The sun crested just over the amethyst tinted Kroka Mountains, noting the beginning of a new day. The inhabitants of the nearby village, Liandra, were milling about starting their various jobs, crafts, and hobbies. Liandra was the largest of the villages that were under the influence of Castle Treyner. They were the main source of food for the Castle, growing a wide variety of crops on farms, pulling net-loads of fish from the Azurl River and Bay, and hunting in the surrounding woodlands. The Treyners, the ruling family of their small kingdom were kind and generous. They'd ruled their lands for several centuries, using shrewd diplomacy and alliances rather than force to maintain their power. They were well loved by their citizens, and did their best to keep them happy.

As the sun continued to rise, a woman pointed toward Castle Treyner in the distance, [b][i]"Look!"[/i][/b] The nearby Liandrans did as instructed, and a collective hush fell over the village. Castle Treyner was smoking, several parapets had collapsed, and the flags that symbolized the noble families were all gone. The hush broke as whispering and muttering broke out. A huntsman decided to take charge, "I'll go find Sergeant Dreyfus, his company can go find out what happened." He turned toward the outpost, when the whistle of an arrow broke over the crowd, and buried itself in his throat. His hand clutched at his neck, mouth gurgling as he fell over. A woman screamed, and every head turned to look for the assailant. There the saw several men in dark cloaks, with various sword, bows, and other weapons at the ready.