Murder at the Flaming Troll Bridge

Awakened from my sleep by a scream just before dawn, I rushed from the room followed by my comrade, Errik Bluddaxe. It took only seconds to get down the stairs to the large common room of the Flaming Troll Inn. Within minutes, the Innkeeper's family, the blacksmith, and the five other guests staying at the Inn were gathered. There before us, in front of the great fireplace, lay the still form of Lord Dakor Bloodsworth.

I knelt beside the body to see if there was any chance that he could still be alive. But it was useless – Lord Bloodsworth was quite dead. He had apparently been struck down by a blow to the temple with the fire poker that lay nearby.

The atmosphere was thick with emotions. Expressions of shock and amazement were on everyone's face. But there was also an undercurrent of relief in the room. As I stood up and looked around, I realized that everyone here had their own reasons for hating Lord Bloodsworth. Even I, Shadowhawk, had reason. But one of the twelve of us hated Lord Bloodsworth enough to want him dead.

Someone among us was a murderer. During the night, that someone had committed... Murder at the Flaming Troll Inn.