A trio of Free City adventurers have come to Diamond Lake. Three unique members of an order on an important quest. These adventurers have made themselves quite visible amongst the town spreading their adventuring ideas. One, a human gladiator who wears a unique red and black leather girldle topped with the representation of a haunted female face goes by the name of Auric.
He fancies himself the leader of the trio and wears the Champion's Belt from the Free city arena. A second Khellek, is a balding, dark haired human wizard. He wears a high collared red cape fastened with a skull clasp over a green jerkin and pants. His receding hairline reveals his advancing age, as do the white streaks at his temples.
Khellek promotes a group called the Seekers, an adventurers group that is known to seek knowledge regardless the cost. He recently heard a rumor of a new chamber discovered in an allegedly "empty" tomb elsewhere in the cairn hills. It is one of the destinations this band of adventurers seeks.
The third is a vivacious elven rogue and archer named Tirra. She is quiet but as a member of the Free Cities Thieves guild is not to be trifled with. As the three spend their excess of money in the town taverns, the buzz starts to circulate the town about a whispering Carin.
Standing atop a table at the Feral Dog, Auric barks out a tale of adventure for the entire room to hear. Having already bought a round of ale for the entire pub, they are listening quite intently at the show. The Feral dog is the busiest and sleaziest tavern in all of Diamond lake but the large crowds make it ideal for storytelling. Especially since this lot is exceedingly gullible and wanting for a tall tale. Auric clears his throat with a swig of ale and continues the story
“So, you ask. Why would a brave and well known band of adventurers like us seek out a place like Diamond Lake. I'll tell you. For you see, you are not just a place of mines and ore, but a place of rich history. Many thousands of years ago, long before the rise of human civilization, two ancient powers struggled to determine the fate of the still-forming multiverse. On the one side was a primal being called the Queen of Chaos, a tentacled horror from an age before ages With this… “
Auric reaches his hands out into the crown and a couple of men jump back in their seats at the sound he makes from his gullet.
“Against her stood the mightily rigid legions of the Wind Dukes of Aqua, the most cultured of the elemental lords who ruled before the birth of the living races, and who yet controlled an empire that spanned worlds “
Auric held his hands apart to show the vastness of the Aquan empire.
“Centuries of stalemate collapsed when the Queen of Chaos recruited her most potent ally, a ruthless Prince of Demons named Miska the Wolf-Spider. Miska and his demonic legions laid siege to the Wind Duke's territory, routing the elemental armies and snuffing out the culture of Aqua one world at a time. Something had to be done. “
The entire tavern was on the edge of their seat enthralled in the tale that the mighty adventurer wove atop the tavern table for all to see.
“The Wandering Dukes had to strike back so they wove a mighty weapon to undo their hated foe. Drawing upon the lore of a hundred different cultures, they constructed one of the most potent artifacts in history - the fabled Rod of Law. “
Auric raised up his fist as if holding a rod in his hand.
“Eventually a great battle took place. On the fields of Pesh, the greatest of the Wandering Dukes plunged the Rod into Miska the Wolf-Spider. When the absolute Law of the Rod mixed with the Chaos woven in Miska's blood, a great planar rift erupted, shattering the Rod into seven pieces. The prince of Demons and the Aquaan Duke vanished into the rift while the parts of that rod were scattered. “
Silence came over the Feral Dog as Auric continued.
“So, you may wonder what this has to do with us .. These dukes, you see, were buried in mighty tombs. The greatest tomb of all honored Icosiol. We believe that the very resting place of this tomb is nearby, burried and lost in time itself.”
With this he raised his ale mug high as ale sloshed out on the people gathered around. To Adventure! A roar of thunderous applaud could be heard through the town square from the pub as drunken men sang songs of Adventure to the hero in their midst.
As the new arrivals finish their speech a tall, for an elf, muscular elven figure steps forward and addresses the speaker
Lar’d Ner - "Can I first say, on behalf of the Gard and watch, welcome to Diamond Lake. Now to you we look simple folk and apparently gullible, foolhardy and stupid. Correct me if I'm wrong but we are not any of those things and your 'adventure' sounds like your trying to get us to do your dirty work because this sounds like you plan to set some of us of grave-robbing." … and continues to waits for an answer.
Auric - “Ah .. good sir .. it seems that you are mistaken. I do not intend to let anyone besides my adventuring party go anywhere near the Cairn. We are more than capable of getting the things we need on our own without having others to spoil the treasure .. Nope my good man .. we do not need you or anyone .. I merely tell of our great adventure to come for we are heroes of great renown!”
Lar’d Ner - "So then, why have a bunch of grave-robbers come to our town apart from knowledge and why have they bought us all a drink then. I would like to know your real reason for coming to Diamond Lake and I sincerely hope that it's not to steel from any of our stiffs."
Auric - It's not your graves you dolt! The hero slams his ale down on the table and hops down and into your face Its a cairn .. you know ..an old abandoned mine .. miles away from the city. Perhaps if you had a brain in that head of yours you would realize that the Stirgenest carin is a legend .. one we intend to unveil. We only stop in Diamond Lake because it is the closest town to the Cairn and we were sent by the Free City itself. The discovery of the Cairn treasures will bring fame and fortune to your tiny town. He looks straight at his challenger and says - any more questions or are you finished Good Sir!