One of the gifts for the Mad Poet, discovered written in the margins of Men and Vultures: Denizens of the Darkened Depths and Dead Skies.
In Chapter 100, the party was able to determine that three of the books from Lowls' footlocker were of particular use in researching this gift: Monuments of the Forest, Tigers and Flies, and The Wise Harmony.
In Chapter 101, on 5 Kuthona, Dabwick (aided by Dora and Barnabus) began research on this gift and uncovered the following information:
- Lowls discovered that the Mad Poet prized trophies from highly dangerous or unusual predators. In the hunt for a rare and particularly deadly predator, Thema learned of the mysterious Pards, felines with blue and purple tails, that live only in the Dreamlands’ Enchanted Wood.
Later that chapter, at the Forsaken Caravanserai, Dabs (aided by Dora) completed the research into this gift and uncovered the following:
- It seemed Lowls settled on seeking the advice of the Zoogs of the Enchanted Wood. They are carnivores and particularly enjoy feline flesh; he assumed they would know where to find the Pards. Notes in Thema’s hand seem to indicate that they successfully palavered with the creatures and they all joined together to take down a mated pair; Riptusk claimed the killing blows.
- The pass phrase that would allow Dora to use the Dreamlands Excursion occult ritual to travel directly to the Enchanted Wood.
In Chapter 107, the party began their quest for this gift, arriving in the Enchanted Wood in the hunting grounds of a Tikbalang.
In Chapter 108, the party learned that the interaction with the Zoogs on their previous visit had not been as peaceful as Thema’s notes indicated. In truth, Lowls and Thema aggressively bullied Burukur and his insanity into the fight with the Pards, resulting in Mortimer‘s (RIP) death and terrible changes to their ecosystem.
Later that chapter, they were able to strike a bargain with them: the Zoogs would bring them to the tail of the female Pard the party had previously killed if they took down the alpha Tree Tiger now causing havoc in their territory.
In Chapter 109, while traveling to the Tree Tigers’ territory, the party found a human man being held captive by a group of faerie Lurkers and did battle with them to free the man.
In Chapter 110, they learned more of the man, Chester Bindlay‘s, history and helped him to return to his waking body.
In Chapter 111, they found the alpha Tree Tiger and managed to put it down, though Grip’s lucid dream body was slain in the deadly combat. Dora, Dabs, and Vik returned to Burukur and obtained the rotting remains of the female Pard’s tail.
First Reference: Chapter 99
Other Notable References: Chapter 100, Chapter 101, Chapter 107, Chapter 108, Chapter 109, Chapter 110, Chapter 111