Chapter 4: Old Owl Well

Nimbrethil was walking a little ways ahead of the others listening and watching for any signs of danger. They had just left Skymirror and what they had learned from Naevan was disturbing. Even more disturbing was the shadow priest that had appeared there, for she understood somewhat how druids hid their sacred places from unwanted visitors. The fact they had been there spoke of trouble in the land and this made her edgy. Despite the fact that Brelaina had assigned them yet another task to complete, she was happy to be out of the city and wasn't in any hurry to get to Old Owl Well. Hearing raised voices she looked over her shoulder and saw that Neeshka and Khelgar were going at it again. How they managed to keep the bantering going was hard for her to understand, but it was amusing at times. Looking forward again, she rounded a curve in the path and stopped short at the sight of a small campsite with a lone figure dancing and singing in front of some bushes.

"Whitethistle, Whitethistle all in a row. In Neverwinter Woods they all grow." She saw the gnome stop and turn as he realized they were there. "Oh well met. Thought you might be a Wendersnaven at first, but I can see you so I guess that discounts that."

"Uh, a what?" Nimbrethil looked at the little guy trying to figure out if he was as crazy as he sounded.

"Wendersnaven. Doesn't roll off the tongue too easily, so best not to say it out loud if you're not sure. Wouldn't want to offend them," the gnome lowered his voice and looked around carefully. "Oh, but I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Grobnar Gnomehands, writer, poet, and cataloguer of flora and fauna, and of all things wild and all things mechanical."

"Hold a moment...you're a bard?" Nimbrethil asked. The little guy clapped his hands and began talking about grass and roots, and when it seemed he was going to be talking for a while she sat down to listen. Sometime later she woke with a start to see that evening had fallen and the little gnome was still talking.

"Excuse me, but we're actually on our way to Old Owl Well. Is it in this direction?" Nimbrethil saw a look of puzzlement cross Grobnar's face.

"Well...no, not really, and by that I mean yes.. yes," the gnome answered. "I really didn't have my mind on traveling but now that you mention it I can show you how to get there, it's not far really."

"Okay, if you want to come with us that's fine," Nimbrethil said and the gnome began to dance around in excitement and clap his hands happily. As she waited for him to gather up his things she looked up to the sky waiting. The others looked up too and then gasped when a large bird suddenly flew over their heads and landed on her arm.

" 'Quel undome (Good evening) Thorondor," she greeted her companion and then listened as he told her what he had found out about the surrounding lands.

"Hey! That's a falcon, magnificent creatures they are. Is he yours?" Grobnar came bouncing over and then hesitated when the bird fluttered its wings and screeched.

"This is my companion Thorondor," Nimbrethil introduced them. "He says that the lands around here appear to be quiet and that the Well is about five miles northeast of here."

"I have never heard of such an animal becoming a companion, how did he become yours?" Elanee asked as she came over to look at him.

"It is a rather long tale, maybe someday when we have a little more time I'll tell you, but right now we should get moving," Nimbrethil turned and headed off with Grobnar by her side, Thorondor quite content to sit on her arm for a while. The others just looked at each other and then followed.

******

As Nimbrethil entered the camp she saw several men scattered about working on unfinished walls or drilling. Thorondor had left to go do some hunting as she wouldn't be needing him for a while. She saw several of the men giving her strange looks but merely asked them where she could find the person in charge. Heading in the direction they pointed she saw a dwarf yelling at a man about not getting the walls done quickly enough and figured he was who she was looking for. When she reached him she stood quietly waiting for him to finish.

"And who might you be?" the dwarf turned and glared up at her.

"I'm looking for the one in charge here," Nimbrethil replied seeing that he was looking at her suspiciously and wondering if he was like Khelgar in his mistrust of elves.

"I'm Callum, that's Commander Callum to you. Lord Nasher has charged me with fortifying this place against the orcs. So who are you and what business do you have here?" he questioned, still suspicious.

"I'm here to escort the Waterdeep Emissary to Neverwinter," she answered.

"Issani? He hasn't arrived yet, should have been here a tenday ago, I've sent my best tracker to look for him." The dwarf seemed to suddenly recall something. "Wait, you're with the City Watch. I received word that you would be paying a visit and I hope to have better news for you."

Nimbrethil saw how he relaxed completely when he realized who she was and that made her relax aittle since he obviously didn't have a prejudice against elves just strangers in general. "How did anyone know he would be coming this way?"

"That's a question I can't answer, at least not until my scout returns," Callum eyed the young wood elf before him. It seemed strange to him that her kind would be working for the Watch as they usually avoided cities when at all possible. There obviously was more to the story and maybe someday he would learn it.

"Perhaps it would be best if I go looking for him myself," Nimbrethil knew she was probably a better tracker than anyone Callum had.

"You may have to if my scout comes up with nothing, but until then you'll stay here and I will expect you to help out with the defense of this camp." Callum saw how she appeared to bristle at his orders and guessed, rightly so, that she wasn't with the Watch because she wanted to be. "You've brought your own gear so just pick a spot and stay alert. The orcs are fond of launching raids against us."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the alarm bell in the camp started to ring and she saw a large group of orcs coming into the camp. In seconds her bow was out and she was firing rapidly, taking down three orcs before the others had even reached them. She saw one coming up behind Callum and before the orc could strike she took him out with an arrow in his throat cutting the artery there. The group of orcs wasn't that big and soon the battle was over.

Callum looked down at the orc behind him and saw the single arrow in its throat. The skill required to make that shot was well beyond anything his greycloaks were capable of and he was impressed to say the least. He watched as the little elf started going through the bodies retrieving her arrows while the tiefling and gnome with them started looting the remains. Apparently this odd little group were adventurers and he had to wonder where their loyalties lay and if could they be trusted.

"Commander! Scout returning!" Callum looked up to see Willem jogging into camp. "Willem, what have you to report?" he asked as soon as the man reached him.

"I came across the emissary's escort killed to the last man by orcs sir. There was no sign of the emissary himself and the orc's tracks appeared to go up into the mountains." The scout finished his report and Callum dismissed him then looked at Nimbrethil.

"Sounds like you have a new assignment then. You must find the emissary and return him safely here if you can. I don't know why the orcs would capture him but I do know that whatever they have planned can't be good." Callum saw the elf nod in acceptance and felt a little better at that.

"Do you have any idea where I might start looking for him?" Nimbrethil asked as she finished cleaning the last arrow and put it in her quiver.

"I'd start with Yaisog Bonegnasher, although his clan isn't the biggest or strongest. I don't believe he would be behind this but he would most likely know where the emissary can be found."

"If the Bonegnashers aren't the biggest then who would be capable of doing something like this?" she asked.

"Logram Eyegouger's tribe is the strongest. He's the one who has gathered all the orc tribes under his banner and he's the one who orders these attacks." Callum couldn't keep the frustration from his voice. "If we could get lucky and put an arrow through him then it would break the hold the tribes have on the lands around the Well."

"If you can tell us where the Bonegnashers are we'll be on our way. If we run across Logram we'll deal with him," Nimbrethil said coolly.

"Hmph, well there is another person attacking the orcs that we've been trying to contact. From what scouts have reported he seems to be hitting Logram pretty hard. However, since we haven't had any luck reaching him then we probably won't have any luck finding Logram either." Callum had to admire the confidence the elf showed at facing the orcs, but seeing her shoot he knew that she was right to be confident. "Simmy here in camp can provide you with any supplies you might need. If you do happen to meet that madman attacking the orcs, let him know I wish to speak with him. As for me it's back to work keeping these greycloaks on their toes."

Nimbrethil nodded at him and then headed over to Simmy to see what she had in the way of supplies. She definately needed to stock up on arrows for herself and Grobnar, especially acid or fire arrows. Khlegar knew these mountains and had warned that they would most likely run across trolls up there and she wanted to be fully prepared to fight them. She knew that Callum didn't completely trust her or her companions but it didn't bother her too much. She had a job to do and she would finish it for that was the way her father raised her. She knew however that this would be one of the toughest tasks set before her and Brelaina better appreciate it. The mountains around here were crawling with orcs and the battles would be tough. When they finally had all their supplies they left the Well and began the long trek into the mountains.