Fellow Achaeans, heed my words! They portend of what could very well be
both a conspiracy and a dire warning to entrepreneurs!

I was walking through the streets, as I often do, in the hunt of rats,
as I often do, in a drunken stupor, as I often do, when I heard, as I
often do, someone say something.

As I often do.

But this something was no ordinary something, as it often was. This
something was no less than CONSPIRACY! PURE AND EVIL!

What was this statement, you ask? No less than, "Can I get another
jera?"

Oh sure, to most of you this sounds perfectly harmless. Just some
young'un out on the prowl for those oh-so-delicious hunting runes that
grant the power of constitution and strength for the advanced crushing
of weaker species. Sure, it could sound as simple as that. In fact, to
anyone passing by, it'd sound as innocent as a baby bird up in its
mother's nest waiting for food.

But not to those of us with the ears for listening. To us, it sounds as
innocent as if that baby bird was hiding a knife. And that knife
wouldn't be finding just anyone, that knife would find his mother's
oh-so-innocent chest. And who, least of all the walrus, would see this
little twist of events?

I would.

I know what you're thinking. I'm a tad bit insane and a lot bit of just
plain off. But I know the truth! I've done research! I've got numbers! I
know the score! The cat's out of the bag! The glove's on the other foot!
The game is at hand! The soup is delicious! The cavity is filled!

But I fear the topic has digressed. Witness now a rare glance into the
mind of Kuntar.

Pie.

And that's enough of that.

So, now, what could possibly be the conspiracy that lies behind the
asking of a jera rune? It's common knowledge that these runes offer
strength, power, and more healthy tendencies. Even more than if you were
to eat an apple a day. But common practice among Cyrenian Runewardens
leads them to say Good Jera as a method of greeting to others, wishing
them strength in the coming day. But what of the other rune commonly
asked for? The other greeting of the Runewarden? Could it have a darker
portent?

Yes.

The Algiz rune. A good rune, to be sure. Giving protection from the
outside evils that would cause pain, misfortune, and quite possibly a
loss of delicious funding and profits. And therein lies the answer.

Protection racketeering. This once simple and innocent request for a
jera rune has been turned into an abomination of its former self, turned
into a plea requesting strength against those demanding protection
money, against those suffocating young businesses with their evil
methods and greed. EVIL! And who, of all people, would be guilty for
this evil?

Bandits. Sewer thugs. A common detriment if one wishes to cavort in the
sewers of any city but Cyrene and Mhaldor, in which case there lie much
bigger problems. Such as angry totems, frost daemons, or leeches. Where,
then, could this link to the common bandit lead in the search of
protection, greed, and lust?

Hashan, the only city with an organized criminal underground. However,
it's common knowledge that Hashan does not exist. Therefore logically
these bandits cannot exist. And logically, there is no need for
protection. And therein lies the conspiracy.

Who is commiting the extortion? Who needs the protection? And if there
is no threat, why does there need to be protection? It's all very fishy,
you'll note for yourself.


Stay alert, Achaeans! The conspiracy is afoot! And remember, if you too
have a conspiracy that must be revealed, I'm listening!

Penned by my hand on the 5th of Valnuary, in the year 442 AF.