"Thank you," she responds. "Halaster's being held to the east. I'll do my best to find a way around or through the guard post before we next meet." With that, she vanishes back into the shadows.

"Well, that was enlightening," Garrus says.

"Enlightening?"

"The whole question-and-answer session? We at least know we're not alone, and that for some reason you're extra special. Also that Halaster's being held to the east, apparently."

"I don't know why I'm extra special besides being from another planet, or I'd tell you, unless I suppose there was a good reason not to. So far I haven't noticed any extraplanetarynesses of mine that seem to matter."

"No ancient secret arcane lore from your homeworld you inexplicably haven't used in any of our fights? No mysterious relic you can't seem to get rid of, arcane tattoo you don't remember getting, conspicuously crown-shaped birthmark?"

"Uh, I do have a cursed item that somebody probably snuck into my bag soon after I landed on Toril but it doesn't seem to do anything besides sneak back whenever I dump it. I feel bad for the guy I sold it to before I realized."

"Ooh. Mysterious cursed item a classic."

"Yep, that settles it, you're our protagonist. Deekin, make a note."

Deekin makes a note.

"I don't know what it has to do with anything but I guess I might not, sure."

"Mysterious item turning out to be important very old trope. Deekin not totally convinced of significance, just going with Garrus's bit mostly."

"Do you guys want a look at it?"

Deekin nods firmly.

She pulls out the weird cursed arrowhead.

Deekin squints at it. "...no aura," he says finally. "Weird! But somehow cursed anyway?"

"Sure, you wanna swipe it and watch it reappear in my bag next time I get my spellbook?"

"Sure!"

Deekin takes the arrowhead and puts it in one of his belt pouches.

"Should we get moving towards Halaster? We don't know how long we'll have to travel."

"Yeah, good plan."

So they do.

They run into a handful of drow along the way, scouting parties for the Valsharess. None of them claim to be rebels; they just start shooting. They're pretty easily dispatched.

And eventually they can camp out for the night.

Deekin checks his belt pouch; as Belmarniss said, the arrowhead is gone. "Cool! Deekin have to wonder how it teleport without magic aura... maybe just Undetectable Aura? Would be boring, but pretty straightforward."

"Maybe it's actually some kind of crustacean, and when nobody's looking it reveals its legs and scuttles back over to her."

"Ew!"

"I work with the evidence we have!"

They get ready for bed, and for their respective watches. Soon enough it's time for more Shadows of Undrentide.