🌞 DAY 1 • 📅 ELEINT 29
đź“ŚZhentarim Warehouse, Dock Ward
A Tied Up Ghost
Garant informs the group of the carnage in the warehouse after slamming the door shut. Iso opens the door a crack and sees no Kenku, but a pale elvish figure tied and gagged to the pillar, desperately trying to make eye contact and muffled noises at Iso. The figure is dressed in Zhentarim garb and has a flying snake pin.
ISO MAKES EYE CONTACT W/ HIM WHILE SHUTTING THE DOOR and informs the group that they "have a ghost tied up in there".
Luna, whose turn it is on the braincell, decides to take a look for herself, opens the door a crack and decides to step in upon seeing the tied up elf. Iso follows her. The two drow are shot at by the Kenku, who are hidden behind crates; Luna manages to dodge the arrow, but Iso gets hit in the shoulder and is heavily injured.
Bird Battle
Luna warns Iso to take cover and goes right up to the pale elf, telling him rather authoritatively that "we're going to help you, so you will help us in exchange." The elf (later introducing himself as Zayn) agrees and picks up a discarded shortsword from the carnage and helps the group attack the Kenku.
Garant rushes in as well to help, and immediately takes a crossbow bolt that injures him greviously. The winds seem to rush to surround him, rattling the door as it does, and seem to close his wound. Iso, injured, takes to shooting Eldritch Blasts into the crates while taking cover with the door.
From the second floor of the warehouse, a crossbow bolt flies through the banisters and completely misses Garant, before a panicked squawk rings out and a whole ass young Kenku tumbles down from the second floor and falls right in front of Luna, prone. (it rolled a nat 1 crit fumble lmaooo)
It's visibly smaller and younger than the other Kenku, and Luna attempts to intimidate it into staying down, but it's feisty and tells her "f*ck you!" just before Garant sucker punches it and knocks it unconscious.
Garant and Zayn continue their attack on the Kenku, eventually with Garant kicking one unconscious and Zayn weakening the other, wielding his shortsword with great finesse. With a little hesitation, Luna summons a Sacred Flame upon the injured Kenku; surrounding it with blinding light. As the light fades, the Kenku falls, dead, ending the fight.
Of The Winter Court
Nursing their wounds, the group questions their newfound “ghost” friend.
Zayn tells the group that he comes from the Feywild, specifically the Winter Court, but was kicked out into the Material Plane. He has many questions, but mentions he was given work by Yagra and joined the Zhentarim without really understanding what was going on -- because he needed the "weird golden discs" to be able to buy food.
Luna mentions that those are coins, currency used to buy food or other goods. Zayn becomes confused because he was said to be sold and he was not food. BABIE. Luna explains slavery to Zayn in great detail, referring to it as an unfortunate phenomenon, though thankfully unheard of in Waterdeep.
Zayn relays the following information to the group:
He was part of the group that took Floon and Renaer on Fillet Street
He was in charge of tracking down Renaer due to his dexterity, but didn't know that his "new Zhent friends" were going to accost Renaer and Floon
He was on watchout while Renaer was being interrogated by the other Zhents
A big green man leading a group of monstrous folk raided the warehouse and fighting broke out, during which he got knocked out quickly after hearing talk of selling him as a slave.
When he woke up, he was tied up and the Kenku were rifling through the bodies.
Luna offers Iso and Zayn the health pots from Zord; Zayn quickly shows that he is unfamiliar with even the most common Material Plane things, such as the health potions, currency, laws, citizenship, etc.
Zayn introduces himself as Zayn of the Winter Court, Garant scoffs at another person without a last name and offers his own. For the first time in four times,,,, Zayn takes him up on the offer!!!!!!! - he is now Zayn Highrend of the Winter Court. Zayn also offers his title which Garant takes. Now he is Garant Highrend of the Winter Court. I love these fkin babbies
Luna ties up the small Kenku to the pillar and hesitates over the dead Kenku she killed, thoughtfully.
Renaer Neverember
Iso investigates a closet door and opens it to see a tall, red-headed and well-dressed man who immediately slashes Iso's cheek and threatens him with "it'll be your eye next if you make any sudden movements".
Luna comes over and helps Iso defuse the situation when it's clear the red-head man thinks they're part of the Zhent/Xanathar war. Though still mistrustful, he admits that he's outgunned and outnumbered, and steps outside of the closet, putting down his weapon.
Luna cleans Iso's cheek cut while the red-head introduces himself to the group as Renaer Neverember -- son of the former Open Lord Neverember. When the party marvels at his potential power and wealth, he acknowledges that the Zhents probably thought the same and kidnapped him for it.
He bitterly admits that he and his father haven't spoken for years, that he's estranged, and that the Zhents attacked him asking for some kind of "stone eye thing", and mentions that the Zhents frisked him and "threw an important locket of mine on the ground, unnecessarily violent fellows they are".
The group tries to help him find it, with Iso quickly locating it among some crates (nat 20 invest). The locket holds the picture of a beautiful red-haired woman, and is opened with an empty almond shaped indent in it.
Renaer notes that he didn't know that it could be opened, and the group realizes that the Zhentarim, in fact, got what they wanted from Renaer -- and that it was now probably with Xanathar's Guild. Renaer find bitter humor that "even in a gift honoring my late mother, my father has hidden secrets within".
The group explains their mission from Volo about Floon. Renaer expresses concern about Floon's disappearance from the warehouse, and offers his help in finding Floon. He puts his dagger back into a hidden compartment of his shoe, which Iso takes great interest in. Renaer brushes it off as a custom-made boot that "every noble in Waterdeep knows not to be unarmed".
Renaer heads upstairs to double-check if the Xanatharians might have left Floon or any clues. Luna, examining the area, discovers a hidden hidey-hole in a corner of the warehouse where she finds two crates.
"Stealing"?
The group cracks open the crates to find 15 gold bars stamped with 50GP symbols -- making for a grand total of 750GP, which Zayn and Iso are ecstatic about. Luna regards them quietly and thoughtfully. Garant establishes that he wants nothing to do with "stealing", even if it's from the Zhentarim.
The other crate contains paintings, which Garant ascertains to be the real deal with his Calligrapher's Tools proficiency. He explains to the group that he once saw them in a museum in Neverwinter, and that they would fetch upwards of 50GP.
The group starts divvying up the loot, but soon find that they need Garant's strength (the strengths of the rest of the group are luna:8, zayn:6 and iso:13 LMAO) to carry all the bars. They enlist his "no questions asked courier services" for 3 shards and dump their rations and tools on him to carry the bars.
Iso takes all the gold ingots and Zayn takes the paintings.
Smoke Alarm
The group, satisfied with the lower floor, heads upstairs to join Renaer in his search for clues. They find an abandoned office full of cobwebs. Iso starts sweeping the spiders and webs away, but is sternly stopped by Luna, who refuses to let him harm the "spiders who are just living". Iso eventually relents.
Zayn searches the other office rooms, finding a bottle of black swirling smoke, which he immediately opens and fills the entire office complex area with smoke, alarming the others. Luna casts Dancing Lights in an attempt to see, but the smoke muddies the lights, scaring Iso -- who has been jumpy about ghosts since Bonnie's offer of "spirits" in Session 0 LMAO.
Zayn goes into the other room and finds a package of three folded paper birds. He takes those as well, before coming out and explaining the smoke bottle to everyone. We see that the bottle is slowly filling with smoke again, though the smoke outside doesn't seem to be dissipating.
Iso opens a window, so a steady puff of black smoke starts streaming out of the building.
S C R I T C H
The group heads back downstairs, having found no clues leading towards Floon :c They find the small Kenku stirring, and bombard it with questions. Zayn taunts the Kenku about being tied to the same pillar they had tied him to, and the small Kenku chirps a "f*ck you!" to Zayn, which Zayn retorts with his own "f*ck you!", which, of course, the Kenku mimics.
"f*ck you!"s are exchanged for like a minute straight until Luna tells Zayn to stop.
Iso tells the Kenku that if it tells them where Floon is, they’ll release it and also asks for its name. He manages to persuade it and it says its name is Scratch. Immediately, the group begins calling it "Scritch". After being asked for more information and fed hefty amounts of rations, it uses its Kenku mimicry to repeat what it’s heard.
(Sounds of a lock opening, door crashing open, fighting sounds, pained cries)
(Deep, orcish voice) The Xanathar sends its regards.
(Higher, scratchy voice) THAT'S him! That must be the pretty boy boss wants.
(Deep) No time to loot the place. Bring the human to Nihiloor. You three. Search these Zhent scum and bring back anything worth selling down to the hideout.
(High) Remember, recruits! Follow the yellow signs at the intersections! OWWW OWOWOWOw what was that for, Grumshar?
(Deep) Be careful what you say to these birdbrains. Say nothing you don’t want repeated. Get moving.
Iso shows kindness towards the Kenku after hearing the deep voice's insults, prompting Scritch to repeat some other mean things it's been told:
(Unfamiliar female voice) Say what you want about Neverember, he wouldn't let monsters just walk around on our streets like this.
(Unfamiliar male voice) Is Silverhand gonna do somethin' about this wave of goblins and crows or what?
The group collectively decides to adopt Scritch after this LMFAO.
(Idk if Kenku have visible genders but she is girl so I'll use "she" going forward)
The group decides to bring the other Kenku with them and leave him somewhere to "go his own way", prompting Scritch to ask about the dead Kenku, confused. The group uncomfortably attempts to explain the concept of death to Scritch, before settling on "your friend has moved on to the next stage of their life".
Scritch waves at the dead Kenku, devastating the group.
There's a sharp rapping at the door, and a loud voice announces the arrival of the City Watch, as well as a Captain Hystus Staget. The voice demands that the group get on their knees and drop their weapons.
Knock Knock It's Asshole
Iso quickly drops Scritch's crossbow while Zayn hides his Zhentarim pin and tries to hide behind some crates. Luna remains unphased. Garant IMMEDIATELY assumes frisking position against the nearest wall LMFAO
The City Watch burst into the building, and the Captain looks frustrated at the aftermath of the carnage. He demands to know the group's allegiance to either the Xans or Zhents, which Luna calmly responds with "neither".
Iso tries to explain the situation very quickly, name-dropping Jalester Silvermane, Volo, Floon Blagmaar and Renaer in the process to try and intimidate the Captain LMAO, but Captain Staget tells him to stop because he (and I LMAO) got confused at how quickly Iso was talking.
Despite Luna's calm insistence that the group was only looking for a missing person at the private behest of an employer, Captain Staget seems skeptical. He orders the arrest of the group for interfering in City Watch affairs, reminding the party that the Dock Ward is under his jurisdiction.
Iso once again tries to use Jalester Silvermane's name to get out of the situation, but it doesn't seem to have much effect on Staget.
Garant whispers to Renaer "hopefully you can get us out of this", and Renaer steps in, unsubtly namepdropping his and his father's name, and bluffing about what would happen if his father knew that Renaer had been kidnapped in a "ward under your jurisdiction".
This shuts Staget up, who had not recognized Renaer as a Neverember. Staget tells the group he will let them go this time, and demands that they leave the crime scene untouched and vacate the premises immediately, which the group is happy to comply with.
As Garant attempts to rush out, Staget calls him out and demands to know if the group has meddled with the crime scene. Garant, as shaky as he is about being busted for the multiple felonies he's commited, manages to nat 20 his "technical" truth (since from the start, he's said he didn't want any part of it) LMAO.
Staget, satisfied, hands Garant a copy of the Code Legal and reminds the group to leave everything to the City Watch instead of getting in their way. Garant happily takes another copy of the Code Legal LMFAO and makes a suggestion to Staget that "they should add kidnapping and breaking/entering into the laws because that seems like an oversight on y'alls' part".
Staget agrees to "look into it" LMFAO. The group appeals to him to send some City Watch to find Floon, but he expresses distrust that Floon isn't a Xanathar/Zhent spy and cryptically tells the party to "just let the City Watch handle it".
đź“ŚCol's Fish Shoop, Dock Ward
COL COL COL
Iso and Garant suggest visiting Col for any information about the sewers. The group comes to Col, a very young Kobold frying up fish kebabs at a little stand. Garant orders 50 kebabs with all nibs (more shinies) and Col is ecstatic, stating that Garant just about bought his whole stock and now he can finish work early and go watch the boats at the docks.
The group learns from Col's collected secrets that
Grumshar is a half-orc spell-caster
Seemingly high ranking in Xanathar's guild. His underlings don't like him very much
Old Xoblob and his shop used to be named something else, but everyone kept calling his shop the Old Xoblob Shop (its former name) so he changed his name to Xoblob LMAO
Luna attempts to prompt Iso to offer his own secrets to Col, but Iso seems hesitant (THIS BOY was about to OUT JALESTER'S UNDERCOVER IDENTITY BRUH)
We find out that Col lives in a pile of blankets next to his shop, which devastates the group LOL. Garant pays for a room for him at the Yawning Portal and tells him to come visit tonight, so they could treat him to a feast. Col is over the moon with happiness and hugs everyone one by one, confusing Zayn and shooking Luna LOL.
Iso slips Col a gold piece secretly, then gives him another and asks him to bring all his leftover fish to the Yawning Portal tonight for the feast. Bruh y'all hosting a party there tonight??
Zayn gives Col another dagger in addition to the one Iso gave him in Session 0 LMAO, Col promises that if they bring him a third he will learn how to cut fish with his tail.
Scritch gets fed a THIRD WHOLE ASS RATION and several fish kebabs, and promptly falls into a food coma, though not before engaging in another mini-war with Zayn and repeating what the Xanatharians had said about Zayn during their raid: "wow, this snow elf really just went down in one hit huh" LMAO.
Heavy Mantles
Iso asks Renaer about the trade bars, Renaer examines them; they're foreign, so he suggests getting them exchanged at the Piergeiron Palace. Iso wonders if the Palace would be sussy of a group of adventurers bringing in so much (stolen) money at once. Renaer acknowledges the possibility, and after being asked, agrees to go with them to exchange the gold, as assurance.
Iso comments on how nice Renaer is, surprising him. The topic falls towards wealth and nobility, and Zayn admits that he was part of a noble court but was kicked out for "having too much fun". Renaer pats him on the back over the shared experience of the pressure of being nobleborn resting on their shoulders, then wonders if Luna is nobleborn as well, due to her mannerisms and tone.
Luna denies being noble at all, stating that she was born speaking this way. Iso insight checks her but can't detect any sign of a lie. Renaer acknowledges that a drow noble would probably not be hanging out with a human and surface elves. Iso questions why he says this, and Renaer uncomfortably repeats the stereotypes of drow, though makes it clear he doesn't put much stock in it.
He recommends that the party visit the Dancing Haven, Eilistraee's temple. Luna states that she was planning on it, and it's why she's in the city.
The group takes a dray back to the Yawning Portal to stash their belongings (in case they have to carry back treasure an unconscious Floon) and recuperate briefly before continuing their journey to find Floon.
đź“ŚThe Yawning Portal, Castle Ward
Fish Kebab Salesmen
The group enters the Yawning Portal.
Their usual familiar faces are there, Jalester sitting in his usual booth, though this time accompanied by a frilly-dressed sun elf. They look to be deep in conversation. Yagra is sitting in the booth behind them, looking bored out of her mind.
Garant buys two 3-bed rooms for the group. Renaer jokes about being left out, but backtracks when Luna takes this to heart and tries to buy him a room too. Seeing the group's camraderie, he breezily orders a suite room near the group's rooms, asking Durnan to put it on his tab, which wows Iso.
Iso approaches Jalester and his meeting partner in an attempt to give him fish kebabs. Yagra quickly steps in, apologetically telling Iso that she's been instructed to keep anyone from disturbing the meeting. Jalester notices and shakes his head at Iso. Slightly disappointed, Iso gives the fish kebabs to Yagra to distribute to Jalester after he's done with the meeting.
Yagra screams across the Yawning Portal, upon seeing Zayn, with "YO DUDE HOW DID THE JOB GO?" which Zayn screams back "WENT LIKE sh*t--" before realizing he was yelling, then went "REALLY GOOD DUDE". Yagra looks like she's about to continue the conversation, before the sun elf calls her over and seems to talk to her, after which she sheepishly returns to her seat.
The group goes upstairs to look at their rooms and sets down several items.
Force Gray
As the group returns downstairs, they spot Renaer speaking to a blonde human male stranger.
He introduces himself as Meloon Wardragon, member of Force Gray, then gauges the group's reactions. He compliments the group on their courage, and waves away the group's report of Staget's harassment, showing disregard of the City Watch authority.
He teases the group with the idea of joining Force Gray someday, but when the group explains they have helped one of Blackstaff's students before and show some interest in being able to help the city without the City Watch on their backs, Meloon agrees to put a good word in for them with Blackstaff if they successfully help Renaer on their rescue mission.
Iso and Zayn notice that Meloon has a beautiful blue axe:
-- and immediately begin discussing the possibility of stealing it LMFAO. OOC clarification: Iso was completely joking because he's intimidated by Meloon's stature; unknown if Zayn was kidding ;;
đź“ŚAlley By Zhentarim Warehouse Castle Ward
Uh Oh, Stinky!
The group finds a deserted alley and slips open the manhole cover to climb into the sewers. As it's pitch black down here, Luna extends her Eyes of Night blessing to the group to give Garant and Renaer dark vision, for which they're both thankful. She also gives Garant a Vigilant Blessing.
We search for yellow symbols on the ceilings, and quickly find that several intersections are marked with small symbols in the ceiling, as follows:
The group decides to follow where the eyeball is pointing, and makes their way through the sewers. They come across a locked door, which Zayn attempts to open. Scritch yells "NO! NO!" until Iso moves out of the way of the door, at which point she eagerly encourages Zayn to open it.
The door explodes outwards with thousands of ballbearings and cover where Luna and Zayn are standing. They manage to get out without slipping and falling into the water, and Zayn is very annoyed at Scritch -- Scritch repeats "no, no, honest, honest" when they ask if she knew about the ball bearings LMAO and they don't press her anymore.
Luna and Iso notice something moving in the water, which alarms the group. They go makin' their way downtown, walking faster, walking faster,
Eventually, they come across an opening in the wall where two yellow, reptilian eyes flare open, and a large crocodile comes wading out menacingly towards the party.
