"This scroll is a transcription of legends told by the more civilized of the Uthgardt tribes of the Silver Marches in the northwest beyond the Anauroch desert," said Dhauna. "The scroll is centuries old, but the stories are probably even older."
Feena's eyebrows rose. "I've heard of the Gray Wolf Uthgardt tribe," she gasped. "They're werewolves!"
Dhauna nodded and said, "And savages by all accounts, so a Gray Wolf following the call of Selune must have been something. Unfortunately, that's all the scroll has to say about Marrigan. Two clues about the New Moon Heresy, yet still nothing clear. But then…"
She reached for a folded leaf of fine vellum and carefully opened it.
The vellum had been used to take a rubbing of some stone inscription. The carved words were in both Dethek and Thorass, in two columns of characters. Feena took the vellum gently and held it up to read the ghostly words.
To the memory o/Niree Swifthands. In Elmwood, a Hero of the New Moon Pact, in Chancelgaunt, a Heretic. Murdered in treachery and jealousy there at Bright Lady's Tower in the Year of Lost Wayfarers, 757. Selune guide her to rest.
"Chancelgaunt is the old name for Selgaunt," said Dhauna. "The rubbing was taken in the Temple of the
Half-Moon in Elmwood, an ancient village on the south side of the Moonsea."
"I've been there," said Feena. "I don't remember seeing this memorial."
"It may well be gone or by hidden nowthe rubbing was made almost four hundred years ago, two hundred years after this Niree Swifthands was executed at Selune's temple in Selgaunt."
"There's no temple to Selune in Selgaunt."
"There was six hundred years ago. Ironically, it was abandoned and demolished not long after 757. Its library was brought here." Dhauna opened the final book on the table, a grand tome bound in silver and white leather. "Eighteen Kythorn, the Year of Lost Wayfarers," she began.
Feena moved around to read over her shoulder.
I, Brima Chintamn, High Moonmistress of Bright Lady's Tower in Chancelgaunt, declare the ancient Pact of the New Moon to be ended. The lands and goods held by it and its former members are forfeit and are to become the property of the temple of Selune to which they lie nearest. Its tales and legends are declared false and are to be purged from archives and expunged from memory. Its members are declared heretics. Those in our custody have been tried and found guiltythey are cast out ofSelUne's grace, in body and in soul. Should any remain free, let them also be cast out of Selune's grace. Their heresy has damned them. I pray that Selune's face turn away so that their souls walk in darkness until the end of time.
I, Rian Liurandel, Priestess of the High Moonlight of the House of the Moon in Waterdeep, concur and so pray.
I, Zarran Tonnos, High Moonmistress of Moonmaiden's Hall in Murran, concur and so pray.
I, Bero Falabara, High Moonmaster of the Crescent Shrine in Alaghdn, concur and so pray.
I, Mara Nightnever, High Moonmistress of Moonshadow Hall in Yhaunn, concur and so pray.
The list went on, another half dozen high priests and priestessesthough not the high priestess of Elmwood adding their condemnation.
"Moonmaiden's grace," breathed Feena. "What was this Pact of the New Moon and what did they do?"
Dhauna began flipping back through the book as she explained, "According to the records of their trial, the New Moon Pact was an order of priests and warriors in Selune's service throughout the north and west of Faerun. They were never large, but they were ancientthis makes passing mention of events centuries before the trial, which would fit with the Uthgardt legend of Marrigan. And even though they were a small order, over time the Pact accumulated significant wealth and power while answering to no temple or clerical hierarchy."
"The New Moon Pact is a strange name for a Selunite order," Feena observed. "The new moon is a dark time."
Dhauna looked up at her. "The New Moon Pact," she said in a quiet voice, "did dark deeds. They claimed to serve the interests of Selune that couldn't be spoken openly."
Feena's eyes went wide. "Assassins?" she choked.
"They were never accused of that," Dhauna said. "They were defenders and avengers, working in secret and sometimes against the interests of the larger temples. Six hundred years later, the charges of heresy ring more than hollow." She flipped back to the declaration of condemnation. "This passage about land and goods being forfeit to the templesI've seen that in too many trumped up charges of outlawry. I think Selune's clergy feared and envied the New Moon Pact."
"Because they were fighters?" Feena snorted. "I think I like these people."
"They were more than just fighters, Feena." Dhauna gave her a sideways glance. "The New Moon Pact embraced werewolves and lycanthropes of all kinds."
Feena opened her mouth in amazement, then closed it again, speechless.
"An order of werewolves?" she whispered finally. "They still exist then. I've heard stories of the Sil"
"Silverstars?" Dhauna finished for her. She shook her head. "The Silverstars accept lycanthropes, but they aren't the same. Silverstars promote tolerance and harmony in Selune's name." She touched the declaration of condemnation. "The Pact fought for Selune. They moved in darkness. Maybe that's what gave their persecutors the basis for the accusation of heresy."
"Which was?" asked Feena.
Dhauna flipped through the book once more and indicated another passage. Feena bent closer and read:
… and over time they became corrupted by the darkness they had been commanded to fight, turning from Selune's light to chant and pray in unholy tongues to Shar. Worse, they then affirmed a blasphemy: that Shar was not Selune's sister, but the Moonmaiden herself, and that Shar was only a name given to Selune's dark face.
Feena gasped and flinched back. Her hand darted up to clutch the battered disk of her holy symbol. "That's monstrous!"
"And so the ancient New Moon Pact became the reviled New Moon Heresy, its members damned and the very mention of it erased. The pact survives only in remote inscriptions and barbarian tales, the mere mention of the heresy only in charges that take more than a decade to even identify." Dhauna closed the great tome and said, " Our Silver Lady shield us from such horrors."
Feena swallowed and said, "But if the priestesses of
Glister could even be accused of such a thing " She looked up. "Dhauna, could the New Moon Heresy have been reborn here? Is that what Selune is trying to warn you about?"
"No," said Dhauna, a gentleness returning to her voice. "There's no truth to the Heresy. It was a false accusation-terrible, but false. The priestesses of Glister were caught by a shadow of a memory of it. And whispers of the Heresy in my dreams…" The High Moonmistress patted Feena's cheek. "A clue, nothing more. One I misinterpreted in my weakness. Heresy is a danger, but knowledge of the New Moon Heresy was necessary only to uncover the truth of the Pact."
"Then why did Selune send the dreams at all?" Feena asked in confusion. "What does she want?"
Dhauna's gentle smile hardened. "She wants me to bring back the New Moon Pact. That's clear to me now. She wants me to lead the fight against her enemies outside of the templesand within it. My summoning of you, that was part of her plan, too."
Feena stared at her. "What?"
"Only lycanthropes could belong to the New Moon Pact." Dhauna Myritar reached up and wrenched with magic-enhanced strength at the neck of her robe, tearing it wide to expose her chest. "Bite me, Feena! Turn me into a werewolf!" peena stared at the High Moonmistress in shock.
"No!" she spat. "Dhauna, that's-"
"Insane?" Dhauna's eyes were bright and her cheeks flushed, but her voice was steady. "That's what you all think of me already, isn't it? My ears are still sharp, Feena, and in spite of what everyone seems to think, so are my wits. There are things to be seen by moonlight that sunlight cannot reveal." She moved closer, holding her torn robe wide. "Bite me!" she ordered. "You were the one my thoughts turned to the night of that first dream. Selune knew I would need you here to share her blessing with me! With it, I will be stronger, more vitalthe Moonmaiden's arm!"