Alexis dances a silver coin across his knuckles, watching the firelight play off it.

“So. Bandesingh.” He catches the coin. “Two Tears of Avv. Enslaved how many humans now through the Dark Hand? Sold them to goblins and orcs. Used blood magic to make those orcs nastier. Had gnolls digging for an artifact tied to the weeping god. Until he found out we got there first. Then he sacrificed all those gnolls. Fed them to his evil working.”

He pockets the coin, looking up.

“End of the Second Age, every race turned on humanity. Tore down everything we’d built. We’ve worked with some of them since. Carnoah, the litigious dwarves, the invisible dwarves, kobolds. Not all of them are monsters. But Bandesingh’s making deals with the worst ones. Goblins. Orcs. Making them stronger while he weakens humanity from the shadows.”

He adjusts his hat.

“We get that Tear from Nodden-Torr, we might actually have a shot at stopping him. So that’s the job. Let’s not forget it when things get ugly in there.”