The Hunters and the Hunted . . .

We met a super nice Aasimar named Arasah and her AMAZING unicorn named Euros. Euros was wounded, but Caelen healed him, which I thought was super cool. Apparently, Euros did too cause he was more chill with him as a Fallen Aasimar than either Caelen or Arasah expected.
 
Arasah said she’s a member of The Harmonium, in a special division called the Order of the Planes. She and Euros originally left Celestia to investigate the Ethereal Cataclysm. Haruni hardly ever talked about it when I asked her: I think it brought up too many bad memories. Of course, Amal and Atar never mentioned it either. Then, Amal and Atar never really liked to talk about anything besides work and family duty (which were kind of the same thing).
 
Arasah offered to protect anyone we find in the Caverns, so we sent Gulbid and the Owlbears to hang with her. In return, she gave Caelen a radiant gold coin in exchange for us helping someone and promised more if we continued to assist other people. It’s a material that’s apparently effective against Fiends and the Undead - wonder if we can turn it into something useful? Or perhaps this would be something we could use to pay back Yalkulash?
 
Speaking with Arasah reminded me of the dragonborn that came to the Feywild before Doc and I escaped. Wish I could remember their name because they had the most interesting facts about Bahamut. Apparently they’re a Power in the form of platinum dragon who rules over not only the other metallic dragons, but of an entire layer in Celestia. Wouldn’t it be cool to go there and meet them?
 
We headed back in the caverns to do some more exploring when we came across a tunnel full of demons and bugs - GROSS! There was also this mysterious wizard who initially ran away from us, only to show up at camp when we went to take a rest. He introduced himself as Sanbalet and told us a bit about some of the creatures we’d faced. The creepy skeletons were called Babau, while the Bulezau were those those goat-like demons. I feel like someone should name their weapons that cause they’re fun names to say.
 
We also found a portal key after the buggy-demon fight, which is good for the task Clarity has to complete. It appears that permanent portals, like the one we arrived to the Iron Mountains through, require a key, while those in the Bloom, Astral, and Ethereal do not. I wonder if there’s a way to better circumnavigate using those keyless portals - I bet Doc will be able to figure out eventually. He’s so smart. :)
 
The next room we found...sucked. There were these giant apes that could control vines, and Caelen and I were caught in them for almost the whole fight. Also, these creepy Vargouille bats tried to kiss Søren and I, and one succeeded in cursing Søren. Good thing Euros was able to heal him (he’s so freaking cool). We also fought these really creepy body part monsters, but weren’t quite sure what they were.
 
An interesting thing happened after the battle was over: a spot of blood in the ground turned into fresh soil. This must be what the guilds meant by “void-touched,” but how are we going to decide which is the most? It’s beginning to sound like that will be a personal choice on our part - I wonder if the result will dictate what guild wants us?
 
The next room we found was...puzzling. There were these strange markings and what felt like riddles on the wall. Apparently, the text was a mix of Illithid and Dwarven origin, and there seemed to be some sort of sacrificial bowl as well. Clarity deduced that performing sort of ceremony would summon something, but what it would summon and how to perform it was a mystery.
 
Søren thinks the Illithid may be our allies, so we shouldn’t be worried about summoning anything, but the thought of them makes me...uneasy. I remember doing some illicit research at the Library once in college and reading that Illithid once had an empire based in the Astral Plane (which is also known as the Silvery Void). Knowing themselves was a big part of their belief in the Power, Illsensine, which I can’t begrudge, but the way they treated the places they conquered...I’d be nervous to encounter what they used to do such atrocities, or worse, the Power that supported them in their endeavours.
 
I’m still getting weird feelings here, like I’m walking over a grave, and the whispering won’t stop. I wonder if the others hear it too…
 
We decided to move on from the puzzling chamber, finding more rooms which seemed to connect to the Elemental planes. It’s fair to say that all of these rooms must be in some way connected to other planes via the Bloom, who’s vines cover almost every wall.
 
What happened next was...unexpected. We came across a flyer that appeared to be a wanted poster for Doc and I. It appears the Prince of Song does believe we have violated our contract, and the entire Gloaming Court is offering a reward for our capture and return! Once I realized that we were indeed being hunted, I knew I had to tell them the truth about what happened in Toril’s Echo. I know I disappointed a few of them, Søren in particular, and I felt so bad because I’d basically been making them not only travel with a thief, but thief who wasn’t even a real bard. :(
 
Overall, they were really nice about it, though, and suggested that if I get the opportunity, I should consider returning Haruni’s lute to my family. Maybe then, they’ll let me continue with my research...though I wouldn’t put it past Amal to request I at least pay a fine as well. I hate to think of the lute of the great Müina Elendil being used as nothing more than wall decoration for a family that refuses to talk about her, but I know Haruni would care more that her dream of a more open and welcoming Echo was fulfilled. She’d probably not want me to be running from the law to fulfill her dream either…
 
There’s a lot to consider, but first, we have to figure out where the Fey bounty hunters went...and what to do with them if we find them.