Hope looks at Leosin as he speaks and rolls her eyes at him. "Lady, i am not....Quit your fawning!"

She looked at Onthar and nodded in respect for the man. "Knowing him, he may take you up on that, but for now we have some news on some 'pests' of the draconic kind....thought you might like a word about them."

Einar shakes his head, "No thank you I'm not much for contests of strength." He chuckles moving to the side so that they can have their private meeting shortly. "I mean no offense of course I'm just not one for those kind of things as odd as it may seem.

The woman smiled when Leosin introduced her as a lady before shaking her head, hairs flying.  "You should know that flattery does not work on me, Leo. Please call me Saphira. I have had some run ins with dragon worshippers too. ". She looked at the big man before adding "I would be honored to hear of your adventures, once you have rested. Onthar, you are forgetting your manners, you should have already served your best wine to the heroes of Greenest!"

Korym nods to Onthar and Saphira. "A pleasure to meet you." Turning to Leosin, he asks, "Will they be joining us?"

Leosin nods to Korym.

Ontharr's smile fades as his game is thwarted. "Yes I suppose games should wait, though I would have won had it come to it." He says smirking. He then looks to Saphira. "Business first it seems."

He then motions everyone to follow him; he leads the group to the side of the bar and beyond a pair of double doors, which he shuts when everyone is inside. The room is a massive storeroom, barrels, kegs, and wine bottles are stacked from floor to ceiling in row after row, in the center of the room flanked on either side by the alcohol is a long table with ten chairs on either side; sprawled across the table is a massive leather map of the Sword Coast, with several daggers stabbed into it.

Taking a position at the head of the table the paladin's face now wears a serious expression, unlike its usual open countenance. "My friends, we indeed have important business to discuss. At this point you know about as much about it as we do. And now thanks to your saving of Leosin, we know twice as much now than we otherwise would have. Something rotten is afoot. We have no formal organization to oppose these rascals - not yet anyway. We're working on that. And we need people like you, who know how and where to fight, and how and when to keep their heads down and observe. We can't promise you anything except days filled with danger and stress - but what could be better than that, eh?"

"What my esteemed friend here is saying, is we work for organizations we are hoping bring to bare against the cult, and or recruit others to our banner, and to that end you have not only helped us tremendously but also proven yourselves trustworthy and capable, I myself am a member of an organization that you might have heard of called the Harpers." He says pulling back his collar to reveal a pin shaped like a harp nestled between the horns of a crescent moon. "But before we continue, you said you had some new news to share with us?" Leosin says taking a chair and sitting.

Hope listened to the paladin and elf as they spoke, a serious look on her face. She took a dagger out and absently played with it. When Leosin spoke of Harper, she opened her eyes wide. “Harpers…..that is an organisation I have heard of. To be part of that is quite a thing.”

She then looked at Ontharr. “As for this group - we are who we are. If they are against the cult, I will help how I can. Payment..,anything we find when we raid those bastards would be good.”

"Indeed.

When you sent us to observe the canyon hideout, you expected the cult would be sitting tight. That was not the case. When we arrived the main body had already left.

The only people left in the canyon was a group of despicable hunters who were supplying the cult with food. Unfortunately we did not eliminate them.

We entered the cave at the back of canyon as it appeared to be still occupied. We killed some guards, some walking mushrooms, some stirges, a couple of cultists, and quite a number of kobolds.

We also met Langdedrosa Cyanwrath, the half-dragon and so-called Dragonsoul. He was with two men that looked to be Northmen from the Moonshae Islands. We heard them tell Cyanwrath that the shipments promised by their king would arrive in a tenday.

We had to retreat to recuperate, and by then the cult was alerted to our presence, so we returned to Greenest, and then came straight here."

"It seems to me that it would be prudent to raise the alarm with the leaders of the city states all along the Sword Coast. Surely they will want to band together to fight the Cult of the Dragon!?

But, I believe Lady Hope speaks for us all when she says we are at your service."

The woman nodded her head at the tale, all mirth now gone from her eyes. Cyanwrath... I've heard of him, if there is one being that deserves to face Kelemvor's judgement, it is him. I wouldn't mind helping him along the way. But the cult has powerful allies along the Coast, whatever warnings we could give to the cities would get diluted by them until it is not heeded. I think the way to go is to continue to try to decapitate the heads of the cult. The rabble following them would then crumble without leadership. 

Hope looked at Saphira with a smile. "My kind of girl!" She leans forward with a smile. "Trust me when i say that all here, me especially, wouldn't mind bringing that snake's head in a sack for her order and see them run like the rats they are.

Einar snorts a bit at the mention of Cyanwrath, "He won't be so lucky as to face me half dead the next time we fight." He moves to take a seat in one of the chairs in the room relaxing in to it as he does nodding to what Korym was stating.

"I may self have little to add on from what's already been said but I do intend to fight the good fight and deal with these damn cultists. So what's our next step while you make this orginization to stand against them?"

Leosin and Ontharr listen intently to the information. Leosin holds his chin in his hand stroking his goatee as he does.

"Right, so the Cult is calling in more allies than just the Red Wizards of Thay... that's troubling." Leosin says.

"Indeed, who among the Northmen of the isles would seek to serve them?" Ontharr adds.

"Unknown, but we will be looking into it. In the meantime, I am glad to hear you are all on board. And we are raising the call Korym, but so far the cult is a pest at best to the larger players; and our warnings will likely fall on deaf ears until the big purse strings get threatened. But; we Harpers, Order of the Guantlet, and even others such as the Emerald Enclave are working to change that; but we will need more help still. And to that end I would like to offer you all membership in the Harpers, if that is something you would like; I mean it certainly couldn't hurt. We have many operatives, and it never hurts to have friends all across the Sword Coast, who can help you get things done if need be." Leosin says pulling a small box out of his pocket and opening it to reveal several pins, just like his.

Ontharr turns his attention to the map with the daggers in it. "The most likely destination for a caravan as large as theirs would be here." He says pointing to Baulder's Gate on the map. "And given their great lead on us, the only way to intercept them now would be to travel the river all the way to Baulder's Gate. And intercept them when they arrive."

"Yes, and I doubt Baulder's Gate is their final destination; and if I am right then we can get our new friends hired on as caravan guards, and just trail them to their final destination." Leosin says his tone peeking up as he looks upon the map.

"You make a great assumption that Baulder's Gate isn't their final destination Leosin." Ontharr adds looking toward Leosin.

"Think about it, that is a massive amount of loot they're hauling. I'm betting it's a treasure hoard for a dragon, likely payment for some kind of favor or some such. And I don't know many dragons who call the 'Gate' their home, or temples of Tiamat there that would like the kind of attention a caravan of stolen goods would bring them... No Baulder's Gate can't be their final destination. And I bet they're spooked now that I escaped, and many of their number have been slaughtered. So, If I were them, I would seek to hide that hoard, and what better place than in plain sight? I bet they intend to join one of the many caravans leaving the city and hide among them as just some more merchants, no one would be the wiser."

"When did you become intelligent?" Ontharr says laughing, to which Leosin lets a small upward curl form in the corner of his mouth. "When people expect little, you can never disappoint."

Hope listened to the two men, a Straight face as they spoke. She absently took a pin and placed it on her belt, hidden away from prying eyes. She looked at them with a half-smile. "My profession, sometimes subtlety is needed. Having a harper pin for all to see would dissuade many contacts i can reach out to."

She leaned over the map and nodded. "Either way, i think our next move would be to get to Baldur's gate as quickly as possible. Even if they don't arrive there, news of movement may come via caravans or such. If they do, i want to be there and know where i can spy on them from - perhaps find some allies with the urchins and forgotten of the city.....many people overlook a beggar as a source of information."

"The Harpers! I have read much about them. Dedicated to good but often corrupted over the years. Still their devotion to preserving history sits well with me, as a librarian."

Korym picks up one of the pins, and attaches it to the inside of his cloak. "Hope is right, there are many who might turn from the questions of a Harper."

"In fact, it sounds like you both are making suppositions. Unless you are not mentioning that you have factual information on the cultist's whereabouts?"

The dark haired woman hesitated when Leosin offered the pin, seemingly deep in thought as she looked at the shaped silver. Only after draining her wine cup did she look at the monk and told him "While it is a great honor to be offered a position in the Harpers, I must stay true  to my oath of destroying the Dragon cult by any means necessary. I will accept this pin if you swear that it will only represent that I am an ally of your organization when our goals coincide. They do now, but they might not in the future. I will serve my oaths before following any Harper order. Serving too many masters can only lead to extreme confusion and deadly mistakes. I will not add to the innocent blood those monsters have already spilled, by being confused by contradictory instructions. "

The woman's dark almond shaped eyes focused on the half-elf, waiting for his answer.

Leosin smiles. "You're wise to keep the pin hidden; we Harpers do have enemies." He says before turning to Saphira. "The pin signifies that you are in-fact a harper and that you have taken the oath. I understand that you have obligations to the Order, and I wouldn't ask you to compromise them, but alas I cannot promise that your orders would never conflict.

Now then, for those who wish to join please take the pin and repeat after me:

A Harper works against villainy and wickedness wherever they find it; and are ever mindful of the consequences of what they do.

All beings should walk free of fear, with the right to live their lives as they wish.

The rule of law aids peace and fosters freedom, so long as the laws are just and those who enforce them lenient and understanding.

No extreme is good. For freedom to flourish, all must be in balance.

Whatever it takes, a Harper will do. Pride never rules the deeds of a true Harper.

Freedom is a multiversal right, though Harpers can spare themselves less freedom than those they work to protect when the need presents itself.

Harpers police their own. A Harper who hears the call of personal power can no longer hear the sweet song of the harp.

A Harper who seizes power, and holds it above all else, is a traitor to the harp. Traitors must die for freedom to live."

He says holding up his right hand. And waits as those who wish to take the oath with him recite it back to him.

-----

After the oath has been taken Ontharr speaks up. "We have no hard evidence that the cult is headed to Baulder's Gate merely and educated guess. But it is the most obvious destination, given all the evidence.

It would be unlikely they went to Amn or Cormyr as all of their raids thus far have been on the southern Sword Coast and creeping northward, while staying away from major cities or fortifications, and they would be stupid to try and venture through our land of Elturgard, as they would eventually be caught, and unless they want to tangle with fey or were-beasts I imagine they would steer clear of the Wood of Sharp Teeth as well."

Leosin nods. "And while I cannot prove it, I suspect they have another fortification further north; Like Ontharr stated the raids started in the south, but major centers have been left alone, but with the raid on Greenest that is changing. There have also been raids north of Baulder's Gate, as Lady Prideflare can attest. And that bunch is unlikely to have been a part of the group that assaulted Greenest so they would have to be holding up somewhere near their raids.

And now that Greenest, the crown jewel of easy pickings in the south has been taken, I expected them to sit fat and happy until some kind of major raid against a major center between the two groups could take place. But with your information of their flight, it seems me, a harper, escaping spooked them. And with little left in the south to take, that wouldn't bring the hammer down on them, I suspect they are going to head north and join with their fellows. which as Ontharr has predicted, would cause them to pass through Baulder's Gate. And to that end I would like to set you lot to intercept them and then follow them straight to their next hideout."

Einar shakes his head a bit stepping back and letting the others take their new oaths if they so choose. "I will continue to help as I have been  but right now I do not have the desire to join your orginization at the very least. However if my companions do I will still assist them so with this current threat.

With that he waits on everyone to finish their oaths so they can return to planning their next move. He nods as they go over all the evidence before asking them to head to BAulder's Gate "Sounds Like a fair bet that we should head for Baulder's gate then, at least untill such a time as new information sprouts up."

Nodding her head after the half elf answered her, the exotic looking woman did not make a move towards the pins afterward, instead internally reciting her oaths as a palladin member of the order of the gauntlet, peppering her own oaths of vengeance throughout. The Harper promises were indeed too different from her's to have been compatible and like she had pointed out, she was glad not to have taken another master.

She then listened to the likely scenarios and nodded again. "I've never been to Balder's Gate, if it is the way those cultists go, that is where they will meet my blades... if you'll allow me to accompany you, of course." She looked at the group, holding the gaze of anyone looking at her, her intense stare designed to find weaknesses.

Hope looked at the pin and then tossed it back with a smile. "No offence, but i like doing thing my way harper. Your organisation and i are aligned, but understand that my view of law and yours are far different. I make that oath, and i'm tying my hands....I Stay how i am but ally myself with the harpers, then i can do what i must and still remain at ease not having broken your 'rules'"

She looked at Leosin with a half smile. "I'm sure your gonna keep a close eye on 'us' anyway."

When the talk again came to baldur's gate, she nodded. "Seems then that Baldur's gate is our next stop." She looked at the human warrior and nodded. "Another blade is always welcome"

Korym repeats the oath back to Leosin and then adds, with a chuckle "A bit pretentious. But the Harpers were always know to be meddlers in the affairs of others. I suppose I committed to do the same!"

Still, the elf gives Leosin a formal bow. [Language unknown: Plenc icort u ive.]

"Hope is right. You, and your blade, are welcome."

Korym adds somewhat wistfully, "I had planned on going to Baldur's Gate after I visited Candlekeep..."

Onthar slaps Saphira upon the back with a hearty laugh. "Sounds like a new adventure awaits you!"

Leosin laughs. "Well, Ontharr will set up passage on a boat in the morning; I have a contact in Baulder's Gate his name is Ackyn Selebon, he's a human, he runs an equipage business in the outer city north of the city wall, in a district called Blackgate; he sells all the materials one would need for hauling freight, so he should be a good guy to talk to about looking out for the cult when they come by, and you may have to wait, though any longer than a ten day and I would think the cult has eluded us by choosing a different course than we expect;

Also I would try and change up your appearances some, before meeting the cult again, if I were you. Don't want any of them recognizing you, though I doubt many who saw you are still alive, but better to be safe than sorry.

And one more thing." He says reaching behind him and pulling out a small chest. Upon opening it, several dozen bags of coins can be seen. "I would like each of you to take one, they contain fifty gold pieces, use them for operating expenses, rooms, food, equipment, just whatever you might need."


O.O.C. The boat will leave in the morning so the group can make any preparations they might need while in Elturel. The trip will wind up taking two uneventful days.

Also welcome to level 4.

let me know when your ready and I will get the next part set up.

Hope looks at the man and nods. "Not the first time i've had to cut and color my hair." She muttered as she took the sack. she looked at the men. "We will keave at first light and make our way as soon as possible to your friend. If we have time, i can scout the area outside baldurs gate and watch for movement."

"The only cultists I left behind are all six feet under, I would not think they have my description but fine, if you feel it's necessary." The woman went to take another sip of wine, frowning when she saw her cup was empty.

Korym looks at Hope, holding his long black hair, "Perhaps you can help me then? I've had my hair cut, of course, but never to disguise myself!"

hope looked at the elf and smiled. "You'd look good with shorter hair....if we can get some lemons, i can even lighten it a bit."

Einar reachs forward grabbing his coins with a nod. "Guess I should check out the town before we leave see if there's anything worth buying." He chuckles a bit at the comments and everyone talking about how they were gonna disguse themselves.

"I think I'm the one that has the bigget problem, I don't disguise well or lie well either. Plus I'm sure there arn't many in these area's that walk around shirtless with a rapier.