Shadows of Time, Part 4 (Tuesday, Neth (XI) 19, 4707 AR)

While searching the mound of debris in the southwest corner of the flesh golem's lair the heroes uncovered a moldy leather sack containing 125 gp, 309 sp, a tarnished silver ring worth 75 gp, and a silver mirror worth 50 gp. But the greatest treasure to be found in the Shadow Clock was under the angel. The heroes noticed a crumpled-up wad of parchment in the southwest corner of the room, Although unsigned, this was a missive filled with taunts intended to mock and frustrate the lamia matriarch, but that also served as an incredible source of information for the heroes.

"My sister - 

I trust your little band of murderers is doing well, gathering the greedy souls for our Lord's rise? Has Magnimar proven to be as sinful as you had hoped? It may interest you to know that my plan to nurture greed here in this backwater has blossomed - the quality of greed in a soul is so much more refined when given the proper care. Are you still simply carving the Sihedron on them as they expire? How crude! My method of marking is so much more elegant. In any event, I'm sure that your plans for harvesting greed where and when you can find it "in the wild" are progressing well enough - I just hope that your raw, ungroomed, and likely inferior victims don't interact poorly when mixed with the purity of my own subjects. If you tire of your little project there, know that you're always welcome to come to Turtleback Ferry and serve as my assistant, little sister! For Rannick should be in our control by the time you receive this letter, in any event, so there'll be plenty of room for you if you wish to take me up on my generous offer.

Oh! Before I forget! Have you managed to harvest that lord-mayor yet? By all accounts, he might just be the cream of the crop in Magnimar - his soul might even rival several from my hand-grown harvest!"

Undisputedly the most politically powerful person in Magnimar, Lod-Mayor Haldmeer Grobaras is a paunchy, self-serving politico more concerned with his own comforts than the needs of the underprivileged he hears so much about. Having managed Magnimar for many years, Grobaras half-heartedly handles the immediate needs of the city, indifferently settling matters relating to the distribution of city funds, use of the city watch, and the concerns of countless citizens groups, all while welcoming bribery and lavish gifts. Although his dedication to the finest Chelish fashions and his numerous chins make the lord-mayor's self-indulgent foppishness blatantly apparent, they hide a silver tongue and the private wealth to fulfill nearly any promise. While his station would have him uphold the mandates of the Council of Ushers, the second political body of Magnimar, he often ignores such duties, proving more attentive to whether or not his personal declarations are enforced.

With the lamia matriarch's defeat, the murders that have plagued Magnimar and Sandpoint ceased. When the lord-mayor Grobaras discovered that the murderers were planning his assassination, he invited the heroes to attend a feast at his home, Defiant's Garden.

The heroes have, at this point, braved a haunted house, defeated a dangerous cult, and saved the leader of Magnimar, yet they felt yet more was brewing behind the scenes. The recurrence of the Sihedron Rune troubled them as well. Unfortunately, even in Magnimar, little could be learned about Thassilon - a fact that has frustrated many scholars who have tried to decipher the mysteries of Varisia's ancient ruins.

Shalelu was eager to journey to Fort Rannick to check up on an old acquaintance. The heroes spent the rest of their day preparing for the journey and getting information on the places they will visit during it.

Wartle: A ramshackle trading post full of swampers and fur traders. Wartle perches on stilts above the muck of the Mushfens.

Whistledown: Named for the distinctive charms that hang from house eaves to turn the evening wind off the lake into haunting melodies, Whistledown lies at the western tip of the Fenwall Mountains, where Lake Syrantula becomes the Yondabakari once more. Although the town is home to almost as many humans as gnomes, Whistledown is generally regarded as the primary gnome settlement in Varisia, and most of the quaint, white-walled cottages are sized accordingly. Although the town has a reputation as a peaceful, friendly trade stop, most non-gnome visitors find the town's serenade disturbing in ways they can't quite explain.

Lake Syrantula: One of the most frequently traveled waterways in Varisia, this hundred-mile-long lake is a primary part of the trade route between Korvosan and Magnimarian holdings. Though most of the fishermen and sailors that ply its waters have little more to fear than the giant gars that are a major food source for nearby communities, none can truly say what beasts might slumber in such an enormous body of water, and most of those who live along its shores are careful to avoid the mysterious ruins that dot its southern border.

Ilsurian: In the years immediately following the crumbling of the Chelish Empire, Korvosa was embroiled in turmoil, with various noble houses and government officials squabbling over where the colony's allegiance would fall. While many loyal to the old empire eventually left Korvosa and relocated to Magnimar, theirs was not the only faction to desert the quarreling city. Ilsur, formerly a First Sword among the Knights of Aroden, advocated shaking off noble rule altogether and restructuring Korvosa as an efficient, military meritocracy. He campaigned for years but conceded defeat in 4631 AR with the foundation of the Korvosan royal house. Ilsur led his troops to the coast of Lake Syrantula, where they settled in a small fishing village and dug in to await their chance to return and put the new aristocracy to the sword. Although Ilsur is long dead and his descendants are more woodsmen and fishmongers than soldiers, the village remains fiercely independent - ceding to neither Korvosan nor Magnimarian rule - and all townsfolk are required to maintain a sharp sword and train against the day when they might have to defend their freedom from tyrants.

Turtleback Ferry: This remote settlement on the banks of the Skull River maintains a quiet and easygoing populace. Far from other larger settlements, this village must sustain itself as it sees few visitors.