I can scarcely put pen to paper to record to you the events of the last few days. It is all a muddle in my mind but I shall try to be as clear about things as I can. I shall start at the beginning and work forward from there.

You may recall that I mentioned that I was going to be out of the area for a few days. Well, myself and some of the men were dispatched by the commander to check on a meeting that was supposed to be occurring between some of Darshiva's own at a tavern in a little town called Klatch. We were to intercept a couple of Drax's own boys and capture them if possible. One was some heavy hitter named Joshua and the other was Barker, or something like that, and he was some kind of poison expert.

We arrived early and waited as patiently as we could. Eventually, two persons matching the descriptions we were given arrived and set up at a corner table. The conversation was pretty hushed, so I set about looking the principals over. The guy we were told was Joshua was a tall drink of water with broad shoulders and hair that was going a little thin on top. Barker, or whoever, was all hunched up in a cloak so that I couldn't even tell if he was the right guy or not. I presume it was him for reasons that will later become apparent.

After a bit they got up and decided to get a breath of fresh air or something because they headed for the door and told the barkeep that they would be back. Either the barman knew them or he is a trusting sort because he said that'd be fine. We got up and headed out for some stretching of our own. It was then that I began to get a bad feeling about the whole situation. Altair told me I was being an old woman about all this and headed off ahead of the rest of us. Last mistake he ever got to make.

The festivities started when the last of us was out the door and we were all trying to adjust to the darkness and get our nightvision back. The first thing that hit us was the shockwave from an explosive trap which did in our weapons and left us reeling. As the spots before my eyes started to fade I heard the hiss of arrows or bolts whizzing by my ears. When I could see again I realized that we were beset by a group of five wielding various implements of mayhem and one guy with an evil grin on his painted face. I decided to take a bow out of this scene and called for the retreat. Here is where it gets weird.

I grabbed Altair and ran for it dragging him along behind me. Just to discourage pursuit I threw a couple Pins and Binds behind me as we ran. As we ran I heard more explosions and maniacal laughter from behind us. Someone whose voice I didn't recognize called off our pursuit saying, "It's no good if no one tells Whitehand who killed his people." He then called after us saying, "Tell the General that Joshua Kallendar sends his regards!"

When we got clear I checked on Altair. His breathing was shallow and heartbeat was weak. He was also sweating like a stuck pig, had clammy skin, and a distinct pallor. The reason for this seemed to be a greenish ooze smeared on a throwing knife that was stuck in his thigh. He never recovered full consciousness and so I was forced to lash him to a farmers horse I stole. He was dead before I got him back to our base. He never resurrected.

Know this, I shall not be denied my vengeance. I shall find these men and destroy them. Any help you can give me, my beloved, would be most welcome. I would appreciate if you would ask Erin about the poison that was used. See if she has ever used it or knows some one who has.

In Love,
Tharok Rothchilde

I am pleased to inform you that I have been able to locate someone to fill the position of cook for the bar. The individual I have in mind is a goodly sort with much to recommend her. She is not only an excellent cook but is also a fine healer as well! This will undoubtedly cut down on the number of people crippled by the beautiful but deadly Erin as she goes about her duties as a bouncer. I shall briefly relate how I came to meet this wonderful woman.

It was not long after the unfortunate incident which did in poor Altair and I was feeling quite out of sorts. General Whitehand noticed and decided that a little light field work was what was needed to get me back in shape. Never having been one to argue (and wipe that smirk off your face) I was therefore dispatched to check out rumors of an outpost being constructed in the foothills of the Loretold mountains. I used my not inconsiderable abilities in the realm of disguise (again I say stop smirking!) to make myself appear to be the simplest of travelers and set out for the mountains.

After having spent a couple of weeks in the foothills and finding nothing, I set out to return to camp and get something more combat oriented. I had had enough of the light duty and was ready to start my quest for vengeance. I was four days ride out of the vale when I happened upon an horrific sight. It was enough to send the chills down even my spine and, as you know, I have seen some dire things in my time.

A caravan of slavers had apparently stopped for the night when some of the slaves had decided to make a break for it. I would have done much the same myself in their shoes. They had been caught and the caravan master had decided that an example needed to be made. A lasting impression was what he was after.

He had decided to take the loss of a couple of slaves and deal with them in a most gruesome fashion. He was going to roast them alive and feed them to the other slaves!

I was horrified and realized that I had to do something or be forced to watch two people die slowly and in pain. I have no problem with that sort of thing in a war footing but these were helpless slaves with no hope of defending themselves. I can deal with having many things weigh upon my conscience, but this would have haunted me forever. I prepared myself for combat with a superior force. This of course meaning that I called my magics to my hand, drew my sword, and mentally questioned my sanity.

Before I ever had a chance to move, however, there came a noise from the far end of the clearing. It was a woman. Just that, a woman. Not a horde or an army, just one very angry woman. She strode up to the caravan master and demanded to know what he thought he was about to do. He replied that it was none of her affair, that these people belonged to him, and told her that she should leave now or else. She then asked how much were these people worth on the open market. He told her and asked why she wanted to know. A brief blur of bargaining later the slaves were all her property. She then promptly told the caravan master to piss off as he had no further reason to be here.

I was astounded! I had to meet this selfless woman who could give so much so freely. As I approached she was giving what little money she had left to the slaves to get themselves started in the world as free men and women. She and I talked for quite some time. I turns out that the money she used was all that she had in the world. She was headed north to start a new life with money that she had worked years to save when she overheard the ruckus and decided to take a hand in matters. It turns out that you and she have a lot in common regarding hating slavers and believing in freedom. For the same reasons too. She bears a slave mark also.

So it is that I send you this woman in hopes that you will receive her into the family. Her name is Gytha Ogg and I already feel as if she were the grandmother I never had. Take her on as cook and you shall not be sorry. Well, I have rambled enough for now.

Be well,
Tharok Rothchilde

P.S. Lorre sends his love or whatever it is he usually sends.

How pass you my love? I am sorry that I have not been more attentive this past month but I have been very busy at camp with a few new recruits. Also, we have been trying desperately to discover where Darshiva is building his new stronghold. There has been a great increase in outgoing supplies and the Dominion boys are just nowhere to be found lately. It is our belief that Darshiva has them all at some new base of operations he has been constructing on the sly. Any information on this that you can glean using the girls and the penchant that some of Drax's goons have for pillow talk would be most helpful.

I have some worries regarding the tunnel in the cellar. The last time we used it was just after the rather disastrous raid on the "snack shack" when we thought that Larker was in the area. I swear that I'll have him yet for what he did to Altair. No man should die like that! It is my opinion that only cowards use poison. Ruen and I have argued that one endlessly as he is an alchemist of some small talent and thinks that any edge in combat is a good one. But I digress, getting back to the cellar and the tunnel. I have noticed that some of the supports were looking rather cracked and shaky. You may want to have Elias have a look at them. He was ships carpenter on one of the vessels he served on and should be able to do something.

By the way, as I mentioned earlier there are a few new men in the company who you should keep an eye out for. There is also one that you should warn Erin about as he is trouble on the hoof. His name is Arithon Torbitson and I don't like him at all. While it's true that he is an intelligent soldier with a fair amount of skill, I just can't like someone who enjoys inflicting pain as much as he does. Mark my words, if he comes into the bar have Erin keep an eye on him. Heck, keep both of them on him. She'll need both of them to keep track of the little scumbag. He is just a symptom of what I have seen beginning to happen to the company lately.

As we have continued to lose men, some of whom have been with us for years, it has become apparent that we cannot win unless we find some kind of edge. As Darshiva continues to pummel us with golems and his twisted minions we have begun to despair of winning this one. Drax holds all the cards and we are playing for infinitely higher stakes this time than we ever have before. It has progressed beyond a contract, this has become an obsession. If things do not change soon I am considering leaving the company. I have a tidy sum tucked away and could live quite well if we decided to leave here. This is correct, we. All of us. I consider all of you to be family and would leave none of you behind. Consider it and talk to the girls you trust about this.

Be well dear heart,
Tharok Rothchilde

people have read this scroll since 17, June 598.