Session 23 up to Covid19 Break: The Hunt is ON
At Gralhund Villa, the party was assisted by the arrival of the City Watch as the fighting died down and they spoke to the Lord and Lady Gralhund who showed to be shaken by the encounter. They managed to apprehend the culprit Urstul Floxin who had held the family hostage as he worked to obtain the Stone of Golorr. Yet, the party learned that the stone had already disappeared from the estate. Later they were informed by the City Watch that Urstul had escaped custody by the help of a powerful mage who had turned several guards to stone, killing others, and teleporting Urstul to safety.
In search of the nimblewright that now had the stone, the party searched with the aid of the detector they had obtained from Nim at the House of Gond. Finally tracking the Nimblewright they returned it to Valetta & Nim after learning that the Stone had been delivered to a old windmill in the Field Ward. The chase for the stone was on!
Once arriving at the converted windmill they learned it was owned by Thrakkus, a dragonborn who used it as a butchery. However, with the arrival of Flynn and the information he possessed they soon discovered that Thrakkus was hardly an upstanding citizen, he was a tyrant to those lodging within the windmill and made use of his butchery to cover up his murders. The meat he sold turning out to be of humanoid origin. This enraged the party and they confronted the dragonborn who did not survive the encounter. Now bolstered with an additional member to their crew, Flynn the halfling monk, joined their hunt for the stone. Tracing the last meat delivery to the Trades Ward, to a shop called Cuttle's Meat Pies the party had to content with a band of bugbears in the alley before they could question the owner Sora Cuttle who had not been aware of the dubious nature of her delivery, being quite shaken with the newfound information.
 Outside Thirgrim was scouting around the building and bore witness to a hooded woman being handed a small paper parcel, she quickly darted to the rooftops to evade the dwarf who took chase after calling in his party for help. Quickly responding to the call, they all started to pursue upon reaching the roofs themselves until finally arriving at Brizzenbright Theater.
The first to arrive was Flynn and he spotted the woman entering the building, promptly following suit with his party in tow. Before they however could catch up they were welcomed by the Ghost of Malkom Brizzenbright and directed to the ticket booths to purchase tickets to the current show "Blood Wedding." Inside the dark theatre it took them a moment to try and spot her, once doing so initiating the chase once more. This time however the woman "Vevette" did not stand a chance with a quick Hold Person preventing her to escape the party. Upon search and interrogation the party fails to find the Stone of Golorr on her person, the theatre's visitors having slowly departed due to the sudden outbreak of fighting in their midst. Since the party could not pin her with an actual crime, they were convinced to release her and allow her to leave.
Here Remalia Haventree approached Theryn to inform him that she had been tracking suspected Zhents who were within the Theater moments ago, now having left and hailing a hire-coach the party could now attempt to follow instead as a new trail for the stone. Thanks to Remalia being informed that the male Agorn Fuoco spends a lot of time in the Mistshore, located in the Dock Ward. Through help of the downtrodden population of the Mistshore, the party gets directed to the Fuoco house, within they find Agorn suffocating his own mother with a pillow. Saving the woman's life though despite her pleading they put an end to Agorn's instead considering his crimes. Outside they are met with a trio of orphans, introducing themselves as Nat, Jenks and Squiddly. Nat being a young girl who solely communicates through made up sign language due to being deaf. Jenks is rather shy though taken with Theryn and Squiddly quickly draws Passion's attention as he too is a tiefling. The party decides to take them home for a meal, and look after them.
The hire-coach that Agorn had hired is still within the area, the driver having been paid to wait for Agorn's return. From her the party learns that the other individual had been dropped off at Yellowspire, a tower in Castle Ward. After ensuring the children's safe journey to Vigil's End, the party proceeds to chase up their latest clue.
Once arriving at Yellowspire, the party quickly realises it has become a place of worship for Bane where they find the woman Amath in the middle of a ritual with her acolytes. The fight does not take long and at good last the party possesses the Stone of Golorr that had been in her possession.
Finally they can return home to further plan what comes next. Theryn is the one to attune to the stone, forming a telepathic link with the item and learning where the Vault of Dragons is, and how to open its gates. The required keys turn out to be: An invisible creature, a beardless dwarf and a bronze dragon scale. With much reluctance, Thirgrim is convinced to shave his beard while Chester goes to seek out Zelifarn with Passion to obtain one of his scales, due to the party's previous meeting with the dragon for their Force Grey mission they were already on good terms and obtained two of his scales.
The party sees to its business in the tavern, even managing to cure Nat of her deafness as they have decided to keep the orphans and give them a home above Vigil's End. Once all the keys have been gathered, they set out for the Brandath Family Mausoleum, learning through Renaer that his mother hailed from this bloodline and with his help they are permitted entry from the Treant Sentry standing guard at its doors. Within they face some danger from magical traps and lurking evil, however finally discover the illusory wall that hides the entrance to the vault proper. With the keys ready, the party gains access beyond the large, ornate doors.
Beyond, the party found a vast hall with crumbling bridges atop aged collumns to connect the upper levels of the foyer. In alcoves across the three walls are looming, iron doors depicting dwarven life and religion embossed upon the metal. None of these however seem to lead into additional rooms. Guiding the party onward to a side hall where they discover an ancient fresco that magically entranced Chester who could not bear to depart its pressence. Unfortunately they had to destroy the image in order to break their friend free so they could proceed up the stairs and to the next level.
Delving further and exploring the rooms with treasure, the party eventually comes across a trapdoor that only opened upon one of the party member speaking a secret, revealing a secret staircase leading to the main vault. Here the party is welcomed by a dwarf dressed in gold introducing himself as Barok Clanghammer. His true nature however is that he is Aurinax, the adult gold dragon, knowledge that is quickly discerned by the alert party. At Dagult Neverember's request, Aurinax agreed to guard his treasure so he does not permit the party to take it with them. It takes reasoning and patient convincing on their part to finally make the dragon see sense, promising to return to give the wealth back to the city it had been embelished from.
On their way back to depart the Vault, the party gets interrupted by the arrival of a mysterious wizard alongside Vevette, Skeemo and other Zhents to halt the party in their path. A tense fight breaks out but the Argent Vigil quickly gains the upper hand, killing their opponents who they learned was "Manshoon" All this information they bring foward to Laeral Silverhand herself as they are summoned to meet the Open Lord of Waterdeep in person.
She is a gentle woman, grateful for all the party has done. Restoring Thirgrim's beard through magic she seems distraught at the revelation that Manshoon is alive, having assumed the evil wizard long dead. Because of their willingness to return the gold to the city, she promises them 50 000 Dragons as reward, though informs them that she would add another 10 000 if they were willing to help her root out Manshoon and his followers. The party agreed and return to Vigil's End awaiting word of Laeral that he has been found.
Laeral Silverhand by Jorsch

















