Day 02 - Gates of Waterdeep

[DM Illithid]

[Hani and Sparrow are out. We need a new thief, FYI.]

It's mid morning before the gates of Waterdeep loom overhead. Francesca and William take care to present the carcass of two monks for transport to the City of the Dead with minimal fuss. Kilian and Silvamirr take turns discussing the contents of the monks' bags, opened early this morning.

A few loaves of bread, tinder and flint, and a book with a large glyph on the front cover. Lellwyn was kind enough to dispell a protective seal over the book.

Most perplexing are the blank pages of the book and their lack of a magical aura.

[Francesca needs to report to her benefactor regarding the caravan. William has asked to find a priest for a speak with dead spell. Anyone else need anything in the city?

You have not slept since the raid last night.]

[Kilain Gravendak]

Kilain puzzeled over the book and said "wheres a rogue when ye need him. Ive heard of ways to write invisibly, but dun know the trick to unveil the words. Silvamir, Ye got any ideas on that?"

He hands the book back to Silvamir and remembers his wounds and touches the holy symbol to The Soul Forger and holding a rock he rubs it against the wounds....exchange invisibility purge with Cure Serious 3d8+6 healing.

[Silvamir Grymm]

Kilain puzzeled over the book and said "wheres a rogue when ye need him. Ive heard of ways to write invisibly, but dun know the trick to unveil the words. Silvamir, Ye got any ideas on that?"

He hands the book back to Silvamir and remembers his wounds and touches the holy symbol to The Soul Forger and holding a rock he rubs it against the wounds....

Accepting the book, Silvamir turns it over in his hands, inspecting the tome carefully. "I'm afraid I've many more questions than answers," Silvamir replies to the dwarf with a shake of his head. "I've not much experience with such things. But if the pages possess no magical aura, then what would make the pages invisible? Some special ink? Perhaps we should enlist the aid of an alchemist while we are in town."

"Or perhaps the tome possesses an enchantment that blinds us of any magical auras. I've heard of such spells," he shrugs. Glancing back at the dwarf, he continues. "Or perhaps it is simply a new spell book that nobody has had the chance to put to good use yet. Perhaps the pages are truly blank and the strange events that have transpired have merely fueled our own imaginations."

[Francesca]

After dealing with the arrangements for the two dead monks, Francesca tries unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn.

"I need to rest, meditate, and pray. I don't understand what happened with that caravan. Only the Lady can answer my questions, and that is only if she sees fit to do so. I think I am going to visit the temple, secure a room, and try to make sense of things."

She turns to Silvamir.

"Should you need me for anything, you may find me there."

[Lellowyn]

Lack of sleep seems not to bother Lellowyn as much as the mystery of the cloaked monks.

"Spellbooks are quite valuable. Though the reason for warding a completely empty one is beyond me, unless of course it really is not empty like you suggested. Perhaps, given some time I can determine if it does in fact contain magic. If it doesn't, I can certainly put it to some use. If it does, it's even more useful. This is a wizard's work, no need to bother with an alchemist."

She spits the last word with venom. It's a professional thing.

Nyx bobs his scaly head in agreement from his perch on her shoulder.

[DM Illithid]

[Ah...is one of the clergy going to offer up a speak with dead for the monks or are we all comfortable letting William (whom we trust) take the bodies off to someone the group is unfamiliar with (and therefore do not trust)?

And might I remind Francesca she vouched for the bodies to the guard. Not a DM railroad, btw. Just mentioning the practicalities of dead bodies, which is likely undocumented in any source book.]

[Francesca]

{Alright?we?ll talk to the dead guys, then go meditate and sleep. I?m flexible (and well-built) ;) }

[Lellowyn]

Lellowyn gladly accompanies Francesca to speak with the dead. Such things interest her greatly.


Choo Choo! Chugga-chugga-chugga Choo Choo!

Do tell, darling. Show and tell is preferable.

[Poor William Woodholm]

If he could not explain the women’s abrupt interest in his errand, still he was quick to recognize his luck, and privately flattered himself a little. Only he regretted the nature of their business; it set a sour mood. Still he offered Francesca the crook of his right arm and Lellowyn that of his left. The packhorse - with its cargo - could be lead by a stable hand.

[DM Illithid]

The party makes way, en masse to the house of Mystra. Francesca sees everyone inside to an interment room where the bodies of two pesky monks lay lifeless on wooden tables.

Francesca casts a spell to speak with dead first on the troublsome fellow who pinned her down just last night.

[Let's assume, for simplicity that Francesca did indeed memorize two copies of this earlier in the morning.

You may begin your questions, o sleuths of Waterdeep ;)]

[Francesca]

Francesca indicates to the group that they should provide her with the questions they wish to put to the deceased.

[Lellowyn]

"I think we should start with who hired them and why."

[Francesca]

Francesca closes her eyes and completes the prayer to Mystra for the spell.

"Deceased one, answer me from the grave. Who directed you to accompany the caravan to Waterdeep you were with when you were killed?"

[DM Illithid]

"Deceased one, answer me from the grave. Who directed you to accompany the caravan to Waterdeep you were with when you were killed?"

"Prefect Zurich," comes a hoarse and slightly unnerving reply from the corpse. The party, despite their experience with matters of the undead, feel vulnerable and dart they eyes about the room.

Nyx twitches his tail. [Nyx is a he right?]

[Silvamir Grymm]

"Ask them the parameters of their assignment. Why were they traveling with the caravan?" Silvamir asks with a nod to Francesca.

"Before he killed himself, the one said My work is complete. What did he mean by that?"

[Lellowyn]

"What do we know of this Zurich meddler?"

Lellowyn reaches up to stroke Nyx's head and coo's to him.



Yes, a he

[Francesca]

Francesca knows the corpse is not going to answer the questions the way the others have phrased them in the manner the groups wants them answered. She tries to rephrase them to get the desired effect.

"What was Prefect Zurich's interest in the caravan?"

[DM Illithid]

"What was Prefect Zurich's interest in the caravan?"

The deceased monk pauses momentarily before its answer escapes a pair of lifeless and non moving lips. "I do not know."

[Kilain Gravendak]

Kilain grumbles at the lack of information the monk has...and then remembers the book...."ask him what is in the book, or how we find out whats in the book...."

[Rorry]

Rorry had wandered off aimlessly out of boredom. She returns wearing a huge smile. The smile is normal, but you'd swear she wasn't wearing those pink pearls around her neck earlier.

[DM Illithid]

[I'll let Francesca ask the specific questions. Feel free to post a few at a time. I'll be generous with the number of questions for ease of game play.]

[Silvamir Grymm]

Silvamir offers the dwarf a nod. Yes, perhaps the monk could tell them something of the book. Considering the monk's earlier response, he turns back to Francesca.

"Perhaps you need to be more specific. Stay away from speculation, like Zurich's true intentions. Stick to their direct orders and anything they might have observed directly. Ask them the parameters of their assignment. Why were they traveling with the caravan in the first place."

"What did he mean when he claimed his work was complete...right before killing himself?"

[Poor William Woodholm]

“It was the other one that cut his neck,” said Will from the back of the room. It was William’s opinion that the interrogation would go more agreeably if Francesca might only pull that makeshift shroud down again over the corpse’s eyes; but he did not suggest it. Rather, he distracted himself with their thief’s return.

PM to Rory

[Rorry]

Rorry moves over to the corner away from the group and pouts.

[Francesca]

Francesca hated this. The stupid wagon was supposed to have whatever Mystra wanted her to stop from getting into Waterdeep in it. Preferable it would have been labeled and in plain sight. This game of "figure it out" was not what she'd had in mind. Mystra loved her mysteries.

She looks at the dead monk.

"What was so important about the book you were guarding?"

[Kilain Gravendak]

"Ah Lass, whats got yur head in a Ankhegs hole" Kilain says to Rorry as he notices her demeanor. "Whats on yur mind ehh?"

[Rorry]

Rorry sniffs in annoyance. "I am sooo misunderstood." She spots something on Kilain. "Ooooh! What's that?"

[DM Illithid]

"What was so important about the book you were guarding?"

The spirit pauses, giving the illusion of contemplation. "The book will lead Zai'tan to his destiny. Our resurrection will be complete. And the whole of the North will belong to our Lady."

[I'll be nice and say something useful. I'm counting that as two questions though.]

[Lellowyn]

Lellowyn makes a show of appraising Kilain, then remarks with an overly high amount of mock distaste, "I believe they call it... a dwarf."

She looks to the others as the phantom says something meaningful.

"Either this monk's sect is a wee bit out on the rim... or we've stumbled upon something more important than we ever would have thought."

She runs the name through her memory to see if she can recall anything about it.



Knowledge: Arcana +14
Knowledge: Religion +9
Knowledge: Planes +7

[DM Illithid]

Knowledge: Arcana +14
Knowledge: Religion +9
Knowledge: Planes +7

Lellowyn recalls the name Zai'tan from her studies. He was an Alzhedo sorceror of some renoun. He was destroyed possibly fifty years ago near Tethyr. The details are a little hazy in her memory, but suspects his death may be worth investigating.

[Now if only someone had a sage contact... *cough* Rorry *cough*
knowledge arcana 11+14=25 vs DC 25 (pass)]

[Rorry]

(Feeling ok, boss? Catching cold? :D )

"Hey, I know this guy, who knows lots of stuff. I used to go visit him all the time to hear him tell stories. There was this one story, about a halfling, who started a halfling country. Yeah, I think he said it was down South somewhere. It was a long time ago so nobody knows where it's at anymore so I decided I was going to go look for it sometime. All of the houses there are small so big peole like you won't fit very well." She stops to catch her breath. "So you guys ready to go look for Halfling town?"

[Kilain Gravendak]

Kilain was glad Rory got sidetracked, he didnt like the way she looked at his holy symbol. The silver anvil on the silver chain was a special gift from the High Priest in Silverymoon to The Soul Forger. Oft when Rory got that dreamy look, objects turned up in her pockets.

He moved over to to look at the bodies and said "ask em what was their mission or assignment"

Then he heard Rory going on about the wee folk houses and said "I be a doubtin theyd have any accomadations that would be likeable to Dwarves..."

[Silvamir Grymm]

"I be a doubtin theyd have any accomadations that would be likeable to Dwarves..."

"Perhaps we can acquire a stout keg of ale along the way, Master Dwarf," Silvamir says, patting Kilain on the shoulder with a smile. "I trust that would make your stay considerably more likeable."

Turning back to Francesca, the elf asks once again, "Yes, please ask the monk to clarify their mission. What was their task...and for what purpose?"

[Francesca]

Francesca sighs and turns to the monk's corpse.

"What, specifically, was your task related to the caravan?"

She knew asking a broad question like this was not going to yield a decent answer, but with the others on her back to ask them, she wasn't in the mood to debate.

[DM Illithid]

"What, specifically, was your task related to the caravan?"


The monk breathes his response slowly, before returning to his slumber. The spell ended. "Deliver the caravan to Waterdeep's environs. If attacked, sacrifice ourselves."

[Spell has ended. Second corpse is ready if Francesca so desires.]

[Francesca]

Francesca turns to the others.

"This one is spent. I'd need to cast a second spell and put our questions to the second corpse. I suggest we review what we learned and what we asked so that we do not waste any of our precious and limited time with the second monk. Agreed?"

[Rorry]

Rorry's face lights up. "Hey, ask him where my pet mouse, Paco, ran off to."

[Silvamir Grymm]

Rorry's face lights up. "Hey, ask him where my pet mouse, Paco, ran off to."

Silvamir scowls at the rogue. Talking to the dead was not something to be taken lightly. It was serious business...business he hoped to put behind them as quickly as possible.

"Francesca's right," he says. "Let's go over what we've learned so far. The monks were hired by a Prefect Zurich. They were ordered to see the caravan to Waterdeep, and sacrifice themselves if they came under attack."

"As for the book Kilain found, supposedly it will lead Zai'tan to his destiny...whoever that is. When that's done, their resurrection will be complete, and the whole of the North will belong to our Lady," Silvamir repeats. "Anyone have any idea who our Lady is?"

"Anyone have anything to add?" Glancing to each of his companions, Silvamir pauses at Rorry. "What of this halfling village?" he asks. "What does that have to do with all this?"

[I did not want to assume that Lellowyn shared her information about Zai'tan without her saying so, so that's still out there.]

[Poor William Woodholm]

And Rory saw that Poor William’s stare matched Grymm’s close enough; the two might agree one time in ten, but this was the once. He quickly had the body unwrapped and sitting upright. There was far more blood – because of the cut in the throat - and the smell was worse.

“I think Silvamir has it. Assuming the corpse will answer, ask him to name his Lady. Ask him where to find the Prefect or this Zai’tan. Ask after his first destination in Waterdeep or his final one. How many questions does your magic allow? I hadn’t thought to count,” said Will and fell back into a gloomy silence.

“Then as soon as the rite is finished, I say sell off the book in bits for its leather and pages, see if that won’t spoil their plot.”

[Francesca]

[Hmm, due to technical difficulty, Francesca's original post has been deleted. Standing in is Francesca's post to the best of our dumb DM's rememberance.]

Francesca casts a spell. Or Something. And the dead guy, like, rises off the wood table like he's faintly alive. "Tell me, Dead One, who is Zai'tan?"

[DM Illithid]

"Tell me, Dead One, who is Zai'tan?"

"The Lady's messenger. His essence lies below Waterdeep, seeking rebirth."

[Lellowyn]

"Wonderful... if we have to go trudging through Skulls, I'm going to be greatly annoyed."

[Rorry]

"Hey that could be the next thing we do after searching for Halflingtown. Why don't we go over to see my friend to see what else he knows about it?"

[Francesca]

Francesca nibbles on her lower lip in thought before asking the next questions.

"Who is The Lady?"

[DM Illithid]

"Who is The Lady?"

The corpse hisses its answer, some emotional sentiment clearly coming from across the great divide that is death. Further, you're sure if this thing could spit, it would. "I will not grace the halls of your Lady with the presence of my own. I would rather die first."

[Good news! You're already dead!]

[Francesca]

Francesca ponders her next question.

"Can Zai'tan be resurrected without the book?"

[DM Illithid]

Francesca ponders her next question.

"Can Zai'tan be resurrected without the book?"


The corpse laughs, as only a corpse could. "Zai'tan is not dead. His essence is with the book, and his remains amoung the Underhalls. The book will lead you to his remains. Destroying it will gain you nothing." The corpse turns silent, the magic spent.

[Kilain Gravendak]

"hrrrrrm sounds ta me like we'll be spendin some time in the underhalls. We need to guard this book though, not tear it up and destroy it...least til we find this 'Zaiten'"

anyone else think that name is just a little too close to 'he who shall remain namless'? :D

[Silvamir Grymm]

"hrrrrrm sounds ta me like we'll be spendin some time in the underhalls. We need to guard this book though, not tear it up and destroy it...least til we find this 'Zaiten'"

Silvamir watches on as the dead answers Francesca's questions, then suddenly goes silent. With the toe of his boot, he nudges the lifeless corpse and watches it topple over onto its side. Turning back, he offers the dwarf a nod. "I agree. We must preserve the book," Silvamir says. "Master Dwarf, are you comfortable holding onto the book and keeping it safe until we've figured out how to use it? I think we should seek more cooperative counsel," he continues, gesturing toward the two corpses. "I suggest we pay Rorry's friend a visit and see what he can tell us."

[Francesca]

Francesca stifles a yawn.

"I am sleeping before I do anything else. We've been up too long for this priestess to be of any use before I take some time to rest."

[Silvamir Grymm]

Silvamir nods his consent. "Alright. If there's going to be traveling, we might as well get some rest in before we head out. Rorry, how far did you say this sage lives?"

[Rorry]

"Oh he's not too far at all. Just a short walk is all."

[DM Illithid]

[/quote]anyone else think that name is just a little too close to 'he who shall remain namless'? [/quote]

[Shoot me for being unoriginal. Quick, someone name our resident Sage.]

[Lellowyn]

"Sleep, yesss, that sounds delicious. Nyx may not need his beauty rest, but I do need mine," she smiles and strokes him a bit. "We'll meet at the Dagger around dawn?"

[Kilain Gravendak]

"to the Inn then....This is one dwarf that could do with a stout and some sand time. Afore we go, lets get all fixed up though. The Graybeard still has allowed this humble stone servant a few healin spells...anybody hurt still?"

Swap out any spells remaining for healing that need to be cast...til were all healed or im fresh out.

[Francesca]

Francesca smiles at the others, gla she will have time to rest a bit. Communing with the deceased was an exhausting undertaking.

"I'll be staying here to rest. I'll meet you all at the inn."

[DM Illithid]

[If there's no objections, I'll close this thread and move everyone to 'Day 03 - Wisdom of the Sages.']