The party headed off to Waterdeep in search of a scholar to translate the mysterious Netherese inscription.
Arriving in town, the party headed to the Yawning Portal to get a place to stay and a place to have as a home base. They got a large adventurers room to save on coin.
Heading into the North Ward, they found the shop door ajar and nobody home. The place appeared ransacked, although the coin box had been untouched, which was very odd. Looking around the street outside, the party decided to head to the general goods shop directly across the street to find out what was going on.
There, they got a lot of silence and not much cooperation, when suddenly everyone inside went silent, glass-eyed, and then attacked those of the party inside.
On the outside, one of their number spotted an elf with a rod topped with what looked like a small crown, who, upon being spotted, ran away. They joined in with the party and cast sleep on the lot, knocking some out, which brought them to their senses. Upon waking, nobody remembered what happened.
Remembering the rod and wanting to know what it was, they searched for a magic item shop to see what they could find, and discovered Connor’s Magical Goods. Connor was very reluctant to speak, asking over 500 gp to speak so that he could get out of town. The party decided, while questioning Connor, to trade their newly acquired rod of resurrection for a variety of lesser items for each of the party members. Connor left them the deed to the shop, packed his things and disappeared in a flash.
Just as the party were discussing how shady it was that nobody wanted to speak, and those that finally did mentioned a bald man with tattoos and armor with other bald men, a man in dark armor and a dark cloak walked into the shop demanding the scroll that he had paid for up front. Percell, the cleric/druid, handed him a rolled up blank piece of parchment telling him “Don’t open it up until you need it.” The man nodded and left.
The party then headed off back towards the Yawning Portal. Along the way, they were accosted by a man in a dark cloak who claimed to have somebody who could tell them more about what they were facing if they would but follow him down in alleyway. Doing so, they were ambushed by a number of thugs and cut throats. It was a hard fought battle, but the party came out on top. After searching pockets for loose change, on the leader they found a note that said that the party had been asking too many questions and that they were to be eliminated. It was signed Mhendi. Asking around town, they find out that this person is an elf who has begun a new criminal syndicate, supposedly rivaling the Xanathar Guild. Doing some searching and investigating, they found where Mendy keeps his office. Upon arriving, they are told that they were expected and are asked to step into his office. Walking in, they noticed that a fair portion of the objects in the office and the building, while looking expensive, are fakes and knockoffs. Seated behind a nice desk is an elf with a hottie look on his face, who is flanked by two large goliath warriors. Mhendi explains to them that he, himself, was under orders and that it was “just business.” He then put the ball in the player character’s court by asking them if they would rather fight or to calmly discuss their mutual problem. The players chose to talk.
The players found out that Mhendi was strong armed into doing what he had been doing by several members of the Red Wizards of Thay. He says that these are not official members of that organization, and are part of an offshoot. Claims to have been threatened by them into subservience, which he had no choice but to accept. he was unfortunately unable to tell them how to contact them or where to find them but pointed them towards a halfling posing as a child urgent that hangs out elsewhere in the Dock Ward, pleasing people of their gold. He says her name is Tilna.
The druid/cleric of the group asked about the rod, which Mhendi says that he still has and will not give up. The druid/cleric told him that he would one day have a reckoning.
Heading elsewhere in the Dock Ward, they found where Tilna hung out. Approaching her, the party attempted to keep her from running, at which point she threw sand in the druid / clerics eyes, while attempting to flee (“pocket sand!”).
Using his ever useful entangle spell, as well as a hold person spell, the party subdued her. With her, they found out the same information that they had before: tall, bald, and tattooed men threatened her into complying. She knew exactly where they hung out and could even tell them where the drop point was for information that she came across. She wanted 50 gold to be able to disappear. The party, tired of having to bribe people, refused. The party then left, but not before unwittingly being pickpocketed by Tilna. Tilda managed to get a hold of only one object: the druid / cleric’s bag of holding, which held almost all of his worldly possessions, to include the inscription that they had originally come to Waterdeep to translate.
After they realized that they had been pickpocketed, the party went to go find her. After many castings of locate person, they discovered that she was somewhere in the sewers.
Well, that’s all I have time for today. Tune in next time to discover more on this prequel on how the party got where they are.
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