The holes are about four inches deep, drilled in the outer wall from the inside using the hand drill found on the shelf with an adamantine bit head.
The handbill is a simple employment advertisement for guards to travel with a caravan leaving Trunau for Freedom Town and other points north. The bill is dated for departure a week ago.
Tieret are you in Trunau?
Mistress is awaiting reply.
Mika here ready. Don't like it.
Assignment feels wrong.
Mistress says fulfil your duty.
The letter of the contract.
Fault of Grenseldek lackey.
Praise Achaekek.
Will be done. Return soon.
Praise Achaekek.
Whereas by lawful contract of Chieftain Grenseldek through her agent the Lady Melira, the Sabre Blades of Freedom Town are hereby sworn to bring death upon those deemed appropriate for the unwarranted appropriation of the tomb of Uskroth, forebearer of Grenseldek, and for the flagrant murder of her agents and personages, namely in the body of her lieutenant Skreed Gorewillow. Let such befall all Usurpers of Trunau on behalf of the peoples of the Twisted Heart clan.
Sentence is to be enacted at a time and place of the Blades choosing and shall be considered honored and completed once death has been delivered to any or all of the below illustrated condemned.
Signed and sealed,
Mistress of the Red Blades
Lady of Achaekek
High Consort of Freedom Town
Lady Melira of Freedom Town
Agent of Chieftain Grenseldek
The list of targets includes the entirety of the Town Council of Trunau, each of the Heroes of Bloodmarch Hill, and several other important merchants and families in Trunau.
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"Hmph. Grenseldek again." Songan says in an annoyed tone, showing the parchment to the others. "It seems this 'Mika' was the one who was put up to the job and she didn't like it, but felt it her duty to carry it out." the catfolk comments, scratching his temple with a claw while he searches his memory for the name "Achaekek."
Achaekek isn't a true deity, but the first entity created by the gods to carry out their will. Achaekek was created as an agent for the gods, an enforcer of divine justice, targeting mortals who hoped to usurp the power of a god and achieve divinity. Not wishing to be become targets of He Who Walks in Blood themselves, however, they made it incapable of killing those who truly were gods, or destined to be true gods.
Achaekek is occasionally worshiped by some ruthless people who wish to emulate its efficiency in killing. The largest temple to the Mantis God is in the city of Ilizmagorti, although the center of the faith is the headquarters of the infamous Red Mantis Assassins, the Crimson Citadel.
The Red Mantis use the Mantis God's persona and tactics as a model for their behavior and organization. They seek to emulate their patron's role by never targeting a rightful monarch or hero, just as Achaekek is incapable of killing the truly divine. They see the murder of such targets as blasphemous and abhorrent, and consider them the anointed agents of the gods in the mortal world.
"Huh. Well, that's a problem we are already planning to take care of. We should probably let the Council know."
Delia shares the scroll with the others. "She was indeed an assassin. If we hurry, I can probably follow her tracks from outside the building! Some of you alert the council and give this as proof. I need the rest of you with me." Unless someone argues against her suggestion she will start moving to exit the building and look for where the holes were drilled to the exterior... "We also need to lock down the gates!"
At the mention of Achaekek Maslyn raises his eyebrow.
"Engaging the Red Mantis Assassins is neither easy nor without risk. If this was indeed a Red Mantis agent I am afraid we may not have not seen the last of her. My understanding is that they pursue their contracts to the death."
Maslyn casts detect magic and attempts to puzzle out the magical aura on the page while distractedly following Delia.
Perhaps it is some sort of secret page, or residual magic from an odd sending? If it were explosive runes or a symbol its magic would have already been triggered...
Without glancing up from the paper, Maslyn says, "Be on the lookout for any unusual carvings or drawings. A knowledgeable spellcaster might be able to project her consciousness into an image of herself."
The aura of the ink is extremely dim, barely the faintest whisper that magic was used in it's creation on the page. If Maslyn were forced to speculate he would state the aura is likely evocation, magicks spent hours ago. In a few hours more the ink will no longer possess any aura at all, but will be as mundane as the page itself. No likely hidden messages or purposes appear present on the page.
Delia races outside and begins scouting around looking for the missing assassin. Unfamiliar with the nature of such magic she is not sure where to begin. At the point of the drill holes she can begin by searching the area for any tracks or trace of the assassin. As Brampton stated, no one in the area seems to be aware of anything amiss, and no one seems to have reacted to a strange mist coming from the side of the building.
Brampton returns to the banquet hall and returns the sword he borrowed to the guard. He informs Chief Defender Halgra of what they have found and apologies for not catching the assassin.
"This was a very well planned attack but I am not sure who the assassin was targeting. If it was the Heroes of Trunau then I think that we should leave as soon as possible to prevent another attack."
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"I do agree something should be done, but I'm not certain what yet. If they were after us, then leaving would solve the problem. If not, we could make things much easier for any assailant."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Delia will once again delve into her mystical connection with Jace. She looks and sniffs around the area in hopes of gaining some sort of idea where the assassin may have gone...