The fighting on the border between Molthune and Nirmathas has lasted for generations. Officially the war ended in '55, but that was just a paper peace. The fighting has never stopped -- it just holds its breath every once in a while.

Both sides have informants strewn throughout enemy territory. A barmaid at the [i]Gorged Gorgon[/i] overheard a Molthuni sergeant talking in his cups: "Every bleedin' acre south of the Marideth has been fought over so many times that the people living there hardly care who's in charge anymore. Lucky for them, most of the borderlands that haven't been razed to the ground are too heavily wooded to be much use to either side. Still, even small companies of soldiers with nothing to lose can cause an awful lot of trouble..." The sergeant went on to describe one such company, and the informant brought the tale to the Nirmathi rangers. Nirmathas brought the request to the Pathfinder Society, who has sent your group to investigate and assist.

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Your group met their contact in the city of Tamran at the mouth of the Marideth River. Forest Marshal Weslen Gavirk heard of the Molthuni incursion against Fangwood Keep through his Chernasardo scouts, and is looking for a small group to fix the problem before it gets out of hand. Much blood has already been spilled over Fangwood Keep, and Gavirk hopes that by sending a neutral party to reclaim the castle, he can stem further violence surrounding the fortification.

Gavirk has learned that a rogue Molthuni commander has taken Fangwood Keep and slain numerous Nirmathi soldiers in the raid. He informs the group that the Molthuni soldiers bore the sign of a mailed fist grasping a broken arrow, but otherwise possesses no clues as to the troops' specific station within the Molthuni military. His scouts report that the force was about 30 strong, and that its apparent commander is frequently seen alongside a changeling spellcaster of some sort. He advises them to use stealth during their mission, since taking on the entire Molthuni force all at once would almost certainly result in defeat.

Though he cannot provide a detailed map of the fortress, Gavirk does inform the group of a secret entrance on the keep's northern side, and tells them to look for a stone engraved with four interwoven circles as a marker for one of the secret entrances. Once the group eliminates the Molthuni force occupying Fangwood Keep, Gavirk gives them orders to hold the fort for several days while he and the other Nirmathi leaders organize a larger force to garrison the base. Gavirk then gives them an initial payment of 250 gp, and promises an additional 750 gp to be paid upon completion of the mission. This figure is nonnegotiable. In addition, their employer provides the PCs with two [i]elixirs of hiding[/i], a [i]scroll of knock[/i], and a [i]scroll of hold portal[/i], and allows them to purchase additional supplies from the quartermaster before embarking upon their quest. The quartermaster's supplies are fairly limited, only holding basic nonmagical gear and simple potions, but you are free to purchase what you need.

Once the group is ready and has had a chance to ask any questions, they are free to embark at their earliest convenience.