Chapter 2

Midsummer 1368 DR, Year of the Banner

The next day, at around midday, was when Bowie and his Harper recruits, along with the wolverine, entered the lush and beautiful forest of Cormanthor.

Trees taller than the tallest stone buildings of Waterdeep, were green and full of life. With his dark green cloak covering his leather armor, Sawyer walked in front of the group. He was overcome with awe and excitement as he gazed up at the fernwoods that covered the area. He felt part of the natural energy that flowed through the forest. When his eyes looked up, he saw a tiny bird flying through the air. The bird gave the druid a fly-by message, then flew off.

"What did the bird say?" Virgo asked her lover, hooking his arm around hers. A shiver went down Sawyer's body as he felt the smoothness of her scale mail armor on his skin.

"She told me that there is an owlbear nest nearby," answered Sawyer as Erilett walked up next to him and began sniffing the area. The druid bent down and gave the wolverine a soothing scratch between the ears.

Val drew his blue hilted magical great sword Frostburn and looked at Sawyer. "How far are the owlbears?"

"Right here!" Roland cried, his breastplate armor clanking as he drew his red hilted bastard sword Flamestrike. Eight owlbears came into view, their eyes filled with hunger.

Tightening his rhino hide armor, Val charged the first owlbear, swinging his great sword at the beast's neck. The magical great sword ripped though the owlbear's feathers, then the power of the Val's blade turned the owlbear's body into ice. Val swung Frostburn once more, shattering the owlbear's body upon impact.

Two more owlbears lunged at Val, but the young man stepped out of the way of his attackers. Behind him, Sawyer channeled the energy of nature and released his Thorn Spray spell. Many sharp thorns shot from the druid's arm and flew into the two owlbears.

From behind Sawyer, Roland and Virgo ran forward, towards the group of five remaining owlbears. Roland slashed Flamestrike across one owlbear's belly. The owlbear let out a loud scream as it felt a burning pain where the flaming bastard sword had cut. Next to Roland, Virgo stabbed her Berserker Blade bastard sword through one owlbear's leg. The owlbear stumbled for a moment, but let out a cry as it felt two sharp claws dig into it's wounded leg. When she saw Erilett run from under the owlbear's legs, Virgo finished the owlbear with a hard cut through the shoulders.

In the back of the group, Bowie Butterball began to sing a soft Harper ballad. The power of the bard's song inspired some more energy for his Harper recruits.

Filled with the power of the song, Val and Roland let out a furious war cry and swung their weapons, cutting down two more owlbears. Val was about to go for the final owlbear, but the wolverine moved past him and jumped in the air, ripping out the owlbear's throat with her sharp claws.

"Well that was fun," commented Roland as he sheathed Flamestrike.

"I agree," added Val in a cheerful tone. "If that what its going to be like in Myth Drannor, then we'll be just fine."

Sawyer bent down low and gave Erilett a small treat for her job well done. Val and Roland walked by and gave the wolverine a well deserved pat on the back. Virgo, who had been standing next to the druid, turned to see Bowie looking up at a tree.

The bard let out a sigh as he traced a small finger over an oddly shaped run on the tree's surface.

"Is everything all right?" Virgo asked.

Bowie turned to the young woman and nodded. "Yes Virgo, everything is just fine."

The bard and his Harper recruits decided to camp at dusk, under the cover of some tall trees. Sawyer had decided to cook supper this evening, while Roland and Val prepared the tents, one for Bowie and one for themselves. Sawyer and Virgo decided that they would sleep outside.

After a few helpings of the druid's delicious stew, Val and Roland began to look around the base of a large oak tree. "What are you two doing?" Virgo asked her brother as she stroked the sleeping wolverine's fur

"We're looking for Harper runes," Roland answered with a smile.

"Bowie told us a while ago that there some Harper sigils in the Cormanthor's forest," Val added with a smile.

Virgo turned to Bowie, who was plucking the strings of his harp. "Is that what you were looking at earlier?"

Bowie nodded. "Yes, there was a rune on the tree, that said a Harper was killed there."

"What do you think killed the Harper?" the druid asked after he finished cleaning the pot he cooked the stew in.

The halfling shrugged. "It could be a number of things. Drow, those owlbears, or maybe even Zhentarim. Or it could be that the person left it there to think he, or she was dead. Harper runes are usually hidden rather well, so when I looked at it, I found it quite odd that it was out in the open."

"We found one!" Roland and Val shouted as they brought over a rock with a shape drawn on it. Bowie took one look at it and shook his head.

"What's wrong?" asked Val. "Is it a Harper rune, or not?"

"It is," answered Bowie," This one says that the water is not safe to drink."

Val and Roland blew a sigh of relief. "Good think we decided not to drink from that small lake," Roland commented.

Bowie smiled, then gazed up at the sky, watching Selune's beautiful moon, hovering in the night's sky. "It's getting late gentlemen," Bowie said as his eyes returned to the earth. "You should get some sleep."

"What if something attacks us?" Roland asked. "We don't want to be caught off guard."

The halfling shook his head. "This part of the forest is well protected. We also have the Witch of Shadowdale, who said that she will keep watch."

Val stretched his arms. "I probably couldn't go to sleep, even if I wanted to. Soon, we'll be in Myth Drannor, battling evil forces." His voice was cut off, when he heard the soothing sound of Bowie's singing. He then fell asleep on the forest ground. Roland had also put up little resistance, as he too fell asleep after a few seconds of listening to the bard's song of slumber.

After the two young men were asleep, Virgo and Sawyer carried them to their tent, then they walked over to their own bedrolls where Erilett was sleeping, unrolled them, and fell asleep.

"You best be getting some sleep yourself," Sylune's voice echoed through Bowie's mind. The halfling nodded as he stood up and walked inside of his tent.

From the inside of his tent, Bowie could hear the snoring coming from the other tent. The halfling let out a laugh and closed his eyes, letting himself being taken by the sweet seductress known as slumber.