To The Purple Rocks

At the Trollskull Manor, the group continues to debate the merits of different courses of action. They are being pulled in many directions. Overall, though they feel the need to obtain access to the vault below Waterdeep before the demons do.

Lady Brandarth's Journey

They have two of the threes necessary to open the vault. The one they are missing was apparently given to Lady Brandarth, the wife of Lord Neverember. Eda decides to research the history of Waterdeep and Lord Neverember, so she heads off to the library. There she discovers that Lord Neverember, had his wife sent over seas headed to Tuern. The purpose of the journey was never stated but she never arrived. Rumors had it that the ship she was on, the Bayntun was last seen near the string of small islands, the Purple Rocks. Eda heads back to the manor, armed with this new information.

New Members and Training a Small Army

Back in the manor, members come and go including a pair of odd friends. Maggot-Brain, a goblin along with his friend, Fibblestib, an elf/gnome. They have made themselves comfortable and have signed on to whatever mission the manor has in store for them. While Fritz and Angel set out to craft their own Iron Golem using the Manual Of Golems they have newly acquired. But this is Waterdeep, so they head off to the Administrative Building, just to make sure they have the proper permits. A day later, they return with a massive stack of permits and forms.

In the meantime, Azula has taken it upon herself to try and train the young urchin collective, calling themselves the Trollskull Gang. Some of them quickly take to the training, while others are not as adept at it. Under Azula's punishing training, a few of them rebel and retreat back to the storehouse. Many of them continue to train on their own under the tutelage of Avlel, a small Eluskan girl. Later, having acquired a few coins, some of them are able to obtain a few weapons of their own. They are dented, bent and more than a bit rusted but the children are proud of them.

Watching the group of urchins always banding together, Messick does a sending to Nat, the urchin who is currently in the clutches of the Xanathar Gang. Messick finds out that she has since been moved from the lair they had seen her in. Now she is deep underground and kept in some sort of ship, but not one that's in water.

To The Dock Ward

Deciding that Nat is safe for now the group heads off to find passage to the Purple Rocks.

They head towards the Dock Ward, in hopes of finding a ship they can commission to take them. Most of the sailors are in not in any mood to leave the warmth of pleasures of Waterdeep. Many of the ships are ice-locked but they do find a captain who has anchored his ship in the depths of Waterdeep's harbor. Tio Deepcleaver and his ship, The Broken Arrow, can be purchased. The price he asks is 3000 gold pieces. A hefty price. Not only that, but he quietly asks for a philter of love. He refuses to tell them what he needs it for but his price finally is agreed to. Finding all his sailors, though, may be difficult.

But together they parade from one tavern to the next offering free drink and soon The Broken Arrow has its full complement of crew.

Days of travel find the group for the most part below decks, away from the icy cold waters and spray. But soon enough there is a day when the sun is warm and the skies are clear. Captain Tio calls to the group to come up and see the string of islands in the distance.

They have arrived.

The UnWelcome Party

The captain orders a skiff lowered into the water and the group begins to row ashore.  Soon the waters churn and they are attacked on all sides by some sort of humanoid water creatures. The creatures continually try to pull them into the water, while a massive creature from the water's depths swims up to attack any of the group in the water.

Eventually, they fight off the attackers and are able to row the skiff to the shore and pull it up on the sandy shore. Ahead of them the dense foliage of a jungle. Sounds of insects and birds fill the air.

The group look around and then at each other. Now what?