Finding Direction

We returned to Balon to meet with the Minister of Trade and a General of the Army. We explained what we had found, including the empty village and the skeletal wolves. It seems to be a consensus that we should continue to investigate who or what was behind the pirate attack.

I'd like to speak with some sages to see if there are any rumors, legends, myths about powers in the north. There is a Royal Library, which I must request access to. Merchant Families have their own libraries. There is a Royal Historian which I'll try to make an appointment with. Not a well known scholar in the area. The Minister suggests I talk to his daughter about which members of which families might be knowledgeable about histories and legends. I'll also see if there is a court bard that I could speak with who might have heard legends or songs that might contain a clue.

The Malzonda family has the most skilled wizard among the merchant families.

We get invited to the Minister's house for dinner. Thankfully, I had spent the afternoon buying new clothes. At Kua's insistence, we sent a note to Grace to let her know about the invitation. The daughter was, indeed, very knowledgeable about the various families.

--old legends--historical knowledge and resources, the Er Endil family, the brother of Lord Endil is a very accomplished scholar
--magic, history, Malzonda
--Grace asks if there are any families that would put there own goals ahead of the kingdom. The minister says that he would not consider any of the families to be so self-serving as to be traitorious, or scheming to the extent that would undermine the stability of the kingdom or condone black magic.

We put on a display of the dessert city of Kinsh for the family. The daughter had requested elven magic. Salidar decided not to summon his celestial monkey. My production of the city with Kua's narration went over very well.

1-16 We return at breakfast. The Minister secured permission for us to have access to the Royal Library. The Er Cosa family bard will meet with us this evening at the castle. The Minister handed me the letter of introduction to the Er Endil family. Salidar received a letter of introduction to the Malzonda family.

In the Library, we found…legends of evil-doers. Kua finds one tome in dessert elven dialect about Thi-Kreen wars. One of the references in the telling makes a passing reference about something that refers to "The Dark Lands"…which supposedly is an area of foreboding, perhaps to the North. We find a few other references in the manuscript to the Dark Lands. I think the manuscript was written between one and two thousand years ago.

We have decided to travel north along the eastern coast of Lake Dirkaly.