Out of the deep woods of the Aureliana forest he came, pockets and
pouches heavily laden with goods. With a sheen of sweat upon his brow, a
single wanderer made his way to several merchants throughout Sapience,
plying his wares with deft skill, but with never an answer as to whence
the goods came, or about himself. Assisted by a young woman from Cyrene
named Larthia, the wanderer visited Constantine, the Tasur'kan jeweller,
Rowena, the sireni living near Riparium, and finally the hunter Garian
at the Crystal Leaf Inn. Each partook of his goods, and each, for the
time being, took leave of the wandering peddler's company satisfied.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Sapience, a band of oddly dishevelled nobles
made their way from city to city, questioning citizens and travellers
alike as to any knowledge of a particular man selling false goods. It
was not long after that the aforementioned merchants made known their
sudden displeasure with what turned out to be shoddy merchandise, but
not before the wanderer had managed to sell his wares to a few other
unsuspecting Achaeans.

Closing in upon his location, the greasy, rancid nobles, mere moments
from apprehending the merchant-wanderer, began to reveal small details
as to the true nature of the goods, but nothing not already uncovered by
the Achaeans and merchants already taken in by his generous offers.
Quicker than the rest, the hunter Garian was able to barter with the
merchant for a second item, free of charge, to help prove the
reliability of his wares.

A single note fell from within the boots offered by the wanderer to
Garian, and Delphinus quickly scooped it up and read it before the
wanderer retrieved it for himself and vanished. Upon it were these
words: "Here's the rest for the decoy job. Keep it separate from the
loot in the hills hideout, and don't screw it up like last time. You
know why."

A short time after this, Larthia was seen once again with the
merchant-wanderer in tow, bringing him to the safety of some unknown
place, and rumour has it that now he can not be found even there. His
destination remains unknown, the potential dangers he presents,
uncertain.

Penned by my hand on the 1st of Ero, in the year 444 AF.