Ránath Returns

Greengrass 1493 DR

We headed to the Shrines of Nature in the north of Waterdeep where the Greengrass Festival was held. We sort of hauled Ránath along with us in the hope that he might receive assistance whilst we were there. Inside we could hear music and laughter and as we entered we were all presented with floral wreaths to wear around our necks. Inside people were singing and dancing and eating amongst the trees. It was really quite fantastic.

No sooner had we entered when a young woman greeted Elora enthusiastically. She introduced herself as Danica and asked Elora if she had spoken to somebody named Mattrim. I asked who this person was and Danica responded with a name I knew: Threestrings. I told her that I knew Threestrings and that I played music with him. It turns out that she really wanted to meet him and to sing with him so I invited her back to The Yawning Portal that evening to play with us. She seemed very receptive to the idea.

After that I wandered off to take in the spectacle. I found many musicians to listen to and dancers to admire. I spent some time wandering around and enjoying the festival. It really was quite the marvel.

After a while I heard my name and saw Lypher approach with fish! That was a most welcome surprise. I followed along back to the rest of the group whilst eating delicious fish. During the walk Lypher asked me some odd questions about my clothes and group affiliations. I wasn't really following along at first until he mentioned the Xanathar Guild. I informed him that I was not part of either the Xanathar Guild or the Black Network. He seemed to be pretty happy with that response. At that point we rejoined the others of our party who were talking with some people I didn't know.

Elora and Mingnist were waiting with Ránath to speak with Lady Gwenall who was already engaged in conversation with somebody named Sir Ambrose. After a short while he wandered off and Elora asked Lady Gwenall if she could assist with Ránath's recovery. We gave her a brief description of what had occurred. I was distracted and headed off for something to eat. Moments later Lypher joined me.

I was enjoying some excellent fish but noticed that a dwarven woman was attending to Ránath. I was intrigued by this new person and wandered back to the others. Some time later I noticed that Lypher did not follow along. The dwarf was identified to me as Kilgena and had indicated that she would be able to help return Ránath to his normal self. This was excellent news! But there was a price to be paid. There's always a price.

Lady Gwenall looked to Ketalysen and requested that she assist in the recovery of a family heirloom, the Amulet of Siveril, that had been lost in the Ardeep Forest. For this she was to research Lady Gwenall's family history for information on its whereabouts and, ideally, to retrieve it. The deadline was the 20th of Mirtul when Lady Gwenall was leaving Waterdeep. Ketalysen gladly accepted to help Ránath. Once agreement had been reached Kilgena sprinkled some sort of dust over Ránath, touched his forehead, and he became once again aware.

Kilgena requested a favour from Ránath for her assistance. (Yet another price to be paid.) She asked that he pledged to fight orcs in any future outpouring accross her land. Ránath agreed enthusiastically to my astonishment. There was some grumbling from everybody about the many costs associated with the recovery of Floon and Renaer.

Everybody was letting Ránath know what happened whilst he was out of it when a human suddenly appeared and inquired about Bonnie. He introduced himself as Marwood and knew Ránath. Marwood went on at length about Bonnie and stepped away as suddenly as he had arrived. Very odd fellow.

Now that Ránath was back to his self Ketalysen asked him if he was hungry and I excitedly led him around and introduced him to the various food stalls and entertainment that I'd discovered throughout the day. Eventually most everybody returned to The Yawning Portal but Ránath and I continued exploring the festival. Ránath seemed somewhat distracted but I didn't let that concern me. Near suppertime we met up with Eilsys and Marwood with whom we returned to The Yawning Portal.

Missing Memories

Greengrass 1493 DR

I awoke feeling rather refreshed albeit quite confused. I was in a strange room and Mingnist was there. I had some particularly jumbled memories of a woman talking to me and something about a favour owed. All I knew was that I was cold in this unfamiliar room.

I was ravenously hungry and Mingnist led us out of what turned out to be a room at The Yawning Portal. The others were staying there too and we all headed down for breakfast. Ránath came along as well, but he was not really cognizant of his environment. I didn't really know what was wrong with him. Floon and Renaer met us in the tavern.

It was at that point that I realised how malodorous my fur was. That was unacceptable so I immediately bolted upstairs to the baths as directed by Bonnie. Ketalysen graciously offered a portion of her precious lavender soap which I gratefully accepted. Several others headed to the baths as well and I returned to breakfast waiting at the table and ate enthusiastically although it wasn't fish. The others were talking about some matters but I was unable to focus on their conversation.

Just as I finished somebody named Eilsys approached our table. Ketalysen and Elora knew him from their journey to Waterdeep and he was here to remind them of the Greengrass Festival today and invited the rest of us as well. Elora inquired if he might know somebody who would be able to help Ránath. He suggested somebody named Lady Gwenall.

I took that moment to make my offering to Nula. I was a day late as I would normally perform the rite on the tenth day.

I was also able to gather some of what happened during my loss of memory. Lypher managed to defeat the quadrupedal brain but the party was left with the problem of how to escape the sewers with three incapacitated people. Fortune was with Elora though because she discovered a hidden passage that led to the basement of a halfling couple, Agnes and Angus, who allowed us through their home and back to the streets of Waterdeep. A cart was flagged which brought us all back to The Yawning Portal.

It was here that the woman I remember, Obaya Uday, came to the room in which Mingnist and I were staying and treated my condition. She did ask that I assist her with the retrieval of some sort of magical item from the Undermountain in the future as payment. I remembered very little of any of that. One thing I did recall was that Obaya mentioned another Tabaxi in Waterdeep. Interesting.

For a variety of reasons it was decided that we would all visit the Greengrass Festival. I'd not been to that event in Waterdeep before.

Nice Help Lady Me

?????, 1493 DR?

So warm. She says nice thing but I think she says nice thing but I things to me. I things to me says nice thing but I don't really understand. There. So warm. She asked me. I thing but I don't really unds good. There. She asked me sounds good. There's a woman here. So warm. I don't really understand. There. I things to me sounds good. Sleep. She asked me. So warm. Sleep sounderstand. So warm. I must sleep sounderstand. There's a woman here's a woman here. Sleep somethink she says nic...

Quarry Found

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

In short order we encountered a room. The first thing I noticed was a half-orc with its foot placed on a man I surmised to be Floon. He was crying out in pain at his treatment. To his right was another of those ugly floating creatures with the eye stalks and behind them all was something I did not want to see: a mind flayer holding what appeared to be a brain with four legs.

The mind flayer looked to the half-orc and said, “Grum'shar, take care of this rabble,” and then walked to a door and exited the room. At that point the battle began.

I managed to get a shot from my bow off straight away at Grum'shar and killed him with one arrow. Unfortunately he crumpled directly onto Floon. Sorry, Floon.

Shortly after that the quadrupedal brain charged at me and hit me with some very sharp claws. That did not feel good. Then it did something to Ránath after he missed it with his Yklwa. Ránath's eyes glazed over and he just stood there motionless. That's not good either.

Mingnist arrived next to me and made two dagger attacks at the floating thing and killed it with expert strikes. Then I managed to get a solid hit on the brain thing after which Elora hit it with a spray of poison. Revenge felt good.

Whatever it did to Ránath the brain thing also did to Renaer. He suddenly went limp and glassy-eyed and sort of checked out. Then it hit Mingnist hard with its claws. Mingnist wasn't looking too well. That was the last thing I remembered.

Negotiations Gone Bad

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

I proceeded on ahead through what appeared to be living quarters of some sort. I entered a room with six crude beds but was otherwise empty. I listened at the door on the opposite side of the room and could hear a pair of worried sounding voices. One sounded like Krentz. I informed the others and let them know that I was going to proceed into the room to attempt to make a deal.

I opened the door upon another living space to see Krentz and a Duergar frantically stuffing blankets under a door on the other side of the room. I spoke up and said, “Hey, Krentz. What seems to be the problem?” He was rather shocked to see me and asked me to pass some blankets to him. I did but the Duergar did not trust my presence at all.

I once again asked what they were doing and Krentz said there was something in the room behind the door that was apparently disolving some goblins. I had no idea what that was about, but we were here to get Floon so I asked if he was here and that I wanted to make a deal for him. Krentz said that Nihiloor would not make a deal for cash. It sounded like they were looking for information so I offered that I may have another way to get that information.

The Duergar, who turned out to be named Zemk, just wasn't buying what I was selling. The two were whispering to each other trying to decide if they could trust me. Zemk wanted to take me to Grum'shar and led me to another door. I followed along.

Just after passing through the door he asked me how long I'd known Krentz and then just attacked me. What a jerk!

Zemk took a swing at me with a war pick but didn't even come close. I returned with a thrust from my rapier and made a rather solid contact at which point the rest of the party entered the room. Now the fracas was in full swing. In mere moments Zemk was defeated by Renaer and Krentz surrendered to our overwhelming force.

It was conversation time so I invited Renaer over to question Krentz. Renaer asked where Floon was and Krentz said he was with Grum'shar and pointed to the door that I was being led through earlier. Lypher, however, was specifically focused on the door that they were attempting to seal with blankets. Renaer and I insisted that we get Floon.

It was quite tense for a moment but we eventually convinced Lypher that Floon was the important task. Lypher knocked out Krentz with his quarterstaff so we bound him and proceeded toward our quarry.

Trust Issues

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

Elora and Lypher were chosen to sneak up on the two napping goblins in an attempt to subdue them for questioning. However, their sneaking abilities were not stellar. The two goblins woke as they were approached but were rapidly restrained. Ketalysen, Ránath, and Mingnist then rushed in to bind them for questioning.

I did notice that Lypher was inspecting their arrows for some reason. I have no idea why that may have been. He then began speaking to the goblins in a language I'd never heard before and offered a letter to one of them. That was quite curious. The conversation continued for a bit and I noticed Lypher getting a bit more aggressive toward the goblin when I heard it say the name Krentz. I asked about that and was informed that he was a guard up ahead of us.

Soon Lypher gathered us for an update in the adjacent room. He let us know that Floon was here in the custody of somebody named Grum'shar who Elora suggested was a half-orc. There were also two guards in a room ahead, one of which was Krentz. That seemed to be the totality of information we would be able to get from the goblins. It was decided that we would leave them bound here and proceed ahead.

I suggested attempting to make a deal with Krentz for the custody of Floon. Ketalysen asked if I knew Krentz personally but that was a tough question to answer. My response was merely that I had done some errands for him. Lypher asked if I was aware of Floon's kidnapping plan ahead of time. I was sensing a great level of distrust in the room.

Ketalysen then said to Ránath and Elora in Elvish, “Do you think that Lock led us over here so that they could rob us?”

I responded in Elvish, “No, I did not lead you here.”

I assured them that I would attempt to broker a deal with Krentz. At that, we proceeded onward and I could feel an icy cold at my back.

Follow the Yellow Chalk Road

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

I snuck up behind the nearest creature and struck with my rapier which burst it like a bubble. One down, one to go. Moments later a fire bolt whooshed by and struck the other and also popped it. I looked back to see Mingnist with his hands raised in the direction of the fallen creature. That was the fastest combat I've ever been part of.

Ránath climbed a ladder located at the site of our unbalanced battle. He opened the cover at the top and reported that he discovered a storeroom full of food and drink. Lypher followed up to inspect as well. Ránath indicated that it seemed to be associated with a tavern of some sort. After a few moments the pair returned to the stench of the sewer.

We easily located the next symbol and continued our trek to locate Floon and followed them for approximately twenty more minutes. We found ourselves at a much narrower tunnel that was just as putrid as before. We stealthily progressed forward. Well, we tried. I heard far more noise from behind than I would have preferred. At any rate, we seemed to be in an older section of Waterdeep's sewer system where a room with arrow slits was discovered. I gave a quick search for traps but found nothing at all. Next I cautiously entered the room and peered through one of the slits. I could see the feet of a small sleeping individual.

At that moment Ránath sprinted off down a tunnel to the south. I had no idea where he was going but I looked through the second arrow slit on the opposite side of the room. Inside I noticed two sleeping goblins on the floor. I don't think these guys were fulfilling their duties. At that moment Lypher noticed the next yellow symbol for us to follow.

I listened at the door indicated by the symbol as Elora and Lypher headed off to fetch Ránath from whatever he was getting up to. There were no sounds beyond. Just as I was pondering opening it the three missing party members returned from their mini excursion. Ránath was talking about some rat or something down there. I lost interest before he started to be honest.

I proceeded through the door and into a bendy passage that was also equipped with an arrow slit beyond which I could hear the sleeping goblins once again. The next door opened upon a room full of detritus to my left and the room of the goblins to the right. I suggested that we sneak up on them, restrain them, and question them.

Odiferous Depths

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

Renaer was quite anxious to find Floon but our party was a little on the beat up side. We decided that it would be best to return to The Yawning Portal in hopes of locating some healing help. First though we asked some passersby around the warehouse if they had seen anybody resembling Floon recently. Sure enough, several people did witness an individual matching his description being dragged away an hour earlier.

We followed their directions and inquired with some others who were able to guide us further. We were able to locate an entrance to the sewer with a discrete circle written on it in yellow chalk. I indicated that Renaer should proceed into the sewers to search for Floon whilst the rest of us head back to The Yawning Portal. Nobody else seemed to like the idea so we all (inclusive of Renaer) headed back to the inn.

Once back we asked Durnan if Evaline was still there but unfortunately the answer was negative. Aparently she had returned to the Spires of the Morning. I was feeling fine so I went over to Threestrings straight away. We played a quick song from an island in my homeland in Maztica called Slowly.

Just as we finished the song I heard Lypher call out that he had located Evaline. She hadn't left the inn after all. After she had secured some generous donations to her temple and a great deal of confusion surrounding spiders from Lypher she healed all our injured. Renaer looked quite perplexed at the whole exchange.

Once again Renaer urged us to find Floon but some of the others insisted on a quick drink first. Lypher purchased a bottle of something and passed it around. As we departed Ketalysen and Elora were arm-in-arm singing, “Yo ho ho, down the sewers we go!” What was in that bottle?

Part way there Ketalysen asked me why I was hiding from the guard. Hmm... Awkward question for me. I was a little vague in my reply and said they weren't fans of mine. She also asked me my opinion of Renaer. I said he was too wealthy for my preference, but otherwise I had no real opinion of him.

When we arrived at the sewer entrance I immediatly signalled to Renaer and said, “After you.” He acquiesced surprisingly and we all followed behind him. I was immediately hit with the malodorous air of the sewer. Inside was a stream of putrid water and we quickly located the next yellow symbol.

Renaer immediately indicated that he was unable to see in this dark environment. Ugh... humans with their weak eyesight. Ketalysen proferred a torch and I then attempted to disarm Renaer as a test of his skill with his rapier. He ably defended my manoeuvre so I bowed to him and replied, “Well played, sir.” He bowed back and we were on our way.

I stealthily led our group through the sewers, following the signs. After an hour or so we happened upon a pair of small floating heads with eye stalks blocking our way. Uh oh. Certain measures were required.

Revelation

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

Renaer told us that he had been captured along with Floon and that they were both brought to the warehouse and tied. Floon was questioned and then taken away but Renaer was left here where he eventually slipped his bindings and hid in the closet under the stairs. Whilst there he heard the loud commotion of a fight and then all went quiet. It was then that we discovered him. Lypher seemed to distrust Renaer.

Renaer identified several dead Black Network individuals along the wall as his abductors and surmised that he was the intended target instead of Floon. His father, Lord Neverember, was thought to have embezzled from the Black Network and that he, Renaer, could lead them to the Stone of Golorr. He thought that the Xanathar Guild had the stone but it may have been stolen and that it was believed the stone could lead to the stolen gold.

As we were assessing our next steps a large contingent of the city guard stormed into the building. I immediately took cover at the back behind some of the crates. The others explained our current situation to the guards whilst attempting to deflect any blame from us. Renaer soon stepped in to explain that we had, indeed, rescued him from the turf battle between the Xanathar Guild and the Black Network. He seemed to know one of the guards named Hyustus. Lypher asked them if they knew anything about the Kenku but their reply was merely to say that the Kenku have been seen and are known to associate with on of the criminal factions or another.

Hyustus thanked us for assisting with taking care of the Kenku but asked everybody to disperse. The surviving two Kenku were escorted from the premises and several guards were searching the upstairs. Unfortunately I had been spotted by the guard. I had nowhere to go. I could hear some fumbling of words regarding how many people were in the group and I was starting to fear that I was going to be abandoned to the guard until Renaer spoke up to say that he was there with six others, which included me. I bolted from the building as fast as I could.

Interrogation

Tarsakh 30, 1493 DR

The first thing Ránath did was pluck three feathers from one of the dead Kenku. For a trophy I suppose? We searched the Kenku but didn't find much of interest.

Elora examined the dead people lined up along the walls of the first storey. She discovered some of them had a winged snake tattoo, so they were Black Network folks and matched the description Xoblob gave us for the people who abducted Floon. The others were adorned with the tattoo of the Xanathar Guild. There appeared to have been some sort of turf battle prior to our arrival. I summarised the two groups to Elora.

At this time the two sleeping Kenku began stirring. Elora continued examining the area whilst Ketalysen distributed some of her goodberries and others looked around but still nothing notable was discovered until the crates were opened. Some contained decomposing goods but a few were loaded with various weapons and black garb. Some weapons were were acquired for future use and the black clothing was kept for a possible disguise. I declined both since I already wore black and preferred my own weapons.

I was near one of the Kenku and could hear it speak, “No time to loot,” in an accent none of us recognised. He continued with, “Xanathar sends his regards. Get him to the boss.”

I answerd him with, “Who do you mean?” in thieves' cant which seemed to catch his attention.

In a new voice the Kenku answered, “Tie up the pretty boy in the back room.” He seemed to be indicating a room located under the stairs and said, “Follow the yellow signs in the sewers.”

Lypher, Ránath and Mingnist approached the door to the room under the stairs to search inside. Lypher kicked the door and splintered it off its hinges. A strong odour of pickled herring diffused into the room. A person was also hidden within and I could hear Ránath say, “We're not here to hurt you. Come out.”

Mingnist responded, “We're not?” which led to some bickering between the pair.

The man emerged and introduced himself as Renaer.