Early in the group’s training on the edge of the Llanos river, Alexis approaches Ca’armine.
“How is your rest and re-orientation so far?”
…
Alexis listens with genuine interest. After some discussion and follow-up Alexis brings up another topic. “In Sutheron I neglected asking if anyone is hunting you like the Shadow Blades hunting Rask.”
Alexis awaits Ca’armine’s reply.
The day after Alexis talked with/to Ethelred about Lady Alba, Alexis approaches Gustav after his morning “ritual”.
“Gus. I’ve been thinking that we haven’t really talked about the first Sally. You conducted a great ceremony on the mountain, and I’m sure she was touched.”
“And it seems like you might still be grieving her loss. For such a strong love for Sally, you have always strongly rejected any suggestions to get a new mule to love.”
“And you still seem very unhappy with Sally” Alexis nods towards Sally in a near tree, “who has proven loyal and seems to just want you to love and accept her.”
“Do you need some time for grieving before we go? I need you unburdened while we seek out Bandesing’s operations.”
Alexis awaits Gustav’s response.
Early in their stay along the Llanos river Alexis sits down next to Ethelred on the same log. Alexis starts talking when Ethelred looks up from his reading materials at him.
“Poor girl. I hope she doesn’t get herself killed before we get back. A lot of potential in our little miss of house Veronia.
“She’d sure like a message.” Alexis says, clearly intent on not going out of his way to make this happen.
After the group has been dropped off by Hap, spent a day investigating the items they have, and enjoying being in the grasslands each of them starts delving into their own studies.
Over the next week, the weather seems to stay cold where the group is, even as spring seems to be taking hold around them. Frost greets the group on their gear and around the camp.
As well, during this week, backpacks and other buckles seem to be open when they were left closed. Perhaps this coincides with the occasional dreams of twisted creatures begging to be released when nothing seems to shackle them, struggling to open doors that finally open to rooms full of seemingly worthless treasure, or attempting to read books that contain text that seems to form never-ending and circular writings.
The Esteemed Nardor Threpp,
Along with Marela, I wanted to send along a detailed description of the confession of The Spider when we encountered her earlier today. She explained to us that Thelindra committed the actual murder, even though The Spider was the intermediary in the situation. Bandesingh sent The Spider and The Snake to Sutheron to prevent the Collegium from learning too much about the crown and hammer, as well as stealing it for their own purposes.
In some unsettling news, it appears that some force brought back The Snake from the other side of The Gate. He as a horrifying sight, spewing creeping shadows from his gaping mouth.
His being was held together with umbramancy, necromancy, and chronomancy.
Yours
Alexis Laelius; Adept of the Collegium
To the noble Lady Sophia Alba of House Veronia
I must admit, the passion in your letter brought a warmth to my heart. There is boldness in your request that I can respect—and that I will answer. But first, a word of caution: treasure hunting requires wisdom, a keen mind, and above all, patience.
I look forward to our next expedition, perhaps the crypt of Drayak, perhaps another crypt or lost temple – yet before we speak of that, I would speak to you of my specific approach to treasure hunting. Imagine you stand before a vast ruin, doors thrown wide and the smell of the ancients washing out. Within, there is untold knowledge—or so the legends say. Most eager explorers would dive deep, pressing onward, lured by the call of gold and glory at the dungeon’s heart. This is what I call “deep-delving exploration,” and it is one of the most certain ways to get oneself hopelessly lost—or worse.
Instead, my method of patience and prudence: “wide-path exploration”. Move carefully from chamber to chamber, mapping each as you go, understanding the layout of the place before delving deeper. Each room, each hall, must be understood before venturing further. In this way, you’ll always have an exit path—a path that can be your salvation if something unexpected and unfortunate happens. Wide-path exploration provides knowledge of the surroundings and provides clues of what lies ahead, so as to not be caught unaware.
We both know of promising treasure hunters who have vanished because they did not have this piece of my experience. I have survived many close calls because I held it dear. Long forgotten mysteries and danger await us, but a true treasure hunter knows the value of every footstep and the wisdom of moving wide before moving deep.
If you wish to learn from me on your passionate path to becoming a treasure hunter, consider this your first lesson.
I look forward to more time together, more exploration, and more lessons. To my great sadness, I am besieged with other obligations in our fair city at present. The murder of poor Master Alaric Trevelian is but the tip of the buried colossus.
Yours with great fondness
Alexis Laelius of the Crimson Calling
Adept of the Collegium
Reclaimer of Humanities’ Lost Treasures
Honored Undersecretariat, Custodian of Hood’s Wisdom,
While pursuing the elusive “Snake” through the underbelly of the city, we crossed paths with a figure from ancient tales—one of the small-folk, or a “hin” as some old tomes call them. This one, who called himself Brin, struck us as peculiar for two reasons. First, though dressed in nothing but rags, he clutched a human-sized skull, marked or decorated. <Alexis includes a physical description of the skull, including the markings. He also includes, in an academic script, the insights he was given from Avv’s insights of the skull>
Secondly, my companion, a devotee of Raiden detected something… unsettling. The halfling, he claimed, was neither alive nor dead, yet bore none of the marks of undeath. He was, somehow, something else—an aberration in defiance of natural order.
As you requested regular reports and of unusual matters, I thought this might be of interest. We could not extract the hin from the sewers, but I confiscated a small sack he carried, filled with odd, seed-like objects that may be worth your inspection.
May our shared vigilance hold strong against the shadows cast by the Dark Hand. With the highest respect,
Alexis Laelius and the Crimson Calling
The group slips away from Vordegern’s warehouse under the bright mid-morning sun, its rays casting long shadows as they weave through the alleyways. Alexis casts a quick glance over his shoulder, then leans in to Rask.
“You looked… surprised when you saw that Cedric Ironjaw character.” His voice carries a hint of curiosity, as though he’s fishing for a story.
To my dearest family,
My apologies that I have not yet come to see you since my return to the city. Much has been moving fast. My return has stirred old currents, and though our name has been respected for generations, I fear it now draws unwanted attention from enemies I have in our wondrous city. The politics within the Collegium are complicated, and I am in the middle of more of them than I would like. And beware the Lascaris family.
I left a considerable amount of gold from my first adventure, and I urge you to use it wisely. Whether it’s for additional guards or securing our home and shop, take every precaution. Be cautious of those who come asking too many questions or offering deals too good to be true. Brothers and sisters, please keep to familiar paths and avoid attracting curiosity. A harmless question today may grow teeth tomorrow.
While I work to untangle these unseen threads, know that I will do everything in my power to ensure our safety. Until I can speak more plainly, use the gold as you see fit, and stay vigilant. The road ahead is uncertain, but with caution, we will weather it. If you need to communicate, send messages to the Lord of Mithril. My love to you all.
Love in Haste
Alexis Laelius; Adept of the Collegium
My Esteemed Publius Helvius Laeca,
My greatest apologies for not writing sooner, but with how matters stood between us when last we talked, I feared you would want nothing to do with me.
Regardless if you want to hear from me or not, I felt I must send you news and tidings. I am back in our wondrous city and events are moving fast around me. Hopefully all of them will turn out of the best and our city will be better for it after these trials.
You might have heard, I am a full-member of the Collegium, although I know how you feel about my patron, so I am not sure how happy you are for my admittance. You also might have heard that I was ambushed in the Collegium library by Lorianne of house Lascaris, including with the use of fire.
And this gets me to my first reason for this correspondence. It has been said by some that your dear Helvia Minor has been working with some treasure hunters, and I would ask after her well being, as many in my line of work can be somewhat unpalatable.
I know we both want what is best for her.
The second reason for this letter, is that some of my competitors know that I still have a fondness for yourself, and might attempt to use it against me. They already lured me to the ambush with a letter falsely signed by yourself (a copy has been included to sooth any curiosity you might possess). With how dangerous things are in our fair city currently, I beg that you take extra precautions.
If you need communicate with me, send to me through the Lord of Mithril.
With a nervous heart,
Alexis Laelius, Of the Crimson Calling
<Copy of message addressed to Alexis, that was the lure for the ambush by Lorianne of house Lascaris>