Fireball - Session 2

Fireball, Part 2

Quinn Alimar

The day began with more questions than answers. What was happening at the Gralhund villa? Why the elaborate act? Did we foil an assassination attempt? If so, what was to be gained by the death of Lord Gralhund? Where was the nimblewright and what was its purpose? How did we get on Sergeant Cromley of the City Watch’s bad side? My head spun as did the thoughts within each of my companions’ heads. It all feels like someone dumped a thousand different puzzles on us and we are trying to piece it all together. The only constant seems to be to find the Stone of Galorr.

A knock on the door (or what was left of it after the fireball blast) revealed an older man seeking Yasuo’s ear. I suppose they had crossed paths at one point or another. The man re-acquainted himself with Yasuo and said his name was Haru Hamatori. He is a coachman working the more well-to-do wards and had heard our names come up in his coach. Yasuo listened intently to the information. He then turned to us and brought us all up to speed. Having an informant in the city could be beneficial but identifying with our group at this point in time can be deadly. I offered to have Mr. Hamatori leave any information to share with the temple. I gave him the name of a trusted acolyte. We thanked Mr. Hamatori for the information and sent him on his way.

The next morning we decided to seek out more information. What better place than the top of one of the guilds? We went over to the jail to talk to Davil Starsong. It was a risk as being associated with the Zhentarim leadership would not help our standing in the eyes of the City Watch. Unfortunately for us, Davil had been released. More so, it was Sergeant Cromley who informed us of his release. Then came the questions about why we were interested in talking with Davil Starsong. We verbally stumbled through the conversation, leaving Sergeant Cromley probably more convinced we are up to no good. Once the exchange ended, we left quickly.

Thia remembered he could be found at The Yawning Portal. We navigated to the notorious inn straight away. Entering, we encountered a large send-off party as a group was descending into the portal. It was nice to have a distraction as more people noting us meeting with Davil Starsong might not go well for us. Davil was there and in fine spirits. He had drinks brought over straight away and inquired as to what brought us to him.

We spoke of the events that had transpired at Gralhund villa and of the splinter faction of Zhentarim. We spoke of our battle involving Urstul Floxin who was the assassin sent to kill Lord Gralhund. To our dismay Davil informed us Floxin was a favorite lieutenant and was most likely brought back to life after we left the villa. I’m glad my mom was not around to hear my utterances at the presentation of this news.

Davil further shared with us the tale of a mage who went by the name of Manshoon and founded the Zhentarim hundreds of years ago. Manshoon had made clones of himself. No one knows how many exactly. Currently the original Zhentarim faction was at peace with the Xanathar Guild as neither side could gain an advantage. The splinter group of Zhentarim was quite interested in bringing down the Xanathar Guild. This splinter group was causing no small amount of trouble and Davil offered to aid us if we needed help in bringing about an end to the splinter group. It was a kind offer which we said we would consider it if necessary. Before ending the meeting, Davil gave Thia a box with a winged snake. The snake is magical and will act as a courier should we need to get a message to Davil.

At this point we were no closer to finding the nimblewright. The detector had gone off at Gralhund villa but the nimblewright must have slipped away in the chaos. With staunch determination, I took the detector and began working the city block by block. My companions were good enough to join me on this mini-crusade. Three days of walking finally paid off when we got a hit on the detector.

Primara casts a stealth spell allowing us to sneak up the darkened alley where the detector had indicated the nimblewright was located. A heap of garbage acted as camouflage. The nimblewright appeared still until we were almost on top of it. Then it sprung to life.

It leapt into the air and came down in a fighting stance. A rapier appeared in its hand. Diplomacy and

questioning would have to wait. The machination flew into melee, engaging us swiftly. Several of our spells hit it but couldn’t bring it down. The fire that had been on a slow burn after burying my mom had become a raging inferno. With all the strength Tempus could provide, I dug deep and summoned a holy bolt of radiant energy and sent it true at the nimblewright. The bolt struck hard sending the creation into blasted bits. My companions looked on in awe for several seconds until the silence was filled with the sounds of the city.

Yasuo plucked a piece of paper floating down from the rainstorm of wreckage. It was a map. The map showed a red X on the Cassalanter grave within the City of the Dead. This seemed worthy of investigation.

Before exploring the City of the Dead, we swept up the pieces of the nimblewright and deposited it at the Temple of Gond. Valetta was relieved to see the nimblewright had been destroyed and quickly sent for our reward to be fetched. While the apologies came quickly in a flood, my anger for the loss of my mother still flickered. I held my tongue for the moment. We also decided it was worth our time to notify Sergeant Cromley that we had put a stop to the construction as a gesture of good will.

It was unanimously decided that entering the City of the Dead should be done with the most daylight available. That place gives me pause. I question how anyone can take their families there for picnics. Ignorance must play a large part but I digress. At high noon, we entered the City of the Dead and found our way to the Cassalanter’s crypt as shown on the map.

The first detail of note was the door to the mausoleum was open a bit. We entered and looked about, finding fresh footprints in the dust on the floor. They led to the stairs which went down to the lower levels. Cautiously we made our way. I picked up a bit of hushed conversation and instantly stopped the group. Primara cast her stealth spell once again allowing us to close some of the distance before we were noticed.

Three dark figures were hovering over several bodies. A Halfling jerked his head our direction and feigned a surrender. His companions, having no interest in a confrontation, dropped their shovels and fled further down the crypt. The tricky halfling didn’t catch us flat footed and the fight was on as he came up quickly with a wand and we prepared to fight.

Davian, Thia and I flung spells at the Halfling, only to have the spells miss or be blocked. Then came a chilling ray from the wand. I had never felt such cold before. Tempus watched out for us as we all remained standing, albeit barely. We doubled our efforts and brought the evil halfing down. Once the dust had settled, we found the halfling’s two minions. They stuttered about, claiming only to be there for bodies. I was disgusted with them. They would see the inside of a cell where they could reflect on their poor decisions.

We turned our attention to the fallen figures which the black robed trio (now a duo) were standing over when we arrived. One of the figures was still alive. A quick examination resulted in a symbol of Corynax. She and her companions were up to no good. Davian revived her after binding her wrists. As she came to, an anger began to wash across her face. She glanced over at the other two figures on the floor, providing further fuel to her internal fire. She identified herself as Vael and said she was there with her fiancé and three others. They were there for the Stone of Galorr and had indeed found it. At that point, she was knocked unconscious and left for dead by two of her party.

Vael was set upon exacting revenge and readily led us to this decrepit two story windmill. She said the plan was to bring the stone here to make an exchange for some dark favor. Keeping Vael’s wrists bound, we entered the windmill. The first floor was occupied by a contingent of homeless. I quietly got them to evacuate. Then we ascended to the second floor where we found Vael’s betrayers.

They had just handed off the Stone of Galorr to a trio of small spiked flying devils. They were beginning to fly away, having no interest in us. The betrayers spun around to see us and readied their weapons. I didn’t want to let the devils get away with the stone when we were so close. Yasuo charged in to engage the two. Davian and Thia trained their spells on the two as well. I was concentrating on the devils, trying to bring them down. All of my spells missed their mark. Perhaps Tempus is trying to tell me something about fighting as a team. I’ll have to think on my tactics and study with those more wise than I.

The betrayers were taken out as the devils flew out of range. They couldn’t be allowed to escape! In a perhaps futile gesture, I leapt from the window to the rooftops below. Yasuo followed along. We ran and jumped along the rooftops, keeping the devils in our sight. We opened a few holes in the roofs running along some dilapidated sections but managed to keep going.

The devils slowed their flight. It was then I noted several magic missiles streaking up to engage them. Thia and Davian had been teleported forward by Primara. I was thankful for their quick thinking to cut off their escape. “Keep them busy,” I thought to myself as I continued running. One of the devils caught a spell straight in its chest and dropped from the sky. As its limp body descended to earth, a bit was seen falling next to the body. It must be the stone!

My thinking was verified as the other two devils went into a dive after it. Finally Yasuo and I arrived and began to survey the scene. There was a horse-drawn coach in the alley where the stone had fallen.  Two figures came out, one of whom began yelling orders to the winged devils.

“Fetch the stone and bring it to me! Then kill the intruders!”

Not that diplomacy entered my mind, but that sealed the deal. This exchange was to the death. With a deep breath, it was on. Spells flew. Yasuo made his way down to the alley. Swords clashed. At one point, the alley was covered in thorns, capturing the leader in an iron grip. The stone was somehow thrown clear to the man in the coach. Davian fired at the axle of the coach, bringing it to a halt before it could even begin to get away. Yasuo jumped in and engaged the occupant. The rest of us continued raining down spell after spell on the others. The very air began to buzz in the exchange.

The sway of the battle began to go our way as the winged devils and other agents of the leader fell by the wayside. I jumped down to help Yasuo in the coach. Thia and Davian continued to pour on the firepower into the alleyway. With our combined might, we won the day. As I struck the final blow on the coach occupant, he (or shall I say it) transformed to a plain grey humanoid form. A doppelganger had taken the place of some poor soul. I reached in and claimed the Stone of Galorr. The sounds of the authorities approaching came to our ears, indicating we should leave unless we want to try to explain all of this.

Thia Liadon

An elderly Kozakuran man came to our inn to speak with Yasuo. The man, Haru Hamatori, is a coachman who wishes to help Yasuo. He said that he has heard nobles--Lady Gralhund and someone who sounds cold and commanding--speak negatively about Yasuo. Haru agreed to continue his work as a coachman and to seek us out at Quinn’s temple with any useful information. When asked about puppets, Haru told us about a merchant named Zardoz Zord who brings them to Waterdeep from overseas. There are several carnival ships comprising the Seamaiden’s Faire, currently docked in the city where we might find him.

Haru Hamatori

The next morning, we walked to the courthouse to speak with Davil Starsong, the Zhentarim sun elf who had been arrested. Instead, we were met by Detective Cromley who told us that Davil had been released earlier that morning. We then made our way to the Yawning Portal hoping to find Davel there. The inn was packed with a lively crowd gathered to see off a group of adventurers, the Fine Fellows of Daggerford. Davil was at the inn and greeted us with wine mimosas, ready to speak with us. Davil’s group of Zhentarim are at peace with the Xanathar Guild, but the splinter group of Zhentarim are against the Xanathar Guild. Manshoon (or one of his clones) founded the Zhentarim hundreds of years ago. Manshoon is a powerful mage who made multiple clones of himself. All clones are very powerful spellcasters. Davil told us that the Zhentarim do not deal with puppets, and the Xanathar Guild does not need a puppet. Urstil Floxin, the leader of the splinter Zhentarim group and master assassin who we killed, was one of Manshoon’s favorites. While the Gralhunds are just a middling noble house with financial troubles, Manshoon has an interest in them. They were probably so possessive about Urstil’s body so he could be raised from the dead. As for Davil’s group of Zhentarim, the Doomraiders are his personal raiding group. He gave us the names of some of his notable people, including: Istrid Horn--female dwarf priest who is second in command; Skeemo Weirdbottle--gnome; Tashlyn Yafeera--warrior; and Zeraj--half-orc assassin. Apparently Davil keeps close watch over his people, telling us that Zeraj is seeing someone in our neighborhood. He is probably also keeping close watch on us, as well. Before we parted, Davil gave us a box containing a winged snake. He said that it has been trained to fly back to him and we may use it to send him a message.

After three days of wandering Waterdeep in search of the puppet, our tracking device came to life, indicating it was nearby. We were at a dark alley and readied ourselves for a fight. Primara cast Pass Without Trace so we could silently creep up to the puppet. It appeared lifeless, but it suddenly sprang up. The gold-metaled humanoid extended a rapier from one arm, and the fight was on. My Shocking Grasp and Primara’s Dragon’s Breath of lightning were pretty effective against the puppet, but Quinn’s Guiding Bolt was critical, causing the puppet to explode. A note floated down from the wreckage. It was a hand-drawn map of the city of the dead. There was a red “X” on the Cassalanter grave. The Cassalanters are the ones who had sponsored the Kozakuran embassy. We gathered up the pieces of the puppet and returned to the Temple of Gond for our reward. Valetta gave us 500 gold for destroying the nimblewright. We also told Detective Cromley about the nimblewright.

Our next stop was the crypt indicated on the nimblewright’s map. We arrived at noon to find the

Cassalanter Crypt

outer door of the Cassalanter’s mausoleum ajar. Fresh footprints lead down some stairs to a lower level. Quinn heard some talking and we decided to sneak down the stairs. Some men with shovels ran away, but a halfling necromancer pulled out a wand and gave us a fight. We eventually defeated him and searched him for useful items. We found 20 copper, a wand, and a spellbook! The spellbook has a number of spells I don’t know and I am eagerly looking forward to learning them. We rounded up the commoners who had run away. There were bodies in black robes, and those men were here to bury them...and to rob graves. One of the victims was still alive. It appears that someone had cas Inflict Wounds on her. She was wearing a pendant, a symbol for Corynax, and a dagger. We took the dagger and pendant. Davian revived the woman and she explained what happened. The woman, Vael, said that she was with her fiance, Holiver, and Kaef. They were the other two dead robed figures in this room. Vael said she was sent to retrieve the stone that was left for her here this morning. But she was betrayed by Arn and Sophia, who wanted the stone for themselves. They attacked her, Holiver, and Kaef.   Eager to get revenge on Arn and Sophia, Vael agreed to lead us to them. On our way out of the graveyard, we handed graverobbers over to the guard at the gate.

Vael lead us to a crumbling, two-story building covered in graffiti. The abandoned windmill was home to several poor peasants whom Quinn quitety shooed out to protect them from our inevitable battle. Vael pleaded with us to untie her and give her a weapon so she could exact revenge upon Arn and Sophia, but we declined her potentially sincere offer and left her bound. We approached a new door which looked out of place in this dilapidated building. Through the door we found Sophia and Arn. Arn was standing by an open window having just handed off the stone to one of several flying spiked creatures--spined devils--which started to fly away. Before we could chase after them, we needed to defeat Arn and Sophia who were eager to fight. We dispatched them as quickly as we could and took off after the devils.

Yasuo and Quill leaped out the window onto the windmill’s rotting rooftop. They ran after the creatures, jumping from building to building. Meanwhile, I asked Primara to teleport herself, Davian and me ahead of the spined devils. She spotted a suitable rooftop and we instantly appeared there. Davian and I attacked the devils with magic missile and they shot back with their own missiles: tail spines. I managed to kill one of the creatures and a stone went flying from its grasp. Primara raced after the stone. The stone disappeared between buildings, followed by Primara and the remaining devils. A jolt of adrenaline shot through my system out of fear for Primara, alone among our foes. I raced to the edge where the stone had fallen, communicating telepathically with Primara as I ran. She said that the devils were frantically searching for the stone. One of them spotted it and snatched it.

Doppelganger

A coach driven by Haru Hamatori rolled onto the scene. The Cassalanter’s butler, Willifort Crowelle, climbed out followed by a large man with a wriggling beard. He ordered the the devils, “Give me the stone and kill them.” By now, Yasuo, Quill, Davian and I were at the scene. The large man handed the stone to Willifort and the coach drove off. Davian swiftly cast a spell, crippling a wheel and halting the coach’s progress. Yasuo ran after the stone and a struggle ensued between him and the butler. Haru even grappled with Willifort before Yasuo ordered him to disengage and run. Meanwhile, Primara cast entangle in the alley. Weeds and vines sprouted through the cobblestones and ensnared the large man (a bearded devil) and the remaining spiked devils. Assuming that Davian or I had cast the spell, since Primara was out of sight, they attempted to attack either of us when they could. Thankfully the bearded devil was unable to extricate itself from the plants, giving us enough time to defeat it. Just when the tide seemed to be turning in our favor, six ravens with glowing red eyes flew at us. When Davian hit some of them, they transformed into imp devils. My heart sank, thinking that the stone might be tossed to one of these little devils and carried off. Looking over at the ongoing struggle at the coach, I could see that Quinn had joined in and they nearly had Willifort--or whatever it was--defeated. A moment later, the struggle had ended, and Quinn picked up the Stone of Galorr. The butler, dead, reverted to a featureless, humanoid shape. We could hear the approach of gryffin guards and departed from the scene.    

 Yasuo Shimazu

Father,

 I regret to inform you of Uumaga's passing.  I have prepared her way to the best of my simple abilities, and I now return her Urn to you that she may be attended to properly.  Her death is a great loss.

I must also inform you that her death was not an accident, and that I do not yet know the full reason for it.  It seems to me that she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and was collateral damage, but I do not have enough information yet.  What I do know is that when I get to the bottom of this I will extract the full measure of justice available to me at the time.  On this you have my word.

I am sorry that this message is not a happier one.  Know that other than this I am well, and please give my love to mother.

- Yasuo

Davian Targana

“Well done boy, nearly getting us both killed at the hands of a true mage.  To see someone using their gift more fully than you probably ever will was refreshing.”

Oh how I miss the break I had from this egotistical…thing…stuck in my head.  Do not play into his hands, do not play into…

“You know I can hear you, right?  Ah, yes, the goldfish has forgotten this once again”

“Fine! Yes, I enjoyed the time when it was just ME in MY head, before I was stuck with YOU!  For a time I remembered what it was like to have just MY own voice in MY head.”

“Hmm, snippy and forgetful, I have my work cut out.”

Davian’s anger grew at this, only to have a sensation of smug satisfaction grow in the back of his mind.

“That little unicorn is quite handy: healing, teleporting, entangling.  It’s nice to have at least one useful pawn at our disposal.  That and my staff really help to make up for some of the shortcomings of this group.  Now, if you could actually wield my staff properly, you stand a chance of actually becoming helpful.  Of course, a dirty sorcerer wielding it instead of a knowledgeable wizard taints its legacy, but I’m stuck for now, and you may yet prove useful.  Possessing the stone is the first step, I just hope that something is in the vault which can free me of this prison.”

The return of Keilier brought with it the same headache as before.  Meditation might help to silence the…

“Silence me?  Why would you silence the one being which can help you stay alive?”

“STAY ALIVE?! Where were you when I was turned into a popsicle?!?!”

“You seem unable to multitask.  I think that comes from what limited power you possess being given to you instead of earned.  We wizards spend our lives studying…”

“SPENT your life!  As in, when you were ALIVE!”

The words trailed off in Davian’s mind, no response uttered from Keilier.  After a few moments, Davian began wondering how this arrangement was ever going to work, the constant belittling was taking its toll.  Was the near-death incident going to be a one-time event?  He knew Keilier was a powerful resource he could tap into, even as annoying and condescending as he is.  The staff is powerful, extending his own powers even more than he was learning to do on his own.

As he followed this trail of thoughts, the vice-like grip in his mind seemed to lessen a bit.  Was Keilier regretting his…”Ow, fine, I get it, I get it…” Davian’s mind momentarily felt compressed, before returning to normal.

As Davian relaxed into bed, he could feel the comforting presence of his father, his anchor in these troubling times.  It was like his father was telling him that he was safe now, that he could relax and rest from the events of the alley and the flying demons.

“YOU! You’re here again! Go! Out!”

“Keilier, what are you going on about?”

“You ARE thick, aren’t you?  That…thing.  It…” Keilier stopped mid-sentence and didn’t return.  What did fully return was a peace that he hadn’t felt since before he came to Waterdeep, when it was just him and his father out in the woods, staring up at the stars while waiting to fall asleep.  For a moment, confusion was the only thought Davian had, but after a brief moment that too went away, and only calm filled his mind, followed quickly by sleep.