One Week in Watersdeep Incident
The One Week in Waterdeep incident was a politically charged and emotionally intense period during which a group of adventurers navigated factional conflicts, personal dilemmas, and supernatural forces within Waterdeep. The event culminated in the infamous Yawning Portal Confrontation, which exposed deep conspiracies and left one of their own missing in the depths of the Undermountain.
Background
The adventuring party—Jember, Gregory, Olaf, Jörm, and Telion—arrived in Waterdeep and took up residence at Starbender Manor, waiting for the Flaming Fist's planned raid on the Zhentarim slaving operation. During this period, they pursued personal quests that would have lasting consequences for each of them.
Key Events
Telion’s Moral Dilemma
Telion sought Olaf’s aid in reviving his deceased wife, whose soul he had bound to a soul coin—a desperate and forbidden act. Because of this, he was exiled from the Selûnite temple, and its clergy refused him entry. Olaf, though wary, agreed to help under the condition that the temple remained unharmed. The group debated Telion’s ethical choices, with Jember expressing disbelief, believing that souls belonged in the Green Fields.
Upon arrival at the Selûnite mausoleum, the temple guard, though appalled, granted them five minutes to complete the ritual. Telion successfully revived his wife, but ultimately realized that the right thing to do was let her go. She forgave him, urged him to move on, and passed on peacefully.
Jörm’s Curse and the Failed Cleansing Ritual
Olaf, seeking to aid Jörm, attempted a cleansing ritual at the temple to remove his unknown curse. However, the ritual failed, and a Selûnite cleric speculated that the curse served a greater purpose. Jörm, deeply cynical, rejected the notion, believing that the gods were either indifferent or powerless. The discussion led to a deep conversation about sin, forgiveness, and divine intervention, with Gregory recounting the faith of his own world.
The Zhentarim Threat
The next morning, a threatening letter arrived at Starbender Manor, addressed to "Interlopers" and bearing the Zhentarim sigil. The letter demanded that the party leave Waterdeep immediately or face consequences. Gregory dismissed the warning as empty intimidation, and the party opted to lay low until their scheduled meeting with Patris Starbender.
The Meeting with Patris Starbender
On Friday morning, the adventurers met with Patris Starbender, who had been researching Jörm and Gregory’s native worlds. According to his findings, returning them home would require an artifact of incredible power, such as a Ring of Wish. Jörm inferred that the force that brought them here must be local to their current dimension, making it possible to trace its source rather than resorting to interdimensional travel.
With this knowledge in hand, the party prepared for their meeting with the Flaming Fist Captain—unaware that it would end in a violent and life-altering confrontation.
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