Hail to all, Archimedes the Old here.

I am writing this from my office, where I have not been for almost a week due to my wrongful incarceration. I know many of you have already heard I was framed for the gruesome murder of Jorlorn, a Mage Guildmaster. The Royal Guard found enough clues to suggest the real murderer was an Assassin, who was hired by Judge Dryden himself.

Since everyone knows that I am free now, I thought I would go over the information that was pertinant to this mystery.

A week ago I gave the testimony that I left my spellbook at the office and walked from the Spirituality Moongate to Reg Volom, also known as the Ethereal Fortress. On the way back I stayed at the Twin Oaks Tavern, then walked back to the moongate and ultimately came home the next day. I retraced my steps, and found something interesting at the Twin Oaks Tavern where I stayed :

This ring makes very little sense to anyone that found it early on in their course of the investigations, so we'll come back to it later.

This mystery starts at the scene of the murder. I found Jorlorn's residence on Moonglow Island, just under the Mage Shop that provides passage to Papau. Inside was my Spellbook admist a puddle of dried blood, and the hacked up remains of Jornor (or so it would seem, as I honestly could not make a positive identification due to the mutiliation).

This puzzles me that the assassins would do such a horrific execution, when they normally their work is executed (forgive the pun) quitely and quickly. Left at the scene was a Bloodstained Axe, not the tool of the Assassin.

Behind his house I found what seemed to be the remains of a small campsite. Moldy bread lay in a pile, forgotten by whoever left it here, and also a book:

Monthy Updates

We are low on Poison, send some of the new recruits to harvest.

A new batch of daggers is ready for pickup.

As normal the password this month has changed:

Who makes it, has no need of it.
Who buys it, has no use for it.
Who uses it can neither see nor feel it.

Burn this book after memorization.

Well, I can assume that the only type of people that would kill another, and mention anything of poison and daggers would be Assassins, but I already knew this information. At the time almost a week ago, the Royal Guard did not know this so easily, but knew to visit the Assassins' Guildhouse in Buccandeers Den.

Inside I found a chest with a book, and a odd Ruined Painting, I don't remember seeing before. Inside the book was the following:

1.) Marlbeard the Gypsy: Completed
Payment Delivered
2.) Terrin the Paladin : Completed
Payment Delievered
3.) Carlene the Healer : Completed
Payment Delivered
4.) Percy the Herbalist : Completed
Payment Pending
5.) Lloyd the Paladin : Failed
Payment dismissed
6.) Byron the Merchant : Completed
Payment Delivered
7.) Delphine the Shepherd : Completed
Retribution of Non Payment
8.) Opey the Servent: Complete
Payment Delivered
9.) Mage Guildmaster : Payment Pending

I studed the painting further, but found nothing of interest and decided to come back later. However, it seems I should investigate this book of names.

Then in Trinsic I found the Viking Sword of Terrin just outside the
Paladins Library. It seems I'm on the correct trail.

Minoc at the Gypsy camps, I found a Corroded
Assassins' Daggers (corroded due to old poison
left on the blade) and a vial of "Peculiar Poison".

A trip to Cove took awhile, but I found at the north end some more
"Peculiar Poison", and another Corroded Dagger

The same inside the Inn at Papau

In the City of Luna, it seems one of the targets, Lloyd, did not die. However, stuffed inside a bookcase in the back of the city was an Assassins Dagger, that was deadly poisoned, not yet corroeded.

In the city of Britian, a long search finally paid off in one of the houses on the North East side.

I failed to kill the Paladin as required, such a disgrace. I can not think straight dealing with that blasted Shepherd that won't pay his fees for killing the Herbalist. I'll be paying him a visit soon, if he doesn't have the money then he'll take the place in the graveyard for the Paladin. I also must visit a Tinker, my ring is loose on my fingers and won't stay on. I fear I maylost it soon. All this walking is working off the fat, which isn't so bad when I thin of it that way.

I made no haste going to Delucia, but searched for hours before finding a small backpack with some familiar supplies.

Last but not least, I went to Yew, where I thankfully heard from Opalescense information that pertained to Opey.

Inside this house I found an Assassins' Dagger, another bottle of Peculiar Poison, and a very enlighting book!

Journal

It's been a very busy week, I have never traveled so much in such a short amount of time. I must travel to Moonglow tomorrow to have a meeting with someone that wishes to remain anonymous. He has stated that money is no object, which is the only reason I forego a relaxing weekend. The Guildmaster won't tell me our client's name, but has told me he's a very high ranking member of the Royal Court, which is very interesting

And, there was another riddle!

I exist but sometimes ignored.
I am forced to live on the floor.
I cast an image, though dark,
and follow my owner and leave no mark.
I disappear when the sun sets
And never be caught in any nets.
I will always forever lie,
Can you tell me what am I?

Well, the last name in the book was a Mage Guildmaster in Moonglow, and we all know who that was. I thought back to the ring, and then the books mentions of how this ring is loose. Well, it seems an Assassin followed me on the night of the murder. Perhaps making sure I was alone and there were no witnesses when he left to commit the murder? Second, it seems I have missed something back at the Assassins Guild House in Buccanneers Den.

I went back and saw a Ruined Painting, like I said, it wasn't here before. Then I thought back to the riddle I found behind the Murder House.

Who makes it, has no need of it.
Who buys it, has no use for it.
Who uses it can neither see nor feel it.

Well, the answer was obviously "Coffin", but I didn't realize what to do with it. Then a book in the chest also stated simply "She is listening..."

So, I turned to the painting, and cleared my throat...

Amazing! The painting was a device to transport someone into the rumored tunnels under the city of Buccaneer's Den! After wandering around aimlessly through the tunnels, I came to another barrier.

The face on the wall came out to greet me, but snuck back in as if waiting for
somemething. I thumbed through my notes, and remembered the other riddle I found :

I exist but sometimes ignored.
I am forced to live on the floor.
I cast an image, though dark,
and follow my owner and leave no mark.
I disappear when the sun sets
And never be caught in any nets.
I will always forever lie,
Can you tell me what am I?

This one really stumped me, until I looked down at the ground. Next to me was my shadow!
It lived on the floor, followed me around but left no mark, and everything else entailed in the
ridddle. I spoke the word "Shadow" when the Magical Face was staring at me, and I
found myself inside the room!

Inside was a laboratory where it seems the assassins created their peculiar poison, and another book that shed a very scary light on the entire ordeal :

It is most unsettling that our latest client is a member of the Royal Court, and has asked us to kill someone that will no doubt raise some curiosity of the others in the higher levels of government. His price was very high, and I was unable to refuse to accept, however I fear that this creates a great liability towards our organization. He could very well use his power and or position to try and hamper our business, and drive us from Buc's Den.

We feel it is in our best interest to kill our client, in public view of others, so that others will realize the Shadow Assassins are not to be trifled with, and maintain our reputation in our profession.

If I didn't know better, these books sure did implicate me as the client to the Assassin by now! However I know it wasn't me, but it also fits the descriptoin of Judge Julious Dryden!

Well at this point I could only think of one more thing -- this assassin was low on poison, and it clearly was something unique as it was "Peculiar". Then I thought back to the ring :

Everything made sense! The ring was embroided with Serpent Scale, and if you looked at the ring very closely it was a silver ring! So I traveled to the only two places that Silver Serpents exist.

Extracting Snake Venom

An experienced Veterinarian can, with proper precautions, extract the venomous poison of a snake so that it can be applies in making curing agents, or poisons.

There are some health risk involved with the procedure - the slightest wrong cut can lead to bacterial infection of the venom when extracting from the snake, or worse, premature infection upon the Veterinarian. For lesser poisoning creatures this isn't much of a concern, however if one is attempting to devenomize a Giant Serpent, they could soon find themselves in need of a healer.

the Veterinarian's task should never be one to kill the snake while extracting the venom, nor severing the duct from wench the poison is from the glands to the fangs. Impairing the snake from successfully capturing prey would lead to it's death, and ultimately, a lower population of the snakes.

The more environmentally conscious veterinarians will perform the devenomization process on snakes or serpents that are already showing signs of being well-fed, so that they won't go hungry while creating new venom. When a sufficient specimen is found, a good paralyze spell will immobilize the snake, while a serpent mouthpiece is inserted before the creature will regain the ability to move. With the mouth propped open, a small bottle or specially lined pouch is placed under the fangs, and the venom is extracted.

Snakes that are devenomed will possess it's fangs, however fangs are periodically shed and replaced over the course of time. Those that find discarded serpent fangs are advised to handle with care, as often residual venom can be inside the fangs' ducts, and can poison you nonetheless.

Then I went to Deceit, level 4 :

Mage Guildmaster Contract

Clientelle met at Moonglow Docks, late at night. Face could not be seen well, however the moonlight reflected off his hair, and it was white, thick, that of an older man. He was dressed well and looked kept, as if he lived near here. He agreed to pay over 500,000 gold for the death of Jorlorn in his home within 48 hours, but has requested it look not like an assassination but a savage lynching. Agreed it would be possible, but had to travel to Terra Sanctum to replenish our supply of Poison.

Well, all the pieces were finally in place. Judge Dryden went to great lengths to strip me of my duties as Commander of the Royal Guard. Why, I can not say. Since he fled the courthouse after the testimoney of the Assassin Guildmaster (and his untimely dimise), I am afraid I'll never know what grudges he had with me. I do know that he is a smart man, and will remain in hiding till which time he thinks he is safe; which won't be for some time with a half million gold bounty on him!