Player: Elynor K
Email: gadram@djemity.chaosdeathfish.com
Caste: Polités

The words of Felen, a Becquerel

“I can tell you for sure I had too much Flaxweed juice at that Victory on Djemity-Day party, since I woke up fifty miles into the Deep Mountains, wearing a Kirlsa Warrior's loin-cloth, and lying in a ditch.

But that wasn't the oddest thing, not by a long shot. I swear to you, I saw this cart drawn by two oxen pull up to the side of the road further down and this Teklo get off, have a good look around and then pour nine big bags of gold, silver and jewels into an enourmous pile.

Then he just rolled around in it, laughing and laughing. I mean he must have been at it for ten whole minutes. Then he carefully put all the valuables back in the bags, put them on the cart again and rode on.

I am never having that much Flazweed juice again, I swear.”

Report on Bureau of Information Interview No: 653097J [A number of margin notes have been made to this file some time after it was originally written (underlined in text)]

Name of Interview Subject: Gazsi the Fat Ha! Gazsi even means “Treasure-Master.” Idiots!

Race: Teklo-Kirlsa Chimera

Subject of Interview: Debased Specie Usage in the Environs of Yent

Recording Scholar: Trece Fra Hin Not the worst one they have sent after me, but still, far from the brightest

Gazsi contacted the local Warden's Office to inform them of a suspicion of debased currency being circulated in the environs of the Polis of Yent. Standard protocols were activated and the Bureau of Information was contacted.

The interview was conducted over a period of half an hour during which time the following information was gathered:

Yes, half-an-hour was all he could stand. I made sure to use a particularly pungeant glue for the hump. I was hoping that he might at least become suspicious

1. That an amount of currency in use in and around Yent had been debased, of five parts lead to four parts gold.
2. That the debased monies were from Mint Lot No. 34205184(AK), which related to coinage believed to belong to the criminal Rfek Fra Gatki. Actually, it was Lot No. 34205185(UV), but it was easy enough to alter so that alarm bells would start ringing.
3. That the rate of debased currency flow indicated that the individual spending this money is 73% likely still in Yent or its environs.

It was therefore decided to pay the Teklo-Kirlsa Chimera the sum of Three Talents, for materially aiding in tracking down Rfek Fra Gatki, and then to despatch a team of Scholars to pursue Rfek in Yent.

Fools! Although losing those four bank accounts whilst I was dancing rings around this one was a timely reminder not to underestimate the Senior Scholar… I wonder whe she'll find my little, amendments here?

[In a different handwriting]

To Rfek: Fourty-two minutes and thirteen seconds after they were made. I am closing in.

Who was the man behind Gadram Fra Galt?

Even now, Rfek Fra Gatki is an illusive figure. We still do not know if 'Rfek Fra Gatki' was truly his name, though following the documents all those years ago, regarding the applicants for the then-Polites Gadram, it seems a genuine possibility.

It would have been convenient for him to 'die', throwing away the last true familial ties he had, becoming a truly anonymous figure; but this is conjecture. I am sure that reading this, the personal opinion of the author is of a lesser interest than the facts. But again, I must emphasise to the reader: the facts are spread thin.

Though I have spent much of my life following the rumours, true and absolute conclusions are a challenge. In the despair brought on by what some call his greatest crime, there were plenty of copycat incidents. Teklo who had already lost everything were trying their hand at deception, with varying degrees of success. It is believed that the man himself even pretended to be among their number. There are some that believe he was beaten to death in a street brawl, a con that had apparently gone awry soon after the economic collapse. I have strong evidence to suggest that this is not the case. Letters that were apparently from Gatki were sent to various individuals after the time he was supposed dead.

So what happened to him? The Galt family were notable in that they were some of the most desperate to hunt the con artist. He had, after all, ruined their good name that he had built up as Gadram Fra Galt. But if they had caught Gatki, would they have kept such a thing quiet? I think not. Call it conjecture, but I have yet to hear a compelling argument to support the success-of-the-Galt-family theory.

So what happened next? There are a handful who have the completely irrational belief that he worked for the Bureau of Information, but why would a master criminal like Rfek Fra Gatki do such a thing? I cannot fathom even the base reasoning for such a thing. It seems more likely that he continued to act as he had apparently always acted: as a criminal, parting people from their gold. Perhaps he retired, but this humble author cannot quite believe it. Surely he was rich, but (and perhaps this is my wishful thinking) it seems more likely that he would continue conning. I can't quite believe that someone who would send out a letter detailing their triumphs and suggesting that he would continue on his chosen path would actually retire. An expert liar he may have been, but I doubt that he was lying about this. Only with the approach of death would he stop. And, unless he was killed, this humble author imagines the great criminal passed away in his sleep, with a smile on his face, triumphant at his successes.

“Alright, alright, that's enough.” The Teklo put the haphazard papers she had been reading on the desk. “You're forgetting exactly who Rfek Fra Gatki was - a criminal. All the issues with facts aside, you really aren't as humble as you'd like to be portrayed. Your writing positively oozes personal opinions. Besides, I missed the part where your 'essay' became a novel. Or, indeed, the part where you became an author.”

“Sorry.” The young Teklo had already bowed his head, but bowed it further, until his chin was milimeters from his collarbone.

The female Teklo sighed, and handed the papers to him. “Less pontificating next time, please.”

“Yes ma'am.”

At home, the young Teklo began to rewrite the essay. The papers of the previous draft were strewn all over the floor in an act of frustration. As the young Teklo pondered how to tone down his writing style, his younger sister had already picked up the pieces of paper, assembling them carefully. At one point, she tried handing them to her brother, but he dismissed her irritably. So she sat alone and read. She read the entire essay, which seemed a little over the top to her. But when she read the copy of the letter this 'Rfek Fra Gatki' had supposedly sent out to all the corners of Djemity all those years ago, a thought struck her. It wouldn't be so hard, trying her hand at this game he had played.

Holding the copy of the letter, she smiled to herself. Not a half-bad idea.