From the Journal of Pura Lindh, Bard and Historian

           14 Kythorn - 28 Flamerule 1389 (Year of the Forgiven Foes)
The gang continued the conversation on what to do with their prisoners. Finally, it was decided to turn them in. The gave their statements, collected the 20gp per head award, and rode on to Hillsfar on the Northride trail. Over several nights Ely used an identify spell to learn more about the magical items they collected. Otherwise, the trip was uneventful. They arrived at Voonlar and stayed at The Cleric's Wench Inn, where they learned that Voonlar is expecting to be attacked by forces from Yulash. Because of this, they decided to go to Teshwave and charter a boat to Hillsfar. Pressing on the next day they stayed at a wayinn called The Wagon and the Bow. Finally, they arrived at Teshwave, a place they have been before.

The gang hired a barge to take them to Hillsfar, working with the first mate since the captain was off "a'horin'". They set off the next morning, though the large barge was packed with the horses of the gang, making for limited movement and quarters. While tied off to shore one night, the barge was attacked by four large monstrous crabs. Magic missiles from brothers Venin and Petro chased off two of the creatures. One snapped a crewman in half and took off with its meal. Rikulf and Selena pounded the final one to death. After that, they were left alone, just encountering the occasional riverman. The barge arrived in Zhentil Keep to offload its cargo, so some of the gang went into the evil city to investigate. Mordecai was slipped a note in a crowded, seedy dock tavern to go see someone called "Kornah the Crazy", so the gang found the city guide (who happened to live across the street from the Thieves Guild. Kornah was a Harper and she warned them not to take on Tola Vass directly, but to work on one of her underlings. The gang returned to the barge.

The barge the gang hired departs in the morning once the fog clears. One day runs into another on the Moonsea and the gang find ways to deal with the boredom. Some eight days into the passage, the gang pass the abandoned Elven watch tower, awed by its grandeur and height. A couple of days later, they are set upon by two cogs bearing pirates. One announces they are to be boarded by the crew of the great Megara the Sea Witch. The crew of the barge pole to the shore and some of the gang start off loading the horses. Crossbow bolts and arrows are launched in both directions. Megara flies up and away from her ships when Ely attacks her; she retaliates with a fireball that singes the barge but otherwise does no damage. As it becomes clear that the barge was better protected than expected (The gang kill two sailors and one of the mates manning the ballistas, as well as some of the sailors being put to sleep by Venin), the two ships turn away. The barge press on to Hillsfar. Mordecai informs them of some of the laws he knows of about Hillsfar. Once they arrive at the busy port city, it is decided Ely and Selena will stay at the docks since non-humans are not allowed in Hillsfar proper. The rest of the gang wander the streets, first stopping in Tity's Emporium and doing some shopping.

The bulk of the gang found Bornar's Bakery in the hubbub of the Market. He lead them to a cellar where they discussed Tola Vrass. He warned them not to tangle with her as she's quite cruel and clever. Sensing a dead end and with the sunlight fading, they returned to find Ely and Selena, who did some investigating of their own. They learned one of Tola's henchwomen is being held by a secret rogues guild. This woman's name was Linday, the same as on the note on the red wizard. They decided to rescue her to use her to ingratiate themselves to Tola in order to learn more. Petro and Venin went out into the night to learn more about this secret guild.

The next morning Petro informd them he knows where the guild is, and it is close to the gates of the city. Mordecai helped to disguise Ely so he could enter the city. It works. As the gang entered the empty building, Rikulf and Petro spotted a lookout on the roof and moved to warn them. Fortunately, Venin also spotted him and put him to sleep. Ely charmed the lookout to learn more, but really learned little. They entered the guild through a trapdoor in the floor and are ambushed by crossbows. As each member of the gang dropped down to the room, the others knocked down wooden statues and dock plank walls to attack their ambushing rogues. Finding little of consequence, Selena found a secret door. Pressing on, Ely found a pit trap dropping into the sewers - fortunately, he was flying at the time. He opened a secret door where they discovered four more rogues eating breakfast. The battle was complicated by the pit and close quarters, but the gang prevailed in the end.

The gang searched the dining area and found two more sleeping chambers and two larders. Beyond a secret door and down a flight of stairs, they discovered a dirt floor temple to Umberlee and Talona with two exits. Behind one door they almost surprised a woman, but she turned invisible and escaped. In her room was another door which they found a green slime. The other room was trapped with glyphs of warding which did a lot of fire damage to Venin and Rikulf. There was a trap door to an armory. The next room was guarded by eight rogues (which Rikulf thought looked awfully rat-like). Petro reduced the tensions as the fighting began and negotiated for the gang to speak with their prisioner. It was the woman Linday, Tola Vrass' former aide. She convinced the gang she can help Laval as she knew the truth, but needed to be protected from Tola's wrath. Mordecai negotiated trading his circlet for the prisoner. Escaping the city, they bought two horses, enlisted Bornar's help to have someone cast a nondetection on Linday, and fled Hillsfar. Late the next day, a column of Red Plumes were racing down the road towards them. They decided to go off the road and into the Cormanthor, which was quite the disquieting experience for the gang. Six of the Red Plumes followed and the gang bushwhacked them, killing all but one.

The gang decided to interrogate the Red Plume prisioner. Aided by Ely's charm, Mordecai questioned the soldier. He doesn't know much, only that Captain Kull ordered them to follow him in pursuit of someone. The soldier told the gang they are under arrest (even though he's tied up and defenseless). After some debate, it was decided not to kill him. They moved away from the battle scene and set up camp in the Cormathor. Some found it unsettling to sleep in the elven forest, so they moved camp to the outskirts. Before dawn, they were approached by a group calling themselves the Goldmitre Group, who were also hiding from Red Plumes. Parting company, the gang left the soldier and rode west along the Cormanthor.

Days later, the gang came upon an incomplete ivory tower. The next day, they found a roadside shrine dedicated to a great battle. The field was littered with cairns. Behind one of the nearby cairns were about twenty Red Plumes. There was also a group of three people sneaking up on the soldiers. Venin sneaked up on the soldiers and is attacked by the cleric of Bane, casting a hold person on him. Selena shot the cleric and the battle began. Rikulf moved up to take on some of the Red Plumes. The cleric of Bane and the leader of the Red Plumes focused their attacks on Cethric, so he decided their mission to save his father was more important than smacking down some Red Plumes. He rode off, followed by many of the others (and a few taunts by Ely). Moments later, hundreds of skeletons start clawing their way out of the cairns. Cethric had made the right decision.