Hand of Shadows

Years ago, in the capital city of Nerath before it's fall, the oppressed common folk cheered while the nobility slept with one eye open every night in fear of the Hand of the Shadows.

No one knows who the Hand ever was, other than that the Hand was female. Stories abound of various rogues and scoundrels of the day, although none ever made the claim to truly be the Hand. Countess Jezzal was considered to be the most likely culprit until she and her lover at the time were robbed by the Hand. An Elven waif who was known to frequent the Cathedral Square was also considered, but she died from the flux yet the Hand continued to steal. There was even talk that the Hand was a forerunner for an invasion of the Shadar-Kai.

Whatever the truth, the Hand went from being a local story to an epic tale the night she stole the Stone of Ammarent from the very neck of Empress Nicea as they sleep in their honeymoon bed.

The wedding of Emperor Whallis II and his lady love Nicea Calldric was a grand affair. The empire had seen a decade of peace with it's enemies pacified or lured into alliances. The mighty navy had practically shut down all piracy, at least along the Storm Coast. The newly build Treinhall Keep acted as a deterrent to the northern barbarian tribes. The dwarves had been quiet and unaggresive since Duke Fzoul took control of the Craggonen Provence.

To celebrate the peace the Empire had and the love Whallis and Nicea had, the wedding was to be remembered for centuries. Five thousand guests were invited. There was to be one hundred courses of food from all reaches of the Empire. A dozen of the greatest singers would compete for the favor of Empress Nicea, for she adored music and singing. Entire performing troupes would dance and juggle and engage in all manners of acrobatics during the celebration.

The party went on well into the night, even though it began shortly after noon. But there was finally the time for Whallis and Nicea to consummate their marriage, so they retired to their chambers. As they entered the room, Whallis presented his wedding gift to his new bride. The Stone of Ammarent was a prize unlike any other. In the center was an astral diamond of supernatural beauty. Surrounding it was a ruby of such red it looked of blood. Being a different stone should have left a seam, but the arcane powers used to make the Stone sealed them together without, so the ruby and diamond were two yet one. In a pattern of the stars, amethyst and onyx circled the outer edge of the ruby. And all this was set in a platinum disc. Worth a dozen kingdoms, Whallis gave it to his bride.

The next morning, screams awoke half the palace. Guards came rushing in, only to find both the Emperor and his bride alive and well, but missing the Stone from around the neck of Nicea. Hanging from the pillars of the bed was the only clue as to what happened- a single charcoal gray glove, the symbol of the Hand of the Shadow.

Furious, Whallis ordered a search of the city. For weeks, the guards did nothing but attempt to find the Stone. The magi controlled by the Empire used whatever mystical means they had. All signs agreed that the Hand took the Stone, but no one knows where she went. And to this day, no one knows what happened to the Stone.