–==Official Submission==–
FROM: Sergeant Major Alexander Rahl
RE: Report on the Black Hand Operation

Intelligence Report
Classification: –Sensitive””

I don’t know what you maniacs up there are trying
to do to me, but you need to get your shit together and get
it together fast or we’ll have to have words. Here’s
my “report” of my “mission” and if you don’t like the
results you can kiss my arse or court-martial me because
this rot is bleedin’ insane.

As ordered, I took the role of Sambo, a petty
pickpocket from Skara Brae and traveled to Nujel’m to join
the Order of the Black Hand. Finding these idiots was easy
enough, and gaining acceptance into Talen Varn’s gang was
just as simple, alarmingly so in fact. Over the following
days I began to gather intelligence about the group. Want
to hear it?
Day 1 – Five purses stolen. Made fun of old lady.
Day 2 – Turned in a few rats found at the hideout
for coppers from the town watch. Loitered around tavern
drinking for remainder of the day.
Day 3 – Borkk palmed a small amethyst from a
jeweler. Party ensued. Drinking and wenching for the
remainder of the day.
Day 4 – Varn had a headache, we took the day off.
More wenching.

As you can tell, I was just thrilled with my
assignment, but trusting the judgment of the all-powerful
Society officer’s corps, I decided to hang around and see
if anything exciting happened. This was a very bad mistake.

While poking through Varn’s little slice of sewer I
found a collection of bodies. One of them was the real
Talen Varn. Hell and death ensued.
While I was high-tailing it out of the hideout I
got jumped by the whole gang. Borkk, the big thug, cast
some sort of magical shield on me, preventing magical
escape. (I’d like it noted that the only time I’ve ever
even HEARD of a spell like this was centuries ago when
Captain Tilamoon witnessed it cast by the Stranglers during
the battle against The Stormbound Night in the Felkinar
Pass.)
After a brief engagement with the imposters, I ran
beaten and bloodied from the hideout into the sewers. When
I was far enough away I sent an extraction call through the
crystal system. No one answered.

Here’s my professional analysis of the situation:
F.U.B.A.R.
I was set up, plain and simple. The real Varn’s
gang had been dead days before I had even left Northwood
for this damned assignment, so it couldn’t have been a
leak. I was targeted specifically. They knew I was coming,
they knew my capabilities, and they even knew my name.

I’ve now been down in these sewers for three days
waiting for this shield to collapse and desperately trying
to keep my wounds clean. Hopefully this message will make
it to you by the time my trail is cool enough that I can
return to Northwood, because the lot of you have exactly
that long to come up with an explanation worthy of earning
my restraint.

And to the sonofabitch who set me up: You missed.
It’s my turn now.