While the Diplomat party return to Drinax from Clarke they find a visitor awaiting them: an Oghman who bears a message from Hink Tabreja, whom they last met on Palindrome, two years ago.
To Timaeus haut-Roth, Deanna, Erik, and Lady Hazard, servants and knights of the Dragon Throne.
I send this message by the hand of Eskilli, who has served me faithfully for many years and may be trusted as you would trust my own word. A trader called at Oghma Highport bound eventually for Drinax, and I have taken the opportunity it offered.
You should know that Yngre Seulghras intends to strike Clarke.
Her fleet is to depart Oghma in time to make its attack upon or around 330-1107. I do not know how many ships she will commit. I doubt even all of her captains yet know. But this will not be a small expedition.
Yngre has lately suffered a reversal at Acis. Ships were damaged or lost, booty was poor, and men who once shouted her name somewhat less loudly now watch to see whether fortune has deserted her. Such things matter on Oghma. A warlord who loses wealth may recover it. A warlord who loses fear is already half dead.
She therefore needs a victory – one large enough to be spoken of in every mead hall on Oghma, rich enough to reward her captains, and bloody enough to silence those who have begun to whisper.
Clarke offers her all three.
I have neither the strength nor the freedom to oppose her openly. If I warned Clarke myself and this became known, my enemies would need no further excuse to call me traitor to Oghma. You, however, suffer no such inconvenience.
If the forces of Drinax can meet her raiders at Clarke and destroy or capture a substantial portion of them, you will do more than defend a friendly world. You will break men and ships upon which Yngre’s power depends. Captains who presently follow her from fear and profit will begin to reconsider both. Rivals will become bolder. Generals who speak loudly of loyalty will remember other loyalties.
And a considerable danger to me will be diminished.
I will not pretend that this last consideration is unimportant.
If you act, I ask only that my hand in this remain unknown. Let Yngre believe herself unlucky, betrayed by careless planning, or defeated by enemies cleverer than she imagined. There are many truths a warlord can survive. Being known to have betrayed Oghma is not one of them.
Eskilli can answer what questions he is able. Beyond that, I give you what warning I have and trust you to make good use of it.
If fortune favours us both, perhaps one day Oghman ships will come to Clarke carrying goods rather than raiders.
Until that day, I suggest you load your guns.
Hink Tabreja
Warlord of Northern Gauth
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