As told by an old woman of the village of Anhir:

"Well, it was some time ago, yes, when the sickly song of Shanguis died.
And lo and behold after that boy was dead, not two days after, they
caught Sharmihr, his twin brother, red-handed stealing the Scimitar of
Shanugis! The pride and mark of a true King of the Desert, it was. Well,
Sharemihr, seeing he was caught, up and ran off into the desert never to
be seen again. But we heard the tales of how he grew up and became the
fearless thief of the Bloodsands, the Bandit King.

"Time went on and an older fellow showed up in town with news for
Shanugis. Well, whatever he told him, gave Shanguis near a
heart-stopping and he grew violently ill. The man disappeared and a week
later, Shanugis asked for the Shah of Antioch to come to see him and
bless him as he passed onto Dis.

"All the Shah heard from Shanugis was, 'Please...my son..find him...he
is to lead.' And then, just like that, he was dead and gone for all
time! The Shah didn't know what to do, but he gathered a small group of
trusted citizens and so that is how Antioch came to help Anhir.

"Maremh, Captain of the Anhir Guard asked Selthis of Antioch to rule
Anhir until the son was found to take his place. However, rumors were
heard, and no, not from -my- mouth, that Sharemihr, the only living son
of Shanugis was that Bandit King! A search began and then strange things
happened.

"Antioch helped out the village as best it could, bringing us food and
helping us rebuild what seemed broken. We built new roads, new tents,
new buildings and even built Ti'li her own chicken coop finally! She was
tickled to have a place for her chickens, although, she still can't keep
those things in it!

"People in Antioch began feeling a might uneasy, as if they were being
watched. Shrahim, who had come to Anhir suddenly and had become the
Captain's second in command, visied Antioch as did some of the guards of
Anhir. Relations began and the accusations began to fly.

"Why had Shrahim shown up outside of Antioch so soon after that hooded
man had been in Antioch looking for enough food to feed an army? Why did
Shrahim show up after the convoy between Tazi Tribe and El'Jazira had
been ambushed, a piece of his cloak at the scene of the crime? Why did
he dodge questions about Shrika, who obviously had forged the armor for
the orcs found in the hills?

"And then there was the business about people being watched on the
southern road. Eillonwy in particular had been spoken to by someone who
hid better than a tick on a spotted hyena! She showed a brave face
though and her man that Elhannan, took right good care of her. She even
played the spy and got that man to tell why he was messing with Antioch
so much. Seems he was interested in the women folk in the end.

"Well, when there began unholy sounds and fire lashing about, we knew
something demonic was on the rise. A group of Antiochans, namely Song,
Naomi, Selthis, Lucian, Anatole, Brydian, Elhannan, Eve, Eos and the
leader of the group Trenon and Shrahim, Lt of the Anhir Guard, went to
find the hideout of the Bandit King in the Bloodsands. What they found
was an awful sigh of demons and bloodthirsty bandits. But the group
prevailed and even took an orc captive until his life was ended by the
Bandit King himself.

"The Bandit King and Shrahim began to banter, and it turned out that
Shrahim was Sharemihr and the Bandit King was the brother Sheramin,
thought to be dead for so many years! In the battling, Sharemihr wounded
the Bandit King, Sheramin, and the jewelled scimitar of Shanugis was
dropped. Anatole was quick to pick it up although the fighting men
disappeared in a chase across the desert.

"Sheramin escaped and Sharemihr went sadly back to Anhir, thinking the
scimitar was again lost to him, left in that cave of demons and bandits.
However, Anatole presented the sword and finally after all of those
years of chasing his brother to clear his name, Sharemihr was made Grand
Chieftain of Anhir!

"The village has a leader once more, Antioch has a load of heroes and
heroines to boast, and all is well and at peace. We are overjoyed he is
with us again and that his chase ended with such happiness and blessing.

"It is said, but I wouldn't gossip, that Sheramin is still out there,
stalking and plotting revenge with an orc and demon army, but at least
he has been put down for now, stopped in his tracks.

"Or, at least that is how I heard it told to me.

Penned by my hand on the 21st of Fas, in the year 417 AD.