SD.4.1 The Final Favor

Session Summary

After a quick breakfast, the party climbs their way up to the Swinging Rigging where they meet Quilla, the tiefling leader of the Muses of Misery. Turning the journey into a race, Fenris and Thaust climb in equal measure before Fenris' competitive nature sparks and he surges ahead to be the first to come face to face with the tiefling Loviatan. Taking a noted interest in his myriad of scars, Quilla is eager to invite the party members into the makeshift temple, but before the party enters and disrobes per the customs to be presented to Loviatar "without barriers," Hawk insists on the plans being made on the ship's deck instead of further inside.
During their first conversation, Quilla confirms the rumors of her ability to control the gargoyles which rest atop the Tower of Seven Woes and offers their assistance in exchange for securing the tower returned to the Muses of Misery. Unable to make sure promises given the likely hundred or more soldiers who serve the Guild on Skull Island, the party initially bids farewell to Quilla with no deal in place.
Despite their hesitations, the party descends once more into the sewers to convene with the Skum Lord. In their negotiations, the party and aboleth agree that once the party has infiltrated the tower, the aboleth's kuo-toa army will create a distraction and assault the keep to the best of their ability as long as the party does indeed kill the general. With this plan in place, they return to Quilla who compromises and offers to help as long as her followers are granted access to the tower and able to recover the relics trapped within Sundeth's personal chamber. Quilla suggests the party and Loviatans journey through the dungeons, though this will require distracting the Majordomo long enough to pass through undetected.
With these plans in place, the party returns to the Harper hideout in Dalagor's Fortress and make arrangements with Felrax for the Harpers to spread word of Johnny Two Thumb's presence at the Thimblewine Pawnshop so as to draw Ahmaergo away from the dungeons out of his hatred for Hawk's pirate persona after the previous evening's events. At this point, the party also checks in with Xorone to let him know of the first task's completion and the forthcoming plan to assassinate Sundeth. With the first task complete, the first signatures are wiped away from the palm of their hands, leaving one more on Hawk's opposite hand to still remove. As they go to leave, Felrax also recommends for the party to visit the Poisoned Quill and speak to "Tas" who can aid them with an expeditious retreat, if needed.
Following the Harper's advice, the party go to knock on the door of the quill shop only to find the door thrown open by none other than Halaster Blackcloak himself, who was apparently visiting "his old friend, Tas" for tea. After speaking with Halaster regarding their activity and his strange purpose in the Undermountain in a confusing fashion, as well as the Mad Mage's offer for Fenris to retire to Undermountain as a defender and apprentice to learn magic, the Mad Mage bids the party farewell and disappears. Tas then welcomes the party in and eventually come to arrangements to provide teleportation services to Durindale as well as selling Hawk a beautiful coutal pen and several inks. 
Having completed the last step of their preparations, the party returns to the Flagon & Dragon to rest and prepare. Donning his pirate disguise, Hawk returns to the pawnshop to make his presence known and confirm the package to have been picked up by Xorone's associate. The party then reconvene with the Muses of Misery and make their way to the dungeons via a hidden spiral staircase in the Guts & Garters external basement. 
Upon entering the Tower of Seven Woes through the secret dungeon's exit, Hawk and Fenris immediately feel a sense of heavy burden and darkness that weighs on them with dread and misery. Contrastingly in ecstasy upon returning to their lost stronghold, the Loviatans promptly go to recover their relics and defend the keep while koa-toa begin invading the island and firing commandeered ballista at the surprised Guild mercenaries. While the gargoyles burst to life and create further chaos, the party charges to the wyvern's rook and face Sundeth and Venom, his mount. Those nearly defeating Thaust and Fenris in separate moments of the fight, a thorn-riddled arrow from Hawk eventually fells the massive ogre, leading the wyvern to retreat from its looming death.
Thaust and Fenris announce the death of the general by throwing his body from the fifth floor to the surface of Skull Island and look over the ensuing battle just in time to witness the Skum Lord leap forth from the water and destroy the bridge from the island to the city proper, creating a massive wave which washes over the port in the process. In doing so, the aboleth psychically announces his presence and claims dominion over the island and its inhabitants as the battle continues. Returning to the dungeons, the party finds the subterranena depths already flooding thanks to the aboleth's actions. Along the path of their escape, the companions free as many individuals as possible with Fenris able to stay behind and ensure everyone's safety thanks to his ability to breathe underwater granted by a surge of wild magic. 
Returning to the Poisoned Quill to escape, the party hesitates but for a moment to look over the city and see Skull Island aflame. The 13 Flaming Skulls of Skullport, like stars in the night sky, observe the events from overhead. The party considers for a moment the implications of how their simple favor has spun out to a potentially monumental shift in power and control in Skullport, only guessing at how the turnout of these events may shape the future of Skullport and Waterdeep alike.
Moments later, Hawk, Thaust, and Fenris find themselves in Gil's workshop and bedroom and quickly settle in to the guild hall for well deserved rest. Over breakfast the next morning, Hawk, Mya, and Thaust give Fenris an introduction to all Durindale has to offer and discuss their next steps, which for the first time since the start of their whirlwind of adventures, doesn't include anything beyond staying in Durindale and spending some well earned downtime in this growing community of heroes and adventurers.

Session Overview

Party:

• Hawk
• Thaust
• Fenris the Furious

Time Passed:
Flamerule 10, 1493
NPCs:

• Xorlone of the Libram, Arcane Watchlord of the Watch
• Quilla Vaerned
• Felrax
• Skum Lord
• Sundeth
• Halaster Blackcloak
• Tasselgryn “Tas” Velldarn

Loot:

• 1 Coutal Quill
• 20gp worth of lead-based ink /li]
• 1 inkwell of undermountain squid ink
• Champion's Greatsword (+1d6 when above 1/2 health)
• 750 gold
• 2 Potions of Greater Healing
• 1 Potion of Detect Thoughts