Session 54: Let's Make a Deal
General Summary
The party finds themselves in the waiting room of Manshoon's Extradimentional Sanctum. Through a window and across the swirling purple mists of the demiplane they see a bald woman sitting sentry. She indicates for the party to wait there. They hear in their heads "your gracious host will be with you momentarily."
After a moment the doors to the waiting room open and they are greeted by a handsome, dark-haired young man. They notice he's wearing an elegant robe and has a metal left arm and hand. He introduces himself as Manshoon. He is confused but pleasant saying he didn't expect anyone to come to discuss business today. The party refers to Neverember's Enigma (or the Grand Game) and thought they should be discrete. He takes measure of the party as they question him. They begin to suspect he's cast Detect Thoughts on them.
After a moment he proposes they not beat about the bush and put their cards on the table. Manshoon reveals he knows exactly who they are and why they are here. Davil Starsong and Ziraj (both in disguise) are palpably uncomfortable and unhappy they're talking to Manshoon at all. He informs them that Urstul Floxin reported back to him of their involvement at the Attack on Gralhund Villa. As he speaks, the party notice two halflings on either side of the room at exits. The bald woman takes up at another exit to the foyer.
Manshoon offers them a deal. He will give them his eye to the Stone of Golorr as long as he is there when they open the vault. They can even keep the money. He is after something else inside. He refuses to say anything more. He offers them to have the deal in writing. If either party break the deal they take significant psychic damage. He says they have nothing to fear from him as long as they don't align themselves with Halaster. Cameron Overholt recalls that Halaster created Undermountain beneath The Yawning Portal and is a powerful mage.
Andryn Stormpeak considers casting Locate Object but it would be obvious she's casting a spell. Davil gets frustrated and can't believe they're considering this offer. He angrily turns to the bald woman and mutters something under his breath. She begins to move across the room, but Manshoon grabs her by the arm. He says "must we play these games, Davil?" and Davil drops his disguise. "Like you said...let's put our cards on the table." He tells the woman to kill Manshoon and the halflings. She casts cone of cold, hurting one of the halflings and Manshoon quite badly.
The party jumps into the fray, fighting the two halfling monks and Manshoon. Moments later double doors into the foyer open and another Manshoon enters chanting a spell. The party watches as Davil falls to the floor. He tries to find purchase as he's dragged toward Manshoon. He begins to reduce in size as he flies to the ruby around Manshoon's neck and becomes imprisoned inside.
The party hears a voice tell Runt Thundermount to let it out. That Runt should let it do what it does best. Runt drops his maul and pulls out the large black sword the party found in Blue Alley.
The fight continues. Andryn casts Spirit Guardians, Runt faces off with one of the halfling monks, and Cameron pulls out Graduate Assistant (his healing turret). Fake Manshoon is blinded by Ziraj, who is taking a fair bit of damage. The bald woman comes out of her Dominate Person when Davil goes into the gem. She casts Fireball which hits Andryn who goes unconscious. She stabilizes thanks to the Periapt of Wound Closure.
The party takes out the bald woman and one of the halflings. The second Manshoon that entered looks annoyed and tells them they should have taken the deal. Before they can reply he teleports away.
Runt hits the fake Manshoon who begins to melt and his body falls away in icy chunks. A moment later he's nothing but a puddle on the ground. Andryn is healed and back on the board. They attempt to question the halfling but she's a little out of her mind. As they debate what to do with her, Ziraj dispassionately kills her with three shots of his massive longbow. He tells them they must leave and figure out how to save Davil. The party convinces him they'll have a better chance if they loot the sanctum. Andryn casts Locate Object but doesn't get a strong ping.
They find a frigid room with an icy coffin and realize the melted Manshoon was a Simulacrum the real Manshoon created. They go through part of the sanctum, finding loot, until they find themselves in a library that has a large rune on the wall. Through a series of checks they party realizes this rune is a lock to an astral safe. They figure out that looking like Manshoon and following a pattern will open the safe. Runt casts Disguise Self and opens the lock. Inside they find a number of scrolls, 5 pass-amulets, a dozen teleporter rings to the sanctum, and a small chest. Andryn's Locate Object spell is pinging. They open the chest. Inside they find the eye belonging to the Stone of Golorr.
Inside the astral vault they also find Manshoon's Report on the Grand Game. They quickly search the rest of the sanctum, finding loot in sleeping quarters, before coming upon Manshoon's personal quarters. They find a non-magical metal mask and Manshoon's spellbook. When Cameron goes to take the spellbook a Helmed Horror attacks. The party quickly dispatch it and exit with the spellbook, a major wizard faux pas. Andryn expresses some concern that Manshoon is going to kill them AND think poorly of them now.
The party finds a laboratory, a summoning room full of runes, and a pantry/larder. Finally, once they've searched the whole sanctum, they use the teleportation circle back to the tower. It's strangely quiet. As they descend they realize it's now empty. All residents, including the contained balgura, are gone. They rush to the street to meet up with Tashlyn, another member of the Doom Raiders, and their hired mercenaries. They find a destroyed city block, several dead bodies, and a dead balgura. Yagra Stonefist is also present and looks bloodied from the fight. Tashlyn questions why there was no word from the party to invade Kolat Towers. They were amushed by mages and the demon. They reveal that Davil was taken by Manshoon. Yagra reveals that while she was tailing Skeemo Weirdbottle he discovered her and told her the Doom Raiders needed her help so she hurried to aid Tashlyn. Cameron correctly deduces she was the victim of a Suggestion spell.
The remaining Doom Raiders say they're going back to the Yawning Portal to regroup. The party goes over their options. They need to find the last eye. Their leads are Sea Maiden's Faire, Jarlaxle Baenre and his drow gunmen, and whatever Vincent Trench has found in his investigations. They decide to check in with Vincent.
As they get close to Trollskull Alley they find Trollskull Manor and Tavern in disarray. The door has been busted open, windows broken, and furniture destroyed. Inside, Caelynn Amastacia is unconscious. Augustus Montgomery du Pont III, the newly hired tutor is bloodied. Zephan Wit, their tiefling bartender lays dead on the ground. Tearfully, Lillian Haekin informs them that "he's" taken the children. She hands them a note that reads "you should have taken my deal. Same terms and I'll return your wards. I think I'll keep the money this time though."
Rewards Granted
From Manshoon's laboratory
- 1 spell component worth up to 50 gp
- 2 spell components worth up to 25 gp
- 5 spell compenents worth up to 10 gp (your choice for all components)
- Topaz potion
- Lime-green oil
- Rainbow potion
- Dark blue potion
- Pink oil
- Jug of clear liquid
- 3 burgundy liquids
Zhent Quarters
- 3 potions of healing
- love letters from Agorn Fuoco to a woman named Tamzyn - one contains an elegant paltinum necklace (worth 250 gp) featuring a tiny cameo of a beautiful woman
- golden comb shaped like a dragon with tiny rubies for eyes (250 gp)
- tiny halfling doll - inside is a pouch that holds 5 100 gp pearls
Reading Room
- lyre
Library
- 10 particularly rare books have bookplates identifying them as belonging to Duhlark Kolat (worth 50 gp each). Books are about magic and magical experimentation (some have been banned by mage circles)
- history book on a race of gem/precious stone dragons
- folktale book on a druid named Dydd who was said to have fought a mighty dragon and tore out his heart
- 12 teleporter rings and 5 pass-amulets
- Manshoon's Report on the Grand Game
- An eye belonging to the Stone of Golorr
Manshoon's Quarters
- Manshoon's spellbook
- Manshoon's mask
Missions/Quests Completed
One of three eyes of the Stone of Golorr procured.
Runt Thundermount
Cameron Overholt
Andryn Stormpeak
Caelynn Amastacia
Report Date
30 May 2021
Primary Location
Secondary Location
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