Excerpts from racy love letters from Vanthus Vanderboren, found under Rowyn Kellani's bed in the Lotus Dragons guild stronghold:

(Dated 2 days before the fire that slew the elder Vanderborens)

"...My parents have grown soft. I'm not worried in the slightest that they suspect anything, my delicate flower. The funds you've trusted me with have been more than enough to pay off the local guards, the harbor watch, and the ship's crew to say nothing about the new cargo. Hell... they even offered to help load the barrels! Of course, I didn't tell them what was inside — I'm sure they'd sing a different song if they knew just how much alchemist's fire we loaded into the hold of my father's new plaything. I'll be following the ship's progress for a few days to make sure the fire does the trick, so you'll not be seeing me for at least half a week. Keep your bed warm for me!"

(Dated 3 days after the fire)

"...It's unbelievable! Sure, she's the eldest sibling, but she knows nothing of life! She spent the last half of her childhood in Almraiven learning how to fold napkins and play the violin, for Hell's sake! It just goes to show you how insane my parents really were... leaving everything in her care like that! Whatever. She'll need the house to live off of, I suppose. Lavinia's not a bad lass, really... I kind of miss our time together, to tell the truth. Think she'd be interested in joining the Lotus? I doubt it. And anyway, a second Vanderboren tragedy might get too many people curious. No, for now, whatever's in the vault will have to do..."

(Dated two days ago)

"...I really wish you could have been there, my little dragon, to see their faces before I closed the door! Lavinia's never going to get anywhere hiring fools like them. I wonder if they've found Penkus yet? I hope they didn't die too quickly."

"In any case, on to the purpose of this letter. Brissa's in the other room, getting ready for a night out on the town, so I'll have to be quick. Remember that thing she hinted about to me? About the pirates who were supposedly using Kraken's Cove as a base for their smuggling operation? Turns out she wasn't spinning tales — I've heard that they'll be arriving within the week with a particularly rich cargo. I'll bring her with me on the pretext of joining up with them, get their guard down, and when they're not expecting it my men'll light the ships on fire! It'll be a simple task to pluck the treasure from the water once all those fools are dead. Should be more than enough to make up for what we lost when Lavinia inherited rather than me."

"I tell you... burning people to death on their own boats? It's the best way to make money yet. Wish I'd thought of it years ago!"