In The Shadow of Evil

Interlude: Gerard's Ascension

2006-09-10T16:53:00.000-05:00

"The Shadowbane Inquisition Welcomes Another Crusader"

Aryth 6th-7th, 998 YK

At Gerard's request, four modest tickets on the Five Nations Express had been provided by the Church of the Silver Flame instead of one, so that his companions could come and witness his ascension to the rank of Shadowbane Inquisitor. While some of his comrades didn't agree with the dogma of the Silver Flame theocracy, they all held noble Gerard dearly enough that they were interested in seeing this transition through with him. Thus, they found themselves in Flamekeep on the evening of Aryth the 6th.

Before the ceremony (which was scheduled to take place the next evening), they met with the head of Gerard's order, Thedric Drosin. Gerard rarely spoke of his life before adventuring, but they did know that Thedric was a sort of mentor for the inquisitor. Thedric didn't seem nearly as zealous and self-righteous as the Flamers were often accused of being, which helped to explain Gerard's relatively relaxed demeanor. Thedric beckoned them all to his office, for he had a request that he felt must be asked in private. After arriving in the spacious-yet-plain room from which Thedric directed the Inquisition's activities, the older man first asked Gerard if he was sure his three companions could be trusted. After Gerard gave a cautious assent, Thedric made his situation plain.

There were demons in the Church, and they were slowly taking over every aspect of the Silver Flame's activities. There had been several assassination attempts made against him and his most trusted peers, and all evidence pointed to the involvement of shapeshifting fiends called rakshasas. He revealed his suspicions that the dreaded Lords of Dust were getting ready for a major assualt against the mortal world, weakening bastions of divine power such as the Church of the Silver Flame so that whatever they were planning was more likely to succeed. He asked...no, begged, that they be ready to act when the Lords of Dust finally moved, because the consequences of inaction were too terrible to comprehend. The Five Nations were weakened, and there was little that could be done to stop a new Age of Demons once it was underway. Esan didn't seem too interested in saving the world from this terrible fate, but the others were quick to acknowledge the threat, and pledge their conditional support when the time came.

The next day, Morgan, Esan and Nadia saw little of Gerard, who was following custom and spending the day in prayer. That evening, they were all granted access to one of the most extraordinary wonders of Khorvaire - the Chamber of the Silver Flame. Here, Gerard made his vows, and rose as a Shadowbane Inquisitor.

Interlude: Loose Ends

2006-09-10T16:06:00.000-05:00

"Khelizan's Last Stand"

19th of Sypheros

Even though they now knew that Victor was the one who had orchestrated the assassin strikes against them, the heroes didn't think that his death would stop the attacks from occuring. They decided that it was time to pay Khelizan a visit, so that they could cut the problem off at its source.

Finding Khelizan's lair again in Fallen was a simple matter, and penetrating the imposing complex was far easier than it first appeared. Nadia and Morgan both had new scouts to bring into play - Nadia's was a miniscule jade spider that Morgan recognized as a wondrous figurine. It had the ability to crawl into hard-to-reach places and record events based on simple commands given by its owner. Ironically enough, she had decided to name it 'Titan'. Morgan had finished work on his latest homonculus, a furtive filcher. They sent their silent minions into Khelizan's tower, and quickly learned that the defenses inside were almost overwhelming. However, a shaft leading directly to Khelizan's throne room on the bottom floor was cleverly concealed among a row of chimneys; they weren't immediately sure of its purpose, yet they realized that it was the best way to bypass the hordes of ogres and giants waiting just through the front doors.

When they were fully prepared, they entered Khelizan's throne room in force. Morgan's filcher (who was still in the throne room) warned them at the last moment that their silent descent down the escape shaft had somehow tipped the people in the throne room off. They had arrayed themselves defensively, except for Khelizan, who remained on his throne. Esan quickly discerned through his touchsight field that Khelizan on the throne was an illusion, and the real Khelizan was standing invisible on the other side of the room.

Even here, the ogre mage's defenses were considerable. He had recently bought the services of a famous Darguun bladebearer named Traakan, who led the mercenary company called the Iron Shields. All of the Iron Shields were here today, split up into clusters of pikemen and archers. A sneaky goblin sorcerer was also present, though he was currently invisible. Haraj the Skinner was here as well, and she seemed ready to put her bloodstained kamas to good use. Traakan himself was at the front of the defenses, his flail drawn and ready. He challenged Esan to a duel, and the psion responded at speed.

The fight in Khelizan's throne room was brutal, and quite taxing on the heroes' resources. Nadia lit the room up with several well-placed fireballs while Morgan took flight on his silver floating disk, blasting Iron Shieldsmen left and right with a wand in each fist. Gerard spent much of the battle healing his comrades, though he managed to bring his dread sword Faeros Lumar to bear to deadly effect. At one point, Khelizan unleashed a terrible blast of freezing energy, which killed Morgan's new homonculus and seriously injured everyone else. But at that point, the battle was nearly over, and it didn't take the heroes long to finish their grim work. Once all of their foes were dead, they quickly found a lever to shut the iron portcullis leading out of the throne room, and proceeded to Khelizan's treasure vault.

The rewards inside were well worth their efforts, as Khelizan was quite a collector. Among the piles of gold and silver were several priceless works of art from around the world, from paintings and vases to giant cabinets made in Xen'drik. Of particular interest to Morgan was a strange stone found on a table by a goblet, but when he picked it up it crumbled instantly in his hands. The goblet made them all forget to wonder what had just happened with the stone, for it was very familiar to those who had been in Karrnath earlier this year. Esan pulled out its near twin, the goblet that had been discovered in Dashakoya Nurabo's quarters back at the ir'Mandar estate. When both goblets were held in close proximity, each filled with crystal clear water that radiated conjuration magic. The goblet from Dashakoya had strong Karrnathi motiffs, while the one they had just discovered was obviously Brelish in design. They realized that this goblet must have been what the Inspired diplomats visiting Khelizan were after, but that only created more questions.

Still, the events of the day were safely counted as a victory, and the heroes went their separate ways for a week or so, knowing full well that they would meet again for a trip to Flamekeep, where this had all started.

Episode III: Chimes at Midnight - Act III

2006-08-28T23:39:00.000-05:00

"Nadia"

17th of Sypheros - late morning

Morgan, Gerard and Esan had been given excellent accomodations at the Roost in Dragon Towers by Baron d'Medani, who wanted them well-rested so that they might have a better chance of finding his daughter Zelina alive. When they woke, they gathered their gear and made their way downstairs to the common room, eager to pick up Victor's trail before their midnight deadline. Two elves in fine clothing were waiting for them downstairs, however. Both were stunningly beautiful, and obviously kin by their appearance. Morgan noted the five-headed hydra of House Phiarlan on their cloaks, and the male elf confirmed this as he introduced himself.

"I am Dimitri d'Phiarlan of the Demesne of Music, and this is my sister, Nadia Phiarlan. We have heard of your plight, and it is my sister's wish to join you for a time to assist in the rescue of Zelina d'Medani."

Questions were asked. It was a very sudden thing, and the trio was somewhat mistrustful of outsiders at this point, but time was pressing and they did need extra help to chase down what few leads they had. The showdown with seven dangerous criminals at the end of their hunt would be easier with an extra sword, and Nadia did seem to be quite confident in the usage of the double scimitar slung over her shoulder. After discovering that Dimitri would not be accompanying them, they agreed to take her along.

"Orphans and Coin Counters"

Mid- to late-afternoon

They had two leads, both discovered the previous evening when they raided Victor's home in Cliffside. Bengen Burtuckle, the clerk who handled all of Victor's finances, would most likely be found at his residence in Upper Northedge. And the orphanage that Victor kept on sending money to was in Gate of Gold, an impoverished Lower Dura neighborhood. They realized that they didn't have time to follow both at once, especially if both turned out to be dead ends and they were forced to think on their feet, so Esan volunteered to check out the orphanage while the rest of them searched for Burtuckle.

Esan's trip to the Gate of Gold Orphanage was largely uneventful. He learned that Victor had grown up there from the absent-minded master of the orphanage, but his most useful intel was gleaned from the head boy, who was quick to talk once gold changed hands. Two very strange figures had been seen lurking around Gate of Gold - when the orphan described them, they sounded remarkably like Scrimshaw and Rrregla.

Meahnwhile, Gerard, Morgan and Nadia had little trouble tracking down Bengen Burtuckle in a quiet Northedge neighborhood. It took some convincing to get the timid dwarf to open his door for them, as he seemed worried about Wildnight looters. When he finally did let the investigators in, he invited them to a drink of tea and listened to their query. After Gerard flashed his badge and Nadia sweet-talked him, he was more than willing to take them down to his offices at the Kundarak banking district to find Victor's papers. All of the Wildnight traffic bogged them down, and by the time they had the records in hand and Esan back at their side, it was early evening. The records made it abundantly clear where Victor and his cronies were hiding, because the twenty-thousand gold piece transaction Victor had made earlier was for the purchase of an abandoned church of Aureon.

They began making their way back to Gate of Gold for the showdown with Saint-Demain.

"Gasper and the Albino Gargoyle"

Late evening

The trip back across Sharn and through the various wards of Dura was eerie, as the Wildnight celebration was now in full swing. Lanterns flickering with fire the color of blood lit their way, and revealed numerous crazed rituals taking place in the open streets. People danced around burning buildings, children beat dogs with sticks, crimes of passion could be heard taking place down every alley, and the sky was dark with smoke. The Fury would have been pleased, if he indeed watched Sharn tonight.

When the investigators finally arrived in Gate of Gold, it was late evening. There were no revelers here, for there was little to celebrate in the ruined neighborhood. They picked their path across the desolate avenues and finally arrived at the abandoned Church of Aureon, which Esan noted was very close to the Orphanage.

As they stepped through the arched doorway into the outer foyer, they were immediately attacked. Rrregla had been hiding right overhead, and Esan's touchsight field was not able to recognize her until it was too late. Meanwhile, Scrimshaw came out from behind hiding on the upper catwalk and began firing arrows at the party. Esan quickly disjoined Scrimshaw from the flow of time, but warned that he would quickly return. Meanwhile, Nadia and Morgan fired several deadly rays at the Gasper. She was forced to retreat fairly quickly, which allowed everyone to move to the last place Scrimshaw was seen. When he was rejoined with the flow of time, he was quickly dispatched.

"Masher and Cyclops"

The heroes quickly bashed through the large wooden doors into the main sanctuary of the church, where they found Durok holding a maul threateningly over Zelina d'Medani, who was bound and unconscious on the altar. He warned them to stay back, or he would kill her. They advanced anyway, and engaged Durok in melee. Meanwhile, Gerard tried to free Zelina. She turned to him and suggested that he leave, her face reforming as she spoke to reveal the disturbing visage of Vrinn, the Cyclops Changeling. Gerard resisted the enchantment however, and the ambush quickly turned against the criminals. Soon Durok was dead and Vrinn was subdued; Morgan had Skoth keep watch over their new prisoner as they advanced into the next room.

"The Chimes at Midnight"

The next room was the belltower, and they arrived just in time. The rusty metal shutters that shielded the ancient bell from the elements were opened as they began to ascend the rickety stairs to the top, allowing the heroes to see glimpses of the climactic Wildnight fireworks display far above. As they reached the top, they saw Victor staring out the now open ledge, a pocket watch in hand. He turned to them as Grimgraj and Mange closed in from the sides and smiled.

"And now we have heard the chimes at midnight."

With that, the bell began to toll. They all spotted Zelina dangling unconsciously from the bell's rusty chain by a pair of adamantine manacles, and several of them smelled the acid now burning away the same chain. She would die after a few more tolls as the bell snapped free and sent the whole mechanism into a freefall to the ground a hundred feet below. Esan and Nadia acted quickly and decisively, as if they had been working together for years - Esan enveloped the bell in the same timeless energy that had harried Scrimshaw, freeing Zelina early but sending her plummeting down the staircase to her apparent death. At the same time, Nadia folded Zelina up in a transmutation that slowed her fall tremendously. Zelina landed safely at the bottom a few seconds later, and Gerard pulled her out of the way of the soon-to-reappear bell before ascending the stairs himself.

Seeing his plans for revenge derailed so quickly by these meddlesome upstart detectives sent Victor into a rage; he attacked with full force, draining spells and psionic powers from Morgan and Esan with each successful strike. While he fought, he gloated about the many ways that he had barred their path for the last few days; he even admitted that it was he who had cleverly tricked Khelizan into sending his assassins after them. He seemed to find delicious irony in having set his enemies against his enemies. Meanwhile, Nadia engaged Grimgraj and Gerard closed in on Mange, cowing the hulking shifter with the mere threat of silver-wrought violence. He surrendered, and Grimgraj was put out of commission shortly after. Victor looked like he was about to say something quippy as his minions fell around him, but Morgan cut him short with a searing bolt of fire that burned his face away.

"Aftermath"

Apparently, Vrinn had tried to escape while they were busy rescuing Zelina, because Skoth had torn him to bloody shreds by the time they descended the staircase again. Later on, Morgan admitted that he had ordered Skoth to finish him off, which caused noble Gerard to raise an eyebrow. Morgan explained that Vrinn was the sort of criminal who was likely to escape if given time, and he knew that the incarceration system in Breland was not the most secure. Gerard was still not impressed, especially when he discovered that Esan had taken the distraction of the argument to snap unconscious Grimgraj's neck. Apparently, these criminals had used up their last chances as far as most of the investigators were concerned.

These moral debates were set aside as they watched Zelina be reunited with her astonished father, who by now feared that she and all of those he had sent to find her were dead. Their reward for her recovery was handsome indeed, and it was not long after that they found themselves on the front page of both the Sharn Inquisitive and the Korranberg Chronicle. But there were still some loose ends to tie up...and of course, the question of Nadia Phiarlan.

News Clippings III: Sharn Watch, 17th of Sypheros

2006-06-11T01:30:00.000-05:00

17th of Sypheros
Special Wildnight Edition

EXPLOSIONS ROCK SHARN

Special Correspondent Tiro Lailey

TERMINUS STATION: Last evening, the spectacular Wildnight fireworks displays found themselves outclassed by a series of unusual (and dangerous) eruptions around the City of Towers. The first one occured near midnight in the Clifftop Adventurer's Quarter in Upper Dura at the residence of famed inquisitor Victor Saint-Demain. The source of the volatile eruption, which damaged several neighboring buildings, is unknown, though Saint-Demain is a notable eccentric and has been known to conduct dangerous experiments when not fighting crime. It is also possible that one of his many enemies was trying to assassinate him, but the Korranberg Chronicle does not speculate without indisputable fact at hand. Rest assured, we'll get to the bottom of this. Early investigation of the disaster zone indicates that Saint-Demain may have been at home when the explosion took place, but the evidence was described as 'inconclusive' by the chief inspector on the scene.

The next explosion occured at the lofty residence of Hazurik ir'Cullithar, who represents Upper Menthis Plateau in the City Council. Like Saint-Demain, ir'Cullithar enjoyed his experiments, and had a laboratory somewhere in his tower. An expert on military affairs who we interviewed on the condition of anonymity claims that the detonations that destroyed ir'Cullithar's residence could only have been caused by precisely placed, military-grade 'blast disks'. We aren't sure what those are, but we believe him! No survivors have been found from the Cullithar explosion thus far, and the old Councilman was home at the time. He had no living relatives, but Upper Menthis will certainly miss him.

The last of these unplanned pyrotechnic displays, and perhaps most spectacular, claimed no lives at all thanks to the brave efforts of Gerard Angevin, Morgan Ironwright and Shinto of Overlook, a trio of inquisitives who are most recently famous for cracking the Oakbridge Flenser case in Lharvion. Specific details are still unclear, but witnesses say that early this morning in Terminus Station, the three of them muscled their way through armed guards to the private rail car of Baron Trelib d'Medani, who was just about to leave for Wroat. They had somehow learned that an inbound lightning rail was out of control, and speeding at high velocity for Terminus Station even as they arrived on the platform. They pulled Baron d'Medani from his car and escorted him off the platform with his staff, but there was no time to clear the hundreds of bystanders off the platform before the renegade train arrived and exploded in their midst. At great risk to their own lives, the three inquisitives boarded the Baron's private car and rode it out of the Station to meet the incoming train just outside, where the resulting explosion was unable to hurt anyone. Thankfully, they jumped off just in time and didn't perish in the deafening collision. They were unavailable for an interview, unfortunately.

I have a hard time seeing how the actual Wildnight celebration will be any more exciting than this, but we'll keep you posted, as always.

Episode III: Chimes at Midnight - Act II

2006-05-30T00:31:00.000-05:00

"The Baron's Plight"
15th of Sypheros

Morgan awakened to a knock on his door. A courier delivered an invitation addressed to all three of them - Baron Trelib d'Medani, patriarch of the House of Detection, requested that they join him for dinner that very evening. When he next met his companions, they discussed the invitation and agreed to attend. They spent the day doing some follow-up investigation (including visiting Victor again, though they discovered that he had not been seen for a few days at his local haunts). That evening, they arrived at Baron Trelib's townhouse in Dragon Towers and dined with him.

After supper, Baron Trelib revealed the real purpose of the meeting - he needed them to find his daughter Zelina and the Silver Basilisk, a family heirloom that went missing a week ago (Zelina was trying to track it down when she also disappeared). He told them a bit about the Basilisk, including that it was stolen before by one of the Notorious Six (Vraam, the changeling), and subsequently recovered by Victor Saint-Demain. They pressed him when Gerard sensed that he was holding back, and they learned several things:

-Baron Trelib would have gone to Victor before them, but he had a falling out with the inquistive over a month ago when Victor tried to join the Warning Guild. It was an unprecedented request, as he was not even a half-elf, much less a blood relative of the Medani family, but Victor ensured his own refusal by approaching Baron Trelib with his usual haughty, arrogant demeanor. This argument occured on the 6th of Rhaan.

-House Medani's Sharn enclave is currently quite desperate; they've lost many personnel in the past few months due to the escalating gang wars (and even more recently, due to the unusually violent Wildnight celebrations). Their reputation (and the Baron's, even moreso) is hanging on the success of the prison in Wroat that he worked so hard to have built, and the escape of the Notorious Six is not helping matters much. Because of these things, his enclave is also hard up for cash, which means that the reward he can offer the companions for their services is modest at best.

-Morgan remembered something he heard long before the meeting; Baron Trelib is a close personal friend of King Boranel. He realized that the long-term benefits of having an influential man like Baron Trelib in their debt might outweigh the cons of taking a job with such meager monetary rewards.

They asked for Zelina's notes on the case of the Silver Basilisk, as well as something that Zelina owned (specifically, a comb with some of her hairs attached). Trelib promised to send a courier first thing tomorrow morning with both of these items.

"A Twitchy Old Fence"
16th of Sypheros

Once again, Morgan was woken by a knock on his door; a Medani courier had finally arrived with the items the Baron had promised to deliver, including the case file on the second Silver Basilisk theft as well as a silver comb belonging to Zelina with a few loose strands of dark hair attached. He contacted Esan and told him that they would all meet at the Cathedral of the Cleansing Flame, where Gerard lives.

When Morgan arrived and called on Gerard, the Thranish clerks were somewhat unhelpful, and Esan ended up arriving before Gerard was even summoned. Once they were all gathered, they reviewed the case file together. The only lead that seemed worthwhile was the name of an illicit exports dealer named Vraam Poli (there were several other names on the list with Vraam, but they were all crossed off). They decided to visit this Vraam at the listed address in Boldrei's Hearth.

When they arrived, they discovered that the address was actually an inn called the Copper Kukri; a full parade was in march just outside the door, giving the whole main street a rather carnival-esque appearance. They stepped out of the cacaphony into the Kukri, and were met by a doorman called Yuri. After a healthy bribe he was pleasant, though ultimately unhelpful. He said that Vraam was out enjoying the celebrations, but should be back soon. Gerard spotted an old man sitting at a booth near the door who seemed very interested in their conversation. He told the others this as they sat down to wait, and they agreed that the old man was probably Vraam. He walked out of the Copper Kukri while they were deciding what to do. They followed, and Esan spotted the old man trying to slip away into the crowd. Esan took off like an arrow in flight, catching up to their mark quickly and subduing him.

They took him into an alley and interviewed him. He was in fact Vraam; he tried to bluster his way out of his predicament at first, but when he realized he was cornered, he became slightly more helpful. He did in fact receive a visit from Zelina, but he had no interest in an item as 'hot' as the Silver Basilisk. He did muse to Zelina that if it were him, he'd have the Basilisk melted down and moved out as something less conspicuous. Simple divinations would reveal its original form, which would be enough for many unscrupulous collectors who disliked the House of Detection. He mentioned the name of a silver smith whom he knew was shifty enough to do such a thing - Calinto Mulhar, a recent immigrant from the Shadow Marches who lived in Cassan Bridge. He mentioned this same name to Zelina, who seemed very interested in Calinto when she left. The companions noted that Zelina most likely disappeared shortly after her meeting with Vraam, so they decided to go to Cassan Bridge.

"Shining Star Silver"
16th of Sypheros - late afternoon

When they arrived at Shining Star Silver in Cassan Bridge, they found it in complete disarray. Calinto was brutally murdered minutes before they arrived, and his shop was torn to pieces. Closer inspection of his body revealed that he was beaten to death, most likely by someone's bare fists. They did find something very conspicuous in Calinto's workshop, however; the last mold he used was for the handle of a cane. Morgan's experience as a crafter revealed something more - it wasn't balanced for a regular cane, but a sword cane. Morgan recalled that Victor uses a sword cane, and their suspicions of him grew at an alarming rate. They agreed that they should scry on Zelina before doing anything else. Morgan found a large puddle in an alley off the street, and began casting the spell. It succeeded, and he saw Zelina bound and gagged in a windowless cell that might have once been an office, if the ruined furnishings at the edges of the wall were any indication. During the scrying, the door opened once, and Morgan caught a glimpse of Durok's wide, broken face peering in on the prisoner.

"Falling Through the Gray"
16th of Sypheros - dusk

They decided to visit Victor next, but as they were leaving, they became trapped in a bit of pedestrian congestion - some sort of commotion up ahead was blocking the road. A goblin woman pushed past them with a basket balanced on her back. She dropped it 'accidentally', and several dangerous vipers uncoiled and attacked Morgan and Esan. The woman used the distraction to deadly effect; she took her walking stick and swung it with surprising force at Gerard's neck, which cracked with a sickening crunch. Morgan and Esan watch helplessly as their stalwart friend collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. The subsequent fighting was short and brutal - Gerard's killer used several potent spells against them, but suffered several counterattacks including a freezing blast from Esan and a ray of exhaustion from Morgan; in the meantime, Morgan's metal dog Skoth tore into the vipers, who found their dangerous poisons useless against the homunculus. Eventually, she was brought down, severely weakened by Morgan's necromancies so that she could not resist Esan's death grip. They interrogated her just long enough to learn that she worked for Khelizan, who apparently hasn't given up on them yet; like the previous assassins, she did not know where the execution order originated. Esan snapped her neck while Morgan plunged a dagger into her stomach, and they took Gerard's body back to the Cathedral, hoping for a miracle.

"Archeirophant Ythanna Morr"

Gerard was apparently too valuable of an asset to the Church to be discarded when a method existed to have him returned. One of the few people in Khorvaire who has the means to bring back those killed by an assassin's blow happens to be Gerard's technical overseer in Sharn, the Archierophant Ythanna Morr. Ythanna agreed to use the powerful resurrection prayer on Gerard, though the cost may ultimately be higher than anyone expects. With Gerard back among them (though weakened for the moment), they continued to Victor's house in Clifftop as they had originally planned.

"CAUTION: These Materials May Be Highly Combustible"

They found Victor's place dark and locked up. After some deliberation, they broke in and searched the place; it was in major disarray compared to the neat order they had seen during their previous visits. Morgan searched the filing cabinets, Esan went upstairs to Victor's loft, and Gerard checked the papers on his desk. Morgan found some financial papers that revealed a few interesting things:

-Victor makes regular contributions to an orphanage in the Gate of Gold district.

-He recently made a purchase of 20,000 gp, though the report doesn't say of what

-All of his financial papers are filed by the same clerk; Bengen Burtuckle

Gerard found some interesting blueprints with all sorts of weird notes and numbers, but he could not decipher them. He called Morgan over to help. Morgan almost immediately realized that they were trajectory and speed calculations of a deadly nature; he also found a time circled on the blueprint - 5:32. This is the same time that Baron Trelib's lightning coach is scheduled to depart in just a few hours! Esan interrupted Morgan's grim musings by running down the stairs, advising them to grab what they could and get out of the building immediately. He had smelled something sulphurous upstairs, which was the only warning he needed. Seconds after Morgan ran out the front door, the water tower exploded in a brilliant ball of acid, fire and debris. A chain of subsequent detonations tore into the office and loft, obliterating Victor's old home in just a few seconds. They found bits of charred flesh and the remains of Victor's sword cane among the debris, but decided that this was inconclusive at best, considering their other evidence. They knew that the crowds of Wildnight's opening celebrations would cause no end of difficulty, so they immediately left for the Terminus Station in Lower Tavick's Landing, trying to beat their shadowy nemesis to Baron Trelib's parked rail car.

"A Moment of Brash Heroics"

They arrived at the train station less than an hour before Trelib's car was scheduled to depart. Morgan knew that the Baron would have already boarded at this point, so they didn't have much time. They rushed to Platform Twelve, but were stopped by a half-dozen warforged guards who obviously 'belonged' to House Orien, if their stylized unicorn horns were any indication. The companions managed to talk their way through, however, and they got to the Baron's car. They evacuated it, explaining to Trelib what was about to happen as they ran. Even then, they could hear the distant roar of an approaching out-of-control train. They realized that the collision would kill a lot of innocent people who wouldn't have time to evacuate the adjacent platforms, so they did something incredibly risky and brave - they boarded the Baron's private rail car and had the conductor start it up. They would ride the car out of the station and meet the approaching train head-on, away from vulnerable civilians. They started up the car and it shot out of the station like a magic missile. They managed to jump off onto adjacent platforms (with Esan holding the frightened conductor in his arms) just in time, and the two trains collided in a deafening explosion of fire, electricity and shrapnel just outside the station.

Seconds later, an arrow barely missed Baron d'Medani, instead landing in the wall just beside him. All three of the companions saw an ivory gargoyle flying away, though Scrimshaw was gone too fast for them to launch a counterattack. On the shaft of the arrow, a note was attached:

"House Medani has doomed itself with its own arrogance. You pathetic fools could not hope to catch me. There is no one in Sharn with the wit to match the greatest inquisitive in history. Tonight, the chimes at midnight will sound the death toll of the scion of House Medani.

Victor Saint-Demain
Master Inquisitive of Sharn"

Episode III: Chimes at Midnight - Act I

2006-05-28T13:46:00.000-05:00

"The Notorious Six"
12th of Sypheros - afternoon

Esan, Gerard and Morgan stepped out of the Roost after Callevus left and began making their way back to the nearest skycoach platform. On the way, they came across a chaotic scene at a crossroad plaza - a prison caravan's convicts were in the process of breaking out and killing all of their captors. They could also hear screams from nearby buildings, indicating that some of the escapees were looting. With the Watch nowhere in sight, the companions intervened, killing or capturing a rabid troll, several goblins and gnolls, and a grizzled, one-eyed gnoll named Gargrush. The Watch eventually arrived and rounded up the remaining prisoners, and the Sergeant spoke with the companions at length. They learned that Gargrush was an infamous Daask enforcer, but more importantly, six of the caravan's most dangerous prisoners escaped before the companions even arrived. The Sergeant named them as follows:

-Vrinn, a changeling thief with delusions of grandeur

-Durok the Masher, an ex-Daask bugbear enforcer who got all of his teeth removed when he failed his last boss; currently on the run from the organization

-Scrimshaw the Ivory Gargoyle; a rare breed of the malevolent winged race

-Grimgraj, a hobgoblin brawler who kills with his bare hands; has many tattoos and piercings

-Rrregla the Gasper, a creature from Khyber known as a 'choker' for obvious reasons

-Mange, a shifter reknowned for his fierce brutality and grotesque diet

The companions decided that the rewards for catching these criminals would be great, so they set out to the Citadel to learn more. When they arrived, they spoke at length with Captain Davik ir'Barrowyn, a knight in service to the Citadel (and Boranel, by proxy). Davik was very helpful, giving them detailed case files on all six escaped convicts. He also mentioned that the caravan was part of House Medani's new venture in Wroat: a brand new prison facility for long-term convicts too dangerous too keep in Sharn, but not high-profile enough to ship off to Dreadhold. They read the case files and learned that the arresting inquisitive on all six cases was Victor Saint-Demain, their old friend from the days of Ziki "the Flenser" in Oakbridge. They decided to pay Victor a visit at his home in Clifftop. When they arrived, he was cordial, though he seemed a bit more haggard than usual. He told them that he was dealing with a separate Daask-related case in the Cogs. He also gave them detailed dossiers on all six convicts, which revealed the following additional information:

-Vrinn is also known as the Cyclops, because in his favorite form he looks like a changeling with one eye. He believes (probably falsely) that he is a descendant of the ancient giant race from Xen'Drik. He also used to be a member of the Tyrants, a criminal organization based in Sharn that consists entirely of shapeshifters. They run the prostitution trade. Vrinn is currently on the run from the Tyrants, though Victor's notes don't explain why.

-Durok is extremely addicted to dreamlily; this was an asset to Victor both in tracking him down and bringing him in. His dealer is a dwarf named Creeks who lives in Callestan.

-Scrimshaw is not actually an albino; he has a rare skin disease that causes his skin to turn white and flake off. It is apparently very painful, but no priest will heal him, so he hates all clerics with a terrible passion.

-Grimgraj is a failed monk because of his violent temper, though he understands the martial techniques he learned quite well. He also has an item called a 'circlet of blasting' implanted in his head.

-Rrregla loves anise-scented cigars; she is called the Gasper not because of how she kills, but because she has a respiratory disease that causes her to wheeze and gasp frequently. She is vulnerable to airborne irritants such as pepper.

-Mange is brutal and fierce, but he is also scared witless of even the sight of silver, and may flee from it.

They retired for the evening at an inn in Callestan called the Broken Anvil.

"Drugs and Hookers"
13th of Sypheros - morning

When they woke that morning, they decided to split up to take care of several tasks at once. Esan would go to Firelight and try to find the Tyrants, while Gerard and Morgan would return to the Citadel to interrogate one of the goblins who was recaptured at the caravan breakout yesterday afternoon.

Esan had little immediate luck, though he made it known that he was interested in business with the Tyrants beyond their usual fare. Morgan and Gerard's interview with Grobij was more fruitful. Grobij revealed that he had been Durok's dealer in prison; his outside contact who smuggled dreamlily into the prison is a goblin named Smelky who lives in Fallen. He didn't know any of the Notorious Six besides Durok, but he did see a bit of the initial breakout. Vrinn was the first to get out - he unlocked everyone's cells and then made a break for it. The Six seemed to know that they would be broken out, because they didn't linger like the other convicts. As soon as they were released, they rushed out of sight in different directions, not even stopping to kill on their way unless it was very convenient.

"Turf War"
13th of Sypheros - afternoon

They met up at the Broken Anvil for lunch and decided to visit Creeks first, since he was in the neighborhood. They arrived too late, finding the dwarven drug dealer brutally murdered in the street outside his den. His face looked like it had been flensed off by a curved weapon. A bystander in the know mentioned that this hit was probably the handiwork of a Daask assassin under the employ of a local crime lord named Khelizan. The assassin in question is a devotee of the Mockery, hence the flensing. They checked Creeks' den, trying to learn what they could from the drug-addled denizens. This was apparently not much. They continued on to Smelky's in Fallen.

Smelky was helpful mainly because he was cornered. He told them that Creeks was probably killed because of the escalating violence between Daask and the Boromar Clan. Boromar controls dreamlily traffic (and thus the dealers), but dealers in Daask territory pay tribute to the Droaamites to ensure their continued existence. However, the turf wars have made some Daask crime lords more interested in denying Boromar business than filling their own coffers with tribute money, so dreamlily dealers in Daask territory have been meeting unfortunate knife- or club-related accidents in broad daylight for the past few months. Khelizan probably had Creeks killed because of this, and Smelky was concerned for his own neck as well. Smelky also told them that Khelizan was a powerful ogre mage.

They decided to visit Khelizan's headquarters in Fallen to see what his involvement in all of this might be. The best case scenario might turn him into a temporary ally in their hunt for Durok. Unfortunately, they couldn't get past Khelizan's burly ogre doorman. The companions returned to the Broken Anvil, stumped for what to do next. They received an urgent mental message from Callevus just before they retired for the evening, however: someone had put a bounty on their heads some time that day. Callevus warned them to be cautious of assassins.

"Callevus Was Right!"
14th of Sypheros - morning

The very next morning, Esan, Gerard and Morgan were attacked as they walked out the door of the Broken Anvil. Two goblin sorcerers on a balcony above blasted away with disabling or damaging rays while two massive ogres flanked them from either side of the street. After fierce fighting, one ogre was dead, another captured, and the two goblins were routed (partly because Morgan permanently blinded one of them). They learned from the ogre captive that the hit was ordered by Khelizan, though he had no idea whether Khelizan was contracted out for the task, or if he was using his own resources to kill them for personal reasons. After releasing the ogre, they decided to conduct surveillance on Khelizan's headquarters. Almost by coincidence, they managed to ambush the two goblin sorcerers en route, killing one and capturing the blinded one. When they interrogated him, they did not discover who ordered the hit, but they did learn that Khelizan was being visited by the Inspired on a regular basis. Esan theorized that there was something big going down related to the trafficking of dreamlily, Boromar, Daask and Reidra, but he wasn't sure what.

"A Precarious Situation"
14th of Sypheros - evening

They got a chance to find out when they saw an Inspired man enter Khelizan's late that evening. When he left, Esan decided to tail him, and the others followed a ways behind Esan (Corvus stayed near the psion, however). Esan followed the Inspired agent all the way to the dock district called Precarious. Esan knew that this place was full of Reidrans (and by extension, the Inspired). His mark turned down an alley and entered warehouse, but Esan crawled through a window into the warehouse instead of using the door to follow. Corvus perched up across the window, staying in Esan's line of sight. Esan discovered that there were several Inspired warriors waiting in ambush, but they were watching the door, not the windows. Esan signaled to the others with a smokestick, which meant to attack, and they sprang the trap. They dealt with the Inspired handily, killing them all.

They broke into the attached office building and discovered that this warehouse and several adjoining ones belonged to Dhal's Imports, which caters to local restaurants with various imported food products. They found the manifests, and learned that Reidra is a major exporter of said food products for Dhal's. The Sharn Watch showed up moments later (thanks to Corvus, they were forewarned). Esan slipped out, and Gerard and Morgan went down to greet them. Gerard flashed his badge around, and they managed to not get arrested, though the Watch Sergeant demanded that they go to the local station to fill out a report. He informed them that the people they killed were retainers of the chief Reidran diplomat in Sharn, a woman named Tirashana. After making sure they understood the implications of this, he released them. They retired to their respective homes, exhausted.

Interlude - Callevus d'Cannith

2006-04-28T13:17:00.000-05:00

12th of Sypheros, 998 YK

It has been nearly two months since our heroes vanquished Ziki "the Flenser" and brought peace to the sleepy Northedge neighborhood of Oakbridge. They have begun to realize, even while separated and left to pursue their own agendas, that they are a good team together. The bonds of friendship grow, and they keep more frequent contact in this intervening time period.

On the 12th of Sypheros, the Wildnight Festival has only just begun. The next few days will see some of the wildest, most dangerous parties in all of Khorvaire, especially in the City of Towers. On the 17th of Sypheros, the Festival will culminate in Wildnight, a crazed celebration in honor of the Fury, god of passion and madness. Most sensible people will remain indoors, but on Wildnight, the sensible are a small minority.

Late that morning, Morgan Ironwright woke up to discover a letter waiting for him at the door of his flat. It was short, yet alarming:

Morgan Ironwright,

I have some information that may be of interest to you regarding your exploits in Karrnath earlier this year. I would like to meet you to discuss it today, if at all possible. Bring your associates if you can, for I would like to meet all of you. I'll be waiting for you at the Roost in Dragon Towers this evening.

Signed, Callevus d'Cannith

Morgan wasted no time in contacting his two new friends. They met up at noon and decided to go to the Roost early, to scope the place out and await a person whom they believed would blackmail them.

Dragon Towers is the economic hub of Sharn, home to dozens of powerful guilds and organizations, including offices of all thirteen dragonmarked houses. Deals are brokered here every day that affect the entire continent, and one can almost smell the concentrated arrogance of a thousand merchant princes plotting the course of Khorvaire's future based on their own personal whims. 'Hustle bustle' does not begin to describe it, and our heroes had some trouble finding the Roost through the packed crowds.

Eventually, they arrived in a large plaza set within a hollow tower. Street musicians vied for the attention of onlookers as Morgan led his friends into the Roost. It was noisy with lunch patrons, yet the place looked well-maintained and clean. After making sure that Callevus had not yet arrived, they settled down to wait for him. Esan decided to wait outside.

Hours passed, yet Esan remained vigilant even when a fiddler attempted to win him over with several rousing numbers that were (all-in-all) some of the better performances he had seen that day. Eventually, he caught sight of a man in a nondescript traveler's cloak walking past to enter the Roost. Esan's sharp ears caught several clicking and whirring sounds as the stranger walked through the door; when the man brought a finger of flame up to the hood of his cloak to light a cigarette poking out of the darkness within, it briefly lit up a horribly scarred, human face whose eyes were covered by a pair of opaque goggles.

The mechanical man entered the Roost and immediately saw Morgan and Gerard. He walked over there, introduced himself as Callevus d'Cannith, and asked if they would like to speak in private (there were rooms for that purpose in the Roost, which he explained was his reason for picking this place).

Callevus was quick in getting to the point of the visit, demanding that they drop any pretenses of not being involved in Talovar ir'Mandar's assassination. Their handiwork had apparently made an impression in the espionage community, and he knew for a fact that they had been there. He was not interested in blackmail, however. He revealed to them that he was a member of the secret society known as the Knights of Galifar.

Knights of Galifar: Outspoken liberals on politics and economy, these self-proclaimed patriots seek to maintain the old codes of justice that were first written by Galifar I, and enforced across most of Khorvaire for the better part of a millenium. Some are legitimate (if a bit eccentric and outspoken) business owners and statespersons, but most are considered dangerous vigilantes by official sources. The organization, while not outlawed in most countries, is frowned upon for its 'radical' ideals. Because they are frequently targeted by assassins of organizations that either harbor war criminals or seek to uphold the new status quo (or both), members hide their association with the organization, and it is considered to be a secret society.

Callevus explained to them the real purpose of his summons - he wanted them to track down Ermana Kessler, the wily Emerald Claw commander who had eluded their grasp in Karrnath last Olarune. He had been using discreet contacts to track her approximate course over the past few months, and he had learned exactly what she planned to do. She was seeking an artifact rumored lost tens of thousands of years ago, when the giants of Xen'Drik were obliterated in the last cataclysm of their age. Known as the Onyx of Mabar, this sinister stone was rumored to be the source of great necromantic power. It was once the posession of a dread lich giant, who ruled the lost Emerald City deep within the heart of the northern jungles. When the famous archaelogist of Morgrave University known as Paetric Kendig rediscovered this fabled ruin, it did not take long for Ermana Kessler's superiors to dig up their scattered notes on the Onyx and begin putting together an expedition.

Speaking of Ermana's superiors, Callevus took a moment to reveal a terrible secret about the Order of the Emerald Claw, and its sinister origins. He took the companions far back in time, to the history of the Aerenal elves. Most people in Khorvaire of any educational pedigree understand that the elves possess the Mark of Shadow, which is kept in secure bloodlines by House Phiarlan. What few know, however, is that there was once a second dragonmark in the elven heritage - the Mark of Death, possessed by House Vol.

Apparently, the last matriarch of House Vol had a forbidden relationship with a green dragon of Argonnessen many years ago. The dragons threatened terrible repercussions on the elves if they didn't handle this internal affair themselves, and it was all the excuse they needed. The Aerenal were always mistrustful of House Vol, for they saw their undead experiments as blasphemous in nature. The elves descended on House Vol and tore it to shreds, killing every last dragonmarked heir in the family and many unmarked scions to boot. The matriarch, knowing she had doomed her house, sought to save her daughter Erandis from the senseless slaughter by any means necessary. In an unholy ritual now lost to the sands of time, she turned her half-dragon daughter into a lich.

Most elves believe that Erandis d'Vol was killed during the last days of fighting regardless of this, but Callevus tells them what he believes is the truth; Erandis was smuggled out of Aerenal to Khorvaire. Over the following centuries, she built up a secret society called the Blood of Vol, which she used to seek out elves who might still possess the dread Mark of Death. The organization eventually cultivated a legitimate religion now popular in Karrnath, but it also brought forth the Order of the Emerald Claw, which serves Erandis d'Vol almost directly. Many within the organization are not aware of their true master, or even their relationship with the Blood of Vol.

Ermana Kessler is, and Callevus believes her mission comes straight from the top. If Erandis d'Vol wants this Onyx of Mabar, it is up to those who are able to prevent her from recovering it. Callevus offers to pay well for the artifact's recovery, which he may be able to destroy himself with the proper rituals later on. His offer is generous, but he won't write up a formal contract until his eyes and ears tell him that Ermana Kessler has left the Lhazaar Principalities for Xen'Drik. Callevus believes she is currently gathering resources for the expedition, though he isn't sure exactly what the nature of these resources is, or why it is taking so long.

After a short negotiation, they agreed to his request. He will contact them again and set them up with their own resources (including a guide familiar with Xen'Drik) when he learns more of Ermana's whereabouts.

News Clippings II: Barrakas Summit and Ziki's Trial

2006-04-22T14:16:00.000-05:00

Korranberg Chronicle Excerpts

15th of Barrakas (special edition)

THRONEHOLD: Despite the diplomatic difficulties that have plagued this year's international summit, the sovereign home of Galifar was filled with state officials and dignitaries on Far. Many saw this as a sign that the new rulers of Khorvaire would set aside their differences and take care of some of the pressing issues that face our great land. They were mistaken. What followed the pomp and fanfare of the initiation ceremony were three days of pointless bickering over trade disputes, border technicalities, and the nations of New Cyre and Droaam. Lowlights of the event were Queen Aurala proposing that New Cyre be disbanded completely, turning out thousands of refugees from the Day of Mourning, and Cardinal Krozen openly calling King Kaius a war criminal before storming out of the committee and returning to Flamekeep.

There were a few bright spots in the summit's deliberations, however. Despite the open hostility between Thrane and Karrnath, plans were finalized (largely by the delegates from the United Trade Coalition, House Cannith and House Orien) to rebuild the Golden Arch Bridge between the two nations. This is an economic development, and if either Karrnath and Thrane could afford not to open up trade with each other, they would certainly have declined. All of Khorvaire will benefit from the East and West Rail Lines being reconnected; the project is expected to be completed in early 1001.

Against the vocal protests of Karrnath and House Deneith, Thrane's fledgling law organization, the Shadowbane Inquisition, was given special new priviledges in international territories, including Aundair, the Talenta Plains, the Eldeen Reaches and Q'barra, which had previously denied the group's authority completely. This turnaround was largely due to some recent and well-publicized successes by agents of the Inquisition internationally, which proved the organization's usefulness in secular matters.

Several projects were organized to provide relief to victims of the massive flooding in northern Khorvaire last spring. Druids of the Eldeen Reaches managed to divert the worst of it, though thousands remain homeless in Aundair, Thrane and Karrnath. The ambassadors of Reidra generously offered yet more assistance in this matter, continuing a trend of unrestricted philanthropy which has put them in high favor all across Khorvaire.

A potentially deadly dispute between Darguun and Valenar over sea pirates was resolved peacefully, much to everyone's surprise. The two war-like nations hardly ever see eye to eye, yet their delegates were seen speaking privately and amiably throughout the conference, and many now think they were the most level-headed diplomats in Thronehold that weekend.

Finally, the United Trade Coalition surprised everyone with some very important trade expansion plans that they had been keeping sealed up tight until the Summit. Their proposed changes to international tarriff laws and border tolls are expected to streamline the flow of coin in the Five Nations area, and make exporting and importing a much less daunting process for merchants across Khorvaire. Their measures were passed unanimously, and could begin the long process of rebuilding Khorvaire's broken economic backbone as early as 999 YK.

7th of Rhaan

SHARN: The trial of Ziki "Flenser", the now-infamous serial killer of Oakbridge, Northedge, went about as expected. Despite protests from local changelings who called her trial 'unfair' and 'racially biased', she was convicted on four counts of first degree murder and sentenced to death. She is also suspected to be behind over four dozen additional killings across greater Breland over the past two years, all targeting ex-members of the Peace Circus, a traveling carnival that brought hope and laughter to war-weary souls for decades. The two surviving members of the Circus, who both reside in Ziki's latest killing ground of Oakbridge, were unavailable for comment. The residents of Oakbridge who could be reached indicated that they were pleased with the trial's results; several also offered glowing praise for Inquisitor Gerard Angevin and his deputies, who cracked the case in record time and even garnered rare commendation from Victor Saint-Demain, who is usually quite critical of rival inquisitives.

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act III

2006-04-21T16:10:00.000-05:00

From the Korranberg Chronicle, 19th of Lharvion 998 YK (morning edition) :

Mayhem in Oakbridge!

by Karlos Ablefirst

SHARN: As many residents of Sharn have recently become aware, there has been a brutal series of murders over the past week in the sleepy neighborhood of Oakbridge, Middle Northedge. When the first victim of these slayings was discovered, his case was immediately dismissed by the local Watchmen as suicide. My good friend Victor Saint-Demain tells me now that things would have ended there (for a while, at least), had it not been for the investigative efforts of a Thranish man named Gerard Angevin and his two partners, Shinto of Overlook and Morgan Ironwright (both of whom reside in Sharn). These three worked together immediately after Svans ir'Kilmansor's demise to begin flushing out the murderer, who would go on to kill three more Oakbridge residents over the next two days.

Naturally, I decided to visit Victor for a casual interview once I learned that he had also been assigned to the case, this time at the head of a contingent of Sharn's Best. We agreed to meet on the evening of the 18th at the Bluebird Inn, also in Oakbridge. When I arrived, I was surprised to see Victor at ease; normally, when he's on a high profile case you can't make the man sit down! But he informed me as we settled down to dinner that our two supper companions were in fact the killer's next victims. He was content to keep an eye on them while Angevin and company flushed out the murderer using the evidence they had already acquired when Victor first arrived on the scene. We didn't know it at the time, but this would happen before dessert.

It was around dusk when a tall man in shining plate armor stepped into the room, wearing the badge of a Shadowbane Inquistor on his chest and a sword on his back. He made his way over to our table, made small talk with Victor, and then suddenly turned around and arrested our barmaid! 'Preposterous', I thought - she was barely old enough to be a barmaid. Even as the thought entered my mind, she began weaving her hands together and muttering an incantation.

I don't remember what happened exactly after that, to be honest with you. The world passed into a haze of madness and agony, and I fell upon my fellow patrons, and they on I and each other, in a fury of fists, knives and feet that would have killed us all before the spell was broken. When I came to my senses perhaps a minute later, it was all over. Most people in the common room were unconscious and bleeding, and I myself had a terrible cut in my side. Angevin used the power of his Silver Flame to heal it closed, along with the mortal wounds of several others who had fallen to the murderess' enchantments.

I learned later during interviews with Angevin, Shinto and Ironwright what had happened during that terrible minute of frenzied destruction in the Bluebird Inn common room. As I suspected, the killer had placed a dire spell upon us all, which muddled our thoughts and increased our paranoia against one another. She had planned to use this distraction to get away, for she knew that Angevin's pure heart would not allow him to abandon us to each other's maddened whims. But she had not thought it all through carefully enough; while Angevin and Saint-Demain remained in the common room, braving the sudden insanity of the place to prevent us from slaughtering one another, Shinto and Ironwright pursued the killer relentlessly, quickly subduing her with their potent magicks. During the interviews, I learned that she is a changeling named Ziki, though the Sharn Watch remains tight-lipped about her motives as she awaits trial.

In the meantime, it seems as if the Shadowbane Inquisition has begun proving its worth as a law enforcement agency abroad. If this quick and decisive investigation is any measure of the skill required of their agents, I fully expect them to get the added authority that the Council of Cardinals seeks at the Summit next month. Regardless of those developments, criminals in Sharn will now surely be stepping more lightly while Inquisitive Angevin and company are in town.

[at the bottom of the article is a fairly decent artist's depiction of Gerard, flanked by Morgan and Esan, who stand in the shadows behind him]

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act II

2006-03-19T13:57:00.000-06:00

Scene I - 17th of Lharvion 998 YK
"The Three-Fingered Maniac" (continued)

The battle with Lucian Cruzgar was a hazardous one for the three investigators. He opened up hostilities by throwing a flash pellet in their midst, temporarily blinding both Gerard and Morgan. He retreated towards his room, with only Esan capable of pursuing for the moment. Lucian nearly killed Esan during the brief melee that ensued, unleashing a flurry of deadly steel that would have sliced the elan to ribbons had he not instilled some of his latent mental energy into his corporeal body at the last moment. Fortunately, at this point Gerard and Morgan caught up. Esan attempted without success to stun Lucian with a freezing burst of psychic power, while Gerard closed the melee gap once again. Lucian dealt serious damage to the Silver Flame priest, and Gerard was forced to withdraw and heal himself. Morgan turned the tide of battle by blinding their deranged foe, but Lucian eluded them for a few seconds by jumping out the window to a bridge over a hundred feet below. Esan followed, landing silently in front of his now-sightless opponent and sneaking around behind him while Morgan and Gerard landed more noisily in the other direction, drawing Lucian's attention.

Morgan proceeded to talk Lucian down through a strange combination of gentle coercion and brute intimidation. It worked somewhat. He showed them that he had no tattoo on his upper chest, and after they told him why he was a suspect to begin with, he agreed to follow them to the Bluebird Inn so they could measure his hand up against the bloody print on Drummer's door. He kept his weapons, though. Esan used the diversion to sneak back to Lucian's studio and investigate for further evidence - he found little of interest there. When Morgan and Gerard took Lucian back to the Bluebird Inn, they found the Sharn Watch already there. Gerard flashed his badge and they were all allowed back to the crime scene, where Lucian's hand was compared against the killer's print. They did not match at all.

They left the Bluebird Inn with Lucian to go to Oakbridge Church, where Loffer could cure Lucian's otherwise permanent blindness, but they left a message for Esan with one of the Watchmen, so he could catch up with them at the church. At the church, Loffer removed Lucian's blindness. While this was going on, Esan returned to the Inn and got the message, but he also discovered that the Watch had called in a more experienced inquisitor to handle the murder investigation; Victor Saint-Demain was on his way to Oakbridge. Esan went to the church and relayed all he had discovered to his companions. They spoke with Lucian a while longer, and he offered his opinion that this was all a plot by the Order of the Emerald Claw, which had supposedly been trying to assassinate him for years. They confirmed that he did not know any of the victims before letting him go home.

Scene II
"Back to the Crime Scenes"

The investigators returned to Borgo's apartment, where they hoped to find some more clues. They looked through his journal and discovered some references to his time with Drummer in something called the 'Peace Circus'. They removed Borgo's body from the apartment, intent on having Loffer speak with him. Borgo didn't have much to say, so they spoke with Sarfina about the Peace Circus. She knew quite a bit more; she said that the Peace Circus had been a group of performers that made an annual circuit around rural Breland, raising the spirits of war-weary souls wherever they could. Borgo and Drummer had been in it, as well as Corlina the dancer and her husband Roctor. Volin, a local bard, had trained wild animals to perform tricks for the crowds, while Svans ir'Kilmansor ran the operation.

Sarfina mentioned that a terrible accident resulting in the death of an infant had ended the Peace Circus' run about two years ago. She wasn't sure of the specifics, so they decided to pay the Sharn Inquisitive offices a visit. Gerard managed to get access to the Inquisitive's archives by flashing his badge and dropping some names, and they uncovered an article dating back to Aryth 11, 996 YK (the day the Thronehold Treaty was signed). It was a brief report from Nowhere, the last place where the Peace Circus ever performed. It explained how a pair of 'tamed' deinonychus' had suddenly went crazy, tearing into the crowd before their trainer could stop them. The Peace Circus staff acted quickly and brought the crazed dinosaurs down, but a changeling child was torn to shreds before they got there. The child's mother was also horribly maimed, but she didn't even stick around to give a name. The investigators were satisfied that they were finally getting somewhere, but the real difficulty of the situation was now apparent - how were they going to track down a changeling if they didn't even know her name?

Scene II
"A Sordid Love Affair"

Before interviewing the three ex-carnies who they believed were the last victims in this murder spree, the investigators returned to Loffer's church and had the priest cast speak with dead on Borgo's body. A bit of clever questioning revealed that Corlina might in fact be having an affair with Volin. They left the church for Corlina and Roctor's home. Both were available for questioning. Corlina became uncomfortable during the interview any time Volin was mentioned, though her husband seemed oblivious. They were both forthcoming with most information, and Roctor even provided them with an address book of some other ex-members of the Circus in greater Breland, though he said he hadn't really kept up with anyone for a while. They told the couple that they ought to be careful, because they were both potential victims in the very near future. Before they left, Morgan asked Corlina to accompany them to Volin's house, since they did not know where in the neighborhood it was. She agreed, and they left the Herfast residence.
Morgan wasted no time telling Corlina not to be coy - they knew about her affair with Volin. She tried to make excused, but they weren't really interested in any of it; that was not within the scope of their investigation, after all.

When they arrived at his house, they spoke with Volin about the issues at hand. He took responsibility for the death of the changeling child - the two dinosaurs in his care had been deteriorating for some time, but other things had kept him distracted enough that he didn't notice until it was too late. When pressed about these other things, he remained elusive in front of Corlina. Gerard separated the two of them, and Volin admitted that his affair with Corlina had been his primary focus for the months leading up to the accident. He believed that, had it not been for that, the child would never have been killed and the Peace Circus might even now be making its annual circuits. He was not very happy with this emotional burden, but he was also angry that the changeling mother who was now trying to kill them hadn't thought of a more reasonable way to vent her own grief.

Scene III - 18th of Lharvion
"Murder Four"

That evening, the companions decided to keep watch over Volin's house from Borgo's apartment across the street, for they believed he was the most likely victim to be targeted next. They took watches, and slept in the deceased dwarf's home on one of the balmiest nights of the year. Two hours before midnight, Esan was on watch, and he saw Corlina coming down the street. She was wearing her dancer's attire, so they thought she was most likely coming from her evening work at the Bluebird Inn. She entered Volin's house, and stayed there for about two hours. At midnight, she left, presumably to go home. Esan decided to trail her there, both to protect her and to make sure she wasn't up to anything. Morgan sent his Corvus with him. When the murderer is a changeling, one can never be too careful...

Nothing impeded Corlina's path to her house, and she didn't see any sign of her extra shadow. When she arrived at her house, she went inside. Esan decided to wait a little while outside, but he didn't have to wait long, because she came running out screaming seconds later. He revealed his presence to her and stopped her from running off. She calmed down long enough to tell Esan that she had found Roctor dead in a pool of his own blood. Esan told her to wait outside while he checked the house. He searched quickly, but could not find the killer inside. Before investigating further, he decided to take Corlina to a safe place. He send Corvus back to Morgan with a summons to the Bluebird Inn, where Esan would leave Corlina in Graff and Sarfina's care overnight.

The three investigators returned to the Herfast residence and scoured it for clues. They discovered that Roctar had been stabbed twice, once in the back and once through the throat. There were a few strands of hair in Roctor's clenched fist, and when Morgan examined them he saw that they changed color slowly. Roctor must have not gone down without a fight. They removed him to Loffer's church, where he could be spoken with in the morning. They continued watching Volin's residence for the rest of the night.

At dawn, they moved Volin to the Bluebird Inn with Corlina. They asked Victor Saint-Demain, who was also staying there, to watch over the two of them while they rooted out the killer. He agreed, and said that he would keep them both in a public place, since the murderer liked to catch her victims alone.

At around noon, they returned to Loffer's Church and spoke with Roctor. He confirmed what they already knew - the changeling mother was responsible for the murders, and the hair they now possessed had belonged to her. They decided to visit the Cronix Arcanary nearby to see if the local wizard had a method of scrying on the murderer; they found that ir’Cronix didn’t have a scroll handy, but he believed he could acquire one that day if they were willing to wait.

Early that evening, ir’Cronix returned with the scroll and began the hour-long process of preparation required to cast the powerful divination. He used the changeling’s hair as a focus to increase the chances of success…

After the hour had passed, ir’Cronix’ eyes went bright as he stared into the foggy mirror. A few minutes later, he came to, looking a bit flush. “She’s at the Bluebird Inn…serving that Saint-Demain and the dancer their dinner…”

They left the Arcanary at a run.

Backdrop: Race of Eight Winds

2006-03-05T21:42:00.000-06:00

This is a reprint of the excellent Dragonshard article by Keith Baker, creator of Eberron.

The original article can be found here:

http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ebds/20041220a

The Race of Eight Winds

Sharn is a vertical city, and over the course of centuries the people of Sharn have developed a variety of sporting events that take advantage of the unique architecture of their home. Windchasers dart around the towers following elaborate racing paths, while skyblades joust far above the ground. But one event overshadows the rest: the Race of Eight Winds, which is held on the 23rd day of Lharvion. This event draws spectators and gamblers from across Khorvaire. Part race, part aerial battle, this stunning spectacle has shaped the culture of the Dura Ward -- and this event can present many opportunities for adventurers.

History and Structure

According to legend, King Galifar II was fascinated by the use of aerial scouts and cavalry. Some say that he used Sharn as a testing ground to judge the merits of different flying beasts, granting land and gold to exceptional cavaliers. Over the centuries, this evolved into an exotic race involving different sorts of magical and fantastic beasts. For purposes of the race, Dura is divided into eight regions, each of which is represented by a different creature. To this day, the name of the creature is often used as a slang term for the inhabitant of one of these areas; when someone talks about "that treacherous owl," he's probably referring to a resident of Rattlestone or the Bazaar.

The race itself is a test of speed and skill, challenging the reflexes and combat skills of both beast and rider. From the starting point in Hareth's Folly, the race takes competitors on an intricate course that weaves in and around the towers of Sharn -- and since contact is allowed between riders and beasts, the racers can always try to win by eliminating the competition.

The race is older than most of Sharn, which explains why much of Upper Dura is not represented; it literally didn't exist when the tradition began. Hareth's Folly and Hostelhome have always been neutral ground where people gather to watch the race.

While not everyone takes an interest, many of the inhabitants of Lower and Middle Dura are avid followers of the Race of Eight Winds. It brings people of all races and professions together, and those directly involved with the race are the heroes of their districts. This includes the riders and handlers, along with the Wind Guard -- a committee appointed to manage the interests of the region. While this is a great honor, it carries considerable responsibility: there is far more to the Race of Eight Winds than just skill in the air. The Wind Guard has to raise funds to acquire, maintain, and train the exotic beasts used in the competition. Usually local merchants donate a share of their profits to support the race, but it is up to the Wind Guard to make up for any shortfall. In addition to finances, the members of the Wind Guard engage in a never-ending series of schemes and negotiations on behalf of their region. Alliances and networks of favors stretch back for centuries, making the race as much a match of politics as of speed. The owl is one of the slowest creatures in the race, but the Bazaar has a powerful economic position and often uses bribery and graft to get ahead. The griffon rarely tries to win, instead using its physical power as a bargaining chip throughout the period between races; even if the griffon can't win, it can usually take another creature out of the race. Of course, it may be that the hawk owes a favor to the owl, and repays that favor by asking the griffon to cripple the pegasus -- and this is a fairly simple example.

The Rules

Traditionally, each region enters a single beast and rider in the race. However, if a region makes a 250 gp donation (which goes into a general treasury to offset the cost of the land grant), it may enter a second contestant. While this is rarely done, it is the primary way for outsiders -- such as player characters -- to enter the race. A would-be contestant would need to negotiate with the Wind Guard and find a region that willingly lets her participate under their banner.

The race itself is a dangerous event. Full contact is allowed between beasts and riders, and beasts can use any natural weapons that they possess. Riders cannot use spells, psionic disciplines, dragonmarks, magic devices, or alchemical items, and anyone who breaks these rules is immediately disqualified and exposed to mob violence. A rider is allowed to carry a sporting crossbow and a dozen quarrels; this is similar to a light crossbow, but it has an 80-foot range increment and deals only 1d3/1d4 damage. This allows for entertaining conflict while preventing swift kills.

The victorious rider receives a 500 gp purse and a small parcel of land -- while the Wind Guard of the winning region lays claim to the Rod of Eight Winds. This mysterious item is a major artifact recovered from the depths of the city long ago; some say it is linked to Syrania and projects the effects of a manifest zone within a short distance. However, few of the people of Dura have any interest in the rod's history or powers. What matters is its current role as the symbol of Dura's pride -- and each district is desperate to claim it.

Using the Race of Eight Winds

The Race of Eight Winds is a massive sporting event that draws interest from across the continent. It could impact an adventure in a number of ways.

Local Color: Each creature is associated with a particular region within Dura. As the race draws near, visitors see banners displayed across Dura, and people dress in the colors of their beast. Passing adventurers may be invited to a meal and called upon to toast the health of the local beast, or an adventurer who coincidentally happens to be wearing the wrong colors may spark a brawl. This can provide a way to introduce new NPC enemies or allies, or simply add depth to the description of a scene.

Participation: A skilled rider may want to enter the race himself. The character needs to gain the sponsorship of one of the regions; he is more likely to gain the acceptance of one of the slower beasts than the hippogriff or pegasus, who win all the time and want to preserve the fame of their local riders. Winning the race makes the character a landowner, which could be interesting; it also makes him a local celebrity in Sharn, which could open the door to many other opportunities.

Troubleshooting: Someone has poisoned the local griffons, and the Wind Guard of Precarious have only three weeks to find a replacement: Can the party find a wild griffon in time? The race is in one week, but the Rod of Eight Winds has been stolen; can the adventurers recover the lost artifact? The PCs are asked to provide security for the pegasus -- which seems like an easy task until Daask gets involved. A friend of the party loses a fortune gambling on the race, and the Boromar Clan is threatening her life: Can the PCs help? If the characters are unscrupulous enough, they may even be hired to cripple racing beasts to skew the odds!

The Beasts

Looking to add a little color to Dura? Here are the eight beasts traditionally used in the race, along with the districts they represent.

The Eagle: The districts of Broken Arch and Stormhold support the giant eagle, whose colors are brown and gold. Stormholders are especially passionate about the race, even though the eagle rarely wins. Many Stormholders take pride in being fierce and noble like the eagle, and they rarely participate in the politics and intrigue that often affect the final outcome of the race. They are especially dismissive of the other birds of Middle Dura; the hawk is a lesser eagle, while the owl is treacherous and far too clever.

The Gargoyle: Fallen and Malleon's Gate were originally represented by the dire bat. As immigrants from Droaam came to Sharn, most settled in the Cogs or Malleon's Gate. Twelve years ago, the region of the bat made an unprecedented change and shifted their regional beast to the gargoyle, whose colors are black and gray. Currently, the region is represented by Carralag (N male gargoyle rogue 4), a remarkably clever gargoyle with the Manifest Flight feat.

The people of Malleon's Gate are fiercely dedicated to the event. The violence appeals to the Darguuls, while the city goblins love the chance to compete against the elitist folk of the upper levels. While the gargoyle has yet to win the race, it has had greater success than the bat, and this has brought increased support for Daask and the Droaamites within the district.

The Glidewing: This flying dinosaur represents the districts of Gate of Gold and the Stores, and its colors are gray and green. The glidewing is extremely popular among the halflings of Sharn, and some say that the Boromar Clan is the financial force behind the Glidewing Wind Guard.

The Griffon: This powerful beast represents Precarious and Oldkeep, and its colors are brown and red. During the race, red ribbons are usually tied to the forelegs of the griffon, giving the impression of streams of blood coming from its claws. The people of Precarious are fanatically (and often violently) devoted to the race, although many don't care if they win or lose; as long as the griffon brings down one of the other beasts, they consider it to be a victory.

The Hawk: Tumbledown and Underlook are represented by the dire hawk, whose colors are light brown and dark brown. The hawk rarely wins, but Underlook makes considerable profits off the tourist trade and most Tumbledowners are devoted followers of their underdog champion.

The Hippogriff: Daggerwatch and Overlook are represented by the hippogriff, whose colors are white and gold. The Goldwings (the aerial division of the Sharn Watch) are based in Daggerwatch, and a Goldwing officer typically represents the district in the race. The hippogriff has one of the best records in the race, rivaled only by the pegasus.

The Owl: The giant owl is the beast of Rattlestone and the Bazaar, and its colors are brown and gray. While it is one of the slowest creatures in the race, the owl is famous for manipulating the outcome of the race with intrigue and diplomacy. While many of the inhabitants of Dura speak dismissively of "two-faced owls," the merchants, con artists, and pickpockets of the region take pride in their mascot's cunning, and a strong streak of carefree pragmatism runs through these districts. A few former racing owls are now merchants themselves, which can lead to unusual encounters in the Bazaar.

The Pegasus: Highwater was the last district to join the Race of Eight Winds. Thanks to House Vadalis, Highwater is represented by the pegasus, whose colors are white and silver. The pegasus is the swiftest creature in the race, and it has brought Highwater to victory time and again. The people of Highwater are proud folk and are always willing to discuss the ways in which a pegasus is superior to the other beasts. However, success has its price. The other districts often team up to bring down the pegasus at the start of the race. And outside of the race, many of the inhabitants of the lower wards despise the people of Highwater; thieves and bullies will go out of their way to target a snooty pegasus supporter.

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act I (part 2)

2006-03-05T20:59:00.000-06:00

Scene III - 16th of Lharvion, 998 YK
"A Master Inquisitive and an Angry Baker"

The next morning, Gerard, Esan and Morgan headed straight out to Clifftop, where they had learned they could find the office of Victor Saint-Demain. Clifftop is the adventurer's quarter of Sharn, and it is in Upper Dura. When they arrived (once again, using a skycoach) they saw that it was already quite busy. All sorts of strange folk wandered these streets, and they were not looked at twice. They found Saint-Demain's office on the edge of the district. He had converted an old abandoned water tower into a laboratory, and built his office right next to it. They knocked, and he answered after a little while. Once he learned that they were also investigators, he let them in and happily answered their questions. He advised that they should check in with the local bakers to learn as much about the baking powder they had found as possible. He also confirmed their suspicions that most of the Sharn Watch was incompetent, explaining the quick end to their investigation of Svans' death. They thanked him and left.

When they returned to Oakbridge later on that afternoon, they checked in at the Bluebird Inn and learned from the innkeeper (Graff Pendrong) that there were two bakers in the neighborhood. One was Borgo Delborde, the jovial dwarf who worked at the inn as a cook. The other was Kroga Brax. He lived down the street, and he had a temper so sour that he had to be an excellent baker to stay in business. Luckily for him, he was one of the best in Sharn. They spoke with Borgo first, since they were already at the inn. He didn't seem to know what they were talking about, and they didn't press him.

When they went to Kroga's, they decided to make a good first impression by buying some expensive baked goods. When this didn't work, Esan used his dorje of telempathic projection to alter Kroga's mood. This had moderate success, and they soon got him friendly enough to speak at some length about the baking powder. Kroga pointed out that he used much finer grains, but in his good mood did not think to get angry about the fact that he was being implied as the killer. The good mood deteriorated quickly, possibly because of Kroga's naturally mean disposition. They caught a glimpse of his wife Kelinda, who seemed nervous about something, but didn't get a chance to question her. They returned to the Bluebird Inn, somewhat frustrated by the dead ends they had reached.

That evening, Corlina danced again, and Drummer drummed, and during all of this the companions questioned Sarfina, Graff's wife and co-owner of the inn, about Kelinda. They learned that Kroga was a violent-tempered man who regularly beat his wife and their children. Kroga hated Borgo, but he was a coward, and almost fled in terror the one time Borgo finally got sick of his surly demeanor and said something confrontational. They decided they would scope out Kroga's bakery the next day, and wait until he left so that they could question Kelinda. Once again, they went to bed.

Scene IV - 17th of Lharvion
"Double Homicide"

Early that morning, Esan heard a piercing scream downstairs. He woke the other two and went down to investigate. He found Sarfina standing at the basement door, which was ajar, and she was staring inside with a shocked expression on her face. Drummer, who was also the janitor of the Bluebird Inn, had lived in that basement until sometime last night, when he had apparently been hacked into a thousand pieces. Investigation turned up the following:

*Drummer had been chopped up with some sort of heavy slashing weapon, like an axe. They quickly found an axe in the nearby woodbox which seemed to be recently blunted by striking a metal object repeatedly. Conclusions were not hard to come to.

*A metal plate had been pried from Drummer's torso with some sort of dagger. It was in the exact same spot where Svans' skin had been flensed off.

*There was blood on the floor, and a single bloody handprint on the door. The handprint had three fingers. They suddenly remembered something they had seen, but not thought important at the time - Lucian Cruzgar had three fingers! But this seemed almost too easy, too damning to be true. They also realized that this must be the killer's blood, because warforged don't bleed.

*Borgo and Drummer had been good friends, perhaps best friends. Maybe Borgo would know something about the killer, and at the very least, he needed to be told about his friend's murder soon. He didn't work today, so the investigators decided to go to Borgo's apartment, where he most likely could be found.

They arrived at Borgo's door shortly after; it wasn't hard to get anywhere in Oakbridge, especially in the early hours of morning. They knocked on his door, but there was no answer. They knocked harder - still no answer. Morgan sent his crow, Corvus, around the corner to look through Borgo's window. When Corvus returned, he indicated that Borgo was in there, but he wasn't moving. Gerard broke down the door.

Borgo was laying in bed covered in a pool of his own blood. A thorough investigation turned up the following:

*Borgo was killed in his sleep, his throat slit by a curved knife identical in make to the one that had pried Drummer's torso plate off and killed Svans previously.

*Borgo was missing a patch of skin in the same place where Svans' and Drummer's torsos had been missing pieces.

*Borgo's window lock had been flawlessly picked. This was the entry and exit point for the killer, who did not linger long or steal anything.

*Flour was found near the window. They looked across the street, and saw that Kroga's chimneys were already puffing smoke. It was time to pay the last baker of Oakbridge another visit.

Esan listened at Kroga's door, and heard the sound of a woman sobbing to a man's increasingly frustrated screams. He did not knock - instead he kicked the door in. Kroga was standing over his wife, who was covering her face and crouching in a corner, looking abused. The heroes confronted the cowardly baker, who at first blustered, but caved in quickly to Morgan's threatening advances. Morgan took Kroga inside into another room and bodily threatened him with terrible things that might not be physically possible, but the cruel, stupid man seemed thoroughly convinced, and promised to treat his wife better. Meanwhile, Gerard and Esan gently questioned Kelinda, who swore that she was only nervous because of Kroga's demeanor. Kroga had a perfect alibi - his wife, who had spent the whole night in his company. Kroga most likely had the motive to kill Borgo, but he didn't have the spine.

With nothing else to do here, they rushed off to Lucian's residence, across the whole district. On the way, Gerard and Morgan picked up the rest of their gear at the Bluebird Inn, where the Sharn Watch had already arrived. After informing them that there was another body at Borgo's apartment, they continued to Lucian's.

Scene V
"The Three-Fingered Maniac"

Gerard barely resisted the urge to draw steel as they knocked on Lucian's door. They had seen the way he moved, even when he was deep in his drink. His expertly crafted swords had probably not been stolen, either, and his war stories could not all be bluster. They knocked again, and heard Lucian crashing around inside. The place smelled of refuse as he opened the door to his studio. He inquired to their visit's purpose in not as many words, and Gerard got straight to the point, demanding to see what was under Lucian's shirt. Lucian realized that he was being implicated in the murders of Borgo, Drummer and Svans when they explained their purpose, and he didn't want anything to do with it.

He jumped backwards, drawing both swords and crouching into a defensive stance, all the while uttering curses at them and calling them 'agents of the Claw'. They realized that this would come to blows, whether they wanted it to or not...

Episode II: Murder in Oakbridge - Act I (part 1)

2006-03-05T14:45:00.000-06:00

Prologue - 15th of Lharvion, 998 YK

"Circumstances Most Mysterious"

It has been nearly five months since our incidental heroes thwarted the Order of the Emerald Claw and escaped Karrnath, only to part ways shortly afterwards. During that time, they all pursued their own paths and agendas. For some, this meant months of intense training and new learning experiences, for others it was simply a period of rest, relaxation and perhaps reflection as well. For all, it was a time of investigation, as strange rumors continually reached their eyes and ears through channels both public and privileged. One who read between the lines would say that things were not all well in Khorvaire. But when had things ever been well?

All three of them, for one reason or another, were now in Sharn. Esan and Morgan both arrived around the same time, and they had met up several times to trade rumors, share contacts or simply to catch up on old times. Gerard arrived last, and though he knew his old companions were somewhere in Sharn, troubles with his own people at the Church of the Silver Flame prevented him from finding time to seek them out simply for a chat.

That is, until this morning, when Gerard receieved an urgent dispatch from the quiet Northedge neighborhood of Oakbridge. A local priest, Loffer Magnulin, had a dead body awaiting cremation at his sanctuary. The Sharn Watch had already investigated the body and the scene, and declared it a suicide. But Loffer was not convinced, for the victim had died under circumstances most mysterious. Gerard knew he'd need help, so he called up his old friends and arranged a meeting...

Scene I

"The King of Fire"

Morgan and Esan met up late in the morning and made their way down into Middle Dura, to the tavern district called Hareth's Folly. The busiest, rowdiest joint on the block was called "The King of Fire" after a playing card of the same name, and Gerard had seen it as a fitting place for their reunion. They went inside, and found Gerard sitting at a table all alone, sticking out like a sore thumb among the crude riff-raff with his shiny full plate and badge of authority displayed prominently. But Gerard was no fool; he knew that the badge was more likely to keep trouble away than attract it in this part of town. Morgan recognized the badge as well, and wondered how long Gerard had been a member of the Order of Illumination.

*The Order of Illumination is a secular branch of the Church of the Silver Flame. Informally known as the Shadowbane Inquisition, they handle internal affairs of corruption as well as hunting down war criminals and other notorious individuals internationally. Though not as widely accepted as the Sentinel Marshals of House Dennieth, the Inquisitors have already made several high profile arrests in regions as remote as Q'barra and the Shadow Marches, and their future looks promising. The current head of the Order of Illumination is a Cardinal named Thedric Drosin.

*Morgan also knew that the Race of Eight Winds was approaching; that was big news in Dura, and all of Sharn for that matter. The event, scheduled for the 23rd of Lharvion, was one of the most intense sporting events in Khorvaire, with rampant corruption, frequent fatalities and dangerous street politics...and that's just the participants. The fans are much worse. The King of Fire was a major hub for these fans to congregate and discuss, argue and brawl over their favorite contestants.

Luckily, it was morning, and the scuffles had not come to blood-letting yet. The three companions sat together, and Gerard got straight to business. Morgan and Esan both agreed after a short while to accompany him on the investigation in Oakbridge. Gerard also mentioned some problems that he was having back at the Church with some of his 'peers'. Esan was confused about this, but they agreed to leave that discussion for later. They took a skycoach from Hareth's Folly across to Oakbridge.

Scene II

"A Hermit With No Enemies"

They arrived in the residential district of Oakbridge shortly after noon, and quickly found Oakbridge Church, the most prominent building in this middle ward neighborhood. Loffer Magnulin was an older man, and though he was stern and pious, he also seemed compassionate and earnest. He showed the investigators the body of one Svans ir'Kilmansor, a local. During the next day and a half, their ground work turned up the following facts and evidence:

*Svans was an art collector and occasionally an art dealer. He had been retired for some time, but nobody was close to him, not even his relations in Nowhere. Loffer was the only one who talked to Svans more frequently than 'never', and even they couldn't have been called friends. Loffer sensed that Svans was a troubled soul, for he occasionally came down to the church for spiritual guidance, but if he had committed any crimes in life, he had never mentioned them to Loffer.

*Svans' body was discovered just below his balcony last night by people walking that street on their way to Dura, where festivities leading up to the Race of Eight Winds were already taking place.

*Initial cause of death appeared to be massive head trauma from the fall, but closer inspection revealed that he had been stabbed from behind, just above the base of the neck. His head was a terrible mess, and it was not surprising that the Sharn Watch had missed this wound. What was surprising was that they didn't account for the feather fall effect that would have slowed a living person's descent to the bridge below. Svans was clearly not living when he had fallen over the balcony, and this jived with the previously unnoticed stabbing wound. Gerard further discerned that the wound was caused by a curved dagger. And finally, Morgan noticed that a small strip of skin had been flensed from Svans' chest; Gerard believed that this had been done just after Svans' death. They guessed that this might have been some sort of military tattoo.

*At the scene of the crime, Svans' home, they found a splatter of blood at the balcony, small enough to be missed by someone not looking for it. They also found something strange - traces of baking powder scattered on the floor just inside the apartment from the balcony doorway. Finally, Loffer told them that Svans' door had been unlocked at the time of his murder. They didn't see any indication that Svans had invited anyone inside, as he had just finished a dinner alone before his murder.

*None of Svans' neighbors saw anything. Some of Svans' neighbors didn't know who Svans was - further indication that he didn't really get out all that much.

*Loffer cast speak with dead on behalf of the party, and Svans revealed that he not only didn't see his killer or know who he or she might have been, but he had no idea why anyone would want to hurt him.

*Svans' brother, Gable ir'Kilmansor, was coming to Sharn from Nowhere on the lightning rail to attend the funeral and cremation, scheduled for the 16th at midday. When Gable arrived, he was solemn and sincere, and did not seem interested in his brother's posessions, which he planned to auction off and then donate the proceedings to an orphanage that he knew Svans had been a patron of. Gable indicated that he had not been very close to his brother because of an altercation they had had in childhood, and he had not seen Svans since then. They had reconciled and had some correspondence since Svans moved to Sharn, but all he knew about Svans' past was that he had been a successful book dealer in Vathirond before spending several years 'traveling'.

The funeral was short, and besides Gable and Loffer, the investigators were the only attendees. Afterwards, they retired to the Bluebird Inn, which was near the church. Loffer had recommended it as a good place to rest, eat and, perhaps most importantly, to gather information. They found the accomodations excellent, and the patrons talkative. The entertainment consisted of a comely elven dancer named Corlina, whose performance was supplemented by the efforts of a warforged percussionist named Drummer.

They learned that there was another artist in Oakbridge by the name of Lucian Cruzgar. Lucian was a veteran of the Last War, and from all accounts he was a bit unhinged. Most people avoided him, especially when he was drinking at the Bluebird taproom, which was his only social activity. They questioned him over a few mugs of ale, but he didn't seem forthcoming - actually, he was quite paranoid. They decided to leave that lead for later. Esan suggested seeking out the advice of a locally famous detective named Victor Saint-Demain, whose exploits frequently made the headlines of the Sharn Inquisitive. The others agreed to this - they also decided to ask around at the local art dealers and collectors, to see if anyone else had had more meaningful contact with Svans. With these plans in mind, they went up to their rooms and got some well-deserved rest.

TO BE CONTINUED

Author's Note: Because of the large number of details necessary to retell in this act, it will be broken down into two parts for easier consumption. Look for part 2 tonight or tomorrow.

News Clippings

2006-03-02T10:24:00.000-06:00

After the heroes were extracted from Karrnath, they laid low for several months. During this time, they kept up on the news, especially regarding things that they had done. Here are some of the articles that they read:

From the Korth Sentry special evening edition

14th of Olarune, 998 YK

MANDAR AND OTHERS FOUND DEAD

MANDAR RATH - Early this morning, the charismatic young warlord Talovar ir'Mandar, 24, was found brutally murdered in his own castle after one of his extravagant galas. His body has not yet been presented to investigators, but the guards who discovered him and allowed us a short interview described the murder scene as 'grisly beyond their wildest expectations'. Reports from Mandar Keep's interim commander, Captain Irva Welsh, are sketchy at the moment, but Lord ir'Mandar was not the only body found that morning. Dashokoya Nurabo, a Reidran diplomat who had been staying in Mandar Rath as an ambassador of her nation, was found dead with her entire guard detail in the depths of the castle. Ambassador Nurabo was widely acclaimed as a beacon of peace and goodwill, and was largely responsible for the grain distribution that has kept much of northwestern Karrnath from having to migrate south during an unseasonably bad winter. The Reidran Embassy has already claimed her body, and they will be holding a private burial ceremony later on this week. At least three soldiers who were on duty that evening have also been reported dead, though the exact circumstances are unknown.

Talovar ir'Mandar died with no heir, and it is unclear whether the Mandar line will continue.

From the Korth Sentry, morning edition

18th of Olarune, 998 YK

MANDAR IMPLICATED IN PLOT TO SEIZE THE THRONE

REKKENMARK -The late Lord Talovar ir'Mandar, recently murdered along with several others in his own castle while literally surrounded by armed guards, has been implicated by top officials of the Royal Swords in a plot to overthrow our sovereign lord, King Kaius III. He was in league with Ermana Kessler, now positively confirmed as an agent of the infamous Order of the Emerald Claw. Others have been implicated as well, including the veteran knight Alorais ir'Vognir, who is now in Royal Swords custody, and the late Captain Adalgisa Jaranus of the Royal Swords, whose body was recently found decomposing between Rekkenmark and Southbridge, where she was last seen. The Vognirs were not available for comment; nor was Captain Jaranus' next of kin. This plot was also at the heart of the raids in northeast Aundair - sadly, all of the Aundairans captured in these raids were killed. King Kaius has promised an infuriated Queen Aurala to extradite ir'Vognir and other captured Claw agents to Aundair after they have been thoroughly screened. Ermana Kessler managed to escape Karrnath along with several accomplices, and is now at large somewhere in Khorvaire.

From the Sharn Inquisitive
26th of Dravago, 998 YK

'The Gasper' Captured!

Notorious criminal Rregla, nicknamed 'The Gasper' for the way she brutally choked her victims to death, was finally apprehended late last evening after a month-long killing spree that took the lives of over fifteen watchmen. Victor Saint-Demain, the celebrated inquisitive, was the mastermind behind her capture. When asked, Demain refused to take all of the credit. "Really, this was excellent work all around from the Sharn Watch, the Citadel, and of course my counterparts in House Medani. I hardly did all of the work, or even all of the thinking, on my own," said the thirty-two year old detective. Humble or not, he has put some of Sharn's most notorious killers behind bars over the past three years. Rregla's trial proceedings are not expected to take long.

Episode I: Origins - Act V "Loose Ends"

2006-02-23T15:15:00.000-06:00

Scene I - 14th of Olarune (just past midnight)

Their previous encounter with the assassins still fresh in their minds, the companions approached the battle with caution and dilligence, which paid off quickly. After a brief-yet-deadly melee, both of their foes were dead or dying. They stabilized one to question later, and proceeded to break into Talovar's office. Inside, they found several items of note:

*The cypher that Fergus wanted, which they confirmed was United Trade Coalition property.

*Correspondence from one Kato Orendel, a dwarf who Morgan identified as a wealthy businessman who controlled most of the metalworking trade in western Karrnath. In the first letter, dating back to Sypheros 997 YK, Kato alluded to the arrival of UTC in Rekkenmark, and suggested that they would need to be 'convinced to leave'. Evidence that Talovar and Kato were business partners was established in this letter, and Kato also mentioned having other associates who he seemed to respect. Near the end, Kato also told Talovar that he had something else he wished to tell him, but only in person. He looked forward to doing so at the 'Zarantyr conference'.

The second letter was much shorter, and dated near the end of Zarantyr. Kato seemed somewhat angry that Talovar was 'not interested in their current venture', and that Talovar hadn't told him personally. The letter also contained a veiled threat towards Talovar if he were to act on 'certain information garnered at the Zarantyr conference.' Both letters bore a seal with a crown and a ring in the center of it, which Morgan immediately recognized as the seal of the Aurum. He explained to the others that the Aurum was a loose confederation of extremely wealthy entrepreneurs interested in ancient relics and history. Born and largely based in the Mror Holds, the Aurum was more a fraternity than a chain of command, though some sort of chain of command apparently existed.

After brief speculation, the four adventurers came to some solid conclusions about the exact sequence of events. They agreed that Talovar and Kato (plus Kato's 'associates') had conspired to eliminate the United Trade Coalition's presence in Rekkenmark by violent force, using some sort of outside agency (which the assassins must have belonged to). Kato had learned some sort of senstive information pertaining to the UTC which he didn't want to discuss even in correspondence. He spoke with Talovar about it in the Zarantyr conference, and shortly after Talovar pulled out of the deal in a way that caused Kato to threaten him. On the night of the raid, Talovar must have sent some of his own men to intercept the cypher which was now in his office. Gerard suggested that perhaps the cypher and whatever documents it had been keyed to were the subject of interest at the Zarantyr conference. This seemed logical in context of the letters.

*The third item was a correspondence from Ermana Kessler, and it was pretty damning of Talovar. The companions knew they had their evidence for Sigo at this point. This letter mentioned by name an agent of the Emerald Claw who would be attending Talovar's gala - Alorais. It didn't ring a bell. It also mentioned that most of the undead soldiers had been sent to the 'Greywood Ridge' facility.

They went back outside and woke the surviving assassin to inquire about his employers, but he apparently had some poison in an alchemical tooth, and he used it to kill himself rather than betray his organization(s). The companions found the place where the assassins had first entered the castle (an arrow slit that had been magically widened). They climbed down the wall, walked right into Mandar Rath to get their horses, and were soon riding away.

Scene II - 15th of Olarune (evening)

The next evening, they were traveling across a bridge at dusk, just before they were planning to camp for the evening, when they were ambushed. The scarred man in full plate who had been asking all of the questions about Xen'Drik crawled out from under the bridge, greatsword in hand, as the companions reached the other side. Crossbowmen stood out from the foliage ahead and started firing, and a light-footed, gangly man with a shortbow began moving from tree to tree on the other side of the creek, firing arrows. The fight was draining and deadly - Morgan and Gerard both lay dying by the time all enemies were down, but they were revived by Esan and Ganitari before their souls could pass on Dolurrh.

The scarred man in fullplate was also revived after Morgan found a letter in his pocket, also from Ermana Kessler. It indicated that Ermana knew Talovar was dead, and that someone associated with the Silver Flame had done it. She ordered him to 'intercept and kill the agent if at all possible'. It also mentioned something about mercenaries being hired to cover an evacuation - she referred to the mercenaries as 'sisters'. So they were naturally interested in conversing with him. He supplied his full name when he was woken - Alorais ir'Vognir. Morgan recognized the Vognirs as a prominent Karrnathi noble family residing in Atur. At first, Alorais tried to bribe them for his freedom, but after they made it clear that they were not interested, he instead offered to 'completely sell Ermana out'. They learned a few things from Alorais:

*Ermana was interested in going to Xen'Drik, to retrieve something that had recently been discovered. He does not know what, exactly.

*The raids on Aundairian villages were just cover for what Ermana was really trying to do - capture the retired archaeologist Paetric Kendig without arousing suspicions. Kendig was sponsored by the Morgrave University in Sharn, and he went to Xen'Drik several times.

*Ermana Kessler was evacuating the sea cave complex west of their location. He gave an exact location of the complex, and confirmed that it had been the base of operation for the raids in Aundair.

They bound Alorais and the other surviving Claw soldier and took them along to Rekkenmark.

Aftermath - Olarune 17th-19th

Sigo was very happy about the results of their mission, and gave them the rest of their reward without any reservations. He also arranged for them to receive bounties for the captured Emerald Claw soldiers, but didn't want them to linger in Rekkenmark long. They were ushered to a covered wagon and taken to Korth, a trip that took a day and a half. When they arrived in Korth, they were taken aboard an airship (the Cloud Destiny) without any awkward questions asked. That night, Gerard was dropped off in Flamekeep, while Esan and Morgan continued to Sharn, where they would go their separate ways.

Episode I: Origins - Act IV "Talovar ir'Mandar's Last Gala"

2006-02-10T10:02:00.000-06:00

Scene I - 13th of Olarune (early evening)

The trio arrived in Mandar Rath at dusk, just as the other late arrivals were filtering through the keep's main doors. Morgan was posing as an eastern Karrnathi noble visiting Rekkenmark on business, while Gerard and Esan went as his men-at-arms. They left their horses in a stable on the edge of town, knowing full well that they might have to reach these mounts in a hurry if things went badly tonight. Traveling up to the castle was an eerie experience, as their path was flanked on both sides by ghostly balls of light that hovered just a few feet off the ground. Morgan recognized the arcane trick quickly. When they reached the entrance hall of Mandar Keep, they were dismayed to see that the door they knew they would need to breach to begin their grim business had a guard posted directly in front of it. Even invisible, they would have a difficult time overcoming that obstacle. This problem lingered in their minds as they entered the adjoining Great Hall. A polished white marble floor reflected the light of hundreds more of the dancing lights that had illuminated the path to the castle. Perhaps eighty people sat or stood around the large room in clusters or alone, and servants in the livery of House Mandar moved among them, trays of hors d'oeuvres and wine glasses in hand.

They immediately began looking for the mole in Talovar's inner circle, a local noble named Halas ir'Jaimar. Sigo had indicated a passphrase for them to use when speaking with Halas to let him know that they were with Sigo. When they found the youthful lord, Morgan asked him about his 'encounter with the fierce bullette'. When Halas denied the rumor, and wondered aloud where it had first sprung up, Morgan replied that he had heard it from 'some drunken fool in Wynarn's Retreat'. Minutes later, Halas excused himself to the privy. While all this was going on, Gerard listened in on the prideful recounts of adventures in Xen'Drik by the famous explorer Thrush Xivdrad. Thrush was a special guest of honor at the gala, for his exploits were well publicized in the local rags. Gerard noticed a tall, heavily scarred man in plate armor listening intently to Thrush's tales, and asking pointed questions about survival techniques and local lore of the lost continent.

Gerard and Morgan left Esan in the ball room to go to the privy. Here, they met Halas again. All pretenses dropped, Halas was told of their dangerous mission and offered to aid them however he could. He took the vial of poison from Morgan, which was designed to triple the effects of the alchohol that its drinker consumed. Halas was better positioned to slip such a thing in Talovar's drink without being noticed. He told them that the passphrases to the various doors of the castle had been changed. Halas also warned them that Talovar's cat had some sort of special link to her master, and was more intelligent than others of its kind. Morgan guessed that she might be Talovar's familiar, for they knew that Talovar had studied at the Twelve, and was an accomplished wizard.

Gerard and Morgan met back up with Esan in the ball room minutes later. They decided to wait until the main performance by Amira d'Phiarlan began to slip out of the room, for they knew that Amira's play would be loud, and likely to keep the attention of the audience. Soon, the elven woman was on the stage with her troupe of actors, and Morgan recognized some illusion magic being used to set the stage. They left the room.

Scene II

Morgan easily managed to get the guard away from his post long enough for them to get through the door; he used a minor wizard's trick to create some noise in Talovar's audience chamber on the other side of the entrance hall, and while the guard investigated, the three of them quaffed invisibility potions, unlocked the door, and slipped through. They made their way down to the dungeons without further interference. Esan crept down ahead of the group and killed the two guards posted at the bottom of the stairwell. Morgan jammed the alarm lever in the guard room and waited with Gerard there while Esan went to the cells to find the prisoner he had been sent to free. Ganitari was a mess, but she quickly shook some circulation into her limbs and followed Esan back to the guard room. She disappeared into a store room where her gear was kept, but before she did she warned them that Dashokoya Nurabo, her nefarious Inspired captor, might be coming down soon for her nightly interrogation.

Ganitari was right. While she was putting on her own clothing and gear, the footsteps of armored guards could be heard coming down the stairwell. The companions quickly set up an ambush in the hallway outside, a dangerous chokepoint. Soon, Dashokoya, her blade bearer and four Reidran retainers were in the guard room. They quickly spotted the bodies of the prison guards, but when one of the retainers asked his mistress whether the alarm should be raised, Dashokoya became overconfident. She believed that they could deal with the situation themselves. They stepped through the door and began dying. Esan and Gerard decimated Dashokoya's entourage quickly, Morgan blinded the Inspired woman with unorthodox yet highly effective necromancies, and soon Dashokoya was retreating up the stairs alone. Morgan recognized a psionic power used to circumvent her lost eyesight, but she apparently did not wish to fight when grossly outnumbered. Her unarmed bladebearer tried to block their way, but they plowed right on through him. Soon, Ganitari joined the fray. Cornered in the room just above the dungeons, Dashokoya succumbed to Gerard's relentless blows and the combined efforts of Esan and Ganitari. Right after Dashokoya fell, her bladebearer took his own life with a previously hidden dagger.

Scene III

Thankful that they had (miracurously) not yet raised an alarm, the quartet made their way up to the second floor once again. They changed their plan a little bit when they ran across a second manned sentry room; they would ambush Talovar in one of the hallways of the outer wall, which he would have to travel through on his way to bed. They ended up waiting for much longer than they had planned - apparently, the poison hadn't worked, because Talovar didn't stumble through their trap until the party was nearly over. They killed him quickly, using a silence spell to avoid notice as well as to prevent him from casting spells.

When they returned to the sentry post that had deterred them before, they were surprised to see that all of the guards were asleep. Esan killed them silently and they continued up to Talovar's private suite on the third floor. The third surprise of the evening, and perhaps the most dangerous yet, was that they were not the only ones trying to get into Talovar's study. Crouching in front of the late lordling's bedroom door was a man dressed all in black, with two swords in criss-crossed scabbards on his back. Another, dressed identically, stepped out from a shadowy corner, staring right at Gerard. As the sentry called out a warning to his twin, the companions wondered briefly if they would fare better against these assassins united and awake, with Ganitari at their side...

Episode I: Origins - Act III "Sigo's Request"

2006-01-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

Scene I - 8th of Olarune (early morning)

Continued from last Act.

The battle with the assassins did not fare well for the companions. Gerard was greviously wounded at the outset by his elusive foe, who slipped past him and Morgan to retrieve the documents from the dead man's outstretched hand. Gerard healed himself and tried to pursue, but was struck down again for his efforts. This time however, he did not get up, and his new friends decided to tend to him rather than continue the pursuit. After making sure that Gerard would survive, Morgan went to find a Jorasco Healer while Esan informed the barkeep of the troubles. The barkeep sent the owner of the Proud Tower up to investigate, who in turn called the Royal Swords.

Morgan brought back Hamir d'Jorasco, a talented Healer, who revived Gerard for a small fee and left. Morgan and Esan retrieved a considerable sum of gold from the dead man when they searched him, as well as identification papers and a badge of office that named him Saal Smyth, a treasurer for the local United Trade Coalition chapter house. When the Royal Swords arrived, they asked a few questions and informed the group that the UTC chapter house had been raided. Every key member of the UTC in Rekkenmark had been killed that night. Saal was the only one unaccounted for. The Royal Swords thought it might be a guild war, but they were unsure who the perpetrators were. The companions decided to get additional rest to recover from the sudden attack.

Scene II - 8th of Olarune (late morning)

After a good amount of rest, the companions arose and went down into the common room, where they were approached by the barkeep. He inquired about their troubles earlier, and he also gave them a message from a stranger that they understood immediately - the meeting with Sigo Karlach would happen today at noon, at Wynarn's Retreat. They left the inn.

Before going over to Wynarn's again, they stopped by Udengar's house to pick up the maps he had drawn up of Mandar Keep. They were precisely detailed. Udengar asked them to return if they could to tell him what happened. They continued to Fergus' tavern. When they arrived, they didn't go to the main room; instead, they turned right at the entrance and went back into the sound-proof conference room where they had previously spoken with Fergus alone.

Sigo Karlach was a middle-aged half elf with a sophisticated demeanor. He did not seem interested in giving much detail about his own employers, but he also didn't ask many questions about the companions, which seemed to suit everyone just fine. Sigo was quick and to the point; he wanted them to infiltrate Talovar ir'Mandar's keep, kill him, and retrieve documents incriminating him as a sympathizer to the illegal organization known as the Order of the Emerald Claw. They conferred amongst themselves, and decided to put Sigo to a simple divination that would prevent him from telling lies. They were concerned that the whole thing was a setup. He submitted to the test without protest, and once they were satisfied that he was legitimate, they agreed to the job.

Sigo gave them quite a few useful tools for the job. First and foremost was an open invitation to a gala that Talovar was holding on the evening of the 13th of Olarune. Through a mole in Talovar's inner circle, another name could be put on the guest list. The companions agreed that Morgan, the most convincing of the three, would be a nobleman, and the others would be his retainers. This was convenient, as Morgan didn't carry any visible weapons anyway, while Gerard and Esan could take theirs with them and not stand out. Sigo also gave them five potions that would make them invisible to the naked eye, and a pair of scrolls, each of which could open almost any door. They requisitioned a poison from Sigo which would multiply the effects of any alchohol a victim consumed, for they new Talovar was a great drunkard. They also got the name of a tailor in town who could make them disguises and be discreet. Sigo picked up the bill for that as well. Finally, Sigo told them what the job would be worth to them. A thousand gold marks...each. He gave them a quarter of the total reward up front.

Before they left, Fergus approached them to discuss returning the favor they owed him. He had a hunch that they were going to Talovar's, and he wanted something from Mandar Keep if they happened to be in that area. A cypher belonging to the United Trade Coalition had fallen into Talovar's hands somehow during the raids. Fergus suspected that the cypher would end up wherever Talovar kept sensitive documents. The companions realized that the cypher would probably be with the other documents they were trying to procure anyway, so they agreed to look for the cypher. They privately believed that the cypher might be keyed to the documents that had slipped through their hands early that same morning. So was Talovar the one behind the raid on the UTC chapter house? Always more questions.

After a couple days of preparation, the companions left Rekkenmark on well-groomed horses on a northern country road to Mandar Rath.

News Clipping from "Korth Sentry" - 8th of Olarune Issue

2005-12-14T10:14:00.000-06:00

Affluent Businessman Reported Missing

On the morning of the 2nd of Olarune, town guardsmen were approached by members of a caravan hired by well-known trader Marcus Fienn, age 43 of Karrlkaton. Apparently, Fienn had disappeared without a trace the previous night in the company of some foreigners that he befriended on his last trip to Thrane. Royal Swords officials in the region have declined to comment, except to say that they are 'investigating the matter thoroughly'. A Deneith Sentinel Marshal not involved in the investigation had this to say: "It's been nearly a week now, no one has seen a sign of this man...how is this still a 'missing persons' case? I would have declared it a kidnapping by now."

We'll have more to report as this story evolves over the next week.

Episode I: Origins - Act II "Rekkenmark"

2005-12-12T11:07:00.000-06:00

Scene I - 6th of Olarune (afternoon)

Gerard, Esan and Morgan reached the outskirts of Rekkenmark at about midday - the city's domain is marked about an hour's walk away from Rekkenmark itself by a pair of of border stones flanking a footbridge over a small stream. In winter, this stream is typically frozen solid, and so it was when the heroes approached. There is also a toll station at this footbridge. When the party crossed the bridge, they got a clear view of the toll station, and discovered the door broken down. Esan indicated that he wished to investigate on his own. He crept up to the station and surveyed a grisly scene. Someone - or something - had torn the place apart, leaving only smears of blood on the floor and wall, and scattered papers most likely belonging to the missing guard. As he stepped out to look for signs of the perpetrator, a fountain of snow burst up to his right and a large insect-like creature came forward. Morgan and Gerard rushed to Esan's aid as the creature (Morgan identified it as a Frostfell ankheg) tried to drag him away.

While Morgan placed an enchantment on Gerard's blade, Esan revitalized himself through sheer force of will. He then pried the creature's mandibles open and somersaulted away, drawing his longspear as he did so. Gerard rushed into the gap, sword in hand. Morgan then stepped into the creature's view and conjured up a terrifying visage to its eye. It screeched and fled across the frozen stream, losing its balance as it did so and skidding to a halt on its belly on the other side. Gerard pursued once again, sliding across the ice with ease even with his bulky armor hindering him. As he landed a useless blow against the ankheg's tough chitinous armor, Morgan fired another of his force missiles at it. Esan used another psionic power against it, encasing it in ectoplasmic goo. The ankheg snapped at Gerard and stepped back out of the reach of Esan's longspear, forcing the monk to cross the ice as well. As Esan contemplated his crossing, Gerard cried out to the Silver Flame for strength right before delivering a fell blow on the giant insect, hacking away one of its limbs and sundering its carapace. Esan ran across the stream, ready to exploit the creature’s new weakness. He stumbled and fell, but as he slid across the ice he put all of his momentum into a horizontal kick that landed on the ankheg’s head, snapping its neck.

While Gerard prayed over Esan’s wounds, Morgan returned to the toll booth and searched it. He found a sack full of gold, silver and copper, presumably toll money. Morgan immediately claimed it as spoils of victory, but Gerard and Esan balked at this, saying that the money rightfully belonged to the throne of Karrnath. After considerable debate, Morgan took his share of the coin and gave the rest to Gerard and Esan to do with as they pleased. They found the body of the toll guard in the hole the ankheg had sprung out of to attack Esan. His sword was bloodied, indicating that he had managed to get a lucky blow on the creature before being slaughtered. The travelers continued to Rekkenmark.

Scene II – 6th of Olarune (evening)

They reached the city an hour or so before dusk, and immediately made their way to the Draco Hill district. Morgan and Gerard both had a mutual contact (though from different sources) in a tavern called Wynarn’s Retreat. An information broker named Fergus apparently owned the establishment. The tavern was not very crowded yet, as it wasn’t quite evening. There was a circular bar in the center of the room, and tables scattered around it. A smoky haze concealed the edges of the room from view, making it a good place for private conversations. They could hear a musician playing a dulcimer somewhere.

When they sat down, Morgan immediately asked one of the barkeeps where Fergus was. Esan and Gerard looked around for any possible watchers while Morgan and the barkeep talked. Gerard noticed a shabby man deep in his drink sitting at the bar almost right next to him. Esan saw three Karrnathi soldiers at a corner table, talking quietly. Morgan learned that Fergus was not available at the moment. The barkeep said that the man had several other establishments in town, and only came to Wynarn’s Retreat to check up on things every now and then. He seemed to be trying to tell Morgan something, but whatever it was got lost in translation. Morgan wrote down his name on a piece of parchment and handed it to the barkeep along with a spare piece and a quill. The barkeep offered to jot down the names of the other places Fergus owned and frequented if they wanted to try to track him down. But when the barkeep handed him the parchment and quill, all it said was ‘When you leave, go instead through the door on the left’.

Esan pointed out the Karrnathi soldiers to Morgan, who recognized their heraldry (a snake coiled around a longsword) immediately – they were soldiers of Talovar ir’Mandar. Esan decided to test his social skills against them. He got up and went over to their table while Morgan watched. When he arrived, the soldiers did not appear interested in talking, but the situation escalated rapidly as Esan spoke. He did not seem to think he was being rude or bold, but the soldiers became increasingly angry as he made his unsolicited inquiries (questions such as ‘Where are the ambassadors who are going to the meeting staying?’), and at one point threatened to arrest him if he wouldn’t go away. They discovered much more about Esan than he did about them – they demanded his identification papers, and then asked him several questions about his status in Breland. Frustrated, Esan returned to the bar without any answers.

Morgan explained to Esan the basics of diplomacy with soldiers, which seemed to involve buying lots of alchohol. He noticed that the soldiers were watching Esan and writing something down on parchment, and decided to demonstrate the proper method to the aescetic. Morgan returned to the soldiers’ table with three tankards full of Nightwood ale, and smoothed things over in a matter of seconds. He even managed to leave without showing his own identification.

During all of this, Gerard noticed the drunkard become suddenly alert for a moment when Esan was provoking the soldiers. He bought the man a drink to try and elicit some sort of response, but the man did not seem talkative. The travelers left, and Gerard and Esan were surprised when Morgan led them through the left door on their way out. They entered what appeared to be a small conference room with a table, some chairs and some lit candles. When Morgan closed the door behind him, the ambient sound of the tavern was completely shut out. He began examining the door for strange markings, but before he could discern its nature it opened again and the ‘drunkard’ came through, no longer looking drunk at all. He named himself Fergus, and asked them to be seated.

Fergus and the party talked at length. Morgan mentioned that Fixer had sent him, which seemed to perk Fergus’ interest a bit. They got to the point of the meeting quickly – they needed information about the Order of the Emerald Claw and Talovar ir’Mandar, and why they might be related. Fergus told them that he had a very good contact for their purposes, but that a meeting would be expensive to set up. The exact figure came up to a thousand gold...each. When the three explained to Fergus that they didn’t have that sort of money, he pondered for a moment, and decided that he would set up the meeting for a hundred each, and a favor that they would owe him later. They agreed to this, but he wanted some sort of collateral to make sure they would be honest with him. When he asked for a bit of fingernail or a hair from each of them, Gerard got up to leave. He did not seem interested in giving up flesh of any sort to a complete stranger. Fergus left the room to allow them to confer among themselves.

After considerable debate, Gerard relented. Fergus got his money and his collateral, promising to give the fingernails and hair back when the favor was returned. He seemed to note that Gerard was seething, so he gave up some free information to placate him. Udengar Prathos, a dwarf who had served the Mandars for several hundred years, had recently been fired, and was quite angry about it. Fergus implied that Udengar might just be mad enough to tell complete strangers anything that he knew about Talovar ir’Mandar. The group thanked him for the information and got up to leave. Fergus asked them where they would be staying so that he could send a runner to find them when the meeting with Sigo Karlach was arranged. They said they didn’t know, but that they would relay this information to the barkeep. They ended up deciding on the Proud Tower, a four story inn in the same district, not too far away from Wynarn’s Retreat.

Scene III – 7th of Olarune (morning)

The party woke up early in the morning and set out to their various tasks for the day. They went to the Tax Collector’s Office on the outskirts of town first, to turn in the (Morgan’s share-free) toll money they had found the previous afternoon. The clerk at the office was stunned at their honesty, and his supervisor told him that the coin had already been filed as ‘lost’. The clerk explained just how annoying it would be to redo the paperwork already filed on the lost toll money. He gave them the bag back, which Esan and Gerard split between them. After a short amount of deliberation, they decided to go to Udengar Prathos’ residence next, in the Lamar Crossing residential district.

Udengar Prathos’ house would have been considered middle class in any industrial city, but in the prestigious town of Rekkenmark it was solidly working class. The dwarf opened the door when they knocked, and invited them in when they mentioned Fergus’ name. When they explained their purpose, he immediately began indulging them with everything he knew about Talovar ir’Mandar. Some of the topics he covered:

*The timing of Ermana Kessler’s arrival coincided with a purge of the Mandar guards that seemed to include all of the ‘royalists’, that is, people more loyal to Kaius III than Talovar.

*Kessler arrived six months ago. Though Udengar did not survive her coming long, he did learn that she was not staying at the Mandar Keep or Mandar Rath (the surrounding town), but she still seemed to be around a bit too often for someone traveling from the next nearest town.

*Dashokoya Nurabo, a Reidran woman, arrived about nine months ago in Talovar's court with a trade agreement between Karrnath and Reidra that supplied grain and other goods to Karrnath. She is one of many Reidrans assigned to diplomatic duties in Khorvaire. She has also helped oversee the distribution of the emergency grain shipments that arrived last month in response to the destructive blizzard. She is well-liked in this region.

*Some of the royalists who were fired during the purging refused to leave. Those ones disappeared. Udengar is the only royalist fired from the Mandar estates who hasn't left the Rekkenmark region of Karrnath altogether (as far as he knows).

*The stairs leading down to the dungeon of Mandar Keep are hidden behind a tapestry in a store room on the first floor.

*Talovar was scheduled to deliver a short public speech at the Rekkenmark Academy in the North Wing Auditorium that evening.

Udengar also promised to draw up a map of the Mandar Keep and surrounding region. He told them to return in the morning and he'd have something for them. They thanked him, and tried to pay him for his help, but he refused, saying that any trouble they caused Talovar ir'Mandar was payment enough for him. They left for Rekkenmark Academy.

Scene IV - 7th of Olarune (evening)

After Esan and Morgan visited a tailor for some less conspicuous clothing, the three companions set off for the Rekkenmark Academy. They arrived well before dusk, when Talovar was supposed to make his speech. Esan surveyed the auditorium and found some seating in a balcony where they could see clearly without being seen in return. They all visited the military museum, and noticed that the Galifar Era wing was closed off entirely, leaving only several rooms full of Karrnathi relics and depictions of great victories available to see. Morgan and Gerard both thought this odd.

They returned in the evening to the Auditorium and found the seats that Esan had recommended still empty. Morgan noticed a gnome woman with a Korranberg Chronicle insignia on her cloak, getting a note pad ready. Esan retrieved a note pad as well. Talovar arrived with his entourage to cheers from the lower seats, which were largely filled with Karrns (the foreigners, a much smaller crowd, seemed to be congregating in the balconies for protection). Thirty Mandar guards surrounded the stage, polearms, swords and bows at the ready as Talovar got up to the podium. Esan and Gerard both noticed a woman in a gray cloak with the hood up to hide her face slipping into the crowd from Talovar's entourage. Gerard thought it might be Ermana Kessler.

Talovar's speech was short and to the point - he was angry with Karrns who complained about martial law. His speech was full of jingoistic rhetoric about the Treaty of Thronehold being a farce, and Karrnath being surrounded on all sides by implaccable enemies (whatever Kaius III thought). He urged his countrymen to turn in any potential dissidents to the Royal Swords, because 'spies are everywhere'. He also outright told the crowd that the trade agreements of the Barrakas Summit were excluding Karrnath, a tell-tale sign of things to come. The Karrnath crowd ate it up, though the folks in the balcony were strangely silent. All in all, the speech lasted barely ten minutes. The three gathered up their things and left for the Proud Tower, a bit more knowledgable about the man they had heard so much about.

Scene V - 8th of Olarune (early morning)

The companions rested peacefully through much of the night, intent on getting up early once again to go see Udengar. But they all woke with a start when a man clutching a leather parchment case in one hand crashed through Gerard's glass window. Before Gerard could do anything, the man (who looked pannicked, and had gashes on his face as if he had just escaped a knife fight) opened Gerard's door and stepped out into the hallway. He did not get far; two shuriken flew through the window after him, and Gerard heard him stumble. Gerard rolled out of bed, unsheating his sword as he did so, and landed on the floor in a defensive stance. Another man, this one dressed all in black cloth from head to toe and masked besides, jumped through Gerard's window. He seemed to step quite lightly, and he had a short sword in one hand and another strapped to his back. He ordered Gerard to stand aside, warning him that it 'wasn't his affair', but Gerard refused to look on while the other murdered a defenseless man. Without another word, the black-clothed man drew his other sword and disappeared entirely.

Meanwhile, Esan stepped out of his window onto a narrow ledge and began making his way across to Gerard's room. He spotted a man dressed in black clothing from head to toe getting ready to jump across the street from another roof to the Proud Tower floor that they were all on. Morgan grabbed his cloak and stepped out of his room to see what all the commotion was and saw a dead man in the hallway next to Gerard's open door, two shuriken sticking out of his back...

....TO BE CONTINUED

Episode I: Origins - Act I "Omens and Rumors"

2005-12-04T16:26:00.000-06:00

Scene I - Sul, 23rd of Zarantyr, 998 YK

In Flamekeep, most citizens were taking part in the evening's religious ceremonies while Gerard waited for the ferry to arrive. As he stood at the dock gazing out at the icy waters, wondering how a boat could traverse such dangerous waters, and wondering why he was foolish enough to get on board one that was willing to try, he was accosted by a pair of Thranish soldiers who were obviously quite inebriated. One of them tried to pick a fight with Gerard, but he merely showed his identification and they ran away without a word. He then spoke with the other passenger waiting for the ferry, a Karrn merchant named Marcus Fienn who seemed quite amiable. Marcus asked Gerard to guard his cargo, a shipment of much needed wool for a Karrnath buried in snow, across the Scion's Sound.

Meanwhile, the Five Nations Express sped across an unusually quiet Thranish countryside to Flamekeep. In one of the packed steerage carts at the end of the rail, Esan and Morgan sat or stood with over two hundred other passengers who couldn't afford coach. Esan noticed something tugging at his money pouch and snatched a small hand from behind him. A street urchin, probably not past his twelfth year in miserable Khorvaire, had been trying to pick his pocket. He hastily explained to Esan that he had no money for food in Flamekeep, and Esan explained in return the consequences of theft. The urchin troubled him no more.

Morgan spoke briefly with a rather banged up, dirty warforged who was sitting nearby, looking dejected. The warforged gave no name, but explained when asked that he had nearly been dismantled by an angry mob in Nowhere, and was looking for work in Thrane, where the subservient role of his kind was at least clearly defined and racial violence thus less likely to occur. Morgan and Esan then talked for a while.

The Five Nations Express stopped abruptly, and everyone in the cart slowly filed out. Tickets were required to depart the Express, and Esan and Morgan both noticed the street urchin being hauled away by House Orien security when he could not present his ticket. Morgan turned around and managed to convince the Orien guards that the urchin was his son. The child picked up on it fairly quickly, and the Orien guards either believed the act or didn't want to deal with the hassle, so they let him go. Morgan then told the child to stay away from crime, and warned him that he was a wizard, and would know if the child was up to any trouble. He seemed to get the message.

Morgan noticed as he turned to walk across the bridge into Flamekeep that his ferry was departing in five minutes. He told Esan this, and was surprised to learn that Esan was also boarding the ferry. They made their way quickly down to the docks on the city's west side and saw the squat, unwieldy Lyrandar-owned ferry slowly drifting away from its port. Both of them barely managed to jump across, landing on the deck of the ship and meeting Barthanas, a very irate, elderly half-elf 'captain' (though the title of captain was a bit of a conceit, seeing as how he was also the only crew member). He took their travel fare and told them that the icebergs littering the Sound combined with the fact that he needed to idle the boat for a few hours each day to get some sleep meant that the trip would take about six days, with one short stop for supplies in Throneport halfway across. They met Gerard and Marcus at this point, and their journey began.

24th-26th of Zarantyr

These days passed rather uneventfully; the passengers conversed some to pass the time, but mostly everyone kept to their own business. On Zor, the ferry stopped in Throneport for supplies, but after an hour continued on its trip. Barthanas informed the passengers that they would have to move a little bit closer to the Mournland shore than he liked due to an unexpected ice flow in the ferry's path, but he didn't expect it to delay the ferry's arrival in Karrnath by more than a few hours.

Scene II - Far, 27th of Zarantyr

Despite what Barthanas said, the ferry did not come within fifty miles of the Mournland, yet the passengers could still make out the eerily still Dead Gray Mist, stretching from surface to sky, horizon to horizon in the south. Gerard and Esan were both outside, enjoying some fresh air when strange creatures began climbing aboard the ship. They were bipedal sea creatures covered in scales and fins, with webbed feet and hands, and they wielded tridents and shields made out of coral and shells. They immediately attacked the passengers as if in a mad frenzy. Morgan came out of the cabin and assisted Esan and Gerard in the defense of the ferry. Gerard made short work of most of them, and Esan killed the last one as it tried to escape. Morgan then told everyone that the creatures were locathahs, and that it was unusual to find hostile tribes in the Scion’s Sound. One of them still breathed, and Morgan decided that it might be best to question it to discern the motives behind the attack. Gerard bent over the gaping wound in the creature’s chest caused by his own sword during the fight, and when he stood up there was only a scar.

Morgan questioned the creature, but it did not appear to share a language with any of them. Morgan went into the cabin and found Marcus hiding under a bed. He knocked on Barthanas’ door (which was locked) and convinced him that it was safe to come out. Barthanas came out, and recognized the creature for a locathah as well. He spoke Aquan fluently, and conversed with the creature for a few minutes. While he did this, Marcus rewarded the other passengers with gold for ‘defending his cargo’; he didn’t seem to understand the motives of the locathah at all, for when Barthanas was done speaking to the captive, he made it clear the the creature was quite mad. The only marginally intelligible things it said were that his family was all dead, the fish tasted bad, and that there was ‘something in the water’. Barthanas suggested that they give it a clean death, to put it out of its misery, before going back to the pilot room.

Esan and Morgan initially agreed with this idea, but Gerard insisted that the waters were the jurisdiction of the Throne Wardens of House Deneith, and that the creature needed to be turned over to them for judgement. He placed manacles on the locathah and the other two agreed to help him watch over the captive until they arrived in Karrnath. Morgan told his familiar to catch a fish and see if the locathah was telling the truth; when the crow returned with a fish in its mouth, it said that the fish didn't taste right at all.

Scene III – Sul, 1st of Olarune

The ferry arrived in Southbridge in the evening, just a few hours behind schedule. Southbridge is a small village built around a bridge crossing the Karrn River. Southbridge is also a crossroad on an Orien trade route that branches off to Rekkenmark, Korth and Karrlakton. The passengers disembarked and headed to the Port Authority, where they turned the locathah over to some guards who Barthanas was hiring for his next trip. Morgan wrote out a short description of the locathah's behavior and what it had said during the interrogation and handed it to the guards, who said they would escort it to Throneport and make sure House Deneith got the note. They stayed the evening in the King's Bounty, the only inn Southbridge had to offer. The accomodations in the rooms they rented were barely adequate, but the dinner and ale more than made up for this shortcoming. While they lingered in the common room, Morgan asked around to see if any caravans were leaving Southbridge for Rekkenmark in the morning, but could not find any interested in hiring on guards or accepting passengers.

Meanwhile, Gerard and Esan noticed Marcus Fienn having some sort of altercation with a gray cloaked woman sporting an eye patch. They left the King's Bounty, and by the time Gerard got outside to see where they had gone both had disappeared. He went back inside and inquired about the woman with the eye patch at the bar. The barkeep (and owner of the inn), a fat Karrn veteran named Maigon, denied knowing anything about the woman. Gerard sensed that Maigon might not be telling the truth, but when he pressed the man for a true answer, Maigon merely warned him that inquisitive foreigners didn’t last long in Karrnath and told him to sit down. Gerard decided that starting a fight was not the wisest course of action and let it go, though grudgingly. Gerard, Morgan and Esan then talked for a while, and realized that they were all still going in the same direction. They decided to travel together before settling down for the night.

2nd-4th of Olarune

After gathering supplies and cold weather gear, the party set out on foot for Rekkenmark. The first three days were unremarkable; the road was not as well traveled as it might have been in better weather, but it was patrolled by the Royal Swords of Karrnath. They were stopped once on the first day by Royal Swords and asked for their identification papers, but when they produced these they were not further hindered. On Wir, they passed Tanar Rath, a fortress town governed by one of the Karrn warlords. It was midday, so they decided not to stop and look around.

Scene IV – Zor, 5th of Olarune

Just before dusk, the party spotted two figures just down the road; having seen no other travelers for the past few hours they were immediately out of place, and moreso when it was apparent that they were not moving, simply standing in the middle of the road. When they got closer, Gerard and Esan recognized Marcus and the woman with the eye patch, though now she was dressed in the uniform of a Royal Swords officer. She had a bare-bladed bastard sword swung over one shoulder, and a cocked hand crossbow in her other hand. She ordered the group to halt, and declared that she was Captain Adalgisa Jaranus of the Royal Swords. She told the party that Marcus had reported one of them as a Thranish spy. Marcus immediately protested, saying that he had merely said ‘yes’ when she asked him if there were any Thranes in from the ferry. Adalgisa insisted that one of them was a spy, and asked for identification papers. Gerard and Esan both spotted soldiers hiding in nearby trees while she was speaking. Gerard volunteered that he was a Thrane, though he said he was no spy. She didn’t believe him. Marcus told Gerard not to worry; the Royal Swords would merely take him into custody and ask him some questions, and then release him when it was clear that he was an honest traveler. Adalgisa interrupted Marcus by putting a crossbow bolt through his throat, and then ordered her soldiers to execute the party for ‘murdering a Karrn merchant on the King’s road’.

A short fight ensued; Morgan immediately put the Captain and one of her men to sleep with a powerful enchantment scroll while Gerard and Esan made short work of the others. The party realized that killing Royal Swords in Karrnath was no small complication – they briefly talked about the consequences, and realized that turning them in for murder would do no good. In a place where martial law reigns, a Royal Swords officer is going to be believed over a bunch of foreigners. They checked the murder weapon, and it was conspicuously generic and unidentifiable in origin. They decided that the only way to see justice done was to mete it out themselves. They executed the two soldiers who hadn’t been put to sleep, and hauled the captain and the other away for questioning off the road.

Morgan used another scroll before the interrogation that prevented the two captives from speaking lies. to It did not prevent them from being evasive, so Gerard used more…traditional means of questioning – brute intimidation. And before Esan moved back to the road to cover up evidence of the battle, he used some sort of mental power that seemed to frighten Adalgisa even more. They learned in just a few minutes that Adalgisa and her men were all agents of the Order of the Emerald Claw, a Karrnathi terrorist organization that used to be an order of knights in service to King Kaius I.

Adalgisa and her men were ordered by Ermana Kessler, another agent of the Order in a different cell, to patrol the road to Rekkenmark for ‘Flamers’ and others who might prove meddlesome to her, and to eliminate them if possible. They do not know what Kessler is up to, though they do know that she is meeting with Talovar ir’Mandar, a young Karrn warlord currently giving lectures at the Rekkenmark Academy. Morgan asked Adalgisa if the Order is somehow still connected to the Royal Throne, and Adalgisa said no. She did imply some sort of connection between the Order of the Emerald Claw and the Blood of Vol religion, but she didn’t seem to know terribly much about that, either. She repeatedly tried to buy her life with promises of amnesty and even wealth. She betrayed the only other person directly in her chain of command, some sort of official in the Royal Swords office in Korth named Alarich Dorn. Apparently, Dorn is some sort of communications hub for her cell. He gets her orders and passes them along to her with her regular directives from the Royal Swords. She said that she has never met Ermana Kessler; she merely got her orders through Dorn.

The interrogators offered them a chance to live – if they would write out a confession and come quietly to the nearest Royal Swords office to turn themselves in. Even Adalgisa was too terrified of the consequences of living to betray the Order. The nameless soldier died with dignity, but Adalgisa went to Dolurrh screaming. The party then buried the dead as deep as they could, making sure to smash the mouths of the Emerald Claw agents so that they could not communicate with investigating priests. They buried Marcus separately with a small ceremony led by Gerard, and did not smash his mouth in. Gerard admitted that he was an agent of the Silver Flame at this point, but Esan and Morgan were still willing to travel with him. They found the horses used by Marcus and the Emerald Claw agents. Marcus’ they kept, but the others were branded as property of the Karrnathi military so they were unsaddled and let go. The group continued to Rekkenmark.

Welcome to Eberron

2005-11-22T12:24:00.000-06:00

News Highlights of the Week

by Glamdrin Hagglewood
23rd of Zarantyr, 998 YK

The 'storm of the century' has just rolled across the continent of Khorvaire, quite literally burying villages under snow in Aundair, Thrane and Karrnath. The heads of state of all three nations have asked for disaster relief from anyone and everyone, and the Riedrans have been gracious enough to supply even more of their surplus grain than usual to support populations whose own harvests were wiped out during the two month long blizzard. Meanwhile, druids from the Eldeen Reaches have predicted an even worse storm sweeping in from the west in the next three months.

In Sharn, violence has broken out on the streets as rival gangs (including elements of Daask, the now-infamous Droaamite-backed crime syndicate) wage open war on each other. Captain Garlen of the City Watch had this to say: "The Boromars started this, I tell you...get those reporters out of here! That's off the record!" He was unavailable for further comment.

Rumors of disappearances have arrived from Aundair, apparently unrelated to the blizzards just now dispersing. Two villages in the northeast section of the country have been completely abandoned. Jacob Onasa, a farmer living nearby, had this to say after visiting one of the villages: "It was a raid, I tell ye! Old tools scattered everywhere, furniture upended inside houses, blood stains...how could a blizzard do all that? It was them stinkin' Karrns across the Sound, mark my words." The Royal Eyes have been deployed into the region, but they have offered no comment thus far.

And the Barrakas Summit planned for this year in Thronehold only has the open support of King Kaius III of Karrnath and Queen Aurala of Aundair thus far. Prince Oargev of New Cyre has made a public show of burning his own invitation, which he later told our reporters welcomed him as 'a regent of a fledgling nation'. The Droamites have been ignored once again, though the question of their sovereignty is apparently an issue open for discussion in this year's summit. House Orien and House Cannith also plan to send delegates to the summit to speak of rebuilding the White Arch Bridge across Scion's Sound between Thaliost and Rekkenmark. Besides reconnecting the eastern and western lightning rail lines, this would be a symbolic gesture of goodwill. Unfortunately, the decision rests largely with Karrnath and Thrane, who claim the land on either side of the ruins of the first White Arch Bridge. A representative of the Cardinal of Councils in Flamekeep, speaking on condition of anonymity, has said that it is 'unlikely' that the Council will approve of this reconstruction project even if they do send delegates to the Barrakas Summit. When asked why, the representative would only say that there were 'strategic concerns'.

For more up-to-date news, keep your eyes peeled for the Korranberg Chronicle.