Chapter 1

"I suppose you're right," says Dedge. "Brutus' gold was as good as anybody's. I just hate to see something useful go to waste.

"I understand that the people who stole the wagon had a pretty wild night. They got drunk, punched some priests from the Order of Light, wrecked Brutus' wagon, and wound up with one of Clerebold's donkeys.

Actually, I bet the inept city guard would probably love to get their hands on the miscreants. I haven't seen a reward posted for their arrest, but it could be worth looking into."

Dezd, Delvane, and Wormwick turn to enter the tattoo shop and notice that the donkey has gone missing. The shop owner is standing in front of the shop now, and is talking to a few guardsmen. There is also a tall figure wearing a red cloak, who looks to be half human, half wolf.

As the guards question the shop owner, the wolf-man approaches Dezd, Delvane, and Wormwick.

"I am Clerebold," he says. "I seek a donkey. And not just any donkey--I donkey that I lost, and that is capable of casting magic spells.

Have you seen it?"


Meanwhile, Dedge and Mariel speak to the guards in the market square, near the wagon crash. Apparently, Brutus never spoke to the authorities regarding the wagon's theft. However, Dedge and Mariel find out that there's a reward of 400 GP offered for finding Clerebold's donkey.

"The creature's magic abilities came about after I ran some experiments upon it," explains Clerebold. "I have yet to discover the full extent of its powers.

"It is docile, unless it begins to feel threatened. When it senses danger, it can cast offensive conjuration spells--things like fire bolt and magic missile. Additionally, I think I managed to get it to teleport at least once.

"As I say, these powers, and it's potential to become more powerful, make it extremely valuable to me. It must be recovered."

Dezd easily locates the hoofprints of the donkey. They don't lead anywhere; they stop at the post where the donkey was hitched outside the tattoo shop, and then they end. This leads you to believe that the donkey must have teleported away from this place.

Also, the rope used to tie the donkey is gone. Very curious...

Dedge agrees, but reminds you that the reward was for 400 GP. Not 4,000.