A tall figure sits in the corner, wearing a deep hook on a purple cloak. At your curious look, he pulls back the hood a little to reveal a young, handsome face: long aquiline nose, intelligent eyes, and a curious expression. With a gesture, he invites you to sit.

“So, you found my notice. Discretion is paramount. I require something: a magical crystal found only in one specific place: the mines of Heimglah, near Glaston. There are many such crystals, but they guard them jealously, and I require one - or several - for my research. Your task is simple. Go there, find a crystal, and return it to me, without alerting anyone to my involvement. What else you uncover down there - well, let’s call that a professional courtesy.”

In the candlelit back room of a mage’s guildhouse—or perhaps by private appointment in a quiet study above a bookshop—the party meets Lykomedes, a man of obvious means and veiled intentions. His words are precise, measured, and notably short on detail. He claims to be researching a phenomenon found only in the old Glaston mines, a crystalline structure of unknown arcane potential. He will not name his backers, nor his purpose.

Instead, he offers the adventurers a contract—a formal, sealed document asking them to retrieve a magical crystal from beneath Glaston. For this, they will be paid 500 gold pieces per crystal delivered. All other items, relics, or valuables discovered in the mines may be kept, as long as the primary objective is fulfilled. He makes it clear: the mission must be untraceable. Should anyone ask, Lykomedes was never involved.

If the party accepts, they are given only a few clues. The mines beneath Glaston were once rich with unusual mineral formations—crystals that glowed with unnatural light. Strange tales surrounded them: miners spoke of voices in the dark, visions of the past, even spontaneous healing. Then, suddenly, the operations ceased. The tunnels were sealed, and no official record explains why.

The players are told to travel to Glaston and complete the job without delay. Upon return, Lykomedes will meet them at the Crystal Light tavern, though not as himself. Instead, they will find him dressed as a wretched beggar in the shadows near the hearth. He will speak no names and take no questions, only nodding once before sliding the gold across the table.

Lykomedes offers power without sentiment, payment without interference. But the players would do well to remember—no wizard pays this much without expecting something greater in return.