Loose threads: Learning more about The Speaker, a very angry Storm Unknown, cultists to the whispering spirits beyond the ones found at the moot, other elemental disturbances, finding the Unknown's flame (quite literarlly, as he is red-shirt guild scout with a red beard)
Participants Shynntara, Bonabo Nesty, Arwen (first name Andebrocirix), Mechorn
Locations Watchers' Island, Hag's Lair close to Rydess' Lair in the Desert of Rydess, Cult Camp near the mouth of the Desert's Belt River
Short summary:
Met up at the Moot. Blew up the frontrunner for cult president and took the position without further opposition. Conversed with the Speaker and took on a task to retrieve an air elemental staff, leaving the cult members a quest of self improvement. Fought some opposing air elementals aligned with a Unknown and then the hag themself before absconding with the staff and delivering it to the Speaker.
Full Report
The group set out to learn what the 'moot' was about and who the Speaker is. On the way, they came across a Unknown in the Silent Forest who was quite smitten with a Explorers' Guild Scout with a Red Beard the patrolled this area an indeterminate amount of time ago and asked the party if they knew of him. The party offered to inquire in town for the Dryad and in exchange, the Dryad let the party know the direction of the Moot.
Once the party made it to the meeting spot near the mouth of the Desert's Belt River and chatted with Dirgok, who surprisingly, was not yet sacrificed. Bonabo Nesty met up with Imidin, a Unknown cleric of Hshurha, who was not totally convinced of things but wanted to keep an eye on things. Birnar, the annoying Unknown leader who caused some issues during the events of Abandoned Rowboats, tried to start a fight with the Unknowns, but Bonabo Nesty turned into a wolf and distracted everyone before escaping.
Mechorn learned this group was probably not associated with The Taint, and instead seemed to hold more reverence to spirits - perhaps wind elementals specifically given words like wind, erosion, dust. Mechorn was able to use this information to convince the cult members that their party were true believers. Birnar tried to fight the party but Shynntara used an Energetic Missive and unintentionally murdered him. Bonabo Nesty worked with Imidin to arrange a funeral, but the actions caused the enigmatic The Speaker to turn her attention to the party. Bonabo Nesty helped convince the cultists we were communing with The Speaker and the party learned more about what she wanted: an air staff to the west. The party negotiated a bit with The Speaker and agreed to retrieve the staff and leave the cult members to improve themselves. Imidin agreed to stay back and keep an eye on the cult for the time being, but not forever and shared some of his suspicions about the Speaker with the party (namely how she spoke perfect common and she used an adaptation of the Message cantrip to speak her message). The party restocked and then headed west.
The party fought a Sand Wolf and, as Arwen (first name Andebrocirix) learned, Living Whirlwinds. The Wolf was very annoying, since it can negate a single hit no matter how strong, sing annoying songs, attack at range, and sweep through multiple foes. The Living Whirlwinds were very agile and able to push around their enemies. The party later also learned the Wolf did not resist bludgeoning damage and was weak to water. The party defeated these foes and continued onward.
Later, at the mountain near Rydess' Lair, the party saw a strange sword and heard what they figured is a Storm Unknown that spoke Jotun. They rested and the party attempted to enter the raging sandstorm. They first fought 4 weaker Sand Wolves, but they put up a really good fight. After defeating 3, the party charged the hag's stronghold, aided by stairs from Bonabo Nesty. The hag electrocuted Mechorn and Shynntara, causing Shynn to fall. When Shynn was revived, she grabbed the floated staff but was dropped again. Mechorn took the staff and jumped off the wall while Arwen (first name Andebrocirix) healed both Shynntara and both descended using another set of magical stairs provided by Bonabo Nesty. The party fled from an enraged storm hag and return the Moot to deliver the staff to The Speaker, who took the onyx stone from it and compensated the party as agreed.