Zi Liang

Cullen decides to visit the Temple of Chauntea. As he nears the Temple doors, he hears fighting within and a woman cry out. Fearing a Redbrand attack, he draws his scimitar and runs to the doors. The doors to the temple are some kind of lattice framework covered with white rice paper.
Instead of the doors swinging inward, they slide open to one side. He slides the door to the side and leaps into the temple. Suddenly a wooden bo staff swings around and stops inches from his nose. He changes his focus from the end of the bo staff down its length to the opposite end where he focuses on the face of a female Shou human. Her silky black hair is tied in a pony tail.
Behind her is a wooden practice dummy for martial arts weapons training. She is not under attack from anyone. She retracts the bo staff standing it next to her and leans slightly on it while tilting her head to the side a bit and frowning at Cullen without saying anything. “Um….I thought I heard fighting.” Cullen stammers.
“You no Redbrand.” She remarks seeming to be disappointed. She turns and begins to strike the practice dummy again.
“Um yes….I mean no, I am not a Redbrand.” He says. Without looking at him she says. “What you want is out back.” She nods her head toward the rear of the temple. The doors to the temple are open and Cullen can see a garden of some sort. Curious he walks back and examines the yard. There is an overhead wooden trellis covering a spring fed pond. A small waterfall spills into the pond and large orange and white fish swim inside the pond as liliy pads float on top. Beyond the pond a stone path that leads to a large garden with rows of fresh vegetables. To the left is a wildflower garden. It is growing wild and chaotic with multiple herbs and plants. He spots a large patch of the herb he loves to smoke. When he returns from the garden the Shou woman is still training.
“You the only one here?” he asks. She stops her training and drops her head down. “Hai.” She breathes. “I was sent here by the Abbot of Goldenfields to protect Sister Gwynn and the temple from a local gang. When I arrived, the priestess had already fled. She retreated to a windmill to the south of town. So, I am here guarding the temple until she returns.” “Oh well that should be soon.” Cullen tells her. “My friends and I are clearing out the Redbrands hideout on the other side of town.” For the first time she looks directly at Cullen with a new level of interest. “What you say?”
“Yes,” he says, feeling a little more confident. “we fought several of them in the streets yesterday.” He sees her hand tighten on the bo staff. “Now we found their hideout and are tracking down their leader, Crystalstaff. Say you don’t happen know anything about a goblin shrine or a Cragmaw Castle to the north, do you?”
“What is your name?” she asks.
“Cullen. And you?”
“I am Zi Liang.” She sets her staff against the practice dummy and shakes her head to the side. “Follow me.”
Cullen follows her to a side room of the temple. It has large open windows and a breeze blows gently through the room. He sees a kettle resting on some glowing embers surrounded by rocks. There is a small teak-wood table on the floor with cushions on either side. A white porcelain tea set is on the table. Zi Liang motions for Cullen to sit. He plops down crossed legged on the pillow, she goes to the opposite side and slowly kneels down on the pillow, facing Cullen. She slowly and methodically begins a ritual of preparing the tea. Adding tea leaves, pouring water, adding spices, slowly stirring. The anticipation is making Cullen squirm on the cushions. She glances at him and he freezes. She slowly pours the hot green tea into a cup for each of them and she moves to pick the cup up. Cullen mimics her and starts to bring the cup up to his lips but stops short when he sees her bow towards him extending the cup. He returns the bow and then looks up waiting for her to take a sip first, she does and he smiles a sheepish grin and takes a sip as well.
“A druid, older than you, named Reidoth visited the temple a few weeks ago.” She says.
“I have met him before outside of Neverwinter,” Cullen says. “He kept talking about the walking dead.”
She nods, “He told me of the goblin shrine and I have shared the information with Sister Garaele. He probably knows where this Cragmaw Castle is as well. He travels all over the area. He told me he was returning to a ruined town called Thundertree.”
“This is great news!” Cullen says raising his cup in a toast. She smiles and gives him a nod as she takes another sip of tea. “Our goblin knows where this Thundertree place is.”
“I’m sorry? Your goblin?” she asks.
He waves a dismissive hand. “Sorry it’s a long story.” He stands up. “Thank you for the tea. I must return to my friends.”
“You are welcome.” She says standing and seeing him to the door. “Perhaps our paths will cross again.”