From the Journal of Pura Lindh, Bard and Historian

17 Mirtul - 14 Kythorn, 1389 (Year of the Forgiven Foes)

The gang reported to Kessla on what they found, then Cethric, Pura and Mordecai visited Laval to let him know they found someone who claimed to be Ronin. After some conversation, the three went to visit High Constible Ariton to learn when Laval's trial will be. He informed them Randal Morn will wait until Laval has his defense witnesses ready out of respect for his history with Dagger Falls. Returning back at the Inn, the gang worked on the poem they discovered on the pillar. Working on the first line, Ely noticed the word "Faust" is in the first line. Mordecai worked through the first line to find his name plus an extra letter, "B". The rest of the puzzle fell together to give them the word (or words) "Begothyl". The gang asked Kessla if she knew of anyone by this name. She informed them Gothyl was involved with the kidnapping of Morn and the possession of Ronin. Petro pointed out whoever chiseled this poem knew their names and that they were coming. Kessla suggested the gang visit Simon in Shadowdale as he had been doing research on Gothyl. They gang decided to leave in the morning.

The gang headed out in stormy weather. Threatened by severe thunderstorms they holed up in Dagger Junction. The rest of the trip was uneventful until they reached the crossroads shrine leading to Shadowdale. There was an older, very non-descript man waiting for them. He informed them that there will be an attack on Dagger Falls that is to take place in four days. He also told them that Gothyl is in the keep in the Spiderhaunt Woods but will be leaving in four days. The gang tried to get more information from the man, but hewas not forthcoming. They let him ride away. Their duty was to Dagger Falls so they rode hard back to the town to inform Ariton. The town went on high alert. There was no attack. The gang decided to return to the shrine and track the man. Selena found his tracks. Sometime during the first night, Pura and Selena were robbed. They tracked the culprits into the Spiderhaunt Woods to a tree. Ten creatures about a foot tall lived in the tree. Treatened by the full might of the gang, the creatures started to toss out everything they owned, which was mostly garbage. The gang returned to the trail and resumed tracking. However, the tracks suddenly ended. Faced with the delimma of what to do next, they decided to go to Gothyl's tower on the off-hand chance she was still there.

The gang continued to follow the southern end of the Spiderhaunt forest. During one evening they were attacked by a lone hellhound. Selena was nearly killed by the fiery breath weapon, but Cethric came to the rescue. They killed the beast. Selena and Ely tracked it back into the forest and determined it was passing by and must have heard or smelled them and attacked. The gang considered whether a lone hellhound was sent to find them.

A few days later after entering the woods, they spotted a relatively newly constructed tower and assume this is Gothyl's tower. Atop the four storey tower sunned a young green dragon. They tried talking to it and it sprayed some of them with its chlorine breath weapon. They gang decided to enter the tower to get out of the danger zone. Inside they found draconic humanoids unlike they've ever encountered or heard of. The green dragon men attacked with wicked blades. The gang prevailed and explored the tower. They found the stairway up and discovered a stairway down behind a secret door. Venturing down so as to avoid the green dragon, Rikulf stumbled upon a large contingent of the green dragon men who threw their daggers at him. Rikulf urged the gang to retreat back up the stairs and was attacked by a hellhound. Mordecai used some caltrops to help slow pursuit.

The gang defeated the hellhound. When no pursuit by the dragon men happened, the gang set Petro and Selena to guard as they explored the upper levels of the tower. They found a bedroom that had not been used in awhile. Searching the room, they found a note to someone named Tola from a G about hunting an elk. Further exploring they found an empty guard room, a kitchen with moldy food, a dining room, a panty with much of the food eaten, and finally a conjuring room with a magically locked door they cannot seem to break through. The gang left the tower to go speak with Simon.

Many days later they arrived in Shadowdale and the estate of Simon Weisbaum. They learn he has taken over as Elminster's assistant when Lhaeo died last year. Going to Elminster's tower, they are told by a magic mouth to "come back tomorrow". Given the lateness of the day, they retired to the Old Skull Inn for the evening. A friend of the Faust family, Jamble the Eye, spoke with Mordecai, eventually asking the bard if he runs into his son, Serbon, would he tell him all is forgiven and he should come home. The next morning, while praying at the Morningdawn Hall, Cethric learned that someone, or something, had been stealing broken down horses. The gang gathered to return to Elminster's tower.

The gang were told by a magic mouth to "Go away. Seek him elsewhere." They returned to Simon's estate to find him home. The gang explained to Simon Laval's situation and what they have learned to date. He told them he would go to Dagger Falls to serve as Laval's counsel. The gang agreed to go to Hillsfar to learn more about Tola Vass and, maybe, find Linday. About twenty minutes into their ride north, Cethric received a sending from his church in Dagger Falls that Simon had secured a stay on the trial until Midsummer, giving the gang more time. Twenty more minutes later, they encountered a band of hobgoblins blocking the road. A man on a warhorse in the back explained they needed to pay a toll. Selena took exception to this and the battle was set in motion. They learned the man's name is Bruno, and he is accompanied by an unnamed hobgoblin barbarian, a cleric of Tempus named Rose, and a bard named Serbon. The barbarian charged into the battle, followed by his horde. Rikulf and Selena confronted him while Petro, Ely, Venin and Mordecai let arrows and bolts fly. Pura inspired her friends with her singing and Cethric healed as he could. The opponent cleric enlarged the barbarian, almost to the death of Rikulf. When the barbarian went down, Selena leapt upon his mount and cleared more of the hobgoblins out, with Rikulf's assistance. There was a hidden rogue/mage in the woods (named Bergeron) who sneak attacked Petro. Petro and Ely rushed into the woods to attack him, killing him quickly. This enraged the cleric and she charged after Bergeron's killers. Mordecai joined this side battle with his spear. Most of the hobgoblins were cut down, but do not waiver apparently due to their devotion to their fallen leader.

The gang continued the fight against the bandits. As it became obvious that it was going badly for the bandits, the leader and the bard turned their horses to flee. Ely wanted to pursue them, but the others wanted to finish the fight. The cleric of Tempus was knocked out, and the hobgoblins killed. Selena tracked the riders back to their lair, and Petro was attacked by a strange draconic creature. The gang was attacked by a centaur, and the bard Serbon, and finally the fighter, Bruno. Rikulf was rendered incapacitated, so Ely flew over and dropped a potion for his use. Unfortunately, it was a potion of fire breath and it killed him. Fortunately for Mordecai, the next potion Ely donated was a potion of curing, which saved his life. The draconic creature was killed (they learn it was something called a Greenspawn Leaper, which was a Spawn of Tiamat), as was the centaur. The gang captured Serbon and Bruno, though the latter tried the patience of Mordecai and he killed him. Serbon tried to bargain for his life when the gang decided to take him and Rose back to Shadowdale. Venin favored allowing Serbon to join their cause, though Cethric and Rikulf feel the justice of Shadowdale should handle it. It is decided to return to Shadowdale.

Updated: July 1, 2009.