Heart Smart – Stab and Depart.

The group converses with the sabre and finds the the source of the river is far upland, near the spine of the world. The group sets off to travel along the river in hops of several hundred miles.The druid begins by transporting vis plants until a suitable location is found, and then Dalliance teleport everyone to that site. This mode of transport eliminates the need to worry about encounters, so the journey to the headwaters is almost idyllic. The picturesque mountains…the glittering glaciers, the roaming bands of dire wolves, frost giants and the occasional white dragon… are all enjoyed at a safe distance.
Eventually the group finds the headwaters – emerging from an opening in a massive dam that creates a reservoir of blue water streaked with inky tendrils. The top of the dam is also a portico to some sort of palace – though the openness and airiness would seem to indicate a much warmer climate than the one in which it is currently located. The palace is guarded by a sextet of bronze golems. Rock to mud immobilizes them in mud, the reverse entombs them in stone.
Crossing the room and opening the door reveals a hallway full of horrible carrion crawlers. Boom. Boom. No more crawly things, but another door. This one leads to a room with agitated water. The water is agitated because it is a band of enslaved elementals. Barada springs into ambassador mode and negotiates with the leader of the band. He obtains their services and the use of an excellent magic item – the undersea boat. He also obtains a warning that the destination is guarded by an immense dragon turtle of exceptional age and crankiness.
Duly warned, the group piles into the boat, battens the hatches and is carried down a watery chute by the elementals. They drift along a canal that passes through an area with multiple medusae, then a dizzying descent along an underwater slide that deposits them into a lake of blue water and shot through with strands of inky darkness. The elementals locate the headwater opening and go to distract the turtle, to give the group some time.
As the group draws near they see a large growth – like a black sponge – is covering much of the opening and exuding black into the water as it streams by…Nil is enchanted with bvarious protections, and exits the boat. 30 seconds later, the sponge of evil is disintegrating and Nils is swimming back to the boat, leaving the cutter sword lodged in the middle of the spongy mass. The group spys another chute as the water elementals stream past and into the headwaters – which are based in the elemental plane of water – just moments ahead of the onrushing turtle. The group gambles and takes the chute – which eventually deposits them into the Sabre River. They float for a while – then return to Shadowdale to spread the word of their success. From there – back to Waterdeep for the appraisal and sale of magic items, though maybe Shadowdale has more demand.