Embedded Files
Having found their quarry, Floon Blaagmar, in the secret lair of an organization known only as "The Eye", the Owlbear League made a quick search of the long audience chamber in the dark sanctuary they had found in the sewers of Waterdeep. They moved quickly, and although K'ronk, their dragonborn wizard found a secret passage to a perhaps deeper level of the complex, they decided to make their way out of the sewers and return Floon to safety.
During long trek back through the vile waters of the tunnels under Waterdeep, the League passed the ladder the to the unnamed tavern cellar Orryn previously investigated, deciding it was likely well blocked now. Nowhere grumbled that it might have been good to have a faster entrance than trudging through filth for another thirty minutes. Orryn, the gnome rogue, only shrugged and smirked a little.
Some time later they arrived at the ladder they had descended from the streets of the city, and made their way up to the cobblestones, and trudged back to The Yawning Portal. All the while, Floon was profuse with thanks to The League, and to Mister Volo, and was even more thankful that Renear, his close friend was safe at their hand as well.
Arriving at the Yawning Portal, some time around 3AM, they decided that Floon would stay with them overnight for safety, but when they stepped into the Portal, Durnan, who seems never to sleep, held out a hand, commanding "Stop!" which the League did.
He grabbed a key, threw it at The League, and Nowhere caught it. "Bathhouse - two doors down. Leave a silver in the donation box. Lock it when you are done. Don't ruin my arrangement with the owners." Exhausted, but re-examining their filthy state, The League headed down to the bathhouse and made a quick clean of themselves, spoiling two pools in the process, but leaving a silver for the whomever maintains the place, as Durnan directed.
Returning quickly to the Yawning Portal, they made their way to their three rooms and were deep asleep in short order.
The next morning, Floon was gone. The League quickly gathered and K'ronk cast a ????? spell to detect the location of the young man. He was downstairs.
They quickly descended to find Floon, Renear and Volo gathered at a table, eating a fine breakfast, luxuriously happy at the turn of events. "There they are, the heroes of Waterdeep." Volo stated. Some heads even turned. Durnan might have cocked an eye in their direction, but never stopped wiping the counters.
"That's a bit much praise." Seraphina, the tiny halfling cleric stated.
"You are too modest!" Volo remarked. "Sit, gather, have some breakfast."
Floon then adds "We'll make room, we're leaving, we just came to thank Mister Volo for initiating our rescue at your hand. He's proved Waterdeep isn't devoid of kindness." The two redheaded men rise and hug each of the Owlbear League, and then each other at the end, just for good measure, and hurry off, shoulder to shoulder.
Then Volo speaks. "Dear friends, words cannot express the gratitude which I have for Floon Blaagmar's safe return. You did everything asked of you, and I cannot wait to hear the story of his rescue, but I have some bad news, a terrible turn of events, and I must be upfront in order to preserve our new friendship.
But first let's get some food in you. Adventuring makes for quite an appetite, doesn't it? A late breakfast is just what you need!" Volo quickly calls over to a server named Bonnie to bring them all out breakfast and to put it on his tab. Bonnie looks back at Durnan, and he glances over with steely eyes, but gives a nearly imperceptible nod. She goes to get food.
"Although I promised you each 100 dragons upon Floon's safe return, that offer was made in light of an expectation that my publisher, The Wardswell Agency, was delivering an advance on my next tome, Volo's Guide to Spirits and Spectres. Unfortunately, my publisher through some obvious mismanagement, has fallen on hard times and was unable to forward me an advance on that work, which I have only just completed the research on. So gold, unfortunately, is not an option, but never let it be said that Volothamp Geddarm reneges on a promise..."
Allow me to present something much more valuable." He holds out a scroll tube. "This is the deed to a remarkable property here in Waterdeep! A former Inn, the Trollskull Tavern - that has fallen into a bit of disrepair, but has an astounding location, and would be an incredible opportunity for an adventurous group as yourselves to 'clean-up' as we say.
If you accept this in lieu of payment it will be much faster than having to put it up for sale and going through all the necessary paperwork to turn to cash, let alone find a buyer. We'll need a magistrate to witness the transfer of ownership, which we could go do immediately."
Begrudingly, the Owlbear League accepts the offer, and after their breakfast, follows Volo across the Castle Ward to the courthouses where it is nearly lunchtime. By the time they arrive, the business proceedings from the day are in full bustle, with some lines forming in offices where lunches are now being taken. "Wait right here and I shall use some of my not insignificant influence to secure us a magistrate posthaste!"
Volo runs off, and for the next few hours, races from office to office, one hallway to another, signaling the Owlbear League to remain patient.
Dain, the impatient Dwarf Barbarian, goes off for a drink, while the others somehow manage the patience to wait, until at last Volo returns hurriedly.
"Friends, a dear acquaintance, Kylynne Silverhelve, magistrate of Waterdeep, has kindly given us a few minutes of her time to complete the transaction. This way, this way." Volo shuffles them into a nearby office with an impatient looking middle-aged woman standing at desk.
Kylynne looks weary, and speaks in a droning voice "There will be a 25 gold piece transfer tax for registering the transaction." Volo turns and grimaces silently and the Owlbear League knows they will be paying for the transfer. Nowhere pulls out her coinpurse and pays the fee, after which Kylynne makes a receipt, then signs and seals the document they had been waiting for, and hands it over to Nowhere.
The League and Volo then march out has Volo leads them out of the courthouse. In their hours inside, the sky has grown dark and it is starting to rain. Pedestrians begin to flee and the streets clear a bit, making travel easier, but wetter. Dain approaches from a nearby doorway.
"Where were you?" Atlas asks.
"Had lunch." Dain tells him.
"We just ate breakfast." Atlas replies.
"Yes we did." Dain tells him. "But I don't drink until after lunch." Then he burps.
"Oh." Atlas considers.
Volo hands Nowhere the key to the building and says "Please carry this for me, I am terrible at losing things." He then walks the new owners of Trollskull Manor through the rain up The High Road to Delzorin Street, which takes about 30 minutes. By the time they turn off, the group is well drenched and silent. A long block over, he takes you up Windborne Way and down Saerdoun Street. He is unusually quiet most of the way, but then suggests the following:
"It's just up ahead, Trollskull Alley is behind these businesses, a warm, tightknit community which I'm sure you will all fit into like a warm bed."
You take in the neighborhood and it is very nice with clean cobbled streets and interesting storefronts on the block that makes up Trollskull Alley. Nearby streets seem much more residential. Despite the rain, the street looks cheery, with lovely manicured trees along the thoroughfare. Several ravens can be seen perched in one of the trees and caw as you walk by.
TROLLSKULL ALLEY
Volo states, "I feel I shouldn’t intrude on your introduction to Trollskull, I want to give you all a chance to take it in without my biased recognition of its unattained beauty. Truly a diamond in the rough."
Seraphina tells him. "We'd rather you take us all the way." To which he replies "Very Well, Very Well", and they journey on a bit further.
Volo stops in the street, turns with a grand flourish and while announcing "There she is." drawing your eye to a building perched across an alleyway from you.
This once illustrious tavern sticks out like a sore thumb among the well-maintained buildings surrounding it. Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building must once have been one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley. But it has seen better days. The doors are boarded, most of the windows are broken, and holes can be seen in the roof. The ravens caw again.
TROLLSKULL MANOR
The double-doors on the eastern terrace of the building are heavily chained and a rusting padlock dangles from the iron handles. An old sign is mounted above the doorway, although one of the chains has come loose and it now hangs precariously. The words "Trollskull Manor" are etched into the wood.
On the north side of the building there is a narrow set of stairs leading to the second floor doorway which is also chained and locked. Across the street to the northeast, there looks to be a stables, across to the northwest, a General Store, and directly west of the Trollskull is a building with a bakery and two salons, both with the same name.
Lightning flashes, thunder crackles, and the party realizes Volo is gone.
The party looks around a bit in the rain - taking in the back alley as the last dim light fades from the day, and they see there are a couple boarded up doors in the back as well, all boarded up. They decide to take main stairs and unlock the chains to enter. As they do, K'ronk uses detect magic and sees some magical glow on the second floor of the building which quickly fades and disappears.
The others begin entering the first floor, Nowhere yelling "anyone home?" But K'ronk hesitates, and tells them he is going to check out the second floor. Casting spider-climb he scrambles up the side of the tavern onto the second floor balcony. There are an array of broken windows belonging to a dark hallway, with a door to the windowed turret on the corner of the building, and another to the hallway.
The rest of The League sees that they have entered a Taproom. Stepping inside, the scent of pungent mildew and sour beer hits their nostrils immediately along with the acrid scent of fresh smoke. The large taproom is furnished with several broken tables and chairs and an L-shaped bar. An old dusty fireplace inhabits the north side of the room, and black ash has spilled from the hearth. Someone has taken some of the tables and chairs and formed a small fortification around the hearth. There appears to be three crude hay beds closely spaced in front of the fireplace, with some raglike blankets tossed atop. On the south side of the room, shattered glass and broken shelves surround the bar and behind it is a pantry to the south. There is still an intact mirror on the wall behind the bar bracketed by two large metal hooks, although whatever was once hung is no longer there. Small black vermin footprints are scattered around the floor, but larger footprints seem to have been recently made in the dust.
Meanwhile, K'ronk decides to open the door to the hallway. When he does so, he hears the soft pitterpatting of children's feet and feels for a moment something tugging at his fingertips. Down the hallway from him appears a specter, eyes glowing with hollow white beams, its skull glaring at the dragonborn wizard under long white scraggly hair. He hears a horrific wailing sound that brings a scream close to exploding from his throat, and he dives back out the door, scrambling down the side of the building to his companions.
"Specter, specter!" K'ronk announces breathlessly.
"Of course the place is haunted." Orryn says. "What else did we expect from this rotten deal?"
"The ravens portent lost souls." Seraphina adds.
"These beds are small." Nowhere notices. Stepping over to the hearth, the Tiefling calls "whoa!" as she nearly falls over from a sack of marbles, spilled haphazardly near the bedding.
"I knew it, I knew it, I knew it when I saw this place it was going to be no good." K'ronk adds, somewhat beside himself.
"I'm out of here." Immeral says. "I want nothing to do with a haunted house."
"Quiet, listen!" Atlas calls.
There are sounds coming from the kitchen, and the Owlbear League takes cover to figure out what is going on. Orryn stealthily makes his way to the door to peek at what is happening. There is little light from outside, even through the broken windows, although none in the League need light to see.
There is a garbage chute in the kitchen wall which likely goes to a barrel, but coming through the barrel are three young, soaking wet vagrants in tattered clothing. The first through is tall human girl who has a wooden sword in her hand. She puts her sword down to help a second child come through, a red-skinned tiefling with a bow and a quiver of arrows. He puts down his bow and arrows and helps through a heavier, shorter third child with dark skin who wears a dark red cape, and who struggles a bit to fit through the little trap door. The last one carries a wand, and pulls something that looks like a dead bird from under his cloak, and sets it down while they all take their cloaks off and toss them down on the counter in the kitchen. He reaches into a pouch and removes a glowing rock from it, placing it carefully into a split at the end of his wand, lighting the room.
Dale is in the nearby pantry. Broken casks and crates lean against the stone walls, with sagging shelves holding ripped sacks. Some sacks ooze and drip with the remnants of long-decayed produce. Vermin have nibbled holes in grain sacks, leaving little behind aside from floury paw prints on the shelves and ground. Beyond the pantry are broken swinging doors leading to the kitchen where he peeks at the young intruders.
In the kitchen, the two heavy iron stoves in the kitchen remain mostly intact, aside from water damage and rust spots from a dripping broken window that has been barred with wood planks. A large, sturdy prep table in the center of the kitchen is dusty and covered in rodent droppings but otherwise standing. There is a door to the south and nearby a small chute to the outside, obviously a grease trap. The flap door to the back alley is intact, but scraped up. Cabinets once holding kitchen tools have been flung open and looted. The hearth here has a few missing bricks but a large cast iron cauldron still hangs in place. Inside the cauldron, there's a long-abandoned bird's nest.
The tiefling says. "It's wet but at least we don't need to take a bath."
"You needed a bath Squiddly, even Nat said so." says the dark skinned, portly one.
"You smell worse than I do Jenks. Everyone says so."
"You don't know everyone Squiddly."
Nat makes a chopping motion into her palm, apparently unable to speak.
"OK Nat." both the other children tell her.
As the three urchins turn to march into the taproom Nowhere calls out. "Hello, is anyone there? I won't hurt you!"
"Who is it?" Squiddly yells, and Nat slaps him. Jenks tucks the dead bird under his arm and holds his wand out, menacingly as Nat takes a fighting stance.
They freeze, and Nowhere steps into the doorway. "My name is Nowhere, and I'm here with my friends." The League starts coming into the light.
"What are you doing in our place?" the tiefling asks.
"Well, according to this document, it is our place now." Nowhere replies.
Nat stamps her feet and starts moving her hands quickly.
"Now we have to move, she says" relays Jenks.
"You're a ranger, aren't you?" says Squiddly to Nowhere. "You are dressed like one."
"Some would say so," she replies.
"Where is your bow and arrows?" he asks "I don't have a bow." says Nowhere.
"What kind of ranger doesn't have a bow and arrow?" Squiddly asks.
"The kind who is so good she doesn't need one. I'd appear too good to my companions and might scare them off. The true power of a ranger is an awesome responsibility."
"Wow." Squiddly replies, obviously in awe.
"Come in and meet my friends." Nowhere says, and steps back into the taproom, giving them lots of room.
Nat is moving her hands, trying to communicate, but her companions are distracted.
Finally Squiddly says, "I won't trust them Nat, but she seems nice.", and they walk into the taproom.
Introductions are made to all the Owlbear League, Orryn somewhat glad he did not have to explain the bear costume that was being cleaned after his trip through the sewers early this morning.
Jenks falls into a conversation with K'ronk and Immeral, asking if they were real wizards, showing them his stone of light, his spellbook (mostly scribbles), and his stuffed owlbear named Mister Snuffs. "That's because Owlbears are super-tough can snuff out anyone." They ask if he is going to be a wizard, and he says he already is, and to watch, which they step back as he casts a very simple spell of colored lights dancing in the room. Quite a spell for an untrained child.
Squiddly is talking to Nowhere and Dain, and asking what adventures they have been on, while they notice the surprisingly decent short bow and shoddy arrows that he has. Seraphina and Atlas try to talk to Nat, but she has her arms crossed, completely annoyed.
A bit into the conversation, Nat starts stomping. The kids turn to her and she signs something furiously. Jenks sadly states, "I guess we have to go, we have to find someplace to bed down for the night."
Atlas says, "You don't have to go. You can stay here - we won't kick you out."
"You won't?" Squiddly asks, always seemingly first to answer. "Adults always kick us out." Then he looks at Nat, who relaxes her stance a bit.
"We are just learning about this place. You can stay for a while." Nowhere states.
K'ronk asks, still shaken by the encounter upstairs, "Do you know anything about the ghost?"
"Sure," Squiddly says, "The ghost is our friend."
"What!?" says K'ronk.
Jenks continues, "Yes, we talk to Jenks in the mirror. He makes sure we stay downstairs, he says we can never go upstairs, it's haunted."
Nat points down and then wipes both her hands away from each other.
"Or in the cellar. We don't go into cellars. Nat says you get trapped in cellars, and things live in cellars." Jenks clarifies.
"Nat is very smart." Orryn states, glancing at the large trap door he spied in the floor behind the bar.
Squiddly continues in rapid-fire fashion. "The ghost is named Lif. Lif, are you here?"
A nearby chair rattles, and the Owlbear League draws a hair closer.
"The mirror?" Atlas asks? Turning to the mirror, which upon a second look, appears cleaner than expected.
"Yeah watch this." Squiddly says and he runs to the hearth, deftly avoiding the spilled marbles, and grabs a handful of ash, then runs over and tosses it at the mirror, coating it in a thin layer of dust.
"Lif, write your name." Squiddly asks.
"That's dumb, we already told them his name." Jenks adds.
"That's true." says Squiddly. But the word LIF slowly is scrawled by an invisible finger in the ash dust.
K'ronk steps up to the mirror. "Lif, did we just face each other upstairs?"
NO appears in the mirror, and the scales on the back of K'ronk's neck rise.
The word DANGER appears in the glass, and then UPSTAIRS.
"What sort of danger Lif?" K'ronk asks.
CELLAR appears, and when Seraphina asks "What's in the cellar Lif?" ANSWERS is the response.
The Owlbear League looks at each other and the plan doesn't need stating, they are going to the cellar. Orryn turns to Nat. "Nat, I know this is only a dagger, but it's sharper than your sword. Guard your friends while we check things out."
"I will stay with the kids." Seraphina says, and the others nod.
"We're not just kids, we're the Pirates of Waterdeep" Jenks says.
"You certainly are" says Immeral. K'ronk goes over to Jenks and asks - if I lend you a wand, will you help Seraphina watch our backs?
Jenks nods in awe. K'ronk tells him "It is a dangerous thing. You must only use it if your life is in danger. It is not a toy." Jenks nods in awe. The others start grabbing chairs and building a makeshift barricade around the cellar.
Dain opens the cellar door as Atlas takes out a curio she has, a mechanical crab that he had acquired and asks the Pirates to "watch this for me". It scrabbles around to their delight.
The stairs are narrow, and take a turn as they descend. Dain leads, heading into the darkness, but he travels without a light, as his dwarven heritage grants him darkvision, just like the other members of The League. Nowhere follows, then the rest of the group, and they find a dark, damp ale cellar. The smell of acrid ale and mold is almost overwhelming. Dozens of broken casks and barrels line the walls and thick cobwebs hang from the rafters. A table of brewing supplies sits around the bend in the south-east corner. An unfinished doorway leads west into the wine cellar. The League searches for a bit and moves on to another room.
Pungent, sour smells fill this stuffy room. Oil lamps hang down the center of the domed ceiling. Large wine barrels line the south and north sides, many broken and leaking. A puddle of sludgy dark wine has formed in the center of the room.
The team looks around and K'ronk finds a small metal box in one corner of the room, hidden behind a wine barrel. Inside the box is 4sp, a bartender's smock, and a small, worn diary. If read, the last few entries read:
"1472 DR, 15 Flamerule - It's a happy day. I have purchased the former Trollskull Orphanage, and my plans are to turn it into the finest tavern in the North Ward. It has been closed for 10 years, but is in pretty good shape. It's in close proximity to my home and word on the street and my family is very excited..."
"1472 DR, 20 Flamerule - Renovations are going well, although are far more expensive than I thought. My dream is to make this a shining example of an inn, a place where any race or creed can come and stay in harmony..."
"1472 DR, 28 Eleasias - Looking into the matter of this establishment's past has caused me some great concern. Those children, all those children murdered here. It gives me no rest that the hag who did it was hanged…"
"1472 DR, 6 Elient- No one shall believe me unless they saw it themselves, but I know what I saw. The soul of the hag that had eaten all those children haunts this manor still...in spirit but still a threat. I mustn't allow my children anywhere near here, I will send Belina away and speak with a cleric right away..."
"1472 DR, 9 Elient- I have hired a cleric to bless my business and drive the spirits away, but his prayers have only gone so far. The hag no longer roams the tavern, but it rules the upper floors. I will have to shut the inn, until I can drive it from here, the cleric said he will help me find whatever the spirit is attached to, and if we can remove it, we can drive the hag away…
"1472 DR, 21 Elient- The cleric is dead, killed by a raging spirit. I don’t dare go up to the inn anymore or rent rooms, I don’t know who to turn to, I am bleeding my last coppers to keep the tavern open, the Watch will not help, I had to sell my home to pay for the exorcism, but the hag unleashed horrors upon us…
"1472 DR. 26 Elient - It has taken my last coin, but I have a weapon that I think will kill the hag, or at least let me get my hands on its focus and destroy it. Then the chain that binds it here will be broken. Now I just need to summon the courage, Belina my love, I am sorry our dreams turned into a nightmare, I wanted nothing more to make a beautiful life for us. I will always love you, - Lif.
The rest of it is too faded or dissolved to make out.
"Lif, are you with us?" Kronk asks.
A piece of winecask rattles. "We're so sorry." The others all mutter their sorrow at the sad story of the spirit. The cask rattles again. "Let's go up to the mirror." The League turns around and leaves the dark cellar, closing the door behind.
"What did you find?" Squiddly asks.
"An old book." K'ronk states.
"Yuck - books." Squiddly says.
"You will always be dumb if you don't read." Jenks says.
"Pirates don't need to read." says Squiddly.
Nat sighs.
Seraphina looks at their sad faces inquisitively, and they toss they diary to her while K'ronk goes to the mirror. "Lif, do you know where the focus is?" NO appears in the mirror.
"Do you know where your weapon went? The silvered sword?" NO
"Do you want us to take care of this, Lif?" The spirit answers YES
Orryn gathers the group. "Get some sleep. The spirits are trapped upstairs and we can prepare." I have an errand to run, but you guys can take watch. Nowhere and Immeral go to join Orryn, as he sets out into the night and arrives some time before the bells toll twelve with their owlbear companion Lady D and their packs from the Yawning Portal. Used to sleeping where they need to, The League beds down for the night, Orryn relaxing on Lady D, who seems very pleased to be out and about.
Morning comes and Immeral, the earliest riser of the Owlbear League sneaks out of the Trollskull Tavern, nodding at Atlas who is on watch. The small building on the corner of Saerdoun Street and Trollskull Alley, opposite the manor, houses a bakery. The smell of fresh bread wafts from every window and door in the building from the pre-dawn hours, and Immeral is greeted by the baker, Dierre Silvermoon, a middle-aged sun elf and is son Roekin. Sharing an elven greeting, Immeral buys an array of baked goods and asks an unusual favor.
"Would you be so kind as to brew me a pot of tea, and spare a few cups for the morning? I can pay you for the inconvenience." After a considering moment, the sun elf agrees, and Immeral walks the pastries across the alley to the Trollskull and comes back for the tea.
"Are you renovating the Trollskull?" Dierre asks. "Well, that remains to be seen, my companions and I are unexpected owners, but we have much to consider."
"There is a long history of horrors in that building. It may need a deeper cleaning than you expect." the sun elf tells him.
"Of this I am certain. Thank you for your hospitality, neighbor." Immeral takes the teapot and cups and goes back across the street, serving his old and new companions.
Orryn wakes and rises from his "bed" and Lady D. shakes her feathers. The Pirates stop moving. Orryn asks Jenks to come over. They all do tentatively, and Jenks asks "Is it real?"
Orryn says, it's a "she" and yes she is real, her name is Lady D. and she will not hurt you. The other Pirates move to pet Lady D, but Jenks just bends over and hugs Lady D warmly snuggling into her feathers. Jenks comes up with a tear in his eye and holds up his stuffed owlbear Mister Snuffs holding him out to Lady D. "He's just like you!"
During the night Immeral and Orryn have hatched a plan and say "Jenks. We have to go to the college of wizardry and work on our spell book. Would you like to come with us?"
"Wow, yeah!" he jumps up from the coat of Lady D. and gathers his things.
"Nat and Squiddly, would you like to join us for some shopping today?" Nowhere asks. "Yeah!" Squiddly says and Nat nods.
The League and their new wards leave the Trollskull, closing the doors behind them to the surprised looks of several passers-by, especially accompanied by Lady D.
The avenue was starting to bustle, and the League made their way across the street to the stables, The Mocking Mustang. They entered the immaculately clean stables and was promptly greeted by a gentleman dressed in fine riding clothes.
"Good gracious, is that an owlbear?" says the man.
"Yes, but I assure you it is tame, and I have asked her not to eat anyone." Orryn replies.
"By the masked lords! I, I am sorry, I don't know what came over me. I am Wrenly, Wrenly Stafford, head stableman here at the Mocking Mustang. How may I be of service?"
Orryn replies. "My name is Orryn, and the owlbear is exactly who we need assistance with. We need stabling for her, do you have any openings?"
"Well yes, yes we do, we have a large stable that could accommodate your owlbear, but it is a very unusual, although I do believe we once stabled a hippogriff for a few tendays. Stabling is normally 5 silver a day, although that includes feed hay or corn."
"Don't worry, we will arrange feed for Lady D." Orryn replies while Nat and Squiddly scratch behind her ears. He pulls out a pouch and on a nearby table counts out 100 gold pieces, handing them over Wrenly. "Sir?"
"That should cover things for the next 200 days, correct?" Orryn asks
"Indeed sir! Where shall I send the receipt?" Wrenly asks.
"Across the street." Orryn replies, pointing at the Trollskull.
"By the masked lords!" Wrenly replies.
"Would you know where I could find the closest weaponsmith?" Orryn asks.
"Why yes, just past your Trollskull, and east just a few doors."
"Thank you much." Orryn replies, tossing the man an extra gold.
The non-wizarding part of the League makes their way into Trollskull Alley and just a few doors down comes across the shop of interest, The Steam & Steel. It is hot from the forge, and there is there is a woman hammering on a steel breastplate atop an anvil. The woman has long blue hair, pointy ears, pale blue-green skin, and looks as if she is pouring sweat. From the tales you have heard, she may be a genasi, the offspring of elementals and humans, an exceedingly rare being.
Surprisingly, the League is approached by another unusual person, this one with flaming hair, ashen skin and giving off palpable waves of heat, obviously a fire genasi.
"Welcome to the Steam and Steel, I am Embric, this is Avi (pointing at the woman). How may we help you?"
Nowhere steps up, "we are looking for a sword. A short one, for a growing fighter," leaning a head at Nat, who looks wide-eyed.
"A simple sword, or a rapier?" Embric he asks. A rapier is more expensive, more elegant, but takes a trained hand.
"Let's have a simple sword." Nowhere tells him, and he nods, gathering one from its place on a nearby wall and returning it for Nowhere's inspection. This one is 10 dragons. Dain and Seraphina look impressively at all the steel on the walls.
Atlas, feeling a bit warmer in the presence of Embric asks, "Is it hot in here, or is that just you?" Embric returns a small smile and rebuffs "My wife Avi manages to keep things cool." Atlas, who seems to have no end to her interest in interesting men bows out gracefully.
Nowhere looks over at Squiddly and says, I think I need to show you how to make some arrows of your own. Turning to Embric she asks "Do you have some arrowheads and reeds? And a pocket knife?
"Of course." he states, going to a nearby barrel for the reeds, and a drawer for the arrowheads. On the way Embric grabs a small quiver, stating "Someone looks like they need a new quiver, obviously you have seen a lot of action, handing it over to Squiddly.
"Oh yes, yes I have!" and they switch out his warn dirty quiver for a fresh one - putting the reeds and arrowheads in the case for Nowhere. "3 silvers for the arrowmakings" he states, and Nowhere hands him eleven, and thanks them. Seraphina asks, "Speaking of silver, do you silver weapons?"
"I can do anything with weapons. It would be 100 gold for a sword or similar, and take three days, it will have as good an edge as before, if not better." Embric states, maybe a hair of arrogance showing.
Dain asks, "how much for that Battle Axe on the wall to be silvered?" 160 gold, and three days. "I will consider it." Dain replies. "Thank you."
Seraphina asks about silvering her mace, and he Embric tells her "Similar, 150 dragons and three days." She replies that she too will consider it.
Nowhere turns to Squiddly and says, "I have an idea about your bow too, but I have to wait for Immeral and K'ronk". And he nods excitedly.
As the group departs The Steam and Steel, they see a group of kids race by to a nearby vendor in the alley and plunge their hands in a barrel and race away with his wares. The proprietor turns, and he revealed to be a half-orc, and he exclaims with a funny lilt in his speech, like he has a stuffed nose, "Stop stealing my pickles!"
The kids stop and make a face at him, and laugh, but the fellow does nothing, and looks to be crying. Nowhere races over and grabs two of the kids - hooking them in each arm. They scream and holler "Hey let go, you can't do that!" and they throw their pickles and they start clawing at her arm.
"You will apologize to that man and not take his food!" Nowhere tells them.
"You can't make us!" they yell, and Nowhere let's them go.
"Then I will hunt you down in the night if I see you do it again. I am the scary thing in the dark your parents have told you about." Nowhere tells them, with a hair too much ferocity in her voice. "Run!" and off they they go.
Nat and Squiddly take off too, and yell back "we have to go too!". Orryn tries racing after them, but they take it as a game and race through the crowds, under wagons and through people's legs. Although he is their size, his pack weighs him down a bit, and soon they are lost down the avenue, so Orryn returns to the Alley.
Meanwhile Nowthere turns to the pickle vendor who says, "you didn't have to scare them, they must be hungry."
"Their clothes are too nice to be hungry. Hello, I'm Nowhere."
"I'm Gruss. I sell pickles." the half-orc says, wiping his eyes. "I'm not sad crying, I am chopping horseradish, makes me cry. Should be called cryradish, because I don't cry around horses."
"What kind of pickles do you have Seraphina asks."
"I have fresh cucumber pickles, quarter sour, half sour, full sour. I have pickled tomatoes, pickled onions, pickled eggs, pickled beets, pickled carrots, pickled pigs feet, pickled green beans, pickled peas, pickled peppers, pickled cabbage, pickled beans, and pickled watermelon. That's my favorite, but if I eat it all I don’t make money."
They notice that Gruss is very large and very strong looking, but a little on the thin side.
"How much are your pickles?" Orryn asks.
"Three coppers for a small jar, five coppers for a big jar." He replies
They place their orders and Gruss gathers several jars and starts scooping pickles while they wait. While he is busy, they look over his rundown little stand and Seraphina asks "Where do you live, Gruss?"
"Right now I live right here. I sleep over the sewer grate, its warm on cold nights. The watch doesn't bother me if I give them some pickles. I have to find a place for the winter though, it wont be warm enough." he replies in his nasally speech.
"Do you ever see anything weird in the alley? Monsters or ghosts?" Atlas asks.
"No, no monsters, just sometimes someone takes some pickles when they think I am sleeping, but they must be hungry," he tells her.
The League takes their order of pickles and leaves a nice tip of coppers while thanking the simple man.
They return the pickles, which turn out to be very good, back to the Trollskull and close it again. Nowhere wonders if he would be a good cook for a Tavern. Orryn replies that they are not opening a tavern, so they don't need a cook, or another orphan.
Meanwhile, K'ronk and Immeral have located a wizarding school in the Sea Ward, the Eltorchul Academy, which is apparently rare in Waterdeep. The Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors guild has apparently resisted the growth of large magic schools, but the nobles would not do without it, so from what they have learned from asking around, Eltorchul was elite, but it is falling a bit out of favor, so their doors and their costs are a bit more accessible than they have been.
They find their way to the old Eltorchul family villa, where they find humans, elves, halflings and half-elves milling about the halls. They find an office near the entrance, and speak to a lovely administrator named Fea. "We were wondering the price of accessing your library for some quick spell research." Immeral asks, and after some questions, some negotiations and some fees, they are escorted to a small but clean library and provided a stock of magical paper and ink.
Jenks is looking all around in amazement and wonder, but in short order after Immeral and K'ronk begin their research, he starts shuffling around and playing with Mister Snuffs, but he quickly becomes bored and he suddenly says "I have to go, will see you later!" Before they can even question where, he runs off.
They continue their spell gathering for the next two hours, then head back to the Trollskull and their companions. But before leaving, K'ronk returns to the office, "another couple of questions please, Fea." He says. "How much would a wizarding education cost at the academy?"
"Well as you know, it is usually a 10 year program. It would depend which school of magic they would pursue, but the base cost would be 600 gold per year with no boarding or materials. Say an extra 100/year for materials, and modest accommodations at the academy run 20 gold/month. Unfortunately, wizardry is not a poor man's pursuit in Waterdeep."
"And could you recommend a purveyor that sells magic items?" Immeral asks.
"Yes, there is a shop on Vondil street. Look for the red door. You are supposed to be a member of The Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, but since you have sworn the oath and wear the badge of the Protectorate, you should be fine."
"Much appreciated" Immeral states and the two return to the Trollskull to gather with the rest of the League.
After dropping their pickles off, the League makes their way around Trollskull alley, taking in the shops, but there is one that is unclear to them. A proprietor with the sign of a Tiger's Eye. They decide to use the knocker, and the proprietor takes a few moments to come to the door. "Hello, may I help you" he says in a velvety voice.
"We're new to the neighborhood, and was just wondering about your establishment." Atlas says.
"Well come in, come in, I'm Vincent Trench, I am a private investigator and knowledge acquirer."
"Very interesting" Nowhere asks. "We just became owners of the former Trollskull Tavern. We are interested in knowing more about its past."
Vincent takes a pull on a pipe and exhales some sweet tobacco smoke. "Well the way that works is I would get a retainer from you for a period of time we agree upon. For example, I could spend a week minimum doing some general research, or if you have specific questions, a more pointed investigation. My rate is 2 gold per day, so 14 gold to start, plus any expenses."
"That is very interesting" Nowhere replies. "We only had some casual questions, but will consider it. Perhaps we can meet one of the other shopkeepers who has been here long enough to know something about the place. In any event, nice to meet you Vincent, I am sure we will see each other again."
"Certainly." he returns with a warm smile. "If you make your way to Frewn's Brews, he may be your oldest neighbor."
When they are outside, Orryn states, "I'm not paying for information we can find out for free, let's go to Frewns, I saw it by the pickle stand." and the group marches off.
They arrive at Frews a bit after noon, and find there are only a couple of clients, older and strangely drunk already.
Frewn's Brews is well decorated, maybe too well. It seems gaudy and overdressed for the bartender.
"Step right up" the bartender says. "Ale all around?"
"Do you have any tea?" Immeral asks.
"Only my own hearty ale, best in Waterdeep." he says, and he pours several thick syrupy dark ales. Dain tries the first sip and his face communicates a bitter brew.
"18 coppers." the man says, and Nowhere hands him 3 silvers.
"Would you be Frewn?" Nowhere asks and he replies, "Aye tiefling, what's it to you?"
Orryn interjects, tossing a gold coin on the bar. "We understand you have been around Trollskull Alley for a while, and we are curious about the old Trollskull Manor. We just became owners of it."
"You're not opening up the old tavern are you?" Frewn asks with unveiled concern for his business.
"We have no plans to be tavern owners." Orryn laughs, putting on the charm. "But we did hear the place was haunted, and has a horrible past. We just want to know what we inherited."
"I've been here a bit shy of twenty years, and the hag was hanged the year I bought the brewery. I heard the stories of what went on there. Not stories fit to tell a lady," glancing at Nowhere, Seraphina and Atlas.
"We are not frail Mr. Frewn." says Seraphina.
"Aye, it doesn't seem so." he says, as Orryn drops another dragon on the bar. "It was an orphanage, and she was eating the kids they say, and they caught her and hung her after she had killed a cleric and the fella who owned the place. Lif."
"Are you sure she was killed?" Orryn asks.
"Saw it myself, but ya never know, do ya? Sometimes things come back." Frewn says. He takes one of the untouched ales and has a drink. Dain moves onto his third.
"Do you know where his family went?" Atlas asks.
"Nah, I never seen his family, he was dead a few days after I moved in, and The Watch came through and cleaned out, rumor said even the Blackstaff came down to clean the place out."
"Blackstaff?" Seraphina asks.
"Aye, the Archmage of Waterdeep. I think it was Samark in those days, but it is Vagra Safahr now. The mage reports to the Open Lord of Waterdeep and fights the fights that The Watch cannot. That's about all I know on the issue.
"Thanks much." Nowhere tells Frewn, taking a last sip of the acrid ale and leaving most of it.
Dain finishes it for her.
"I hope you won't be opening that tavern." Frewn closes.
"We hope so too." Orryn replies.
The Owlbear League returns to the doorstep of Trollskull manor, when they see a familiar trio across the street at the stable throwing fish heads one by one from a bucket into the stable where Lady D. was staying. They marched over together just as Immeral and Orryn were returning from their studies, having added a few spells to their repertoir.
K'ronk said to a concerned Nowhere, "Jenks ran off a few hours ago."
"Ours ran off too." Nowhere said.
Orryn walks over to the children and says. "It would be good if you tell us where you are going, so we don't worry."
Nat signs impatiently and Squiddly translates. "You don't have to worry, we go down to the docks every afternoon to watch the ships come in." Nat signs some more and he adds, "Besides, you're not in charge of us."
"We just didn't want to worry." Orryn clarified. "It would be kind if you could do that for us."
Nat looks unsure, but Immeral interrupts the moment, "We found a magic shop. Or at least a magic-acquiring shop. I'm not sure of the difference."
The others all show great interest, and they leave the kids to feed Lady D while they go back towards the college and the location Immeral and Nowhere had been directed to. Before long, they arrive at the red door at a small building and enter.
Their first observation is that the inside of the building is a bigger than the outside, which is a little disconcerting to The League. It is a large space behind a counter, much like an apothocary with numerous shelves and drawers. And the floor seems much lower on the other side of the counter than where The League is standing. The ceiling is high, maybe 20 feet, but there are no ladders to be seen. There is a tree on both sides of the counter, except the trees are moving. The first one closes a drawer, turns to them, and in a drawly accent reminiscent of the back woods of some regions of Faerun, says "Welcome, to the Permanent Transient, I am Sumat Pol." The second stops what he was doing, and says "Welcome to the Permanent Transient, I am Sumat Pol." A trap door opens from below, and another tree climbs out, and says "Welcome to the Permanent Transient, I am Sumat Pol." and at the same time all three say "How may we help you?"
Dain asks "Which is the real Sumat Pol? The original?"
One responds "Hey, we're all just as real as da udder ones, there is no original, we aren't copies, you could say we come from different possibilities, but one's not more real than the others." The second jumps in, "ya, if we were getting technical-like, we are from a unique manifold each, but it makes yer head hurt a bit.". The third says "Ya, so we're the same and it seems like there's three copies, but we all currently inhabit a nexus of the dodecathaumagram of realspace in a falsenode of the material plane." The first one comments "I don't think we're really the same though, because I don't think I would have told you that." The second one comments "Yeah, we have to be the same, or at least an enantiomer." The third one says "Ya, but if he disagrees with me, isn't that an indication of differentiation across manifolds?"
Nowhere breaks in "We understand you sell magical items?"
"Oh yah, yah, we get magic things from all over Toril, yah." The second says "But we don't stock a lot. No, udderwise someone might try to rob da place, ya." And the third says, "Yah, remember that guy who took the portable hole, yah? Is he still in that pocket non-time sub-nexus?" The first says, "Yah, I don't know, maybe we should check on him, it's been like 500 years, no?" The second turns to The League and says, "We can acquire almost anyting if da price is right, ya. Is there someting special ya lookin for?"
Nowhere begins asking about a magic bow, and they do indeed have one available, it is 600 gold. She purchases it.
Orryn asks about a magical rapier and gets a price of 700, which he considers, but settles for a magical dagger which costs 650 dragons. K'ronk asks about some sort of protection in lieu of armor that a wizard might want, and Sumat Pol recommends a basic Ring of Protection, but they are 3,000 gold. K'ronk tries to trade a Wand of Secrets, but he only gets 500 gold for it, and they are firm on the remaining 2,500, so he leaves it at that, but does ask how much they would pay for his Wand of Magic Missiles, and they would pay 3,000. Offense or defense, that is K'ronk's dilemma. Out of curiosity, he asks about a Staff of Power.
"Oh, ya don't come across those every day. Ya, it would take a bit of a while to track one down, but I have seen one before. Yah, dey go for about 70,000 dragons. Yeah, pricey, very pricey, but powerful, ya."
Atlas and Seraphina asks some questions, but keep their coin in their purses. Dain thinks about a magical axe, but his funds are low, and he has little to trade. Maybe he will return, but he worried about fighting incorporeal creatures with standard weapons.
After their purchases are done, the team returns to the Trollskull and finds the kids playing a game with an old set of oddly shaped dice. Nowhere presents Squiddly the magical bow she purchased, an inexplicable extravagance. She says she will also teach him how to make better arrows. Immeral and K'ronk present Jenks with a real spell scroll, Protection from Undead. They tell him it will protect him if he ever runs into an undead monster. "Amazing!" he replies, and puts it in his "spell book".
With that, the adventurers and their wards go across to the general store to secure a meal for the night. Nowhere tells them she has a special dessert in mind, thinking of showing them her ability to create goodberries out of thin air. They probably need to go back and check out of the Yawning Portal if they are going to "rough it" in the Trollskull. What will they do about the ghostly invaders in the upper floors, and what will they do with the building? Will Nowhere regret giving a powerful magical bow to a boy maybe nine years old? The nights are getting colder too, will they stay in Waterdeep for the winter? Return to Phandalin and sort out problems at the mine? Or make their way a day's south to Daggerford to build a relationship with Sir Isteval, a powerful ally in the Sword Coast?
NEXT - Campaign Journal 33: Meeting Mathilda
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