02 - 5/19/21 : Everyday Glory
(The following campaign is DM'ed by one of the others in my gaming group. He has played various memorable characters in the past such as Panic and Shai, and is DMing a homebrewed version of Waterdeep: Dragon Heist. This is set in Revelmoore, a new city found on the Akadian Coast)
Within the warehouse, the party sneakily launched their attack on the unsuspecting kenku agents of the Xanathar guild. However, when Reilly produced a scepter resembling an eyeball at the end of a rod, it struck terror in the kenku; they thought that the scepter marked Reilly as an agent of the Xanathar, a fear only made worse as Brooke projected a large illusion of a skull behind her. After the kenku surrendered, the party began searching the warehouse. In a closet below the stairs, they discovered a wary red-haired nobleman, who introduced himself as Renaer Ambermantle after determining that the party meant him no harm. Renaer made it known that he was the estranged son of Dagult Ambermantle, the corrupt previous Open Lord of Ambermantle who apparently embezzled a massive amount of money from the city during his reign. Renaer and his friend Floon, whom he shared an uncanny likeness to, were captured and tortured for information by agents of the Black Network. The Black Network stole an ivory mourning necklace from Renaer, made to commemorate his late mother, before they were attacked by Xanathar Guild agents also seeking to kidnap Renaer. The Xanathar Guild confused Floon for Renaer however, and in the chaos Floon was kidnapped in his stead while Renaer hid and awaited a chance to escape. With the party’s help, Renaer recovered his ivory locket, and was surprised to see that it had a hidden compartment that he was not aware of previously. What was within the locket previously was unknown, although Reilly was able to detect that it was something of ancient magical power. Feeling guilt over Floon’s situation, Renaer decided to join the party and assist them in recovering Floon from the clutches of the Xanathar guild. As they made their way out of the warehouse, the party was accosted by Captain Hyustus Staget of the City Watch of Revelmoore, who had arrived with twelve city guards to investigate the scene after one of their alarms had been tripped. Staget was initially skeptical of the party, but after learning that they had helped to rescue a noble, he decided to overlook their involvement and also chose to look the other way as they absconded with stolen goods that had been pilfered from the warehouse’s former occupants. Reilly prepared the party for sewer-scouring by enchanting minor items with pleasant scents. The party, led by Renaer, made their way to a sewer grate to enter the Revelmoore sewer system. From there they followed a series of yellow chalk marks, defeated a pair of gazers, and found their way into a Xanathar Guild hideout. Within the hideout, the group snuck their way past a pair of sleeping guards before finding themselves face-to-face with Krentz, the Xanathar guildie that had antagonized Yagra Stonefist into a scuffle at the Balladeer’s Eclipse earlier that day. With him was Zemk Ramrider, a duergar of the Ramrider Crime Family. The party beat Zemk into submission while Krentz attempted to escape, but his retreat was cut short when Renaer pommel-struck him into unconsciousness. While Yilani constricted Krentz to keep him still, the party spoke with Zemk who eagerly betrayed his employers in the Xanathar Guild to save his own skin. He managed to make 50 gold from Megumi in exchange for his services as an information broker, and fled the scene after complimenting Yilani’s serpentine form. However, he was stopped by Reilly, who spoke to him privately a short distance away. Reilly explained that she was in serious debt to Zemk’s cousin, Raeziel Ramrider, and asked if Zemk could put in a good word for her. Zemk explained that Raeziel had not been involved in the family’s affairs for years and had since joined the Black Network, and would therefore be very difficult to persuade; despite this, he said that he would at least try to buy Reilly some extra time. Zemk slipped out quietly, while the party attempted to interrogate a now conscious Krentz. Krentz was less receptive to the party than Zemk, and struggled as he mixed insults with information on the master of the hideout; Grum’shar, a half-orc wizard that liked to mix magic practice with torture. After threatening the party with the mentions of a ‘squid’ named Nihiloor, Krentz’ time was finally up as Yilani viciously bit the man’s head clean off, much to Reilly’s disgust. They proceeded further, ready to confront Grum’shar. Much to the group’s horror, they found Grum’shar in the next chamber, accompanied by a barely conscious Floon and the menacing Mind Flayer, Nihiloor. Nihiloor placed a pet Intellect Devourer on the ground and telepathically instructed Grum’shar to kill the intruders before silently departing. Grum’shar and the intellect devourer fought hard against the adventurers, but were no match for them and were slain handily. Meanwhile, Brooke healed a badly injured Floon back to perfect health, and after a round of hugs and kisses from an eternally grateful Floon, the party made their escape back to the surface. After passing by a crime scene in which several Black Network agents had been arrested for murder, the party arrived back at the Castle Ward and the Balladeer’s Eclipse. As they approached, they discovered Piece of the Puzzle, seemingly trying to flee the city by way of carriage, being accosted by a city magistrate for owed back taxes on his book sales, which had drained his coffers near to empty. Yilani expressed displeasure over not being paid, with Renaer also showing disapproval with Puzzle’s dishonesty. Eager to protect his good name, Puzzle dug out a deed from his carriage and handed it over, allowing the magistrate to notarize the document on the spot. The four adventurers were now all equal owners of the Trollskull Manor, an abandoned tavern in Revelmoore’s quiet North Ward. Puzzle bade his new friends adieu and departed to parts unknown on a book tour to hopefully recuperate some of his losses, although he promised to return for Trollskull Manor’s grand opening. With the deed to valuable property in their hands, the party discussed their plans regarding the establishment. Floon volunteered to work as wait staff in order to leave the life of an escort, and Renaer shuffled him off to bring him home after their shared ordeal. As soon as the party was alone, they were approached by a mysterious elven man that called himself Davil Cedarfall. He asked after Reilly and flashed a grin, stating that he was Raeziel’s boss, and that Raeziel was in the Eclipse expecting a word with her.
Within the warehouse, the party sneakily launched their attack on the unsuspecting kenku agents of the Xanathar guild. However, when Reilly produced a scepter resembling an eyeball at the end of a rod, it struck terror in the kenku; they thought that the scepter marked Reilly as an agent of the Xanathar, a fear only made worse as Brooke projected a large illusion of a skull behind her. After the kenku surrendered, the party began searching the warehouse. In a closet below the stairs, they discovered a wary red-haired nobleman, who introduced himself as Renaer Ambermantle after determining that the party meant him no harm. Renaer made it known that he was the estranged son of Dagult Ambermantle, the corrupt previous Open Lord of Ambermantle who apparently embezzled a massive amount of money from the city during his reign. Renaer and his friend Floon, whom he shared an uncanny likeness to, were captured and tortured for information by agents of the Black Network. The Black Network stole an ivory mourning necklace from Renaer, made to commemorate his late mother, before they were attacked by Xanathar Guild agents also seeking to kidnap Renaer. The Xanathar Guild confused Floon for Renaer however, and in the chaos Floon was kidnapped in his stead while Renaer hid and awaited a chance to escape. With the party’s help, Renaer recovered his ivory locket, and was surprised to see that it had a hidden compartment that he was not aware of previously. What was within the locket previously was unknown, although Reilly was able to detect that it was something of ancient magical power. Feeling guilt over Floon’s situation, Renaer decided to join the party and assist them in recovering Floon from the clutches of the Xanathar guild. As they made their way out of the warehouse, the party was accosted by Captain Hyustus Staget of the City Watch of Revelmoore, who had arrived with twelve city guards to investigate the scene after one of their alarms had been tripped. Staget was initially skeptical of the party, but after learning that they had helped to rescue a noble, he decided to overlook their involvement and also chose to look the other way as they absconded with stolen goods that had been pilfered from the warehouse’s former occupants. Reilly prepared the party for sewer-scouring by enchanting minor items with pleasant scents. The party, led by Renaer, made their way to a sewer grate to enter the Revelmoore sewer system. From there they followed a series of yellow chalk marks, defeated a pair of gazers, and found their way into a Xanathar Guild hideout. Within the hideout, the group snuck their way past a pair of sleeping guards before finding themselves face-to-face with Krentz, the Xanathar guildie that had antagonized Yagra Stonefist into a scuffle at the Balladeer’s Eclipse earlier that day. With him was Zemk Ramrider, a duergar of the Ramrider Crime Family. The party beat Zemk into submission while Krentz attempted to escape, but his retreat was cut short when Renaer pommel-struck him into unconsciousness. While Yilani constricted Krentz to keep him still, the party spoke with Zemk who eagerly betrayed his employers in the Xanathar Guild to save his own skin. He managed to make 50 gold from Megumi in exchange for his services as an information broker, and fled the scene after complimenting Yilani’s serpentine form. However, he was stopped by Reilly, who spoke to him privately a short distance away. Reilly explained that she was in serious debt to Zemk’s cousin, Raeziel Ramrider, and asked if Zemk could put in a good word for her. Zemk explained that Raeziel had not been involved in the family’s affairs for years and had since joined the Black Network, and would therefore be very difficult to persuade; despite this, he said that he would at least try to buy Reilly some extra time. Zemk slipped out quietly, while the party attempted to interrogate a now conscious Krentz. Krentz was less receptive to the party than Zemk, and struggled as he mixed insults with information on the master of the hideout; Grum’shar, a half-orc wizard that liked to mix magic practice with torture. After threatening the party with the mentions of a ‘squid’ named Nihiloor, Krentz’ time was finally up as Yilani viciously bit the man’s head clean off, much to Reilly’s disgust. They proceeded further, ready to confront Grum’shar. Much to the group’s horror, they found Grum’shar in the next chamber, accompanied by a barely conscious Floon and the menacing Mind Flayer, Nihiloor. Nihiloor placed a pet Intellect Devourer on the ground and telepathically instructed Grum’shar to kill the intruders before silently departing. Grum’shar and the intellect devourer fought hard against the adventurers, but were no match for them and were slain handily. Meanwhile, Brooke healed a badly injured Floon back to perfect health, and after a round of hugs and kisses from an eternally grateful Floon, the party made their escape back to the surface. After passing by a crime scene in which several Black Network agents had been arrested for murder, the party arrived back at the Castle Ward and the Balladeer’s Eclipse. As they approached, they discovered Piece of the Puzzle, seemingly trying to flee the city by way of carriage, being accosted by a city magistrate for owed back taxes on his book sales, which had drained his coffers near to empty. Yilani expressed displeasure over not being paid, with Renaer also showing disapproval with Puzzle’s dishonesty. Eager to protect his good name, Puzzle dug out a deed from his carriage and handed it over, allowing the magistrate to notarize the document on the spot. The four adventurers were now all equal owners of the Trollskull Manor, an abandoned tavern in Revelmoore’s quiet North Ward. Puzzle bade his new friends adieu and departed to parts unknown on a book tour to hopefully recuperate some of his losses, although he promised to return for Trollskull Manor’s grand opening. With the deed to valuable property in their hands, the party discussed their plans regarding the establishment. Floon volunteered to work as wait staff in order to leave the life of an escort, and Renaer shuffled him off to bring him home after their shared ordeal. As soon as the party was alone, they were approached by a mysterious elven man that called himself Davil Cedarfall. He asked after Reilly and flashed a grin, stating that he was Raeziel’s boss, and that Raeziel was in the Eclipse expecting a word with her.
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