The party meets (session 1&2 or 14&15)

Dear Nori,
It has been a long time since we spoke.
I miss you.
In my last letter I told you I would go to Baldurs Gate, hoping to find some answers. I hoped some of my friends in Scornubel would come with me, but they didn't think it was worth the while. They probably didn't expect me to actually go. Kinda like the hellriders.
When I arrived at Baldurs Gate I found out how bad everything is. There are so many refugees. Most of them are unable to get into the city. I did get in, but somehow it isn't better inside the walls. People were (or are? I am not sure)
disappearing. An entire city block is walled in. Apparently there is a giant killing spree.
Anyway, I heard there was something going on in the Poisoned Poseidon (which is a giant ship on top of a building). At first glance it was a butchery, but when I looked deeper into it I got taken and tortured. After A long time (I don't know how long but it must have been multiple days, maybe weeks) I got rescued by a hellrider. Her name was Rhea. I liked her, she's though. Although not though enough since she died while we tried to get out.
After that dumpster fire. I tried to join the Flaming fists. They are mercenaries, but also run the place. But they aren't looking for new members. Kinda weird, since they don't have enough people to deal with everything. They were able to give me a bit of work though. Had mostly to do with the walled in block (beating cultists, rescuing non-cultists) and the refugees (bringing food and water and keep them out of the city). I kept asking about Elthurel, and if they are investigating. I think they were too busy sorting out their own shit to actually look into it. That is, until a few days ago, when they managed to arrest Vanthampur (who was ruling the city before the flaming fists, but did such a bad job that they had to arrest her) and her son. They had enough evidence to hang the son, the mother is still locked up.
Anyway after that happened I got summoned by Liara Portyr, current ruler of the flaming fists and Baldurs gate. I wasn't the only one who was summoned. There were 3 other people, 2 of which hellriders. You have Fenrir, who looks quite young. I think he was sworn in last year or the year before. He got rescued from Vanthampurs basement, so Vanthampur must have something to do with Eltharel, right?
The other hellrider is called Ron. He is A magic user like you. And a dwarf, so I think he has been a hellrider for a long time. You probably know him. I should ask him sometime.
The last person I met there is Bertha, a cat person from Candlekeep. She is kinda bookish, and doesn't seem to like violence that much. I think you would like her.
So we got summoned because Portyr found a puzzle at Vanthampurs place. People disappear when they fail to solve it. She wants us to bring it to an expert, Silvera Sevikos, in Candlekeep (I wonder if she's an expert puzzle solver or an expert of magical items).
In that room was a shield hanging on the wall. Which is nothing new, but the fact that it talks in my head is. Considering what you've told me about talking and cursed items I ignored it (which it didn't like) and asked about it. Portyr said items don't talk and people who think so are locked up (she clearly isn't a magic user). I said the shield feels magical and she decided we should bring it to Silvera as well. I'm not touching it, but that doesn't matter since Fenrir wants to carry it. I think he likes talking items since he also has a bag that talks, which I mind a lot less since it also spits out money.
Anyway, we bought some supplies, had dinner, drinks and a barfight with a couple of goblins (nothing too bad) and left the next day at dawn.
When we rode away (we also bought horses) a 5th person joined us. Leo was supposed to be at the meeting with Portyr, but the teleportation circle misfired and landed him on the wrong side of the river (he's quite lucky he didn't land in the river if you ask me). Leo is an elvish druid, who likes fire a lot. I haven't met a druid like that before, but he knows many. I hope one day I can meet them as well.
On the coast way we met a family who were leaving Baldurs gate as well. Their cart was stuck in the mud, and I put it back on the road (yes, I had to show my strength to my new companions. It's the best way to impress them. And it was actually helpful). They were heading to Amn, and asked to travel together (strength in numbers). We agreed, which was a shame since it turned out they were fiends trying to steal the shield while we were asleep. Luckily Leo was keeping watch and saw them. We kicked their asses and still hold the shield.
Aside from that very little happened on the road.
You will be surprised to hear I bought a book. Apparently you can't enter Candlekeep without it. I don't like Candlekeep at all. They have a lot of rules but simply said you are not allowed to have any fun. Once we agreed we wouldn't break the rules we got an escort (not the fun kind of escort). I don't understand why Bertha can't be our escort since she's from Candlekeep as well.
We checked in at the inn and met an intelligent ogre named Little One. He was quite an interesting guy, although once again, not a lot of fun. Just before I actually bored myself to death we got summoned by an Imp. Fenrir had asked for Silvera, but we couldn't go to her right away. I'm glad he did manage to pull us through.
That's what happened to us so far. I hope you're safe. Ron says he saw what happened to Elthurel. That you got transported to hell. I hope he was mistaken, although I guess it's better than the whole city getting burned down by copper dragons.
Oh, the shield also said another thing. After almost being stolen it told us the story of the hellriders. The one mom and dad always told us before we went to sleep, with 2 exceptions. It said it was the shield of the angel. Which doesn't seem impossible. And it said that the hellriders and the angel lost the battle. Idiot shield. Everyone knows we won.
I hope you had a laugh about it.
I can't wait to hear from you again. Hopefully not from hell.
Stay safe, stay strong. May the companions light shine over you.
Your Sister,
Caja