AMELIO to JETHRO:

CALL ROOM SERVICE STOP ORDER BOTTLE FINEST WINE STOP LORENZO

Great news! Simon is alive and has infiltrated Burnt Sienna's party. It's about time I came up with a plan for capture and transport.

SO, circulate a rumour that I am an eccentric tycoon on holiday on the free coast and I am an avid collector of weapons, ritual objects etc. The Magic coach actually works to our advantage here.

Some day soon we'll head up the coast to Druiseville Klib (say), rent a bungalo and when Burnt Sienna comes past, we'll try to buy the sword off her. (Ideally, she should come to us, but if that doesn't work you can approach her directly.) I'll haggle with her over the price, then she and I will go into a back room for the money. That's when our lads will (silently) put her out of action. The doppleganger, who will have had time to watch Burnt Sienna during the haggling will then come back with me into the front room with a bag of money. We will allow a couple of her mates to wait in the front room - they won't be able to see or hear anything suspicious, and Burnt Sienna will be back so quick they won't twig to the kidnap. If Burnt Sienna brings her entire squad we can ask most of them to wait outside the house. We could even do it without invisibilty screamers to put them even more at ease. A couple of invisible mates in the front room will make no difference.

I reckon I'll need about 1500gps to make the purchase, and I'll start haggling at 1000gps. Strange that neither of the reports of her earlier attempts to sell the sword mention any price. But if she won't sell for 1500gps, to hell with her.

But we MUST have our doppelganger in place before than.

By the way, I still haven't heard your opinion of the advertisement I was going to run in Hackerton.

I just hope the siege of Sea Rune isn't lifted too soon.

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         From: Amelio Broachcask (alias Lorenzo the Cripple) To: Matey McGunty, Hackerton CC: Sharlene Honey Dear Matey, I've been meaning to pay you a visit for some time, but Real knows when I'll get a chance. The Business is as bad as ever. I wonder if I might impose on you so far as to ask a you a favour. I urgently need a new mercenary, with rather special talents. I have had the brilliant idea for snatching targets away without their mates catching on - I'll replace the target with an imposter! I find myself a little short on imposters right now, so I wonder if you would find me a mage with "Change Self" who would be willing to do the job. Normal merc rates (5gp per level per day, plus food and expenses) apply until the substitution is made, then a flat 250gps for three days of impostering. The target is highly eccentric and prone to wandering off by herself, so unimpostering should be a breeze. I suggest you start by asking for a mage with "Change Self" required for a special town adventure, and only give them the whole story once you think they are sincere. Please send the lucky candidate to Zibrost at top speed, to ask for Sharlene Honey. Naturally I will reimburse all of your expenses, and as a small token of my esteem, I enclose <Jethro, include a gift worth 50gps>. Thanks a lot, and I hope to see you soon after this mission. "Lorenzo"

		Free Coast Militia "In REAL we trust"                   2nd Lieutenant Benzene Orally Recruitment Section Free Coast Militia Zibrost Headquarters Zibrost S9Grow, Year of the Bearded Axe Lorenzo the Cripple c/o Madam Tryst's Parlour Zibrost Dear Mr Lorenzo the Cripple, Your name was given to us as a reference by a Mister Simon the Self-immolated. We are writing to inform you that Simon is alive and well and in Sea Rune. He has volunteered to join the Free Coast Militia there for a term of not less than one season. He will be receiving standard Free Coast Militia pay. Simon is in active duty in Platoon 3, Squad 4 under Lieutenant Zulu. All correspondence to him has been temporarily delayed due to security considerations, and we would appreciate that you do not write to him, nor anyone in active duty in Sea Rune, until further notice. Thank you, 2nd Lt B.Orally.

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         From: Lorenzo the Cripple, Madam Tryst's Parlour To: 2nd Lieutenant Benzene Orally, Recruitment Section Free Coast Militia, Zibrost Headquarters Thank you for writing to tell me that Simon the Self-Immolated has joined the Free Coast Militia. Simon is a brave lad, and never one to hang back when his duty calls. I know he wouldn't want any special treatment, but you will take care of him, won't you? I imagine he has named me as his next of kin. REAL willing, you won't have to write to me in that capacity again, unless to tell me that the war is over and my beloved Simon is coming home. May REAL's sacred light shine on you and all your gallant men! Lorenzo.

		Free Coast Militia "In REAL we trust"                   PRIORITY : BLUE Lieutenant Higgens Security Dept Free Coast Militia Zibrost Headquarters Temple Street Zibrost A9Grow [ day 9 ], Year of the Bearded Axe Lorenzo the Cripple c/o Madam Tryst's Parlour Zibrost Dear Mr Lorenzo, The following UGW telemessage was intercepted yesterday by our anti-terrorist operatives on the sub-ether: To: LORENZO, MADAM TRYSTS PARLOUR From: SEA RUNE, S9GROW [ day 8 ] HAVE JOINED FCM STOP AM IN BS SQUAD STOP NO SIGN OF BS STOP SIMON For reasons of Free Coast security, we would be most appreciative if you could present yourself and this letter at the above address at your earliest possible convenience. Looking forward to our meeting. Lieutenant Brian Higgens, Free Coast Security

Amelio headed to the Free Coast Militia offices and thence to the offices of Lieutenant Higgens. Amelio was shown into an interviewing room and was soon joined by Lieutenant Higgens.

After some formalities, Amelio began: "Regarding the UGW telemessage refered to in your letter: From its nature and wording, you suspect this is a secret message. And in this you are quite correct."

Higgens nodded slowly.

"But," Amelio continued, "because it came from Sea Rune while the town was under siege, you think it has something to do with the siege. You may even suspect that this message constitutes an offer to leave a gate open or something of the sort."

Higgens frowned and nodded again.

"And here you are entirely in the wrong. I am a bounty hunter, and bounty hunters, like the Free Coast Militia, have their secrets. The message contains important bounty hunting information, and Simon is one of my agents.

"I ask you, man to man, to drop this investigation and on no account to do anything that might blow Simon's cover. I deeply regret this incident (as you can well imagine I don't enjoy sharing my secrets, even with the FCM), and will do everything in my power to avoid a repetition. However, as I have been instructed by the FCM not to communicate with my agent, I can do little.

"May I suggest a severe but private reprimand from the FCM will be sufficient to ensure that Simon does not come to your attention again.

"I will testify under Detect Lie that all I have just told you is true.

"Finally, let me assure you that I love my agents as my children, and that if anything should happen to Simon as a result of this, I shall be a trifle miffed. I have cooperated fully with the FCM on this issue, and I trust you will do the same with me."

Lieutenant Higgens spoke: "Fine. So you are a bounty hunter. We at the Free Coast Militia can live with bounty hunters. Who are you hunting?"

"An individual who is persona non grata in Zibrost," said Amelio, "and is actively hunted by the Shield Maidens, namely Burnt Sienna. She is a murderer and worse."

"Yes," replied Higgens. "We know of this one.

"She killed a Shield Maiden just outside the Zibrost gates a few weeks ago. But that is not our business.

"As to her being a persona-non-grata of Zibrost, that is also not our business. The Free Coast Militia cares not for the politics of its client cities.

"As to any trouble she may have caused in the past elsewhere in the Known World, that is also not our business.

"She is a FCM member, to be sure. She has signed up for a season. From the reports out of Sea Rune from Captain Bivalve, Private Burnt Sienna has performed admirably in that capacity.

"Consequently, I am telling you now, Mr Lorenzo, that while she is with us, she has the full protection and support of the Free Coast Militia. Should I hear of any reports of Private Sienna 'suspiciously' going missing, or her being harmed by you or your 'family' in any way, I shall make it my personal aim to see that the full weight and might of the FCM on descends upon your head.

"I can tolerate bounty hunters, but not when they try and hunt honest and hard-working soldiers."

Amelio frowned.

"That protection," he said. "(And I can certainly see your point of view) presumably applies to other threats to her safety, such as the Shield Maidens and Red Rikor. The lady has many enemies. If she does go missing, how are you going to know who to blame?

"I am particularly interested in this question because the young lady in question has already dropped out of sight. As you see from the UGW telemessage you intercepted, 'NO SIGN OF BS'. (You can believe this because you intercepted it yourself.) I have other information which leads to the same conclusion, as I will testify if need be.

"I fear that Burnt Sienna may already be a prisoner of another party, which naturally doesn't suit my purposes at all. Until she is safely in my clutches, I am just as concerned as you that no harm should come to her.

"You raise some good points, Mr Lorenzo," said Higgens. "I shall make some enquiries as to her whereabouts. And will perhaps inform you should I deign you need to know."

"You say Red Rikor is after her?" He took a sharp intake of breath. A brief starry-eyed look passed over his face. "Well well well." Higgens muttered something to himself that Amelio couldn't quite hear.

Amelio sighed and said resignedly: "I am willing to postpone my activities until after the war is over, and Burnt Sienna is demobbed and on her way." Then added: "Others may not be so polite."

"Very good, Mr Lorenzo," said Higgens. "That is what I wanted to hear. Good day, Mr Lorenzo."

"Good day to YOU Mr Higgens."

"That's 'Lieutenant'."

	From: Bones Coburn, Druiseville Klib Message sent: M9Grow [ day 10 ] Arrived in Zibrost: G9Grow [ day 11 ] It is not official yet, boss, but it appears that Pusville has fallen to the humanoids - gnolls I assume. The town had been evacuated so there was no loss of life. It seemed the Free Coast Militia did not even bother trying to defend the little village. They just had a couple of reconnaissance soldiers stationed there who fled when the nasties arrived. Work is well in hand in the fortification of Druiseville Klib. The platoon of FCM soldiers stationed here, the sheriff's deputies and many locals have been working nonstop to build a log pallisade and ditch around the town. That is when they are not killing the enormous flies and insects that seem to be coming from the Druiseville forest. Ugh! I volunteered Renee, Oswald, Ewen and Uma to help with the wall. I hope you don't mind. But this is ominous. They obviously expect the nasties to arrive. If there is any sign of encirclement and if we get a chance, I will pull us out back to Caveton. I'll leave Uma here, though, as a possible watchdog. If you don't want me to leave Uma, or you want us to evacuate immediately, you'd better write quick. A few of the locals have already fled the town. Morale is low. Also, I have a feeling we are being watched occasionally. You know, that prickle on the back of your neck - you turn around and there is nothing there. Renee has noticed it too. Also, the air here feels very charged and, dare I say it, alive. Like the air just before a thunder storm. No sign of those so-called adventurers that went into the Druiseville forest. The locals won't go near the place now. Not with the insects; and worse... Bones Out

AMELIO speaking to JETHRO:

1. Lets wipe the slate clean and start again.
2. "interview" = torture and "send on way" = kill, yes, but letters might be opened by officious Free Coast Militia security and I don't want it too plain that I want FCM staff tortured and killed!
3. I want Dagwood Crumble and the other thief recalled to Zibrost.
4. I want Bones to "interview" and "send on way" any long standing member of Burnt Sienna's party he can lay his hands on. This means Artois, the dwarves etc, who were with Burnt Sienna in Zibrost when she joined Toby Vomit. Toby Vomit and his significant other are not included in this, nor are legitimate FCM's.
5. I want to know where Burnt Sienna is and what she has been up to. I want to know the entire life story of the person interviewed, with special reference to the period after joining Toby Vomit. I want the intervieweee killed and disposed of to the point where speak with dead is impossible and raise dead extremely difficult. (But of course I can't spell that out over an insecure channel. If FCM intercept UGW telemessages, will Gnomepost be secure?)
6. I want to know anything to the discredit of other BS squad that could be used to have them arrested by the FCMs.
7. I am curious as to how they got free after attacking the Brick.
8. I want two more ops down at the docks. If Burnt Sienna comes through, even as a prisoner (AND THIS IS VERY LIKELY) I MUST know at once.
9. Send out letters to all my contacts and ask them please to keep an eye out for Burnt Sienna. Enclose current description.
10. Ask Bones to report Shield Maiden movements.
11. I hope this covers everything. Bones and Co are not recalled.
12. OK?

"UGW telemessages, because they travel over the sub-ether (the Ethereal plane), are not secure. Any fool (i.e. high level mage) can intercept and read them provided s/he expends the effort.

"UGW telemessages are normally used to allow one Wizards' Guild building in one town contact another UGW building in another.

"I can see a question rising on your lips, boss, so I'll try to answer it before you can speak it. Why does the Gnome Post exist at all? Why does the UGW not use telemessages all the time? Mass produce the teleballs and cut the costs? Surely some code or encryption algorithm could be invented to keep the messages secure?

"Because each time a telemessage is sent, a channel is opened up to the Ethereal plane. There is a finite probability that some powerful extraplanar creature might be wandering past at the time of casting. The creature can then expand on this gateway and arrive before the casting wizard's startled eyes. (It is rumoured that the powerful demon Zanzibar Demonspawn, of the Wastes of Zanzibar, arrived in the Known World this way, boss) Note: this danger only exists for the sender of the message.

"Because of this slight danger, the UGW only uses the telemessages for "important" and "urgent" messages. How Simon managed to convince them that his message was important, I don't know, sir. By himself, he is not powerful enough to use the teleball.

"Now why is FCM security monitoring the sub-ether? I presume that the humanoids around Sea Rune are using it for communication. Imagine the fright FCM security must have got when a message from the Sea Rune vicinity was aimed at Zibrost!"

After my interview with Mr Higgens of the Free Coast Militia, I seriously considered abandoning the mission. However, there are arguments against this.

1. I have suffered no casualties and it seems pusilanimous to back off unbloodied.
2. If Higgens is discrete, there is no reason why Simon should be in any danger.
3. Any attempt to recall Simon would subject him to dangers at least equal to those he will now face.
4. It's his own stupid fault for going to the UGW and sending that message in the first place.

1. Simon isn't really in trouble yet.
2. I could have lied to Higgens, but there really wasn't anything I could have said that wouldn't have made him even more suspicious. Eg. if I deny everything, they pick up Simon and beat it out of him. Or if I tell half the truth, they question the rest of the squad and that is the worst possible outcome. Simon would be in mortal danger and the party would be thoroughly alerted. Result: Simon dead and the mission blown. Or if I say Simon is loony, the same thing could happen. Of course, Higgens may spoil it anyway, but I can't predict everything.
3. None of Jethro's plans seemed any better.

	Spies 'R' Us           To: Lorenzo the Cripple, Zibrost From: Matey McGunty, Hackerton Message sent: G9Grow [ day 11 ] Arrived in Zibrost: I9Grow [ day 13 ] Well Lorenzo, you old bugger. I haven't seen or heard from you in many a year. What was it, the year of the Hand-axe? Still bounty hunting I see. How is your "mate" Rikor? Ho ho ho. Sorry, I bet that still smarts, you fat old fart. Ta muchly for the gold goblet. So you've come into some money recently huh? Had some easy marks, eh, you rabid quean? We would have been lucky to get a soiled Shield Maiden sanitary from the old Amelio (sorry, "Lorenzo"; why d'you go and pick a honkey name?). I've sent you a witch illusionist who can do Alter Self AND Change Self. She's a bit of a ditz (and I thought wizards were s'posed to be bright), but she'll do. The name is Zelda. Zelda the Self-acquired (where do they get these names these days?! In my days it was "Zelda the Superlative", "Zelda the Great" or "Zelda the Magnificent". But "Self-acquired"?) She's a three-finger wiz. She is also a rabid supporter of the GMDT. She'll arrive at the Zibrost docks on S10Grow on the H.S.Formica. For REAL's sake, you poof, make sure there's someone there to meet her. I remember way back on the Tomain raid, you hired that merc in Furness, and the stupid sap waited down at the docks for a week - no one to meet him. Zelda is expecting the standard merc rates : 15gp / day plus booty share (if applicable) plus your "capture bonus". Matey [ GMDT = Global Magic Depletion Theory. Many wizards strongly believe that the magic used in the copying of spells depletes the "Global Pool" of magic in the Universe. Consequently, GMDT supporters will not swap spells with other wizards. There is evidence for and against GMDT - the true state of affairs is not known. The United Guild of Wizards officially supports the theory too, (it even has an article in its Constitution stating so). So there is strong peer pressure by The Guild to stop swapping. ]

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         From: Lorenzo the Cripple, Zibrost To: Matey McGunty, Hackerton Thank you for your remarkable espistle. Speaking of which, are you sober yet? You would indeed be lucky to get a soiled Shield Maiden sanitary from me, or indeed from anyone. Shield Maidens prefer to "bleed freely", as I'm sure you know. Red Rikor and I are on excellent terms and he is grateful for any scraps I leave him. Thanks for your help, and feel free to drop by any time you're in the manor. Lorenzo

AMELIO to JETHRO:
Change Self and Alter Self, eh? I can see there will be trouble with this. Is there no higher spell that can do the job?

You are right, this is a blow. But let McGunty proceed. "Alter Self" might still be useful, and we need a new Mage anyway now that Simon is on special assignment.

So send McGunty a clarification. After all, the plan might still work with only minor changes.

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         To: All Staff All references to "BS" and "Burnt Sienna" are too transparent. In future, our quarry is will be known as "the Kipper". Just in case any of our paperwork falls into the wrong hands. The Free Coast Militia intercepted one of our messages and know that we are after the Kipper. I have been officially warned off. If you have to take action against any FCM, DON'T GET CAUGHT !!! Bones, leave the Kipper's mates alone as long as they are with the FCM. But we are not completely defenseless. We can still watch and wait, and hope that when the Kipper finally surfaces, we're in a position to act. If only we knew where she was! Bones, circulate a rumour that a gorgeous woman by the name of Burnt Sienna has been seized by Shield Maidens and is being secretly taken back to their tower for a horrible and perverted execution involving dwarves. That should make the rumour spicy enough to travel. If the Kipper is in trouble, let her mates rescue her! All we can do is keep our ears to the ground, watch the docks, and wait for the seige to be lifted. Anything I've forgotten?

AMELIO Thinking Out Loud to JETHRO and SHARLENE:

Amelio says: "We have four statements from three sources that say Burnt Sienna is not with her mates. So where is she?

1. Tried to escape but killed by Orcs
2. Captured or killed by Shield Maidens
3. Wandered off by herself
4. Escaped on the last boat to leave Sea Rune.
5. Still in Sea Rune but on business of her own.
6. Killed by an exasperated party member.

"My greatest fear is that Burnt Sienna is captured by Shield Maidens.
"This raises two questions:

1. If Shield Maidens have her, do I have any moral right to interfere?
2. Do I dare to interfere?"

Amelio looks at Jethro for a moment, then intones: "Jethro, bring me the wanted poster and my magic pen. Lets see whether her face looks alive or dead, and what her disguise is."

Jethro hurries off. Then returns with an ornate box containing a rather ordinary quill, and some sheets of parchment.

Amelio flattens out an "official" Burnt Sienna wanted poster face down on the table in his room (in Madam Tryst's) and pins it there.

He puts the quill of Visage Translation into a vial of normal ink, and idly watch as it magically sucks the vial empty. He then places the quill gently on the paper, withdraws his hands and places them gingerly palms down on the table.

Finally, he says the words "Draw me now, oh Quill".

The quill stands on end and begins drawing...
...an hour passes...
...and there is a picture of Burnt Sienna.

It is a face-on picture of her head and shoulders viewed from about half a metre (the quill always draws this perspective). She is lying with her body facing down and her head turned to her right. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is partly open and drooling. Her face has no wounds or cuts and the same as her wanted poster. There is no sign of decomposition or corruption, so she is either freshly dead, unconscious or asleep.

By the impressions on her cheek and shoulders it appears she is lying on some sort of coarse mesh grill.

She is wearing some kind of loose necked shirt - not Shield Maiden gear.

Her hair looks brushed and there are no feathers in it. She has no earrings.

Amelio asks Jethro: "Try to find out whether and when Sea Rune will be relieved or evacuated."

Jethro blinks and says: "Might I draw your attention to that page of the Zibrost Tribune, boss. The one you have kept. Does it not say that a company of Free Coast Militia left Hackerton on G8Grow [ day 4 ] for Sea Rune and will be reinforced by a platoon or two more when it gets to Zibrost? If I have done my calculations correctly, that company will arrive in Zibrost on Airday next week [ day 16 ] and will get to Sea Rune on IMAGday of the same week [ day 20 ].

"Which brings me to my magic pen. How often can I use it?"

"Once per day."

"How many times can each poster be updated?"

"Once - on the back."

"How many posters do I have left?"

"Five, boss."

"How can I get more?"

"Write to Scabport for (free) originals, or we can copy the current ones for 1 gp for 10 copies here in Zibrost."

"If using the pen is a trivial exercize, I should be doing it more often."

"Yes you should, boss."

Jethro fetches the ink. They go through the rigmarole again and :

Burnt Sienna's eyes are open. She is in the process of talking. Half smile. Half squint. Pupil dilation small. Shoulder position indicates standing or sitting, but not lying. Arms possibly gesturing. Hair is blowing. Clothing the same as before.

"4 posters left now, boss."

	From: Bones Coburn, Caveton Message sent: D9Grow [ day 12 ] Arrived in Zibrost: I9Grow [ day 13 ] I have some bad news, boss. Terrible news. Druiseville Klib was about to be encircled, so, as planned, I packed us up and we left. We fled with a group of ten locals who also did not want to stay. I left Uma, as planned. Unfortunately, I had seriously underestimated the gnolls. They had sent a group of about ten forward of Druiseville Klib. We ran into this group. It was terrible: a rain of arrows, the gnolls howling with glee, their huge glaives and fauchards flailing about, blood everywhere. My spells were only enough to save myself and Renee. Oswald and Ewen got shot down by gnoll arrows during the rout. Eight of the townsfolk also fell. We barely managed to escape with our lives. Luckily the gnolls were not intent in following us, as they would surely be faster than us with their nasty gangly legs. I can only presume they were satisfied with the ones who fell. Let us hope that poor Oswald and Ewen were killed outright by the arrows, as gnoll torture is renowned for its intensity. When we arrived in Caveton, the other two survivors went straight to the sheriff. The Free Coast Militia squad based in Caveton also got involved and we were interviewed thoroughly. I spoke to the Primate too. Bones Out P.S. I don't know if Caveton is next on the humanoids list. The primate seems quite confident that his "band" of elite troops, his guards (all "ex-adventurers"), is more than a match "for any group of upstart gnolls". Plus he says, augmented with the FCM squad and the sheriff's deputies, "we can take on anything". So, do you want me to stay here, or pull back to Zibrost?

AMELIO to JETHRO:
"This mission would have been a great deal easier if the Gnolls hadn't shown up. Burnt Sienna might be killed or spirited off over the Orc Pass at any moment, and there is not thing one I can do about it.

"On the other hand, bounty hunters are likely to be the last thing on her mind right now.

"Still, it could be worse. We might have snatched Burnt Sienna and then found ourselves surrounded by gnolls. There is some evidence that this has already happened. If you're in Sea Rune, Red Rikor, good luck to you.

"Jethro, try to find out whether and when Sea Rune will be relieved or evacuated. There should be something about this in the paper, although it may be no more than: 'Everything that can be done is being done, although for security reasons I can't tell you what. Sea Rune will be relieved or evacuated when the moment is right and not before.'

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         To: Bones Coburn, Caveton I've updated the poster <enclosed> and as you can see, the Kipper seems back to here old self. I imagine that "prison" I saw her in was just the local lockup. Drunk and disorderly probably. Pull back to Zibrost. There is bugger-all chance of finding out anything useful in Caveton. It all now falls to Simon and what's-her-name who went with him. Give my regards to the Primate.

Date: I9Grow [ day 13 ]

Georgina the Bust arrives back in Zibrost:

"First of all boss, I'd better scotch any Burnt Sienna rumours you might've heard. There's one going around that Burnt Sienna was captured by the Shield Maidens and is being raped to death by rabid dwarfs. This is false. The Shield Maidens don't keep dwarfs, and they tell me that if they had captured her, dwarf-rape would be the least've her worries. I guess that the Shield Maidens want Burnt Sienna real bad...

"The Shield Maidens've been real cooperative too. The relic sword called Alicia, the one they're offering the big reward for, s'been taken by the Free Coast Militia in Sea Rune (the Shield Maidens wouldn't tell me how they knew this - Sea Rune being blockaded and all that). They say the Free Coast Militia will give it back when the siege's lifted.

"While I was there, they also did that direction triangle-location thingy on the sword just to confirm this, and yes, it is still in Sea Rune.

"Humanoids're making big incursions into the Zibrost plains. Many of the sub-tribes of Shield Maidens have withdrawn in the face of "overwhelming odds". They reckon the nasties're almost down abeam of Pusville. This is the first time this has happened in hundreds of years. Queen Sheba is worried. Political mutterings about incompetent rulings abound.

"The Shield Maiden shamans reckon that there was a 'minor star fall', whatever that is, in the Druiseville forest on the night of the earthquake, and that it's this that's causing all the giant insects there. They also say that's why all the wizards around this part of the world are more potent and have the neck-prickle all the time.

Jethro said that you were worried about my bust. That's nice. But, don't worry sir, it is fine.

Georgina the Bust

	Amelio Broachcask Bounty Hunter Supreme "Your felon is my pleasure"         To: Renee Henschel CC: Bones, Jethro, Sharlene Renee, please volunteer for the FCM and try to get yourself assigned to the relief force. Renee, I know you will want to avenge the deaths of your comrades. As do we all. May REAL send you victory! Once the war is over, you will presumably be demobbed. This will be an excellent opportunity for infiltration as you will have a watertight cover story: you were out of work adventurers who signed up in Zibrost for the Sea Rune campaign and are now at a loose end. You must now know, if you don't already, that Simon is in Sea Rune and already in the same squad as the Kipper's mates. Simon has yet to set eyes on the Kipper. If he sticks with the party, he may never find the Kipper. All the same, I hope he will stick with the party as the Kipper may rejoin them at any time. If you find the Kipper, and she is will a different party or on her own, you should try to join up with her, rather than her erstwhile mates (honkeys and rockheads etc). It's the Kipper I want; the rest are just pawns in the game. Get word to me when you can, but don't take risks to do so. I am prepared to play a waiting game for the time being. The best case scenario is that the Kipper heads funkenwards with several infiltraters in tow. I want the Kipper alive. If she is wounded or captured, I'll expect you to do your best to help her. At the same time, this is not a suicide mission.

	From: Simon, Caveton Date : M10Grow [ day 17 ] Good news boss! I am in Burnt Sienna's squad. Burnt Sienna is here. I have befriended her. I have even slept with her! I am her "bodyguard mage". I have run out of cigars. We have come from klibwards of Sea Rune. Sea Rune has fallen. Full report to follow. Simon the Self-immolated.

Onto the Trap