A murmur of shock and unease spread rapidly among the other patrons of the Bright Blade Brandished’s taproom, none of whom expected to see a drow within the walls of Silverymoon, as the odd quartet entered. But they settled around a small round table in a quiet corner unmolested, and, amid several pints of ale, shared the tales of what had brought each of them to that particular place at that particular time. Tarl went first. Deluging that he’d left the well-known weapon and armor smithy his family had run for centuries to seek adventure beyond the city, spending most of his time just escorting west bond merchant caravans through the Silverymoon Pass to Sundabar or along the Everlund Pass to the south heading to its namesake city, fighting off attacks by orcs and bandits who frequent both areas, but never finding the true test of his mettle that he sought. However, he neglected to mention that he’d left against his father’s will making him an outcast under dwarven law, and that he could only return home as a heralded hero… or not at all. Then Galen confessed that he’d been banished to from his family’s farmstead east of the Silverymoon after nearly burning it down when his natural arcane abilities emerged before he even came of age with little more than the cloths on his back. Finding work as a scribe at the Lady’s College until he could earn his own tuition and his name came up on its ever growing wait-list for a place amongst its hundred students, he eventually graduating to fellow status, but, being sheltered within its academic confines, had no experience using his abilities in the real world. Choosing not to reveal that the one time he did try to return home, after having learned to control and direct his innate magical gifts, he was run off by his father and brother at sword point and warned to never darken their door again. It took several pints of ales to loosen Aeron tongue enough to tell the others that his family had been slaughtered by werewolves of the People of the Black Blood, Malar worshiping lycanthropes who’d been terrorizing homesteads and hunting parties throughout the Moonwood, while he was, ironically, guiding an Ardent Legion patrol in search of their stronghold somewhere deep in the forest. Returning home just in time to avenge them, he resolved to find some greater meaning to the tragedy, and why he’d been allowed to survive it, beyond the forest. He also recanted his encounter with the stunningly beautiful moon elven thief. How he’d given her some of his elven bread rations to quell her hunger and a purse full of coins so that she wouldn’t have to rob anyone, else at least for tonight. Which drew lengthy lectures on his naivete from both Galen and Tarl, but Faeryl supported his generosity and stance that given the opportunity to survive without theft she might chose to change her larcenous ways. However, it was the drow priestess’s description of her Run, the ritual journey to a strange place in the hope of spreading Eilistraee’s teachings, and the vision of a crescent moon over a river which had brought her to Silverymoon, that captured the other’s interest most. Sparking a lively exchange about what purpose the Dark Maiden could have for directing her to a place where the authorities would’ve denied her entry had they been aware of her, and were very likely to condemn her as a spy on sight, which failed to find any definitive answer. But it was the subject of her faith’s other practices, in particular how most of their rites, including their nightly dance in supplication to their goddess, which were conducted by the light of the moon… naked… which captured the men’s attention. ******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************* Disclaimer: Some of the material presented here may be the property of Wizards of the Coast, LLC© taken from the Dungeons & Dragons® Forgotten Realms® Campaign Setting authored by Ed Greenwood & Sean Renyolds, the Dungeons & Dragons® Forgotten Realms® Campaign Accessory Silver Marches® authored by Ed Greenwood and Jason Carl and/or other sourcebooks registered to Wizards of the Coast, LLC©. This is unofficial “Fan Content” permitted under Wizards of the Coast, LLC© Fan Content Policy, it is not approved or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, LLC©.