Arric Uberon, Kiar Frostspeaker and Qzyid were acting as guards on a trade caravan bringing goods to the mining town of Gahanis on the southern edge of the central plains between the Bitter Peaks and the Elder Mountains. Arric had journeyed south to find knowledge and excitement in more dangerous lands. Thayn had been his beginning, but to the south lay the lands of the Verrik; uncharted districts and, if the rumours were true, bandits and other scavengers plaguing the peoples. Kiar and Qzyid from Mi-Theron had also heard these rumours, and others hinting that some giants had taken it upon themselves to pacify the region for the good of the citizens of Dor-Erthenos (as the giants called it). When Arric arrived in Mi-Theron he signed up for a caravan of the Jaren guild heading south through the central plains where the litorian tribes dwelt. Kiar and Qzyid signed up as well. Izstak, the human caravan master, did not give any details of his cargo, but he seemed a fair enough man, so the three did not have any great concerns as they headed off on foot on the long journey south.
They had passed through a number of small towns and villages, been greeted by Litorian tribes and had one encounter with a goblin by the time they were nearing Gahanis. It was here, about four miles before their destination that an ambush had been laid. Three bandit archers who stood, somewhat hidden by brush and trees, about forty feet away, targeted the verrik, the quickling and the human. Arric was hit by an arrow in the first exchange, but he managed to land a sling bullet on his opponent. Kiar and Qzyid were uninjured in the first volley, but Kiar's arrow flew true and lodged in the shoulder of a bandit. After a couple more volleys, Arric fell to the ground bleeding from another arrow just as one of the bandits fell from his wounds. Another sank to his knees incapacitated. Qzyid distracted the other for a round and then scared him off with the ghost sound of four others coming to join the attack. Kiar went to investigate the downed bandits while Qzyid knelt next to Arric and channelled the Green into him. Arric blinked and started to rise, his wounds much less serious than they had been. Meanwhile the rest of the caravan had not fared so well, other guards had been overcome and lay on the ground, bandits swarmed over the wagons driving them off the road and out of sight. Izstak the caravan master, lay injured on the ground unable to resist this assault.
Arric and Qzyid joined Kiar by the bandits and Arric dispatched them both before they all started helping the fallen as best they could. Qzyid healed Izstak with the power of the Green as best he could and Arric staunched the wounds of a number of others. Once they had Izstak on his feet, he decided that they should head straight for Gahanis and report this loss to the Jaren. It wasn稚 long before the smoke from the chimneys of the town could be seen rising above the treetops.
Travelling along the road to the east of the town, the group first encountered an area of litorian dwellings. Arric spoke to one of these, asking about banditry in the region. The litorian mentioned that bandits were indeed a problem and that rumours had spoken of a mysterious figure known as the Blue Knight who would leave a sapphire-tipped dagger at the site of an attack as a marker. Proceeding on towards the Jaren Guild the party entered an area of warehouses that obviously saw heavy wagon traffic; the road was wide and rutted and the buildings had huge doors to accommodate unloading. When they arrived at the building that Izstak indicated, they encountered two litorian guards. These asked the travellers� business and one disappeared inside to take instruction. When he returned he spoke quietly to Izstak so that none of the others could overhear. Izstak said that he would need to take lodging in the town and speak with the innkeeper to obtain funds with which to pay off the fees of the guards. So the group set off along the road through the warehouse district, past the foundry and a number of traders. They also passed a faen grove on their way to the marketplace. Immediately after this grove the group noted some large wooden buildings with huge doorways that were open, but screened by large leather curtains suspended on single horizontal poles across the top of the openings. The doorways were all at least fifteen feet high. Arric was so curious about these dwellings that he went to the nearest and knocked politely on the doorframe. A male sibeccai answered the knock and came out. Arric asked him directions and while they were being given he noticed that the interior contained furniture and fittings that would not have been suitable for the sibeccai as they were far too large. Arric then thanked the sibeccai and they continued on. When they reached a square with a covered well in the centre, Izstak turned to enter an inn, called the Wedding Present Inn. Here he arranged for ales for the guards while he went to obtain funds. Kiar at this point approached another faen, a loresong, to share his insight into the God who protects flat-footed fighters. The other faen seemed very interested and their discussion ranged on to topics like the spiced beef available on the menu and the drinking habits of female loresongs.
Izstak returned to the table and gave each guard a small purse with ten gold pieces. He refused Arric痴 offer of a drink, saying that he had much to do and indeed it seemed as if he had instructed for the care of those still on the remaining caravan wagon as a number of inn workers were helping these unfortunates as the three went in search of a faen bar. They went across the square around the well and entered a building which had a giant sized doorway and was made of stone. A text reading 鄭ll worthwhile activities must be followed by rest and contemplation�, in giantish was carved above the doorway. A female giant who introduced herself as Ae-Radona greeted each of the three in turn in a formal giantish manner. Arric responded as best he could while the others smiled and nodded. Realising that they had made an error, Arric asked directions to the Steward. Ae-Radona politely explained the layout of what she called the Civic Centre. The group went onwards, finding the courthouse, barracks, library, jail and finally the town hall. It seemed obvious now, set as it was on a number of tiered stone steps, carved with images of giants in battle with the drajmojh. Two giants stood outside its massive metal doors. One of these informed the group that the steward was not present at that time and being further questioned, stated that perhaps the guard captain, Mynorath the Peacekeeper, would have more information on local banditry and plans to eradicate it. So, they went to try and find whichever giant might be organising the pacifying of the region that they had heard about. Unfortunately, Mynorath was unable to help them in that regard. He asked bluntly if the group wished to sign up with the guard, but when he was rebuffed, he did not seem put out. Somewhat confused, the group retired to their hostelries to eat and sleep.
Although they were in separate places, each of the three received a remarkably similar and clear dream that evening. When they awoke in the morning it was as if each was sure that the Guildmaster of the Jaren had spoken to them while wearing some elaborate costume, including a mask, asking them to come to the guild hall the following night, one hour after dusk to assist them in tracking down two bandit spies who had been involved in the caravan raid and returning to the Jaren some property of theirs. The three assembled in the giant痴 inn for breakfast and immediately started discussing their strange visions.