22 Flamerule, 1371

Dear Master Zorthaster,

We have made it to the Cloven Rock to find an old enemy of Daggerdale enthroned as the tyrant ruler of this beautiful place. It is now our mission to kill Tren Noemfor.

Before I describe the Cloven Rock, please allow me to catch you up on what has happened since my last letter. As you hopefully read, we had intended to catch Vinnemar, the half-dragon dracolich and destroy him. We found him and his remaining forces attempting to use our own tactics to ambush us. They lay amongst the dead of the battle field, but Oskar's ability to sense evil revealed them. They sprang to attack and I sought to find the dracolich. He was invisible and hiding behind a pile of bodies. I recently developed the ability to cast see invisibility and I spotted him as he rose to attack. Unfortunately, I did little more than shout his position to Primula when I was caught in his paralyzing gaze. I couldn't move and my friends had to finish the battle without me.

Oskar used holy energy, not for healing, but to burn the undead dragon. Vinnemar responded with a flurry of clawing and biting attacks. Dragon kin assaulted the others. Primula's spells exploded with holy power. I floated, invisible and useless until the battle was won. Immediately after Vinnemar fell, I tried with all my might to shout a warning to Oskar to scan the dead for signs of evil. I feared that the evil essence of the dracolich might transfer to a dead dragon kin and that he would hide until we left. When the paralysis finally left me and I was able to shout to the paladin, we searched carefully, checking every reptilian body we could find. There was no sigh of the evil undead spirit of Vinnemar. I hope that he is gone for good and not merely coalescing in a hidden corpse.

Despite a careful search of the entire complex we could find little of value. The passages to the lower levels had been blocked and utterly destroyed. It appears that stone had been turned to liquid by the shadow magic of the Shades. Bodies were found half consumed by stone walls that must have flowed like shadow. I am amazed by the power that must have been used in these spells. You mentioned once that some wizards of Thay use circles of mages to combine power and feed it into spells. I wonder if shadow mages do something similar. I must remember to find out more about circle magic. Perhaps the Red Wizard imprisoned in Excelsior would be willing and able to tell me more.

Shortly after the battle ended, Kareel arrived with Kilsek and Roakshane. He turned them free and told us that we could travel through the Gap of Skulls for the next year. After that, do not return. Your welcome! I thought (but did not say.)

We went back to the drow stronghold for the night. No one seems to have disturbed the place so we suspect that the entire house has been wiped out. In the morning we recovered the weapons and armor stashed here and set them out for pick up by the caravan. It was an easy trip back to the caravan where we found the nervous troopers and a very pleased Evendur. Vestelle took our report and went to see Darvin. We learned that one trooper had tried to start a mutiny but Darvin exploded the man's stomach and left him to die. Darvin was pleased with our work and promised a bonus at the Cloven Rock. We got the caravan moving almost immediately and made it to the drow stronghold before camping for the night. Darvin and Vestelle explored the stronghold and liked what they found. They had no problem with us using space in the wagons to store our loot.

For the next several days we kept moving at a good pace. We skirted around the edge of the Shoal of Thirst when we left the Gap of Skulls. Even on its edge, the shoal was brutal. Salt crystals, lifted into the air by the constant wind, coated everything, causing raw sores everywhere flesh rubbed together. Even so, the shoal was beautiful, especially when the setting sun hit the crystals in the air and the sky turned red and shimmery. Kerith sang until his throat was raw, working hard to keep spirits from falling. Whenever he paused, morale sank and it seemed almost too much trouble to continue on.

As we turned north, and conditions began to improve, we came across a small salt mining settlement. There were dead Zhents everywhere. Xan followed tracks and pieced together a story of Bedine attackers descending on the settlement to free slaves kept in big ugly cages. Perhaps a hundred camels and fifty Bedine participated in the fight. The attack was only hours old and smoke could bee seen to the northwest where the Cloven Rock stood. We did not waste time on the dead, but hurried on towards the Cloven Rock.

As we traveled, we entered the Hills of Scent. The air was filled with the smell of jasmine and frankincense. It was cooler here than on the edge of the shoal and spirits rose despite the grisly battlefield behind us. As we approached the limestone walls of the Cloven Rock, we spied a force of Bedine who appeared to have been laying siege to the settlement. They were now in the process of lifting their siege and moving off. Above the walls we saw black cloaked griffon riders.

Instead of letting the Bedine escape, Darvin sent a message. He dismounted and in a quiet voice told his horse "Desrachen" to attack. The horse then revealed its true form. A huge red dragon appeared where the horse had been and attacked with glee. It unleashed fire and claw upon the unsuspecting Bedine, decimating the fleeing tribesmen. Primula was thinking fast and suggested that some tribesmen be left alive to tell the tale and Darvin agreed. Still speaking quietly in draconic, he commanded Desrachen to leave a few. There was a struggle of wills, but the dragon complied. During the battle, Darvin also used a endless water jug to summon a water elemental. An opposing spellcaster, someone we never saw, countered with a summoning spell that brought huge lions made of shifting sand into the battle. It was a frightening scene to witness, and undoubtedly sent a strong message to the Bedine and to the residents of the city behind the walls. Darvin had arrived.

Darvin's familiar, a winged snake took off to inform the city's commander of the arrival as the griffon riders landed nearby. The leader bowed low to Darvin and reported that the Bedine had them bottled up in the city for the past several days. No caravans have been getting through since hundreds of asabi have been attacking along the trails. When Vestelle told the man that we had come through the Gap of Skulls he was incredulous. Just then, both Desrachen and the winged snake returned. Darvin was furious when he received the familiar's report. We could not overhear what passed between them, but eventually we entered the city and got situated in an empty barracks building. Inside the walls, we found a valley that was lush and beautiful. The air was cool and scented with jasmine and spices. There were many, many trees including figs and dates and fruit trees in flower. When we were settled, we were each given a bonus of 1000 pieces of gold. Together with the salvage from the drow stronghold and elsewhere, we ended up with another 4600 on top of that. I was able to pick up some spell components, a new diamond for my necklace and had a fair bit to add to my stash for doing weapon crafting and copying spells into my books.

Earlier this evening we were summoned to accompany Darvin when he met with the city's commander. He was Tren Noemfor, villain of Daggerfalls! He received us drunk or high on drugs, in a beautiful palace-like tent, kept meticulously free of sand. Darvin was clearly furious and only got angrier when he met Tren face-to-face. The commander accused Darvin of bringing Bedine spies so that he could get through with his caravan and impress everyone with breaking the siege. Darvin denied everything but Tren had made up his mind. He ordered one of Darvin's men tortured to death with a jug of endless water. Vestelle was ready to kill Tren then and there, but Darvin restrained her. Tren stumbled off after welcoming us to "paradise." Darvin stormed out of the huge tent.

We returned to find the torture already underway. Darvin left in a rage to think about his response. Later he returned and ordered everyone else out of the room. He told us that he did not care how we did it, but he wanted Tren Noemfor dead. A glint of eagerness entered Shane's eye and Oskar nodded immediately. Vestelle came in after Darvin had left and told us that Darvin would be staying in the city when we left to finish our journey. The caravan would move on with Vestelle in command. Darvin will blame Tren's death on the Harpers after we left. She thought this would be believable and that it would raise the morale of the dispirited troopers here in the city.

We began to plan our operation when Vestelle left. I have some ideas for scrying on Tren's palace and getting us in and out. Hopefully Darvin can get us some supplies to make it possible. We'll have to see. I also hope to squeeze out a couple of rides here so that I can get some work done. Over the past few days I copied the scroll of vampiric touch to my spell book. I hope to enchant the greensteel dagger with this spell soon. I also want to get more spells into my books.

Meanwhile, I learned that in our few days of waiting for the audience with Tren, Primula had been busy. She had gotten a hold of a Bedine corpse and learned that the leader of the Bedine forces was known as Lela Suud, the Night Lion. Lela Suud is now of the Bedine but came from the lands or the tribe of the black cloaks. Evendur had heard of the Night Lion once before when his forces attacked a caravan about a year ago. I silently wished the Night Lion the favor of Tymora. We too will need her blessing if we are to leave this dessert alive.

Sincerely,

Cedar