Case 578, 7 Mirtul 1491 DR

7 Mirtul 1491 DR

Agents,

Below you will find dossier for your new assignment, but I wanted leave you a quick note about this mission. While all our missions are important, this one is especially so because of two facts. First, the client is a friend of Milka’s and so there is perhaps a higher expectation of success than normal. Second, the mission touches on Gevir Melefisant, who as you no doubt know, is a powerful nobleman in Baldur’s Gate and a member of the Parliament of Peers. Currently, he is unaware of the problems befalling his estate as described below and both Milka and the client would prefer to keep it that way. Some of that pressure is outlined in the dossier, but I wanted to call it out more clearly so that there was no misunderstanding.

It is very likely you will all be killed and this is all for nought, but let it not be said Wyndel Greycloud does not do his due diligence.

Good luck.

Wyndel

Official Dossier of the Shield, Case #578, Fury Chapterhouse, 7 Mirtul 1491 DR

Agents: Ipaben Bilmorn, Myrf Kyl, Ma’ahni Distant Rain, Korbo Naburu, Vaz Demonslayer, Saphfrael Fallsky

Client: Jamesen Roundy, seneschal of Clokehaven, Gevir Melefisant’s Cloakwood estate

Location: Clokehaven, 2 miles north of Cloakwood Forest

Special considerations: Time urgency

Details: Clokehaven is a small village near Cloakwood Forest that supports Melefisant’s sizeable estate there. Including the household staff of the manor, there are about 150 people living in Clokehaven. The inhabitants are mainly farmers and shepherds, though there are a few craftspeople who service the village and the manor. Melefisant himself rarely visits Clokewood, preferring his home in Baldur’s Gate and other properties further north, so the village mainly operates independently of his control.

The household and the village are run by Melefisant’s seneschal, Jamesen Roundy. Despite his master’s austere and sometimes cruel reputation, Roundy is a fair master and the people generally like him.

According to Roundy, a few weeks ago two of the village’s more venerable shepherds approached him complaining that someone was stealing their sheep. Over the course of the month, nearly thirty sheep were stolen between the two herds. Roundy initiated an investigation but was unable to find anything conclusive beyond rumors about dark shapes in the forest and an unsettled old gaffer or two. Since Cloakwood Forest is known to be wild and old gaffers are known to unsettle easily, Roundy found this little to go on.

Shortly after, however, reports came in that villagers were being robbed, mostly of food. As he began to look into the matter, he found that a shocking number of villagers reported having been robbed, far more than a single perpetrator could have done. Again, he heard reports of dark shapes, sometimes closer to the village, but always near the forest. He also found that men who went into the forest for wood reported dark feelings of terror, so much so that most had stopped approaching the forest at all.

Before Roundy could decide on a course of action, the situation escalated dramatically. Yesterday morning, it was discovered the a 13-year old girl, Siri Samo, and a 13-year old boy, Deris Oldham, were missing. Roundy cannot find any apparent connection between the two youths beyond their age, but their parents have demanded action. They have told Roundy that if he does not find their children, they will bring the matter directly to Melefisant. Roundy expressed that such an action would be unfortunate as his lord is an impatient and uncaring man who dislikes trouble of any kind and that he would likely deal with such a situation harshly and in a manner not in the villagers’ best interests.

Your assignment is to travel to Clokehaven and to find the missing children. You are to leave immediately. As always, any treasure you find is yours to keep. Keep in mind that because of the connection to a high profile Baldurian, the honor of the Shield rests in your hands. Good luck.