by Antilles Pernanum
[Event Summary - November 9th]
To: Commander of Iridine Constables
From: Antilles Pernanum
Re: A Murder
Several Iridinians (the Lady Niamh Basheer, the soon to be soldier Brasidus, the mysterious Franglad, and myself) came upon a murder just outside the walls of Iridine a couple of days ago. I will try to summarize the event below.
The aforementioned people were speaking amongst themselves at the Stone Toga tavern, located on Harbor of the Moons Avenue, when we heard a loud yell bellowing from outside the tavern. Arriving outside, we came upon a very wounded Altene mercenary. Not being able to speak Iridinian or Common, and us obviously not being able to speak Altene, it was very difficult for him to communicate what the problem was. Eventually we were able to understand that bandits had happened upon a caravan that carried a wealthy man and a pregnant woman and that the woman was needing help immediately out in the woods where the attack occurred. All four of us volunteered to follow this Altene back to his charge and assist where we could.
A short journey took us out into the countryside northeast of town. After a quarter-mile in the country we happened upon the site of the attack. Several Altene mercenaries were guarding the lady, who we now discovered was of the patrician class. She was very much in labor, and the Altenes did not appear to know what to do about it. Fortunate for all of us, the Lady Niamh was among us and she courageously assisted the woman, called Mollia, in the birth of her son.
With the birthing over, we were able to inspect the skirmish scene a little more closely and speak with the Altene Captain without distraction. Looking at the corpses of a few of the "bandits," they certainly didn't appear to be any bandits ever seen before. The corpses looked much more like men of a well kept and fed military unit not scraggly bandits living in the marsh. We were instantly suspicious of the validity of bandits attacking a Altene mercenary unit, and the look of the bandits did not not quell these suspicions. We then spoke to to the Captain, who was quickly dying from his wounds. He said that the woman's husband, of the Verullus family, had walked out of camp to relieve himself and never returned. Shortly afterwards the "bandits" attacked the camp and carried off several Altenes as prisoners. As the Captain died he whispered a word to Tivarrus, the Altene who first found us in Iridine. The Captain spoke the word 'k-kvoratir' to Tivarrus. This upset Tivarrus greatly, so we were not able to get a description of it from him.
It took no pleading by Mollia for us to set off after her husband. After a short journey, we came upon the remains of Verullus down in a gully. He had been beaten badly and his throat cut. Also, a strange symbol has been painted with his blood on his forehead.. It was a closed eye. The symbol disturbed the Altenes, and they spoke of it as if Verullus was cursed for having such a symbol on his forehead. Bandits placing Altene curses upon the dead body of a Iridine patrician continued the strangeness. We buried the body and since the bandit tracks had scattered, we returned back to Iridine with the widow Mollia and her new son.
There are many thoughts amongst us (some best not put to paper), but no conclusions. If you wish to discuss this situation with us, we will be happy to meet with you.
Fidelis Republic