To fully relay all of the events and deeds that took place in the year
and a half that Shallam dealt with the Morningcloaks would make
for a post too long to bear. Thus, what follows is a condensed
version of what happened as witnessed by this scribe.

It started with a letter to the ruling council of Shallam by one who
called himself F. He freely admitted his association with the Crime
Baron that had caused so much devastation around Shallam before
but assured the Viziers that he didn't engage in the same
distasteful practices.

His agent met with Verrucht Dawyn and Rarch Jaydde-Stormcrow
and an agreement was quickly reached. Few questions were asked:
a couple regarding the legality of their activities, most regarding
whether or not they would pay taxes. The two Viziers quickly gave
the group, which didn't give their name, permission to operate a
moneylending service and provide gambling within the city. Their
only stipulation: people were not to be hurt. In a further rush of
generosity, they gave the group permission to use the top floor of
the Crime Baron's old townhouse within the city, giving F's group
a base of operations. They did learn that the F stood for "Ferret"
and he preferred not to be called that.

Events happened quickly after this. A moneylender moved into the
bank, offering exorbiant interest rates and an extremely rude
demeanor to any who questioned her. A bookie also moved in: a
very cheerful old man who offered wagering on foot races. Some
new charity workers rounded out the lineup of new faces in
Shallam.

Citizens immediately questioned the new activities in the city.
Starrsong, Anu Estrada, Dresden La'Seir, Yuna , Jelani Rybnik ,
Penrynn Campbell, Arithorn, and Carmell Jaydde-Stormcrow were
among the most vocal in this, asking numerous questions
regarding where these people came from, what the council knew
about them, and whether they were to be trusted. The murmurings
in the street turned into city postings when several other citizens,
including Rarch and another Vizier, Gade Op'Shae-Weltsdown,
admonished Shallam for not being polite to the moneylender even
though another Vizier, Malabriand Weltsdown Whisperwind, had
experienced extreme rudeness from the woman.

Using the backing of the ruling council as a marketing tool, the
moneylender soon had Deburr the Jeweler and Vanna the Baker as
debtors. When the citizens learned this, they became even more
concerned, firmly believing the moneylender and the rest of the
organization were not to be trusted.

Things came to a head when the bookie hosted a boxing match in
which a fighter died. He had hosted a similar one the month before,
but the Shallamese attending that did not seem concerned with the
death. This time, Latus Sioraiocht spoke up, immediately
condemning the fight and urging his fellow citizens to not lay bets
in this death sport. He, along with Carmell, Zenui Ruthras, and
Ashakel Shu'in engaged in a peaceful debate with the bookie
regarding his practices. The bookie eventually called in a guard
who threatened those assembled before both bookie and guard left.

DeBurr's shop was robbed soon thereafter. Yoshimo Navarne was
the first on the scene and witnessed a sewer thug running away.
They found a bruised and battered DeBurr who spoke of thugs
ransacking her shop and brutally beating her. The citizens assumed
it had something to do with the moneylender and Dresden and
Carmell went to question her. Darline Ta'sa offered DeBurr the gold
to pay off her loan, but DeBurr refused to leave her shop and
requested that Carmell pay it off for her. Eventually, Knorrinski
Rhalia, Relos, and Zenui talked her into going with them into the
palace where she would be safe.

When Rarch appeared and supported the suggestion that the
moneylender was behind this outrage, DeBurr was shocked and
dismayed to learn that the Council knew very little about this
organization they had allowed in. Rarch paid off DeBurr's loan and
then requested that the moneylender leave. She gladly did so as
she apparently had a strong dislike for Shallam.

Events began to move quickly again. The Shallamese caught one of
the thugs involved in the robbery and immediately killed him,
finding a note on his body that read only "Good work. We'll be in
touch". Another letter was sent by Ferret to Rarch, apologizing for
the misunderstandings. Rarch met with the agent, "Kid," and
demanded names, location of headquarters, and a way to contact
these people before he'd allow them back in. Kid made some vague
warnings to Rarch about the type of people these were before
leaving to report to Ferret.

Soon after, another agent of Ferret tacked a note up on Fish street
in which Ferret mocked the Shallam council for being gullible fools
and gloated about how much gold he had made but he warned he
still had more to make and they would be seeing him. Soon after,
bandits were found on the highway, leaping out and attacking any
who passed by and relieving them of some of their goods.
Assassins roamed the streets of Shallam, seemingly at will, killing
off likely targets.

Shallam responded by hunting down these men, but they ignored
some vital clues. Three times robed men were witnessed in
Reinhold's shop, and some citizens had even gone so far as to
stand guard there for a short time, but no one mentioned it to
others. The citizens even killed Reinhold by mistake when
attempting to kill one of the assassins. Soon after this, Reinhold's
shop was robbed.

Shastaan was the site of much activity as its citizens were seen
acting nervous about something. Rawnblade Winterheart-
Ceadenanch, Ashakel, and Lereas Sparrow questioned numerous
villagers but got little information. Lari Merre was somewhat more
successful as she had spent some time doing healing in Shastaan
in the past, but they would only tell her she should leave.

Knowing from Reinhold that there was an informant in the city,
Dresden laid a trap for Maelius the Bartender who had long been
suspected of being a criminal agent. While moving around some
guards, she casually mentioned that there were not enough guards
for Fak'trar and he didn't use a bank. Soon after, robed men were
seen moving around Fak'trar's establishment. Dresden confronted
Maelius and he claimed ignorance before fleeing. He was pursued
and cornered by Brandilar Weltsdown. The trapped barkeep made
several demands in exchange for information: gold, a horse, and an
escort out of the city. Dresden agreed to these terms.

Meanwhile, Linus, a former Sultan, contacted Maelius
telepathically in an attempt to help him escape, but Maelius
instructed him to go to the townhouse instead and inform his
contact of what had happend. Linus met with the contact, told him
what happened and expressed his desire to join with the criminal
organization. To prove himself, Linus offered to distract the guards
around the casino while the criminals robbed it. The contact
agreed.

Dresden, Quillian, Carmell, and Brandilar questioned Maelius and
he revealed what little information he knew. Rarch appeared during
this and informed Dresden that she did not have the authority to
charge anyone with anything nor could she punish anyone with
anything and she couldn't let Maelius go even if that was the deal
for him speaking. He then left again. While the Shallamese argued
about this, an assassin snuck in and killed Maelius, solving the
problem but eliminating the opportunity for further questioning.
From this encounter they learned that the group's name was the
Morningcloaks, they were stationed near Shallam to the north,
Ferret was in charge, a butterfly tattoo was their trademark, and that
Maelius had been spying for this criminal organization for some
time now.

A day or so later, Linus was attacked by robed men and called for
help, thus distracting the guards. The casino was ransacked and
Akhmeed and Laura fled. Growing frustrated, the players mounted
a search of the area looking for the hideout. Finally, Strider Liam
noticed an odd boulder on the track to Shastaan. Swarms of
Shallamese came to the boulder and tried to move it, redoubling
their efforts when they saw it moved slightly. Chokal Campbell
thought to contact the Aerithian stonemason who examined the
rock and determined an enchantment was on it and it probably
needed a password to open it.

Linus wandered Shastaan a bit asking questions and was pulled
aside by a robed man who said he'd meet Linus at the boulder later
and he shouldn't go around bothering the villagers. Carmell and
Jack Moonflair escorted Bostick, the Apprentice Locksmith, to the
townhouse so he could make keys for the locks the criminals had
put on the doors. When he was finished, Carmell, after some
discussion, decided to open the doors. She was immediately slain
by the many assassins that had been using the townhouse as a
base. Numerous citizens, led by Roncli Op'Shae, stormed the house
killing those assassins. They opened another door and rushed in
and were very quickly slain by the assassins in that room. Finally,
some fifty people gathered together, led by Roncli, to finish off the
rest of the assassins. Eleven of the adventurers died but they took
out all sixteen of the assassins there and they found a note
indicating the criminals would change the password at the boulder
each month.

There was more swarming around the boulder until Dresden
ordered everyone out in a brusque fashion and requested that the
Dawnstriders take up the watch phased to see what they could find
out. They carried out this task admirably, spending many days
watching and waiting.

Linus was contacted by the criminals and they told him to come to
the boulder as they had a job for him. He went there and was given
the password to get in to the criminal hideout. He was then
instructed to get information regarding likely extortion or blackmail
targets in Shallam. He did this and returned to the boulder but was
caught entering by Nyneve de Quenster-Snowhunter and Quillian.
All three were killed by the posted guards and the Morningcloaks
grew suspicious of Linus and demanded that he prove his loyalty.
He did not manage to come up with a way to do that and they told
him they were through with him. He then posted to Shallam all that
he has learned and the criminals quickly change the password and
prepare for battle.

The next month, the Dawnstrider Tetsuni Snowhunter was waiting
phased at the boulder and overheard the password being used by a
robed man. He quickly relayed it to Dresden who then organized a
raiding party. The group entered the hideout. Some were curious
about what the humming disc was in the room they entered but
they ventured ahead. It turned out that the disc was an alarm and
as soon as they moved into the next room, hoardes of assassins
descended upon them, quickly killing them all.

Numerous attempts after this were made employing several other
plans, some more ingenious then others. The password changed
again but Sander Weltsdown-Ceadananch soon guessed the new
one based on information from the Dawnstriders. He sent
Goldberry in phased and she was joined by Sunflame Snowhunter,
Orophin Windsong, and finally Pert. They got quite a bit of
information, mapped out the hideout, and discovered a tortured
prisoner. However, they kept setting off the alarms so the criminals
were in a constant state of alarm and began plans to move from the
hideout.

Finally, the Shallamese decided to attempt to rescue the prisoner
that their spies had found and see if he had any information that
might help. Roncli was leading the group but he left and Dresden
took over. Antreus Atreide provided them a grove gate to
Goldberry, and though many of them died, they were succesful in
rescuing the prisoner. He was the former agent known as "kid" and
he gave them some information regarding how to disable the alarms
and the traps. He was then taken to safety in Hesperia.

The next month, the Shallamese decided to try one last effort to
clean the criminals out as they knew Ferret was likely to move very
soon. Sunflame, whose soul had left the realms while in the
hideout, proved the point man on this operation and successfully
avoided several guards who were throwing eye sigils in the
hideout. Dresden and Rarch gathered a large force and moved in.
Dresden disarmed the alarms and traps she came across and the
force fought their way through the hideout, and eventually entered
the room where Kelan Muk'tre, aka Ferret, was waiting. He was not
aggressive, but the Shallamese killed him anyway. They discovered
some letters in his desk as well as a journal in another chamber
which gave details regarding their operation and the people above
them, apparently called Jaguars.

They recovered most of the goods stolen from adventurers and
quite a few standard commodities in a storage chamber, but they
were unable to gain access to the saferoom quickly enough to
gather the riches there. Das Rousseau managed to set off an alarm
in the same room as the group and all died to the thirty some
assassins that rushed in. Kelan returns from death and once again
mocks Shallam in shouts and cannot be found again. The criminals
are clearly moving out of the hideout and where they went to
ground is still unknown. The hideout is now abandoned.

Thus concludes the tale of Shallam and the Morningcloaks.

Penned by my hand on the 7th of Chronos, in the year 363 AF.