At the end of the town council, King Blackthorn showed us a note.  He said he had found it under under his  chair in the old castle.  Merrick was  instructed to take it to Corain.

A few days later Merrick called on us to meet him.  Corain had instructed him to solve the puzzle of the note.

   Studying the symbol for a while, Merrick, began to think aloud.  ”  Well, there is a circle, with several lines drawn through it. Two of them pointing to what appears to be East, and one pointing North.”  He continued, “Corain told me the line was pointing south… but it is on the other side of the page.   Corain thought that if the line was behind the E on the opposite side, it is actually pointing North ” Richard Cranium suggested that the design could have been captured through a refection.

 “Is the image meant to be held to a mirror?” asked Lady Thalia.

“My question also” said Richard Cranium.

“I don’t think so, I believe he simply flipped the piece of paper over.” replied Merrick flipping the map over.  “It does look like it is pointing south if you do that.”   He continued, “But when I held it under a candle, it overlays the E.  It is then pointing north.”

” Perplexing,” Richard Cranium said frowning.

Looking over Merrick’s shoulder  I continued to study the map.  At last Richard Cranium suggested that possible the circle was the rising sun. “Are we supposed to understand that?” Merrick puzzled, “Hum, it could be the East, but… East of what?  We are missing some vital piece of   it… “

 “Could the double line indicate horizon, circle the sun, single line north?” suggested Richard Cranium.

Merrick rubbed his head.  “Ahem, forget about it for now.  Whitebeard wants a sample of this dust.”  Merrick shook the globe. ” I’d rather not give it to him, but we don’t have a choice. Not if we want the other 6 clues.”

” But didn’t he only steal one clue?” asked Lady Tahlia?

“He did,” Merrick replied, He did, a long time ago… a list.  The list listed seven items.  I believe the first was the magical dust we found in the vanishing garden.”Merrick sighed and mumbled “pirates again.”  “What do you say to paying him a visit.” Merrick asked.

“Aye,”  Demoss shouted. The rest of us shouted yes in agreement.  Merrick opened a gate to Buc’s Den.  We began to search the town.

“He should be in the town somewhere.” Merrick told us.”   Our search seemed to be in vain.  There was no sign of Whitebeard.  Merrick called us to the baths.  There on the ground was a little crossbones.   A man stepped out of the shadows.  “You!” glared Merrick.  ” Hello Tibbers. Where is Whitebeard?”

” Well if  t’ bloody Alchemist starboard before me eaye.” Tibbers replied. ” T’ Captain wanted t’ be here but it was not safe, so I volunteered t’ go in his place.”

 ” You  volunteer,” Merrick laughed. ” What do you mean not safe.”

“Well we be not exactly t’ only ones after this treaaye. “Tibbers whispered looking around.  Suddenly he shouted, “There be t’ scoundrels now they must have caught up t’ me!”  Turning, we saw that indeed a band of pirates were sneaking up from behind us.  Determined that no pirate would slip away we attacked.

At last the battle was won. “Now that is taken care of, where were we? Merrick asked, fingering his dagger before sliding it back in to his belt strap.
“T’ Captain says when he finds a safe place he will contact ye again and not before.” Tibbers smirked.  ” T’ Captain also asked you t’ pass on what you found in Occllo.”

With an annoyed smile, Merrick growled, “Leave it to pirates to be twice as dodgy than a thief. You can tell your captain, he will get that when I see him. Not before.”

First Mate Tibbers shrugged,” I will pass it on t’ t’ Captain.” Tibbers turn and sauntered away.

So…Anyone have any suggestions?” Merrick asked in frustration.

“Any clues on the corpses of the brigands attacking us?” Lady Thalia asked. “They were obviously looking for him also.”

Shaking his head, Merrick said  “That was about as much of a clue as we had to what is going on… That and this note that makes no sense.” He began to finger his dagger again. “Whitebeard is hiding somewhere, probably on a ship at sea.”

” he will need supplies,” Demoss suggested.

“Hum that is true.” Merrick thought a minute, We could wait. He has to dock some where.”    Suddenly he stopped. ” Wait a minute…Where did Corian say Blackthorn found the note?

” Under his chair.”  Richard Cranium said.

“In the old castle,” Lady Thalia added.

“Maybe we’re just missing part of the clues.” Merrick said.

“Read the note again.” suggested Zeke Terra.  Looking at the note again, Merrick pondered.  “So… it’s a circle pointing North one and East with two lines.
” Let’s try the castle…” and  Merrick opened a gate.

 

 Excitedly I went to meet Merrick at the Jeholm Docks. At last we were going to have the archery contest.   Several archers and their supporters had already arrived.

Muttering Merrick stepped out of the gate ” Amelia, that sounds familiar but where from…Oh! Good evening everyone.” He began looking in his pocket for something.  Not finding it he left us to go to the Luna bank.  He quickly returned.  “WOAH,WOAH!  I went to the bank for the rewards for tonight’s  and…” He hesitated.  He explained that as his gate opened at the bank, he found him self surrounded by Pirates.

“I was lucky they didn’t see me.” Quickly he opened a gate for us.  The battle began as we rushed the pirates.

It seemed as if they couldn’t be damaged.  Promathia discoverd that in fact you could hire the pirates.  Typical of mercenaries, gold is the way to end the battle.  Others began hiring the other pirates until at last the bank was again ours.

 

“What cocked scheme is that? Trying to rob the Luna bank.  Looking down, he  found muddy footprints, leading away from the city.  We began to following them. When  Merrick stopped.  He had found a trail made of gold coins.  Not knowing who had left the trail, we cautiously we followed it.  Again we ran into pirates.  Ever the diplomat, Merrick tried to talk to the leader.  But with a shout, Silverblade and his band attacked us.   With the battle won,  Merrick stated. “Only one person I know is foolish enough to try something so stupid…. White Beard!”  Merrick lead us to the Exhausted Path Inn  in Tokuno.   Yuuk’s  greeting made it  clear that Merrick was well known. Inside Hidete , greeting him an told him that  Yuki wishes to talk to you.  She has word of the person you are looking for.

 

Yuki  told us that the pirate White Beard was waiting at Modest Damsel in New Magincia.    Merrick gated us to New Magincia.  Now we will find out what he knows.

 

Just as we were about to go in, Merrick warned us to be careful as Whitebeard was a tricky one.  Inside Merrick confronted Whitebeard.  “So the pirate attacks were to lure us here. challenged Merrick.  You didn’t care about getting the gold at Luna.

“What?” said Whitebeard in surprise, ” Lad I care about getting the gold, do you know how long it took to put together that crew.

“Apologies then, the ones who didn’t switch sides, ran away.” laughed Merrick. 

Whitebeard shook his head, ” Aye, who am I kidding?  I tossed a gold coin in the middle of a room and the whole lot of them went for it., I told them if they wanted more I had plans to rob a bank.”  “Good help is so hard to get these days,” he sighed.

“Never mind that,” Merrick frowned. “we have some questions for you.”

” I be waiting ta hear why yer suddenly after me. Ask your questions.” Whitebeard said.

“Remember that treasure?” questioned Merrick.  “Never did find it did we?” Whitebeard answered with a wink.

Annoyed Merrick continued, “You still have the clues though don’t you.”

Whitebeard leaned forward,   “Found something, did ya, matey?  I be curious, how did ye find out?”

Merrick smiled, ” The  sellsword you paid.  You had to know she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.”

“Aye I was counting on it,” Whitebeard said with a twinkle in his eye.

After much discussion,  Whitebeard and Merrick made a deal.  Whitebeard would share his clues after we sorted out the details of the map.  Once outside, Merrick took out the map. ” He asked, ” So where the heck is this map pointing…”  “North,” replied Nightwolf.
” You are right it is… but not here.  It says something about strange elementals ….In the frozen norths of the Lost Lands.”  Merrick continued,  “Hope all of you have something warm to wear.”  Off we went to the frozen north.

We were meet by more pirates.  Defeating them, we continued until we found the strange snow elementals.  The snow dragons were dazzling but deadly.  Bravely we fought.  It was with  a touch of sadness that we had to destroy such beauty.

 

Merrick read the next part of the note. ” After killing the snow elementals some thing  else will appear.  When you find it, it will look like a red beast with four legs and a long tail. It only appears when the garden, at south end of Occlo, blooms.  Off we went.   Going south west we  looked for the garden.  “Oh, I found it,” shouted  Veronica Mars.  “Where,” asked Merrick.   “Here,” Jinx replied. “Night blood roses.” Arriving Merrick lead us south west to Althaye’s Garden the only place the Night blood Roses grow.  Merrick warned us. “Be careful for the untended ones outside the garden, very deadly if eaten.”

 

As  Merrick bent to pick a rose, sleeping elementals in the form of red dragons appeared.  They proved to be tougher than the snow dragons.  But we defeated them.

After the beasts had been defeated, Merrick picked up a strange globe.  “Does it do something?” he wondered aloud.  Shaking it, some dust from the globe spilled on the ground.  A strange door appeared in the garden.

Merrick dropped the globe.  ” Time to ask Whitebeard more questions”  Arriving we found, Whitebeard was gone.   “Did you see where he went?” Merrick asked Alaira.  “No, but he left you this note.” Alaira handed Merrick a note. “He said he would meet you at a different time.” Disgustedly, Merrick lead us outside.

 

He looked at the list of clues.  ” I wonder how many clues Whitebeard figured out.  “The next clue is invisible.  Can any of you read it?”  We shook are heads.  “Then I must find a quiet place to work on this.”  With that a gate opened and Merrick left.

“We’ll follow the map later,” Merrick said, “first we should find White Beard and question him.”  Aevar’s note said that White beard would be found at the Wayfarer’s Inn.   Arriving  at his room, we found  evidence that he had not been alone.

Searching the room for the where about of White Beard, Merrick found a note under the bed.

“Keep searching the room. See if you can find more information about the Blue Jewel.” Merrick said in an excited voice.   We found no other clues except a scroll on the bed.  Over and over the name A.M.E.L.I.A.  was written on it. “There is that name again. Who is this Amelia and what does she have to do with our treasure?”  Puzzled Merrick.  “Well that is a mystery to solve later. Let us be off to search the palaces.  We divided up and searched King Blackthorn’s castle and the old castle in Britain.   The searches were in vain.  We regrouped.  “Nothing at all.  But the note said that the jewel would be in a castle.” Wrinkling his forehead in thought, “What have I missed? Is there another castle in the lands?”  “Wait someone shouted. How about the one in NuJelm. ”  Away we went and after a through search we found the jewel.

 

“I wonder if this is part of the treasure?” Merrick said.  “We must put it into a safe place until we find out more.”   But as we left the palace, we were set upon by the same assassins who had killed the old treasure hunter.  They proved to be an even deadlier foes, than Bloody Blade and his minions.

 

 

At last the battle was over.  Friends and pets resurrected,  we followed Merrick as he took us to a house in Jhelom.  Inside we found a secret room that he had built.  After placing the jewel in the room.  Merrick made us swear that we would tell no one of what we had found or seen.  I asked what he planned to do with the map.  “I must study it before I decide what to do.  I will call you when I’ve decided what to do.”  Rubbing his head, he continued, “of even more concern is the name A.M.E.L.I.A.  We must find out more about it.  I wonder if White bead knows.  We must find him.”

 

Quickly I hurried to Skara Brae.  I found Aevar in front of the Skara blacksmith shop.  At first he was reluctant to talk to us.  He kept asking if the Alchemist was with me.  After assuring him that he wasn’t, Aevar agreed to give Merrick the information he wanted.  But first there was a small task that we had to do for him.

 

It seemed to be a simple task.  “Get me some of the good stuff.  The Alchemist is to deliver it himself  or send it with someone to a warehouse in Britain.  He knows the one.” We went back to Merrick with the request.

Shaking his head he replied, “figures he would want me to have Tolivar make him alcohol.

What seemed a simple task soon turn into a problem.  Tolivar’s  recipes had been stolen.  After much searching we found them.  It turned out that he had just misplaced them.  After he had made the brew and it was delivered, we went back to speak to Aevar.  He told me, “White Beard has what Merrick is looking for.  I saw  it with his own two eyes”.  I turned  to leave. “Come back, I have one more thing for you to tell Merrick. Bloody Blade has returned. ”  “Who is Bloody Blade and what does he have to do with the treasure?” I asked.  “Look in Hyloth.” Aevar said with a smile.

With a feeling of dread, We returned to Merrick and told him what we had learned.  Gatheringa band of brave warriors we traveled to Hyloth. There in the depths of Hyloth, we found Bloody Blade. The fight was long and deadly.

 

As the dungeon was still dangerous, Merrick thought it would be best if we returned to Britain.  There he looked at the map trying to decipher it.

I ran into Merrick at the stables in Luna.  He told me a strange story.   “A few days ago I meet a man named Ishim.  He wanted to hire me to guard his father from a group of assassins.  He had heard, that I was the type to not ask questions. Possibly Tavian told him.  Being a royal spy, I was hesitant to accept his offer.  He offered to pay me any thing and show me a handful of jewels .  That peeked my curiosity so  I accepted the task.  Ishim was able to describe the colors the assassins wore and warned me that they were hired by wealthy men to take care of problems. ”  Merrick paused then frowning he continued his tale.  “At last they attacked.  I found it strange that they did not sneak in.  Realizing something wasn’t right, I tried to put down my weapons.  Alas they attacked and I had to kill them all.”  I sensed that Merrick was holding something back.  He continued “After killing the assassins,  I found the father dying.

 

 

 

I asked why he was telling me all of this.  He responded that he needed me to go to Skara Brae and talk to Aevar  Tyon. Perhaps he had more information about what he had learned.  I was puzzled why he didn’t go himself.  He told me, “if I was able to pay him what I owed.  We would no doubt be best of friends.   However since I can’t, I need you to go and see if he will make a deal with us.  Be careful and don’t offer him anything.  Tell him the Alchemist remembers.  That should be enough for a small bit of information.”

 

 

 

Once more Merrick called me to the Vesper docks.  “Go speak to the mysterious man at the end of the docks.  Be careful”, he whispered.  I went to the docks end and found the mysterious man.  Laughing, he told me that the robe riddles were a test to see if I was in fact a worth competitor. “You have passed the test. In 14 cities I’ve left more clues.  Each surrounded by Star Sapphires.  Seek the clues but trust no one. Begin at the statue in Minco.  I’ve given you two clues.”  As I found the clues, I noticed that they each had a number. a letter and words.  The clue at Buc’s Den had an arrow leading through the gate. Going Through I found two more notes,  “Curiosity should be rewarded.” “White Beard Stole a clue.” That was worrisome.  At Serpent’s hold again I found an arrow.  This time it lead to a bag with a note, “A.M.E.L.I.A. is nice, isn’t she.”  That is a strange way to write a person’s name.

 

 

After finding all the clues I used the numbers to put the words into a sentence.  There are tongs in the city of Zento.  Each is worth more that gold.  While the letters said, “Remember Zuull”.  Off I went to Zento. Arriving at the spot where the tongs should have been, I found a note saying that they were in Vesper at the Deadly ……  At Vesper, I first looked at the pits, after all they are a place of death.  I found nothing.  Then I remember the weapon shop’s name was Deadly Intentions.  There I found 5 tongs.  Again the clues made a sentence. “Find the wise men. There are two wearing purple.  Seek the virtues but from a nearby distance as close as they can get.  Again I searched each shrine of virtue. At the shrine of Valor I found Zara the wise.  After telling her the word Zuull, she gave me a clue “2 men are looking for the treasure.” Then she would say no more.  At the Shrine of Justice, I found Kerby the wise.  He told me that there were 7 parts to the new clues and we had been deceived.  Again I reported to Merrick.  He pondered the clues.  Who was the man who had deceived  us.  Was it White Beard?  He had stolen a clue.  We seemed no closer to the treasure.

Day 1

Merrick called me to meet him at the Vesper Docks.  There he told of strange purple robes with riddles.  These had been found in the different towns. Some made no sense, others hinted of an ancient treasure.

The clues lead to a healer in Skara Brae.  She would not give any information about the treasure without the pass word.  She hinted that I should seek the rabbits in Ilshenar. Checking the different virtue gates, I found a trail of rabbits down from the Humility gate.  Following the trail, I noticed that some rabbits had letters.  These could be the password.

 

 

At last I came to another group of purple cloak robes.  Unfortunately  in the rat ruins, I died.  Not to be stopped my ghost continued to record the clues.

 

Hum could the answer be in New Haven.  There were more robes but the clues seemed to lead to no where.  I was beginning to feel as if I was going in circles.  On the off chance the Skara Brae healer had more information, I looked at the letters from the rabbits.  “SSAH” I told the healer.  She looked blankly at me.  I looked again, ah-ha the letters were mixed up.  Unscrambling the letters, I found the word sash. I told her the word sash.  “Ah “,  she said, there is an ancient treasure that many seek.  Hurry as only two men still hunt for the treasure.  I hurried back to Merrick where I told him what I learned.  Deep in thought, he mumbled to himself, “there is a treasure, but who are the two men?”