Ketnan smiled as he looked over bustling Arwic. A year ago, he had arrived in this forsaken land alone and penniless. But now...

Now he was a man of stature. Oh, perhaps some would call it infamy rather than fame, but Ketnan couldn't help it if people were willing to give him equipment in trade before they could verify they were receiving anything in return. It was a valuable lesson that Ketnan was teaching Dereth: Do not engage in trade with strangers.

Luckily for Ketnan, there was no way for those eager traders to protect themselves from his machinations.

But while stealing had been the main source of income for Ketnan, it was not the only one. Ketnan had used his wealth to hire a naturalist who had compiled an extensive list of Dereth's fauna; he had then copied it to sell to adventurers. In order to increase sales, Ketnan was offering a money-back guarantee should adventurers encounter a new creature not covered by Ketnan's manual. This hardly posed a risk, as the naturalist assured him that there had been no completely new creatures in Dereth for quite some time.

Ketnan had also discovered the lure of fashion. Adventurers in Dereth had long complained about not being able to match colors for their armor and clothes. Ketnan hated to see an unfilled void, so the first of Ketnan's Emporium of Clothes was being built right in town. Here people would be able to buy clothing of different fashionable colors; they could mix and match to their hearts' content. And even if his clothing cost more, where else would people get such beautifully colored garb?

Life was definitely improving for Ketnan. What could possibly go wrong?

September 12, 2000

Astronomers, watching the strange shooting stars of late, have long warned of impending events both great and grave. And, as the heroes of Dereth rise from their slumber to greet this fall season, the truth behind these warnings becomes all too quickly realized. News has raced across Dereth, with all the speed and severity of wildfire: widespread destruction has hit the world! Cragstone has suffered a near calamity . . . Arwic and Tufa have been utterly destroyed!