It was an early summer’s day for the city guardsman, Ranger Sarasgone.  Sarasgone started with his normal morning routine, a bit of coffee and a slice of rye bread.  As he settled down for his breakfast, there was an urgent knock at the door.  The knock startled him, and he nearly toppled his coffee.  There stood Private Dullsam, a lower ranking city guard.  "You are needed Ranger Sarasgone, there has been theft at Mayor Sauroff's house!" said the guard.  Unmoved by the guard’s urgency, Sarasgone waved him away and said, "I'll be there after finishing my breakfast!"  Private Dullsam nodded, and quickly ran off towards the crime scene. 

As the Ranger sipped his coffee, he wondered who would have the courage to steal from such a man, and what could they have taken.  Mayor Sauroff was not always an imposing figure.  Over the last few years, the Mayor’s physical appearance and demeanor has changed, from a plump, generous man, to a hallowed, ghostly figure, with a quick temper.  Many citizens talked of overhearing the Mayor muttering to himself about dark towers and fiery chasms.  There were even rumors of the Mayor practicing an ancient and long forgotten form of dark magic.  Most called for his resignation, but the Mayor would hear none of it. He still had three more years left on his term, and he was determined to fulfill it!

The Ranger finished his breakfast and began his walk to the Mayor’s residence.  Upon arrival, he immediately realized the severity of the situation. The Mayor was brooding with anger and lashing out at everyone around him.  Recognizing the danger in an unstable practitioner of dark magic, he quickly defused the situation.  He approached the man and with a gentle touch on the shoulder asked him what was stolen.  They Mayor said, “My rings, it took all of my rings!”  “What rings, how many rings?” asked the Ranger.  The Mayor plopped down, on his knees, and began to tremble with anger.  “It took all twenty of my rings, and the one, the one is very precious to me!  We must get it them back, we must!” said the Mayor.  The Ranger assured the Mayor that would do everything he could to recover his property.  Sauroff squinted his eyes and said, “You better.”

The Ranger scoured the town for witnesses, but found only There were even rumors of the Mayor practicing an ancient and long forgotten form of dark magic.one.  A peasant boy by the name of Froundo.  Froundo exclaimed that he saw something leave the Mayor’s home early that morning. It was a small beast with horns on its head, and a forked tail.  Froundo said it looked similar a monkey.  The Ranger, having extensive experience with adventuring knew what this beast was.  It was a demon monkey, from the depths of Nanjiki.

Sarasgone had mixed feelings about the case.  On one hand, he enjoyed the thought of going on another adventure, but on the other, he knew the chances of recovering the rings were slim.  Nanjiki is home to many demon monkeys and other horrors as well.  Never the less, the Ranger had a job to do, and after careful preparation, set off towards Nanjiki.

After many weeks of travel, the Ranger descends into Nanjiki, to the deepest parts, where the heat is strong and smoke fills the air.  The demon monkeys and lizards are not very hostile, but can be formidable opponents if threatened.  He has no way to speak to the beasts, but it is clear none of the demon monkeys is carrying any rings.  He descends deeper, and a glint catches his eye….twenty glints to be exact.  There, running from a magma beast, is a demon monkey with a ring on each of his fingers and toes!  Clearly, the rings are affecting the monkeys evading abilities, because the magma beast has no trouble catching him.  At this point, a feeling of dread over comes the Ranger, as he realizes what is about to happen.  The magma beast, in one quick slurp, swallows the monkey, then merges back into the lake of magma.

The Ranger thought long and hard on his travel back to the city.  What would he tell the mayor?  When he arrived, he still had no answers, so he decided to stop at Jenny’s Tavern and collect his thoughts over a lukewarm ale.  The Tavern was especially lively, unusually so.  Patrons were drinking, playing darts, dancing, and not a single fight or disagreement was to be found.  Sarasgone recognized one patron, an elf by the name of Armolas.  He asked Armolas, “Why is everyone so happy today?”  Armolas said, “Haven’t you heard?  The Mayor is dead!  Three weeks ago, his house collapsed and disintegrated, leaving only dust and the Mayor’s shriveled up body.”

With this, the Ranger only could smile, and ordered two more ales.