[Thieves of Askaria 01] • The Merchant of Sanukawa

Travellers all across Askaria tell a tale of an ancient labyrinth, high in the peaks of the Rohtengir Mountains. The details differ with every retelling, but one always remains the same—hidden in the labyrinth’s innermost chamber lies a trove of incredible wealth. An incomparable hoard of gold, rubies and emeralds, free for the taking to any able to best its dangers. Many have tried. None have returned.

The thieves, Rishi and Adusa, have little interest in a heap of gold. Money holds little value to men who already possess the skill to take anything they desire. They want a challenge. To prove themselves superior to all those who came before. They enter the labyrinth and reach its heart, but instead of finding a room full of gold, they find a new employer.

The goddess Alunia, patron of the reckless, seeks power. Scattered throughout the mortal realm are the stones of divine energy. The power of creation made solid. Long has she waited for a champion skilled enough to hunt them—and now she has two.

Their search for the stones take Rishi and Adusa to the sprawling, tropical city of Sanukawa, and to the home of a wealthy merchant. Far from their homes, and in a strange and unfamiliar city, the thieves have no friends or allies. Unfortunately, the merchant has many.