Almost a year ago, it was a normal day in the Pash until Jephrey, Jaru's
chocolate peddler, came to Shallam, searching for a vizier. Trevalyan
approached him, and they agreed to meet above the Silverdrop Inn in
secrecy. As Jephrey divulged that a group of bandits had approached
Jaru, the Dawnstrider Pert was revealed, a spy upon the conversation. As
an ally, he was sent to guard the door, yet as a greatly disturbed
Jephrey told Trevalyan the situation, the bandits made good on their
promise; they had asked for 50k gold in tribute, and if Jaru asked for
outside help, they would raze it to the ground. Somehow, they learned of
Jaru's indiscretion. Smoke began to rise across the river, and
Shallamese found the fishing village full of fire, smoke, and bandits.

After much death on both sides, the bandits were driven off. Emerging
from hiding places, Jaruvians began to cast blame, first upon Jephrey,
then the Shallamese as they looked at the ransacked houses, ruined
gardens, and graffiti around them. Desperate for action, a key Liam
found brought the slaying party to a locked mansion in the Shamtota
hills, pillaged years ago for antique statues the magi guild needed.
Guards were posted outside, and bandits were slowly filing in as
Shallamese and others watched from afar. The guards began taunting them,
requesting the 'companionship' of the magi Carmell as part of their
negotiations, then thanking them for time to regroup and escape. After
deliberation, Malabriand unlocked the door, and the group stormed the
house, killing bandits and the mocking guards while suffering great
casualties.

Eduarin, the chamberlain begged for his life, surrendering his keys and
telling the group there were more in his office. Letters were found in
his desk, mentioning shipments, jaguars, and a townhouse, and more keys
were discovered in a case by Dawnstrider Quillian. Eduarin and one of
the maids opted to flee, while another maid asked for temporary refuge
in Shallam. Meanwhile, the townhouse was soon found in the city, and,
using the keys, Aragor, Trevalyan, Sorumous, Sequona, Quillian, Asara,
Keturah, and Liam unlocked it, scouring it but finding no sign of the
criminals. A great pile of supplies, gold, and sapphires was found
squirreled away along with a carving of a ship, and the government
quickly locked the house as a crime scene, opting to keep the contraband
untouched.

Sir Trevalyan questioned the citizens of Shallam to find out if anyone
recognized the Pyrea mentioned in the townhouse letter, and Camilla,
Rudolpho, and Deneen concurred that they knew of the family that lived
in the mysterious husband, no contact with their neighbors revealed
anything else of the family during their stay. The three promised to
alert the government if they heard of anything more. Maelius, the
barkeep of the Silverdrop, was also seen with a ring suddenly,
reportedly given to him by a patron who was out of gold. He became quite
nervous when questioned, eventually conceding to an assessment by Deburr
which yielded little information.

Jaruvian refugees began to cross the river at this time, looking for a
place to stay while their town was unsafe. Though offering to build
their own accomodations, the government housed them in the palace
instead, keeping guard over them and feeding them for months. In the
interim, new houses were built in Jaru, with Shallamese graciously
offering their assistance in quarrying rocks from the Shamtota gorge and
harvesting clay from the Peshwar delta. As the refugees asked for items
in their ransacked houses, a body with a damaged skull was found in an
overturned garden by Aoelithon. A ring hung upon the skeleton's finger,
and Constantine recognized it as belonging to Martei, the
travelling merchant.

Soon after, a letter arrived at the Shallamese gates, addressing the
'noisy little builders' and reminding the citizens of the injury they
had caused the mysterious |B. With a reference to the mayor's 'hearing',
a dried piece of
skin was found in the letter, guessed to be Mayor Cotridge's ear.
Meanwhile, the mansion was attacked over and over by Achaeans, and the
guards began to dwindle until nearly none were left. Despite their
continued taunting, Roncli and Carmell attempted to bargain with the
guards. One finally acquiesced, telling them his boss had a vast network
of tunnels under the hills; that was how he had 'heard' them building
and quarrying. He revealed that Chrysantha was the name of the daughter
and Pyrea, the mother-in-law, was dead, as Vanna and Camilla had
notified Carmell earlier. Roncli mentioned the guard's treason to
another guard as they left, and the traitor was soon seen dismembered
and staked before the mansion, a note mentioning his fate and thanking
Carmell, their 'favorite' mage.

Camilla had also enlisted the help of Oghma, the museum curator, who had
appraised the house after Pyrea's death, and he soon met with Carmell
and Roncli, briefly touring the house before pointing out the fountain
in the courtyard. When manipulated, its bottom dropped away, revealing
an underground tunnel ending shortly after. Two cloaks, gold, and a few
cakes, much like waybread, were found at its end along with a piece of
paper, holding the words "Her name, the knob, our name [F L R Z]".
Strangely, there was no exit out of the tunnel, and Carmell, Roncli,
Oghma, Latus, and Lereas discussed this new development and its purpose.
Oghma also revealed the name of the man - Itian Bavek.

Elsewhere, another man of the baron's made his way to the gates, posting
another letter about his monetary demands and the terms of the mayor's
return. Months passed and time began to run out for the mayor, but a
small group of
Shallamese investigated the Shamtota gorge where the quarrying was done,
and soon found a knob protruding from the cliff's side, accidentally
revealed in the rock removal of months before. Speaking the daughter's
name and pulling the knob, the rock wall shifted, and an entrance into
the tunnels appeared.

A puzzle of panels was the next obstacle, and, after many tests and
attempts, Sir Altarius hit upon a successful combination through luck.
The group proceded into the tunnels underneath the hills, gathering
people as they went to slay the guards posted throughout the
underground. Following one leg of the corridors, they found their way
back into the mansion; a secret escape route had led them astray. Making
their way back to the gorge, they finally found Itian Bavek, and, while
he warned them his secrets would die with him, attempts to make him
speak failed. The Shallamese slew him and the rest of his entourage of
guards. Using the keys he dropped, they entered the locked parts of the
mansion, finally finding the mayor.

Mayor Cotridge was brought back to Jaru and then Shallam for a grand
celebration as things seemed to come to a close. After some toasts, some
drinks, and some rowdiness, the refugees returned to Jaru, assured that
their village could sleep safely that night despite lingering questions.
How did the bandits know Jephrey had asked for Shallamese help? Why did
a robed man pay Maelius for one drink with a gold ring? Where did
Chrysantha and Lady Bavek go? Who are the Jaguars? What other secrets
does the mansion hold?


Penned by my hand on the 18th of Miraman, in the year 353 AF.