KWN.5.1 The City of Skilled Hands

Session Preface

With Olostin's Hold over your shoulder, you make your way back to Everlund. The open road before you and gentle rolling hills on either side stand in sharp contrast to the forest's dense undergrowth. Where you'd only seen a shadowy, towering canopy, clouds drift lazily overhead. Well-rested and in high spirits, the hours pass effortlessly.
As the setting sun drapes the sky in ribbons of orange and purple, you approach the Bridge Gate, its long shadow cast across the path. The guards eagerly wave you back into the city, cheering heartily before a captain's call sets them back to their duty. After returning your mounts to the stables, you navigate your way through town amidst the busy streets of vendors and merchants closing down their shops, the day's business giving way to the evening's revelry.
A gentle breeze rolls in from the riverfront, carrying with it the sweet scents of a floral stand. Children call and play in the streets, reenacting a scene from the arena. Along the streets, the warm glow of candlelight dances in the windows. A chorus of drinking songs spill into the street from the taverns down the way.
It's the 15th evening of Elient, the ninth month of the year and it is the nearly perfect autumn evening.

Session Summary

As the party venture through Everlund, it occurs to Aethuriel that he, under the influence of the dwarven mine's curse, had pocketed items intended for the entire party. With a mix of confusion, shame, and embarassment, he explains the situation, the way in which the mines affected him, and how he'd like to give the gems he found to High Watcher Merek to pay for the ongoing expansion of the Keep of Vigilance. Tristain, though concerned about the emotional manipulation that altered Aethuriel's demeanor, expresses his appreciation of the Helmite's honesty and agrees the funds should go towards a good cause.
At the Keep, High Watcher Merek greets the party with eager enthusiasm, thrilled to learn of their accomplishments so as to further inspire the new recruits. During the conversation, Aethuriel misspeaks, letting slip that the demonic presence in the High Forest related to Pax's Blood Hunters Order, a slip that Pax is quick to correct with a sharp word. The matter is resolved and the party make their way to Moongleam Tower.
Following up with Moonlord Daviana Yalrannis, the companions explain the power dynamic they left in the High Forest and the matters the Harpers likely need to keep an eye on, including the gnolls now scattered after their efforts. With their task complete, the Knights are led to the teleportation circle, maintained by the eccentric and hard of hearing Krowen Valharrow. As he prepares the spell, he allows them to explore his library. Pax picks up an updated copy of Demonism of the Ages with new notes and commentary in it. Aethuriel trades in the two books he found in the High Forest for a historical fiction piece and a rare copy of The Charge of the Hellriders. Meanwhile, Tristain befriends one of Krowen's Tryssm.
On the other side of the spell, the party are greeted indifferently by Sandyse Thunderquill, a Harper studying magic to eventually infiltrate the Arcane Brotherhood. Seeing they are not Harper members themselves, she unceremoniously sends them on their way.
On their first stop in Neverwinter, the party travel to Castle Never in hopes of seeing Tristain's friend, Second, who serves as the First Speaker. In explaining his experiences with Second, Tristain describes in passing how the warforged was involved in Tristain's subsequent death and resurrection. "Did you just casually say that you died?" Pax asks, sharing Aethuriel's thinking. Tristain goes on to explain how Tyr sent him back through the help of his friends completing a ritual that restored him to life to complete his mission, his contracts.
Instead of finding Second at Castle Never, the party is turned away by two bruff men guarding the gate, claiming the keep is "under construction for a real king to return." They are pointed towards the Dancing Stallion where Second keeps his office and residence at this time.
Upon seeing his friend Tristain, Second quickly drops his work, much of it falling to the floor, and greets his companion and introduces himself to Aethuriel and Pax. During the conversation, Tristain and Second catch up about their mutual contacts, describing how Davan has opened a tavern in Durindale, Hawk and Thaust recently completed work in Waterdeep, and that Ivan, along with Zephyros and Barakas, are "very good fighters with very coarse language." Second is also excited to hear that his letter of recommendation was of benefit to Tristain within the order. When asked about Tristain's contract, Second points him to the Hall of Justice who is directly overseeing that particular case and will have more info. Second also writes a script of approval for Pax to enter restricted access portions of the library within the House of Knowledge. The party spend a few more minutes listening to Second's stories before parting ways.
Arriving at the Hall of Justice, Tristain leads the party to the office of Reverend Judge Oleff Uskar, a gnomish priest who oversees both the temple and the political roles the Knights maintain in the city. The office door ajar, Tristain sees his fellow Tyrran, Hammer Ephen, speaking with the Judge. Ephen enthusiastically greets Tristain and the other Knights, assuring them that his triad and he are doing splendidly following a brief stint in Luskan. When asked specifically about Avri, Ephen suggests she can often be found in the Chasm District. Ephen soon takes his leave, heading to the barraks, looking forward to sparring with each of the companions in the coming days.
Judge Oleff brings the party coffee after their long day and pours over the dossier of Tristain's contract to capture or kill the gith thief and murderer Folio Halfrun, sharing all the information gathered so far in preparation for his arrival. As his reports read, a half-dozen or more homes have been broken into, each of them having enchanted or otherwise arcane items stolen. He highlights three interesting, recent cases.
First, Seymour's Adventurer's Outfitters was ransacked, though nothing but his wares were taken and none of his magical wards were manipulated. Second, a retired adventurer by the name of Horace Solemnstep actually returned home in time to catch the burglarers, but only got a look at one of them, a man with a pair of trident tattoos on each hand. Finally, a young Oghmyte woman named Yera had been assaulted by a gith, presumed to be Folio, and left for dead in an alleyway with a powerful relic and a personal keepstake stolen from her person. Whereas Horace only saw a lanky figure with green skin who disappeared, the party is pointed towards investigating further with Yera, given that her report was the most recent and she is the only one to actually see the gith they believe to be Folio.
Following their meeting, the companions each go their separate ways. Tristain retires to the barracks, where he avoids the loud snoring of Hammer Ephen and finds a private chamber with four beds for he and his friends. Aethuriel wanders the Protector's Enclave, getting a sense of the city while the streets are less crowded. He discovers Neverwinter to be a city of fine craftsmen and wideranging faith. Finally, Pax makes his way to the Fallen Tower. While playing cards, he observes the tower's namesake tradition of observing the visual effects of some ancient spell that depicts wizards falling through a portion of the ceiling and through the floor.
After his game, he is pointed to an individual said to be the best game around. Pax is surprised to see Fausta Rosewillow, the Gauntlet he briefly interacted with on the way to Silverymoon. He buys the two of them drinks and offers her the beer in exchange for a best of five game. Over the course of the game in which they go back and forth in wins, the two exchange brief details about their travels, their common aquiantance of Tormite Rosar in Baldur's Gate, and their general disillusionment with the Knight's grand quest to restore funds and reputation.
Fausta shares her exasperation with the exhausting Ephen and obstinate Avri, though admits they are both competent, particularly in a fight. She shares that their triad first ventured to Luskan to fulfill a contract for an arms dealer who was helping a low level gang "punch above their weight" with poison-tipped weapons. Following the money trail led them to Neverwinter. Now, Fausta has gone on her own to try and infiltrate an organization she believe is behind the issue to learn more, while her triad members deal with matters in their own, more traditional methods. She believes some greater political power struggle is at play and that things will only get worse.
As the fifth and final game is well underway, the night slipping into the early hours of the morning, Pax and Fausta are interupted by a flash of light and thundrous boom from across the street. Rushing outside, Pax finds himself approaching the scene at the same time as Tristain and Aethuriel, who had both been exploring the city on their own. The party discovers the Dancing Stallion aflame and quickly turning to ash with a massive pillar of smoke rising into the evening sky while glass, wood, and stone debris lays scattered through the street and buildings nearby.

Session Overview

Date Played:
August 16, 2022
Party:

• Aethuriel
• Pax
• Tristain

Time Passed:
Elient 15, 1493 AM - Elient 16, 1493 AM
NPCs:

• High Watcher Merek
• Moonlord Daviana Yalrannis
• Krowen Valharrow
• Sandyse Thunderquill
• Millie
• Second
• Reverend Judge Oleff Uskar
• Hammer Ephen
• Gauntlet Fausta Rosewillow

Loot: