Bandits and some ominous correspondence

Upon visiting the reeve’s manor the next day the heroes are rewarded for the rescue of Thomaid by Helman Wente but are also asked, as they seem to be a party of capable adventurers, for some assistance in a matter of importance to the community. As of late a band of bandits is harassing merchants travelling to and from Bastow on the western roads, relieving them of their wares. These ambushes appear frequently, if not regularly, and do not seem to target specific merchants. The bandits do not seem to have a murderous intent but also do not shy away from killing protective merchants who did not want to give up their wares without a fight. According to reports of the attacks, Helman supposes that the bandits have made their camp in The Dusk Hills, west of Bastow. The adventurers concoct a plan to disguise themselves as merchants and in turn ambush the bandits by borrowing a wagon along with a pair of draft ponies from the local general dealer, Waldu Grauwark.

After being on the road for two hours out from Bastow and nearing the Dusk Hills the heroes are stopped by a handful of bandits, who ask the “merchants” to surrender their wares. A fight ensues and one of the bandits is captured alive and is questioned. He is able to tell of the bandit camp’s rough location in the hills before he is silenced by an arrow to his chest, fired from the undergrowth. The heroes follow the directions that were given by the bandit and are able to roughly track the assassin through the hills and thicket to the bandit camp. After mounting a surprise attack the heroes overcome overwhelming odds by finishing off every last of the bandits.

Upon looting one of the bandit’s leaders (a warlock!) they find a piece of correspondence, apparently addressed to the bandit leader, which gives instructions to go searching for an unnamed artifact in the near Gloomwood Forest along with providing a verse of some sort from a journal. The verse is cryptic and of old language, full of names which are not known to the adventurers. The party returns to Bastow in the early evening and informs Helman of their successful venture. He himself though is at a loss concerning the contents of the verse and recommends seeking out the scholar Thomaid.