Guru JaaDooGar

Azurite Temple- being bitten recently by a creature and having some weird dreams came to me asking for my help in researching her condition. I searched through my meagar library but was unable to come up with much of an answer; so we went to the grand library in Cynic's rot; where I hold a platinum membership for having been the head librarian there before my shift into adventuring.
 
Some simple research, combing through the 20ft tall rolodex that houses their card catalogue, we discover some infromation from a author named Jaadoogar, and he describes and illustrates in depth- 12 different lycanthropic forms and their transformations. (And a self-help book) None matching the description, we check out the history of who brought in the scattered papers that comprise Jaadoogar's works. We are informed it was brought in by that wacky "Rainbow Wizard" Tim back in Talen'Lith.
 
We return home and find Tim selling bagels. Discussing with him Jaadoogar and his work, he speaks of their duel at a game of chance on a floating gambling barge. Tim suggests that he could help us locate the man using scrying, and attempts to get Norman to agree to reveal a location and description of the "Lunar Temple", a location that Jaadoogar gave up his life's work in the form of those documents to protect from being taken on the gambling table. Tim scrys the man, and finds him in a jail, across the continent- the Illithid controlled city of Crowharf.
 
Discussing the route, it would take us through the blighted lands of the Hallow Tears, a treacherous path that would have few if any opportunities to hunt or forage. Azurite's transformations would turn her into a bloodthirsty killer on the full moon, and we couldn't have that happen in a ship or city. We take some items from Spell Check, including Murk's bag of holding and fill it with rations, relying on my Decanter of Endless Water to quench our thirst. We also invited along young Moro Goldworthy, charge of Spell Check as he is a formidable fighter. Tim supplies us with a strange candy that when eaten, creates a rubbery sphere around us and would protect us until morning while Azurite raged with the moon at full.
 
A few weeks into our journey, even before we reached the Hallow Tears, we came across a trader, whom was sobbing and washing blood out of his home. The man informed us that his family was dead or missing upon his return, that his son and brother in law that were misshapen were killed and his wife and daughters whom were in better physical condition were missing. We hear a second sobbing and not trusting the man, we evacuate him before investigating. It was one of the daughters, who was hidden under the stairs. She told us who had done this, a man with long black hair who had an axe that cast an odd shadow; that of a skeletal hand. Azurite recalled seeing a similar axe in the Hidden shrine in Tamoachan, and connected that also with the vampires from the Potato Abbey. This Tloques Popolocas as we later found out seems to be recruiting vampires as an army. I attempt to calm their nerves and we can't do much to help, so continue on. In hindsight I wish I had given them some money at least.
 
We eventually make it to the Cloudripper mountains, and find at the top a horrifying sight. Where we approached from is green and verdant, beautiful lively colors in a deep summer palate, on where we were going- barren. Nothingness. Just a dusty path through blighted lands. What trees we did see were desiccated husks, and what animals we came across were bony or emaciated. Moro managed to catch one at one point and was disgusted to find yellowy flesh where a healthy pink should be. It is hard going, but we double our speed by alternating rests on my carpet. Weeks into the trip we come across a short house, dug into the side of a hill, and see smoke emitting from a chimney.
 
We approach the house and cautiously knock, perhaps the resident has found a way to survive out here and would be willing share their experiences? Opening the door was a orange Tabaxi, with striking Sapphire eyes, whom Azurite identified as Feinted Stone, a lover she left in her homeland. He invited her in and dropped a dagger, which I promptly pick up and hand back to him. Though it was a ruse! he slammed the door in mine and Moro's faces and attempted to kill Azurite before Moro busted through the door and we took him down. Upon his face hitting the floor, he reverted to his true form; a doppleganger. Dopplegangers can read minds you know, and this one preys on those who are worn and weary from travel through here, eager to accept any slight hope, no matter how obvious a trap.
 
Though hope was in short supply and did not deter us when another week had passed and crossed through a burnt village, but mysteriously one home was standing and active- we could smell great food and hear laughter. As we approached the laughter and the silhouettes disappeared. Entering the house we found a grand hall full of food, to which moro gladly partook of, and fled upstairs, of all places, in a place that shouldn't have even had a room the size of the great hall, let alone a second floor.
 
As Azurite attempted to deter Moro from eating the suspicious food, I attempted to determine the nature of the house. The whole placed reeked of magic, and the more I looked the more evidence there was that the house may be haunted and these items manifested from the Ethereal plane directly, in a similar manner of a ghost. I attempt to parlay with the house, and come to realize that it means us no harm, I was allowed to leave without incident, we were provided food and shelter, and it seemed both intriguing and convenient enough to stay a while. Over the next few days I attempt to learn more about the house, and eventually its figurative walls seem to come out (haha). It seems to want for nothing but to serve those who pass through, providing comfort and ease to the weary. I ask its name, and it replies "The Littlest Cottage", which I promptly shorten to and anthropomorphize it more with the nickname "LC" or "Elsie".
 
I spend another day or so attempting to find a source of "Elsie" and better understand what made her, but our goal was more pressing. We wave a fond farewell to Elsie and continue our journey. Azurite informs while Moro rests that on the final night she had a dream, where she saw a panther who had many objects arranged around a table with scales. She placed some items on the scale and the world cracked around her, as they did not balance. Eventually she places a baby's rattle and a sickle on either side of the scale and they balance, resulting in acceptance by the panther and a sense of balance within herself. In hindsight, this appears to have been a test of her spirit, to find what balance she will keep in the world.
 
More grueling travel and we eventually reach the city of Crowharf, a strange city with people so happy and productive that it seems utopian. We gather rations for our return trip early, in case we needed to make a hasty exit from the city. Locals inform us of the jail location and we head over there under the guise of investigating another crime for Jaadoogar from another city we arrange for a meeting. He explains more about the city and that the people of the city are interchangeable, literally swapping personality and memory with each other as a means of control and reduction of inssurection among the populace for the Illithid masters. He also tells us of the Lunar temple, a place where we can go and allow Azurite to fully control her lycanthropic abilities. So we handily just remove him from the situation with a few well placed illusions between myself and Azurite, and abscond the city with great haste. (not the spell).
 
(continued in The Lunar Temple)