"Not dreamstuff. This dress was made from the void between stars and the blackness in which they dwell. It bestows no special abilities save to open conversation and it is remarkably comfortable," she said with a smile. "I would be happy to form some for you, should you be interested."

Shandri shook her head and smiled. "Thank you, but I'm used to much more ordinary clothes myself. I merely admire interesting and beautiful fashions on others." She turned her attention to her food, wanting to make sure she was well-fed before they discussed the specifics of the venture.

"It will take less than a day to reach sight of the forest but the snows we've had of late will slow us down once we leave the Trade Way and make for the tree line of Ardeep. The ruins of the lodge should be to its farthest south", Larias said. "Once we reach the Ardeep River, we will leave the road & use the river as our guide, following it east into the forest and we should find the ruins of the Nandar Lodge from there."

Aldred quietly eyed the dress as he dished up a generous portion and took his seat. After he had tucked away a few cold cuts he looked to Larias.

"Do you intend to be mounted? Or are we carrying anything within away by hand?" He asked, clearly wondering how much they could reasonably carry between them.

"I intend for us to find the outpost first - its entrance is somewhere on the grounds, either in the ruined lodge itself the surrounding area. We will set up camp near what's left of the lodge and search the grounds using magic", Larias answered Aldred.

"If we do find more than what we can carry, we will make arrangements by sending one of us back to Waterdeep for appropriate storage and transport."

With no more questions put forth, the group eats and with equipment packed set forth from the city, out of the South Gate and the road beyond. Cloud give was to sunny skies by mid morning and into the afternoon. After a quick stop for Highsunfeast, you all press on and by mid afternoon, the trees of Ardeep Forest can be seen in the distance.

"Once we reach the river Ardeep, we will leave the road and follow it into the wood - the ruins of the Nandar Lodge should be off the riverbank not too far away."

Following the river is slow going, as the snow by the river is deeper - shin to knee deep - and by the time they reach the wood, the sun is starting to set. It is Dusk by the time the ruins to the lodge are found. Half of the structure is exposed as one side of it has collapsed in on itself, showing the two-floored structure within. there is a wall surrounding the lodge, but it also has long since collapsed in places with only an iron gate and its frame standing. The snow is less here as the trees did not allow much accumulation within the area.

Larias casts a Light spell so that a camp can be made, using the ruins as a wind break.

"Perhaps we should begin to search in the morning? I am not sure it would be wise to search by just magical illumination but i leave the decision up to you all."

For all his uncertainty and youthful ignorance, Aldred managed to set a brisk pace on foot despite his armor and pack.

His features pale in the brisk air he wrapped up and layered down as the day warmed, adjusting himself as the sun broke through the cloud cover then cooled again beneath the snow laden boughs of the forest. He paused for a quick meal of white bread, butter, cheese and an apple before facing the shin deep snows of the deeper wood. His tall boots kept the majority of the snow out, but the prominent heel and smooth sole, ostensibly for riding, did him few favors on slick rocks or snow pack.

When the light did fail them and they slowed on the outskirts of the Lodge, Aldred sipped at his water in the shelter of the ruin and nodded as he put away the skin. "I"d say wait till morning. We've come this far, and it would be a shame to miss something in the dark." he agreed, his volume dropping to nearly a whisper as the darkness gathered about them.

He had been keeping his own counsel for most of the day and didn't break his silence now. If one didn't know better you'd think that he was pouting about the exchange that he and Larias had had the night before.

While on the road he had happily rested on Shandri's shoulder, as soon as they hit the wilderness he would fly from tree to tree just ahead of the group. Never leaving sight but also doing his best to stay out of the snow. There was one instance when he took flight and dislodged a branchful of snow that nearly dumped onto Larias's head but instead missed him by a few inches. Surely that wasn't intentional though. Surely.

Shandri had allowed Scriostus to take her shoulder without much comment; he was no doubt warmer there than on wing. She seemed somewhat impervious to the cold as she moved barefoot through the snowdrifts; perhaps that was an artifact of her monastic training, or her psychic powers.

Once she reached the camp, she turned to Larias. "I agree that we should camp now, and search tomorrow. We could all use some rest." She still hadn't mastered the art of sustaining herself without food or sleep, though she hoped to attain such mastery in the future. "I'm willing to take the first watch, if no one objects."

Star pulled up her hood as they moved out which left her features shrouded in darkness, only the stars in her eyes visible beneath the hood that was made as the same nighttime sky as the rest of her gown. The cold didn't seem to bother her, and she moved with deft steps over the snow.

"I'll join you one first watch. I have little need for sleep and prefer to stay awake under the stars. I can watch all night if you wish me too. It really is no trouble at all."

"We are in agreement", Larias says, pleased. "I will leave the decision of first watch between you - until morning."

He goes to where his small tent & bedding is and pulls out a tome, using the fire of the camp as light to read by.

The night is quiet - only the light wind blowing through the ruins of the Nandar lodge can be heard.

Shandri nodded. "I don't sleep much either," she said. "I will share the first watch with you, and the rest of us can sleep," she offered.

Scriostus stretches out on the rocks that ring the fire. As he drifts into something resembling sleep he starts to resemble a liquid more and more as his body relaxes into the contours of the rocks.
As he breathes on the fire it makes the coals glow and then burn brightly. The visual is almost that the tiny creature is breathing flames. If someone were to be playing a game of miniatures he would be ideal as a dragon using his breath weapon.

The night goes by uneventfully and as dawn arrives, Larias awakes and begins to unpack a bag of foodstuffs - sausage links, eggs packed in a box of feathered down, a loaf of bread and a bladder of milk. He sets up a metal grate over the dying fire as he begins to rekindle it.

"You might think me to have Halfling blood with all this bounty but this might be the last cooked meal we have should we find the Naturalists lost halls and explore them - then its travel rations soon after...I brought plenty and all are welcome to share."

Once the fire is going once more, he begins to bring forth an iron pan and sets it on the grate and places the links in it to cook.

Shandri smiled. "Oh, don't worry," she said. "Halflings make some of the best traveling companions, and I'm looking forward to a good meal before we delve."

Star had remained awake throughout the night, the starfields in her eyes reflecting the one that wheeled above them and hadn't moved. At all. Once the others were bedded down, she had assumed a preternatural stillness which made her almost vanish into the darkness. She tasted the air, scented the wind, and heard every noise as she watched the little dragon settle into sleep, entranced by the change in her new companion. Once he had drifted off she cast her gaze beyond the fire and watched the night march on.

With the meal concluded, Larias begins preparations to search for the lost guildhall. He gathers the group by the fire and gives each an ordinary round stone.

"I have enspelled these stones with a spell to seek out hidden passages and portals - each of you will take one and take a compass point, using the Nandar Lodge as a center. I will use my own stone to search the grounds about the lodge. It is my hope the halls are not too far away from the grounds."

Larias hands each an ordinary rounded stone no different from a stone one would find in a stream or river. He has each one stand in a strategic spot around the lodge and for them to walk forward while still keeping the lodge in sight and no further.

The little dragon swoops in and grabs a stone with both hands before flying off to the west. He wasn't going to wait in the snow for direction. Everyone else can take a compass point after him.

Shandri stepped up to take a stone, and then started heading around the southern direction.

The group moves from the ruined manor each taking a compass point and walk till they walk some distance but still have the ruins in view.

Shandril comes to an area that looks like any other patch of snow covered woodland but notices the one tree is different from the others in her vicinity - it is dead, missing bark and only holding a handful of branches with a trunk thick as an Ogre but it is only 15 feet in height.

Seeing the tree, Shandri carefully moved up to it and looked around the debarked, de-branched tree, first making sure no creature was hiding in ambush, then looking around the roots.

As Shandril approached the tree trudging through the knee-deep snow, she spotted nothing out the ordinary that would indicate ambush by someone or something. Once she was up close to the tree however something burst forth from the tree from its top, shooting straight up into the air and covering her in wood splinters & broken bark. It circled for a moment and Shandril could see its bat wings, lionlike body and a long tail with spikes at its tip.

From a distance, Scriostus could see the creature as well, circling in the air.

The creature looked down and saw Shandril and dove down toward her letting out a roar as it did so, its claws extending from its paws.

Scriostus makes his best speed toward Shandril. He may be small but he's still got a rock in his grip that might hurt the creature!

Shandri saw the manticore charging at her and promptly dove sideways. She'd be happy to mix it up with the creature, but not before she was prepared.

She came up sideways and focused her energy through a mudra, giving her fists vampiric power, to tear life away from her opponent and strengthen herself. Then she charged at the beast like it might do at her, legs launching her into a forward pounce and each fist punching at its large, leonine side. She was a warrior and knew she could probably win this if she fought effectively.

Shandril dove sideways but the Manticore was a second faster in its dive, its one claw slicing into her thigh. It was not a deep wound thanks to her reflexes but still stung. With momentum on her side, she launched herself at the beast, delivering two fists into its flank and dove away as the Manticore tried to take a bite out of her. He thigh was already on the mend after her attack, its bleeding stopped.

The Manticore turned to face her, its wings tucked and its body poised for a pounce but as it focused on her, it was totally oblivious to Scriostus approaching in the air behind it.