<strong>Characters in this adventure: Kaija, Alliera, Rini, Gax, OPEN</strong><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/8/86/NLTradeWarNPCs.jpg)</div>One of the few blessings that came after the Second Catastrophe is that the needs of reconstruction and exploration left little time for boundary conflicts and the sort.  It also helped that the City-State of Starfall was the only previous polity to survive, giving it unmatched military stretch.  This boon, one of the few, allowed them to dial back their military and levies to only protect vital interests rather than man forts at their borders and watch enemy movements.<br/><br/>Generally, this approach worked.  Detachments would follow large caravans to keep bandits at bay, at least most of them, until they didn't bother, then occasionally follow another to ensure that they continued not to bother.  The more and more successful Starfall was, the smaller and smaller their military became until it was a shell of its pre-Catastrophe size, enough to protect the city, a few vital strategic points and allow for a detachment or two to protect trade.<br/><br/>A year ago, this policy was shown that it could be an utter failure.<br/><br/>Mezlinks was a famous, or infamous, depending on who you asked, archaeologist that had a falling out with the Order of Starseekers almost a decade before and since has made a very good living selling his finds on the private market to wealthy individuals rather than turning them over to the Order.  The Starseekers appealed to the Grand Burgher, but his council ruled in Mezlink's favor since it broke no law and he paid his taxes on the transactions.  Others have attempted to get into this racket, but Mezlink had established a strong network that has almost a monopoly on this gray-market trade, the Reclamation Foundation, after it was able to prove many of the pieces others sold were forgeries (how that was determined has always been a great question given its perfect timing).<br/><br/>After raids on three consecutive caravans, he appealed to Starfall for detachments to be send with his caravans, but was denied due to force limitations.  After the fourth successive raid, he saw to it to handle it himself, hiring a fierce dragonborn fighter to lead a mercenary band to hunt down the perpetrators and kill them.  If justice wasn't going to work on his side, he'd dish out the primitive version.  What followed was an all-out war between Mezlink's men, wave after wave of mercenaries sent to counter the group after group of brigands that organized and fought against them.  The battles have grown so fierce that most avoid that route entirely now, bringing a prosperous trade route to a halt.<br/><br/>Given that he and his council can no longer ignore what is happening in their eastern lands, the Grand Burgher assigned one of his Whispers to assemble a small band to attempt to scout and attempt to resolve the matter, not wanting to escalate this into a three-way war.  Each of you were individually contacted and told to meet at the Grand Burgher's estate just after sunset.  But as you approach, the guards at the main gates wave to down an alley to a otherwise inconspicuous door - now you know how the Grand Burgher and his council seemingly come and go unnoticed! - and inside you find yourselves gathered in a small room with two heavily armored dwarves.<br/><br/>Most of you know them my reputation if not personally as they are the brother and sister who are the Grand Burgher and his Council's "fixers".  They give you the rundown of what is going on and why you were selected - they need people who would not be associated with Starfall and a random group of adventurers walking into a war zone would draw no attention.  They offer payment - either coin or a small favor from the Grand Burgher himself.  Since the center of the action is a bit further out - a week and a half by foot - they offer a wagon to cut that trip down to a week.  Finally, they also tell you that the dragonborn Mezlink's sent was named Tarsic Blacktalon who you all know is not exactly a friendly guy.  Sounds like none are and yet it seems to fall to you to figure out how to stop all of this.