Session III: Welcome to Waterdeep

General Summary

Not long after arriving in Waterdeep, the party splits up to get some tasks done. They agree to meet up with each other again in the Yawning Portal. Kairon and Xiaobo make their way through the shady Dock Ward, full of old, threadbare warehouses and broken lanterns, to the Trade Ward, in search of a shop to possibly sell their Tiger's Eye. After a little bit of searching around, they eventually find a little shop in an alley called Jared's Jewels. They make their way in to be greeted by an old man, who gladly takes a look at their gem. After studying it for a bit, he praises it for around 80 dragons. Karion thanks the old man and says he'll consider the offer. Before leaving the shop he also quickly asks for directions to the Yawning Portal.   In the meantime, Holtz and Irven make their way to the Mordai Academy. They too make their way through the Dock Ward to get the Way of the Dragon, one of the large north-south roads of Waterdeep. There they take a dray to the market. During their ride, Holtz teaches Irven a little about the rich history of Waterdeep, pointing out Castle Waterdeep and a few of the massive Walking Statues like the Honorable Knight, the Hawk Man and the Great Drunkard as they pass it. They get of at the market and make their way to the Academy. As they enter, Holtz is greeted with the familiar sight of a large sqaure surrounded by three large rectangular white-blue buildings, with a magical fountain that portrays all the Blackstaffs throughout the history of Waterdeep. Holtz and Irven make their way to the entrance hall and approach the scrawny gnome behind his desk.   The gnome clerk seems suprised that Holtz is back already from the expedition. Holtz tries to explain to the clerk why he returned early, using his own version of the story. While the clerk is highly suspicious, Holtz manages to convince him to just let the professors on the expedition know that he arrived at the Academy and even to let him off the grounds of the Academy, under the ruse of visiting his mother and father. While making their way out, Holtz and Irven are approached by a familiar figure for Holtz: a middle-aged man with a robotic arm and leg. The man, Gonstantin, also expresses his concerns about Holtz being back early. Holtz tries to spin the same tale he did to the clerk, but Gonstantin seems more informed, and is having none of it. He expresses to Holtz privately that he is dissapointed in him for being so absent and uninterested during most of his education, and tells him that he will have to stop sponsoring his studies if he doesn't improve this, after which he walks of.  

You have so much potential in you, Holtz, you just need to use it.

— Gonstantin

  After this unexpected confrontation, Holtz and Irven also make their way to the Yawning Portal. When they arrive at the tavern, they find Xiaobo and Kairon are already there, at a table with Aurelia and a friend of hers, Naeri. Holtz and Irven join the group and they begin conversing about their past adventures and about what's next. They also manage to convince Aurelia to buy the the Tiger's Eye from them for 75 gold pieces. Their talks are suddenly interrupted by some yelling on the other side of the bar.  

Ye like killin' me friends, eh, ya filthy bullyblade?!

— Random thug in the Yawning Portal

  They see a burly, bald human, with several tattoos of eyes on his head and surrounded by 5 of his friends, throw a punch at a strong-looking female half-orc, who takes it straight to her chin. A fight breaks out between the two, and an eager Irven joins them, quickly striking down the man with his axe. In the general confusion that follows, the half-orc quickly thanks Irven and walks away, while the barkeep yells at the troublemakers to get out and to take their friend with them. Before Irven and the rest of the party can get well and settled in their seats again, Naeri pick up a growl coming from the pit in the middle of the tavern. Irven goes to take a look, and sees a troll, with several fuzzy four-winged creatures with long snouts latched on his back and flying around him, climbing his way up. Irven pushes himself away from the pit, falling on his back, and shouts "Troll!".   A panic breaks out in the tavern, with all the patrons scrambling for the nearest exit. The party keeps its calm though, and prepares for battle. They are joined by the barkeep, who seems to be used to this kind off stuff happening. During a hectic battle, during which Irven is saved by his - now revealed to be magic - bracers, the flying creatures are slewn and the troll is tossed back into the pit. Peace returns to the Yawning Portal and the party is approached by an eager, short human with fancy looking clother and a barret. He introduces himself as Volothamp Geddarm, and aks the party if they can help him. His friend, Floon Blagmaar, has been missing since they last had a drink at the Skewered Dragon a few nights ago. He offers the party 10 dragons each as payment up front if they agree to search for Floon, and tenfold that if they complete the mission. After some questioning, and a promise of a signature, the party accepts the mission and make their way to the Skewered Dragon, under the guidance of Naeri.   On their way the new tavern, they pass a dreadful sight in one of the alleys, which is cordoned of by the City Watch: half a dozen bodies strewn across the now bloody street, and three individuals forced on their knees with hands on their head. Some party members try to approach to get some information, but they are promptly blown of by the City Watch. A little bit farther on their way, the party comes across a weird shop with a fully purple facade and a small stuffed purple beholder in the shopwindow, called "Old Xoblob Shop". When they enter they are greeted by a fully purple room filled with lavender scented smoke and with purple shelves with purpe trinkets on them. On the counter, legs crossed, sits a dark-skinned gnome with purple eyes tattooed on his cheeks. He welcomes the party and tries to sell them some of his trinkets. The party looks around a little bit, Kairon even buys a mechanical fish, but something seems off about the gnome, so they quickly leave again.  

Food, clothes, silverwear, books, ... If it's purple, I'll buy it!

— Xoblob

  They finally make their way to the Skewered Dragon, a shady, one story tavern with broken windows and an anchor stuck in the roof. Naeri, with some help from Irven, manages to intimidate on of the tavern's regulars, Bob, into telling the party what happened the night Floon went missing. He tells them that after Volo left, Floon stayed, and was later joined by a fancy looking guy with blue clothes. After talking a bit, they both left, followed by 5 thugs that were also in the tavern. Bob informs them that these thugs often hang out at a warehouse on Candle Lane.   Having heard enough, the party makes its way to Candle Lane. They find the warehouse being lit by the only lantern in the alley. After looking around a bit, they can't seem to see what's going on inside, so Holtz sends his spider, Web, inside, while Naeri tries to pick the lock on the door. Holtz manages to see a lifeless body slumped against the wall through Web, but doesn't get much chance to explore more of the warehouse, because as soon as Naeri manages to unlock and open the door, she is greeted by three suprised Kenku, who immediately rush to attack her. The Kenku, who are later joined by a fourth member, quickly manage to overwhelm and down Naeri, but the party manages to swoop in and save Naeri, killing three Kenku and capturing one. The party ties up the last surviving Kenku and intimidate him into telling them what he knows. While the Kenku can't speak in any convential way, he manages to convey to the party that "Xanathar sends his regards" and "Follow the marks in the sewers". After questioning the Kenku, the party begins to search the warehouse.   They find 6 dead bodies with tattoos of serpents with wings on their necks, which Naeri and Holtz recognize as signs of the Zentharim. They also find multiple crates filled with weapons and armor. In a small room in the back of the warehouse they find a young human male fully bounded and gagged. Thinking it is Floon and that their search is at an end, Irven promptly slits the neck of the last Kenku. Turns out, however, that it isn't Floon at all. After they free and ungag him, the man politely introduces himself as Renaer. He explains that he met up with Floon at the Skewered Dragon after Volo left, and that they got jumped and kidnapped when they left the bar. He thinks the Zhents are searching for the Stone of Golorr, which alledgedly leads to a cache of dragons hidden somewhere in the city by his father. Renaer was apparently thrown in the back room while the Zhents questioned Floon. He heard another party break into the warehouse, slaughter the Zhents, and take Floon with them. He thinks they mistook Floon for him, and feels guilty about Floon getting in so much trouble, which is why he offers to help the party in their search.

Rewards Granted

40 dragons and 35 gold pieces (for the Tiger's Eye)
50 dragons (for beginning the search for Floon)
2 dragons (from looting the Kenku in the warehouse)

Character(s) interacted with

Aurelia
Gonstantin
Durnan
Volothamp Geddarm
Renaer