Elbolin continues his conversation with Sildar Hallwinter in Phandalin. "So we met this monk named Leosin Erlanthar, and we've been traveling with him. He's a Harper, studying the dragon cult. Do you know him?"

"Personally, no," says Sildar. "But I've heard of him through Sister Garaele, I know he's a Harper. I think she knows him pretty well."

"You might also have met Black Barry, this Tabaxi that has joined up with us. We found a poster indicating he's wanted, by somebody, for something. Do you know anything about that?"

"I do not," says Sildar.

Sildar also tells Elbolin that if they need anything or see trouble brewing, he could assemble perhaps a dozen soldiers who would be there to fight for them, if necessary. But he isn't anxious to get involved in anything until they know what's really going on.

"Thanks," says Elbolin. "We'll try to let you know if we find out anything."

He heads over to the Shrine of Luck, and knocks on the door of Sister Garaele's cabin. After a minute or two, she opens the door a crack. "Hi," she says. "Who are you?"

"My name is Elbolin, we met briefly a while ago. I'm a friend of Bilbo, we're actually traveling together right now, trying to figure out what's going on with this dragon cult."

She opens the door. "Oh yeah, haven't seen Bilbo in a while, since she went off to find Sildar's niece. How's she doing?"

"Oh, she's doing well," he says, and goes on to tell the story of how they got tangled up with the cultists in Greenest, and how they came into possession of a dragon egg.

"A dragon egg? No way! What did you do with it?"

"Actually, I have it right here. It's in a crate in my cart. Do you think we could raise it to do good?"

"Well, maybe, but raising a dragon is no easy task, from what I've read."

"We thought maybe you would want it?"

"Want it! Oh my goodness, of course I'd want it! I can't raise a dragon myself, but I know people, we could certainly use some dragon power on our side."

"Who is 'our side'?"

"Just some people that I know, who might find themselves in a position to battle this dragon cult."

Sister Garaele isn't quick to admit that she is a Harper, as they believe that being secretive makes it easier to blend in. But Elbolin figures that's probably who she is talking about.

"You mean the Harpers?" asks Elbolin. "Leosin Erlanthar is traveling with us, and he told us about the Harpers, and offered to make us members. One of our friends, Black Barry, joined up."

"Yes yes," says Sister Garaele. "There are more of us than you'd probably suspect, but we won't really identify ourselves unless there is a good reason. I know Leosin, we've met a number of times."

"Do you know how long it takes to raise a dragon?"

"I believe it takes quite a long time. Adult dragons, I've heard, are upwards of 100 years old. But I'm not sure how much of that is a real wyrmling; even a young dragon is probably pretty fierce. I don't know how long it takes them to reach battle age."

"Also, I don't think I mentioned, we met another dragon on the road, just before we got to Greenest, and probably saved its life. She said she owed us a favor."

"Speaking of favors, Bilbo promised me a favor one day for the work I did with her and the birds. You can tell her that with this egg, her debt is more than repaid. In fact, if the Harpers can ever do anything for you, just let us know. I'll give you a letter."

She goes over to a dusty desk and pulls out a parchment, scribbles something on it, and seals it with a wax imprint in the shape of a harp. "Don't break the seal," she says, "or it won't be valid. But if you need help from any Harper, or need to prove that you are a friend to the Harpers, present this letter, and you will be treated well."

"Thank you," says Elbolin, pocketing the letter. "So what should we do with the egg?"

"Just bring the crate around here behind my cabin," Sister Garaele says. "I'll figure it out from there."

Meanwhile, the other group of adventurers is dealing with this man who was found buried up to his neck in the road. "We saved you," says Black Barry.

"Thank you," he croaks, his throat still dusty. "I thought I was a goner."

"How did they bury you?"

"I don't know. They ambushed me in my bed, and last I remember they were just beating me. I guess I lost consciousness. Next thing I knew I was buried."

Black Barry points out that "oathbreaker" is painted on his forehead. "Why did they bury you?"

"My 'oath', as they say, was an engagement. I broke it off when I discovered that my fiance's father and brothers were a bunch of bandits, and that I was expected to join up with them. I guess they didn't take the breakup lightly."

Then Leosin steps up from behind, pulls the man's arm over his shoulder, and helps him stand up. "I've got some clothes you can put on," he says, and half-carries him back toward the cart. As he passes Black Barry, he mouths the word "Harper", and says in a whisper, "we should help him out."

Karat casts a healing spell over the man, whose name is Carlon, and he sticks near to Leosin as they get back on the road.

That night, as they are setting up camp, Black Barry asks Leosin: "If I decide I don't want to be a Harper, can I keep the book?"

Leosin shakes his head and furrows his brow in disbelief, surprised that anyone wouldn't want to be a Harper, especially after he just joined, and also that he would want to keep the book. "No, of course not," he answers. "It's a Harper book, if you decide not to be a Harper I would expect you to return it."

As they are cooking up their dinner, of course Elfo and Bilbo have no appetite for it. But on the breeze, they catch a whiff of that delicious-smelling soup cooked up by those wonderful ladies. For the last few nights, either they visited the ladies' camp, or if they didn't then the ladies would come by their camp and offer some soup. It just seems to be making them stronger and stronger; they feel a little bit weaker by the end of the day, but the soup makes them feel superb until at least the next.

Karat quietly conjures up a Detect Magic spell, and can plainly see that Bilbo and Elfo are glowing with some strange magic. Black Barry readies his rapier, intending to fight these ladies if they come by again. As Bilbo strains to resist the temptation of the smell of the soup, Elfo saunters right over to their camp, drinks up a big bowl of the soup, feels the adrenaline and power surge through him, and then goes back to his own camp, where Karat casts a Prayer of Healing over both Elfo and Bilbo, relieving them of their addiction.

Around their campfire, the adventurers discuss whether they should attempt to capture or kill these mysterious ladies. Obviously they are up to no good, somehow, with this powerful soup. Black Barry and Hooflepoof decide to go over there and confront them. First, when they arrive, Hooflepoof eats some of the soup, restoring his health to a truly magical level. At Black Barry's hand signal, Reddy jumps down and begins to distract the ladies, at first with his cuteness, and then with his cunning, as Black Barry and Hooflepoof launch a surprise attack.

Black Barry misses his first blow, but Hooflepoof gets his knife into one of the ladies, and then both of them turn instantly into monstrous ogres.