The next day we decide to head out in search of the one called Halsin, much to Lae'zel's annoyance. She still believes the only answer to our problems lies within the Githyank Creche, and perhaps she is right but we still have nothing to go on. We don't know where the creche even is and we haven't found the tiefling named Zorru, who is supposedly going to tell us where to find it.
Lae'zel refuses to set off to the west with us to find Halsin, instead opting to stay behind at the grove to discover what she can about the creche. And without Lae'zel in the party with us Shadowheart finally decides to travel along with us. And we quickly come to find that Shadowheart seems even more secretive and closed off than Astarion. And she has none of his manufactured charm and charisma to make up for it. Though she is beautiful... in a dark, mysterious sort of way... so she has that going for her.
We leave Emerald Grove that morning and make our way west in the direction we were told Halsin was last seen before he was captured by goblins. We had been told to anticipate running into hordes of goblins along the way, but that, in theory, they would not attack us, recognizing us as one of their own with these tadpoles in our heads. Well... let's hope that's the case. This will either go smoothly, or disastrously badly.
By afternoon we come across the ravaged ruins of a village - a town called 'Moonhaven'... or at least it was once called Moonhaven. And laying on the road just in front of the gates of the town we see bodies littering the street. Druids. Travelers. Tieflings. Goblins. Their dead bodies all mingled together on beds of dry blood, as though they'd engaged in battle.
"Goblins," Astarion says gravely. "I can smell trouble ahead."
As we step foot into the abandoned city, I hear some movement on an old, wrecked, rooftop to the right of me. A few goblins are tottering around in crouched positions, attempting to be stealthy, but failing miserably.
"Git over there," whispers a goblin to the others. She seems to be in charge. "Surround 'em, like."
"I know you're there," I shout up to the goblins. "Show yourselves."
"You spotted us," the goblin replies, standing up straighter. "Good. 'S like the say. 'No fun in skewerin' a pig what doesn't know he's cooked."
Her words ignite a sense of rebelliousness inside of me. I know I shouldn't be picking fights with every minor grunt I come across, but if she's looking for a fight... well then it's a fight she's found.
"Curious," I reply in kind, my hands planted firmly on my hips. "I had almost the exact same thought when I saw you."
"Is that supposed to be a threat?" The goblin is taken aback. "Got a set on you, all right. Almost makes me like you. Almost. I'm gonna enjoy pullin' off your skin when we're done."
And with that, we commence our battle with the goblins at the gate. There aren't as many here as there had been the other day attacking the grove. These goblins are not strong like those other ones either. They're grunts. I almost feel bad about how quickly we take care of them. Although it does give me an excuse to watch the new and improved Astarion fight after having a bit of my blood. He did promise me a show, after all. And I am not left disappointed. Astarion is at the top of his game, fighting like he did when we first met. Swift, agile, lethal.
With the goblins at the gate out of the way, we move in further. I know that we are going to meet more goblins on the way, but I'm not sure just how many. We were told on several occasions that the old temple of Selune, and all the roadway in between, were lousy with goblins. We could take on handfuls at a time, but would we be able to fend them all away? Nettie promised they wouldn't attack us if they knew we had the tadpoles in our heads. Perhaps I'd been to rash with the goblins at the gate. Maybe next time we could avoid a battle.
As we push our way through the village, we do inevitably run into more goblins.
"You sniffing where you ain't oughta be, friend," says a goblin who catches us around the corner of a ruined building. "Might have to take that nose."
Suddenly, a strange symbol glows around the goblin's eye, marked on his flesh. And something within me stirs in response. I feel power... just like that time back on the nautiloid when I commanded the console that freed Shadowheart from the mind flayer pod. I felt authority. The ability to command this creature just by sheer thought alone.
I dig deep, searching for the tadpole in my brain, and once I connect to it, I order the goblin with intention.
"Let's try that again, shall we?" I say. "Address me properly."
The goblin feels my power - obeys my command as if he has no choice but to do so.
"Gah!" he exclaims. "Yes. Yes, True Soul."
My mind lurches, reeling as if... bitten.
"Don't- don't let me keep ya, boss," the goblin says. "Lads were gathered by the windmill."
And as the goblin totters off to leave us to our devices, my companions turn to me.
"So, the tadpoles allow us to influence others," Astarion muses thoughtfully. "How very interesting."
"Influences, yes," Gale interjects. "But for better or worse? Until we know, I recommend a cautious approach."
Astarion looks incensed. "You have the ability to manipulate people, make them bend to your every whim, and you'd be cautious about it? That's no fun."
"These are strange times," I say. "And even stranger powers. We should seek to understand them before we make any rash decisions, I think."
"An astute approach," Gale agrees. "I"m glad we're of one mind."
I turn to Shadowheart, curious what her opinion is on the matter only to find her attention fixed on an old damaged statue off the side of the road. The statue seems to be that of some sort of diety -- a goddess no doubt. I search my memory and I think I recognize it as a statue of Selune. When she notices me staring, she snaps out of it.
"We... we should keep moving," she says, her voice uneasy.
Then, before the foot of the broken statue, something odd happens. I see a shimmer- a flash of darkness ripple through Shadowheart's hand and she clutches it, grimacing in pain. But only a second later, the pain seems to pass.
"What just happened?" I ask in bewilderment.
"Nothing," Shadowheart evades the question. "A trick of the light."
"Trick of the light?" I scoff. "Don't take me for a fool. I know what I saw."
"I'll take you as I find you," Shadowheart says with venom in her voice - a warning. ""Now let the matter rest. Let's just move along. Time's a rare currency for both of us."
But I can't let the matter rest. As we walk along in silence, I know Shadowheart can feel my eyes on her back. She's growing more and more uneasy, but I need to know what that was on her hand. Did it have anything to do with the artifact she carries. Does it have to do with the tadpole? I know we all have our secrets, but I feel like I need to know if I'm going to be able to trust her.
Finally, Shadowheart can take it no longer and pulls me aside. "I know that look..." she says. "You're wondering why I was in pain before. Let's just clear the air now. It's an old wound that hurts me from time to time. Nothing to be concerned about. It's nothing to do with the tadpoles at least, in case your imagination is in danger of getting away from you. It's just... something I have to live with."
"How badly does it hurt?" I ask.
"Quite a lot, if I'm being honest," she sighs. "But it always passes quickly, so I can mange."
"And you're sure it's not connected to the tadpoles?" I just need to make sure.
"Positive," she answers without a hint of dishonesty in her voice. "You can trust me on that."
"There's still something you're not telling me..." I persist. "That ruined Selune statue - it made you hesitate."
"It's nothing, really."
Gods, pulling information from Shadowheart is like pulling teeth.
"We have to be honest with each other," I say. "Like it or not, we're in this together. And in order to trust each other we need to be a little more open. What is it you're keeping from me?"
"You're not going to let this go, are you? You might wish you had... I worship Shar, the Mistress of the Night. It is my holy mission to oppose Selune, her teaches and her followers."
In response to giving me the information, Shadowheart's hand flashes a warning, and she winces in pain. Maybe it's her punishment for saying too much? Perhaps I've pushed too far... overstepped in some way?
"Now that you have the truth, please don't make a big fuss about it."
"You could have told me," I say sympathetically, feeling a little guilty now. "How long were you going to keep this secret?"
"Forever, ideally," she replies. "And you assume too much about what I can and cannot tell. Secrecy is everything for Shar's children. It's our code, our creed, our shield. I even keep secrets form myself - I had my memories suppressed so that nothing could be used against the Dark Lady. Once I prove myself, my memories will be restored."
Something about this sounds oddly familiar. I'm missing my memories too.
"I'm not sorry I kept this from you," she continues. "Not one bit. Though perhaps that might change, if you can show an open mind."
"Thank you for telling me, at least."
"Don't thank me - I'm graking Lady Shar's teachings just by doing so... but sometimes you have to be practical."
"Why were you in pain before?" I ask, eyeing the hand she now holds inside the other.
"The wound on my hand," she explains. "It never quite heals, and sometimes it causes terrible pain to rip through me. It's my burden though, from Lady Shar. I can feel her influence somehow..."
"Is there anything I can do to help with it?"
"I don't think so, but you're sweet to ask. Maybe just be patient the next time you see me wince or cry out - it'll pass quickly enough. It always does. Pain is sacred to followers of Lady Shar. Pain will give way to loss, and then to the peace of her eternal darkness. you can tolerate a great deal of suffering, so long as it has meaning."
That sounds so dark to me. "Why would Shar subject you to such a thing?"
"I cannot say - not with what I can recall. But event hen, it would not be for me to question her will. Lady Shar has her reasons."
"What causes it to hurt you?"
"It's difficult to say... sometimes I wonder if it's supposed to be guiding me, punishing me, testing me... but perhaps it's none of those. Perhaps it's completely random. I'd like to hope there's more to it than that - some meaning that Lady Shar will reveal to me when the time is right. Until then, all I can do is endure."