Despite the promise of the prior summary, the party actually leaves the overpopulated border camp immediately (DOY 126), walking through the warm rain, over the reasonably well-maintained (but currently unmanned) bridge over the Iris river, and meeting with three Hengeyokai (and their two mules)- Arbal (fox lineage), Nimar (hare lineage), and Denro (racoon-dog lineage), all of them in a hurry. They were attempting to find safe harbor given the rampaging monsters- understandably somewhat worse north of the border- and were going south of the border, but were turned away as shapeshifters are not allowed into Isaï Memory. Nimar's second plan was to go to a long-abandoned temple to Rynathemat that he knew of. They ran into a problem, however- simply walking along the path that they knew resulted in them going nowhere near their destination, and after several hours they gave up, convinced there was some enchantment at work, and planning to head north to a nearby village.
Of more immediate concern were the shifting shadows that had possibly begun following them while they were attempting to find the abandoned temple. Shortly after introducing themselves and relaying all this, they were attacked by two shadows and several shadowcats, who managed to knock out Nyxara almost immediately (Denro gave her some healing elixir). The party made reasonably short work of these foes, to the great gratitude of the three Hengeyokai.

Reasonably curious about their new acquaintances, the player characters found out that each Hengeyokai's human form ages a bit faster than a standard human, and when too old, the Hengeyokai will simply be unwilling to transform, and remain a long-lived animal for many more years until able to assume a fresh human form, with no memory of their prior form. This was the fate of Nimar- if he were not so old, Arbal would simply remain a fox for a season, and Nemro, of a more magical stock, would have an easier time evading the current troubles. Nimar, having seen an attack on his friends that would never have happened without this complication, saved only by the fortunate actions of the player characters, chose this time to revert to his hare form, leaving his companions a note.

The next day is humid and nippy, and the party says their farewell to Arbal and Nemro. As the party began their journey, Geddreng noticed, using thieves' cant, some piles of rocks that warned of some mysterious problem with the path. This was not news to the party, who had been aware of this, the "useful effect" score of thieve's cant remains at 0. There was also a message written in druidic:
"If you’re reading this, old man, turn around. You can’t help us any more. We’ll solve this or die trying. Any nightfriend loyalist- the beasts lose their golden charm after a few days, and then they can’t tell friend from foe. They are reaving a path through the north, hurting nearly as many innocents as monsters. We know you are lunatics who cannot listen to reason, but please, try."
The journey to the abandoned temple was direct and short- though it did not feel that way to any but Cyndra, who saw her companions walk off the trail in unison, puzzled that Cyndra was going the wrong way. This path involved two lost ogres in the same predicament, which the party easily avoided, thus depriving me of being able to roll 2d8+4 bludgeoning damage against some second level characters.

The temple was more than abandoned- its three structures had been long rendered uninhabitable, with the main one having been without a roof, ceiling, or most walls for over a century. Searching revealed a small niche with an unbreakable arrow and some mundane valuables, separate from the rest of the compound by long-fallen rocks. The main entrance was more productive, with the entire underground area filled with beasts with a golden glow about them- beasts who attacked as a unit, never ate, slept, nor engaged with any of the hindrances of nature whilst the aura remained. After clearing out some of these packs, the party was set upon by a wisp, who attacked after hearing Dis'Kolandir note his waning magical energy. The party camped not far away, and began a second humid and nippy day, heading directly back into the abandoned temple- they had achieved enough experience for level 3, which they obtained (level 4 can't be obtained until they spend 3 days in training). This time they eliminated all threats, and gathered a few weapons and armor from the fallen druids- a factional conflict between the Ember Remnant and the Nightfriend Loyalists. This included a corewood hauberk, which Geddreng immediately stabbed with his rapier. It's certainly repairable, especially if you have an Elf of Many Things.

They also found a second message in druidic:

"If you’ve found your way here, know that we, the Ember Remnant, are in pursuit of these mad druids, who pull energy from the deepest part of primal flame using the Branch of Palendis. They used it to create this tunnel and the glass spheres they used to summon animals and control them. The glass spheres will allow a wildfire druid track them. If you wish to persist, there is one hidden in the rocks near the main door of this room, but its charge will fade each day. Do not attempt to recharge it- these things deal in blood to command innocent animals."

Cyndra followed this instruction, and retrieved the red glass sphere. The party moved all animals that they had found a way to rescue from the golden aura to the outside of the abandoned temple to Rynathemat (which included a crocodile, who, I'm gonna be real, isn't gonna be one of the ones to make it), left said temple, took a long rest, and will begin on DOY 128.
Which is also humid and nippy.

In other notes, the "Branch of Palendis"- likely one of the powerful items alluded to by Tivuren in Taro Rows- was clearly used for some of the obviously magical effects encountered. The animals, sent against innocent and enemy alike, were both charmed and moved to a variety of distant places. A weird blue tunnel that moved up and through the ground (at an angle where it would obviously be visible above the ruined grounds) had the effect of enchanting all those who went near it (I believe Geddreng discovered this by virtue of a successful saving throw), and this is a mystery the party hasn't dug too deeply into, beyond the obvious conclusions.