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The heroic tale of Dame Helenie of House Mornard and her victory in the perilous quest to retrieve the Jewels of Vastyr, as recorded by Sir Randyl of the Order of the Albatross
A band of rotten thieves managed to fool the guards of Castle Mornard. Though foolhardy and arrogant, they were cunning enough to find their way to the treasury and steal the cherished Jewels of Vastyr. No blood was spilled during the thievery, but the slight against House Mornard was something that could not be ignored.
Dame Helenie bravely volunteered to track the thieves down. She promised she would bring them to justice in a fortnight. House Mornard sent her on her way with their blessing and provisions for the journey.
When Dame Helenie left the castle, she followed the thieves' trail for three days. She rode through heavy storms that rolled in from the sea until she made it to the protection of Galen's thick forests. From there, she had to rely on her wits and limited knowledge of the terrain to keep from getting lost. She battled fierce adversaries in the wilds, including spriggans and Fauns, and slept with her sword over her knees in case she might awaken to a threat.
The thieves were not cunning enough to split up after they left Castle Mornard, so their trail was easy for Dame Helenie to follow. They foolishly believed that House Mornard would not send anyone after them, especially if they stuck close to the druid settlements deeper in the Galen wilderness. But Dame Helenie was not deterred by any of this. In fact, she spoke to a few druids along the way and asked if they had seen the thieves. Most were friendly and gave her valuable information. Very few ushered her away or were openly hostile. And even when such obstacles stood in her path, Dame Helenie found a way past them with diplomacy and grace. Her mission was singular. She wanted criminals brought to justice for House Mornard. She did not intend to disrupt anything else on the island.
On the tenth day of her travels, Dame Helenie's food stores were running low and her horse was favoring one leg. She left him to rest, as she knew she was close to where the thieves had camped for the night. She rose at dawn so she could surprise them. Quiet as a shadow, she slipped into their camp and held a dagger at the closest thief's neck. She told him to be silent as she tied rope around his hands and feet. Then she instructed the others to tie each other up, all while keeping her blade at the first thief's throat.
Once Dame Helenie had the thieves successfully captured, she rounded up their horses and escorted them all back to Vastyr. She strode through the streets toward the castle, nearly unrecognizable. Her armor was covered in mud and leaves stuck out from her boots, her face was lined with scratches and smears of dirt, and she looked like some feral beast after fourteen days outside the city. But she grinned as she presented the thieves before House Mornard. Later, she would personally return the Jewels of Vastyr to the treasury and a celebration was held in her honor.