Finn would see about ordering a bottle, or perhaps a flask if the bar had such, to go but otherwise be amenable to calling it a night.  "It does indeed look like the party is over..."

Yeshil is noticeably less cocky and carefree on the way back to the cart, and appears more furtive and observant than before. It's not until they are back within the privacy of their camp that she opens up to Tylaerys (primarily, but not exclusively) about the encounter with the spy, expounding all the details of the conversation and the injunction to exercise caution and subtlety around the cultists.

(Yeshil picks Tylaerys because, although Finn probably has more attributes of a 'traditional' spy, Tylaerys is a Harper and therefore more like a 'professional' spy, and also more reserved and therefore more likely in Yeshil's eyes to align with the tenets of subtle syping than Finn.)

(Good call.  Finn is definitely more thief than spy...  Though Spy does have a nicer ring to it. Hmmm...)

(Tylaerys is kind of flattered that Yeshil considers her a spy. She definitely wants to be but still feeling like quite a novice in most respects, she will continue to do her best though to play the part. :-) Any chance at all that what Yeshil tells her will make Tylaerys realize who this mysterious person might be? Some powerful adventurer, or perhaps even another Harper? She would take the opportunity to check in with her Harper contact in Baldur's Gate and give them an update and check if there's any new information on their end.)

UPDATE >>>>> SKIPPING AHEAD

The night at this fortified encampment passes uneasily, but without incident.  

The caravan pulled away from the waystation the next day under a canopy of dull grey, the mist of early morning still clinging to the ground.  Wheels groaned and beasts snorted as the long chain of wagons creaked back into motion, each turn of the axle theoretically carrying them closer to the end of their journey.  The party falls into familiar rhythm, at turns watchful, sometimes weary, always aware of eyes in the crowd and the location of the cultists.

The landscape rolls on, a stretch of muddy lowlands broken by tangled woods, steep gullies, and the deepening expanse of the Delimbiyr Vale.  The wheel-ruts deepen with each passing wagon, and the weariness of the road seeps into bone and spirit alike.  No beasts threaten the wagons, despite several warning calls or false alarms, when someone or something was spotted just within the treeline.

The days that followed were a mix of tedium and tension.  Dust and sun some days, drizzle, mud and wet feet another.  By this stage of the journey, almost everyone - merchants, porters, and even the beasts of burden - appeared ready for the road to come to an end.  The party does their best to stay vigilant, especially Yeshil and Tylaerys, whose sharp eyes continually mark the cultists.  There were no confrontations, but plenty of close calls.  The cultists had grown cautious, it seemed.  Each night was a gamble, each glance a risk.  Still, the caravan wound on, through valleys, past hillforts and watchtowers, and across stretches of thick pine forest where the wind howled like distant wolves... or maybe those really were wolves.

Despite the monotony, the journey is not without its moments of beauty.  Early morning mists roll in down the vale, trailing low along the wagon paths.  Herds of deer emerge at dawn to graze in the clearcuts on either side of the road, unconcerned by the creak of wheels.  There are nights when the stars blaze above in sharp relief and the campfires cast dancing shadows among the brush, and there are days when wind and sun align just right to feel like hope.  Chilly nights beside campfires, entertained by Finn's music and stories, would be memories to cherish, even under these dire circumstances.

Then, one dusky evening, the caravan crests a wooded ridge and descends into the walled town of Daggerford; a welcome sight after so many nights under canvas and tarpaulin.  Nestled along the banks of the Delimbiyr River, Daggerford is a tidy, wealthy settlement with a proud stone keep and stout walls.  Close to Waterdeep, and at the intersection of the River and the Road, Daggerford has grown rich with trade.  Markets bustle with local farmers and traders; guards in blue-and-yellow livery patrol the gates with diligence, checking papers and warning travelers to keep to the town's laws.  The party isn’t here long, just a night's stopover to rest themselves and water the oxen and horses, replenish supplies, and stretch weary limbs.  But the town offers a brief balm: warm food, real beds, and a sense of grounded normalcy, as well as the looming end of the road, just another week north in Waterdeep.

Daggerford brings more than just rest, though.  Two men joined the caravan that next morning.  One wore a bushy beard and tried to keep his face down, but Finn recognizes him immediately.  He recalls, so many weeks ago, a spying mission inside the cult encampment in the hills outside Greenest.  This man is the cult commander from that camp, the one giving orders to Langdedrosa the half-dragon and to another strange, white winged dragonman.  He is shabbily disguised now, but no less smug.  His companion, hooded in brown, keeps close to his side.  Tylaerys and Yeshil clocked them both for what they were - Red Wizards - though no move was made.  Instead, the two melted into the cultist ranks, sharing fires and drinks as though they'd been there all along.

Another, less grim companion also joins the wagons.  A charismatic halfling bard joins the caravan.  Kid Kaleidoscope is her name, and she gives Finn a run for his money as she spins tales and plucks tunes with ease and charm at the caravans campfires.

Beyond Daggerford, the final leg of the journey is bitter and grey.  The skies close in, and cold winds sweep down from the Sword Mountains.  There is little cheer on the road.  Then one evening, a stunning and terrible sight - a monstrous chimera swoops out of the dusk, claws and flame descending upon the vanguard wagons.  Screams tear through the dusk and chaos erupts.  The party rallies quickly.  Jirel's axe and Yeshil's arrows drive off the beast, with support from Finn, Tylaerys and Jararaka's remaining guards.  The magical creature wheels back into the sky and departs, its goat-head hanging limp and dead.  One wagon is destroyed and two guards lie slain, but their swift heroism prevents further catastrophe.

In the aftermath, there is a mystery.  Yet another cultist lies dead, his body well away from the fight.  From its position and location, he appears to have been caught in the act of thievery from a merchant wagon and slain, though the merchant and his guards deny involvement.  

Later that night, Kid Kaleidoscope approaches the party by firelight and drops the pretense.  Her name is Jamna, and she works for Blackrim Exporters, the same firm that now employs Jararaka.  Her mission, she says, is loss prevention, and she’s been tracking these two new men who joined at Daggerford.  She implies, with wry detachment, that she may have “intervened” in the recent death of the cultist.  With Jararaka having vouched for the group, Jamna proposes a working relationship; information for information.

As proof of good faith, she shares what she’s learned already: the cultists are on edge.  They’ve long since guessed that the party is keeping track of them.  They’ve discussed eliminating them before reaching Waterdeep—an option Jamna admits she preempted by shifting suspicion elsewhere with the death earlier that night.  Her intervention will likely keep the cultists guessing, since the party was clearly busy fighting the monster.

At last, after nearly two full months on the road, Waterdeep looms ahead, shining even beneath clouds.  The City of Splendors is vast and overwhelming.  Even for those who have been here before, it is a marvel; one of the true wonders of the world.  Great walls loom above the roads, flags flutter from high turrets, and ships crowd its harbor - there is even an airship hovering high in the clouds.  Sprawling neighborhoods unfurl in every direction, from the stately North Ward to the crowded Dock Ward, each pulsing with life and commerce.  Street criers bark the day’s news.  Adventurers and armed guards pass under ornate archways, escorting important persons about the city.  Gods’ temples tower into the mist, and the smell of spice, steel, and sea salt fills the air.

Merchants disperse quickly, vanishing into alleys and storefronts with wagons and ledgers.  Contracts from the road are settled, pay exchanged, wagons sold off, and friendships offered or declined.  The party, if they choose, may likewise sell their own trade goods and wagon here at favorable prices.  Their reputation along the road earns them nods of respect from the other travelers, with some even offering to organize future caravans with them for a leg back south to Baldur's Gate.

But the cult does not settle.

Their wagons turn north and hurry through the city, away from the merchant markets, toward the outer wards and the Northern Gate.  They regroup at a modest stable, where more wagons already sit.  Other cultists with more treasures are arriving every day, converging like rivers into the same dark sea.  The two robed men remain close to the cultists, conferring quietly.  Later in the day, some of the cult members are seen visiting a warehouse near the north wall.  Investigation reveals it is ostensibly a staging site for construction goods bound  northward.  It's clear that with the cult involved this is no ordinary shipment.

Jararaka is gone now, called away by her new employers, but Jamna remains close.  She wants in.  And now the party must decide their next move, as the city of Waterdeep bustles and roars all around them.

(First item of business - Where is Misses Binklesworth?  Last I recall Finn sent her away from the caravan to go check out some keep or tower or something that was off the path?  Or am I confusing this campaign with another?  Though I only have Binklesworth here...  Searching the thread I see none of that though.  So I am not sure where she got off to?  If nobody remembers anything I'll assume she's just been around and napping a lot?  lol.)

     In Daggerford, Finn would make a beeline for the others and catch them up on the two disguised gentlemen.  He is not surprised when Tylaerys and Yeshil have already marked them as Red Wizards but he wants to be sure they, including Jirel, know they were also at the camp outside Greenest.  "Could just be coincidence.  They shouldn't recognize this face of mine but I can't recall how much of a look at either of you they may have gotten?" Finn advises.  They all probably chime in to catch Yeshil up about the whole incident.

     While in Daggerford, as well as trying to keep an eye on the cult, Finn tries to find some jade.  For sale or possibly available through more sleight of handy ways.  He also enjoys some good natured competition with this Kid Kaleidoscope and is determined to outdo her at everything.  Even if it takes cheating.  Misses Binklesworth is quite skilled at accidentlaly disrupting people at key moments by twisting herself around their feet or jumping up into their lap.  

     After the Chimera incident Finn does what he can to offer condolences to Jararaka, even composing a bit of an ode to the guards lost that gives them quit heroic roles in the defeat of the beast and celebrating the sadness of their sacrifices for others.  The ode could be better, but Finn is a bit distracted by the new body and mystery.  It doesn't make sense.  Far as he can tell the cult have the numbers - if they wanted something they could take it far more blatantly with far less risk.  And if the merchants were just defending their livelihood then why would they deny it??  (Insight check on everyone?  6)

     Later, Finn is annoyed by this Kid Jamna kid.  He doesn't like being deceived and cannot help but doubting her sincerity now because of it.  Still, he can't deny that she could be useful...  He would insist the party chat about her involvement alone for a bit before making a final decision.  In that discussion he suggests that Tylaerys or Jirel subtly go to Jararaka and confirm the little brats story and ask just how trustworthy he believes they are.  In the end (and assuming no bad info comes) Finn reluctantly votes that they work with the kid, but keep a suspicious eye upon her.

(There's so much to respond to here that I'll take a week if I try to write pretty, so I won't.)

Yeshil is much more mature and reserved in her attitudes and behaviours on spying since her encounter at Highridge Lodge. She contents herself with simply observing the cultists (while trying not to look like she is) and makes no further attempts to infiltrate their wagons or plant magic teeth at their feet. This only serves to make the voyage more boring for her, and her impatience grows at not making any obvious progress with her mission. The monotony is only broken by three things. One is the mild novelty of seeing all the terrain for the second time but from the other direction. Another is the retreat into her books, some of which she has read more than once. And the third is a fresh appreciation for Finn's skill in music as he(?) takes to entertaining the company more regularly. Perhaps it's the autobiography of the adventuring bard that makes her take more notice, as well as the hours she has spent cross-referencing the contents of the book about familiars with what she observes from Finn and Misses Binklesworth.

Yeshil remembers Daggerford from her journey south as the last bastion of civilisation before the long road to Baldur's Gate. The oasis of creature comforts does little to assuage her impatience, until the next morning when she spots the two unmistakable disguised Red Wizards. She doesn't know yet quite what to make of it, but it's a solid connection to her mission.

The green teen is amused by Kid Kaleidoscope. She can't help but crack a wry smile at what she interprets as jealous discomfort on Finn's part, and when the halfling's identity is revealed, Yeshil has nothing but respect at the subterfuge. A little disturbed and humbled by the revelation that the cultists were so aware of them, and that they were so close to disaster at the cultists hands, Yeshil is glad again for her new sense of caution, and for the warnings from the mystery spy at Highridge.

Yeshil has two priorities in Waterdeep. The first is to make contact with the Arcane Brotherhood. She wants them to alert their counterparts in Neverwinter, in case the intel about Naerytar is wrong and the cult ends up going that far north, and also to maybe watch the Triboar trail in case the cult breaks off the main road and heads inland. Her second priority is to trade in her books for some new ones. She bids farewell to Jararaka, and promises to fulfil their commitment to finding and returning Frulam Mondath to the Hhune patriars in Baldur's Gate.

Based on her experiences so far, Yeshil is eager to have Jamna on board. She seems to be an experienced spy, and someone to learn from. Not to mention that it might be nice to not be the shortest person in the group.

[Misses Binklesworth - right.  And she had good rolls too...]

Earlier, on the road between the fortified camp and Daggerford...

It was well past sunset when the familiar returned.  Without fanfare, a sleek cat slinked from the edge of the woods, eyes glinting in the firelight.  She padded silently through the camp, making her way straight to Finn.  There was no meow, no purring reunion.  Instead, the bond snapped tight again, and a rush of images and sensations flood into Finn's mind.  The cat’s report, delivered not in words, but in feelings, impressions, and flashes of memory.

The ruins of Dragonspear Castle loomed in her thoughts: crumbling stone arches, half-buried towers, and decrepit, collapsed halls.  Despite the oppressive enchantments, traps, glyphs and wards laid into the broken walls, Misses Binklesworth had danced past them with preternatural grace, unseen and unfelt.  Where a mortal scout would have been incinerated or ensnared, the familiar glided like a ghost.

Deep within the structure, a Red Wizard encampment has taken root.  She saw flashes of red-robed figures hunched over open spellbooks, following magical symbols with their fingertips.   Beneath the ruined towers, a platoon of zombies worked tirelessly, toting stone, resetting shattered arches, and smoothing the old masonry under necromantic guidance.  Libraries were being arranged within, arcane sigils etched into the walls, and more wards layered upon the foundations.  The familiar gave her master a final image: a glorious red banner bearing the symbol of Thay suspended above the main chamber like a claim of ownership.

Then the connection faded, and the cat sat down primly, began to lick a paw, and glanced up with feline indifference.

(Ah!  So I wasn't imagining it!  I had searched thread but couldn't find anything.  Maybe I misspelled her name when I sent her off?  *shrug)

     Upon her return and sharing her cat thoughts/memories with him Finn fills in the others about what he has learned.  "The Red Wizards seem to be setting up base in Dragonspear Castle.  An outpost.  Is it a full on invasion they have planned, you think?  If they are just looking to lie low in there then why have the zombies repairing the place?"

Wow! That's big. 

Yeshil would pass this information to the arcane brotherhood in Waterdeep as well.

As the journey north along the Sword Coast continues, Tylaerys would as before mostly stay at the drivers seat of the team's cart, trying to keep a low profile while observing the goings on in the caravan, particularly how the ranks of the cultists keep swelling, but she is not beyond admiring the beauty of the scenery they pass. She would enjoy Finn's music during the evenings, a welcome break from the challenging monotony of their journey.

As the caravan reaches Daggerford, the young blonde half-elven Harper would cherish the hot meal, the hot bath and the comfortable bed at the local inn, feeling quite refreshed as the journey north continues. She would enjoy the musical duel between Finn and the Kid but later as the Kid contacts them after the battle with the Chimera she would consider her with somewhat skeptic respect. If given the opportunity she would inquire more about what Jamna means by loss prevention and what she was hoping to accomplish by tailing the cultists that just joined the caravan. She would also use the sending stone again to report to her Harper contact to inform them of developments and that this gnome claiming to work for Blackrim Exporters wants to share intelligence on the cultist and ask for instructions.

As the caravan reaches the City of Splendors she feels her different worlds colliding, coming back home where she grew up, the safety she left only months ago to find herself on a mission she could never even have imagined. She is almost relieved to find the cultists readying themselves to continue north, supposedly to Naerytar, which meant she wouldn't need to consider seeing her parents and explaining why she had left and what she had become.

Regarding their next step, Tylaerys would suggest the team find the means to somehow follow the cultists north, likely at some distance or possibly by infiltrating the cult. She would still be a bit skeptic to Jamna but reluctantly agree to share information, hoping the gnome would have ideas on how to safely tail the cultists as they proceed north.

(Insight to determine if Jamna is being straight with them, using enhance ability to enhance her chances at this: 22 )