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.Thankfully Estah bustled into the kitchen then, dispelling the awkwardness.It was early evening when Tyveris arrived at the inn after spending the day in the library of Everard Abbey.The lore-master had been searching for references to the bard Talek Talembar and his battle with the Shadowking.If Ravendas truly was searching for this "Nightstone" the mage had spoken of, then Talembar's shadow song might represent their only chance to stand against it.Estah, Jolle, Ferret, Mari, and Caledan followed Tyveris into the private dining chamber, and the companions gathered around a table."I'm afraid there isn't much," Tyveris said as he pulled out a pair of books from his leather satchel.Caledan looked at the tomes curiously.The first had the title Talfirian Eddas emblazoned in gilt across its spine.Tyveris opened the book."The eddas have been translated," Tyveris explained."Unfortunately, none of them concern this Talek Talembar directly.However, one of the eddas is intriguing.""How so?" Estah asked.Tyveris flipped through the pages."Here it is.Whoever penned this saga tries to convince the reader of the greatness of his hero by comparing him to heroes of the past.The skald lists about a hundred names out of legend.I don't recognize most of them.But one of the heroes he mentions is Talek Talembar."Tyveris pointed out the passage, reading aloud."'.and as brave as Talek Talembar, who in the Year of the Lion, in the reckoning of Cormyr, lamentably did fall to a craven goblin's arrow in the Duchy of Indoria.'"Caledan frowned."That's it?""I'm afraid so," Tyveris replied, shutting the book.Ferret scratched his stubbly chin."I've never heard of this 'Indoria.'""You're not the only one," Tyveris said with a rumbling laugh."I spent hours going over every map in the abbey's library, and I couldn't find any trace of it.Until I looked in this book." He held up the second book."It's a history of Calimshan.""You mean Indoria is somewhere in Calimshan?" Caledan asked.He had journeyed to that arid southern kingdom on a few occasions and didn't much care for it.Tyveris shook his head."No, but it is in a history of one of the ancient noble houses of Calimshan that Indoria is mentioned."Briefly the monk sketched what he had learned.Five or six centuries ago, the land to the west of Iriaebor, between the Winding Water and the River Chionthar, was a favorite battleground for kingdoms seeking control of the western lands of Faerun.Over the centuries, army after army clashed there in titanic battles.Many of those armies came from Calimshan, for this was before the founding of Calimshan's northern neighbor, Amn."I found a passage in the journal of a Calimshite lord who led an army across the River Chionthar," Tyveris explained, "where the lord notes in passing that they camped one evening in a place called Indoria.Bless the man, he even drew a map of his journey.""Then we know where Talembar must be buried," Caledan said, his eyes glimmering.Tyveris nodded."At least the general vicinity.There's a village called Asher where Indoria used to be.Only nowadays the land between the Winding Water and the Chionthar is called the Fields of the Dead.Hardly a patch of earth can be plowed there or a well dug without turning up ancient bones or rusted armor.Reminders of the long-ago battles are everywhere."Ferret gazed at the book speculatively."What does it gain us to dig up old Talembar?""Maybe Talembar's shadow song was buried with him," Caledan replied."According to the Mal'eb'dala, the only way to counter the magic of the Nightstone is by playing the shadow song.""Then it's settled," Mari said firmly."We must journey into the Fields of the Dead, to Indoria and Talembar's tomb.""There's no reason to delay," said Tyveris.“Tomorrow at dawn," agreed Caledan."It's a bit early, but I guess I can make it," Ferret added.Estah smiled at them all."It's almost like the old Fellowship," she said wistfully."Almost
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