17th Altruiak

We wake up in my apartment and have a nice breakfast before meeting the group to go over the scrolls.  Meet before noon and discuss because the new moon is on the night of the 19th. Arust and I split up here as I have some research to do. The following description is based on his recall of the events.

We go to Straelyn's tower, its a elegant tower in the rich part of town.  It has a modicum of security.  When he casts the ritual 'Silence'.  Flick puts a ghost sound outside the door.  Then we discuss the notes.

The Shadowwalkers are mercenaries who work for both Myth Drannor and Cormyr.  Blackfeather Bridge is a sacred site to Cyric (he passed by there after murdering someone there).  The Skyship is part of the Five Companies, from Halrua, each ship has one air ship. These are the only five air ships. Errowd is a service oriented company, containment, smuggling, transport, via magic and rituals.  None of us have heard of Akor, maybe short for something. I've been to Moss, little town, west of Zhentil Keep, a ways off the road. Solren's chain is a heroic group from M-D. Glimmering Moonlight, Straelyn has heard of him, he thinks, but this Baelnorn has never been to Myth Drannor. Lord Handrel is a council of Lords, a Lord of Myth Drannor, chatty personable, knows stuff and places. Smoked Sunset, a group who alegedly are made up of the Drow and who fight them. 

We leave Myth Drannor, get outside the Mythal, and Straelyn commences the ritual. We leave a bell or so before noon, and get there a couple after noon.  Its a small town, thirty or so houses, with a low fence around the village.  

As we come in, talk to a human guard and a elf guard at the main gate. Attacking has gone on for about a week or so, seen some shapes. The human is talky, the elf is quiet. He wonders where we're going, Flick is doing the talking. "We're going after Trolls."  A guy, Pete, his house was robbed, another guy had three cattle killed. Some houses slightly burned, other damage done. Marcel and four others are the elders, Marcel is the tavern owner. We say bye, and walk in to the tavern/alehouse.

We walk down the street, its a long distance from the log to the tavern and we briefly discuss who will be our spokesperson. There is no sign of Solren's Chain. Brenna will do some talking. We walk into the Inn, there is a bartender, ten some young men chillin.  Cynrain recognizes Christian Amyx, he knew while fighting down in Sembia. Chris got married here, after coming home from working for Cynrain's family.  Booted prints, go to forest or road. Cyn talks to Chris, tells all the parts were in the animals, they were killed with swords. Priest Edwinna of Chauntea examined the bodies. Buzeer, lives in the woods a little, keeps an eye out, also looked at the bodies.  Marcel comes over and we talk, he gives us the rooms and food. We'll check things out. Cyn takes off when done eating to go talk to the priest.

Inside we finish our meal, then we all go up to the room.  Buzer comes by, three from north, two from south, all similar footwear. There was an attack last night and he was on watch, but on south, atk was on north. He'll help again tonight. He's not noticed any other groups through, and a ranger he talks with to the east says a village out there (Treeshadow) has a rise in banditry. He's a pretty straightforward, no filter sort of two weapon ranger.

Around ten that night, we hear Buzer yelling. We arrive at the scene, an arrow of Buzer is sticking out of a corpse, two pairs of footprints lead into the forest. Straelyn checks the body, as does Cyn. Flick and Bren follow me. Guy is dead, bled out. Arust runs into the forest and catchs up to Buzer dropping a human in a swordfight. Strae is checking his body, and Arust is checking his. An odd knot on the belt (no buckle) is old, not used since Spell Plague, its a Zhent knot.  They track them easily to where they came in, which is not the way they were going out. 

We follow the trail and come to a camp of three horses by the roadside and one shadowy human waiting. Buzer and Arust split up and watch the situation, Arust calls Flick and get the crew on the way.  Strae and Cyn can't see well, but Flick charges ahead. Strae casts light on Flick's armor. The guy at the camp sees them and goes to mount up. Arust shoots a flaming arrow into the camp.

The guy is beat down by the crew, and Arust runs out, leaving Buzer to watch from the treeline. Flick talks to him, what was he doing? Amnesty?  Brenna watches him as we call Og and schedule and immediate drop.  The Zhent shows emotion when he sees the body Cyn has over the horse. Arust intimidates the guy into disarming himself and kneeling down. Cyn ties him up, ties, bound, and gagged, head covered. Then Og responds super fast. He's talking to an MDIA agent, who speaks on Amaril's behalf and with his authority.  We tell him we'll be back, that Treeshadow is also effected. He gives us drop point for guy, basement of a locked house.  Guy is well equiped, belt is old, other gear is new and modern. Horses are of good breed. We gather up, tell Buze the details, ask him to pass word through rangers.

18th Altruiak

Then we head home, get there like 3am, and half team is with guy in basement, rest of team meets with Amaril and his Lieutenant. I meet Arust here cuz Og said he was coming back. We meet and he gives me a kiss. Arust tells them the whole story. They say will you go back?  Arust says yes he'll go back to the Zhentil Keep. He says the Airship will be in town for a week. So we have time.

He gives us a note to see an old woman just outside the mythal. We go see her, and she an old elf woman. We go into her basement and she starts a ritual of teleport. She says to Strae that if we attempt to come back this way we will die. We go through and come out in a thirty by thirty room.

Its an old arcane study, but empty and long since looted. Stone walls and one door out.  Door barred on inside, goes up to trap door that is barred too. Eventually make our way out of an old Manor House. Its a ruin now. They take a two hour nap while I talk to Cyn a little about his background, then I go back to being on watch.

They wake up from their nap before dawn and we head towards the keep.  The group breaks into a two part group with the scouts out in front.  A half hour later we crest a hill and see the fires of Zhentil Keep burning and lights from inside the windows lit. Those with high history, or just those interested in some background should read up on Zhentil Keep.