Intro Story - Examine the Desk

The box on the desk is simple, but the polished wood is teak like the desk it rests upon. The exotic wood must be brought from the islands of Verdun to the south, carried upriver by gnomish steamboats. Like the sheets of parchment and bottle of velvet-black ink that lie alongside the box, the arrangement represents a lifestyle of casual luxury. A lead clerk would pay a year’s salary for this station, yet it sits in this odd room, forgotten.

But not unused. Inside the box is a small stack of parchment. Most of it has writing in the same elegant handwriting. There are four pieces, and they seem to be requests for help.

The book is bound in black leather. On the cover, stamped in silver leaf, is one word: “Minutes.” You open the book and realize that all the pages have been cut out by a sharp blade. Inside is a loose scrap of paper with a simple note: “Sorry. I’ll give them back when you’re ready. – The Swift.”

The logs were stolen by the famous thief, and his mark, which resembles the bird for which he’s named, is drawn in strong, clear strokes at the bottom, confidently capitalizing on the fine writing supplies.