Well, I thought to look into it myself, with a couple of friends -- Alphinaud and one other. We started asking around the city for anyone who knew aught about the Mad King, and fortune lead us to a man who was once the royal scribe. He told us a rather grim tale, that some of the king's kin were turned into terrible creatures by the court thaumaturge and cast into "the darkness beneath the palace".

[ He leans his back against the nearest wall, crossing his arms over his chest as he speaks. ]

I thought it to be another tale, of course. A rumor that spun out of control over the years, and what's more, the palace had already been searched thoroughly by many a soldier and treasure hunter alike. There were no mention or trace of terrible fiends anywhere on the palace grounds, or within its walls.

Alphinaud believed there to be more to this, however. After a bit of digging, he came to a rather brilliant conclusion. Not far outside the city lies Loch Seld, a great salt lake, and at the bottom of those waters? The ruins of an ancient city by the name of Skalla.