Cy 4850 – Juniand 15^th – 17^th

Nyrond watches the tree burn with a grim smile. The marraq, Veldus, storms the two remaining farmsteads with the remaining thooligans. A Nadir sorcerer called Hujal Nazan, a nomadic talented sorcerer from the steppes below Drenai, joins him. The rest of the party (Osmedrain, Danat and Malathrax) are on the roof of the tavern giving aerial support with their bows.

The marraq archer is ruthless. His undoubted skill with the dreaded darkbow takes a heavy toll as the thooligans mop up what little resistance the farmers give. Hujal is alongside him, his shamanic magic hurls balls of energy into the fray, and the farmers are left desolate and beaten.

Nyrond, the priest of Malakar, heads back into the tavern where his companions are already turning the place over in an attempt to find anything of value. Their search proves fruitless save for a valuable bracelet and a sacrificial knife that has the sorcerer’s twitching…it throbs with the strange inner vibrations that tell them it is magical. A simple spell by Hujal reveals it to be the Knife of Asgar – because of it’s lethal appearance all but the priest of Malakar refuse to touch it. Nyrond takes the knife and secretes it deep within his tunic.

The village is dead. The party regroup and are joined by the marraq Veldus. He thanks them for their support but refuses their offer to join them. "I head north into the Olshay range," he says, "and from there into Myrid where I will hunt more Elenorians. Who knows, I might even reach the Elenorian Forest itself…"

The next visitor is the dark sorcerer that gave them the task in the first place. Caldron smiles at the carnage, he is particularly pleased with the sight of the burning tree. "It will burn for a hundred years," he gloats.

To Malathrax he hands the deeds to the brothel a few leagues away and explains that he has earned the right to them for the actions of the day. To Nyrond he hands a scroll case that houses a seemingly blank parchment. "The words will come evident in the strangest of lights," he says cryptically, "it is aid in the darkest of hours…"

And Caldron is gone…

The party decide that they must leave the scene quickly and plan to return to the city of Dros Goran to restock. Osmedrain casts a number of pass without trace spells to cover their tracks.

They reach Dros Goran and Malathrax – now the owner of a brothel – searches for a man called Lord Snuffnir (he had promised the sorcerer to find girls for the business). The city is busy and as the party move through the streets they are horrified to see the noble lord Snuffnir manacled to a wagon – the Drenai have arrested him for some reason and he is heading towards the dungeons.

Malathrax sneaks up to the noblemen and Snuffnir whispers, "get my sword! It is in the magistrates office." As a fellow wielder of the katana Malathrax understands the need for his weapon. The talented sorcerer casts invisibility and heads for the magistrates office. The katana hangs like a trophy behind the magistrate’s chair. Stormil, the magistrate, is talking to Meela (a Drenai posing as a Madame but is in fact a spy).

Malathrax steals the blade and heads back alone to the brothel. The rest of the party head back on horseback while Meela heads for the brothel with five women in tow that she had promised the sorcerer (girls to work in his new venture).

With Malathrax staying off the road it is Nyrond, Osmedrain, Hujal and Danat who arrive back at the brothel first, unaware that the woman is a Drenai spy. Malathrax hurries back to his place and is joined by Snuffnir…together the two men reveal the true extent of Meela’s deception. There is a flurry of activity and the girls and Meela are soon ensnared (with web and entangle spells).

Nyrond brings out the Knife of Asgar and smiles at Meela; "Time to try out this sacrificial knife I think…"

Her screams reached the mountainous border of Rosen several leagues distant…

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