- The group were drinking in the tavern on a late Autumn afternoon when a cry of "to arms" was heard outside. J'heanna [the entertainer] and Krayon [the innkeeper] heard the cry and alerted Shy-Lone [the militia]. Dashing from the inn, Shy-Lone and Traceby [the farmer] were first to arrive at the spear wall and pushed their way through the few townsfolk who had already gathered there.
- Arriving at the front they saw in the light afternoon haze two figures wrestling with a well dressed townsman. The two assailants were diminutive,and one threw himself on the townsman. The other took flight, and Kalarell [the townsman - recognised by Traceby] threw the other to the side and stabbed him in the neck with his dagger. Kalarell pursued the other attacker and Shy-Lone and another militia raced after them.
- In an instant, a Warg broke cover from the undergrowth nearby and charged down Kal and the attacker. Kal knocked the attacker over and began wrestling him on the ground. The Warg, distracted by the fresh smell of blood from the other body changed direction and savaged the easy prey. Kal and the attacker wrestled on.
- Shy and the other militia set upon the Warg and after a few minutes playing cricket with it (love that knock back - Ed) dispatched it with relative ease. They then turned to help Kal. As Shy arrived, Kal had flipped the human over (as it was now obvious) and the two pinned it (him?) down. A short while later, the heroes returned to the town and spiked the head of the other dead human on the spear wall as warning to any other bandits, and the carcass of the Warg was dragged into town for a feast that night.
- Kal and the group escorted the human to the Intendant's chambers [head Protector of the Word - only 3 office ranks below the Emperor] for an audience and were granted a meeting. After a short discussion and the discovery that the sack recovered from the bandit contained noteworthy items that had been stolen over the past few months from several townsfolk, including some of the party, Intendant Fosguth called for an Interrogator (as we shall call it for now).
- A black robed figure entered the room and embraced the restrained human. Screams were heard from within the folds of the cloak and a lacerated and barely alive human was seen after the Interrogator retreated. A hissed voice filled the room, presumably from the Interrogator, which said that there were more bandits to the east and along the north mountains (presumably in the direction of Twin Peaks). Fosguth took a recess and agreed with his council that the group be offered the opportunity to find out more about this by travelling east into the Barren Lands. He provided a copy of the missing items list, returned the group's family heirlooms and gave them the map that was recovered along with some other bits of paper that were in the recovered sack (yet to be looked at).
- A small pouch was also recovered from the human which contained a small, delicate, silver key hidden in a double-lining. There was a few coins which Fosguth gave Shy for his trouble in rescuing Kal. The use of the key is unknown, though is probably for a locket or jewellery chest. The lock mechanism it works is simple, and it is unclear the origin of the key.
- The map dates back about 300-500 years as the crest of the Lane family on it is slightly different to the one they currently use. The change was a result of marrying into another noble family about 500 years ago. The valley (now the Barren Lands) was depicted with a river and a site of an citadel far to the east (~150 miles). Traceby, after doing some research for a week (and
everybody learning some human and how to ride as it might come in useful), discovered that the Hemnat Empire once stretched much farther to the east, and an old citadel there was once the original seat of the Empire. The Emperor, Rex and Regent were recounted in myths as riding great winged serpents (dragons) against dark conspirators from the North. The armies of the north were chill, cold enemies who often stalked at night and were able to strike without warning. Warriors of the Mist was a title frequently used. The myth ended with the Emperor being victorious in driving away the enemy.
- Traceby then summoned the Spirit of the River, with the aid of the rest of the party and asked it about the past. It said that it felt a severance at some time and moved here where there is another source. Traceby asked if it would like the river restored, and it said that things are as they are. If the course were restored, then it may take up its place along it, but it had no desire for revenge. However, it did feel a growing threat - a change in the lands - and was concerned about cessation. Where it had been, there had always been Hemnat and it drew comfort from this situation. The Hemnat respect the natural order.
- There have also been rumours that the merchant's guild may be looking to relocate further west due to the growing numbers of bandit attacks on trade routes, and the lack of a strong military presence to defend the Empires eastern reach (aside from the Intendant) also worries the townsfolk that maybe the Empire is signalling a retreat from this point. On the other side of the coin, there has been a gradual "retreat" from the east over many years (as is now obvious from the historical records), but is still unsettling to be in the middle of it.
- The party set out with Kal (despite the protestations of Fosguth since Kal is the chief alchemist and herbalist in the town) to track down some information about the bandits (and find out more about their Empire's history - though that's the party's agenda).
- After four uneventful days ride, Kal was nearly attacked in the woods but for the perspicacity of the group on guard. Something glinted in the moonlight nearby as Kal took a nighttime leak in the bushes, but whatever it was, it ran off into the undergrowth when the group called out to Kal. Kal
ran back, a little flustered and thanked the group for their observation. All is quiet and day 5 awaits the party's ongoing quest ...
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