View source for UO:1999-10-16: Rathham Murdered, Grythak Lives

{{InfoHeader UOFiction
| shard = Sonoma
| title = Rathham Murdered, Grythak Lives
| author = Garth Ranzz
| type = Town Cryer
}}<div class="uofiction">

Rathham, the retired librarian of [[UO:Britain]], was brutally murdered whilst meditating in the woods Thursday evening. Seigfried, one of the guards sent to protect Rathham, had this to say:

“Th’ thieves an’ murderers came out of nowhere! Me an’ Brenahm were watching th’ librarian, an’ suddenly they were all around, throwing magic and slashing at the good librarian! With our quick reflexes, we swept into action, disposing of them one by one… But we could nae hold them off from Rath! I saw him fall meself, and then one ‘a the scoundrels reached down and with one quick swipe of ‘is weapon, beheaded the poor man! They disappeared as quickly as they had come, leavin’ no evidence but a trail of pooled blood from ‘is – severed neck. The trail came to a dead end nearby… The fiends must ‘ave recalled.”

Unfortunately, that was not the only incident that evening. Around the same time, the visiting [[UO:Nujel’m]] guard Frederick discovered Grythak and his accomplice, Crimson Nytefall, trying to break into Rathham’s private belongings at his home in east [[UO:Britain]]! This is thought to be the same Grythak that was believed to be dead a mere week ago, alive and well and as sinister as ever. It is theorized that Grythak was after a book called “The Tome of Valykere” found in Rathaam’s home. Grythak was seen attempting to pick the lock on a chest that held the volume when he was discovered by Frederick. Scholars are currently poring through this book, trying to learn anything of import that be gleaned from it.

Frederick called for the guards, but he was too late. Grythak was already running west towards the graveyard and the safety of his escape route. Soon all the guards and warriors of [[UO:Britain]] were in arms and racing toward the graves to stop his escape, but they were met with a large force of hired mercenaries in the graveyards. A young woman who was paying her respects to her deceased father had this to say:

“The man in bone ran through the graves so fast he was a blur! He disappeared into one of the crypts, along with what looked like some sort of mage. After that, all I remember is running for mine life as those terrible men began walked out of the crypt – looking as if they were guarding it.”

Some of the guards and warriors spoke of seeing daemons amongst the fray. This unexpected development was backed up by Ceridwen the historian, who concurred stating he had detected an… “aura of a magical summoning still around them.” Is it possible that there is an accomplished mage of the daemonic arts helping Grythak?

More updates as they become available. Including a related story about the Tome of Valykere.

</div>{{InfoFooter UOFiction|type = Town Cryer}}