We exit a service ramp out of the sewers into the streets
of Waterdeep spotting almost 2 dozen Kenku running off. Or rather, trotting
off. Their feathered arms flapping as if these bird-creatures are trying to
take flight. But more important, Izzy spies one bird carrying what we seek…the Stone of Gollorr. And at Izzy’s
mumbled spell, the bird disintegrates in a buff of feathers; the stone tumbling
in air. Grabbed by another Kenku running with the pack. Seconds later, like a
blur with cat reflexes, Ignatio sprints ahead of us reaching the pack and
delivering Chilling-Touch to
the stone-carrier. Staggered but still alive, the Kenku ‘caws’ in defiance as
it trots out of reach. Only to grow new feathers as a crossbow bolt impales its
back. The stone tinkles as it bounces in the street beside the fallen Kenku,
only to be scooped up by another bird.
More cackling before 2 Kenku stop and draw swords now
proving rearguard for the pack carrying the stone away. Yet these birds can
only look upwards as a large red bead sails over their heads before landing
near the retreating pack. A booming fireball silencing the cackling while
adding sunlight into the street. A ‘snowfall’ of singed feathers descends upon
the street almost obscuring the lone Kenku limping into a side alley toward a
tower. Almost obscured, except for Ignatio’s keen eyes, “The stone carrier is
getting away.” Kluh answering the call plows into the readguard, creating his
own cloud of feathers.
Nacho and Izzy enter the long abandoned tower in search
of the Kenku. There, within the vestibule among the tattered tapestry, rotting
furniture, dust and cobwebs, whimper a clutch of Tiefling urchin who have
claimed the tower as refuge. Their eyes focused on the Kenku whose blade is
pressed against another young Tiefling’s throat. The urchin used as a shield. The
cover thwarting Nacho’s chance of attack. Yet Izzy has no hesitancy as she
mumbles another spell…the blade clattering on the floor as the Kenku dies. The
Tiefling young rushing forward to kick and spit on the lifeless bird. Nacho
bending over to retrieve the Stone of
Gollorr.
Kluh entering the tower to give warning, “I saw a gazer
peering down from the ramparts. There may be more enemy above.” Mirandis having
arrived asks the urchins, “Whose tower is this and what is above?” The Tiefling
pointing to the cobwebbed portrait hanging crocked over the mantle, “This was
once that old wizard’s lab. But there is a lock on the door at the top of the
stairs; we’ve not looked inside.” Kluh already climbing the stairs to smash the
lock as he can gain access to the gazer. Nacho and Izzy climb the stairs in
pursuit of more lofty goals, the thought of wizard artifacts. And once inside
the room, among the abandoned furnishing/litter/bat guano, Izzy’s Detect Magic guides her to a
chest. Inside, a charred wand. Izzy unable to decipher the inscription.
Mirandis giving aid (read Arcana), “Wand of Magic Missile.”
Kluh caring less for the treasure as he searches for a
means to reach the gazer just on the other side of the walls. It still hovering
along the ramparts. No doors, only arrow slots. Thus Nacho and Izzy using the
slots to attack with spells. Mirandis too timing his arrow shots as the gazer
passes a slot. Except he spots something else, “Down the back ally. A pack of
kobolds are setting an ambush. Their leader is a bugbear. Seems the gazer is
guiding their movement.” Well, the gazer WAS sending signals. Overwhelmed by
spells and arrows, it curls into a lifeless ball then tumbles to the street
below.
We have the stone; we could exit down another street away
from the ambush. But why leave Xanathar foe alive to chase us later? Thus it’s
Izzy first to attack the bugbear with a spell cast thru an arrow slot. A miss
that only alerts the foe they’ve been spotted. The kobolds cowering and out of
sight; but they weren’t the intended targets anyway. More spells and arrows
whittle away at the bugbear standing defiantly giving orders to his underlings,
“Burn em out!” Kluh and Adrik rush down the stairs to the front door…the only
door. Kluh barring the door but the dwarf wanting out. Thus coordination (“I’ll
listen for your special knock.”): at the sound of kobold on the other side,
Kluh opens the door letting Adrik out, then grabs a kobold by the neck hauling
it inside to then close and bar the door again.
Kobold set torches to the stacks of straw and kobold-dung
they’ve piled. Adrik plows into the clutch of kobold around the door swinging
his mighty warhammer; (critical) 3 dead kobolds are sent flying in its wake.
The other kobolds pause in their task of piling more straw to take note. A
panicked look toward their bugbear leader, only to see him collapsing as
another arrow pierces its chest. They scatter! Adrik kicking the straw to put
out the fires. Leaving one lone kobold inside the tower in the grasp of Kluh.
The brute trying to intimidate its foe to tell all by squeezing its skull [with
advantage Angela rolled 1 and 1]. The kobold answering with a bite of Kluh’s
thumb, “We sent to get stone…now give me.” It’s last words before going limp;
Kluh releasing its body at the feet of Izzy standing beside him. [If anyone
looked close, they’d see blood staining the kobold’s back…Izzy’s blade
providing the killing blow.]
“Let’s get out of here. Between that fireball and now
smoking tower, the whole city will be up in arms. Surely we’ve been spotted by
others lurking in the shadows. Instead of the inn, let’s hide out in the City-of-the-Dead.”
And that’s when Meloon stepped from the shadows focused on the stone in Nacho’s
hand, “Ah, a fellow Harper has recovered the stone. Give it to me and I’ll see
to its safe delivery.” Except the look
on Meloon’s face seems contorted; his words labored. Nacho’s refusal earns the protest,
“I MUST get it for the Xanathar.” And with that he raises his mighty axe to
attack. Except the axe seems to gain weight as Meloon labors to lift it; the
axe dragging his arm down as the axehead comes to rest on the street.
Meloon abandons the axe and raises his spiked gauntlets
instead. Nacho attacking with his rapier as Kluh grabs Meloon by the neck while
Izzy attacks with spells. But Meloon only smiles at the assault as he easily
breaks out of Kluh’s grasp and strikes him with the gauntlets. Mirandis tries
to bullrush but is tossed aside. The more surefooted Adrik bulrushes (opposed
STR check: natural 20), knocking Meloon prone. Nacho takes advantage of his
prone foe to attack (natural 20) to then grab the abandoned axe. Meanwhile
Izzy’s spell misses due to his foe being prone (disadvantage range attacks).
Which gives Meloon chance to rise and assault Mirandis who staggers back
wounded.
Kluh and Adrik pressing melee while Izzy and the bard
cast ranged spells. Unrelenting yet Meloon stands as if bolstered with “2nd
wind”. Till Adrik delivers the fatal blow…Meloon collapsing. Then out pops the Intellect-Devower
that had been contorting the adventurers’ actions these last weeks. “Well that
explains a lot.” Kluh tries to stomp the thing only for it to jump away. But it
can’t jump outa range of Nacho’s spell (critical). Nor Izzy’s hexes and spells.
It’s legs slump…the brain dead. “I think we best get out of sight now. Find the
nearest inn and hide out till morning.”
We try to blend into the patron crowd. Kluh stuffs his
face with ale and food. “Well, what do you intend to do with me?” Kluh looking
around for the questioner. No one gives notice nor response. Kluh gags on
another gulp of ale when he hears, “Well?” Only then does he realize the
questions are only in his head. The axe talking to him. “Either return me to
the Lords’ Alliance or find someone lawful to wield me. For you are not
worthy.” And that’s when Kluh turns to his allies, “Uuuh, I think it’s time we
retire to our room.” Where Mirandis takes time to attune to his newly acquired
wand while Kluh introduces Adrik to the axe. But he too failing to gain the
axe’s respect despite his lawfulness.
Meanwhile, Ignatio attunes to the Stone of Gollorr. Which speaks to him, “The treasure is in a
vault. But to open it, you must complete 3 tasks, of a performance of the
Dwarven drinking song “Your bearded face” on bagpipes, a severed drow hand, and
a item used in a betrayal of you.”
Returning to the bar we find it closed during business
hours. When questioned the staff are in
a flutter due to Urustal dying upstairs and the police coming by looking for
the party. Urustal left a note stating
that the Cassalantars know the map has been altered, watch your back. Thus, his
brutal hacking!
The city-watch shows up and informs the party that the
Gralhund’s manor was attacked last night and all of the members of the family
were slaughtered. Upon inspection it
looks like the party was killed by a large humanoid wielding bladed chains. Izzy thinks it must be the Cassalantars, even
though she has no proof.
Mirandis begins taking bagpipe lessons to learn the
Dwarven song and Izzy talks with her faction to see if they have a spare Drow
hand.
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