A few weeks after their return from The Demon Wastes, Elias Minch, Smith and Bludak Mal K'shaar received a letter from their comrade Selene d'Lyrandar, asking them to come to the airship docks just outside the southern city gates of Korth.
The party met there early the next morning, to see a large number of carpenters busy working on the Storm's Grace. The battle over The Demon Wastes had clearly taken it's toll on the House Lyrandar airship, and the hole in the hull from the journey there had clearly been a bigger problem for the ship than realised at the time. They met Selene d'Lyrandar on the top of the deck, looking tired and haggered. She explained that Captain Fenric d'Lyrandar had taken several arrows during the battle over The Demon Wastes, so she was overseeing the required repairs to the airship. Unfortunately the damage was extensive, and the hull required an extensive rebuild. In order to facilitate this, a large shipment of wood was needed. House Lyrandar preferred to use a specific wood that was easily enchantable for this purpose, so that they could infuse the wood with magic to help keep the airship in the air.
Unfortunately the only source for a suitable wood in Karrnath was from Stirk Lumberyard, about a week's ride to the north. Shipments from the lumberyard had been attacked recently; Selene d'Lyrandar asked her friends to ride north and investigate, so that shipments could safely resume and the repairs to the Storm's Grace could be completed. She gave them a set of horses, and a Map of Stirk Lumberyard Area to help them. The map was marked with a couple of recent attack sites, to help start their investigation. She could not accompany them, as she needed to stay and oversee the work that had been started.
Riding to the north, was an uneventful week, marred only by a constant drizzle of light rain. The party made the decision to first head to the Druidic Village marked on their map, to see if they could get an additional information. A few hours into their ride, they heard a scream from ahead. Dismounting, they crept forwards to see a human woman surrounded by four tree-like creatures. The party attacked, and quickly devastated the creatures; in particular, Elias Minch proved devastating as he moved from enemy to enemy.
The woman introduced herself as Arc, and explained that she was working for the Karrnath government, investigating the raids on shipments. Given that they had the same goal, she agreed to join the party to investigate.
Continuing to the druidic village, they were met by the chieftain, Grall, who watched their approach from the trees. He was not welcoming to them, as he assumed that they were allied with the halflings, who he viewed as destroying the forest that he was trying to save. He also explained that three members of his tribe had gone missing, and he thought the halflings were behind it. His only evidence was an arrow, made of purple wood and with bright-blue fletching.
After staying the night with the orcs, the party decided to head to the shipwreck as it was not far out of their way. They reached there late morning, and were immediately attack by strange frog creatures that were residing on the beach around the shipwreck. The frogs were no match for the party though, and they continued on to search the shipwreck. Bludak Mal K'shaar was distracted by the back of the boat, but Arc found her way inside, with Elias Minch following behind her. They found a blood trial that led them to a small cabin; inside, they found a strange half-woman, half-snake, lying dead of several wounds to her body. They were able to identify her as Kalinda by means of a letter than she had written, Kalinda's Letter. The letter implied that she was a member of an organisation known as the Last Legion, and they were interested in Bloodrot Prison, as they believed that the true Kaius III was being held there. Elias Minch also found a bow and arrow; the arrow was the same type as Grall had shown them.
The party finally headed to the first attack site located on the Map of Stirk Lumberyard Area. They found the bodies being devoured by two panther-like creatures, however they each had six legs, a tentacle coming out of each shoulder, and they used strange illusory abilities to make it hard to see each of them. The beasts charged at the party, and quickly knocked Bludak Mal K'shaar unconscious. The orc was healed by their new companion Arc, who managed to drive one of them back into the trees. The party quickly focused on the other beast; it took several heavy hits, but was finally distracted by Arc casting Tasha's Hideous Laughter on it, which caused it to fall prone and cackle in a strange, hyena-like way. Finally it fell, and they were able to focus on the one that had retreated to the trees. This one managed to fell Arc, but Bludak Mal K'shaar returned the favour and healed her.
The beasts defeated, the party took care of their wounds before continuing to investigate the attack site.