A Tragedy in the Northern Vales

It was a quiet day with farmers working the fields and families tending their homes when the soft thwangs of a volley of arrows could be heard and the guards within the northern guard towers fell from their perches, arrows protruding from their backs. Five figures wearing black leathers, featureless masks, and dark green cloak come into view, quickly dispatching the two Zhents on patrol of the area. Natalya Rider, the caravan mistress, hides beneath her wagon and watches in horror as these dark figures bar the doors of one of the farmhouses and set it on fire. The flames spread quickly, the screams of the family within filling the now shattered peace of the Vales.

One of the farmers watches in horror as the eyes of the dark figures fall upon her and races toward Central Shadowdale for help. It is there she finds Sergeant and Incantationer Dragonfire. They respond immediately to her cries for help and race, with a small handful of Swordhands, to the Northern Vales to put out the fire. The Swordhands form a bucket brigade while Incantationer Dragonfire quells the blaze with her Hellrime Blasts, while Sergeant Dragonfire checks the bodies of the fallen patrols and tower guards. After the fire it out, Lilly checks the area and determines the fire was set intentionally, through mundane means. Bainyrr sees Natalya under her wagon and coaxes her out to hear of the demon like beings who seemed to appear out of nowhere, kill the guards, set the fire, then run off to the north without a trace.

Lilly soon returned to the destroyed farmhouse to look for survivors. What she found were the three charred bodies of the Mulhue family; Edward, Alise, and little Melanie, a child of seven. It was not long when Patrick Mulhue, the father of Edward, runs up to the devastation, demanding Lilly tell him of his family. Upon hearing of their deaths, he fell to his knees in complete sorrow, just before an arrow speeds out of the wood and buries deep within his back, killing him instantly.

Tied to the shaft of the arrow was a note.........

((Left open for anyone who wishes to add to it))