Aegon leads the Troupe to the Cloakwood in pursuit of Tazok. They learn that the Iron Throne has a facility in the forest where they hold prisoners. They meet some hunters in the forest who murdered a druid, and are now poised to help the druids defend their home.

5 Eleasias 1368

Aldeth swings his blade at Khalid, who blocks it with his shield as he draws his Varscona. Helga is struck by an arrow and lets out a curse worthy of Braegar. She reaches for a Potion of Healing. We start returning fire.

The druids of the Cloakwood stand and watch with blank expressions as we fight. Why they don’t help I don’t know. Do they think we don’t need help, or are they afraid to fight the hunters?

Helga gets pelted with more arrows and lets out another curse as she stumbles back. She retreats to try and find a place to heal. I run after her to give her what aid I can. Jaheira turns to check if we need her as well, but is struck by an arrow while she is distracted. She responds by drawing her club and screams as she charges the archers.

The hunter struggles against Jaheira, too focused on her to notice Helga circling back. She finishes him off with a bullet to the skull.

Aldeth is no hardened warrior, but desperation drives men to fight harder. Even so, Khalid finds an opening in his armour, and his Varscona goes straight through him. Aldeth’s lets out a strangled gasp as he crumples to the floor, his plate mail now stained with blood.

Khalid turns his attention to the last hunter, who is now engaged with his wife. As he is pinned back against the wall of the house, Verr’Sza sends a Bolt of Lightning to finish him off.

The fighting over, we turn to the druids that stood by while we fought for them. Their leader speaks up.

The Iron Throne again. The druids of the forest would know more than anyone else what is happening under the trees. Our nemesis must be the Iron Throne, but how is father’s killer involved?

You will not consider staying, Jaheira?

Jaheira: I’m afraid not.

Seniyad: Very well, Jaheira. Before you leave, I must ask a favour of you.

Jaheira: Speak, Seniyad, and I… Aegon and I will listen.

Seniyad: A sect of Shadow Druids have taken over part of our sacred forest as their territory, and we have so far failed to reclaim it. No doubt the mere presence of them would worry any druid committed to our true beliefs.

Jaheira: This does concern me greatly, Seniyad. I would be willing to aid you… if Aegon would agree to a distraction from our own quest.

I note her hesitance before mentioning my name. This must be important to her, but she knows I didn’t lead the Troupe here to help her druids.

Seniyad: There is one thing you could help us with, Jaheira, as we require the assistance of someone less known to the Shadow Druids than my loyal followers. A few months ago a Shadow Druid approached a young druidess from our circle by the name of Maretha, giving her an invitation to join the circle. This was part of my plan to infiltrate their accursed circle, and it seemed to work for a few months… until two tendays ago. Maretha has not shown up at her secret meeting place with one of our druids. We have not heard or seen from her since, Jaheira.

Their is desperation in his voice. Maretha must be important to him as more than just a spy.

Jaheira: And I assume you want us to rescue her… if she is still alive.

Seniyad: That is what I want you and your group to accomplish. Maretha possesses important information about the Shadow Druids, and probably knows the names of the Shadow Druids that have infiltrated our own order. She must be rescued, and soon, for the time of Shadowclave draws near.

Jaheira: I see. Then we do not have much time, I agree. Aegon, will you help us in this undertaking, of course?

It is likely we will have to move through the Shadow Druid’s territory anyway, so we probably won’t have a choice but to help.

Aegon: Then we must hurry to aid the girl as soon as possible.

Jaheira: Thank you, Aegon. I knew I could count on your assistance.

Seniyad: You have made a wise decision. Good luck to you!

Wait! That is not all, Jaheira. A few days ago, one of my druids chose to risk his life, trying to sneak into the Shadow Druid territories and rescue the woman he was enamoured with. We have not heard from him since. You would remember him, Jaheira… it was Beador.

Jaheira: Beador… yes… yes, I remember him. And I see he is still the hotheaded fool he once was…

Aegon: Who is this Beador, Jaheira?

Jaheira crosses her arms before she answers.

Jaheira: He was a… an old friend of mine. That is all you need to know, Aegon.

Khalid gives her a quick glance before turning to speak to me.

Khalid: I’ll advise you n-not to pry any f-further, Aegon… f-for your own sake.

I decide I will take Khalid’s word for it. A husband knows their wife more than any other. Jaheira smiles and turns to her husband.

Jaheira: You are a wise man, Khalid, my love… and this wisdom has served you well. Now, Aegon, we should start moving into the depths of the Cloakwood, if we are to save my friends.

Despite travelling with them for some time, I still know little about them. Jaheira never mentioned she knew the druids of this wood, nor that she had friends here. She may have been a friend of my father, but she still keeps much of her past to herself, as did my father. I wonder now if she knows of secrets Gorion kept from me.

The conversation breaks, and Khalid starts telling his wife about all he has learned from his duel with Aldeth.

He gets a bonus to his Death and Wand Saving Throws, a +1 bonus to THAC0, 7 more Hit Points and an additional point of Lore.

Verr’Sza is also excited to tell me of what he has learned of combat, after his expert kill with his crossbow.

He gets a bonus to his Death and Wand Saving Throws, a +1 bonus to THAC0, 10 more Hit Points and an additional point of Lore.

We continue to talk about lessons learned as we loot the hunter’s bodies. Aldeth carried with him a Potion of Healing and a Diamond. The full plate mail he wore was also enchanted.

His companions carried bows and arrows, and were protected only by leather armour. Aldeth must have kept the good stuff for himself. We turn to say our farewells to the druids Seniyad urges us to continue our mission.

We enter into the hunter’s cabin to take a look around. We find nothing in there that you wouldn’t expect in a holiday cabin. Hunting knives, cutlery and crockery, books, a fireplace still burning, and candles still lit. We do find a locked chest in the bedroom, but none of us can break it open.

Cat is still in my pack, and he is good with locks. I let him back out again to ask him for help, but I can see that he is still hurt. Jaheira offers to help him, and asks nature to Regenerate my familiar’s health.

Cat is also unable to pick the lock. We are about to give up when I remember a spell that Corellon Larethian grants me. I usually use it to knock down an opponent, but perhaps a Battering Ram could also break a lock. Verr’Sza watches keenly as I prepare the spell, his tail flicking in anticipation.

The spell hits the chest and the lock snaps as the lid flies open. Verr’zsa smirks and lets out a chuckle. At least I think that’s how a cat would laugh. Maybe he’s impressed.

Khalid eagerly takes a look inside. There is a rainbow obsidian necklace, 2 Arrows of Ice and 2 Arrows of Fire, an Elixir of Health, a Potion of Invulnerability, and 395 coins. This must have been Aldeth’s personal treasure. He didn’t seem the kind to share.

There is another item in here, a book that must be valuable. I think I recognise the book, though I’ve never read this one before. I decide to take some time to read it.

As I read the introduction I realise that it must have been scribed in the Keep, at home. I check the spine and sure enough, it is thicker than usual. I carefully pull it apart and out drops another letter meant for Camryn’s lover.

I lower the letter feeling a little tang of guilt. I think I shouldn’t have read this one. It’s a bit more… personal… than the others. I had no idea that a scribe older than my father could still have such passionate thoughts. I had always seen him as a stuffy old sage, but now I know there is fire hidden within his robes. Maybe the passage of time isn’t so bad. I hope I will have such virility when I reach their age.

Still, it is another message to deliver, and Aegon, the Deliverer of Letters has a duty to perform. I never knew being a mail man could be so challenging. I store the letter in Bartleby’s Letter Case for now, but we can visit Tamah again the next time we are in Beregost.

Jaheira reminds me that we have a mission, and asks if I truly intend to complete it. I apologise, and agree that we should start moving west. We make our way out of the cabin deeper into the trees. The smell of damp earth grows stronger with each step.

I swat a spider off my shoulder and another lands on me. I wonder what other creatures could be lurking in the darkness of the forest.

As if to answer my thoughts, we soon hear the chittering of mandibles. Within the shadows between the trees we make out the vague forms of giant spiders. We realise they’ve already seen us and have been stalking us for some time.

They crawl toward us, attempting to surround us, but Khalid holds them at bay while the rest of us pick them off.

After embedding the spiders with arrows we continue on our way. The Cloakwood itself seems determined to stop us, this time sending tasloi our way.

They die as quickly as the others we have encountered. So far we have met every challenge these trees have sent our way. But the undergrowth is getting harder to navigate, the trees are getting ever denser, and a mist is starting to rise. Movement is everywhere, the sounds of insects and small animals rustling in the leaves. Any one could turn out to be a threat.

Jaheira says we mustn’t get complacent, for we still don’t know what horrors hide deeper in the darkness. Giant spiders and small tasloi will be the least of our worries deeper in the forest. Verr’Sza seems excited. He says he enjoys the thrill of a hunt.

But we have to press on in our hunt for the Shadow Druids, for the Iron Throne, and for Tazok. And maybe, somewhere in this forest, my father’s murderer is waiting.

I will find them all. And when I do, I will have my answers.