The party heads back toward Kuiper's farm, traveling through the Hardlow Woods for most of the day. While they occasionally get the feeling that they are being watched, nothing ever shows itself.

They arrive at Kuiper's farm when the sun is low in the sky. Kuiper is nowhere to be seen but it looks like he (or someone else) has been around in the time since the party last passed through, as the note is gone and the animals' food is replenished.

"We waiting here for another night?  I think perhaps he's hiding from us."

Rissa suggested.

Lathan shrugs. "Perhaps he is.

"We should rest here for the night and then continue on to Thurmaster tomorrow. If Kuiper shows up before we leave, great. Maybe he'll have some insight into the note we found. If not, we're no worse off than we are now."

Lucien surveys the farm with his arms folded as he responds. "If he really wanted to communicate, he would have left a response to the note. It's as good a place to sleep as any, but he's clearly busy with other matters. More importantly, are we set on going to Thurmaster? Count Palfrey may rub me the wrong way, but he did mention that he thought he'd have more work for us."

"I'll take first watch then."

Rissa said, walking back outside without even a hint of a light.

Terminax grunted and looked around saying, "Sure, I'll join you on that. I'd like to figure out how to add those spells to this book - maybe I can pick your noodle about that."

She laughed as she joined him, though there was a trace of bitterness to it.

"While I'm well familiar with Magelore, friend Terminax, I don't know how much help I'll be.  I don't learn my art from tomes and scrolls, and I don't keep a spellbook.  My Art is... well... it's not really mine.  The story of how I got it is a complicated one.  Still, I'll try and help whichever way it it that I can.  What is it that you want to know?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:16, Fri 07 Dec 2018.

While Rissa and Terminax prepare to take watch, Lucien settles in to his trance so that he can take over for the second and third shifts at watch.

As the party prepares to settle in, a tall woodsman approaches the farm from the northwest, a bow hung over his shoulder. He approaches slowly and cautiously, then smiles and waves. "Greetings, friends! I'm glad to see you're still around. Please, come inside my home and we can catch up."

Kuiper strides up to the door, opening it for the party and following them inside. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'll get a fire going shortly.

"So, I've heard you've been busy," he says with a grin.

Though Lucien is not as emotive as Kuiper, the elf is clearly pleased by the woodsman's arrival. He stands back up and nods as he follows Kuiper to his door. "I'm glad that we managed to run into you as well." He goes inside and finds a place he can lean against the wall and watch the door. "I believe a few of us may be new to you Kuiper, but yes, there has been a lot of work lately. I never would have expected it in such an out of the way place."

"Those goblins are real charmers." Terminax grunts, picking up the camp.

Volani followed the others and glady came inside at the woodsman's invitation. He remained quiet, he didn't know this man and remained quiet as a guest in his home.

"Haranshire isn't usually a very eventful place," Kuiper says. "But there are ebbs and flows, as in any region.

"In addition to managing my meager farm, I've been busy trying to locate Jelenneth and those orcs we ran into, with no success finding either.

"I've heard good things about you all, though. I know the people of Haranshire are appreciative of your work.

"So, what brings you here now?"

Lucien is surprisingly open with the woodsman. "A pity there hasn't been word on the girl. I hope you will tell us if there is any assistance we can provide to your search or a rescue.

"For our part, we came to investigate the Gleaming Glade and the legend that surrounds it in the hopes of finding evidence of something linking the various problems that plague the area. While we found nothing definitive, we did at least clear out a few goblins and some undead.

"There was also this oddity buried under the glade." He produces the scroll case, opens it, and extracts the letter which he hands to Kuiper. "I don't know how familiar you are with the legends of the region Kuiper, but they appear to be fairly grounded in real events."

Lathan remains quiet as Lucien and Kuiper talk. When Lucien hands Kuiper the letter, he watches the woodsman closely, curious as to whether or not Kuiper knows anything about the location of this "spire keep" or any other useful information.

Kuiper reads the letter. He furrows his brow and is silent for a moment before speaking. "You say you found this in the Gleaming Glade? I know only bits and pieces of the story of the original Parlfray, but it seems that the stories have some truth to them...

"Perhaps the orcs we ran into are somehow linked to the Spire Keep, as the letter indicates they were fighting orcs there. Unfortunately, I don't know where that keep is. Parlfray Keep doesn't have a spire, though it is about the right distance from the Hardlow Woods.

"You ask me, there are probably only two people who would know anything about this: Old Grizzler in Milborne and Count Parlfray. Get Old Grizzler enough to drink and he'll gladly share whatever he knows. Count Parlfray, on the other hand, is pretty tight-lipped about his family's history, from what I hear. But I also hear you've earned his good graces, so you might have some luck there.

"You are all welcome to stay the night here. My home is nothing fancy, but it's dry and warm."

Lucien nods as though accepting the inevitable. "It was a visit to Old Grizzler in Milborne that gave us enough information to search for the Glade. It's possible that the letter might stir something else in his memory, but we got him pretty drunk the first time. I'm not sure he has anything more to tell us. I think it will take a visit back to the Count to see if he'll tell us anything."

He holds a hand out to collect the letter and replace it. "Thank you for the hospitality, I think we will take you up on it for the night." Turning back to his companions, Lucien poses the question. "Any suggestions other than returning to the keep to see the Count?"

"I think with how little information we are gleaning, returning to the Count is our best option."

Rissa suggested.

"Forgive me, but I'm all turned around, would Milborne be on the way?"

Terminax listens, sharpens his blades, and studies his book, though clearly listening to the entire conversation. He voices no opinions, remaining stoic for now.

"No. I'm all out of ideas," Kuiper says to Lucien, shaking his head. He looks at Rissa and says, "You're about halfway between Milborne and Thurmaster right now."

"Thurmaster it is then?"

Rissa suggested.

Lucien nods. "I think that's the best plan."

Before they depart, Volani spoke quietly to Kuiper.

“Excuse me sir. I’m not from around here but I have a particular interest of study. Are there any ancient ruins or structures nearby? Places either mapped or rumored that might contain hints of ancient empires or civilizations?”

Kuiper scratches his chin. "Ancient ruins? Not that I know of," he says shaking his head. "But if there is something like that around here, I suspect you will be the ones to find it, seeing as how you found the Gleaming Glade and all.

"I don't know about any ancient civilizations in these parts either. The Parlfrays were the first humans to settle Haranshire, and that was only about a hundred years ago, so that's not exactly 'ancient' history."

The journey from Kuiper's farm to Thurmaster takes almost two full days.

After a week outdoors, the party decides to stop at the Hound and Tails to rest for the night and resupply before heading out to Parlfray Keep the next morning.