The Shard Runners Disbanded

The adventurers have just discovered a staircase descending from the hidden room in the warehouse they have broken into, looking for Draak, the half-dragon somehow involved with the necromancer tabaxi. One by one they descend the narrow staircase. At the bottom after a turn, they are confronted by a slightly rusted steel door. Gavin easily picks the lock and turns to the group to make sure they are ready. Behind him is Messick and Fritz, followed by a massive eagle, Angel, who takes up the entire stairwell's width. Gavin opens the door.

Into The Sewers

The rusted hinges loudly groan as the door is opened and the group is hit with the putrid smell of sewer. They carefully walk along the small edge of the sewer tunnel, fetid liquid running beside them in a deep and slow flowing river, inches below their feet. They walk until they see dim fire light and talking from a small side tunnel.

Gavin carefully approaches. Just past the small corridor is a room with a small fire in the middle. Three small figures sit with their backs to Gavin, silhouetted by the fire. Beside them standing to the side is a man, scrawny and oily, barking orders at someone off to the other side of the fire. On the other side of the fire, is a small figure, writhing on the floor, grunting and moaning, either with effort or in pain.

Gavin, returns to the others and relays what he has seen. Gavin then returns to the small room, at the head of a small parade. Gavin and Fritz each playing their violin. Oddly they are playing different songs; both poorly. Behind them, Fritz's fire mephits dance to the odd rhythm of the two competing songs. Distracted, the figure on the floor stops writhing, and stands. It is a large rat creature. Gavin and Fritz, now further into the room, see that it is filled with at least a half dozen wererats. The man standing beside the fire begins to transform, rat features transforming onto his face.

The Shard Runners

Messick, spell at the ready, fires off at the figure that was on the ground writhing. It is then that they are stopped by three familiar figures. The three figures silhouetted by the fire turn to look at the adventurers, their features turning from wererat into that of the three street urchins that have been frequenting the Trollskull Manor. Nat, Jenks and Squiddly. They shout for the group to hold their fire and hold their hands out to stop further attacks.

The three urchins look embarrassed and horrified that the Messick, Fritz and Gavin has discovered them in their sewer home. They ask Messick if he is disappointed in them.

After more than a bit of explanation, it is found that this is where the three urchins live, along with their other friends and this adult, Ralf. Together they are a gang, a family; The Shard Runners. They scrounge the streets for money and food and bring it back here to Ralf in order to feed him and the other street kids. Yes. They are all wererats. Ralf has explained to them that they are unwelcome in the world above the sewers and this is the best they can do. As long as they look after him and contribute, the gang will survive.

The three urchins beckon the adventures to stay and share in their meal. The three are exceptionally proud as they have purchased street vendor kabobs with the money they have earned from the Trollskull Manor work.

Messick, asks Ralf, what he himself contributes. Ralf, looking affronted, tells Messick that he looks after the best interests of the children. He makes sure they have enough to eat and a place to sleep. The warmth of the sewers keeps them from freezing during the winters of Waterdeep. He alone has taken in these unwanted, unloved children.

Doubtful Good Intentions

Ralf, seeing the discussion begin to turn towards, what exactly he brings to the gang, begins to admonish the children, telling them that without him they would be long dead; they are ungrateful. He begins to back away up a rickety set of stairs leading up and out of the room. Deciding that Ralf is up to no good, the adventurers all simultaneously strike the escaping Ralf. But all three united strikes are enough to kill Ralf. The children shriek in horror.

Messick immediately tries to calm them. He casts gentle repose over the body of Ralf, telling the children that he can easily bring Ralf back to life.....if that is what they truly wish. As long as they do not remove the coins off his eyes, he can restore life back to Ralf. They should take time to discuss among themselves if Ralf was really looking after them or was he instead just taking advantage of them and that in fact, it was them that was keeping Ralf alive with all their work.

The children begin discussing and debating among themselves. In the commotion, some of the group notice that Nat, the lanky Illuskan girl and the oldest of the group, is not participating in the discussion. They look around to find her standing over the dead body of Ralf, lying peacefully on the floor, his eyes covered with a coin over each. Nat, makes no noise but tears stream down over her face, which is contorted in anger. She then slaps the coins off of Ralf's eyes, preventing him from being brought back to life. She runs out of the room, sobs escaping her usually silent mouth.

The rest of the children stand in shock as do the adventurers.

Nat's Pain

A few more gently put questions find that Ralf often favored Nat, in fact they would often go out alone on scavenging missions. They asked if Nat had always been a mute, of if she had ever talked. No one remembered. They had all been very young when brought into the Shard Runners. And it was Ralf who gave them the gift of being a wererat, in order that they could survive here in the sewers.

The adventurers discuss quietly among themselves then tell the children that they are all welcome to come stay at Trollskull Manor. They are a little worried about Nat but she is the most skilled of all of them. She'll be okay.

Kobold Ambush

The group tells the kids that they have to carry on. The kids warn them off the troublesome kobolds up ahead in the sewers. The kobolds often take potshots at them if they stray too far into the kobolds area.

Moving further down the sewer tunnels, they find the area the children warned them off. Finding a side corridor Fritz sneaks along scouting ahead. Ahead, out of a slit in one of the corridors walls, a small fiery sphere is launched towards him, and explodes. Fritz, singed, returns to the others and tells them what happened. Gavin says he can try, thinking himself fairly dexterous. Fritz tells him that it's probably possible to grab the sphere, which he thinks is a delayed fireball, and throw it before it explodes.

Gavin darts into the corridor, seeing the sphere floating in the middle of the corridor, flames roiling around it. He jumps and grabs it, thinking to throw it before it explodes. The full force of the sphere explodes around Gavin as he tries to grab it. It turns out it wasn't a delayed fireball but a flaming sphere which the kobold in the room behind the arrow slit is controlling.

Messick decides he has a cure for this. Messick gets as close as he can to the arrow slit so he can see the room behind it. Other kobolds are in the room that he can see, and he casts cloud kill. The poisonous cloud expands but the kobolds quickly emerge from the room, not bothered by the poisonous cloud. Two of the kobolds are the tribes alchemists and they have been able to grant the other kobolds resistance to the poison.

Dead Duergar and Doomed Duergar

Fighting among the ever expanding green cloud they are able to finally kill the kobolds. Realizing the expanding cloud may expand towards the Shard Runner kids, the group retreats to find the children and tell them to get to higher ground. Soon enough the cloud begins to dissipate. Returning to the kobold area and pressing on further they find the cloud has killed a few duergar.

Further into the room they find a locked door. There is some commotion on the other side of the door. Gavin easily picks the lock on the door. Peering into the other room he sees two duergar, in their enlarged forms, pushing up against a door at the far end of the room.

Gavin closes the door and tells the others of the duergar. They decide to press on through the room. They unlock and open the door, trying to move quickly and quietly through the room. The duergar see them and instead of attacking they begin gesturing to the group and to the door which they are holding back. They yell but the language they shout is lost upon the group. The duergar farthest away from the door is able to muster the common word for "door", which he shouts in various ways from demanding, scared to pleading.

Fritz approaches the door and sees some sort of clear ooze seeping around the edges of the door. One single drop hits the duergar's hand and melts a hole all the way through in an instant. The duergar howling in pain but not letting up on his hold on the door. Fritz backs carefully away.

The group talks briefly before deciding, this isn't their problem, especially since Gavin has found another door out of this room which leads to a long corridor. They leave but not before locking both doors exiting the room. Just to be safe.

They pause and listen for a moment. On the other side of the door, back in the room, they can hear duerger arguing loudly in their harsh and incomprehensible tongue. Then there is the sound of breaking wood and shouts of pain and panic. The sounds do not last long and soon there is a deathly silence. Using his thief's mirror, Gavin peeks under the door. Turning the mirror multiple ways he doesn't see anything other than half dissolved duergar laying upon the floor. But when he turns the mirror to the ceiling, he says a massive ooze clinging to the ceiling. Pseudopods of ooze dangle from the ceiling.

Lieutenant Draak

Deciding not to reenter the room with the deadly ooze, they press on through the corridor.

Gavin scouts ahead and carefully crawling up a small set of stairs he sees Draak, the half-dragon they have been pursuing, pummeling and torturing a barely recognizable Meloon, arms chained above him to the ceiling. Meloon was the drunkard who had first approached them in the Yawning Portal Tavern, with the proposal of the heist during Liar's Night at Waterdeep Palace.

Further into the long room, standing in the shadows of the room is an illithid and a small creature at it's feet. Standing beside him is a woman with a vacant stare.

Gavin returns to the others and they discuss. They are potentially outmatched if they attack, but retreat through the ooze infested room is also a dicey option. They decide to attack. Hopefully, surprise will give them the advantage they so desperately need.

They charge in. Draak is taken by surprise. Messick and Fritz attacking the half-dragon, while Gavin charges in and attacks the mind-flayer. The illithid though finds his way into the mind of Gavin and Gavin stops attacking and calmly walks towards the illithid. The illithid holds the mousefolk, and begins to crack Gavin's skull to allow his pet, the intellect devourer, to take over Gavin.

Fritz summons his pack of wolves which attack and delay the illithid's plans for poor Gavin. Messick then uses his Talisman of Pure Good, gifted to him by the River King, and a crevice opens up beneath and devours the illithid. With the mind-flayer gone they focus on Draak, and soon, outnumbered the half-dragon begins to falter. Cutting a hole through the wall that is made of wolves, Draak rushes through the wolves and escapes out a side door.

Before the group can pursue, a creature descends from the ceiling. Looking like a deformed beholder, it's skin red and rubbery. It's eye stalks thin and its main eye cloudy. It speaks with telepathically to the group and tells them that it is impressed with them for besting it's lieutenant, Draak. They are welcome to have an audience with it whenever they desire working for it.

But even after it praises the group for it's prowess, it attacks Fritz and Fritz falls to the floor. Meessick now stands alone and must try to revive the others. He is able to reach Fritz but Gavin is out of reach. After killing the mind-witness, Gavin is gentle reposed.

But for now, their prey, Draak, has escaped.

Trollskull Champions Guild

The loss of Azula is remembered by group but there can be no time for mourning as the flyers distributed around the city by the thee urchins which frequent the manor, Nat, Jenks, and Squiddly. The kids have obviously done their job because the manor is soon visited by many a prospective adventurer.

Not only adventurers come their manor, but some have shown up after hearing the fact they are hiring other staff. Bernard and his kobold friend, Rux, have come on as the manor's chef and sous chef. Gavin Tenderpaw, a grey mousefolk has signed on as adventurer. All new prospects are given a contract which they must agree to and sign. As well as Fritz, a human warlock, with his eagle.

The Trollskull Champions Guild is on its way.

Builing A Guild

As many adventurer comes and go, most leaving not being able to qualify, a brawny dwarf, well equipped with weapons and armor, sits in the corner and watches the activity through most of the morning. Finally, when a lull occurs, the dwarf stands and approaches the group. He introduces himself as Takgal, a member of the Dungeon Sweepers Guild. What he has seen here today worries him. It would seem that this new Trollskull Champions Guild might be incurring on the already established Dungeon Sweepers Guild.

Many arguments are passed back and forth until it is tentatively agreed upon the the Trollskull Champions Guild will not accept contracts for work that occurs below ground, the territory of the Dungeon Sweepers Guild. With that, Takgal, leaves but seems wary of this new guild.

Later that day, a member of the City Watch enters the manor. The group is a little worried about what permit they will be told they need now but the man takes of his tall helmet and introduces himself. He is Hauk, a captain in the City Watch responsible for the City Of The Dead. He is newly promoted and doesn't wish to have his superiors hear of the deaths that have occurred in the cemetery grounds in the last two nights.

Something Kills In The Night

He wishes to hire the guild to investigate and take care of the problem.

He explains that for the past few nights some sort of creature stalks about the cemetery and leaves massive footprints but they are never able to find it during the day. He has halted any searches at night, since he has lost 3 men over the past two nights.

With that the group agrees to look into it, with in at least a few days. They have a lot going on.

In the meantime, Gunter is really wanting to have a gem he acquired some time ago appraised. Waterdeep is the perfect place to get this done. They travel to the South Ward and find a small but elegant establishment named Hlethvagi's Coins and Gems. Inside is a finely dressed halfling welcomes them. Gunter is excited to appraise his gem which he has been carrying around since visiting Triel. The halfling charges for the appraisal but it is worth it as the gem is of considerable value. Gunter decides to hold on to it a bit longer. The store wasn't willing to pay what he wanted.

A Coins Value

This reminds Messick of a coin he has been carrying around since his time before Triel. He brings it out and asks the halfling what he can tell him about it. The halfling looks surprised when shown the coin. He tries unsuccessfully to hide his excitement. He pulls out a jeweler's eyepiece and inspects the markings on the ancient coin.

He tells Messick, while the coin's monetary value is not much, it is a very ancient coin. It would seem that it hails from the legendary city of Daoine Gloine. It's existence has been debated whether or not it really existed. It is said to have resided past the Barrier Peaks.

There is a cartographer, Anaxi Zephries, who lives here in Waterdeep. His passion is the city of Daoine Gloine and the Barrier Peaks. In fact he had funded an expedition to the Barrier Peaks in search of the ancient city but to Anaxi's shame, no one ever returned.

As the group leaves the store, they see a large figure crossing the street and entering a storefront across the wide street. It is the same hulking half-dragon that they had seen through the portal which the evil mangy tabaxi escape back in the kobold warrens. His voice is also recognized as the one the captured kenku was mimicking.

They duck back into the coin and gem store.

An Old Adversary Is Seen

They ask the halfling if he knows of a large half-dragon who might have entered the store across the street.

The halfling nods. He knows of the half-dragon. Draak. He owns the Medusa's Glare. A statue store. He frowns and says that Draak has never struck him as the artistic type but one shouldn't speak ill of another business owner. Bad for business you know.

Returning to their manor they make preparations for going out after dark to the City Of The Dead. They arrive later at the gates of the graveyard and find the gates closed. The guards there are told to let members of the Trollskull Champions Guild into the grounds though. They open the gates and let them in.

A Tombstone Golem

Walking cautiously through the massive cemetery, they keep their eyes peeled and ears open. They start near where the captain said they found the body the previous night. Soon enough they hear rumbling and the grinding of stone on stone. Following the sound, they find themselves staring at a portion of the graveyard which is collecting up upon itself. Earth, stone and gravestones are gathering themselves together in a jumbled mess which begins to resemble a humanoid creature. When it is completed it stands a good 15-16 feet tall. Gunter and Gavin rush to meet it, but they're strikes to minimal to no damage whatsoever. It doubles over and begins to roll, crushing everyone in its wake.

The attack quickly turns into a fast retreat.

Rushing back to the gates to the city, the group reassembles and passes the guards on the way out. They tell them that yup they're still on the case. They're in the process of assessing the enemy.

The next evening, they make preparations to return to the City Of The Dead again. This time they share out their various magical weapons and prepare their strategy.

Returning back to the same spot in the cemetery, they soon find the creature once again. This time the fight is hardly a battle at all. Gavin, the mousefolk, climbs atop the creature while the others wail upon the creature. Finally, Messick is able to banish the golem and quiet returns to the cemetery.

Satisfied, they return to their manor. A well deserved rest in order.

The Medusa's Glare

The next day they decide to pay a visit to the Medusa's Glare. Perhaps there is something they can learn of there which will help put together some of the odd puzzle pieces linking the demon incursion, the tabaxi necromancer and this half-dragon.

Under cover of Fritz's eagle, they are able to break into the store. Inside is a large warehouse which sits quiet and mostly empty. Not much of a store.

They move through the empty floor of the warehouse until a hail of arrows pierce more than a few of the group.

Kenku. They are on the open second floor firing down upon the group. The group takes damage until they are able to get up to where the kenku are. Fritz is able to summon several fire mephits. Soon enough the kenku are dispatched and the group moves through the warehouse looking for clues.

Soon enough someone finds a hidden door.

Inside a staircase leading down.

City Of The Dead

The group retires back to their manor after the debacle that was the ball at the Palace Of Waterdeep. They cautiously return to their home, keeping a watch for the spirit of Lif. But it would seem that Lif has given them a bit of a reprieve, waiting for them to retrieve his remains from the crypt within the City Of The Dead.

The next day is cold and grey. The group reassembles downstairs in the main room. They decide on what to do with the stone that was stolen by the kenku, at the Palace. Azula has been holding on to the stone. As her and the stone bond their magical weave together, Azula feels her memories mixing with the memories of the stone.

The Stone Of Golorr

She remembers Neverember's vault being built by dozens of dwarves deep beneath the city. Beneath even the city of Skullport which resides deep under Waterdeep. He remembers a mage, Kwalish, wiping the memories of the dwarves as well as locking the vault with a series of three keys.

• the telekinesis eye stalk of a beholder
• a strange glowing tube of blue energy
• a beautiful and intricate key of adamatine

Azula now knows where the vault is and perhaps how to get there but the memories are vague and sometimes hard to discern what they mean. As well, she feels the stone pull her own memories from her. But she is able to concentrate and be able to refocus and hold on to her own memories.

She shares most of this with the rest of the group.

Azula's Failed Army

There is suddenly a rush of air and the distinct sound of magical weave gathering and a portal opens and a drow steps through. Azula tells everyone to hold as it is her brother. Her brother has come to tell her that Azula's plan to move part of the drow army to Daggerford, in order to build trade and defend the small city from the invading demon hoards, has failed. The entire army has been wiped out by two dragons and a massive demon attack. The two drow talk and Azula tells him that they will deal with this later.

The group decides it is best to go into the City Of The Dead, now during the daylight hours, to see if they can retrieve the remains of Lif together.

Travelling down the streets until they arrive at the gate that leads to the City of The Dead, they are stopped by the guards. They are greeted with the usual, "Sorry for your loss." and the group is asked where they are headed to. The guards tell them they have to be careful of who is in the City Of The Dead lately. There have been more and more disturbances, grave robbings and stolen objects. Grave robbers are nothing new but they have stopped a few wanna-be necromancers, trying to collect components for their evil ways. 

Finally, entering the quiet grounds, feet crunching on the gravel paths, they find themselves standing in front of the elven crypt, where the remains of Lif reside. They enter the crypt, going down the stairs into the stone rooms below.

The Elven Crypt

After retrieving Lif's remains, within a stone box, Messick shows the others the hidden symbols carved into the far wall, using his lantern of revealing. They see a series of numbers carved in a circle around the words, "We two together shall make a third."

After a bit of discussion, Eda and Gunter hit upon the solution and the stone wall parts with a grinding sound, revealing a large open room beyond. The room is ancient and looks to have been unoccupied for centuries. The floor is dusty and it's tiles broken.

Zombies, Why Did It Have To Be Zombies

On the far side Gunter can see, sitting on a pedestal, something which glows magically. Gunter strides across the room. Unfortunately, the rooms floor crumbles beneath Gunter's weight and collapses in a thunderous crash and a storm of dust. The others, still back at the rooms threshold, look down into a pit as the dust settles. When the air clears they can see Gunter lying in a pit, some 30 feet below, surrounded by several bulky zombies. They feel that they can easily dispatch these enemies but it would seem that these zombies left here were intended to guard the area and are not so easily taken care of.

But eventually they overcome the zombies and the group assembles into the center of the pit. Some begin to look for other hidden traps or doors while Gunter still focuses upon the pedestal up above which he now sees has stairs leading up to it.

A Ghostly Adventurer

As he climbs the stairs, a ghostly image of a young girl appears beside him. She wears ancient leather armor. On her belt she carries a sword, coiled rope and various other dungeon delving gear. She holds up a sputtering ghostly torch. She turns to Gunter and says with a wink, "Come on! Only the brave get rich". She climbs the stairs, approaches the pedestal and grabs the necklace with the large amulet sitting atop it. She smiles back at Gunter, then explodes in a magical energy surge.

Gunter, wide eyed, now thinks twice about grabbing for the necklace. He continues up the stairs, more cautiously now. But again, the ghostly image of the same young adventurer appears below him on the stairs. She climbs the stairs towards the pedestal. "Come on. Only the brave get rich." Again she explodes.

Gunter waits, and sure enough she reappears but this time he intervenes. He tells her to stop, as she probably doesn't want to explode. He talks to her and find the she and her sister have come here looking for treasure. But she has lost her sister in here somewhere. She heads off but soon disappears beyond a wall.

Messick says that he'll grab the amulet. Messick doesn't explode. He dons the necklace.

A Threat Trapped Within

Someone shouts that they have discovered a poorly concealed door in a far wall. The door looks like it was supposed to be hidden at one time but has been jammed shut oddly making opening it difficult. But eventually, the door yields and they move inside. Inside is a large corridor and room at the end of the corridor. The walls, floor and ceiling are all polished smooth. No dust or debris litter the floor.

As they move through the wide and high ceilinged corridor, Messick feels a drop of something splash on his shoulder. He looks up and sees something shimmering on the ceiling. That's when the gelatinous cube drops down off the ceiling and envelopes Messick.

But as Messick is completely within the gelatinous cube the gel around the amulet begins to boil and bubble. Messick holds his breath until the entire gelatinous cube begins to bubble and sizzle.

Soon the gelatinous cube shivers, shudders then explodes in a mess of gel everywhere.

They continue on through the crypt.

MetaGame Spoiler

DM's Note: This Room Should Have Been Discovered Before Grabbing The Amulet!!!! Dammit

The River King

banishment spell and the creature pops out of existence on this plane.

As they move past the pedestal, there comes a grinding stone sound. They see most of the stones making up part of the crypt ahead are moving, rearranging and coming together to form a creature which forbids their passage. The massive stone creature pummels the group but Messick is able to perform a

Dusting their hands they move on. The passageways become more humid as they walk on. Greenery begins to grow in the cracks between stones. Life is struggling to take hold here. They continue until they find themselves on a stone platform about 30 feet above a gently rolling pool of blue glowing water. The water begins to splash and build up on itself until it forms a column nearly 30 feet tall. Then the water falls revealing a large elven creature. Long blue hair flows down until it joins the flowing water below. Upon its head he wears a crown. He asks what the group intends with the remains of one of his people. The explain that Lif wants his remains back at the Trollskull Manor which he owned when he was alive.

The River King accepts their answer and allows them to leave with the remains but he asks that they leave the amulet where they found it, as it helps protect the crypt. Messick, disappointed, agrees to this. As the group passes the pedestal on their way out, Messick replaces the amulet.

Azula's Death

At some point, Azula remembers that she left her brother back at the Trollskull Manor....with the ghost. She rushes back to the manor only to find her brother possessed. The ghost fights back and soon Azula and her brother are dead.

Trollskull Manor & Liars Night

After having to kill their one time travelling companion, Lady Mara. The group returns to the city of Waterdeep.

Visiting Trollskull Manor, In The Daylight

They decide to visit their newly acquired property, Trollskull Manor, in the light of day. The building is covered in a light dusting of snow and the doors and windows boarded up. But the bones of the building look healthy enough. The roof is intact and there are no signs of intruders or squatters. Perhaps in this bustling city which teems with the poor and homeless, this might be an odd sign.

The group first peers through gaps in the boards over the windows. Inside is dark and dusty. Empty save for the tables and chairs in the main room of a long forgotten eating area. They pries off the boards covering the door and enter. The manor is cold and dry. A long bar with a mirror behind it stands at the far end of a spacious room.

Moving through the manor they finally progress to the upper floors they find rooms with old furniture and slowly deteriorating mattresses. Each claiming their rooms they return to the main floor to discuss what to do with this new acquisition.

A Cuious Visitor

Returning to the main floor they notice a thin man with greasy hair peering in through the windows. Confronting him they pull him inside. He introduces himself as Emmek Frewn, a business owner just down the street. He had seen activity in the manor and came to investigate. It has been a long time since anyone has been in this building.

He asks many questions as to their intentions of the building. Will they run it as a business? What kind of business? Will they go through the guild channles? The guilds will bleed you dry. If you wish to save more than a bit of money, he suggests bypassing the guilds all together. How will they know?

The group is not very interested in what Emmek has to say and don't entirely trust him. They send him away. But they notice that he had lingered a little on the porch, perhaps in the hopes of overhearing their plans or simply just to know more about his new neighbors.

The Previous Owner Refuses To Leave

While retiring for the night each of the group finds their respective rooms. Moving past Eda's room, Gunter finds her standing in a corner facing the wall. She is not moving but muttering to herself in an odd guttural voice. "Who is in my manor? They can't stay here. Must make them leave. This is my place."

Gunter, quietly closes Eda's door and goes to find the others. He explains what he saw and together the group goes to find Eda. They open the door and find Eda facing them, waiting for them. She wears and angry and malevolent look on her face which is not usual. She tells them to get out of her house. This is her business and no one shall take it from her. They fight until a visible energy leaves the body of Eda, leaving her standing empty an unmoving, and this energy moves about the manor attacking the group.

Finally the group is able to pause the battle long enough to ask the spirit what it wants and why it is attacking. It explains that it is the owner and proprietor of the Trollskull Manor. It makes no difference if he has died. It is still his. The group promises to let it stay and even continue working here but they are the new owners now. The spirit, Lif, agrees to the arrangement, as long as they return his remains to the manor, where he can then remain for as long as he wishes. With that the spirit of Lif, vanishes through the floor.

The Three Urchins

The next day, the group awakens to small faces peering into the manor from the windows. Believing it is Emmek again they are pulled inside. But it turns out it is three urchins, Nat, Jenks and Squiddly. They were curious about the new comers to the manor and ask if there's anything they can do for money. The group decides to give them a job, gather firewood and they hand Nat, a lanky 10 year old Illuskan girl, a gold piece. Excited the trio set off.

Messick decides to investigate the previous owner, Lif while Princess Elora will make arrangements to have repairs and renovations done to the manor.

Messick discovers that the previous owner of Trollskull Manor was an elf, named Lif. His remains have been moved to the elf crypt within the City Of The Dead, a massive walled cemetery just outside and attached to the walls of Waterdeep.

City Of The Dead

Messick goes to the City Of The Dead and is directed to the proper crypt, after some paperwork. He enters the quiet, dry and dusty crypt. Rows upon rows of boxed remains are housed on deep shelves carved into the walls. He finds the one he wants. His lantern of revelaing which he has been using shows a glimmer on the wall at the end of the room he is in. Approaching it with the lantern he can see that it is a hidden carving in the wall. Deciding not to carry on to far without the others he grabs the stone box containing the remains of Lif and heads out. Unfortunately, at the edge of the stone floor of the crypt, just before the earthen ground outside the crypt, the box refuses to pass the crypt. It simply keeps reappearing inside the crypt no matter the strategy Messick uses. Returning the stone box to its place, Messick returns to the manor.

Back at Trollskull Manor, Princess Elora has found the complicated bureaucracy that is the guild system in Waterdeep. Each guild refuses to do work that another guild might frown upon. Each guild demanding more than a bit of gold for their work. As well, some of the guild workers inform Princess Elora the process she must go through in order to run a business within Waterdeep. More permits and registrations than anyone had previously given thought to.

Procuring Invitations To The Ball

Their plans for the manor will have to wait though, at least for the moment. They must prepare for the ball at the Palace Of Waterdeep. Liars night is tonight and Princess Elora, is determined to obtain an invitation, due to her royal lineage. They leave their manor and hail the nearest carriage.

Travelling through the snowy streets of Waterdeep they arrive at the palace and, entering, they find the palace a flurry of activity, preparing for tonight's festivities. A small human woman, looking a little harried, holding a clipboard, directs various workers decorating the palace and moving furniture.

Princess Elora, approaches the woman and introduces herself. Recognizing Princess Elora as a noble within the city, the woman is easily persuaded to give Princess Elora and her entourage invitations for tonight's Liars Night Ball. Thanking her, Princess Elora uses her druid powers to help decorate, as flowers and colorful vines weave themselves around banisters and chandeliers.

Azula, the drow, now approaches the woman and demands the same invitation as a noble. But the woman is more afraid and appalled at the drow and her aggressive ways and refuses to provide an invitation without the proper Waterdeep paperwork, certifying Azula as a noble.

Azula, storms off and spends the rest of the day standing in lines, filling out paperwork and after hours of frustrating dealings with Waterdeeps finest civil workers, finally obtains the paperwork designating her as a noble.

Azula returns to the Waterdeep Palace and demands her invitation, showing proudly her paperwork. The woman quietly and unenthusiastically procurs Azula her invitation.

Returning to the Manor, Azula proudly shows everyone her invitation. Everyone else simply shows their own....which they obtained hours ago.

But now to find attire better suited to a costume ball.

<Insert Shopping and Clothes Fitting Montage>

Liars Night

Later that evening, as the sun sets, the city streets become filled with children of all races, rushing about in costumes from door to door asking for treats, under threat of harmless tricks. Gourds are carved and set out in front of homes and stores on the street. Small candles are strung out on lines hanging across the streets.

The group heads off and hails a nice carriage as they file in headed for the Palace. Before they can head off they are held up by a gang of costumed children. One of them holds a crossbow aimed at the head of Azula. They demand treats. Azula, hands moving in a blur, grabs the child's arm and twists it until the toy crossbow clatters to the ground. The sound of bone cracking and the child's screams of pain and horror.

The drow lets go and looks puzzled at the others. What? They had a crossbow....sort of.

The other kids run off and find the closest City Watch guard and a trio of City Watch approach the group. After a bit of explaining and Princess Elora healing the child's broken arm, the City Watch let them off with a warning.

They get back into the carriage and head off towards the Palace. Travelling through the city they see children and youngsters running merrily through the streets. The night is pleasant if a little cool. Soon the sounds of laughs and screams of delight change slightly as the group hears sounds of screams of fright and commotion from a little further on. The carriage soon slows, then stops, as a mass of people are running from something further up the street.

Trick Or Threat

Some of the group get out of the carriage to investigate, while Messick remains in the comfort of the carriage and Princess Elora refuses to fight in her new, and considerably pricey dress, so she begins to change.

They find small creatures posing as costumed children rushing from house to house demanding candy. When horrified residents flee, scream or otherwise not give them candy, they begin to destroy the house and attack the resident. When the adventurers begin to intervene they are attacked by arrows coming from some creatures standing upon rooftops.

Princess Elora, finally changed, summons her giant owls and together with the others, including Messick lobbing spells from the comfort of the carriage, make short work of most of, what they now see are, the goblins in costumed masks. City Watch guards begin arriving and take over the battle, with many of the guards riding griffons which are able to easily track the escaping goblins.

The group decides that, seeing Princess Elora has already summoned her giants owls, why not ride them to the Palace. Mounting their feathered companions, they take to the sky. But it is not long before griffon mounted City Watch surround the flying group and force them to land.

It would seem that flight in the city is prohibited, except for authorized personnel. Princess Elora is able to persuade a mounted City Watch guard that it is Liar's Night and it is their first ball in the Palace. It would be so amazing to make an entrance flying in on giant owls. The guard understands and agrees.

Remounting their giant owls the group flies over the walls surrounding the Palace Of Waterdeep, landing on the manicured grounds surrounding the castle. The nobles wandering the grounds, wine in hands stop and watch in awe and admiration of the new arrivals.

The Palace Of Waterdeep Ball

Each of the adventurers find a place within the ball. Eda is elated to find that the nobles find her hairless cat, Harry, elegant and refined. The tastes of nobles is definitely different than that of commoners. Eda is also tasked along with Gunter with keeping Azula, the drow, out of trouble.

Messick has caught the eyes of 3 daughters of a noble. They are intrigued by Messick's rough ways, being bored by the other young noble men fawning around them, talking of their family fortunes. Messick tells them that they are going to drink and drink hard. Soon Messick and one of the young woman retire to a quiet room in one of the upper levels of the castle.

Unfortunately for Messick, they are interrupted by sounds coming from an adjoining room. The girl hides behind a naked Messick as several robed figures wearing plague masks rush out of the room. One of them holding a large rounded stone. They did not expect to see anyone in the room. Messick blocks their way out they were planning on. So instead the creatures dart outside the room via the main door, entering the ball itself.

Messick calls for the others, using his sending stone. The others join in and try to prevent the creatures from escaping. Princess Elora conjures a pack of wolves which attack, drawing screams from the nobles in the main ball room. Messick uses calm emotions to quiet the nobles while the battle continues.

Finally, when the City Watch enters the castle, the creatures are all killed except for one which they have confined with Messick's magical shackes. Removing the creatures plague mask they reveal a beaked and black feathered creature. A kenku. They try interrogating the kenku but all they get back is a mimicking of a deep and rough voice saying "If you are caught that is your own problem." and "Return the stone to me here."

The Stone Of Golorr

Pulling from the kenku's grip they pull a smooth stone two hands high which fits standing in Messick's large palm. It has what looks like three eyes on its surface. Is this what that drunkard Meloon wanted them to steal? Messick places the stone in his pack before the guards approach.

Messick should probably put some clothes on now.