Session 2: The Yawning Portal

General Summary

Lily, Gnosh and Detalosi enter the Yawning Portal. The Yawning portal is dimly lit. Well-worn boards cover the floor, but the main Impression is comfort. Rich blue tapestries decorate the wood-paneled walls of the common room, which consisted of a bar and tables of stout wood. The inn has a notable well which measures 40 feet in diameter and is located between the bar and dining tables. The well is the well known passage to Undermountian. A waist-high stone ring was built around the well to prevent customers and objects from falling into the pit below. The clientele consisted mostly of adventurers eager to enter Undermountian. The Called, as they were sometimes known, listed to the Waterdhavians, who were only to eager to share rumors and stories about the dungeon.   It's a special evening at the Yawning Portal the noisy taproom seems even more full than usual and the patrons are brimming with excitement. A small crowd of well-wishers have gathered around a party of heros who've chosen this night to brave the taverns namesake. The small band of would-be heros checking and securing their equipment, mundane and magical alike. As they begin their descent into the large hole in the middle of the tavern, the taproom fills with loud cheers and huzzah. Behind the bar, Durnan , the grizzled proprietor of the yawning portal, shakes his head and smirks under his moustache.   At the bar Aden waits quietly he had been sent a flying snake with the message that his contact would make his presence known here tonight. Aden appears to be a young human male, with dark brown hair, violet eyes with lightly tanned skin with a moderate build and about 5'10".   Also watching in the tap room is Feng Agundar. Feng is a Male Half-Orc he appears to be fairly large 6'7" and muscularly built. He has dark brown hair and green grey skin and blue eyes.   Lily, Gnosh and Det sit around a sturdy wooden table lit by a brightly burning candle and littered with plates cleared of food and half-drained tankards. The sounds of gamblers yelling and drunken adventurers singing bawdy songs near drown out the off-key strumming of a young bard three tables over.   Detalosi heads to the bar to speak to Durnan, asking him about his older brother and parents. Durnan tells Detalosi that he doesn't remember them passing through this way or into Undermountian itself.   Gnosh and Lily order something to eat from the server. As Detalosi is heading back to the table the din is eclipsed by a shout "Ya Pig! Like killin me mates, does ya?" Then a seven foot tall Half-Orc is hit by a wild swinging punch from a male human whose shaved head is covered with eye-shapped tattoos. Four other humans stand behind him, ready to jump into the fray. The Half-Orc crash is her knuckles, roars and leaps at the tattooed figure. The crowd pressed in after the first swing making it difficult to see if blood was drawn.   Detalosi attempts to make it back to his friends as chaos ensues. Suddenly a deep roar emits from the shaft! Shouts of alarm suddenly ring out as everyone freezes in surprise. A hulking creature climbs up out of the shaft in the middle of the taproom - a monster with warty green skin, a tangled nest of wiry black hair, a long, heart-shaped nose, and bloodshot eyes. As it bares its yellow teeth and howls you can see that a half-dozen bat-like creatures are attached to its body, with three more circling above it like flies. Everyone in the tavern reacts in fear as the creature swipes its claws accrossed Detalosi's chest and watching the big firblog crumble into unconsciousness! Durnan shouts out "Troll!"   Lily and Gnosh jump to the side of their fallen friend attempting to pull him to safety. Aden and Feng also jump into the fray to beat the monster down! Durnan grabs his great sword and charges the monster. Most of the patrons flee or take cover during the troll battle. Some of the stirges dive and attack the adventurers as they battle the troll. After the troll is beaten Durnan tells the adventurers to douse the body in oil and set it on fire. They then assist him on pushing the troll into the shaft.   The Half-Orc sneaks out with the fray, and the human male is out cold but assisted out by his companions. Durnan praises the adventurers saying matter of factly "You fought well." Detalosi is assisted by one of the local clerics of Tymora.   Once the troll is dealt with a figure approaches the group, strokes his moustache, adjusts his floppy hat, and tightens his scarf. "You'd be adventurers right? I could use your help. Let's find a table to talk, shall we?"   "Volothamp Geddarm, chronicler, wizard, and celebrity, at your service. I trust you've noted the violence in our fair city these past tendays. I haven't seen so much blood since my last visit to Baldur's Gate! But now I fear I have misplaced a friend amid this odious malevolence.   My friends name is Floon Blagmaar. He's got more beauty then brains, and I worry he took a bad way home a couple nights ago and was kidnapped - or worse. If you agree to track him down with all due haste, I can offer you ten dragons a piece now, and can give you each ten times that when you find Floon. May I prevail upon you in my hour of need?"   Volo tells the adventurers that beset by writers block he met Floon Blagmaar for drinks at the Skewered Dragon two nights past. They drank and gambled forms few hours, and then Volo left. The adventurers agree to work together to find Floon. Detalosi, Lily and Gnosh secure rooms at the Yawning Portal and agree to meet Feng and Aden when they return.   Feng and Aden are both from Waterdeep. Although they have similar reasons for adventuring nethier of them had met before.