Alcemides, Noam and Tyrus were marked for death while passing through Shem. The mark of the Red Hand was left upon their personal belongings in their room at an inn. Meaning of the mark was told by the Child of Nergal – they had one moon to prepare themselves for death.

The trio prepared for the eventual attack with the help of Ditrius. They bought exotic poison from Khitan merchants and bribed a Hyperborean captain to rent them two Witchmen. Despite all the preparations and equipment, the final confrontation proved difficult. Noam was killed by the swift blades of a Vendhyan killer. Tyrus was saved by expensive Khitan poison on his blade that had cost a king’s ransom in gold. Alcemides almost met his doom in the hands of a huge strangler, only saved by the timely invetervention of the Witchmen.

After the confrontation, the surviving duo were contacted by the Red Hands. By surviving an attack and dispatching the assailants, they earned the right to buy their services. As Alcemides later fell, only Tyrus now possesses that fell knowledge.