A thunderous explosion, triggering several rockslides across the Dramedo Crags, rocked the whole of Albedos in the late afternoon of the 20th of Lanosian, 463 MA. Rushing to find the source, a throng of adventurers from Sapience arrived within the mines of Helba and, much to the chagrin of the Helban sappers within, began to dig amidst the rubble to no avail.

As the dust settled, the singed sappers began to explain their work as a rallying alarm rose across the Crags from the town of Helba. Retreating quickly back to the town to aid in its defense, the people of Sapience found the town filled with Aslinn slavers under the banner of Talgrith, the Butcher. Talgrith, known to several of the defenders, had assaulted the town in the past and killed its previous chieftain; now, with his baleful gaze once more upon the town, Talgrith's forces fell back into the mountain passes. Chieftain Koschin of Helba, not wishing to let the slavers escape their grasp again, set forth with a brave band of people from Sapience, the sappers, and a contingent of the Watch to do battle.

With assistance from the people of Sapience, the sappers set a series of volatile explosives along a shattered wall in the Clawhook Pass and, in an impressive display, blew half the mountainside out clearing the landslide much to their delight. The band plunged into the Clawhook Range and, with a massive battering ram in tow, assaulted the Aslinn hideout known as the Maul. The battering ram was brought to bear against the Aslinn slavers and shattered the iron-banded gates with ease to continue the assault. Battling their way through the Aslinn and their vicious hounds, the warriors came upon a massive fighting pit with the Butcher awaiting them on the blood-stained sands, a Golban prisoner lashed to the ground before him. A pack of slavering Vakmut hounds surrounded the slavemaster, savaging all those who drew near as Talgrith taunted the would-be saviours and his quarry.

In a bloody fight, the prisoner known as Hemold broke free of his bonds, beating Talgrith into the ground alongside Fezzix who ended his life with a strike from his blade. Thanking his saviors, Hemold bandaged his wounds and set off to return to Helba with the aim of settling himself by a warm fire with a drink in hand. Known by many as a brutish mercenary in the untamed wilds of the Dramedo and Clawhook, Hemold offered the skills of the Wayfarer to any who would wish to learn them.. for a price! Now, with drink in hand, Hemold awaits to teach any intrepid adventurer who finds their way into the Pick and Spade Tavern of Helba.

Penned by my hand on Tisday, the 10th of Variach, in the year 464 MA.