North and South

…two days until the Moonstar ship embarked was plenty of time to teleport back to Westhill, check in with T’Sai and Zesstra, and use the portals to return to Waterdeep, Pix propositioned. Thaminor and Leo decided to join the gnome on his jaunt, while Molish, Shady, and Nym stayed in the City of Splendors with Glyster and Brother Montantis. The merchant vessel was due to stop in Baldur’s Gate, perfect for Molish to see his mentor back to his church. The cleric and monk also took the opportunity to learn all they could from Wylynd and Glyster, after the dragon declined to join them on their journey.

Pix and Thaminor showed Leo around Tresendar Manor, grabbing a meal from Droop‘s kitchen before heading down to the Talons’ headquarters in search of T’Sai and Zesstra. The drow, however, had not seen her employer. In fact, her response was, “I thought he was with you?!” At this point, the Yuan-ti should have arrived from Loudwater, with Elister in the party stagecoach. Attempts to contact T’Sai with the Simul Stone were met with… nothing. He was simply not there. Pix alerted Molish that they would likely not be back in Waterdeep before departure, and that they would rendezvous in the Gray Harbor.

Leo performed the ritual to wind walk, talking Pix and Thaminor straight back to Loudwater, where they began to follow the stagecoach’s planned route. They transformed to stop in Uluvin, where the rogue and clockmaker had passed through on time. The next stop, Beliard, had never seen them. Scouring the land in between from the air, they finally found the abandoned stagecoach… with no signs of a stuggle. In a nearby cave, they found Elister hiding, frightened. He didn’t make much sense at first, but it sounded like they were ambushed by the Shades, and T’Sai was taken. They collected the stagecoach and brought Elister back to Westhill, where Zesstra promised to launch a search for T’Sai.

Soon after Molish, Shady, Nym, and Montantis set sail from Waterdeep harbor, Pix teleported his companions to Baldur’s Gate, since the party was short two Simul Stones following Sigismund‘s departure and T’Sai’s disappearance. On a whim, Pix sent a message to Eudora asking for two additional stones. Although he received no reply to his sending, a Harper courier arrived a couple days later with a small wooden box containing two more of the magical gems. Pix, meanwhile, rented a room at the Three Old Kegs, where he set to work scribing some new spells.

With time until the Moonstar vessel docked in the Gray Harbor, Leo took a trip to Candlekeep, hoping to get some assistance with the druidic book found in the North. When the book itself was not enough to gain entry to the great library, he began to make inquiries, hoping to find a local Circle that may be of assistance. As luck may have it, the local Wood of Sharp Teeth was rumored to have a druidic presence… as well as werewolves. Thankfully, the full moon had just passed. Thaminor agreed to join Leo on a quick expedition, promising Pix they would be back on time…

Leo and Thaminor made it to the northwest corner of the Wood of Sharp Teeth, discovering a forest nearly void of animal life. Scouting across the northern stretch of forest, they saw nothing larger than insects. There were a few groves in the forest that seemed more vibrant than the others, and they stopped in one to spend the night. Leo spoke to the plants, which implored him to find the “Nature Man,” who should have been there recently but had not returned. In the morning, Leo shifted into a great bird, and began scouting the forest. Soon, he saw an area teeming with animals. After retrieving Thaminor, Leo made his way to the animals’ location, where he found himself blocked by them. He spoke with them, and they let him pass, for the “Nature Man” was a Great Druid, and he lay within the animals’ protective circle in grave shape. The Great Druid was covered with claw and bite marks, and suffered a fever. Leo called upon his magic to heal the elder, who introduced himself as Mugralm. Now that the human was away from death’s door, Leo asked him what had happened, and was told,

“When the full moon rises, the circle of Vehlarr opens and the Children of the Night come forth. Usually, my magic will trick them and keep the animals safe. This time, however, was different. A dozen of them came through, hunting as a pack. They stuck to the shadows and surrounded me.

They’re gone, now… for another month. “

As thanks, Mugralm offered to provide Leo a cipher that would allow the elven druid to translate the ancient druidic text he carried. Mugralm promised to work on the cipher and watch over them while they rested, and Leo and Thaminor promised to return before the month was up with the components to cure the expected festering lycanthropy. In the morning, the elves found Leo’s book sat on top of the parchments containing the cipher, and that they were surrounded woodland creatures (and Mugralm in the form of a stag) watching over them. Promising to return, Leo and Thaminor returned to Baldur’s Gate and met up with the party, just in time for the Tear of Selûne to arrive from Waterdeep…