Velm: "Interesting. But if Ruathgrym brought the snake-worshipers here, how is it he ended up 'held and bound' in the halls of Rivior--where we faced his mummified body? We know from Temuel's story that he faced Ruathgrym there, just after the Bandit King and all his men went to meet their death, the night Ruathgrym slew Redhand. We also know that Aerunedar was under siege at about that time...
"But the Corpsecoil trapped Temuel in a gem...and we know nothing more of how he himself ended up 'held and bound.'"
Daziel: finishes praying, inspects the stone ring she wears...
"Perhaps this Ring of Lore taken from the Corpsecoil might tell us more? In another four days I can use it again.
"It is time I told you all why I came to Eveningstar from the shrine of Selune at Immersea. It was not only to root out the servants of the Black Tyrant, Bane.
"I came seeking the Moonweb. Earlier this year, on the night of Bane's ascendance, the high priest dreamt of four silver rings--powerful individually, but together forming an artifact of great power: the Moonweb.
"The rings that make up the Moonweb--Amglaer, Enthandas, Shelmroun and Tilithar--first appear in Realmslore individually, given to devout Selunites by the Shards (servitors of the Goddess) in the dark years after the fall of Netheril. They served as minor magical aids and as focal points for prayers to the Goddess.
"Eventually, around 616 DR (though accounts are vague), two of the rings were unwittingly brought together when Selunite clergy met to plan the future of the faith at Manystreams. Selune appeared in the dreams of all the assembled clerics, telling them of the four rings and bidding them seek the two missing ones. She imparted the names of the rings, but no other clues that may have aided the faithful in finding them.
"It is said in the secret lore of our faith that one or two of the rings were hidden here by the Moonmistresses of Aerunedar, after they aided the silver wyrm Glamerdrung in the binding of a great evil. But years later, as we know, hordes of goblins swept through this place, and the rings faded from knowledge once more.
"An evil power of terrible proportions is said to be rising in the northern deserts--whole villages, even the city of Tilverton, have been swept from the face of Toril--and the high priest at Immersea dreamt that the Moonweb would soon be found...by Banites.
"I am here to see that they do not take the Moonweb. Not even a piece of it. Singly, the rings hold bits of the Moon's power, but together it is said they can reveal great knowledge. Whoever wears all four rings truly walks with Selune.
"It is unlikely that four, or even two, of the rings are here. But if even one fell into the hands of the Banite scum...it would be an evil day for the people of my faith.
"This must not come to pass. We must seek out the Lunar Speculum, as we were bidden by the ghostly priestess beneath Stone Tooth. I will go alone if I must. I am also committed to lifting the Curse of Hathos--I will do what needs to be done to achieve that goal--but I must also answer the call of my Goddess. Since Hathos mentions the Moonweb in the rhyme you translated, Bronn, it may very well have significance for the lifting of his Curse."
[Van: Daziel can tell you more details about the "great knowledge" imparted by the Moonweb, privately, but she asks you to keep it to yourself.]
