From Mosholu's Journal


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Concerning the events of Rain Quarter Day 73 (though I haven't seen an extra drop of water in weeks)

My longest day since leaving Freestone, and it ended in such a surprising and confusing manner that I am forced to stay awake thinking about what happened, even now, days later, trying to figure out the reasons.

There was a newcomer in the camp today, and I'd heard about him even though I stayed near my tent the entire day. He told some jokes and began persuading the miners that the guards weren't so bad and that the wages were just. This running contrary to our plans we went over to the man's tent to discuss things with him. No sooner were we at the threshold of his encampment than he shot us with a wand. I had never handled a wand before today, but knew how they worked, and as soon as I saw it, I knew we were going to have a problem. Oddly enough, I was the only one who succumbed to its power (so much for my mind being protected against arcane mind-control). He stepped out of his tent and I was overcome, senselessly, by a feeling of dread and doom. All I could do was run for it.

I returned to the tent to find the bard, if indeed that was who he was, killed. Across the way more miners were down. Seika had dispatched the two men who proposed bank robbery to the elves, and this was most perplexing. We didn't have much time to think about it, or discuss it, before we were off to the next part of our mission. Figuring our cover was blown we made moves on the stronghold right away.

But there was the attack by Seika gnawing at my concentration. Certainly I failed to move as quietly as I could have with the deaths of the two bank robbers on my mind.

It was most confusing because we were planning to rob the stronghold owned by the same conniving, exploiting maniacs who ran the bank. If anything, these thieves were allies, and at the very least, could have set a diversion for the guards. I wonder, too, if we could have persuaded them to give some of the bank coins to the miners. Certainly two thieves would not have been able to haul all of the coins across the desert, and they would not have wanted to use the main road. Also, if they did give the miners some of the coin, and those miners left, the mine would have been shut down long enough for the salt tribe to stage a larger more lasting raid - perhaps reclaiming their tribal territory.

Worse, there was no time for Seika to explain why she had to kill the men. I suspect they attacked her, or did something worse than talking about robbing the bank, which after all, is no crime. Some societies do prosecute conspiracy, but as we were conspirators in the same exact type of crime, it seems to me that Seika would not have acted so rashly. I did hear some of the miners whispering about Seika taking actions in cold blood, but until I speak directly with her I reserve judgment.

However, speaking with her and puzzling out what happened may take some time. None of us have seen Seika since the assault on the stronghold began. I am beginning to wonder if she was killed in battles with the guards and Salt Tribe fighters.

To be continued...