This is the tale of the treacherous band of seven, beginning as nine
Sojourning the lands in search of secrets held within
Three years they scavenged the Vale for rations and treasures and clothing and shelter, but their greed would consume even the best of them – betrayal

Alas, on the eve of the dead moon, two sought to trap the others and empty the hoard
Set fire to the houses, and board up the doors
“May they burn with their avarice or die by the sword.”

Chaos, the camp ablaze, but the homes are empty
They turn to meet a slew of drawn back bows

Drykanfall –
“You cannot slay us, the Bandits of Shamblekeep
The masters of the air, lords of the land, and rulers of the sea

We are the ones who scour the unknown
We kill, collect, and move on to the next
We have no time for frivolous games..we rid of those who intend to object
You swore an oath to serve the clan until your dying breath
It is with heavy heart I must announce your departure from this earth”

That night, they heard a scream in the distance
From a cabin deep in the woods
They kicked in the door
She’s surrounded on the floor, reaching out to a cold and lifeless corpse

“No, not my child!”

But just then, they turned with weapons drawn
The attackers charged the bandits chanting 'She’s mine! She’s mine!'
Learned through years of battle they parried the blows with ease
The bandits cleaved them down ‘til only their leader remained

Thief Leader –
“The essence of fertility is hidden within this precious vessel, and I will be its claimant!
For so long we have been but dogs scavenging the vale for scraps, but now, with this relic at my fingertips, I am king!”

The room fell silent..a dagger slid across his throat
He froze in place as they grabbed the girl

Drykanfall –
“You can’t defeat us, the Bandits of Shamblekeep
The masters of the air, lords of the land, and rulers of the sea

We are the ones who scour the unknown
We kill, collect, and move on to the next
We have no time for frivolous games, we rid of those who intend to object
You swore an oath to serve the clan until your dying breath
It is with heavy heart I must announce your departure from this earth”

“Behold, the witch before us, now bound in chains!
The gods that bring new life are far gone from this wretched place
How is it then, that you begot a child?
Answer now, o blessed one..
Its time to prove your worth.”

“Release me…free me from these chains
For I will not tell you anything I know...
No, he’ll find me! He put this creature inside me..
If I but utter his name, he’ll murder me where I stand!”

Alas the Bandit Lord had journeyed the Vale in search of riches for many seasons.. but knowledge was the ultimate bounty
He'd long known the danger of such dalliances with the arcane, but the possibilities were too seductive to deny

Drykanfall untied her, and sighed in relief when she started to reveal all the answers..but then her body contorted, and her eyes rolled to the back of her head. She grabbed at her neck as she fell to the ground

Aethusa was dead