The Hand takes off the glove

From the Journal of Ahmok Silannas, Swordmaster.

After the dealings with Varadifarion we all went separate ways, each in pursuit of private goals and and the same time looking for clues on 'The Hand'. I went to Clearview to help with works in rebuilding the village and tending the fields. My first task there was to talk to Enora, the village spokesperson. I unveiled my idea of starting a militia unknowing that her son, Colimar, was overhearing. Enora didn't like the idea of a militia so I let it die and instead offered to help with buying seeds for the fields when I get back to Travar. I also commissioned the building of two small shrines to be dedicated to Garlen and to Upandal. The latter is payment for Ivor's working on my sword. I will commission some statues as soon as I get back to Travar and send them over with a merchant.
Later during the evening I am silently approached by Colimar and two of his friends. They want to learn to fight to defend their village. Their noble streak and honorable words strike a chord and I agree to secretly teach them the art of fighting during the early hours of the night right after work and dinner. Colimar seems to have quite an aptitude in the art of sword fighting, his moves are fluent and his strikes powerful yet accurate. I will need to recommend him as an apprentice if he is to learn more for my duties will rarely see me go to Clearview.
After a few days in Clearview I travel to a merchant outpost called Jura to look for clues on activities of 'The Hand' but this poves useless. Jura only deals with local merchants and does not send caravans up north towards Daiche.
Back to the city I meet the rest of the Group where Ivor hands me my reforged blade. The workmanship is impeccable and it is even finer than before. Ajisha seems to be making a name for herself after touring the local taverns and singing a well made song about two mages and a weaponsmith outsmarted by a few windlings.
A day later we are contacted by a man who claims he has information on 'The Hand'. He meets us in a small abandoned house. He acts paranoid, as if someone is after him and tells us that they are looking for us and that they want the book. He also mentions he has maps and that we are not safe in Travar. Unfortunately it turns out as a trap for us. His paranoia is a ruse to fool us in thinking he is a good guy. A strange smell permeates the room and it too late when we realise that it is soporific gas.
We wake up. We are all tied to chairs, backs to each other and Ajisha is tied in a corner.
There is a guard holding a torch and soon after an elven woman in a cloak joins him. She immediately starts asking questions about the whereabouts of the book to Ivor. Ivor does not answer and she slaps him heavy handedly. I intervene but all I get after my witty comments is a dagger through my thigh and the bitch leaves it there. She then turns to Elissar who promptly uses a frighten spell on her. She runs screaming from the room and the guard follows her.
I take the opportunity to slide the dagger off my thigh with my mouth and dropping it in Ivor's hands behind my back, he starts to cut off his bonds. Meanwhile the elven slut is back and soon embeds her dagger in Elissar's eye and turns on Ajisha threatining her to rip off her wings. Then an old acquaintance of ours, Silas, joins us in the room and takes the elven woman aside. Ajisha makes out a few words of what they are saying by lip reading. The woman's name is Fastar and she has to meet with Silas in five days time at Black Rock Ridge to get an artifact. Silas wants the book badly. Apparently there is a route inside it that he needs. She tells him that it will be no problem and
as soon as he is leaving she turns to Ivor and puts a dagger at his throat and addresses Ajisha. She asks her where the book is and seeing the dagger draw Ivor's blood the THAT LOUD MOUTH NO GOOD THIEVING KNIVING LOOSE EXCUSE-FOR-A-WINDLING WINDLING* spills her beans and tells her the full monty, well almost.We tell her the book is already safe in Throal and there is no way they can get it back. At that point Elessar cuts his bonds and leaps for Fastar.

* - Registered Trademark, Jarl