A historical record written by Ptolemy, the Kremnoan historian. This volume chronicles the adventures of several figures from among the three hundred rogues of Dolos, the city of thieves.
Part I
Preface
Since historians began their chronicles, apart from the Chrysos Heirs, from city lords and kingdom rulers down to famous warriors and scholarly academics, their achievements have been documented for future generations. Even among common trades, remarkable individuals have had their deeds recorded by historians. Priests named by Aquila, blacksmiths blessed by Georios, and even ascetics permitted by Thanatos have all had their lives chronicled. Only those who serve Zagreus, who corrupt law with lies and violate rules through deception, yet still dare to boast of their abilities and virtues, are universally condemned. For all their deviations from the path of honor, they are particularly despised by the people of Kremnos.
I, Ptolemy, having consumed every word and symbol in the archives of Castrum Kremnos, have never encountered any written chronicle of the kin of the god of thieves. Yet while traveling through various states with the king of the Kremnoan detachment, I kept hearing tales of the three hundred rogues of Dolos.
Dolos, the city of thieves, situated south of Janusopolis and north of the Grove of Epiphany, operates under different laws than elsewhere, making it fertile ground for trickery and deception. Legend says that a thousand years ago, the first Chrysos War concluded with the total defeat of the Chrysos Heir forces. Later, when the Chrysos War reignited, various states again plunged into desperate poverty. The Dolos nobility seized this opportunity to accumulate wealth, then issued anti-fraud decrees to monopolize the city's financial channels, creating dire circumstances for ordinary citizens. To survive, many common thieves departed for other lands, using their talents to deceive people and steal goods. In total, men and women, young and old, approximately three hundred gained renown, becoming known as the "Three Hundred Rogues of Dolos."
I believe these three hundred are called "rogues" (rather than thieves or criminals) because, though their actions constitute theft, they possess a heroic spirit. Though they lack honor, they demonstrate either the resilience of self-sacrifice or the appearance of courage. Therefore, I dedicate some portion of my writings to compiling their exploits into this collection.
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First of the Three Hundred Rogues, "The Thousand-Faced" Hirendou The true appearance and identity of Hirendou cannot be determined with certainty. Some rumors describe a delicate woman skilled in disguise, others suggest a thin man with a versatile voice, and some even claim this person was a Chrysos Heir. However, most oral histories agree that this individual was the first rogue to leave Dolos for other states. Tales of their exploits circulated throughout Aenionus, the Grove of Epiphany, and Odressian. Hirendou excelled at creating false identities to deceive others, and particularly enjoyed repeatedly tricking the same person with different disguises — typically targeting wealthy nobles of questionable character.
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In the "Divine Deception of Dolos," Hirendou journeyed alone to the northern city-state of Loukas where, using one hundred different identities, they engineered the release of a thousand innocent prisoners from the cruel Usurper's dungeon. Eventually captured, Hirendou was sentenced to beheading. However, on the execution day, after the executioner's blade fell, spectators were astonished to discover that the severed head belonged to the Usurper himself. Hirendou, who had been disguised as the ruler on the viewing platform, removed their mask and calmly departed amid the spontaneous protection provided by the crowd. To escape imprisonment through one's own ingenuity was rare even among the Three Hundred Rogues.
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Ninety-seventh of the Three Hundred Rogues, "Bladed Black Velvet" Ferrum Bladed Black Velvet, also known as the Steelclaw Beast, resembles a large mole. Skilled at tunneling, its claws possess unmatched hardness, capable of severing finely crafted weapons with a single swipe. It often creates massive, irreparable thief tunnels at the base of city walls. Hunting the Steelclaw Beast alone has been a coming-of-age ritual preserved for centuries by certain Kremnoan families.
Ferrum, known for their appearance and methods, earned this infamous nickname. Their portrait survives through the ages, showing a dark face, rough beard, and powerful arms, with hands twice the size of an average man's. Ferrum is skilled in wielding two folding spades and is often seen wearing arm guards. Though not one for words, Ferrum's ancestors were the Georios priests of Hattusili, with an exceptional understanding of soil and geology. Legend has it that Ferrum could dig a tunnel several thousand steps long within two days, bypassing stubborn rocks and reaching the treasure vault of the aristocrats with precision.
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In the "Divine Deception of Dolos," Ferrum ventured to Mythemis, spending ten days digging a tunnel connecting the homes of eight aristocrats in the city, ending at the king's treasury. By the time the king noticed, Ferrum had already made off with more than half the treasure. Though Ferrum was captured and imprisoned, the treasure mysteriously vanished. The king and aristocrats confiscated Ferrum's spades and locked him away in a cube-shaped steel prison underground. About half a month later, the treasure from Mythemis appeared in the hands of the common folk across various city-states.
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The 235th to 238th of the 300 Rogues: The "Fearfool Birds" — The Four Perla Sisters
The Fearfool Birds, also known as Dulu birds, were once a species of social birds living on the outskirts of Oleinus. They usually moved in groups of four, unable to fly but skilled at gliding, and would feign death when attacked, waiting for the chance to escape in different directions. During the famine of the Chrysos War, this species became extinct due to being easy to capture.
The Four Perla Sisters were naturally clever, and it's said that even when fully grown, they remained the size of fledglings. They often appeared together on trade routes, tricking travelers into showing them sympathy. However, those who showed kindness to the four sisters often found treasure in their bags upon parting, while those who rudely drove them away faced repeated harassment along the way and eventually lost a great deal of wealth.
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In the Divine Deception of Dolos, the Four Perla Sisters first split up, each taking a separate route along the four main trade paths to deceive independently. They planned to meet again in a few days, but they failed to do so. One is said to have died, another was imprisoned, the third became disabled, and the fourth disappeared without a trace.