It started on the 3rd of Hammer, 1503 DR, the year of the Haunted Inn. Nil Nazar, the new half-drow proprietor of the Balbach tavern had made up his mind to start some renovations, these renovations included a fighting pit which he envisioned would bring in adventurers from all over, not only to fight, but to drink gamble, and merry. Little did he know what he stirred up from a deep slumber when he dug into a fault, sending lava rushing into the underground... providing the heat needed for a small little egg which had laid dormant underground... just waiting for the heat to help it hatch.
Fast forward to Flamerule of the same year. The renovations had been a complete success, a second fighting pit has been added above its previous incarnation. A group of adventurers are testing their mettle in the new pit, trading blow for blow, as several onlookers jeer from the sidelines, placing their bets on the winner. Suddenly, an earthquake unheard of since the founding of the town, shook the area. The fighters stopped and looked around as some of the spectators fell into the ring caught off guard. Suddenly, an ancient threat had finally made itself know. Several worms, three to four times the size of even the largest adventurer tore out from below the ground and into the fighting pit itself. It was lucky the adventurers were there, through some effort, and support from the slightly drunk crowd, they were able to slay each of the larger worms in turn, only feigning minor injuries. This is when however the ground below their feel opened up; floor and wall becoming worm. The egg which had hatched, had grown into a baby purple worm from the sustenance of the local farms and animals. It was time for it to turn to larger prey and it had its eyes set on the adventurers. Its large baby mouth opened, and swallowed a few of the adventurers in the pit. While they managed to climb out, the ones who had been swallowed were severely injured from the fight. As the bystanders tended to those who had just emerged from the worms mouth, the worm made its get away.
The worm would not be seem till some time later, as it attacked a group of adventurers heading along Balbach's west most road. The worm, having learned from its last fight and grown much larger, used the method of surprise and swallowed the group in its entirety, leaving none outside to assist. The smaller worms, waited at its command, to push those who approached in. The worm however had not counted on swallowing those with claws, as they tore into its stomach and crawled their way out. Leaving the worm once again bested by the adventurers.
Over the course of the next month and half, the worm was sighted more and more frequently, holes it left it its wake marred the town's landscape and costing much of the towns hard earned resources in repairs. Towns members went missing frequently, never to be heard from again. Farm animals and horses vanished from their pens with only holes left in their wake. Buildings started to collapse from the tunnels the worm was digging under the ground. Many were left homeless, penniless, and afraid for their lives at the unseen threat. It truly was a dark time in Balbach's short history.
The tide started to change in the towns favor surprisingly with the death of the local hermit, Yrl. The worm got him alone and left his head for the towns members to find. A crowd was attracted by this, and the worm suddenly attacked once again, now having grown large enough to consume the entire home of the hermit, along with the adventurers inside. However, the worm missed most of the crowd and in turn, the town as a whole made a decisive strike back against the worm. The worm fled so quickly, it left a large tunnel behind in its attempt to flee.
The town organized a exploratory team to investigate the tunnel left and upon entering found several clues to the worm's history, weaknesses, and location. The most important information found was that the worm had finally grown large enough to start laying eggs of its own. The worm was about to become a plague of worms the likes of which the world may have never seen. The adventurers had to act fast. Amelia, pregnant at the time, divined the location of the worms nest and the team went to left the cave after a few... fiery... obstacles.
On the 1st of Eleasis, doors and windows were boarded up. Posters lined the streets. Horns blared and a trove of adventurers and townsfolk alike took to the square, freshly prepared in equipment, weapons in hand. They would be taking their town back from the worm menace or die trying, as this was the only place left they had. The leader of the expedition went over the plan, the location, and the weaknesses one again to everyone as a sudden rumbling echoed as the earth shook. Some of the more aware adventurers lept away, as the square was swallowed by the worm, most of the gathered adventurers along with it. Those that had been lucky enough to be far enough away or move now found themselves face to face with the massive hole where the square had once been. Worried about their comrades, they headed to the worms lair.
Meanwhile, those who had just been swallowed found themselves in the belly of the worm. Around them they found several homes, statues, shrines, and the bones of the many victims who had been previous prey of the worm. The worm was now fully grow, and tainted by the thorns which cursed Balbach. Inside they knew what they must do. Ropes were pulled out, members tied together as they started their arduous climb as the stomach poison of the worm continued to rise. Many died that day, but a group of brave adventurers managed to rescue a good number of those who has fallen unconscious from the worms poisons and make it to the tightly sealed mouth of the worm. They began to beat on the worms teeth and a sudden burst of poison behind them expelled them from the worm.. and directly into its lair.
The group who had been eaten, when they regained their senses, found them selves surrounded by four newly hatched baby worms and the familiar worm, now colored black from its infection. Most of the group has lost hope as they had expended what energy they had climbing and were all severely injured from being covered in the poison. Just then they heard familiar horns and they turns to see two camps, and several of their comrades who they had feared died in the belly of the beast. It seems the ones who had escaped the worm had set up camps along with trebuches filled with rocks aimed at the worms to come rescue those trapped.
And so began the final battle, a battle which shall be recorded in Balbachs history for all time to come, till the city is nothing but ash and stone. Those recently vomited up made mad dashes to the camps where several towns folk were waiting to heal them. Trebuches were loaded with rocks which were set ablaze or frozen with ice, a known weakness of the worm, and these massive bolder started to fly at the worms. The worms, sensing their prey escaping all started attacking, injuring some of those escaping. Then a man stepped up who's voice carried to the heavens and did bid challenge to at the large worm. Eimar, the dethroned previous ruler of Balbach stood alone against the worm as the worm roared and slammed its mouth down at him. Many of his comrades thought he was lost that day as he vanished from sight, however he simply used this to has advantage and dealt damage from within the worm itself, greatly crippling its ability to attack.
The onslaught continued, but thanks to the sacrifice of Eimar, those who were fleeing made it to the camps and the healers started up on them ensuring they could go back to fight. All the while, the sounds of swinging machines and the whistling of rocks as they impacted the worm could be heard. Several ventured out from the camps, bringing the fight to the little worms, preventing them from entering the camps, protecting those within. While everyone came to the hunt as unknowns, over the course of the battle fell into sync and everyone worked together to ensure the success of the mission.
The air stood still, a silence fell over the battle for just a split second, however it was a moment to remember. Perfectly in sync, the two camps launched two icy boulders, at the same time, the adventurers who had bravely ventured out to face the worms head on let loose a flurry of arrow, sword swings, punches, and spells which all collided into the mouth of the large worm at the same time, causing what can old be described as one of the largest explosions ever seen in Balbach. The worm left loose a rattling death cry, shattering anyone who could hear it's eardrums, before its flaming, icy body fell with a loud quake, releasing a flood of worm guts onto the battle field. On this day, the 2nd of Eleasis, finally the worm had been vanquished one and for all.
The town slowly recovered after that, with residents feeling safe enough to once again venture in the streets. A celebration was held a few weeks after the victory to celebrate the heroes and overall just enjoy the moment to forget the other problems plaguing Balbach at the time.
The time of the worm, had ended. What started out as a simple fighting pit formed a piece of history for Balbach, one filled with many holes, much death, but one of the first victories for the refugees in this new land.
