodology to ensure each killing matched known tribal signatures, treating the deaths as carefully crafted experiments in political deception.  

The Blood Eagle

  The climactic execution of Captain Streak Haldar required the most elaborate staging of all. The ritual Blood Eagle—an ancient execution technique that would serve as undeniable proof of Eastern Kurnok involvement—was performed by Kurgan himself upon his former brother-in-arms from their days aboard the Bitter Current.  

"I'm sorry it has to end this way, Streak. You were always the better captain between us."

Kurgan's final words to Captain Haldar

  The proprietor of The Jungle's Claw Tavern had clearly performed such rituals before, his movements efficient and practiced as he transformed the captain's death into tribal art. When finished, Haldar's remains displayed the unmistakable signature of Eastern Kurnok vengeance, arranged in patterns that would convince even experienced investigators of tribal involvement.  

The Official Account

  According to the reports filed by House Iron Wake investigators and corroborated by neutral observers from House Stormforge, the inspection point north of Vo-Len fell victim to a coordinated assault by Eastern Kurnok war parties seeking revenge for the death of their sacred white crocodile. The attack displayed all the hallmarks of tribal warfare: ritual torture, feeding patterns consistent with crocodile-folk practices, and the systematic elimination of officers through traditional execution methods.   Captain Haldar's death, in particular, bore the distinctive marks of the Blood Eagle—a punishment reserved by the Eastern Kurnok for leaders who had committed grave offenses against tribal law. The presence of authentic Kurnok weapons, properly positioned tracks leading toward known tribal territory, and the specific pattern of mutilations left no doubt in investigators' minds regarding the perpetrators' identity.   The twenty-one casualties included not only military personnel but also civilian contractors, their deaths staged to suggest the indiscriminate fury characteristic of tribal revenge raids. Personal effects were scattered in patterns suggesting ritual looting, while the positioning of bodies indicated the systematic nature of the assault.  

The Whispered Truth

  Yet even the most elaborate deceptions leave traces for those who know where to look. Among the river folk and tavern gossips of Grizburg, whispered rumors persist of inconsistencies in the official account. Some note the unusual precision of the wounds, too calculated for the frenzied brutality typically associated with tribal warfare. Others question the convenient timing of the attack, occurring just as House Greenglade had captured valuable intelligence regarding House Iron Wake's activities.   The most persistent rumors center on sightings of black-sailed vessels in the area shortly before the massacre—ships that bore the distinctive markings of House Ashen Chain. Dock workers in downstream settlements report skeletal figures moving through the morning mists, while survivors of river battles describe the distinctive sound of bone against steel that echoes from vessels crewed by the undead.    

The Survivor's Tale

  Most intriguing are the accounts of the four civilian porters who disappeared from the scene before investigators arrived. These men, traumatized beyond recovery by what they had witnessed, were reportedly paid their wages and released into the jungle where the harsh realities of Nolavor would guarantee their silence. Yet fragmentary accounts persist of wild-eyed refugees in distant settlements, speaking in broken whispers of horrors that no Eastern Kurnok raid could explain.   These survivors describe scenes of methodical brutality performed by figures in foreign garb, speaking languages unknown to tribal warriors. They tell of torture implements that transformed before their eyes, of scaled beings whose predatory nature seemed too deliberate for primitive revenge, and of rituals performed with clinical precision rather than savage fury.  

Political Ramifications

  The Greenglade Massacre succeeded beyond its architects' wildest ambitions. House Greenglade's influence along the River Vo diminished significantly as other houses questioned their ability to protect their own operations. The loss of Captain Haldar, in particular, created a leadership vacuum that would take years to fill, allowing competing houses to expand their territories and influence.   More importantly, the massacre provided perfect cover for the continued collaboration between House Iron Wake and House Ashen Chain. With investigators focused on tribal threats, the political alliance between the living and the undead could proceed without scrutiny. Captain Grimharbor's bone fleets gained increased access to restricted waterways, while House Iron Wake secured the necromantic expertise necessary for their expedition to the Whispering Depths.   The Eastern Kurnok tribes, meanwhile, found themselves facing increased hostility from river house security forces and rival tribal groups who viewed them as dangerous destabilizers. This persecution served the conspirators' purposes perfectly, as it prevented any serious investigation into alternative explanations for the massacre.  

The Legacy of Deception

  As the Rustleech carried its passengers toward Grizburg's industrial nightmare, the success of their elaborate deception had transformed them from desperate survivors into instruments capable of reshaping political reality through calculated violence. The Greenglade Massacre became their masterwork—a symphony of death and lies that demonstrated their evolution from mere adventurers into figures whose very existence could alter the balance of power among the river houses.   The massacre stands as proof that in Nolavor's poisoned realm, truth is merely another commodity to be bought, sold, or murdered according to necessity. Those who orchestrated the Greenglade Deception learned that with sufficient expertise and ruthless determination, even the most elaborate lies can become accepted history.  

"The river remembers everything, but speaks only to those who understand the language of current and bone. The rest hear only what they wish to believe."

Captain Malista Tinmaw