Session 06: Betrayal at Gralhund Villa
General Summary
The session begins with the party still in combat with the guards of House Gralhund...
At Gralhund Villa
The Battle
- Everyone works together to take down the guards.
- Masie is brought back to consciousness by Madame H.
- Orond Gralhund is brutally murdered by Urstul Floxin.
- Urstul Floxin is killed by Gwen.
- Eventually the party corners Yalah Gralhund and questions her, only after terrifying her two children (everyone but Gwen was remorseful about this but what else is new).
Developments
From Lady Gralhund the party learned...
- After bargaining with the party to spare the lives of herself and her children, she reveals that House Gralhund had been bankrolling the efforts of the breakaway Zhent agents.
- This includes the plots to kidnap Renaer Neverember and setting off the larger gang war between the Xanathar's Guild and The Zhentarim to gain the Stone of Golorr.
- She had sent her mechanical servant to steal the Stone for herself, but had gotten the breakaway Zhents caught in the fireball; which started the skirmish.
- She was after the Stone to give it to someone she can't outright name otherwise risk the death of her family.
- Instead she hands over a key to the party, pointing to a chest telling them to help themselves.
- Inside they find two holy symbols of Asmodeus and two robes, each red and gold in color; implying that House Gralhundmay have a connection to a cult dedicated to the Archfiend.
- The party loots the bodies of the guards/zhents for better gear and then attempts to steal some horses before tracking down the rogue Nimblewright.
In the City
Nimblewright showdown
- The party locates the Nimblewright hiding in an alley not too far from the Villa, they destroy it fairly quickly.
- They then loot its "body" and bring it back to the House of Inspired Hands.
Development
- The party looted a map from the Nimblewright depicting the City of the Dead, with an 'X' above one mausoleum with the name 'Cassalanter'.
- It's assumed this is where the Stone was delivered to.
- At the House of Inspired Hands, the Party gets 100gp each and a non-magical invention of their choosing.
Gwen does some shady shit
- After collecting the reward for the Nimblewright, Gwen makes her way to the Yawning Portal where she presents the head of Urstul Floxin to Davil Starsong.
- Davil Starsong is horrified that this was presented to him so brazenly and while he was trying to eat dinner.
- A tense exchange between the two with Gwen maybe saying some things you shouldn't say to a crimelord, leads to Gwen losing the renown she had gained with The Zhentarim.
- She was tailed home by Zhent agents, as she has now put a target on her back as a potential usurper.
Investigating the Cassalanters
- Masie and Gaerreak discuss what they know about the Cassalanters, the following conclusion is reached;
- They are a powerful noble family (led by Victoro and Ammalia Cassalanter) with a lucrative banking and money-lending business.
- Fell on hard times a few years back but they have since reversed their fortunes.
- Lord Victoro Cassalanter is the only living heir of the late Caladorn Cassalanter, a former Masked Lord and a hero of the North.
- Over the years, the Cassalanters have founded a number of philanthropic societies and made generous donations to temples dedicated to good-aligned deities.
- They are known to worship Siamorphe, a demigod whose ethos is the nobility’s right and responsibility to rule.
- Their eldest son and heir disappeared three years ago when the family was on the verge of bankruptcy. They have two surviving children, young twins named Terenzio and Elzerina.
- There have been longstanding rumours of devil worship, and spectulation of a pact with a devil...
- There have been regular gatherings at Cassalanter Villa, with undesirables going missing in the city for some time...
- Confronted with this revelation; Masie, Gaerreak and Kerberos go to the Tiger's Eye and present the robes and symbols to Vincent Trench.
- Masie stays back to discuss business with Vincent.
Development
- Vincent confirms the suspicions of the party, saying there is definitely a cult of Asmodeus operating in the City.
- Given that the robes were found in a noble villa, it is likely that a powerful family like House Cassalanter are at least hosting gatherings if not actually leading the Cult themselves.
Session ended 18/06/1492 at 1am; 18th of Kythorn (The Time of Flowers) 1492 DR, the Year of Three Ships Sailing
