Prologue: The Barony of Harkenwold

I'll let you know when you rejoin the party. You are little ahead in the timeline right now.

Eni says Durandal should make short work of the tooth but she isn't sure about the Eye or that destroying it would be a good thing. It might put a bigger target on the party than they have already or have other, unforeseen consequences. As for hiding it, it's unlikely they'd be able to do so given the goddess' connection to the item, at least not for long. It would want to be found and could cause no end of trouble for Kat and her friends. That said, they do have options.

1a. Eni could hang onto the Eye, sealing it away with the other treasures she guards. It wouldn't be hidden per se, but she's not defenseless either. However, this would secure neither of them an advantage and would make Eni's job of guarding the other treasures that much harder.

1b. They could try to deal with it themselves. Maybe hide it on another plane to make it hard to find? Limbo in the Elemental Chaos maybe? Or perhaps one of the dead god's domains in the Astral Sea? Eni would have to hire agents to look and in the meantime the party would have to hang on to the Eye. Even after the deed is done, Eni and the party would have very little control over the Eye's fate at that point.

1c. Eni could banish the Eye back to the Nine Hells and to the goddess, returning it. That would be the fastest way to be done with it. However, they'd have no promise from Tiamat that she wouldn't try to extract some kind of revenge and she isn't known for forgetting, forgiveness, or mercy.

1d. Eni could contact agents of the dark god and work out some kind of meeting where the party could negotiate a deal: no revenge and some kind of payment in exchange for returning the Eye.

2. Eni could reach out to the church of Bahamut, the god of honor and good dragons. He and Tiamat are famous enemies and she bets they would be rewarded by the Platinum Dragon for doing so. However, if they decide not to go with Bahamut after he finds out about their possession of the Eye, they could find themselves the enemies of two gods, instead of just one.

3. Eni could present the Eye to the Court of Stars, the ruling body of the Feywild, and let the Summer Queen Tiandra have it. It would win them both favor and renown, but could have unforeseen consequences, for once it's out of their possession they would have no say in what might happen to it or who Tiandra might give it to.

Note: These are just ideas Eni came up with. You might get a few more discussing it with Kat's NPC friends.

Kat puts a note on her friend's suggestions and thanks her for her help. They will definitely need to talk more about it later.

Eni says Durandal should make short work of the tooth but she isn't sure about the Eye or that destroying it would be a good thing. It might put a bigger target on the party than they have already or have other, unforeseen consequences. As for hiding it, it's unlikely they'd be able to do so given the goddess' connection to the item, at least not for long. It would want to be found and could cause no end of trouble for Kat and her friends. That said, they do have options.

1a. Eni could hang onto the Eye, sealing it away with the other treasures she guards. It wouldn't be hidden per se, but she's not defenseless either. However, this would secure neither of them an advantage and would make Eni's job of guarding the other treasures that much harder.

1b. They could try to deal with it themselves. Maybe hide it on another plane to make it hard to find? Limbo in the Elemental Chaos maybe? Or perhaps one of the dead god's domains in the Astral Sea? Eni would have to hire agents to look and in the meantime the party would have to hang on to the Eye. Even after the deed is done, Eni and the party would have very little control over the Eye's fate at that point.

1c. Eni could banish the Eye back to the Nine Hells and to the goddess, returning it. That would be the fastest way to be done with it. However, they'd have no promise from Tiamat that she wouldn't try to extract some kind of revenge and she isn't known for forgetting, forgiveness, or mercy.

1d. Eni could contact agents of the dark god and work out some kind of meeting where the party could negotiate a deal: no revenge and some kind of payment in exchange for returning the Eye.

2. Eni could reach out to the church of Bahamut, the god of honor and good dragons. He and Tiamat are famous enemies and she bets they would be rewarded by the Platinum Dragon for doing so. However, if they decide not to go with Bahamut after he finds out about their possession of the Eye, they could find themselves the enemies of two gods, instead of just one.

3. Eni could present the Eye to the Court of Stars, the ruling body of the Feywild, and let the Summer Queen Tiandra have it. It would win them both favor and renown, but could have unforeseen consequences, for once it's out of their possession they would have no say in what might happen to it or who Tiandra might give it to.

Note: These are just ideas Eni came up with. You might get a few more discussing it with your NPC friends.

When the group splits up after their private group meeting, Hunter tries to find Ludmilla at a brisk pace, heading to the barracks first. He finds her at her desk reading a report, facing away from him, with her cane resting against the desk. As he comes around to face her, he notices too late that she isn't looking cheerful as she's reading.

"Hey Ludmilla, how are you doing?"

She sets down the piece of paper and looks up at him. "I be better than these folk. A farm was raided by goblins. We be preparing a report for Stockmer." She looks over to Leo, who is in the southeast corner of the room quietly practicing his presentation.

"Right. 'Course they can't be asked to go a single day without a good raid." Hunter's face scrunches a little before he continues. "Kat's got a personal stake in it, so we'll want to be of assistance for as long as we can help you out."

Her eyes scrunch up and she says, "No stake of your own? We mean so little to you?"

"What? No, I mean, that was close to her home...I have people I care about here too!" He realizes he's working himself up and settles down. "I'm sorry. I misspoke."

"And I be worked up over the actual enemy. I know you care." She sighs and sits back in her chair. She looks tired. "What brings you down here to visit an old woman?"

"Uh, well, before that, I really do wanna know, how are you?"
She frowns. "Retired from active duty. I've been 'promoted' to desk duty. Old Ludmilla never be walking the same again."

Hunter looks down at his navel. "Seriously? Damn. What kind of messed up curse prevents a leg from healing right?"

"Nothing like that. Healing magic is a miracle, but even miracles have limits and that limit is our body. I be too old."

He looks up. "I wish I could undo my mistakes, so that you could still be active."

“The only one to blame is that Lamia. She hoodwinked us all and I'll help kill her one day, even if I can't do it myself now. But enough about her, what else can I do for you?"

"Right." He snaps out of it. "I thought you might know this: erm, is there anywhere nearby where I can find Lakal's Tears?"

Her eyebrows raise in surprise. "And what you be needing that for? Or should I be saying for whom you be needing that for?" She winks and smiles to show she is teasing.

Hunter replies, "Kathryn Amblecrown." He pauses for her reaction, and she cackles. "And if you spread it around, I'll pay off John to saw your cane in half."

She cackles again and says, "No need for that, my lips be sealed. When I first arrived in the Vale it was through a portal in the Briar Hills, out near Easthill. There be plenty there. But you'll have to swear an oath of secrecy if you be wanting the location. Portals to the Shadowfell are highly prized by certain folks and this one be known only to the Vistani."

Hunter thinks for a second. "Is it true that the flowers really are magical?"

"They be popular with alchemists and wizards as a reagent for rituals. They can stand in for other, rarer ingredients. But they have a magic of a different sort that isn't unique to them but still special all the same. Many a relationship has been cemented by their gift, and I be talking from experience. Tis a fine gift you seek."

But they won't help people who are just too old, he thinks. "It sure is. It's the only one of its color in the Vale." It's true. In fact, it's common knowledge.

"Then don't let me keep you from it. Now about that oath..."

"Yeah." Hunter corrects his posture. "I know this means a big deal to you folks. Go ahead."

"Nothing so formal. Just promise not to tell anyone and we'll be good. But don't take this promise lightly. It would mean the death of us both."

Hunter pulls another face. The Wild Hunt (most likely) in Kathryn's case for her oath, replaced with straight-up keeling over dead should he break this one. A promise is a promise. This oath stuff sucks. However, he really wants that flower, and soon. "Well, alright. I do want to know. And I really will mean it." He clears his throat. "So, I promise not to tell anyone about the portal, or how to find it."

After Hunter makes his promise, he feels a chill run up his spine, like someone walked over his grave. He shivers mostly from his emotional displeasure, but it soon passes.

Ludmilla says, "Good, good. Let me show you on this map where you need to go."

She opens up the long drawer on the desk, which contains scroll cases of various size. She pulls out one of the larger ones and pops the lid before pulling out a rolled up piece of vellum paper. She carefully opens it and sets it on her desk, weighting down the corners with wooden blocks she pulls out of another drawer.

"You must memorize it. We'll go over it until you do."

"Oh..." He didn't expect that. From thereafter, he focuses diligently on memorizing what the old ex-Vistani shows him.

That's a mile away from Kat's parent's steading. She knows those halflings, they were her neighbors all during her childhood.