SC.2.1 Into Shadow

Session Preface

The mausoleum is quiet, the thick shadows muffling your movement. In the center, a casket raised upon an ornate stone pedestal. Once again, you read the refrain, written in blood, dried black against the maroon velvet interior, "FOLLOW IN DEATH AND LIVE FOREVER, BID FAREWELL TO LIGHT, DWELL ETERNAL IN SHADOW."
You carry with you knowledge gathered in your research, Holy Water drawn from the center of a thundrous storm, and arrows blessed by the right hand of judgment. Here in the darkness, on the precipice of deeper shadow, you can only hope they will prove sufficient.

Thaelond Manor Exterior

You hear a cast-iron gate swing open and then clang shut behind you as the violet shimmering glow of the transportation spell fades. You stand in a courtyard, immaculately tended and painstakingly arranged. A soft breeze rustles through symmetrical rows of trees encircling a statue. The broad shouldered figure faces away from the estate with a determined expression and a defiant, proud hand raised to the sky.
Stairs extend to either side, leading to another statue, this a noble woman with shoulders back and head held high, gazing dutifully over the estate. A fountain surrounds the statue in ornate geometric shapes, reflecting the starless, cloudless night above. A thick mist hangs over the water, tendrils swirling in the gentle splashes of the fountain. The mist thins throughout the courtyard, drifting lazily.
Ahead, encircling a luxurious seating area, roses bloom to life, their petals a plush crimson. Their light scent brightens the air, which feels crisp and pure. Another set of stairs and flourishing flower bed lead you to the doorway of the manor itself. The doors are solid, of an old wood with a thick grain. A brass knocker hangs within arms reach, carved to depict a raven atop a tree branch.

Thaelond Manor Interior

Stepping into the grand entryway, you are greeted by a elderly butler, the buttons on his coat polished and his vest perfectly pressed. He bows as he welcomes you in, guiding you forward. Beneath your feet is an ornate scarlet rug with intricate patterns of gold interwoven into the fabric as you stand before a raised planter made of marble with verdant greenery bursting forth. Mosaic tilework lines the rest of the marble floor leading to a pair of grand stairscases that curve around either side. Suits of armor, portraits, and a gradiose chandeliar adorn the hall.
"Welcome to Thaelond Manor. My master is currently occupied and apologizes for his absence. He welcomes you to make yourself at home. He is soon to take a late supper and requests you join him for a meal. Feel free to wait in the dining room through the wooden doors just ahead or take in the beauty of the manor and I will find you when Master Thaelond is available."

Session Summary

Hearing the name Thaelond, Hawk winces, realizing their target is Nalaskur, the same vampire responsible for the Bargewright Inn massacre (SKT.5.1) and Hawk's run-in with Arik which saw him nearly transformed into a vampire himself, as well as the subsequent, albeit rectified, death of Tristain. With this revelation hanging heavy over them, the companions trepidly explore the initial chambers, sensing something menacing just beyond their purview.
Unnerved by the setting, Thaust channels his divine senses, casting Trueseeing. Through this lens, he sees the manor for what it really is — a sort of dual-exposure that is both immaculate and delapidated. Plants are both verdant and blooming and choked out by thorns that snake towards them. Paintings are both masterpieces and vandalized tatters. He tries to shake the illusion to see only the version of the manor that is real, but finds them both, somehow, to be equally so.
The party is soon welcomed to dinner, though they opt out of supping with Nalaskur over the simultaneously rotting and not rotting offerings. Their host is coordial, clearly recognizing, but not acknowledging his familiarity with them. He welcomes them and shares his vision of the Crimson Cord - and a better Waterdeep once the Zhentarim are dismantled and replaced. He affirms his organization's intent to better serve and protect the city in ways the Zhentarim are too weak or otherwise incompetent to provide. When pressed on the matters of Bargewright, he does not address nor deny Endriel's accusations. He does deny that any who are unwilling to join him in undeath are allowed to serve as members of the Crimson Cord and maintain the mortality entirely intact.
With Hawk disquieted by Nalaskur's presence and the associated traumas, it is Thaust who must reckon with Nalaskur most directly. The two discuss the companions potentially joining the Crimson Cord, but bristle at the notion that it is a contract signed in blood. Thaust also tries to suss out where the Crimson Cord operates from within Waterdeep, but is unable to gain any clear answers without any assurances or signs of good faith.
To that end, Endriel interupts to reveal that they arrived not to join, but to investigate him on behalf of the Zhentarim. When Nalaskur presses further, the party explains that they are, in turn, investigating the source of the Zhentarim's black market weapon deals, but that their primary purpose is to pursue the raksasha terrorizing Waterdeep.
Finding an opportunity for mutual gain, Nalaskur imparts that the figure behind the influx of weapons is none other than Jarlaxle, the self-appointed pirate king of Luskan, operating out of a trio of ships in the Dock Ward under the guise of the Sea Maiden's Faire. He bargains that if the companions cut off the Zhentarim from Jarlaxle's weaponry, he can give them the name of "those who hold the lease of the fiend."
Having come to an accord, the party depart. On the way out, Thaust's Truesight reveals a magically hidden hatch within an otherwise empty cooridor that leads to another locked door. Endriel determines the key he noticed worn around Nalaskur's neck is likely connected to one or both doors. With that, the party steps through the mists at the edge of the manor estate and find themselves returned to the material plane with only moments having passed.

Waterdeep

Endriel seeks out the Sea Maiden's Faire in the Dock Ward, easily flagging the colorful tents and streamers that demarcate the festivities. He scans the area, observing the exclusively drow crew manning watchposts through the dense fog.
Back at Trollskull Manor, Hawk and Thaust are pleasantly surprised to see the substantial renovation progress. They are greeted in the tavern by Lif, the ghost of the former barkeep. The half-elven apparation appears to them as a long-haired young man with a blue-tinted ethereality. He expresses his gratitude for their restoration of the premise, explaining that before it was a tavern, it was an orphanage where he grew up. In early adulthood, he saved up enough money to buy the place and transformed it into a tavern and inn. He shared his dream that it would be a place where everyone had a home and a family, but his life was cut short, and he never saw that dream fully realized. Thaust and Hawk assure him they intend to see it through, and Lif bids them good night.
Mya stirs as Hawk enters and the two discuss their respective days - her efforts to get the Manor's windows replaced, and his dealings with four different factions and how to play them all against each other without getting caught in the crossfire. As they go to bed, Mya simply asks him to not have any trouble follow him back to Trollskull, cause she won't stand another home getting burned to the ground. Hawk gives her his word before falling into a night of dark, restless dreams.

Session Overview

Date Played:
December 30th, 2024
Party:

• Endriel
• Hawk
• Thaust

Time Passed:
Marpenoth 20, 1493 PM - Marpenoth 21, 1493 AM
NPCs:

• Nalaskur
• Jarlaxle
• Lif
• Mya