Political intrigue in the city of Tharlacorf

Mercenary companies have begun to swarm around a human city in Sylvia. Countless rows of tents lay entrenched and fortified outside the walls of Tharlacorf, bearing the banners of at least a dozen of the region's largest and strongest companies.

Their intentions are a closely-guarded secret that even the duke has not been able to discover. People in the streets claim that elves will pay the mercenaries to sack the city. Others whisper that the Shadow means to declare war on the other realms. But, nothing is as it seems, and the council of Tharlacorf will pay well to know the truth



This will be a quest of sorts, based in, you guessed it, the human city of Tharlacorf. Our goal is to find leads and trying to unravel the mystery of the mercenaries. I do have a final antagonist planned, so please don't jump to conclusions yet, but I will keep track of what is known and what needs to be investigated in this thread.


Things to remember

I will not display information in this thread if it occurs without witnesses or is, in general, something that only a few, specific player-characters know and have decided to keep secret.

I'm still trying to work out how leads can be followed without ending the quest prematurely. Right now, feel free to collect information, but know that it shouldn't lead you to the indivual behind all of this quite yet.

Feel free to create and fight any mercenary company you can imagine. Just don't expect them to give you information easily.



What we know:
1. Over a dozen mercenary companies are encamped outside the city, and refuse to state their intentions. The city guard couldn't hope to drive them off.
2. A smaller company, the Golden Justicars, recently attempted to arrest a man in the street. Rumor has it that one of their number used powerful spells


Leads:
Ask locals about the mercenaries
Contact the Duke of Tharlacorf, and see if he is willing to hire anyone to investigate.