PREVIOUSLY - CAMPAIGN DIARIES 28 - The Road to Amphail

20 Elient - Day 82 - Hello, City

The morning is cold and the road is busy with travelers heading to the great city of Waterdeep. There are dozens of people and carts, horses and carriages, oxen and carts making their way in and out of the nearby city.

Then, as The League tops a rise amongs farms and fields, you see it, a sight like you have never seen before. Along the western coast of Faerûn, framed by the Sea of Swords, the High Road abruptly turns to the gates of a city like no other. It is Waterdeep, the most populous city of the north.

City guards patrol the road on horses, something you have not seen before, and even more striking, cavalry flies above the city on griffons, wielding spears twice as tall as a man, while they survey the city below.

A nearby merchant sees the party taking it all in, the city suffused with the glow of the late day.

"Ay, takes your breath away, don't it?", and the group responds back with a chorus of nods.

"A place of business for many, opportunity for others, and home for countless thousands, but all know it as the City of Splendor. Its history is old; older than the noble families that rule in the upper wards, older than Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale, older even than Neverwinter Forest and the great plains that succumbed to the Spell Plague and the Second Sundering; it has persevered. It's history is unbroken; the city behind its high, white walls has never fallen. This is the hub of many races who make up the sea of humankind. This is a city of spectrums; great wealth and oppressive poverty; festivals and fairs and crime and corruption; adventure and intrigue and pampering and imbibing. Nobles of the North Ward who parade through the streets and throw elegant balls to flaunt their wealth just beyond the walls that divide them from the homes that hold a thousand hungry mouths, some of them old beggars, others children made orphans by a parent's vice or war or both."

In Waterdeep, there are a number of well-kept wards, but the streets of Castle Ward are pristine, patrolled by guards who don colorful and exquisite armor. Statues that act as street signs, pointing towards the courthouse, a local theater, or the king's extravagant castle. Just beyond the crimeless Castle Ward, is the Sea Ward, home of a dozen religions with gaudy temples, some built of stone, others carved straight into massive statues, the size of titans, that loom over the city of Waterdeep. Their features sometimes disappear into the sky, when the clouds hang low or when a fresh morning fog rolls in from the sea. They've been still for so long that houses have begun to appear near, around and on the giant statues. At one time, their names were known, and their history, told often. But the city is old, and with time, many have lost the stories.

In the Dock Ward, amidst the seafoam and the smell of salt water, raucous laughter, or murderous shouting (sometimes it's hard to tell the difference) can be heard from behind brightly lit tavern windows. Salty dogs partake in bouts of violence. For brawls go hand-in-hand with hard liquor, and the liquor flows like water there. The dark alleys that pepper this ward are the hunting grounds for cutthroats; the busy harbor a playing field for a thief with sticky fingers. Nobles avoid this place, as much for the general smell as the inherent danger; like a lamb wandering into a pack of wolves.

The great graveyard, called the City of the Dead, sits in the eastern portion. It houses countless bodies, from seven and seven and seven generations past. Walls have been erected around it, guards patrol it, in case any upstart necromancer is looking for flesh for his dark magics. No dead wander about, it is but a large graveyard, but that doesn't stop the children from telling ghost stories, or daring one another to sneak in and stay the night. Childish things, the adults will say. But even a grown man is superstitious enough that he wouldn't partake in any dare of that sort.

And on the southern side of the city looms Mt. Waterdeep, a natural landmark that sweetens an already beautiful city. Its peak as you can see is capped white and it catches the morning sun first and glows like a beacon. It once housed the original founders that started the city of Waterdeep, tunnels and mines run through its core, but it's been long since abandoned. Some say dark creatures strike from the tunnels at night from the maze of passages. Others rumor that a mage took residence there. He experimented on things better left untouched. He went mad. Some say, on those cold, still nights, you can hear his laughter echoing off the mountainside. Ha ha ha ha!" he chortles a wild laughter.

The group passes through the pinch of the River Gate, armed guards inspecting the crowd, looking for trouble, casting curious glances at Lady D. One guard looks as if he wants to approach, but getting a bit closer to the owlbear seems to change his mind and he retreats.

"The shadows are growing long, do you need a place to stay in Waterdeep tonight?" Mirt asks.

"Yes." Immeral states, his sore feet speaking for him.

???????????????????????????????????????? Where did the characters get a room?

"If you visit nowhere else in Waterdeep, you should go to the Castle Ward and have a drink at the Yawning Portal, the most famous pub in the north. It literally sits atop a mountain of adventure. Best of luck to you all. If you need to borrow some money, ask around for Mirt the Moneylender - I live in the Castle Ward. Everyone knows me." Mirt waves a farewell and calls out "Tell Durnan that Lord Walrus sends his regards." Then he and his oxen are off down River Street, heading straight towards the castle.

The Trades Ward is a bustling shopping district of Waterdeep and seems to have many guildhalls. It is paved with cobbles that have been obviously swept recently. The streets are incredibly clean and orderly. A sense of community in commerce pervades every building and person, and wares sellers call out politely from their stands, carts and buildings.

The houses modern Tudor style of two to three stories and well-kept, inter-spaced with a tower here or there. There are a great many streetlights here, with oil lanterns handing every few yards, obviously making it well lit at night. There seems to be many watch patrols, keeping the peace and discouraging theft.

AURORA'S

Although the day is getting long, The League can't help but slow to a stroll as they see the many vendors and storefronts, most of which seem to be packing up for the day. One shop in particular catches the party's attention, Aurora's Tusk Street shop, which specializes in Curiosities and Oddities. The League goes in. There, they shop for a while, purchasing some interesting curios. ??????????????????????????? What curious did they purchase?

After the shop, The League continues deeper on, getting closer to the Castle in darkening west, while squads of lamplighters rush down the streets lighting the many oil lamps with long torches. The warm glow dispels the darkness, and The League gets direction from one of the light ladies to The Yawning Portal.

THE YAWNING PORTAL

This large, stone building standing six stories high, with a slate roof and several chimneys. It looks very similar to the other buildings nearby, and nothing but a sign declaring it "The Yawning Portal" declares anything extraordinary. After they hitch Lady D. to a nearby post, they find the inside is another matter.

The place is filled with many, but is large enough to spread out. Most of the ground floor is taken up by an immense common room, which strangely contains a 40 foot wide open well within. Above the well hangs a rope and pulley. The place is crowded and more noisy than it should be, but a man approaches signaling a question with seven fingers raised, and as Immerals nods, he directs the group to a table. As The League walks past the well, they see why the place is so loud. Above, exposed by a great circular opening in the ceiling above the well, two more levels of pub reveal themselves with tables and hundreds patrons looking down and around from on high. The noise and smoke and smells and faces and races are like no place they have ever been. There are wizards and rogues and clerics and druids. Dragonborn and half-orcs and halfling and gnome. Orcs and goblins and bugbear and drow. There is a creature with a squid for a head, and some that even appear dead! There is even a goblin sitting atop a giant cat with tentacles reaching and swaying from its shoulders.

They party is seated, and quickly served by a young barmaid named Bonnie who brings the party wine and ale and water for Immeral. The League in short order enjoys a fantastic hot meal of mutton and potatoes, and is settling back, ready to ask about rooms. There are sounds of gamblers yelling, drunken adventurers singing baudy songs, the off-key strumming of a young bard three tables over, and the normal clinking and bumping and noise as big as the room.

Then all the noise is eclipsed by a shout: "Ya pig! Like killin' me mates, does ya?" Then a seven-foot-tall half-orc female is hit by a wild swinging punch from a male human whose shaved head is covered with eye-shaped tattoos. Four other humans stand behind him, ready to jump into the fray. The half-orc cracks her knuckles, roars and leaps at the tattooed figure--the crowd moving back to let them have at it, while starting to fight around the edges, for no good reason other than it was a pub, and there was a brawl.

Seeing that nobody was coming to the defense of the half-orc, and that she is unfairly matched five to one, on top of being pummelled on the ground, Nowhere dives in to the fray. Just before she arrives, the half-orc throws the human off of her with a might shove. The other humans look as if they will make the fight one-sided, and the other members of The League stand up and give the group the unsaid, but clear message that jumping on Nowhere will NOT be accepted. One calls out to the fighting man, "Krentz!"

Still coming to his feet, the startled man, sees that there is no aid to be had from his men, so Krentz backs off the half-orc and points directly at Nowhere "You better watch who you mess with Tiefling, I got your face!"

"Can I kill him?" Dain asks.

"No" says Nowhere as she turns. "I'll eat yours for dessert, pie-face!"

While Nowhere is staring down Krentz, his crew nervously starts shuffling for the door. Krentz pulls down his right lower eyelid, revealing an eye tattoo within the lower eyelid, obviously to intimidate. "See you later" then stalks off.

Nowhere turns and offers a hand to the half-orc on the floor. "I'm Yagra, and I am thankful for your help."

"I'm Nowhere, and I hate bullies."

Yagra looks for something else to say, but nothing comes and she skulks off. The League presses back to their table.

The group spends some time drinking and eating, a very fine stew for most, and they just are ready to ask about rooms, when a chant begins...

"DIP DIP DIP DIP DIP!!"

A young man, obviously a little drunk, stands up, takes a big drink of beer, then walks up to the bar. He slaps a gold piece down on the table. Durnan nods and reaches under the bar and pulls out a bell, and hands it to the man. The other people cheer, and the guy begins to strip off his weapons and Armor. After he's down to his underwear, he walks out onto the small wooden platform that hangs over the taverns namesake - the Yawning Portal.

A rope is lowered from above, it has a looped end to stand on. The man takes one more chug of beer, drops the tankard down into the hole, then steps onto the rope. The rope begins to lower him down into the hole.

As soon as he's past the lip people start shouting out bets, "I'll bet a silver he's ringing that bell before he hits the bottom!" another says "I bet five copper he stays down 3 minutes and comes up with the cup!" more betting, then a chant begins in the crowd:

Deep and dark down below,

where only fools and braggarts go,

where monster roam and dangers mortal,

few survive the Yawning Portal,

stand your ground or ring the bell,

and hope you make it up the well!

After a minute or so the rope stops, meaning he made it to the bottom, the tavern suddenly gets very quiet, although there are a few unhappy grunts and the exchange of coin from the people that bet he wouldn't make it to the bottom. A minute passes, you see the rope move slightly here and there. 2 minutes pass, almost 3 minutes pass and then the sound of a bell begins to echo up the hole. The rope begins to be pulled up, the hole seems unnaturally dark , and you can't see anything past 40 ft.

Suddenly you see the man appear, on the end of the rope, one hand holding the rope, the other holding the tankard up triumphantly, there are yells of joy and defeat from the crowd. Just as he clears the stone ledge of the well, a hand reaches up and grabs his leg. The crowd starts yelling and pointing...

The bartender yells at him with a glance "Kindly refrain from burning down my tavern. That's a good fellow!"

Dain stays back, distance attacks not his thing, finishing his drink and watching the show.

Immeral casts Ray of Frost, which hits one of of the stirges, but also travels beyond, frosting a table of halflings on the 2nd level. They shiver and one grabs his own body for warmth, "cold, very cold!". The crowd loves it.

Atlas considers a dart, but holds after seeing Kronk's attack go wide. Seraphina casts Cure Wounds and takes out a second of the stirges. Orryn pulls his shortbow, and carefully checking the scene behind the stirge, fires and takes out a third. Then, Nowhere rushes to the well. Out comes Frostrazor, her magical sword, and with a two-handed swing, takes out one of the stirges about to impale a customer. She grins at the woman, and she runs for her life.

Now the crowd is chanting "Durgen, Durgen, Durgen!" and the barman, who seems much more than an ale-pourer, steps up to the troll climbing over the well edge, and with a double-handed swing of incredible speed, practice and skill, lops off the head of the troll.

The crowd goes wild and tankards splash ale all over the tavern with many raucous toasts.

"Well done." he says. And looks at Bonnie and points to their table to set them up with a round.

"Get off my rope you cowardly curr!" he yells at the man still clinging to the rope with his eyes closed. His eyes open and he looks around with relief as he gets some help swinging to the side.

When the party shakes their head negatively, he goes on, "...Famous chronicler, wizard, celebrity and adventurer? I am most recently known for my book Volo's Guide to Monsters, which documents my investigations of the heartless denizens of the darkest corners of our world and below."

Now some recognition passes in the group and K'ronk and Immeral mention that they have heard of him.

"Wonderful, wonderful!" the enthusiastic man replies. "I trust you've noted the violence in our fair city these past tendays. I haven't seen so much blood since my last visit to Balder's Gate! But now I fear I have misplaced a friend amid this odious malevolence."

"My friend's name is Floon Blagmaar. He's got more beauty than brains, and I worry he took a bad way home a couple nights ago and was kidnapped - or worse. If you agree to track him down with all due haste, I can offer you ten dragons of apiece now, and I can give you each ten times that when you find Floon. May I prevail upon you in my hour of need?"

"Dragons?" Orryn asks.

"Oh, you must be new here. Dragons are the gold coin of Waterdeep. A wonderful invention, the shaping reduces the likelyhood of having coin with less valuable metals and weights. If one worried about fools gold or such." He reaches into a belt pouch and reveals one to the party.

"What say you on this job? Will you help me find my friend?"

Nowhere speaks for the party, "Yes, we will."

"Wonderful! Please call me Volo, as we are now trusted associates. Here is your retainer..." he says as he hands each player 10 gold dragons each. I will meet you here at 8 bells and tell you everything I know about Floon's disappearance. I look forward to seeing to you on the morrow!" and with that, Volo strikes a course out of the tavern.

In short order, the League bids hello from Mirt to Durnan. He thanks the league with a discount, figuring that anyone who meets Mirt is in need of a bit of a break. Nowhere looks down the well curiously, Dain at her side. Durnan catches their attention, and with a very serious look, tells them "You're not yet ready."

With that, Orryn ensures that Lady D is well-fed and settled down for the night, and they they are all off to rest, unsure what adventure awaits them tomorrow.

NEXT - CAMPAIGN JOURNAL 30 - Finding Floon