After resting for several weeks after what would later be known as the Battle of Tilverton, the various members of the party that had started out in far-off Shadowdale found themselves enjoying the relative peace of the frontier town.  Thomasin was spending much time with the wandering Seekers, and was even considering traveling with them for a short ways.  Ash, the giant of the woodlands, had also spent time with the roving gypsies, learning many new tales from them and recording them in his journals.  Leif was recovering with the aid of the Sah Mystra, and Brandon was greatly enjoying his celebrity status among the men of the Pax Draconis -- the Purple Dragons -- who had decided to rename the east gate "Brandon's Way", or the "Halfling Gate" in his honor.  After the shadow of war, it was a time for rejoicing all around.

But soon, word arrived from Suzail, the capitol of Cormyr far to the South, that an investigation had been ordered into the death of the mage Ishram, the Aes Saidarr councilman to the regency.  Trevin, the now acting regent of the city, received orders to detain the adventurers to prevent their escape before their questioning.  Knowing the ruthlessness of the Aes Saidarr investigators, Trevin summoned Leif and Brandon before him, and warned them of his duty.  Knowing their arguments would be worthless without proof of Ishram's black dealings, the general sent the two into the mage's abandoned tower in search of anything that could be used to save the heroes.

Sneaking into the tower at night, Leif and Brandon eventually uncovered a secret entrance to a long shaft that descended from the tower's upper chambers into an underground complex.  The entrance was unlocked by use of the broken fragment's of Isram's staff, one end which functioned as a key, the other still holding a remnant of levitation magic.  The shaft contained many latent traps, some of which were sprung while others activated.   Down below the tower, the two found a large room surrounded by a moat of water, beneath which could be seen a concealed entrance.  Using the staff again, the two managed to bypass more traps, as well as a pair of elemental guardians, and gain access to Ishram's secret laboratory.  There, they found many strange objects, including a long crate that had been delivered via merchant caravan from the Moonsea region.  Inside, Leif found a black bladed longsword, dark as midnight, which he claimed for his own. In addition, the words of a strange verse were found on the wall of the laboratory:

Though the words meant nothing, Leif and Brandon still recorded them for later study.  Finally, they found the piece of evidence that they had sought -- a map of Tilverton, showing the locations of the strange portals that had allowed the Darkling Horde to penetrate the city.  This was eventually determined to be proof of Isrhram's treachery, and enough to spare the party from the "justice" of the investigators.