Half-elven owner of the [[Elfsong Tavern]] in [[Baldur's Gate]]. Referred to [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] by [[Tasar Taurntyrith]] as a possible source of advice and information.

//29 Nightal, Year of the Worm://\nThe Truehawks Trading Company, a supposed "shipping" venture founded and financed via roundshield*, has been exposed to be nothing more than a snatch-and-grab slaving venture! \n\nOlophin, armar (sergeant) of the Watch, is said to have recognized one of the Truehawks traders as a notorious slaver of Memnon, and to have tracked him to a rough-and-tumble group of "associates," who in turn were whispered by frightened folk to be whisking youths and maidens from the streets of Waterdeep itself to fill shipboard slave-holds! \n\nThose tradesmen of the City who paid funds into the Truehawks roundshield have not only lost their gold but are now facing investigation by the Watch, and worse still embarrassment and possible ruin of their businesses due to their involvement in such a scandal.

+++[10th of Hammer 1357DR - Cath]\n\nOut of sheer boredom, or I don't know what, we ([[Sir Perrigan|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]], [[Safina]], [[Carter]] and [[I|Maegcarak'cath]]—[[Majmalo]] had some business or tinkering to tend to) decided to go to the [[Temple of Good Cheer]] to see what the deal was with these rodents of unusual size. It was surprising to me that Sir P changed his mind, but winter can drive a man to madness. Seen it happen, 60, or was it 80 years ago? I forget.\n\nWhen we arrived, [[Rae|Raethiira Arren]] was both pleased and surprised to see us. She said she was afraid that the rats would next be chewing their way through the door.\n\nWe armed ourselves and readied for what lay beyond. At first I could only see about four or five of the rats (each around three feet long, I swear!). We took our places on the stair and began engaging them.\n\nI spotted a small object on the floor next to the obvious hole they had entered from. It appeared that the workers had excavated just a little too close to the sewer allowing the rats (or something else?) to make their way through.\n\nI fired at a rat but didn't quite kill it on the first shot. They tried to swarm the stair, and did succeed in biting both Sir P and Carter (hm... I forgot to mention that I'm immune to their diseases... well, I'll mention it at some other more convenient time). All told, we slew five while the others fled through the opening.\n\nExamining the hand, we found it contained a map (which turned out to be of the sewers). Several landmarks were indicated, both above and below ground, though we had some trouble understanding it all (well, I couldn't read the writing at all... I could make out some of the letters, but I really need to learn to read one of these decades).\n\nWe decided that the hand had been bitten off by something with a very large mouth, given the size of the teeth marks (Sir P seems to know a bit about wild animals for a City aristocrat). As I looked through the hole, I could barely make out a floating object resembling a body in the sewage. As I was trying to determine the best tool to safely retrieve this poor soul, Carter, as brave a man as I've ever seen, clambered through to grab the body.\n\nThen all hell broke loose.\n\nThe creature was a lizard of some sort. I've taken to calling it a sewer dragon. Well, I thought it had killed Carter for certain, especially when it took him under the water and he seemed to go limp. Deciding that my bow just wasn't doing the job, I climbed onto the tiny ledge and tried to poke the creature in the lungs whenever Sir P had it distracted. After Carter 'died', it let go of him and grabbed Sir P. But that was it's last mistake. Carter jumped up and whacked it as hard as I've ever seen a man strike a creature. A terrible crack sounded as his weapon penetrated the creature neck.\n\nSir P removed himself from the creature's maw and stuck it again for good measure. I suppose he'll tell the tale as though he killed it, though who could blame him? We killed a dragon! That's like legendary, though the smell hardly was. Thank goodness for Rae's baths that she had drawn and delivered to us. Of course, I only got a little of the slime on my boots, which washed off easily enough. I think Carter may smell that way for some time. (I think Sir P wears men's perfume, though the mixture of the two smells was... interesting?).\n\nDeciding that the beast's head should go on our wall, we made plans to speak to [[Essimuth|Essimuth Lanys]] about that. He recommended the [[Monster Shop]] across town for that sort of thing.\n\nI covered the beast with snow to preserve it while we waited until our cart could pick it up the next day and deliver it.\n\nMeanwhile, we made a deal with the Cellarers/Plumbers to come fix the wall. We are entertaining the idea of creating an entrance from our shop as well. With the handy map we found, we could have a warmer (though smellier) means of travel about the City.\n\nOh, which reminds me. The map had a red hand on the back of it, much like the one we found on the note left behind when Jed was spirited away. Who are these Red Hand characters and what do they want?\n===\n\n

+++[12th of Hammer 1357DR - Cath]\n\nWe made our way into the sewer through the toilet of the [[Spouting Fish]]. Someone had loosened the grate, unbeknownst to [[Quallos|Quallos Myntion]]. It was firmly in place when installed originally.\n\nFollowed the map. First ran into a pinch-faced man standing on the sewer ledge as though just waiting for friends on the street who said to [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]], "//So, you are the Cat.//" Cath paused for a moment then replied grimly, "//And you must be the Rat.//" The man smiled.\n\nHe said that if we wanted The Red Hand, that was fine. He also said that my time would come, but not now... but soon.\n\nCath thanked the [[Rat]] for allowing them passage, to which The Rat replied, "//I allow you nothing,//" and he disappeared into a wall from which erupted a swarm of rats that chased us back to the nearest ladder up to an alley (we later learned that the alley was near Prestar's Furniture Shop... something we must remember). After a narrow escape the rats passed us by as we clung to our perches above them, and we climbed back down to make our way further into the sewers.\n\nThis time we sped by the spot where we met the Rat as much as possible, taking the ledge on the side opposite to where we saw him disappear.\n\nAs we came to the next junction, Carter was attacked by the demon I had seen earlier during the fight with the sewer dragon... the kroc-a-dill or whatever. I didn't actually see the attack because I was underwater, having been attacked by some tentacled creature that drug me under the sewage (which tastes almost as bad as it smells, by the way). As if that weren't enough, Carter was also attacked by a black ghost... a shadowy figure that just moved through the walls and floor as it pleased. Soon after the demon left, the ghost disappeared. I assume it had nothing to do with my using the silver dagger on it, as I didn't seem to touch it at all.\n\nWe slew the tentacled thingy but the demon got away. We paused for a few moments to catch our breath and moved on again. This time, we saw some lights ahead, so we extinguished our torches and listened a bit as they approached. We overheard some conversations about how the "Cloak Master" would be displeased and some other things (such as they had run into slavers earlier on and that they couldn't find the map, which I take to be the one we found clutched in the severed hand).\n\nThere were five of them. As soon as they came into view, I fired an arrow taking down the first one. [[Carter]] and [[Safina]] sprang into action taking them on as well as the demon who reappeared and again attacked Carter. Safina hit it once with an arrow, and a pretty nasty shot it was too. I hit it once with an arrow, but it just seemed to bounce off of it.\n\nAfter we had taken down two and staggered a third, a floating man in a black cloak appeared stating that this was not our fight and that we should leave. He also laughed derisively at the Red Hand. I asked nicely if he needed them or could we could take one with us to which he replied rather loudly and intimidatingly, "I need nothing!" Grabbing the nearest fellow, who was still alive, but barely, we made our way out to the sound of magic and steel. As we looked back we saw yet another tentacled creature like the one we drug around to hang on the ceiling of our shop (after being properly treated, of course). Pretty sure the mage won the battle. The Red Hand guys seemed pretty weak comparatively, and the mage had that little demon to help too.\n\nWe returned with our prisoner, whom Safina bandaged up to prevent his dying. Now, maybe, we can get some answers about what's going on with Lashan, the Dales, and our missing acquaintance Jed.\n\nWhen we finally returned to our shop, there was a letter pinned to the door by a dagger, the hilt of which was bound with a red strip of cloth. The note read, "//It has come to our attention that you are in possession of some knowledge as to navigating the sewers. Additionally, you are known to us through common friends as reliable folk of honor. Should you have interest in work that requires a strong hand and stout spirit, be in the back room of the Spouting Fish at eight bells two days hence.//" It was unsigned.\n\nYay! Another dagger to add to the collection!\n===\n

+++[13th of Hammer 1357DR - Cath]\n\nWe questioned the man we skewered and then later rescued in the sewers. His name is [[Olamor]]. The name of his group is the [[Bloody Hand]]. Basically, they are a thieving, kidnapping, and killing group who just works for whoever pays them. No real motives for them directly, other than keeping nosy folk like us out of the sewer so they can work uninhibited.\n\n[[Sir P|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] got a little rough with Olamor (who probably deserves worse) and I even played around with Olamor's club (which is quite heavy, given the metal rod inserted in the center to give it more weight). I really think I am lousy at being scary to bad people. I need to find a new way of dealing with them. There's just something about a frail little elf that simply doesn't strike terror in people no matter how badly he stinks of the sewers. Oh, well.\n\nOlamor seemed to know more about the disappearance of Jed, but refused to share any details. He did indicate that someone paid them to nab him, and that that someone brought Jed directly to him with magic. He said that only the [[Cloakmaster]] would know who the client is. \n\nWe also learned that The Bloody Hand is currently in a street (or sewer?) war with another group: The Plague Rats. It seems our paths are destined to cross, [[Mr. Mouse|Rat]].\n\n(I also now realize that the Cloakmaster is not the wizard we saw in the sewer, but rather the head of The Bloody Hand. His assistant is named [[Marilith]], and I think he may be the owner of the bloody hand—not The Bloody Hand!—that we found in the basement. He is—was—the Cloakmaster's right hand man. Wow, that is grimly ironic and weirdly repetitive.)\n\nSir P explained that there were murdered horses at a stable in town that caters to the Roaringhorn family. It seems some two-legged beast climbed out of the sewers and tortured them to death. I think I know who or what is responsible.\n\nWe let Olamar go and were forced to clean up the place. The monkey-octopus thing that attacked us in the sewers that we brought back as a trophy sort of melted and bubbled away, though it left the most horrific stench behind. Several applications of vinegar and wine got rid of most of the smell, but there is a stain. [[Carter]] suggested a rug before going to bed.\n\nThen they got some rest.\n\n(Humans sleep, which I find an interesting waste of time... ironic that elves are so long-lived and yet don't spend any of it sleeping. Seems like humans waste a good portion of their brief lives doing this.)\n\nI spent some time looking through the book the Sir P gave me. Funny, the first page I turned to was a picture of a cat. I even tried to write the letters under the picture into some table salt.\n\nC A T\n\nThe next page had what I thought was a rat, but I think is actually a mouse. I mean cat and rat rhyme, and this word seems to have too many letters to 'rat'. And the little creature in the picture looks harmless enough. Not like the little (and BIG) beasties I've put down over the years.\n\n----------\n\nSir P asked me to go with him to the City of the Dead this evening. [[Safina]] and [[Maj|Majmalo]] overheard some conversation about their being another transaction occurring there... something about it being "dealt with." Whatever 'it' is, it sounds like there will be action. Safina will come as well.\n\n----------\n\nI've posed as a servant, waiting outside a boarded-up manor home for some delivery or other, while Sir P and Safina wait in an alley sheltered from the bitter wind. Yet another elven advantage being able to withstand the cold, but I have to say that humans are more focused and generally a sturdier bunch than—well, I am anyway, if I am representative of elves in some way.\n\nEventually, I saw some men jumping over the metal fence around the giant graveyard. Safina followed while I kept watch for their leaving, which we expect would be via cart through this north gate (which is the closest to the suspected House, [[Gralhund]]).\n\n----------\n\nWell, Safina chucked a dagger at one of the men leaving the [[City of the Dead]]. Only two of them this time and they are carrying bags. Sir P and I set up an ambush as they tried to rush by us. I was forced to put one down (though he survived, barely). The other was convinced to stop his attacks when I sliced his cheek.\n\nSafina rejoined us. After going through their strange belongings and much discussion and questioning (which mostly resulted in blank, dumb stares), we let them go. Sir P said it would be best if his house took care of whatever is going on through the back channels. Fine with me. The guard is fine, but they have their job to do and keeping quiet about who helped them can be a problem. One that I'd prefer not to have to deal with in the middle of the night at swordpoint.\n\nSafina took me back to the scene of the meeting which apparently went badly. There were three dead; an orc and what I thought were two men. The orc had a hole in his throat. These men had (no frog faces as rumor would suggest), but serpentine eyes and one even had some scales on one hand. We took what we could (several items coated with poison; I nearly poisoned myself on a garrotte that one of the snakemen had on him) and returned to Sir P who was keeping the two would-be-escaping men busy.\n\nWe eventually let them go, though Safina followed the men for some time and saw them enter a building. Sometime afterward, a tall man with an axe entered, and then later left. Something about his demeanor indicated to her that he might be a noble or similar. Sounds like a military commander of some sort to me. Probably a mercenary.\n\nShe returned and we compared notes. Within the bags these men carried were some strange packages. Showing them to Maj, he couldn't really make heads or tails of them. We will have someone like an alchemist or similar look them over.\n\nAll there really is to do now is wait until our meeting at the Spouting Fish tomorrow. My silver arrows will be ready as well. Need to pick them up.\n===\n

+++[14th of Hammer 1357DR - Cath]\n\nAfter hanging around [[The Fish|Spouting Fish]] while they got the back room ready, we picked up various rumors flying about town. One was of the death of a sewer dragon at the hands of "//an elvish prince from [[Evermeet]].//" I should meet this daring fellow, sounds an excellent chap. Ha!\n\nWhich only goes to show, don't believe everything you hear. Frog-faced men wind up being snake-faced men and elven princes the ratcatcher.\n\nWe eventually met with a man who did not identify himself. He explained that a nine-year-old girl named [[Aurelia Ssorn]] had been kidnapped and it was believed she was taken to the sewers. A mercenary band had been dispatched previously and never returned alive. Throats slit and various other sneaky wounds were found. They never knew what hit them.\n\nWe agreed to a price: 1,000 gold. I would have done it for free, but could find no words to convince my friends to agree. Besides, there are bound to be various expenses, which I agree we should be compensated for. But the mere idea of a child in the hands of the Rat makes me ill. He is going to pay!\n\n----------\n\nAfter picking up a quiver of silver arrows and redistributing half to Carter, we bought a few more supplies (high-top boots and two bullseye lanterns) and made our way down into the sewer from the Fish and toward the place where the dead mercenaries were found.\n\nI also had to suffer through more of [[Essimuth's|Essimuth Lanys]] stories. Despite the advantage of years, he hasn't changed from the storytelling little kid I remember from thirty or forty years ago.\n\nEven more about how he lost his leg (there is apparently either a monstrous conspiracy to take bits and pieces of his leg away or that leg smells and tastes like steak, because all of his enemies seem to go after it and remove a chunk). One possibly useful thing he mentioned was that he had run into a cult of the snake-people before. Forget who they worshipped, but there are rumors that a House is involved with them.\n\nAfter a long walk I started hearing a voice in my head telling me over and over to "//turn back.//" As it became increasingly louder and it was apparent that the others couldn't hear it (at first) I started moving away. [[Carter]] and the others mentioned seeing a large whitish fish with a great red eye, tentacles and a tail far back that made the thing about 30' in length.\n\nSeems like it was the wrong way to go.\n\nAs we made our way back, I passed by what appeared to be a secret door in the stone, though there appeared to be no way to open it. As we stood there talking, [[Safina]] heard something down the tunnel. Probably the little demon we encountered before, who was a pet of the wizard fellow who destroyed The Bloody Hand.\n\nOur belief was confirmed when we saw a magical image of the wizard's mouth that proclaimed, "//Again you are in my sewers?!? This time you will burn!//" And then the mouth spouted flame at us.\n\nI dove into the sewer and avoided getting burned at all (though my clothes are suffering the fate of being uncomfortably smelly now). Sir P was not so lucky, but as I noted before, these humans are a hearty bunch.\n\nAgain, this was the wrong way to go.\n\n----------\n\nAfter deciding that my first inclination, to go back to where we encountered the [[Rat]] in the first place was the right thing to do, we made our way there, past the entrance to the old furniture shop where we escaped last time from the horde of rats.\n\nWhile I was looking for the door that The Rat used to escape us, I was suddenly pulled through the wall by the beast himself. I dropped my bow and nicked him once with the silver dagger. After that, it was a struggle as he kept trying to pin my dagger arm to prevent getting scratched again.\n\nFortunately for me, [[Sir P|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] grabbed my leg and was pulled through the wall with me (the wall is an illusion I take it, though a real stone door slammed shut behind trapping Sir P and I in with the Rat!).\n\nI was hoping for some help from Sir P, but he had problems of his own. More of The Rat's men made their way toward him down the hall as well as another horde of sewer rats that climbed all over us. I was bitten several times while still rolling around with the Rat, who had transformed from a man into a rat-man. He also bit me, but I did get one more strike in with the dagger, to the shoulder which made him howl in pain.\n\nBarely able to stand, I finally got away from the rat just as Carter burst through the stone with his maul. I stood there thinking that it was to be my last act for all time, one last blow against the Rat before he felled me for good. But it was not to be so. [[Safina]] fired one of the silver arrows I sold to Carter and struck the beast right in the heart. The Rat is dead! As he died, he transformed back into a man.\n\nSir P's opponents too changed themselves into rat-men until he felled them and they changed back into young men. Too young to die but too wicked to live, I'm afraid. Their shields were tarnished.\n\nCarter pressed forward and took the left passage. He came to a dead end that had four holes in the wall that only large rats could crawl through. He shouted to try the other way. I did so, and thought for certain not for the first or last time that this was to be my end.\n\nI made my way through a winding tunnel, keeping in contact with one wall as I'd heard the heroes of old did in mazes. I nearly died of fright as I was surrounded by rats! Large, furry bodies that pressed up against me in the darkness and finally started screeching loudly to warn the others that an intruder was in their midst. Would I die here to be eaten by these vermin?\n\nNo longer able to remember which way I had come, I called out to the girl. She answered! I made my way toward her voice and at last came to a small room with a barred door on the other side. Between me and the door were two of the rat-men, armed and quite aware that I was coming. I put on my best bluffing face and tried to trick them with a half-truth. Perhaps it's the burden of the good to not be able to lie well, or perhaps it's because I'm a non-threatening elf. Either way, they didn't believe me when I told them that their leader was dead and that the guard was on their way. Further, being so badly wounded, I think they recognized that I was no threat (a mistake!) and decided to deal with me later.\n\nAs one turned to open the door I ran him straight through with the silver dagger. After that, the other lashed out and all went black.\n===\n\n

+++[15th of Hammer 1357DR - Cath]\n\nWhen I awoke I was surprised to find myself in my own bed and feeling much better. Thank the Fickle One I survived at all.\n\nMy companions had succeeded in rescuing the girl [[Aurelia Ssarn]], though what to do with her has become the question of the day. We did not trust the man who asked us to rescue her, and there is more confusion afoot, as... well let me back up a bit.\n\nIt seems she has a magical mark on her arm that signifies some connection to [[Selune]], a deity worshipped throughout Faerun. The Plague Rats also seemed to be connected somehow to worshippers of ??????, the god of poison. In fact, they found robes which contained poison and a gold candlestick holder that was shaped in the symbol of a triangle with three tear drops. This symbol also appeared on the robes.\n\nI wonder if there isn't a connection between worshippers of this cult and the snake-eyed men we met. Essimuth mentioned a cult of the snake people under the City, and we certainly found poison in various forms on these people (poison darts, poison vials, and strange glass globes that [[Maj|Majmalo]] called bombs with unknown gases inside them).\n\nThey also found a letter that indicates that it is House Roaringhorn who wanted the girl dead. [[Sir P|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] seems quite upset about this. Probably, it is someone in his house who wants this to happen for some reason. Hard to figure out how a little girl with a mark of a deity is so dangerous to someone. It should be noted that they said there was a strange, blue glow about her that protected her from numerous rats (and even Sir P when he first tried to pick her up). More magic. It's just everywhere, man.\n\nAnyway, I think we're going to take her to the temple of Selune before delivering her to some unknown parties in a stable. Once she wakes up we'll have a chat with her.\n===\n

Our bold adventurers in [[Thauntle's Company]] (minus [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]], who had to leave town for a few days on some "urgent business"), conferenced about their plans to investigate the following:\n\n-The murder of [[Gondar]] alchemist [[Geran]] at the [[House of Inspired Hands]], and the disappearance of the mysterious substances that the Company had recovered by intercepting couriers in the [[City of the Dead]];\n-The role and operations of [[Hlethvagi]];\n-The "[[Eye]]" and the cryptic note stating its will to the [[Savants of the Dark Tide]];\n-The information uncovered on the Luskanite longship [[Maid of Victory]] regarding the hidden comings and goings of [[Knights of the Shield]] and magelings and spies of the [[Arcane Brotherhood]]; \n-The internal intrigues of House [[Anteos]], including (i) some evidence to the effect that [[Korras Anteos]], the nephew of house patriarch [[Dulbravvan Anteos]], has been leaking valuable commercial secrets to Dulbravvan's old rival [[Yunth Hothemer]]; and (ii) a possible attempt to implicate the house in slaving activities through Dulbravvan's friend [[Fylgard Onister]].\n\nAs a first step, our brave heroes decided to present the information about the Eye to the Lords in public council. Through bleak, wind-swept streets covered in driving sleet, the company walked to Piergeiron's Palace and the Lords' council hall. After a brief conversation with Master of the [[Cellarers' Guild|Guilds]] [[Hilithimm Turnstone]], during which he implored the characters not to be too dramatic about the sewer problems, the company drew upon Perrigan's noble privilege to address the Lords. \n\nDiscussions about the Sewers and the Eye were received with grave concern by the Lords, who, as both reward and duty for the heroes, gave them the title of Deputies of the [[Watch]], including a stipend and a signal-horn (with which they can summon a Watch patrol for reinforcements).\n\nDiscussions about the Luskanite ship, on the other hand, drew an immediate (and angry) protest from [[Skandar Gundersson]], the hulking and formidable (though middle-aged and lame in one leg) ambassador to the [[Lords' Court]] from [[Luskan]]. The [[Lords]] replied that they would not consider any information thus obtained, although they did not arrest the ~PCs for illegally entering a foreign ship.\n\nUpon leaving the Lords' Court, the company was briefly (and unobtrusively) approached by an unremarkable man in a brown cloak, who displayed a red ribbon or sash and told them that, if the Lords were too bull-headed to address the threat raised by foreign spies, the [[Red Sashes]] would be pleased to welcome any information or assistance on this topic. He gave Perrigan a suitable contact: [[Surrolph Hlaaken]], of [[Hlaaken Stables]] in [[South Ward]]. \n\nThe next step for the company was continuing its investigation of the Gondar murder. Over the next few days, the company uncovered a witness ([[Alaya]], a junior priestess at the [[House of Inspired Hands]] and the niece of the High Priestess herself) who stated that Geran received occasional visits from a courtesan, and that such a visit had occurred on the night of the murder. A thorough ransacking of Geran's quarters disclosed a woman's perfumed note; coupled with [[Perrigan|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]]'s memories of that scent, the note led to a courtesan named [[Narnra]] at the [[Purple Palace]], which the company had visited before in connection with [[Dessra]], a courtesan of that festhall who had been associated with the dead rope merchant [[Glaerth Homblestaum]]. \n\nThe company sent [[Majmalo]] to the festhall to investigate; after befriending another guest ([[Tezim]], the rotund, silk-clad vizier of the Sultan of [[Ankhapur]]), Majmalo talked with Narnra, who appeared to be telling the truth about knowing nothing of this matter. However, shortly after Narnra left, Majmalo was apparently drugged and attacked in an alley after leaving the Purple Palace in a state of "drunken" insensibility. By an amazing stroke of luck, a Watch patrol (led by the fiery-haired and equally fiery-tempered civilar [[Dichara Stormheart]]) happened upon the alley and drove off the attackers, one of whom, according to Dichara, ran and the other of whom simply... vanished. The Watch patrol brought Majmalo home, as Narnra had remembered him telling her to contact him at Thauntle's house with any information. \n\nSubsequently, the company made further investigations of the Purple Palace, only to find that the Watch had been as well. The proprietress, the middle-aged but still beautiful [[Tathla "Flamehair" Nightstar|Tathla Nightstar]], as well as all other available witnesses, stated that Majmalo had left in what appeared to be a state of extreme inebriation. No one knew what could have caused anyone to have drugged him; however, the Purple Palace features pierced stone meshworks facing onto the common room from an upstairs gallery; someone in the gallery could have watched him speaking with Narnra, although it is doubtful that anyone could have known exactly what was being discussed.\n\nThe proprietress claims to have searched Narnra's room and found nothing suspicious; an inspection of the outside of the window shows that she did not appear to have exited the room by that route. The proprietress does distinctly remember, though, that Narnra had been at the Purple Palace on the night that she had been seen at the temple. \n\nOnly one clue was really garnered. Majmalo paid a visit to his newfound friend Tezim and was welcomed warmly. Tezim did remember something that Majmalo could not have noticed; he recalled "a dark-skinned lass, nearly black, of fine-chiseled features" talking with Narnra shortly after she had left Maj. The description seems to match with Dessra's. But is she the one responsible for the attack on Maj? Or is there another involved?

+++[1st to 9th of Alturiak 1357DR - Cath]\n\n1) The [[Red Wizard]] is dead. [[Carter]] saw him attacked and pulled under by a multi-tentacled, armed creature (armed as in many of the tentacles held weapons). Carter followed him to a sewer entrance in the [[Thirsty Throat]] and later staked out the sewer from the other side. A note was sent to the bookseller from the Savants of the Dark Tide explaining that their forays would no longer be welcome, especially since Hlethvagi's henchman was seen following him. (Note masterfully forged by [[Maj|Majmalo]]).\n\n2) [[Dulbravvan Anteos]] is dead. A servant heard a cry from his room. When they entered, he was dead. No notable marks on the body. His wife may allow someone to examine if we can ask nicely enough (this is only a hunch). His [[nephew|Nelson Anteos]] will be acting regent until he manages to kill the children next in line.\n\n3) Got additional information on [[Elaith Craulnobur]]. He has been the member of at least four adventuring groups (Claw, Seven Swords, Crossed Blades, ?) and has miraculously been the only surviving member of each. It is believed he double-crossed all of them. He is very rich.\n\nCath is trying to decide what to do regarding [[Stoneturn]]:\n\nA) Raid, clear and pillage the elven fortress (NO!)\nB) Take the map from Elaith and do nothing (No. He undoubtedly has more copies. Useless.)\nC) Clear the fortress for his elven friends. (Presents a problem since there are only about a half-dozen of them and they are not martially trained ... not enough in any event to hold the place from those who would wish to plunder it).\nD) Kill Elaith and hide/burn the maps to prevent the fortress being found by those who would misuse it or plunder it (He is a very accomplished swordsman and, as we already know, treacherous.)\nE) Maj thinks robbing him of the maps might work, but Cath suspects he'd have copies of the maps in places other than his home and he's not likely to be unprotected.\nF) Something else.\n\nAs you can see, it's a quagmire.\n===\n

+++[17th of Alturiak - Cath]\nMore big developments.\n\nThe [[Doctor]] returned to her house, killed one guard, and nearly everyone else too. She had a small shadow bat (familiar?) that attacked and used magic as well. She charmed some of the guards and the civilar who was there (the one for that district, not the one we met previously).\n\nShe (we assume it was The Doctor; she wore a cloak and was shrouded in shadow, so hard to identify her for certain) got away with her body dissection book and a few of her tools. She did not get the evidence we gathered. This took place after [[Sir P|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] and [[Safina]] took the housekeeper to the palace to be imprisoned. She was questioned the next day by the magister but refused to talk. (Also note that [[Carter]] and Safina searched her and found some more toys, not to mention the in-plain-sight iron spikes in her hair {poisoned} which Cath decided should be taken away.\n\nA couple of GI's revealed that [[Hlethvagi]] was seen with a woman matching her description coming to his shop (which occurred before the attack at her house).\n\nBoth Hlethvagi's house and shop were cleared out completely. He gave his servants their discharge pay and told them that the house was sold to someone else.\n\nCath found a black scroll tube glued to the curb in the sewer near the entrance to Hlethvagi's shop. He touched it and avoided the brunt of the damage\n\n+++[Behind the Scenes](I used a d10 Glory point and rolled a 35 Reflex all told).===\n\nThe watch wizard removed the second magical trap on the scrolltube. The message said in essence:\n\n//Friends,\n\nIt is a shame you refused my offer. I am, of course, innocent of the charges that you levelled against me. Nevertheless, I think it wise to leave town. You shall not see me again.\n\n(Unsigned)//\n\nI may have forgotten a sentence or two.\n\nCath convinced the watch that this, though circumstantial, points to Hlethvagi's involvement, given where it was found and recalling the offer delivered by [[Malcer|Malcer Stormwind]] previously.\n\nIt seemed we were out of leads.\n\nThen I remembered [[Ulmner]], leader (or at least a boss) of The Headsmen, a gang. Carter and Cath went to the [[Bloody Fist]] to meet him.\n\nLong story short, we convinced him to talk by explaining that he was double-crossed by his client to take on the watch, and that we would get the watch off of his back.\n\nHe was hired by a noble sort of man wearing a cloak, metal breastplate, and quite tall. Sort of (exactly, really) like Sir P.\n\nThe shapeshifter is a tricky one.\n\nAt least we nailed it down that far.\n\n[[Majmalo]] did some checking at the docks and could not find that any ships had left port at all between the time that Hlethvagi supposedly headed there and now. This may mean he only pretended to leave town (Cath's belief). The question is where could he be hiding? Sewers? Underdark? A safe house somewhere? Also, unfortunately, he could still buy the interests in the house and run them from hiding or abroad.\n\nSure enough, after the meeting with Ulmner, Cath and Carter were attacked by two crossbowmen and a priestess who said, "You have interfered with the High Whipmaster for the last time!"\n\nCarter and Cath took the trio out. The priestess was taken to the Palace. She tried to poison herself but the guards stopped her (watch wizard and healer was around).\n\nSir P, Safina, the Civilar, the watchwizard and two guards took the priestess/housekeeper to the palace. I believe there was also FUD (what does that stand for?) among your uncles and extended family. Safina was looking into the assassination and how her fellow classmate came to be in Waterdeep, get the job, etc.\n\n===\n

+++[18th to 20th of Alturiak 1357DR - Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]\n\nDear [[Crium|Crium Roaringhorn]],\n\nI trust this letter will find you, and find you well. I have heard through [[Uncle Kuldos|Kuldos Roaringhorn]] that you are working wonders as the Baldurian Factor for our family's interest. Bless you for that; you know I do not have the merchant's temperment.\n\nI always seem to write to you under odd circumstances. I am at this very moment writing by the light of the moon. You may think that the moon does not provide enough light for writing, but here in the temple of [[Selune]]'s inner chambers the light shines much brighter.\n\nHow did I come to be in Selune's inner chambers? I will not keep you in suspense.\n\nAs you know from my last missive, my companions and I were investigating the disappearance of everyone's favorite moneylender / evil cultist, [[Hleth Vagi|Hlethvagi]]. Our elven companion went off on his own for a time, but I had faith he would pursue the quest in his own way. The warrior [[Carter]], who has made friends with our local Watch, brought the rest of us news of the interrogation of the [[Surgeon]]'s "assistant" to go with our morning tea. Although she never spoke (after all, she just likes being tortured) the watch wizard did manage to pick out two thoughts from her mind (which I didn't even know was possible) related to Hleth Vagi's disappearance: "the Temple below" and "the long, dark stair." Even dumber men than me could figure out that the latter no doubt led to the former. As my companions and I were sure (and nothing has changed our mind in that regard) that Hleth Vagi would cause further harm to Waterdeep if left to his own devices, we decided we needed to find the entrance to this stairway and chase the rat into this hole.\n\nOnce again, it was Carter who brought the next lead. I supposed one of the 'benefits' of being poor is that Carter has made friends with several lenders around the city, including [[Mirt]]. It seems that one of Mirt's old companions, [[Durnan]] (yes, the innkeeper who's head waiter kicked your ass at Castles three winters ago) is sitting on top of an entrance to the Underdark. No wonder he never said why he named his Inn "The [[Yawning Portal]]." Not exactly subtle, is it? Anyway, a brief conversation with Durnan revealed that (1) he kept a close eye on the portal beneath his Inn, and no cultists have been using it, and (2) the old man knew of another entrance to the Underdark which would accurately be described as a "not short and poorly illuminated stairwell."\n\nWhere is this dark stair you ask? I will say this: the more drunk you get at the [[Blushing Nymph]] (which is very easy to do, as you recall), the more imperative it becomes to only leave by the front door. You do not, I repeat "do not", want to get lost in the alley behind it. That's all I have to say about that.\n\nBefore we could go on our adventure down into the Underdark (do you hear how blase I am about that? Ha! I really have changed in the last two months), we had to get some supplies. The Underdark is not like other places we have gone. As usual the simple things caused the biggest arguments. I thought everyone saw the obvious benefits of torches over lanterns, but I was wrong. We ended up taking both, but only as a group. I would not have any of those dangerous devices strapped to my body.\n\nOff we went to The Blushing Nymph's rear entrance (heh heh) when the oddest thing happened: we were ambushed by a lone assassin, but our sniper was sniped in turn before he could get a shot off! Our "savior" then ran off before we could thank or question them. The whole thing was very mysterious, but I am confident that it was one of Hleth Vagi's men (probably a sentry watching the stairwell entrance) that was killed; he had poison on his crossbow that the lovely Safina indentified as being the same brew found on [[Malcer Stormwind]]'s lackey's weapons. As for who our savior was, I still have no idea. He wore a pendant to Mask, the Lord of Thieves too. So now we have poisoners, thieves and torturors of the helpless all working together. An Alliance of the Cowardly.\n\nThere was a short discussion on what to do with the body. I voted to toss him in the sewers; Carter blew the watch horn and had the body carted off by the authorities. Priss.\n\nFinally, without further delay, we headed into the depths. As we closed the door behind us some disembodied voice laughed at us. Less like [[Nelson Anteos]], more like [[Maskar Wand]]'s evil twin brother on his 8th shot of whiskey. Certainly not welcoming.\n\n"[[The long dark stair|Long Dark Stair]]" is what it sounds like. It's a stair. It's long. We brought torches. About half-way down we fought a land-squid. That's what I call it. Looked like log, tentacles and maw like a squid. The battle ranged over the length of the stair, with us all doing some harm and Carter eventually finishing it off with his big-ass hammer. It wasn't until we got to the bottom of the stair that it got interesting.\n\nThe stair ended at a landing with a laughing face carved into the stone, and no door or other obvious stonework. Surprise! The face was a trap, and shot arrows at us. Other little trap doors opened up and dropped something on us, but Carter caught it and threw it back before it did anything. It must have done something to the folks on the other side, because we heard cries of (orcish) dismay. The next time they opened the door in the ceiling Carter himself jumped up and through and knocked a bunch of flamables onto the orcs in that room. Most of them burned to death, but we did capture one. He had a white hand emblem on his helmet and armor like those other orcs we saw in Dock Ward, but apparently just means they're members of a very large clan which rents out mercenaries to anyone. Hleth Vagi paid for their services in meat, gold and slaves, that bastard. Where he got the slaves, or what the orcs did with them is unknown. That dude is working up quite a bill.\n\nThe orcs were guarding the coat room to the Underdark, and in the rooms that followed were a floating glass sphere filled with a strange glowing gas and the skeletons of a battle fought long ago. I got a cool shield out of it, and Carter took a brass ring from a skeleton that was still shiny after centuries. We also avoided a few ogres: no need to fight those when you don't need to.\n\nIt was a round room with three doors that is the reason I am sitting in Selune's hall now. We were attacked by were-rats (again), and luckily most of us still had the silver weapons we had prepared the last time around. During the fight however I got a nasty bite from one of those half-rat-half-man critters, and I could feel his blood mixing with mine. I knew I would have to do something about that, and luckily Tymora smiled upon me again. I'm getting a bit ahead of myself though.\n\nThe fight with the rats started out looking grim, but we 'experimented' on them with those glass sphere which we assumed to be weapons but never used before. It was some kind of knock-out gas. Not as good as warfarin, but good enough. The gas quickly turned the odds in our favor and my bite was the only serious injury sustained. The cowards (part of the Alliance) tried to run away, but we ran them down like the rats they were.\n\nWe dared to venture a bit deeper into the Underdark, and it was a good thing we did. We came to a roiling curtain of shadow, but passing through it appeared to do no harm. It was a mere illusion, hiding a dark temple. Inside was a young maiden ([[Feluna Moonstar]]!) tied to an alter and unconscious. That's not all though - our companion [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] was there as well! I have no idea how either of them ended up there, but he was badly unconscious as well, but badly wounded. It's clear he did not go down without a fight, as I would expect, but maybe that will teach him to stop wandering off from the group. So, with two wounded to carry and some wounds of our own we decided to head back up to the surface.\n\nSo, that's how I ended up in the inner Sanctum of Selune. Feluna has entered the Temple's service since you left (no surprise there), and I had to have my bite seen to. So, here I am, soaking up the holy moonlight and whiling the night away. Cath is being seen to in some other part of the Temple, and I'm not sure where Carter, Safina or Maj have gone. Probably sleeping somewhere, as I should be as well. I believe I will write to [[Uncle Kuldos|Kuldos Roaringhorn]] next, and then call it a night.\n\nGood night my brother, and may the southern stars watch over you with benevolence.\n\nYour brother,\nPerry\n\n-------------------\n\nUncle Kuldos,\n\nWent to the Underdark. Rescued Feluna Moonstar. Thought you'd want to know.\n\nS.P.R.\n\nPS - Grlhnds still making weapons. Who is buying them? Thoughts? \n===\n

+++[24th of Alturiak 1357DR - Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]\n\nThe echoes of the battle recede down the tunnels of [[Undermountain]] to unknown ears. The great room becomes silent, but for the breathing, and the wounded ogres' gasps for air.\n\n[[Sir Perrigan|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] looks about the room wearily. His eyes settle on his covered shield. He rips off the cover angrily. "//If I am to die down here I will not go nameless into this eternal night. My enemies will know they faced a Knight of Waterdeep.//"\n\nHe looks at his companions, judging their wounds with his medic's eye. The wounds are real, but none worse than his own. He will look to his friends eventually.\n\nPerrigan walks over the Priestess of [[Loviatar]] and checks to see if she is still breathing. If she is he tends to her wounds to make sure she lives long enough to yield tactical information. Death is her reward for choosing the service of Loviatar, but death can wait until her worth is spent preserving what is good in this world.\n\nNext, unless one of his companions gives a damn good reason why not, Perrigan sets about the grim task of making sure there are no miraculous recoveries by one of the Ogre warriors or their dire wolf pets. The beasts are too strong to bind with rope, and no one brought chains. Any recoveries on their part would be grim news for this wounded band.\n\nPerrigan then sees to his own wounds, and the wounds of his companions. Lastly, after the bodies have been searched and any reconnaissance done, he suggests the party pulls back with their prisoner to the room under [[Mystra]]'s protection. There is no safety in Undermountain, but that room may be safer than others while they rest for a little while.\n===\n

+++[6th of Tarsakh 1357DR - Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]\n\nThauntle's Co.:\n\nThis night I was taken by magical means from the streets of [[Waterdeep]], to the very library of [[Khelben Arunsun]], the Blackstaff Lord of Warerdeep. It would appear that our investigating into [[Marune]], whom we have called "the Man on the Mountain" has piqued interest in high places. Although my conversation with him was short, there is much to tell. My speculations are in (parentheticals).\n\nMarune\n* Marune is over 100 years old.\n* Marune is "the Cloakmaster" of the Shadow Thieves, and one of the organization's founding members.\n* Marune has been gone from the north "these seventeen winters." (Note to self (Ask [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]]?): What happened of note seventeen years ago?) ''Cath: That coincides with the time that the [[Shadow Thieves]] were run out of Waterdeep.''\n* If you face Marune, break this crystal. It will bring you the aid you need.\n\nDark Deeds about the City\n* Dark have been the dreams of the city of late. This is a new thing. If they are connected, then a great power is at work; greater than any power currently suspected of operating.\n* Our planned trip to rescue [[Lareth|Lareth Myntion]] is fortuitous. If a power is at work, its influence spans the whole of the Sword Coast. More clues may be found in [[Baldur's Gate]].\n\nMagical Portals (a.k.a., Gates)\n* They are a secret of the old High Elven Magic. The Blackstaff has not the Art to control them.\n* The [[Mad Mage]] (created?) controls the portals about Waterdeep.\n* Occasionally other persons have descended into the Undercity and wrested control of the portals from the Mad Mage for a time. (Or did he simply allow this?)\n* The portals may or may not operate according to a fixed schedule. There is no way to be sure. (Our enemies, hopefully, are taking advantage of operations they cannot control. If we followed them through the portals the Mad Mage would be able to lock us into those places, but our enemies probably can't. Hopefully.)\n\nHouse [[Gralhund]]\n* The Blackstaff was unaware of their involvement.\n* The Blackstaff would be most pleased if they were undone.\n===\n

+++[8th through 10th of Tarsakh 1357DR - Cath]\n\n[[Carter]] and [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] decided to take a short scouting mission out to the location of [[Stoneturn]] indicated on the map the party received from [[Elaith Craulnobur]].\n\nIn preparation, Carter decided it would be best to visit [[Jasmal]], the dwarven sage and explorer at her usual hangout, [[Selune's Smile]]. While discussing the trip the party agreed to do for her, the subject of Stoneturn came up, as well as The Serpent. The devil soon appeared after his name was mentioned. He asked about the party's task for him and offered to buy a drink for Carter and Cath. Cath quickly paid for his own, though Carter accepted.\n\nJasmal decided to accompany the pair on the trip and they set off on mounts along the Amphail Road only to be ambushed by nine assassins.\n\nThe trio killed all but two, one of which escaped. They learned that the leader's name was [[Joss]]. The captured survivor was [[Marden]]. Cath tricked him into revealing a bit more than he intended (and a swift punch to the crotch from Carter may have helped encourage him to reveal the rest).\n\nThe assassins were to find their payment behind the bar of the [[Thirsty Throat]]. He didn't know who hired them. Marden agreed to accompany the trio, disguised as the assassins, to get the money. Marden would take the next ship out with the entire 1,000gp payment, promising Cath to live an honest life from that day forward. While Cath was dubious, he nonetheless sealed the deal. The four of them spent the night uneventfully in the forest and set out to return to Waterdeep the next morning.\n\nCath disguised the trio as the assassins (Carter specifically as Joss to do the talking) using his newly found magical abilities. Carter could barely contain himself when speaking to the bartender, having gotten tired of dealing with the rathole and people trying to kill the Company working out of it, but he kept his cool and they waited until closing time to come back and have a chat with the barkeep and the man who always seemed to be there: [[Ornthiir Hilsar]].\n\nAfter waiting until nearly five in the morning, Cath immediately jumped over the bar and past the barkeep and into the next room, since he could not see Orthiir in the main sitting area. Jasmal waited outside by the side door. Carter wrestled and bantered with the huge barkeep while being harassed by the Throat's ghost, 'Grampa'. Cath passed through the kitchen and let Jasmal in. As the elf and dwarf made their way back to the bar, Cath felt a slight breeze coming up from the floor. A trap door!\n\nCath threw open the trapdoor and jumped down. A door had closed with some faint light beyond. He threw it open just in time to see another closing. He ran to that one and threw it open to find a surprised Ornthiir on the other side. It was a warehouse filled with barrels.\n\nOrnthiir asked what Cath was doing there.\n\n"//I've come to put an end to the assassination attempts on my friends and I. It was nice knowing you,//" swishing his rapier. He then focused and created a magical force that tried to grap the pawnbroker, but he escaped and ran through the barrels, heading for the stairs up. Cath ran right over the barrels and up the railing of the stair past Ornthiir, to stop him.\n\n"//I know where you live, Ornthiir. Running away is pointless.//"\n\nThe sneaky man seemed to be seriously considering what Cath was saying, but then lunged twice with his daggers. One struck home, sapping some of the elf's agility.\n\nUndaunted, Cath ran behind Ornthiir, below him on the stairs and felt his magic effect move up behind him, and stabbed Ornthiir in the kidney.\n\nJasmal was slowly making her way through the barrels and up the stairs.\n\nTaking a different tack Ornthiir tried to reason with Cath, though as he spoke, Cath felt confused by his words, "//You know, we don't have to do this. We could just have a chat or something else. Don't you think? I think so.//"\n\nCath's head started to spin, nearly overwhelmed by the clever man's fasttalking, but something in his blood pushed it away.\n\n"//I think you're right...//"\n\nCath again dodged under one of Ornthiir's arms up the stair above him. Both the spell and Jasmal were right below now... and Cath struck!\n\nBleeding but not down, Ornthiir growled at the elf. But not for long.\n\nJasmal swung her hammer down on the man's head and he crumpled to the floor.\n\nCath's spell carrier him back to the bar, where Carter was just plying the loser of the wrestling match for information.\n\n===\n

+++[Whispers of a Nameless Fear - DM]\nIt had been a hell of a two days.\n\nThrough a gray curtain of spring rain, [[Carter]] and [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] had ridden the [[Amphail Road]] in company with the dwarf sage [[Jasmal]], heading eastward beyond [[Ardeep Forest]] in search of the (possible) location of [[Stoneturn]], a fortress built by the dwarves for the Eldar of the kingdom of Ardeep centuries past. Their only clue to the place was a map provided by the renegade elf [[Elaith "the Serpent" Craulnobur|Elaith Craulnobur]], who had retained them, in a sense, to find and explore the place. Neither Carter nor Cath trusted the elf much (nor did Jasmal, judging from their brief conversations), but they were interested in at least finding the place, if only to keep its treasures safe from all evil, including possibly Elaith himself.\n\nThe journey had gone uncompleted, however. A surprise attack by nine assassins on the road had ended in disaster... for the assassins, anyway. Nonetheless, the three companions were hardly happy about their own wounds, and after questioning the remaining living assassin they had captured (one had escaped), they found out that these cut-throats had been promised a good deal of gold by a person or persons unknown to find and slay some folk traveling "with a dwarf" on the Amphail Road. Descriptions had been provided of a quickfooted, graceful elf, an extraordinarily tall man in elaborately-spired armor, a hugely-muscled, a broad-shouldered noble knight, and a young girl with an incongrously-sized broadsword. Payment was to be delivered at the [[Thirsty Throat]] tavern, a notorious dive already previously ventured by some of the companions and now, it seemed, due for a return visit.\n\nThese thoughts ran through Cath's head as he watched the scene before him. The back room of the Thirsty Throat tavern lay in a shambles: Overturned barrels of ale rolling about, a box of salted pork staved in here and there and yielding a musty meat aroma, sacks of flour ripped open and pouring their contents on the floor. \n\nDominating this ruin were three very different bodies, the first two prone. The squat, toadlike, and monstrously fat body of [[Bulaedo "Fists" Ledgileer|Bulaedo Ledgileer]], sprawled over nearly half the chamber, was made even more grotesque by the bloody blade-marks and purple bruises covering it. In contrast, the crumpled, scarecrow-like form of [[Ornthiir Hilsar]] was almost tiny and pathetic, relegated to a corner. \n\nCarter's towering form, its once-shining armor spattered with "Fists'" blood and splashed with the mud and rain, loomed over the two prone figures, blocking the dim, sputtering light given by the swinging oil lamp above and spreading a daunting shadow over his two captives. Standing discreetly behind him, watching each of the storeroom's exits, were Cath and the stocky, dark-cloaked dwarf sage Jasmal.\n\n"//I'm still waiting for you to tell me what the meaning of all this is,//" says Carter. "//I've told you already: I know for a fact that this place has been involved in two attacks on me and my comrades. I also know that it's probably perfectly flammable. So you'd better start talking.//"\n\n"//I told you: I don't know anything,//" said Bulaedo. "//Why would I be stupid enough to ask questions? All I know is that I allow certain folk to do business in my place and I make sure to keep out the Watch. If you want answers, you've come to the wrong person.//"\n\n"//I doubt that,//" said Carter. "//Look, you understand, right? Either talk, or we'll kill you. The only thing keeping you out of my grasp and alive is the possibility of your providing information.//"\n\n"//Once more: I don't know anything!//"\n\n"//Who does, then? Tell us that, and perhaps you'll live.//"\n\n"//Ask him,//" said Bulaedo, sticking a sausage-like thumb in the direction of Ornthir's sprawled form. "//He knows more than I do, I warrant.//"\n\n"//He's not awake right now,//" rumbled Carter. "//And anyway, I don't think that's all you know, what with all these secret entrances and exits and all the coin that passes through them. I think it's time for a little structural rearrangement,//" and he slid his great maul from his shoulders.\n\n"//I've told you everything! Besides, there are worse fates than death!//"\n\n"//Well, death is what you have to face right now, unless you talk.//"\n\n"//Well enough. Truly!//" said Bulaedo. "//I know one thing: There is a new power in Waterdeep, judging from the spate of activity I've seen. Someone with the force to intimidate many of the petty cutpurses and sell-swords lurking around.//"\n\n[To be continued...]\n===

+++[Fall of the Shadow Thieves - Cath]\nGetting a wagon from surly Carters' guildmembers at a mere seven bells had been enough pain after a long night. Dragging the cadaverous, jerky pawnbroker [[Ornthiir Hilsar]] through the streets, along with two rather awkward paintings and an //extremely// awkward (and heavy!) elven statue was even more. Working up the courage to knock on the door of Blackstaff Tower, itself an object of sinister legendry, was the icing on the cake.\n\nBut it was all worth it, Cath reflected, as he watched Ornthiir squirm under the black-browed gaze of the archmage [[Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun|Khelben Arunsun]]. Khelben's six-foot stature might as well have been a hundred as he towered over the groveling merchant.\n\n"Speak, cur! You know who I am. I imagine your masters at Shadowhouse frighten young thieves into obedience by the mention of my name. Now, these good folk have given me much reason to trust them... and even more reasons to immediately distrust you. So tell me what you know of your operations here, your master Marune, and what the Shadow Thieves want in //my// city."\n\nOrnthiir's fear was awesome to behold.. but dissembling was as natural to his character as breathing. His protestations of innocence began immediately... only to be cut off as the Blackstaff leaned down and whispered //something// in his ear. His eyes went blank for a moment, and he trembled as with an ague.\n\n"Take it away. I'll tell you anything; just take it away!"\n\n"Well enough," said Khelben. "Really, you should have known better. We've played this game over a century, your masters and I, and the Masked Lady before us. So tell us, then. What is the Guild doing here in Waterdeep?"\n\nSo Ornthiir explained everything: How he was the contact for the [[Shadow Thieves]] in Waterdeep, and tasked with gathering various criminal gangs and thugs under a common banner via promises of wealth, intimidation, and fellow feeling. He had little success to date, although he had succeeded in passing some goods (weapons, drugs, poisons, and such) to his master [[Marune]] through various channels. He noted that several of these shipments were the product of transactions with the Underdark, including some transactions with the same folk supplying House [[Gralhund]] with metal bars. He claimed to be communicating with Marune only through various anonymous, hooded and cloaked intermediaries. Finally, he cited the name of his only known contact in Waterdeep: the shipping agent [[Maknis]].\n\nAt Khelben's behest, [[Thauntle's Company]] took Ornthiir to Castle Waterdeep and before the Magister [[Baelam]] "Broadshoulders." Fortunately, it was still morning, and Baelam had not had time to develop his famed state of inebriation. Ornthiir was sentenced immediately, on the testimony of the noble [[Dolerphus Thongolir]], the company itself, and a magically-delivered missive of the Blackstaff's, to three years in the city's dungeons, with additional sentences possible should further charges be confirmed by hard evidence.\n\nSubsequent to this, the Company searched both Ornthiir's warehouse and his shop, [[Waukeen's Wares]]. They located several apparently legitimate goods, as well as: \n*Three pieces of art (two paintings and a statue of a nude elf), all stolen from the [[Thongolir]] estate;\n*A trapped crate with a false bottom, below which were several bottles with red, blue, and green wax stoppers;\n*A metal-lined ship's chest containing thirty-six coffers, each marked with a cipher which (upon decryption by Cath) was revealed to be a date for "return of payment" and an address, usually an alley with a dark reputation;\n*A note: \n//The ancient Citadel of the Bloody Hand has been usurped by the Harpers. The location is the cave on the west side.//\n*A shipping log:\n//Includes the [[Maid of Victory]] with several trips north to [[Luskan]] and south to [[Athkatla]].//\n*Mention of the [[Ruldegost]] Estate, Kara Ruldegost and [[Bly Ruldegost]].\n*Another note:\n//Overtures to the Lantan merchant have received no response. Suggest approaching locally.//\nStamped with an Eye.\n*Yet another note:\n//Your overtures are causing us trouble. The City will stamp us all out. Desist from your crude and unnecessary operations.//\n*And another:\n//Maernath Storage. Investigate?//\n\nWhile [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] and [[Safina]] were searching Ornthiir's warehouse and shop, [[Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] and [[Carter]] were on their own adventure, investigating rumours of strange, sibilant voices next door to their acquaintance and local merchant [[Rokkek Ingerr]]. They investigated, and found a stirring scene indeed! A mighty combat ensued, during which Perrigan and Carter defeated a fell wizard and discovered that Rokkek's neighbor, [[Ilnaster Ravenar]], was engaged in activities a bit beyond the scope of the typical Waterdhavian merchant. Specifically, they discovered that Ilnaster was involved with the [[Cult of the Dragon]], as well as some 5,000 gp in trade bars apparently earmarked for payment ("tithing") to the Cult.\n\nOn the 13th of Tarsakh, Cath visited the temples of [[Selune]], [[Tempus]] and [[Tymora]] to warn them that the Cult was trying to play them off against each other by attacking each an hour apart and placing the marks of the others at the scene. \n\nThe proposed trip to Baldur's Gate is becoming more pressing as the reasons stack up:\n\n1 - Recovery of the rest of the stolen Thonglolir artwork\n2 - Rescuing Laereth\n3 - Find and Defeat Marune\n4 - Cath wishes to contact the elves there\n\nWith regards to point 3, Cath again suggested that Safina and Majmalo infiltrate the Shadow Thieves separately, while Carter, Cath and Sir P wait around and attend to other business. The voyage is booked for 18 Tarsakh.\n===

+++[Baldur's Gate - DM]\nPerrigan staggered out of the Surly Wench Tavern, head spinning from copious drink as well as from the occasional lucky blow sustained in a long night's brawling. Strangely enough, his blood was still up despite his attempts to let off steam. He absently scratched the livid spot on his forearm, which seemed to be a bit larger than he remembered it.\n\nHe had been unwilling to reveal his plan even to his cohorts, thinking secrecy the best option, but at least //he// had a good picture as to what was going on. Starting with Majmalo's inquiries in the Wide, Baldur's Gate's market (coupled with some innuendos from the Lantanese merchant to the effect that there was a hefty reward going around for information about missing paladins of Tyr), the members of Thauntle's Company had individually uncovered some key points of information:\n\n1) The paladins had been seen about the darker quarters of town, breaking heads and making forceful inquiries into the existence of a new conspiracy within the Baldur's Gate Thieves' Guild. (Carter)\n\n2) They had presented themselves to the Church of Helm the Guardian God, the faith in the city closest in spirit to that of Tyr, but a rival faith nonetheless. The Church of Helm had no information about any more serious evildoing than the usual Guild operations, which were always low-key to avoid confrontation with the City's vigilant Watch and the other law enforcement group in town, the famous Flaming Fist mercenary company. However, as a merchant's city, the Gate was little given to strong militant religious forces, and thus the Helmites would have been unable to muster the resources to investigate such a problem even if they had known about one. (Cath)\n\n3) As revealed in conversation with the thief Joss, who had fled here after being sent off by Cath to redeem himself and had set himself up as a market-trader, there were a few discreet points of contact for the Guild in Baldur's Gate, each of which had access to a safehouse that served as the Guild's district/local "headquarters" and each of which was home to a few senior thieves as well as a number of rank-and-file members. One of these points of contact was an unnamed wineshop just down the street from Felogyr's Fireworks, another a theater-dancehall called the Grinning Gargoyle in the eastern section of town. Finally, the [[Blushing Mermaid]], a rambling inn and tavern by the docks, was the point of contact for all the shadiest folk in town. (the PCs)\n\n4) A visit to the Blushing Mermaid by Perrigan produced some brief contact with a woodcarver named [[Ulmyn Andalor]], who seems to sit quietly and endlessly in one of the corners of that place carving small bits of wood. Perrigan requested a carving of a camel's head, which was provided in due time. (Perrigan)\n\n5) Subsequently, Cath visited the Blushing Mermaid as well to meet with Ulmyn. He attempted a discreet offer for the lives and/or safety of the paladins, which was either ignored or turned down, as Ulmyn simply professed ignorance of any such matters and bid Cath good day. (Cath)\n\n6) Meanwhile, after much roaming around the rougher taverns in the Gate, buying drinks, asking questions, and occasionally breaking heads, Carter was attacked by four black-clad assassins with strange shadow-tattoos. He managed to capture one and brought it to the headquarters of the Flaming Fist, where interrogation showed that the assassins had been set on his trail after he "had been seen asking too many questions." The assassin confirmed the existence of the aforementioned safehouses, and even gave a description of how to enter the Grinning Gargoyle safehouse: By moving a panel in one of the theatre's side walls (fronting on an alley), going through a crawlspace to a locked door, and knocking a pattern on that door, at which point one would be admitted, then sent along another crawl-passage to another door, which was both guarded and protected by a pit trap in front of it. (Carter)\n\n7) Safina had fought a mysteriously-conjured shadow-creature to save the lives of two lasses, Ilmeera and Ardeth, who along with their sister Jhalassa (now dead), had traveled on the [[Mermaid Sword]] with Thauntle's Company and were now staying at the [[Blade and Stars]]. By doing so, she had found out that the sisters had engaged in some burglaries in Waterdeep and had come southward to fence their take as well as to hide from the Watch a while. (Safina)\n\n8) Safina also had learned the whereabouts of Thardin, a gruff dwarven blacksmith who served as a Thieves' Guild contact in the Gate, and from him, had gained admission to the Guild safehouse that was connected to the unnamed wineshop. Safina was introduced to the district high-up, a man by the name of [[Janus Bevren]]. Janus offered Safina provisional admission to the Guild provided that she paid the necessary 25 gp dues and engaged in a spying mission for him. Specifically, Janus ordered Safina to tail "a dark-skinned man in Calishite robes with a great scimitar" and "a giant in elaborately-fluted coat-of-plate." (Safina)\n\n9) Safina "followed" the two men (the disguised Perrigan and Carter, of course) and, in doing so, found out that the sisters she had helped had gotten themselves into more trouble than they'd bargained for. Another of the passengers on the [[Mermaid Sword]], the "herbalist" Hessalo Avrein, was in reality a Cult of the Dragon mageling in search of an item that the sisters had robbed from the "box-merchant" [[Ilnaster Ravenar]]. Thauntle's Company thus reunited, albeit briefly, for a spectacular rooftop battle against the wizard and his shadow-creatures right outside Cath's room at the [[Blade and Stars]]. (the PCs)\n\nAs the Second Day of Merry Mirtul dawned on the Halfway Port, Perrigan felt less merry than perplexed. The mysterious note that he had planted by the Gralhund family's Baldur's Gate mansion had been picked up, but by whom? What was to be the next step? How would he get in touch with Safina now that she had fled in order to avoid being seen with the rest of her companions?\n\n//Adventure can be a tricky thing//, he mused, and scratched once more at his forearm.

+++[28th of Mirtul 1357DR - DM]\nPoised in an alleyway a mere few paces from the court in which bloody battle had raged moments ago, Cath surveyed his companions and thought back on what had brought them to rumor-shrouded [[Skullport]]; a rumor no more to the members of [[Thauntle's Company]], who had braved it a second time. Their first trip down had been an investigation into where the all-too-familiar sewer depths might lead; following the track of the disappeared Red Wizard Ethur Anszim, an ally of the [[Order of the Black Flame]], the company had discovered a magical //gate// leading to this mysterious underground city, a ramshackle, dark, faerie-lit cove stinking of rotting fish, Underdark mold, and stranger things, home to orcs, dark elves, and illithids brazenly walking the streets, and littered with caged, half-starved, or enslaved beings in various stages and phases of torment.\n\nOn the last trip, the Company had successfully traced the missing Lantanese galleon //Gond's Glory//, a ship that had gone missing along with its cargo, a powerful and mystery-cloaked weapon of the Gondar called a //spellweb//. They had purchased the freedom of some of the crew, who had been enslaved, and discovered that the rest had been purchased by the drow "merchant" [[Malakuth Tabuirr]], to be taken into the Realms Below for purposes unknown. The Company had also come to grips with its old enemy [[Dessra the Dark|Dessra]], who had been conducting at least part of her trade in "firebirth alchemicals" from the Port of Shadow. Striking a bargain with Dessra for information and a promise never to return or recommence the operations of the [[Order of the Black Flame]] in Waterdeep, the Company sent her on her way out of Skullport, keeping her stock of alchemicals for Majmalo to bear forth to the [[House of Inspired Hands]]. \n\nThis time, the Company had entered Skullport through the front door, as it were; having recovered a letter of passage from their raid on the [[Genie of the Wave]] in [[Baldur's Gate]], the Company used the letter (and Maj's considerable powers of persuasion) to negotiate the [[South Seacaves]] and ride an eldritch lift-hoist and several steep falls down into the City Below. Upon their arrival, the Company had been approached by an unexpected ally: the hedge-mage (or was she more than a hedge-mage? Cath wondered) [[Kylia]], who swept them through a hidden door into a back room of the [[Findlewulf's Galley]] tavern and gave them some information as to the whereabouts and nature of Malakuth, who is apparently a member of the [[Iron Ring]], a consortium of slavers.\n\nActing on this intelligence and their own findings, the Company investigated Malakuth's townhouse in Skullport's [[Lower Heart]]. As it lay conveniently adjacent to the [[House of the Long Slow Kiss]] festhall, Perrigan, Majmalo, and Safina went into the pleasure-house to gain a vantage and gather intelligence while Cath sent Danuril, his spirit companion, to investigate the grounds, which turned out to be heavily guarded by drow mercenaries and wandering basilisks. \n\nWhile in the House, Perrigan noticed [[Vajra Gralhund]] speaking with two cowled figures. Maj inquired as to who the cowled figures might be, to find out from a pair of hireswords in [[Rhaunaguth]]'s company that they are folk recently arrived to Skullport, who bear shadow-tattoos on their necks. Vajra got up and left about an hour after Perrigan and Maj arrived, meeting her bodyguards at the door; the cowled figures left about twenty minutes later. Neither Perrigan nor Maj has any idea what they might have been discussing.\n\nFinally, Cath and Safina, standing on the roof of the House with other "outdoor" revelers, noticed the gates of Malakuth's townhouse swing open and an armed band sally forth, bracketing the slaves on their coffle and led by a wizard moving on a black, faerie-fire-limned floating disk. The Company trailed the caravan to an open square in which hung various cages with sad figures living and dead, as well as a golden-furred, twelve-legged beast in an adamantine cage. There, the battle commenced as Cath drew upon Sehanine's power to blind the drow with moon-radiance. Perhaps especially goaded to act against the ancient, slave-taking foes of the Eldar, the goddess obliged. While Cath and Safina had tried to engage the wizard in combat as he blasted them with flame, lightning, dark energies, and great crawling clouds of darkness, Perrigan waded into the midst of the blinded drow guards, cleaving limbs, smashing skulls, and sweeping through ranks in terrible slaughter. Not without some blows being struck in return, however.\n\nPerrigan sat still as a decorative armored statue while Safina efficiently peeled back his breastplate and carefully worked aside the undertunic to disclose a dark bruise over his heart. His breathing was stertorous, and an occasional cough spotted his pristine armor with flecks of blood, black in the dim faerie-light of Skullport. Safina slipped a dark herb from a belt pouch and bruised it under Perrigan's nose, stilling his breath and causing him to relax into serenity... or something like it, anyway. "Where //is// that weasel Maj, anyway?" growled Perrigan. \n\nMajmalo, meanwhile, was stealing toward the dock with his Lantanese compatriots in tow. Sailors on the //Gond's Glory//, a galleon come northward to the House of Inspired Hands in Waterdeep from Lantan for the Ippensheir festivities (Gond's high holy days), they had been taken by pirate slavers, along with, of course, the //spellweb//, a thing of paramount concern to the merchant-rogue who had braved the Port of Shadow to rescue these slaves.\n\n"So where is it, anyway? Is one of you the captain? Can you give me some more information?" gasped Maj as the group raced toward the Port, homing in on the scent of rotting fish and murky water. \n\n"The captain's dead. They tortured him to death right in front of us," said a slight, bookish man who looked practically bent double from having borne his slave-coffle. "I'm the chief engineer. I take it you want to know where the spellweb is... to which I'll say I don't know. A group of fierce-looking Northmen bore it off the ship and onto their own. A vessel with a great carved figurehead: A sword-wielding maiden." \n\n"Hm; I think I know that ship," mused Majmalo, as he guided the slaves onto the stripped-down longship lent by the House of Inspired Hands. "We'll have to see where it went."

+++[29th and 30th of Mirtul 1357DR - Cath]\n\n''29 Mirtul, Year of the Prince''\nHaving returned from Skullport with the poor Lantanese sailors, Majmalo decided that pursuing the spellweb northward would wait until Midsummer. This was for two stated reasons: we are far behind the ship (the [[Maid of Victory]], no less!) and have other business there at that time (our promise to [[Jasmal]]. (Though I suspect he simply hates the cold—there are advantages to having elven blood!).\n\nWe ran into [[Madame Garah]], who asked me (ME?!?) to carry her laundry. Fortunately, [[Sir P|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] was around and was more readily able to balance the large pile of clothing on his broad shoulders.\n\nWe soon ran into [[Shaerlee]] of the [[Men of the Purple Arrow]]. She said that [[Carter]] is getting quite impatient waiting in the woods. I assume there he's simply run out of things to choke...\n\nPerrigan was ready to start out immediately. So much for my plans of bathing, resting, and planning. But it's probably just as well. I feel the pull of my ancestry more and more these days and it's quite easy to fall into the //idea// of a thing as opposed to the thing itself. Will [[Stoneturn]] actually be what I expect? What do I expect? And will I be able to resist the other pull long enough to reach our goal? I fear dealing with //the book// may be the end of me.\n\nBut onward we ride around (and certainly not //through// where who knows what dwells?) the [[Ardeep Forest]] and to Stoneturn and the rest of my friends.\n\n-----\n\nI see a sliver of moonlight ahead and am off to investigate.\n\n-----\n\nEveryone but Safina and I fell asleep. They did not even awaken when they slid off of their horses to the ground!\n\nWe are now encamped in a circle of stones on this hill where I first saw the light shining down. Here did I find a mysterious lady who obviously represented the interests of My Lady of the Silvery Moon. She spoke of [[Aurelia Ssarn]] and her disappearance. Thankfully, it was she (and not those of the Enemy) who took her. But all the news is not good. She did so because there are enemies in the House of [[Selune]] in [[Waterdeep]]. She said I could trust [[Feluna Moonstar]] and that others are not. Is she so outnumbered? And why is my presence seemingly always needed in so many places at once? "//There is a cancer in the City's heart, Cath.//" What can that mean? Perhaps another visit to the [[Blackstaff]] is in order when we return to Waterdeep.\n\nShe also said not to fear [[the Serpent|Elaith Craulnobur]]. It is well then. Perhaps tonight's rest will be Cathartic! I believe we can camp here without fear of being disturbed.\n\n-----\n\n''30 Mirtul, Year of the Prince''\nAs we hoped we rested without incident. Off again at midday, we rode until an arrow struck the ground near me. No more followed. Figuring that must either mean we've found our friends or a lone goblin with a very over-inflated opinion of his abilities, I called out.\n\nSure enough, 'twas [[Tasar|Tasar Taurntyrith]] answered the call claiming to have intended to miss by so much with his arrow simply to stop us. He didn't look me in the eye when he said it, so I have to wonder if he's really been practicing with his bow or doing his daydreaming thing. I'll wager the latter. Let's hope we don't soon have to find out!\n\nWe were soon reunited with Carter and my other elven friends ([[Oenel|Oenel Mrhulaedir]], [["Nemmer"|Nremyn Sarsantyr]], and [[Rauvelore|Rauvelore Bhephel]]). Carter has been busy setting traps all around their encampment. My theory about him being bored must be true. He also looks larger than I recall and his armor is not as well-kept. Perhaps being in the woods has awakened his 'wild' side.\n\nStoneturn is not quite what I expected. It is cubical in shape and quite large; approximately six-hundred feet to a side. There is a large pair of doors about the height of three elves with an arched top, one of which is open. There is also a large giant impaled on a stone spike a few paces before the door—a material reminder of why I wanted [[Majmalo]] to come on this trip.\n\nAfter investigating the area thoroughly, we discovered that this was a false entrance. In fact, there was a ceiling trap that prevented all forward movement (and could have crushed all of us into a fine powder). Safina spotted it (despite its many cobwebs hiding the high ceiling itself) and we decided to let Majmalo trigger it to see if there was a way forward after the ceiling collapsed. There was nowhere to go that we could find. So much for the obvious.\n\nWe found another large entrance about halfway between the false entrance and the corner of the structure. Well hidden, it was trimmed with elvish runes and was 20 feet or so square.\n\nThe runes read (translated): "//If you be friend, speak your intent and place your hand on this inscription.//"\n\nI turned to my companions, seeking an answer to the question. They mentioned many different reasons, but ultimately it was the nagging voice in my head who answered:\n\n"//To learn.//"\n\nI still feel the jolt of energy that ran up my arm and into my shoulder. Answering elvish riddles in a human language is not recommended.\n\n"//Amin irma istin.//"\n\nThis time the result was a deep rumbling and the stone retreating into the wall allowing us entry. This passage, in contrast to the false one, was quite clean. On the floor was a another set of runes, this time a mix of the elvish and dwarvish. "//Seek ye here the way to [[Ilefarn]]...//" began the inscription on the floor. This time the elvish formed a path amongst the dwarvish. Another trap, this time avoidable by knowing the elvish script! Ilefarn—the home of my forebears. The fabled elven kingdom of Ilefarn... can the answers the [[Dawntree Elves]] seek really be found here after all this time?\n\nThere is a great round door—a wheel it seems—at the end of this hall. As the inscriptions on the walls continue, they become less and less abstracted and form figurative etchings. Further down the hall is an elf lord and lady looking at a magical portal with a castle visible through it. The inscription on the floor continues thusly:\n\n"//Seek ye here the way to Ilefarn and the second hall you'll find. Know ye that the wheel is a worse torment thant a ring of fire, but that the pit may lead to a fortuitous fall.//"\n\nIt ends there, short of the wheel-door. Slanting myself aside, I asked Carter to strike the floor in front of me with his halberd. As he did so, the floor dropped open. Leaning over, I saw spikes not far below in a pit. No sign of a way out; which is a clear indication that it must be the correct way to go!\n\nWhile the others got ropes at the ready I hopped down (flipped really to keep my balance and avoid the spikes). Deciding not to take any chances, I asked Sir P to hand down his tower shield to cover the spikes in case anyone fell when climbing down. As I laid it across the spikes, they retracted and a stair appeared. Oh, and I noticed a tiny line in the wall... another door.\n\nAs we passed through this door we found others, but I headed toward the nearest. When I opened the door, it was nearly tumbled into the room which was depressed further into the ground. I ducked as Carter spilled into the room. In true faen fashion, I thought, it is good to remind the big man that not everything can be choked. He had no comment.\n\nIn the next room were three intimidating statues on pedestals. There was my Lady of the Moon (in solid silver!), the father of the Elves himself: [[Corellon Larethian]] (in gold of course), and [[Labelas Enoreth]] (an elven god of longevity, in bronze). Each statue gave off a palpable magical aura, though each also differed. Sehanine Moonbow's was divinatory, Correllon Larethian's was charmic, and Labelas' was necromantic. This made sense.\n\nNow came the question of which to approach first. There were two schools of thought on this. In the order of their heirarchy (Corellon Larethian clearly the first, followed by Sehanine Moonbow, and finally Labelas Enoreth). The other was a bit more pragmatic and less obvious. Approach Sehanine Moonbow first for wisdom and hopefully discern which to seek next based on that experience.\n\nEverything we have seen so far (and, yea, I feel it even in my very blood) points to the more subtle, less obvious solution. I hoped that Corellon Larethian was not jealous and quick to anger as I kneeled before the Moonmaiden and prayed.\n\nA drawer opened in the statue's base revealing a silver wand. The wand itself (and not the statue) was the source of the divination aura I sensed earlier.\n\nAs I picked up the wand, it vibrated like a tuning fork and pointed my arm at the bronze statue. As I repeated the process, I found a strange ring with a half-twist on one edge: the symbol of eternal life.\n\nI quickly put on the ring (which immediately caused people around me to be repelled) and held the wand as I at last approached the imposing golden statue of Correlon Larethian. I bid everyone stand back (for the ring must be protecting me but not the others from something). As I approached the likeness of the Creator of the Elves, a gigantic explosion of blue-white energy erupted followed by a great humming. I glowed for some time afterward. The energy was of the evocation school but I could not discern anything else but this must have been pure divine energy. Inside the golden drawer was a golden key!\n\nThe three statues spoke at once, "//You have gained entrance to Stoneturn. Speak enter and welcome.//"\n\nYet another riddle! Well, the longlived have plenty of time to think them up.\n\n-----\n\nIn the next large hall, we found a portal on one end and two sets of doors on the other. We investigated the doors first. Majmalo realized that this was an elevated platform. Whether it went up or down remained to be seen. Half of us entered and pulled the lever. The doors closed and we heard chains clinking and great machinery in action. As the doors opened we had the answer to our question: we had descended a long way to a great cavern.\n\nThe sound of rushing water nearby could be heard. We saw a broken bridge. But what we smelled was beyond description. There were, at a distance, several lizardlike humanoids. I can only think that they ferment their own excrement and urine then wrap that in garbage, bake it, then eat and regurgitate that. Still that falls short of odor we experienced.\n\nThese creatures did not notice our arrival due to the sound of the rushing water, so I said that we should return before the rest of our group comes down. We surmised that this is probably the 'back entrance', probably to the elves' neighbors, the dwarves. But we saw no dwarves. What can this mean?\n\nWe returned and turned our attention to the portal. After several experiments, I decided to return to the first hall where we saw the mural of the lord and lady elves. The depiction had changed! Instead of a castle through the portal we saw a grand hall of pillars.\n\nRushing back to the portal, I stuck my hand in. I could feel a pulling on it. Carter played with an arrow. Finally, I held my breath and stepped through.\n\n-----\n\nAs the others followed suit, I could make out several armed and armored humanoids dressed in black skulking around. There was a large chandelier hanging from the center of the room. There were two more mobile platforms to either side of us, but both looked broken and there was water trickling out of each.\n\nAt the far end were three openings with faint rays of light coming through. To either side, a large stone stair going up. The number of humanoids (ORCS! Orcs, I would later learn!) was difficult to gauge. Approximately forty in all that we could see.\n\nWe waited for Maj and Carter to negotiate with them, using the typical traders looking for new avenues of commerce. One orc sent some others to gather the chieftain. The others warily watched our every move and even prevented Sir P and I from conversing in elvish. But he had made his intent clear to me before we were interrupted: when the chieftain returns this battle would be more than doubly difficult. It was now or never.\n\nI began calling on the power of the Moon Maiden as Sir P threw a spear and killed one. The battle was on!\n\nI had complimented Sir P on his battle prowess recently in Skullport, but he was not my only companion to have shown he knew a few tricks. Majmalo shot the nearest one in the throat, killing the beast in one shot.\n\nSir P began trying to bring the chandelier down and urging others to do so also.\n\nCarter began engaging them, striking them down as they dared approach within his ample reach. He then threw his guisarme at the chandelier. We heard a chain giving out with a squeak. Destroying an ancient elven fortress would not be my first choice, but we were outnumbered here at least five-to-one.\n\nSafina all but disappeared behind a pillar.\n\nAt last the chandelier came crashing down, spilling oil throughout the orcs. Fire was never in my arcane repertoire, but I had an idea. Thank the dwarves for this House of Stone!\n\nI ran right through the pack of wretches dragging Flaern's rapier behind me. Sparks flew immediately but it wasn't until I made it out of the oily pool that I heard a whoosh! and the orcs were engulfed in flame. As I looked up from where I stopped I found myself between two of them and a third nearby. They would soon surround me on three sides with flames on the fourth. But they had no idea who this elf was they were dealing with. Being entrapped is not high on my list of worries.\n\nMeanwhile, the others (with the exceptionof Tasar, who I now confirm has been daydreaming instead of learning to use his bow) took out orcs left and right.\n\nFinally, we stood triumphant with only dead orcs at our feet, the battle over.\n\nThe sound of wardrums began to echo through the chamber from some place deep within Stoneturn. The battle may be over, but the war for Stoneturn has only just begun. Death to the defilers! I will not give them quarter!

+++[30th of Mirtul 1357DR - Cath]\n\nThe Battle of [[Stoneturn]]\n''30 Mirtul, Year of the Prince''\nWe quickly decided exploring the adjacent areas would be a good idea. As [[Safina]] and I moved through the opening in the middle of the east wall, we heard a cry for help in the common tongue.\n\nExploring further we found a grate beneath which was a young human man who told us which way to go by signalling with his hands. He bade us be quiet lest we alert the orcs in the area.\n\nWe went down some stairs and found the door to the man's cell and slid in quietly and back out the same way. As we returned we could hear the sounds of combat. My head was hurting for some inexplicable reason, spinning with images of the great hall in its previous splendor. What was happening to me? I was not feeling myself at all and could feel something, some power, welling up inside me.\n\nWe learned that the captive we rescued was named Heru and he was part of a caravan that was attacked by the orcs. For some unknown reason, they had spared him alone and imprisoned him here.\n\nAs the others began to block the north stair with the fallen chandelier, orcs probed our defenses both to the north and the south. It was at about this time that—\n\n\n''INTRUDERS IN THE HOUSE OF STONE?!? THIS WILL NOT BE BORNE! PREPARE TO DIE FOUL BEASTS!''\n\n----\n\nWhen I returned to my senses, there were several dead orcs strewn behind me and more surrounding me. The elven sword was caked with their gore and I had several wounds that I did not recall receiving. The orc chieftain, decked in platemail made of elven mithril, marched towards me. How had I gotten into this precarious position? I thought this would be my last battle as the world turned to black.\n\n----\n\nWhen I awoke we were in another chamber of the House of Stone. They told me that the orc chieftain was about to kill me when Safina ran up the stairs and as his axe came down and flew out of his hands as if some unseen force had prevented the axe from striking. They also said that Heru had told them that their cowled master would not appreciate their killing us, and they let us pass. I had apparently been possessed by an elven warrior's spirit who, courageously or foolishly, ran forward after the orcs without the least bit of thought about my safety. I must get control over this entity if it happens again! This thing killed five or six orcs on his mad foray, using my body to mete out punishment.\n\nWe rested and discussed what to do next. Going back to take on the orcs now seemed futile, though that will eventually have to happen. I cannnot leave the home of my ancestors in the hands of these defilers.\n\nBut for now, we would push forward into Stoneturn. We are not sure at all where we are, except that if the two elevated rooms are any indication of location, we were either directly above or below the others we saw in the large hall that lead to the portal that brought us here.\n\nThis room has glowing Seldruin runes of protection on it. I think neither the orcs nor other creatures with evil souls can pass it. We are safe for now and will continue resting for a bit.

+++[30th of Mirtul 1357DR - Cath]\n\n\n''The Battle of [[Stoneturn]]''\nWe continued through various passages, past numerous traps, discovering more and more elven and dwarven puzzles. One in particular had me worried. An entire passageway was a trap, where the passage could close in on itself and crush anyone unfortunate enough to still be inside. We found the areas where, if someone steps on it, would trigger the crushing activity. We discussed attempting to trigger it at range, but that may either present a problem of having to dig through solid stone ([[Majmalo]] explained that that would take a very long time) or trying to find a way to reset it all, which would only lead us back to having to figure out another way through.\n\nSo everyone else pulled back and I jumped across the wide area which would trigger the trap—only to find that there was another such place on the other side of where I landed. Quite thorough in ensuring that intruders cannot pass through the constructors of this place were.\n\nI jumped across that one as well only to find a short piece of rope attached to a grappling hook. The faint outline of a trapdoor in the floor was visible. The trapdoor had closed, preventing whoever was climbing up or down from completing any trek up.\n\nI stepped lightly on the trapdoor with one foot and nothing happened. When I stamped on it hard, it opened to reveal three skeletons at the bottom amongst several long spikes and a length of rope strewn about with them. They tried to get out using the grappling hook, failed, and ended in their makeshift tomb below.\n\nI managed to walk next to the trapdoor and examined the wall at the end of the hall. I could see the outline of a crest dedicated to the elven father, [[Corellon Larethian]]. It appeared to be pressable.\n\nI pressed it and Safina said she noticed a slight change in the floor. The trapdoor closed and the wall began sliding away to reveal yet another corridor.\n\nThe others came forward and found that the trapdoor would not open again. Depressing the crest shut down all the traps here. We moved onward.\n\nThe next room was filled with mist or steam. It also had webs hanging about from every wall. Safina and I both heard skittering. Spiders!\n\nWe moved forward and the skittering got closer. At my suggestion, we pulled back to the door as the insects moved closer. There were several spiders but there were also large bugs that, rather than biting with thier mouth, had two great pincers like a crab and an agile tail with a poison sac next to a large stinger like a wasp's. Their skin was chitonous and appeared to be thick like armor.\n\nWe were attacked from two sides, but split up efficiently enough to fight on each side. The spiders eventually withdrew after we killed a few of their fellows easily (are these vermin intelligent?). The crabwasps, however, did not and [[Carter]] got a deep cut on one arm as a pincer squeezed at a weak point in his armor.\n\nPerrigan slew one of them in a mighty blow that hacked right through it's tough shell. Didn't see who killed the other, but we were at last alone but for the few spiders who escaped. We hunted them down and finished them off.\n\nThe room had a lattice shape and six doors including the one we came through. Maj managed to figure out that the steam was rising through one of the thick pillars, which served as a chimney in this area. We discussed breaking through the wall to climb up or down, thus bypassing whatever other traps and dangers lay ahead, but thankfully (for I have no desire to do more damage to this place than has already been donw) Sir P argued against it and we instead took the doors, one by one, to see where they lead.\n\nThe first door lead to a wider hall, at the end of which was a fountain. Between it and us was another insect, with many, many legs. It sprang forward and bit Carter, which seemed to slow down his reaction time. Eventually my friends nearly brought it down having dealt the beast many blows and I jumped over, stabbed it in the head (which Sir P had suggested to us all along), and set a foot upon it's lifeless body (I'm not sure the humor of this act was well-received).\n\nAt the fountain, I found that there were shiny tiles (gems?) inlaid at the bottom depicting the elven goddess of beauty, [[Hanali Celanil]]. We eventually dared drink from it. We felt refreshed and healed, and even Carter felt better after the creature's poisonous bite.\n\nFinding that this room was a dead end, we rested for the night and then returned to the lattice-shaped room and took the next door.\n\n===\n\n+++[1st of Kythorn 1357DR - Cath]\n\n''Drow in the House''\n===

+++[20th of Flamerule 1357DR - Cath]\n\n''20 Flamerule, Year of the Prince''\n\nFound and defeated a drow priestess of Lolth from the City of Menzoberranzan. She was on a mission from drow houses Baruson Delarngo and Agrak Diir to seek allies and wealth for these two minor houses. They found the mines inhabited by orcs. They defeated the orcs and used them as minions. Discovered Stoneturn over their heads and sought the magic within. We disocovered this by translating and decoding several thin sheets of metal which served as her journal. She is currently locked up in a cell through the all door. Six of her underlings escaped and took a boat back to Menzoberranzan.\n\nHeru left and said he will meet us again in the great forest. He seeks the path to Braceldaur which is somehow tied to his fate.\n\nWe go to meet with [[Jasmal]] in [[Waterdeep]] to discuss Stoneturn and Luskan, where [[Majmalo]] still seeks to go to find the spell web.\n\n

+++[29th of Flamerule 1357DR - DM]\n\n''29 Flamerule, Year of the Prince''\n\nThe teacup rattled slightly in its saucer as [[High Initiate Arisel Malandar|Arisel Malandar]] put it down. In the cathedral silence of the High Priestess's sanctum, the noise was practically deafening.\n\n"So, it is done. The Synod has approved the appointment of Feluna Moonstar as High Priestess-In-Waiting, pending a sign of the Goddess's favor or disfavor, as occurs by Her will. In this matter, your judgment and your service to our faith has weighed heavily indeed.\n\n"I must say that these events have gone hard with me, as they have with many of our sisters and brothers," she said, giving her beatific, motherly smile and smoothing the skirts of her moonstone-beaded gown. "It is difficult to accept that the Priestess of High Moonlight was a fiend of darkness and a servant of the Lady of Loss. Especially for those such as myself, who were so close in her confidences and exercised so much authority on her behalf."\n\nMajmalo gave the wry grin that had charmed so many, and prepared to employ the art of voice and inflection that could sway even the most steadfast mind to his will. But he stopped himself. The truth of the matter was stamped on High Initiate Arisel's face for all to see. She, and the other members of the Selunite synod, had understood perfectly what poison had come into the Church, and the role of Thauntle's Company in purging it.\n\nIt had started with the Company being put on the trail of Aurelia Sarn, a kidnapped girl of Amphail. After rescuing Aurelia, the Company had discovered that she was somehow related to the goddess Selune, the Moonmaiden, and important to the fate of Waterdeep as a whole. Cath's spiritual awakening to the reverence of Selune, or Sehanine Moonbow among the Eldar, had come at this time. After rescuing Aurelia from a mysterious skeletal undead creature at the Moon Sphere, the Company had returned her to the custody of the House of the Moon... until she vanished one night. Desperately seeking her trail, the Priestess of High Moonlight, the regal [[Naneatha Suaril]], had implored the Company to find the girl. She had also spent night and day (seemingly) communing with the Moonmaiden to locate Aurelia. \n\nOn a journey to reclaim Stoneturn, Cath had encountered a strange, veiled female figure who explained that Aurelia was safe, and not to trust anyone in the temple other than the (comparatively junior) priestess [[Feluna Moonstar]]. \n\nUpon the Company's return to Waterdeep, they learned the truth behind this mystery, which lay in an ancient conflict between two undead beings: The [[Lady Alathene Moonstar|Alathene Moonstar]] (the veiled figure who appeared to Cath in the wilderness), and her brother [[Lord Vanrak|Vanrak Moonstar]] (the skeletal being who had attempted to take the child at Dancing Court six months ago). The fate of the Moonstars had always been closely entwined with that of the Selunite faith; Vanrak betrayed that faith and fell to the worship of the Dark Lady Shar after an expedition to the southern jungles of Chult in the Year of Dark Dawn (1104 DR), wherein some mysterious event transpired. Upon his return to Waterdeep, Lord Vanrak began secret worship services to the Lady of Loss. \n\nBy the Year of the Howling Moon (1130 DR), House Moonstar was in open schism. Those Moonstars who still venerated Selune aligned themselves with Lord Vanrak's sister, Lady Alathene, and took refuge in the temple of Selune. At the Moonstar villa in Dock Ward, Lord Vanrak and his followers - a small army of mercenaries and priests of Shar - extended their dark influence over much of the city's harbor.\n\nOn the night of the seventh full moon of the year, Lady Alathene asked the Lords to strip her brother of his title and banish him from the city. To prove her case, she presented evidence of numerous crimes, including slavery, arson, theft, and murder. The Lords ordered Vanrak's immediate capture, but when the watch breached the villa, they found that the Dark Ranger and his followers had disappeared.\n\nVanrak and his hidden conclave achieved their most dramatic success in the Year of the Tomb (1182 DR), when his followers infiltrated the cellars of the High House of Stars, the then temple of Selune in Waterdeep, slaughtering most of the inhabitants and seizing the temple's treasure. The temple vanished from memory in coming years, its ruins paved over and covered with a street (Moonstar Alley) and the new Moonstar family villa. As the Company learned, the temple's cellars, the Vault of Stars, had endured as Lady Alathene's personal demesne following her conversion to lichdom. When they found the Vault, they saw that Alathene was keeping Aurelia there under guard against the assaults of the High Priestess, who was revealed to be a fiend of the Lower Realms, a servant of Shar.\n\nThe Company attempted to draw the High Priestess out, first by sending a communique to Feluna that they assumed would be intercepted, saying that they were moving the child. Following the letter, the Company's residence was attacked by a troupe of demons. The Company then tried a more desperate gamble, fooling Cath into thinking that he had received a vision from the goddess herself: A vision that the child would be revealed in the Moon Sphere, but that the High Priestess would need to be there to receive the message. \n\nThe following night, the Moon Sphere appeared in Dancing Court, and the Company arrived there prepared for battle. The High Priestess manifested, and with the aid of the Moon Sphere's power, but moreso by their own might and valour, the Company triumphed and destroyed the demon masquerading as Naneatha Suaril. They then convened the Church that very night, under the radiance of Selune's full glory, to elect a new Priestess of High Moonlight, with Maj's well-seeded words and the Company's own standing serving them well in obtaining the post (at least temporarily) for Feluna.\n\nThe moon had now set, and the first rays of dawn were limning the moonstone panels of the temple with flame. A new day had begun.

+++[30th of Flamerule 1357DR - DM]\n\n''30 Flamerule, Year of the Prince''\n\nThe Hanging Lantern glimmered like a jewel in the grime and late-night darkness of Dock Ward. Perrigan jauntily entered the place, as Majmalo had done earlier that night. \n\nThe Company had spent the better part of a day and a half recovering from its battle with the false Priestess of High Moonlight and seeking information about some other unfinished business: Namely, the whereabouts of the woman Avaereene. The Company had spent much time piecing together the myriad disparate elements that pointed to //something// brewing in Waterdeep's underworld: something that might affect the City of Splendors' very existence forever. Nothing was known about Avaereene save that she might have some relation to portals or gates in or beneath the city, in Skullport and Undermountain, and that she "took care of errands" for some shady person or persons. Her old haunt, the Thirsty Throat tavern, had been found locked, barred, and empty after the Company had raided it, but word around the seamier quarters of Dock Ward was that she occasionally could be found at the Hanging Lantern festhall, a popular destination for merchants, sailors, and travelers up and down the Sword Coast.\n\nAvaereene was not to be found at the Lantern, but Maj had noticed [[Ilmara Anteos]] slipping into a back room there and meeting with a red-bearded man named [[Randulaith]]. Perrigan roamed about the place awhile until he spotted Randulaith on a second-floor landing. Calling to him, he arranged a meeting in which he stated quite calmly to the man that 1) he was preparing to take action against the Anteos and various other evildoers, 2) Randulaith and his associates wouldn't want to get in the way; and 3) Perrigan would pay well for information that would help his efforts rather than hinder them, the latter course of which could only lead to disaster. Randulaith smiled, nodded, and agreed to meet on the morrow.\n\nBut all was not as simple as that.\n\nWalking home from the festhall, Perrigan soon noticed that he was being trailed. His "shadow" vanished after a while, but then a random drunk who bumped into him in the Dock Ward scrum turned out to be something more: A human to all appearances, but with a fist that hit like a maul and the apparent ability to have its wounds knit up almost immediately. The being's attack was followed by a squad of tough fighters and a cloaked being with great sorcerous power. In a desperate battle that had left him a mere lucky sword-stroke from death, Perrigan fought off his assailants, most of whom were slain, though one of the warriors and the wizard escaped. \n\nStill, Perrigan's wounds were largely superficial. //A good night's rest and a flagon of wine will put me to rights//, he mused, as he staggered home.

//6th Hammer, Year of the Prince//:\nDharjamyn Thauntle has collected "pretty rocks" for years, buying "stones from afar" from caravan masters. A short, stout citizen of respectable years, Thauntle says he can no longer swing a pick with "sureness," nor scramble up the brigand-haunted tors and cliffs within a halfday ride of the city. So he has turned to scaling the slopes of Mount Waterdeep despite City Guard disapproval.\n\nSomewhere thereon, before sunset yestereve, he split a rock along a "soft streak" and found that it held six rubies of worthy size. Local gemcutters scoff at Thauntle's tale, but a nameless one of them purchased his stones this morn.\n\nHorthan Hethdance of the Guard warns that citizens who "tear apart the mountainside looking for gems or anything else" can expect "arrest, at the very least!"\n\nThe cobbler's shop, Thauntle's Good Heels and Soles, stands on the north side of Olaim's Cut.

//10th Hammer, Year of the Prince://\nA tall, curvaceous, dusky-skinned human woman wearing a decorative veil (as many wealthy Waterdhavian women do when facing the stinks of the docks, slaughterhouses, and livestock pens of the southern city) is sought by the Watch today after she murdered someone on an open street at dawn in Dock Ward.\n\nWitnesses say the unfamiliar-to-all woman, probably an outlander, encountered a fishmonger in Book Street before the doors of the Sunset Satyr tavern (east-front Book Street, north-fronting Candle Lane). She spoke with him briefly, and then drew a "needle-thin rapier of great length" and thrust it through him. All agree the conversation was neither friendly nor heated, no oaths nor emphatic words were exchanged, and the attack was a complete surprise. Pierced through the heart, the victim (later identified as Aldo Nurlamyn of the Dancing Marlin Market, Net Street, Dock Ward) fell dead, and the woman strode away.\n\nOne Itham Flarmar (of Stathor's Boots and Weathercloaks in Book Street) accosted her, but she whirled and slashed at him with her still-drawn rapier until he fled -- whereupon she walked "purposefully but unhurrying" into Drakiir Street, where she disappeared.\n\nFlarmar tore off her veil, and says he found himself facing "an angry but beautiful face, with very large, dark brown eyes, a pert nose -- but from her upper lip and cheekbones down, all was a writhing tangle of fanged snake-heads, framing a sucking mouth!" Other witnesses saw no snake-heads in their brief glimpses, but described the woman's lower face as "a mass of coiling, slithering tentacles" or "reaching eels."\n\nThe Watch has retained Nurlamyn's body and the mysterious woman's veil for examination, and they ask anyone seeing "a tall, dusky-skinned woman with a covering or anything unusual about her face" to contact them immediately.

//11 Hammer, Year of the Prince://\nFor the second time in a tenday, an unexpected fire (all the more unexpected, given the winter snows, sleet, and rain) has erupted despite the efforts of the Guard and Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors to stem such fire in the city. \n\nThis time, the fire broke out along Net Street ([[Dock Ward]]), devastating an entire row of houses. Fortunately, many of the shops along this route, which is busy during the warmer months, are closed for the winter, hence there were few folk harmed. However, at least four merchants and winter caretakers are said to have been caught in the fires, which happened at night, to fatal effect.\n\nSeveral folk have braved the winter gales to gather in protest at the gates of [[Piergeiron's Palace]]. The Open Lord has issued no comment as yet.

//15 Hammer, Year of the Prince://\nNotorious local "lady of pleasure" Nauloene Tharantra (of Sevenlamps Cut, Castle Ward), who for years ran the Heartflame festhall on Snail Street in Dock Ward until the Night of Pirates, is seeking a husband once more.\n\nTharantra has been wed nine times. Five husbands died (at least two, rumors whisper, with Tharantra's direct help); two fled Waterdeep loudly denouncing the Flouncing Flame's freespending, loving-all ways; one was revealed as a doppelganger and slain in the streets; and Tharantra threw out her last (the Innarlithan merchant Mharelk Thorlkan), paying to have their union broken. Announcing herself "sufficiently recovered from Thorlkan's cruelties," Tharantra took the stage at the Splendid Falcon theater and dancehall (Street of Bells, Castle Ward, east-front four doors north of the Pampered Traveler inn) in a striking gown made of crisscrossing chains and teardrop blue diamond "dangles," to tell the city she's seeking a mate once more.\n\nThe Night of Pirates befell late in the Uktar of the Year of the Bow. The pirate-lord Elro Starankh of the Nelanther, and three of his crews (ninety-six seadogs strong), visited the Heartflame and offered to wed every working-lass there. The bride-price was twenty dragons per head to Tharantra and ten thousand dragons each to the brides. All but two accepted, and Starankh set fire to the Heartflame in a wild, dancing celebration. The ornate Arrowsar Apartments now stand on the festhall site.

//20 Hammer, Year of the Prince://\nThe owners of the Copper Cup festhall and neighboring establishments are still patching walls, repairing windows, and replacing signboards after the festhall was overrun by "at least thirty" carousing Illuskan reavers yesterday. In addition to much broken furniture and several injuries (all of which, it is assured, were shared among the reavers themselves rather than by any of the Cup's dancers or bystanders), there was also the "impressive" wreck of the entire Northern Passage sail-shop after a dozen heavily-armed members of the City Guard, called in response to a Watch-horn, forced several of the fierce, drunken berserk reavers against the shop's wall in order to forestall a conflict between the Illuskani and a local street gang, the Alley Cleavers. According to a passing Dungsweeper, one of the reavers "simply began pullin' down the shop and throwin' pillars and beams at the gangers like they was javelins, as Tyr's me witness!" The reavers eventually were escorted back to their ship and deposited aboard. Evethe Unthusk, one of the Cup's dancers, said, with a smile, that the festhall would be closed a tenday "for recovery... of the property AND the escorts."

//29 Hammer, Year of the Prince://\nPriests of Lathander have come to Waterdeep to recruit adventurers and warriors for "lasting hire" of two seasons or more. The task -- to guard workers as a planned temple and farming community, New Dawn, is built in the wild countryside northwest of Secomber. The chosen site is in what local shepherds and drovers call the Hindhorn Hills, a rolling area of scrub woodlands, small cliffs, and deep ravines shown on few maps -- an area rich in deer, hares, and hawks but plagued by roaming packs of wolves and armed bands of gnolls and orcs.\n\nThis scheme is no doubt inspired by the success of Goldenfields, but Voice of the New Dawn Harammas Malark describes its advent as "visions streaming into our minds straight from the Divine Morninglord himself." These visions revealed to priest after priest the locale and structure of the temple-farm as if it were a real place. "It took me, at least, some time," the spokespriest admitted, "to realize that our task was to make it real. For some months, we all thought we were being shown a farm that already existed as we were seeing it and that our duty was to find it.\n\n"That ended when we all had new and very similar dreams, in which we saw a warrior-priest preaching to a throng of enthusiastic faithful. His words ended with the promise -- 'Our Lord leads us all through smoke and fire, to bright victory!'\n\n"As the last clouds of night rolled away like dark smoke, he waved a sword above his head, flashing back the light of dawn like red fire, and brought it thrusting down into the ground -- and behold! It struck there as a shovel, a war-blade no longer, and turned the earth aside, and the tillage was begun."\n\nMalark and his fellow priests of the New Dawn promise pay of no less than two dragons per day to every skilled warrior or battle-mage who "agrees to submit themselves utterly to our direction." Such remuneration will begin as soon as the first priest-led expedition sets forth from Waterdeep's gates toward the chosen site and continue throughout every day that includes shifts of duty.

//14 Alturiak, Year of the Prince://\n[[Dolerphus Thongolir]] has put out a public call for a "kind, gentle woman who loves to cook, knows how to ride, won't disapprove of frivolity, hard drinking, or long hours of neglect while I attend to work, and is willing to share my bed." Thongolir promises to make his bride more wealthy than most women ever dream of becoming (his generally well-thought-of family is rich indeed), and the "work" he refers to is the family business concerns of calligraphy, limning, and printing.\n\nQuestioned bluntly as to the reason for his unusual request, the tall, slender, and handsome Thongolir heir replied that he now believes he can find a suitable life-mate only by casting his net wider afield. He has become disgusted by the predatory courtesans, daughters of ambitious wealthy merchants, and jaded, dishonest noblewomen who keep trying to snare him. A recent "bride-to-be" is believed to have absconded with a goodly amount of the House's fine art collection, including a rare statue said to be from ancient Ascalhorn.

//30 Ches, Year of the Prince://\nIn a "modest celebration" held in preparation for the Fleetswake festival, Lord Thentival Tarm announced the betrothal of his son and heir [[Arun Tarm]] to the lady [[Jeryth Phaulkon]], the second daughter of [[Lord Barauthar Phaulkon|Barauthar Phaulkon]]. While "hardly a surprise to anyone," as the lady [[Myrna Cassalanter]] sniffed, the announcement did seem to cause a stir among certain members of the [[Amcathra]] family when the young [[Regnet Amcathra]] stormed out.\n\nLord Barauthar also announced that the Phaulkon family would be holding a corresponding celebration in the family's great manse of [[Phaulkonmere]] in [[South Ward]]. Both great nobles and common folk of the ward are likely to be invited.

//Overheard while taking midfeast (lunch) at [[Felzoun's Folly]] in [[Trades Ward]], 14th Tarsakh, Year of the Prince://\n\n"Three ships, ye say?"\n\n"Aye, three that've sailed the Inner Sea in the past week in any event. They've failed to make port again.\n\n"Hmm. Sounds like the ice, the pirates, or something else is very bad this year." \n\n"What ships, then?\n\n"Well, says here in [[The Eternal Dawn]] that the ships were:\n*The Ratclaw, an independent caravel out of Selgaunt captained by Strauph Omerehellin, carrying dates, nuts and olive oil from the cities of the south to the cities about the Moonsea. The Ratclaw left Selgaunt fourteen days ago, and was due in Hillsfar six days ago.\n*The Umbolden, a full-rigged cog that left Telpir with a cargo of dried fish and cheese twelve days ago. It also was bound for the Moonsea, to dock at Melvaunt two days ago, but it was to call in at Scardale or one of the cities south of Scardale on the coast of the Dragon Reach, and did not. No word has yet come from it.\n*The Bloody Umber, a “sailrig” (large wooden raft fitted with a trisail and sweeps), a coaster working its way up from the Neck to Harrowdale and back with pottery, fine clothing, ironware and rugs, live swine and poultry, axeheads and twenty score crossbows bolts for the army of Scardale.\n\n"Among the first vessels to venture out of harbor this season, eh? Such a large number of boats lost without a trace in the first two tendays of sailing. Very alarming indeed."\n\n"Well, p'raps 'twill drive traffic along the Sword Coast, no?"\n\n"Perhaps."

//14th Tarsakh, Year of the Prince://\nPatrons at the [[Hanged Man]] tavern last night were shocked out of their usual tale-spinning and philosophical maunderings by a series of thunderous explosions! Some of the more courageous patrons headed into [[Melinter's Court]], behind the tavern, to witness a spectacular magical battle in action. Several blue- and grey-robed mages, flanked by officers of the [[Watch]], were trading crackling lightnings, chilling blasts of fog and wind, and black bolts of energy with a "wild-eyed, black-bearded man surrounded by a ring of green-glowing, laughing and cackling floating skulls!" according to bystanders, the more excitable of whom also stated that the skulls themselves were hurling spells back at the mages and Watchmen. Several black-cloaked figures also littered the Court, riddled with crossbow bolts or smoking with the impact of recent spell-hurlings. The battle lasted mere moments before a flash of light obscured the view of all present; when it faded, only the (surprised-looking) Watchmen were present, the wild-eyed wizard, skulls, and other mages all having apparently vanished.\n\nSome witnesses recognized ~Mage-Civilar [[Thyrienthella Snome]] as one of the blue-robed wizards; the others' identities are unknown.

//Overheard at a "cobble party" (an open-air affair held out on the pavements and courtyards of the city on better-weather evenings) in Baldur's Gate, 12 Tarsakh, Year of the Prince://\n\nRoald of the Merchants' League, a prominent merchant of the city, has recently returned from Ruathyn with some stirring news: The fabled Tome of the Unicorn, the long-lost grimoire of Shoon, Mage King of vanished Iltkazar, has been found... or lost, rather. It seems the ruling house of Ruathyn has held the Tome in the Green Rooms, their great library in the palace, for hundreds of years. When Roald docked there, all was in uproar: someone had stolen the grimoire, and the secrets that none outside of the royal house of Ruathyn had seen for a great while were out. Roald could get no hint of who is suspected of the theft, or any details of it, but he and his crew and ship were most thoroughly searched by both magical and physical means. Some he talked to on the island did believe that in the Tome of the Unicorn are the means to create a permanent gate between the planes of existence, the means to create golem armies, and many spells found nowhere else. Roald reported his news to an open meeting of merchants in the city earlier today, warning all to beware a sudden rise in magical power, anywhere in the Realms, in the near future.

//From the most recent reports of the Open Lord Piergeiron to current and former members of the City Guard of Waterdeep and to all noble houses with interests in hireswording and weapons://\n\nA Ruathyn war vessel searching for the stolen Tome of the Unicorn has destroyed a merchant caravel of Luskan. The caravel //Telgontan Horn// was boarded two days’ sail south and east of Luskan, searched, and then set afire. The crew sailed the blazing hulk landwards until they could no longer control its course, and then took to boats. The Horn was seen to burn to the waterline and sink. The boats were later picked up by a cog out of Neverwinter.\n\nTwo of the High Captains of Luskan have put to sea with six large rakers (low warships), and it is rumored that they are bound for Ruathyn.\n\nIt is certain that a Ruathyn vessel in the harbor at Waterdeep was seized by Luskan forces who entered the city and reached the quays by means of stealth and disguise. This craft was sailed out of the harbor but was not found when pursued an hour or so later, and is believed to have been scuttled in coastal waters.

//From Falcon's Quarter broadsheet //The Light of Truth//://\n\nThe Roaringhorns are apparently not taking the embarassment of their Lord Kuldos by Gast Brokengulf lying down. Lord Vastarr was apparently heard recently threatening a duel of honor with fisticuffs against Lord Gast, accompanied by the claim that Lord Gast "is even now engaging in far more outrageous improprieties than anything of which he falsely accused my brother." Lord Gast is apparently guesting at the Phylund family estates near Ardeepforest, where he spends much time hunting with his boon companion Lord Urtos Phylund, but Vastarr has threatened "to search him out even in his forest hovel and administer the justice due."

Type the text for '2 March 2007'

A - mysterious person who wrote a letter to the [[Savants of the Dark Tide]].

''History:''\nDuring the time of Ahghairon, nearly a hundred rich merchant families from all areas of the Sword Coast and parts east (including not a few lesser nobles of Cormyr and Sembia) settled in the fledgling city of Waterdeep, using their money and influence to increase the trade (and their own personal power) in the city. With these early successful beginnings, the merchant families soon became the mainstays of Waterdeep’s early social and civil stability. After a time, and with their growing influence in the burgeoning guilds, these merchants and transplanted nobles became the mainstays of Waterdeep’s early social and civil stability and swiftly grew into the city”s “high society” and bastions of cultural tone. Over the centuries, some of these families have died out or been submerged by marriage, and others have arisen with each decade.\n\nWhen Ahghairon died, many noble houses also controlled the guilds, patriarchs often being the Guild Masters themselves. While Ahghairon ruled, the Lords provided a balance to the unified power of the guilds and the nobility, and the city prospered with its open trade; with the great mage’s passing and the subsequent hunting down and killing of the secretive Lords, the nobles used their own forces and the resources of their guilds to assert the rule they believed was theirs to take.\n\nIn the 17 years when the Guild Council governed the city, many members of over 30 noble houses were decimated by the Guildwars and other ensuing conflicts. Only eight noble houses fell entirely, their lands and resources absorbed into those of their killers. Many young heirs, cowed by the ruthlessness of some noble Guild Masters and the general bloodshed involved with their internal guild politics, renounced all claims within the guilds and stayed out of the conflicts. By the time of the Lords Magister, only the noble houses of the Gildeggh and Zoar families still controlled any guilds. \n\n''The Renegade Houses:''\nThe houses Zoar and Gildeggh ruled Waterdeep for a short time, but justice prevailed at last, with the return of the Lords of Waterdeep under Open Lord Baeron. Because of their crimes against the people of the city, the families of the Lords Magister were declared Outcast by Baeron, and the Gildeggh and Zoar clans were permanently exiled from Waterdeep.\n\nToday, the Gildeggh family line is believed extinct; the arms of the Gildeggh family were a red rose clutched in a silver gauntlet, on a green field.\n\nThe Zoar family is still a bitter enemy of Waterdeep’s rulers, its members dwelling in Luskan, Scornubel, and Amn; the Zoar arms consist of a realistic, severed umber hulk’s head impaled on a bloody spear, on a scarlet field.\n\nAfter the “Bloody Misrule of the ~Lords-Magister” and the return of the Lords, the noble families renounced many of their old guild alliances and power bases. Slavery, which Ahghairon banned but the ~Lords-Magister reinstated, was again outlawed in a mandate by the new Open Lord Baeron and his fellow Lords; the few nobles still actively involved in this trade were actively censured until such trade stopped entirely. With the stability of the Lords’ rule returned, Waterdeep soon became the thriving port city again, the trade of the guilds once again lawful and fair (through no small influence by the Lords upon the elections of new Guild Masters), and the nobles reduced to their trades and parties, not government.\n\nIt has been nearly a century since the Lords’ return, and the 76 noble families of Waterdeep [[work with the Lords and the Ruling Faction|Social Life in Waterdeep]] far more now than they ever did in the past (though not without some resentment...).\n\n''The Nobles’ World:''\nMany noble families of Waterdeep have been ennobled for hundreds of years – some can trace their genealogies back six hundred years or more. However, there is no established order of precedence or seniority among the nobility. At Court, nobles may speak whenever recognized by Piergeiron, or when silently pointed at by one of the masked Lords. While it is of some minor effect among the social circles of the nobles themselves, the length of time a family has been nobility in Waterdeep is of little impact or importance to the city at large and its other peoples. The time merely serves as a benchmark of how successful a given family has been at working with the Lords, the guilds, and the changes of the growing City of Splendors.\n\n''Nobles & Their Clans:''\nGiven the instability and the dangers of the Realms, nobles and those to whom it is important to pass on a family name and inheritance have huge families. Most noble families have fifteen or so members of direct blood resident in Waterdeep. One or all of these may also own extensive holdings elsewhere in the Realms and other residences inthe city. A noble household typically houses fifty or so servants, and has available mounts for all blood members and about half of the servants. Many noble families are also landlords of substantial holdings within the city. Ownership of buildings around one’s own villa is the best way to rid oneself of noisy, undesirable neighbors.\n\nTitles, lands, and funds can be inherited by any child or heir of a noble patriarch or matriarch. The standard practice in the Realms assumes the eldest child (regardless of sex) inherits the title and the majority holdings of a family, with younger siblings and other relations getting lesser legacies. Living rulers of a noble family can proclaim a different heir should they choose, but such a proclamationmust take place in the Lord’s Court, keeping the city rulers apprised of who stands to inherit the lands and titles (and avoiding any problems with contesting the inheritance after a ruler’s passing). The changing of an heir is rare, most often occurring after the death of the heir (though a number of heirs have refused family lands and titles, dedicating their lives to religious orders, magecraft, or some other cause).\n\nMatriarchal noble families are not uncommon in Waterdeep or the rest of the Realms; established matriarchs wishing to marry a nobleman can choose to adopt his name and family holdings (at which time she would abdicate her title and legacy to her chosen heir), or her husband can become a Lord-Consort (the husband abdicates any former family inheritances and holdings in order to share in his wife’s title and station.\n\nIf either spouse (or both) is a solitary heir with no heirs to receive his or her title, family portfolios can combine under one name and one titular head of the house. This has happened twice within the past four decades: The Maerklos family was formed 32 years ago with the fusing of the matriarchal Marrek family holdings and the Relekos clan holdings of her consort. More recently, Lord Urtos Phylund II married Lythis Mhairuun, the sole heir of her merchant family, and absorbed her family holdings into his own.\n\n''Arms and Heraldry:''\nNoble families are granted the right to bear arms – that is, real arms: Small private armies (no more than 70 fully-equipped men-at-arms) within the city to guard the security of their goods, properties, and trade. Non-noble families, businesses, and individuals in the city are allowed no more than 16 fully-armed bodyguards, by edict of the Lords. While this seems unfair to outsiders, natives of the city recognize the benefit of these men-at-arms as additional protection (provided they are allied with a noble willing to provide them). As well, men-at-arms are not one massed army at a villa, but are scattered about all the noble’s properties across the city.\n\nNobles are also granted the right to bear symbolic arms, also known as “arms of grace”: heraldic coats-of-arms, to be used as recognition-badges by such armsmen. The family coat-of-arms is borne by all men-at-arms and low-ranking servants of each noble family, and thus is often seen in the streets of Waterdeep. The heraldry of Waterdeep may seem simplistic and crude, but this is largely due to practical considerations, such as the need to readily recognize a distinctive family device from afar, even in twilight, bad weather, torchlight, or in a fight. Lastly, the heraldry reflects the personaltastes of the nobles and of the Heralds involved over the years. Close examination of the coats-of-arms will reveal many complex elements, although differencing (by labels) is rare, as only family members who have had a deep, long-lasting breach with their kin request differentiated arms for themselves – and most such individuals usually leave the City of Splendors for more hospitable habitations elsewhere in theRealms.\n\nNo “arms of grace” have been granted by the Lords of Waterdeep in more than 30 winters (since theformation of the Maerklos arms); this recognition of nobility involves Falconfree, the Herald of Waterdeep, and unanimous agreement of the Lords, an action that seldom occurs.\n\n''Noble Villas:''\nVillas of the nobility are all grand houses with additional buildings for servants and guests; the majority of the villas arewalled around the property perimeter, many with interior gardens. The walls around the villas were more functional when the villas were still outside the city walls, and needed walls for constant protection of those inside. Now, with the villas inside Waterdeep, the walls provide more privacy than protection, though this doesn’t mean that the villas are easy to pillage. Remember, money is no object to most nobles; they are rich enough that they need not work if they do not care to and can invest money in monstrous guardians, deadly traps, and other surprises.\n\n''Noble Obligations:''\nWhile the nobles are afforded quite a few privileges within the city by the Lords, they are expected, by the nature and the wealth of their station, to contribute to the general welfare of the city and its denizens. As such, a hundredth of the annual wealth of each noble family goes directly into the city coffers each Midsummer for the defense and maintenance of the city.

//Religion has never really had a serious impact on the city as a whole. And that is as it should be, for religion is fraught with personal choices and personal ethos, and is not something that should dictate the fortunes of a city like Waterdeep. Besides, if you let your religion and your belief systems rule your city, you might just end up like Zhentil Keep. . . . I’ll keep religion my own way, and you keep it in yours, and the City of Splendors will be all the better for it.//\n\n – an unknown Waterdhavian responding to a plea from a priest at the Plinth\n\nWaterdeep is undoubtedly the most tolerant city of any size in Faerun when it comes to religion, and perhaps the most tolerant anywhere in all the planes. All creeds are respected, due to the eclectic crossroads nature of the city, but the Lords have set a few major strictures on religious practices if the faiths wish to be allowed to remain in the city:\n\n-Worship of a particular deity cannot involve the theft or destruction of other beings (i.e. human or animal sacrifice).\n-Harmful activities condoned or supported by a faith cannot be practiced upon non- believers; for example, the followers of Tempus are not allowed to run amok in the streets, wantonly assaulting and attacking others in the name of the god of battle.\n-A deity’s worship cannot require tribute from those outside its faith; believers may freely give offerings, but nonbelievers should not be compelled to do so.\n\nHundreds of gods, even those from outside the Realms, are known in Waterdeep, since travelers and faithful from hundreds of places convene on Waterdeep and need places of worship, and all are tolerated here. However, trade is of paramount importance in Waterdeep. \n\nPriesthoods that attempt to restrict trade, or expect large cash gifts to their deity, or who try to collect temple tithes through coercion, will not be popular. Waterdhavians vary widely in the strength of their faith (and monetary devotion) totheir goal.\n\nThere are few large temple complexes in the city, considering its size. In addition, three new temples have sprung up within the past ten years, the first to be built in Waterdeep in nearly four decades.\n\nIn such a large and bustling center of commerce, priests have relatively little power and influence; large temples tend to establish themselves in small communities on major roads, where they are readily reached by the faithful and yet can dominate – if not control outright – their surroundings. Here, in Waterdeep, the large temples serve more to reflect the generosity and affluence of the faithful, and in a city filled with rich merchants and nobles and adventurers loaded down with treasures, generosity to the gods can be quite phenomenal.\n\nSmall shrines attended to by lay worshipers (not permanent clergy) can be found in many cellars and upper stories of buildings throughout Waterdeep; one of the more prominent deities worshiped solely through lay shrines is Siamorphe, the goddess who allegedly grants nobles their divine right to rule.\n\nPlaces of worship are forbidden by edict of the Lords only in the City of the Dead, to prevent various priesthoods from claiming tomb after tomb as sacred to (and thus, exclusive to) their deity, and charging fees for entry and burial.\n\nIn the past, much of the education of Waterdeep’s citizenry was the result of either schools run by the temples (with the Lords’ sponsorship, or that of noble benefactors) or independent neighborhood schools underwritten by local parents, businesses, or guilds (or the rare self-taught individual). The only long-standing school of any matter within the walls of Waterdeep has been the Academy of Arms, sponsored by the clergy of the House of Heroes and various nobles involved in the mercenary fighting trades. Now, with the advent of the Font of Knowledge, the number of sages and bards has increased within the city, and plans are in the works for a school to be established within the temple of Oghma to educate Waterdeep’s children.

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Sorceress of [[Moonwind]].

Lady Alathene appears as an old and graceful woman, with the regal air of a centuries-old aristocrat. She goes veiled in public. In reality, Alathene is a lich who has retained undead status for over 150 years. She frequently can be found in her laboratory in the [[Vault of Stars]], the ruined cellars of Waterdeep's former temple of [[Selune]]. Lady Alathene seeks to protect House [[Moonstar]] and the City of Splendors, and to destroy her corrupted brother [[Lord Vanrak|Vanrak Moonstar]] and the worshipers of [[Shar]], the Lady of Loss and Selune's greatest enemy.

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''Occupations:'' Wine, sword forging, horse breeding and training\n''Locations:'' Amcathra villa (N34), [[Amphail]], [[Silverymoon]]\n\nA noble family with a long and distinguished history in the service of Waterdeep, and a wide variety of trading interests. The family is active in The Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths and the Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers Guild. They are heavily invested in several sword-smithing operations, and as such are trade-rivals to the [[Gralhund]] family. The Amcathras are also friendly with the [[Roaringhorn]] family due to personal friendships between [[Kuldos Roaringhorn]] and the family heir, Arilos Amcathra, as well as between [[Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] and [[Regnet Amcathra]].

The village of Amphail, famous for its horse breeders, lies on the Long Road, a good three-day ride north of Waterdeep through rolling farmlands. By night or in a snowstorm, a traveler can locate this quiet, beautiful village by the thick stands of duskwood and spruce that cluster along the road nearby. In summer, the stench of horse manure gives outsiders ample evidence of the town’s presence.\n\nAt the heart of the settlement is an open space known as the Malanderways, where several side streets meet the Long Road. In the center of this square is a black stone statue of the great Shalarn, a war stallion bred in Amphail decades ago. Other notable landmarks include the Horse Pond, the Old Dead Rowan (a tree as large as some cottages), and the ruins of the Laughing Bandit Inn.\n\nAmphail was named for Amphail the Just, one of Waterdeep’s early warlords who had estates here. Although all traces of his keep are long gone, legend holds that Amphail still rides the area in spirit form, frightening away trolls and hostile barbarians.\n\nAmphail’s horse farms have traditionally equipped the noble families and armies of Waterdeep and Neverwinter, as well as merchants and satraps from Amn and Calimshan. Amphail grays are famous across Faerûn as intelligent, loyal, and hardy personal mounts. Most soldiers, however, prefer the larger, more powerful, glossy black chargers that Amphail’s breeders produce.\n\nThe various Waterdhavian noble families who keep stables here—most notably the Amcathra, Ilzimmer, Jhansczil, Roaringhorn, and Tarm families—have traditionally been major breeders, and the whip-wielding Ilzimmer racing teams that frequently thunder up and down the Long Road are grudgingly tolerated by the locals. The independent stable masters Ohm “Steelhand” Ssarn, Rorth Baldasker, and Elraghona Selember are also noted breeders.\n\nThe extensive holdings of the Eagleshield clan include a farm where sick animals are nursed and a shop where tack of the finest sort is made and sold. The Ammakyl family—the richest in the region by far—is Amphail’s dominant producer of grain and vegetables. Ammakyl caravans are a regular sight on the road from Amphail to the City of Splendors.\n\nNotable businesses in Amphail include the Stag-Horned Flagon tavern, the Stone Stallion Inn, and Mother Gothal’s Festhall. Other places of interest include Ammakyl Flowers and Foods (a produce shop), Blodhlar’s Wares (a hardware shop), Eagleshield Fine Horse Leathers (a tack store), Elboar’s Finest (a winery), Golaund Sester’s (a rooming house), Hagala’s Manyturrets (another rooming house), Halan Shauluth’s (a bakery), Imbryl’s Cloaks (a garment shop), Maerlbar Eggs and Fresh Fowl (a fowler), Pelost Galathaer’s (a carpenter), Shrunedalar’s Secrets (a boutique), and Ulvinhand Smithy.

''Location:'' [[Amrani’s Laundry]] (S31); S30\n\nThis bustling, rail-thin woman of advancing years is the head laundress and shop owner of [[Amrani’s Laundry]]. She is an old friend of Madame Garah, and the two often can be found gossiping while Amrani’s hired girls tend to the laundry.\n

S31. Amrani's Laundry \nWith the close boardinghouses, clothiers, and inns nearby, [[Amrani]] and her small staff of young girls are kept constantly busy with laundry. Payment is set at the standard guild rates (2 sp per garment while you wait, 1 sp for overnight washing), but additional money gets special treatment for one's clothes such as perfumed soaps (an additional 5 cp), new embroidery or fresh dyes to brighten the cloth (1-5 additional sp) or minor stitching and repairs (an additional 1 sp). Amrani and Madame Garah are old friends and are often found out onthe curbsides chatting.

Androm Kherr - Luskanite captain of the //Maid of Victory//, serves unknown "masters," has transported legal and illegal goods, including smuggled weapons and poisons, and several persons who are possible members of the [[Arcane Brotherhood]] and the [[Knights of the Shield]].

''Occupations:'' Trading, moneychanging and barter, (formerly) slaves\n''Locations:'' Anteos villa (N3)\n\nNoble family who formerly had holdings in slavery. The Anteos family has fallen on difficult times of late; the patriarch [[Dulbravvan Anteos]] murdered, his young heir (Dulbravvan the Younger) only six years of age and thus unable to take the reins, and the regency up for grabs after the arrest of the most likely candidate [[Korras Anteos]] for Dulbravvan's murder and the subsequent exposure and defeat of [[Hlethvagi]], a cousin who tried to purchase the regency using no-doubt ill-gotten funds. The current likely candidate for the regency is the recently-arrived [[Ilmara Anteos]], a young cousin supervising caravans in Amn.

S42. Anteos Warehouses\nThis large block of warehouses stores imported goods from any number of small villages and large cities of the North, all dealt in by the powerful [[Anteos]] noble family of Waterdeep. All these goods are shipped out by sea to customers in Calimshan and Tethyr. The warehouses are watched over by hired mercenaries.

A shadowy wizards' guild said to wield much influence in the city of [[Luskan]], perhaps even over that city's [[High Captains|High Captains of Luskan]]. The Brotherhood is a known enemy of [[Waterdeep]], and its magelings are not welcome in the City of Splendors, according to the city's watch-wizards.

Ancient forest to the east of [[Waterdeep]], between the Dessarin and Delimbiyr river valleys. It is composed of tall blueleaf, duskwood, and weirwood trees. Ardeep’s verges are relatively pleasant, with sun-dappled paths roamed by foraging deer. The interior of the forest is filled with ridges and breakneck gullies cloaked in thick vines and shrubbery. Wild boars roam through the mists that pervade the forest, and ruins lie hidden beneath forest loam and stands of faintly glowing mushrooms.\n\nThe forest is the former site of the elven realm of Ardeep, which flourished here until the Year of the Moonfall (1344 DR). Named “the Faraway Forest” (because, although it was near the western coast of Faerûn, it was still “far away” from what the elves considered home: the island of Evermeet), this wood has stood forlorn and empty since the departure of Ardeep’s moon elves to the West.

A senior priestess of [[Selune]] with a kind, motherly demeanor concealing shrewd wisdom, Arisel is the major liaison for the Priestess of High Moonlight, currently [[Feluna Moonstar]]. She is usually found at the [[House of the Moon]].

''Occupation'': Cleric of [[Milil]], music teacher, bard\n''Locations'': S29; C4, C25, C32, T19\n\n''Description'': Tall, slender Arkiem has long, curly, blond locks, blue eyes, and the bronzed skin and musculature of an athlete. He favors white and green in his simple clothes of tunic, jerkin, and breeches with high, soft leather boots. His only finery is a gold oak leaf clasp on his forest green cloak. He always carries his thelarr on his belt. Arkiem and his wife [[Raethiira|Raethiira Arren]] (“Rae”) have recently founded a center for music and dance instruction (and place of prayer to the deities [[Milil]] and [[Lliira]] called the [[Temple of Good Cheer]]. Arkiem also often can be found performing at the [[Spouting Fish]].\n\n''Personality'': Arkiem is extremely personable, and is all smiles for all people, so far as anyone’s noticed. Arkiem is quietly proud, accepting praise for his skill with a harp but not being overly arrogant or self-aggrandizing. \n\n''Trivia'': Arkiem and his wife, [[Raethiira|Raethiira Arren]] are recent arrivals (within the last six months) from [[Berdusk]]. Arkiem has names for many of his personal instruments (for example, his lute is named “Sparrow”).\n

The strongly-built, handsome but somewhat less than sharp-witted heir of the [[Tarm]] noble family. Arun, while not being the quickest of folk, is a prodigy with horses, and thus stands high in the family business. Arun is recently engaged to [[Jeryth Phaulkon]].

An old, noble house of [[Waterdeep]].

Young girl from [[Amphail]], was kidnapped from the 3rd floor of the [[Gentle Rest]] inn, rescued from the [[Plague Rats]] by [[Thauntle's Company]], and showing signs of strange effects from the power of [[Selune]].\n\nShe has blond hair, green eyes and a strange mark of [[Selune]] on her shoulder.\n\nThere was an attempt to capture her again at the [[Moon Sphere]]. The party helped to prevent it, though a priestess, [[Cairissa]], was killed in the process.

Avaereene: A tall and beautiful lady (quite out of place at the [[Thirsty Throat]]), Avaereene is apparently involved in procuring errand-runners and hirelings, the implication being that she does so for "no questions asked" shady activities as well as legitimate ones.

A great trading city of the [[Sword Coast]], nine days' sail (about 500 miles) south of [[Waterdeep]]. Probably current location of [[Lareth Myntion]] and [[Marune]], the evil [[Cloakmaster]] of the [[Shadow Thieves]].

Lord Barauthar Phaulkon\nOccupation: Caravan organizer, minor noble ([[Cormyr]])\nLocations: [[Phaulkonmere]] (S44); N59, C15. (Formerly) $4, T42, S5, S13, D31.\nDescription: The aging Lord Barauthar Phaulkon still has a full head of jet-black hair and is clean-shaven, with sparkling blue eyes. He occasionally can be seen out in the streets smoking a pipe in the evenings.\nPersonality: Lord Phaulkon is an animated giant of a man, proud of his appearance, his business, and his family. He is honorable and constantly curious about other people; some might even say he is naive and trusting.\nTrivia: People set their schedules by the regular walks Lord Phaulkon and his wife make from the Quarter to the [[Gull Leap]] and back each afternoon.\n

''Occupations:'' Griffon breeding and taming, hunting\n''Location:'' Belabranta villa ($52)\n\nOne of Waterdeep's oldest noble families, known for its patriarch's skill at magic and for the exemplary service of [[Mourn Belabranta]], the family heir, in the [[City Guard|Guard]]. House Belabranta provides most of the trained griffons for the Guard's elite griffon cavalry. \n\nA family heirloom, the [[Griffontack of Belabranta]], went missing over two centuries ago.

One of the seven senior captains of the [[Flaming Fist]] mercenary company in [[Baldur's Gate]]. Beluarion interviewed [[Carter]] for a position within the company, and has provided some assistance in interrogating members of the Thieves' Guild who were captured by Carter when they attempted to assassinate him.

A ranger of the [[High Forest]].

The Black Orchid: A modest boardinghouse on the High Road in [[Trades Ward]].\n\nCouriers trading [[Xundorn]] metal were followed here by [[Thauntle's Company]]. [[Malcer Stormwind]] arrived here shortly after the couriers went in and emerged whistling and swinging his axe lightly. Within were the bodies of the slain couriers.

This inn is named for its enchanted signboard, looted from a ruined village in Amn after a long-ago trade war. It’s a large black sign displaying a curved saber held by a delicate, long-fingered female human hand. The sign is enspelled so that stars wink and slowly drift around the blade over the dark surface. The inn itself is less exciting, but still a good, safe, clean, pleasant place to stay.\n\nThe Blade is a long, tall building with attached stables and kitchens on one side and balconies opening out of upper rooms on the other. It rises four floors above the street, and its furnishings are clean and fairly new. There’s a small lounge off the front lobby for guests to meet citizens in, but it lacks a table.\n\nService in the Blade is curt but swift. Vigilant stairwatchers on staff keep track of guests’ comings and goings, discouraging street thieves and even dopplegangers, who are a growing though unreported problem in cities all over Faerûn. Your stay is apt to be quiet and unremarkable, unless your demeanor makes it otherwise. Rowdy or reckless guests are firmly warned, once–and if something else happens, firmly asked to leave.\n\nMeals are served in guests’ rooms rather than in a dining room, so the fare is never better than lukewarm–but as it’s simple ale, bread, and fish, this is little loss. Bread can be ordered spread with herbed cheese or melted eggs (both surprisingly good). On cold nights, the proprietor, [[Aundegul Shawm]], serves ruby cordial on request–a sweet, syrupy concoction of cherries dissolved in sugared red wine. It’s nice, once you’re used to the rawness it leaves in the throat.\n\nRooms, including bath, stabling and meals, are 3 gp per night. A guest can order three servings of food a day, but it’s always the same repast. Cordial is 4 cp per goblet. Ale is 3 cp per tankard. One tankard of ale is free with each meal, and a guest can purchase two extra a day–those requesting more will be told to find a tavern.

Supplier of mercenaries. Blazidon can usually be contacted at the [[Bowels of the Earth]] tavern or in [[Virgin's Square]].

Bledryn - a watch mage who helped [[Thauntle's Company]] deal with [[Hlethvagi]]'s intrigue.

The Bloody Fist (D17) \nA notorious, ramshackle dive even for [[Dock Ward]]. Repeated furniture breakage has resulted in only wall benches and a stand-up elbow bar in the center of the room being left. Wooden mugs have replaced metal, ceramic, and glass vessels, and the beer barrels are chained down to prevent their easy use as missiles. Drinkers stand herded together like rothe in a pen, snarling and belching, and fights are almost constant. Bullies and angry people come here to pick fights, and a room upstairs is retained for a succession of novice priests of Tempus, who dress broken bones and patch scrapes in return for donations to the war god. This has resulted in the place sometimes being called "the Wargod."\n\n[[Thauntle's Company]] tracked down [[Ulmrin]], leader of the [[Headsmen]], here.

The Bloody Hand - band of cutthroats who operated out of the sewers beneath [[Waterdeep]] until [[Thauntle's Company]] destroyed them. The Bloody Hand were allegedly led by a "[[Cloakmaster]]."

The Mermaid is known up and down the Coast lands as a meeting place in which to conduct illicit business for folk who are dangerous or criminals. It is a noisy, brawling establishment, best only for those who go well armed, know how to use their weapons, and bring lots of loyal friends with similar skills.\n\nThe Mermaid is a long, low, ramshackle place with a confusing maze of wings, outbuildings, stockaded enclosures, and stables surrounding it on three sides–the better to give cover to those trying to approach or leave unseen, most Baldurians say. It has at least four levels of cellars–many more, some say–and rumors abound of secret passages, or even connections to an underground stream or sewer connecting with the harbor.\n\nRooms at the Mermaid are low-ceilinged, dingy, and apt to be furnished with mismatched pieces that have seen better days. In general, they are loot-and-salvage pieces that have seen heavy use since their installation here. The overall effect is of a rather dangerous but endearingly cluttered cellar, decorated with the flotsam of a hundred shipwrecks.\n\nThe lobby is the only high-ceilinged room in the place, except the stairwell to the two upper floors. A life-size and crudely carved wooden mermaid hangs overhead above the reception desk. The nearly nude mermaid’s body is covered with a score or more shriveled and blackened severed hands. If asked about them, the staff will smile and tell you that they were – er, donated by folks who forgot to pay their bills. \n\nThe desk has its own trophy–a huge broad axe buried deep in the wood. Be warned that the axe can easily be snatched up out of the deep cleft it caused long ago and hurled with speed and accuracy across the lobby by the balding, bearded, hairy-armed clerk who looks like a walking cask!\n\nThe visitor will find in the Mermaid an astonishing collection of smooth-tongued, scarred old sea dogs nursing drinks at all hours. It is rumored that each and every one of these folk is a contact or panderer for some criminal organization, pirate clan, or "grey trader." Among them is the woodcarver [[Ulmyn Andalor]]. \n\nThe Mermaid is apt to be quite safe, so long as one avoids battle and does nothing overly insulting or stupid. (Some sharp-tongued killers like to taunt and goad other guests to see if they can get a fight out of them.) The proprietors, who are unknown and never seen, have instructed their staff to make the House a relatively safe, neutral ground for all patrons, whatever their race, past, or profession. It’s better for business that way.\n\nMeals at the Mermaid are of two sorts: elaborate food, brought in to order from nearby eateries, and food prepared on the premises. The brought-in food is usually good and of generous portions, but not overly warm by the time it reaches you.\n\nThe fare prepared at the Mermaid is of the simple but good and filling variety, except for a truly vile salted smallfish stew. Many sailors order only bread spread with drippings (crusty nutbread rolls with thick organ meat gravy ladled over them) or handwheels of cheese, but the Mermaid’s kitchen also produces a splendid pork, thyme, and mushroom platter. The most commonly ordered meal is ale, bread, and fish. Some patrons also like small squid pickled in vinegar.\n\nSailors have prodigious appetites. It’s not uncommon to look across the dining room at the Mermaid and not see several diners. They’re entirely hidden by the roasts set in front of them!\n\nWhole roast pigs are another favorite dish. It seems most seafolk are sick of marine edibles by the time they reach land, but land-treading travelers and sailors long ashore often order literal heaps of oysters, clams, or mussels and attack them with a knife. Hairy-chested men (those foolish enough to risk diseases and parasites) often eat the shellfish raw–and a crazed few like to shell them alive from a saltwater basin and devour them still squirming!\n\nBeer at the Mermaid is sea ale (thicker and more bitter than most tongues find enjoyable), stout, and a light, golden-hued lager from Mintarn. No wines are available, but one can get whisky strong and smoky enough to strip paint or tar from wood. It brings tears to the eyes of most who drink it, and probably worse things to their insides!\n\nRooms are 2 gp per night, stabling included. Food for mounts is an extra 3 cp each. No tenday room rate or bathing facilities are available. All food and drink is extra. A platter of fish, bread, and drippings is 2 cp, and meat dishes are all 3 cp per platter.\n\nHeaps of shellfish are 1 gp per serving, and whole roasts are 3 gp each. Ale is 3 cp per tankard, and whisky is 1 sp per tallglass (with no larger measure prices).\n\nTravelers’ Lore\nPredictably, fourscore tales of treachery, hidden treasure, secret passages, and trapped chests swirl around the Mermaid. It’s impossible to tell how many are pure fabrication or have grown wildly in the telling. It is said that stolen or illegal items, or even people–willingly or unwillingly–can be hidden quickly and well here for a fee.

The Blushing Nymph (C81) - A raucous festhall in [[Castle Ward]], behind which is the [[Long Dark Stair]] down to [[Undermountain]].

Lord Bly Ruldegost is a middle-aged man of elegant mien, tall, thin, dignified, and with a splendid mane of white hair. Bly is known in noble circles as a man of great honor and integrity, whose banking ventures are always carried out with an eye to conservative risk and return and preserving his infant nephew's fortunes.

Legendary city of the elves, lost to the sands of time. The [[Dawntree Elves]] seek to restore it.

Broadsheets, or "Short scrolls," are what we call "newspapers." Usually strips of parchment no longer than a human is tall and of widely varying widths, from chapbook width to thrice as broad, they are printed by mechanical means on both sides (at different times; that is, after one side is printed, it's left to dry before the other side is printed). Their vegetable inks tend to run when wet, no matter how long ago they were printed (a few of the more exclusive broadsheets are baked to inhibit this effect), and at times cause certain neighborhoods to reek when many hearth fires are started with their crumpled carcasses at the same time. To Waterdhavians, these short, written newsheets are known as "broadsheets" after Haumbroad "the Humble," a now-dead tireless producer of them, who through years of sheer persistence trained the folk of the city to seek out and trust this form of news.\n\nOlder Waterdhavians remember Haumbroad as a wizened, untidily bearded old man who stood hunched over on many a street corner along the High Road, day after day, calling out to passersby to "trade a nib for the wonders of the world!" Many broadsheets still cost a single copper coin today, though most of the better-known ones are priced at twice that (until a vendor wants to be free of them and elsewhere in a hurry).\n\nHaumbroad certainly started something popular. On a given day, thirty to forty regularly produced broadsheets are for sale on the streets, and some shops (notably the stall of "Sharkroar" Horth Shalark in the Market, and Berendarr's World of Words on the High Road, west-front just a few doors up from the Waymoot) even specialize in broadsheets. (The older ones are rolled and thrust into wall-shelves, and more recent offerings hang from the ceiling on clips like so many miniature tapestries.) Most old broadsheets sell for two to five per copper coin, but a few that contain especially salacious tales or notorious rants are sought after by collectors and fetch prices of as much as a dragon each!\n\nMany Waterdhavians are fans of particular broadsheets, preferring the political rants, sly social comments, jokes, and serialized "adventures" (often bawdy or pranksome) they contain. New issues of most broadsheets appear on the streets every three or four days, and important events always trigger floods of "extras." The most haughty broadsheets (favored by the wealthiest and most noble clientele) publish once-a-tenday, and these concentrate on overviews of unfolding events and the best-written serial tales of entertainment.\n\nBroadsheet vendors are usually young street children or the printers themselves, and they are universally known as "broadcryers" for their common habit of calling out headlines. "Learn who's behind the mask! A hidden Lord revealed!" is a frequent cry (almost always denoting a fanciful tale used when there's little news of worth to be told).\n\nThe most aggressive broadcryers take up stations inside the city gates (Waymoot near the South Gate being the busiest), places many Waterdhavians visit daily (such as the Market), and strategic locations like the moot of the High Road and Waterdeep Way, the northerly moot of the High Road and the Way of the Dragon, and entrances to the City of the Dead around highsun (when many Waterdhavians enjoy their midday "highsunfest" by taking portable viands to the cemetery's parklike setting).\n\nSome broadcryers strike deals with inns and taverns (particularly those near city gates), who allow them to sell in the lobbies without the usual calling of headlines. Almost all other broadcryers, save the few who deliver broadsheets personally to the villas of the noble and wealthy, cry out headlines on the streets -- which usually irritates folk living or shopkeeping nearby.\n\nAs a result, any citizen can complain to any Watch officer to have a broadcryer (or any street vendor) "moved along," and the Watch officer is bound to promptly issue such an order. This will always be "at least onto the next street," and is good for about half an hour unless the vendor wants to be detained and frowningly questioned for an entire morning or evening (losing a lot of trade in the process). Because of this, only the quietest broadcryers remain stationary in their vending locations. Young children selling broadsheets may even run to intercept or catch up with persons who seemed interested in their cry but in a hurry to accomplish some pressing task. Few broadcryers sell on the streets before dawn or after dusk -- and those who try to "cry headlines" at such times will be arrested by the Watch, taken to a Watchpost for a stern (and time-wasting) lecture, and then sent on their way without charge or punishment.\n\nThe City Guard keeps the immediate vicinity of all city gates clear of vendors to avoid impeding traffic or providing cover for any attack on the city that might begin with the destruction of gates, so the first broadcryers to be met with are half a dozen leather-lunged sellers at Waymoot. Most are usually casual hires and street urchins, but among them will always be One-Legged Alram, a great giant of a man with a black beard, an eyepatch, and frankly piratical garb of colorful coat, large flopping seaboots, and a broad-brimmed wreck of a hat. He sells his own broadsheet, Straight Talk from the Docks (which he bills as "the seafarers' forum, where all dirty truths are told").\n\nProceeding up the High Road, the stretch between the Waymoot and the Forcebar is the battleground of many street urchins selling divers broadsheets, and another of Waterdeep's colorful printers: Astel Turjan, owner and writer of Turjan's Trumpet. Turjan is a handsome, debonair "young blade about town," and writes a dashing, light-hearted broadsheet concentrating on telling other young gallants where to be seen, what to wear to be best seen in, where to have fun, and where to find the best (looking and willing, that is) young lasses to have fun with. The Trumpet is popular among many Waterdhavians of both genders and all ages seeking to know "where the latest action is" so they can show up there for their own purposes.\n\nA few broadcryers along this stretch sell religious broadsheets, but these hit their real stride farther north, closer to the Plinth.\n\nOur tour of broadcryers continues north up the High Road from Waymoot. From the Forcebar to the Windhowl (the moot of River Street and the High Road, the nearest vendors are allowed to the River Gate), retired drovers and warriors share the cobbles, peddling various special interest broadsheets such as Calagar's Caravans (which advertises caravan musterings, guard-hirings, and folk looking to buy or sell wagons, harness, and draft beasts and riding horses) and Thaeler's Coinwatch (a cynical survey of shipping business over land and water entering or departing Waterdeep, and how "those with big coin" control everything for their profit and the general misery of everyone else).\n\nAt the moot of the High Road and Waterdeep Way, dozens of broadcryers hawk every imaginable broadsheet (many having small pushcarts and offering a dozen or more titles), but the High Road between this intersection and the Windhowl, and the Way of the Dragon as far south as Candle Lane, are haunted by priests and lay worshipers dressed in grandiose religious garb, selling the "devout broadsheets" of their faith.\n\nThe most popular are Thy Daily Luck, dedicated to Tymora but really to local investments and gambling, and the Merchants' True Friend, consecrated to Waukeen. Many nondevout Waterdhavians occasionally pick up a copy of [[The Eternal Dawn]], the Lathanderite broadsheet, because it concerns itself with new ventures, new organizations, near-future plans, and probable politics just ahead. Like the "gilded broadsheets" of the rich and noble, the devout broadsheets tend to cost three nibs to a shard per issue.\n\nThe tendency of many sailors to make rough sport of broadcryers by shredding their wares has resulted in most of Dock Ward being forever free of street crying. Interested readers must travel to a main street location elsewhere or visit Ralagut's Wheelhouse, a sundries shop on west-front Snail Street half a block south off Shesstra's Street.\n\nIn the rest of the city, broadcryers work in the Market and on its boundary streets of Trader's Way and Bazaar Street, all along the High Road, on the Sutherlane and Julthoon Street, and the lengths of the Street of the Singing Dolphin, Stormstar's Ride, and both the Street of Lances and the Street of Glances.\n\nOn pleasant evenings, the Street of Whispers sports a few "silent" broadcryers who are actually employees of the festhalls, sent out to peddle a few broadsheets to provide an excuse for the timid to venture down the street -- and to sell steamy chapbooks to folk too timid to enter a festhall.

Bulaedo "Fists" Ledgileer\nProprietor of the [[Thirsty Throat]] tavern.\n\nBested by Carter in one-on-one combat.

Caiyrissa - cleric of [[Selune]] who was slain by an unknown skullish necromancer at the [[Moon Sphere]] protecting [[Aurelia Ssarn]].

Land far to the south of [[Waterdeep]]. Calimshan is noted as a hot, desert land of many teeming coastal cities and much wealth, casual magic, and slavery. Calishite men are said to treat women worse than dogs and to have little respect for the folk of the "Savage North." A Northern proverb goes that "the Calishite's tongue wags so long with lies that it wraps about his head, blinding him to his own foolishness."

Packed-dirt courtyard in [[South Ward]] that serves as a rallying point for most caravans coming and going from [[Waterdeep]]. Elderly citizens are often found here, watching people and animals going hither and yon with the caravans. Many vagrants are here at night, sleeping with the animals for warmth.

<html><center><b><font size=6>CARTER</font></b></center></html>\n+++[Picture]\n[img[http://cknott.home.mindspring.com/roi/carter01.jpg]]\n\n''OR''\n\n[img[http://cknott.home.mindspring.com/roi/carter02.jpg]]\n===\n\n\n+++[Background]\n\nTBD\n\n===

Cassandra is the strong-willed, quick-witted, and prolific matriarch of the [[Thann]] noble family. She dotes on her nine children (six sons, three daughters) and twelve grandchildren, but spends much time managing the affairs of the family in partnership with her husband Rhammas, the family patriarch.\n\nCassandra was born a year before her father Zelphar Arunsun left Neverwinter, her mother dying in childbirth. They came to Waterdeep, where Zelphar married [[Lhestyn Arunsun]]. Cassandra is thus the stepdaughter of the Masked Lady and the (older) stepsister of the archmage [[Khelben Arunsun]].\n\nLosing herself in her father's library, Cassandra became quite the intellectual, and can still hold arguments with the best minds in Waterdeep. Cassandra became Lady Thann on her 22nd birthday, but her joy was marred by the subsequent murder of her father and the disappearance of Khelben. Three years later, upon her mother's death, Cassandra broke ties with the Arunsun clan, “as the name has only death tied to its unfathomable power.”\n\nThe return of Khelben to Waterdeep after a decade-long absence gladdened Cassandra, and she had her family to share with him. The two are known to keep in touch, and Khelben is an occasional visitor to the Thann villa.

Castle Ward\nIn terms of both geography and power, Castle Ward is the city's center. Most, if not all, of the city's administrative buildings are within the ward boundaries, from the lofty spires of [[Piergeiron's Palace]] to the low-slung crenelations of the guard smithy. While money and social standing are the prevalent benchmarks of might in the City of Splendors, [[Waterdeep]]'s true power and what keeps it running are the Lords and Magisters here. If you like the taste of power and authority mixed with the usual commerce of the city, Castle Ward is the place to go.\n \nThe city guard maintains a strong presence in Castle Ward due to the concentration of city officials and areas of importance in need of heavier security. Even so, the watch maintains much of the order, especially around the [[Market]], the [[Palace|Piergeiron's Palace]], and the Castle Ward docks. Like the guard, the watch makes a show of force in Castle. Ward, traveling in larger patrols of six and brandishing short swords in addition to their normal rods and clubs.\n\nThe ward boundaries are the southern side of Julthoon Street over to Shield Street and down to Trader's Way on the north, meeting up with the High Road and Snail Street for the eastern perimeter. Lackpurse Lane, Belnimbra's Street, Gut Alley, and Shesstra's Street combine in an uneven boundary to the south, whereas the mountain and the coastline form the western edges of the ward. While Castle Ward covers the most territory, [[Mount Waterdeep]] makes up a lot of empty land and the ward is effectively little larger than Sea or North Ward.

//The Great Mother, the Grain Goddess, the Golden Goddess, She Who Shapes All//\nGoddess of Agriculture\n''Symbol:'' A budding flower encircled by the sun, or a sheaf of golden wheat.\n\nChauntea (Chawn-TEE-ah) rarely appears to mortals, although the most devout sometimes see her smiling face in their dreams. Her hand is on every place where humans seek to grow things. She is not a goddess given to spectacle or pageant, but rather calls her followers to small acts of devotion. She is immensely popular among gardeners, farmers, and common folk of many nations. Through her blessing, most of Faerûn is fruitful. She is wise and quiet, though not passive, and is not given to hasty action.\n\nChauntea’s faith is one of nurture and growth. Agricultural sayings and farming parables dot her teachings. Growing and reaping, the eternal cycle, is a common thread in Chauntea’s faith. Destruction for its own sake, or leveling without rebuilding, is anathema to the church. \n\nChauntean priests are charged to nurture, tend, and plant whenever and wherever possible; protect trees and plants, and save their seeds so that what is destroyed can be replaced; see to the fertility of the earth, but let the human womb see to its own; and to eschew fire.\n\nChauntea's nearest major religious center to [[Waterdeep]] is the fortified abbey of [[Goldenfields]], about three days' ride east of the City of Splendors.

Cial Myntion\nThe third child of [[Quallos|Quallos Myntion]] and [[Miri Myntion]] is a confident woman with a reputation for outdrinking any full-grown man who cares to test her, and many do. Quallos doesn’t mind, since it gets people to buy more beer, though Miri worries that her daughter is still too much of a tomboy. Secondly, she has a habit of breaking fingers (and noses) of men whose hands stray too far while she's serving drinks.

This walled enclosure on the eastern edges of Trades Ward is the necropolis of Waterdeep, and its size nearly makes it a ward in and of itself. It is neatly tended by a contingent of watch members (who keep it peaceful with strict patrols every 20 minutes) and various members of the Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters (who light the torches around and inside a number of the tombs). It is a beautiful, open park during the day, one of the few places dominated by greenery that the citizens of Waterdeep share within the city walls. \n\nCitizens are forbidden to enter the City of the Dead at night; of course, many of the city’s shady natives ignore this and take their chances having meetings here at all hours. Numerous shady dealings take place by lantern-light here.\n\nThe areas within the City of the Dead are filled with marble tombs, all connected along a gravel path that leads to all the exits of the cemetery. Less than half the noble families keep tombs here (many have family crypts beneath their villas, or have their dead buried in family land holdings outside the city), but in several cases, noble families share a tomb.\n\nThere are two large watchtowers along the walls of the City of the Dead, each with an external guard posted to watch for trouble in the shadowy corners and alleys abutting the cemetery.

''Occupation'': Watch armar ([[South Ward]])\n''Locations'': [[Watch Guardpost]] (S36); [[Spouting Fish]], S9, T13, wanders Southern Ward\n\n''Description'': Clion is a short, red-haired man with a neatly trimmed full beard and short cropped hair. His complexion is the standard ruddiness of the Northmen, but his eyes are the uncommon color of sand. While short (5’), he has a wiry, muscular frame and his strength is often underestimated. When on duty, he wears the uniform of a watch patrolman. Off duty, he favors loose tunics, close-cut pants, high boots, and a vest made of glacier-snake hide.\n\n''Personality'': Clion is a joker by nature, always ready with a quip or snide remark. There isn’t a joke or a snappy retort told within the city that Clion doesn’t know. However, the jokes end when he’s at work, as all his concentration is set on keeping order and doing his job.\n\n''Trivia'': Clion has a distinct knife scar slashed across the back of his right hand.\n\n

The Cloakmaster - probably a title among thieves' guilds for a higher-up. A former Cloakmaster of the [[Bloody Hand]] may be dead. [[Marune]] was a Cloakmaster of the [[Shadow Thieves]].

The Copper Cup - festhall in [[Dock Ward]].\n\nNews item:\n\n//The owners of the Copper Cup festhall and neighboring establishments are still patching walls, repairing windows, and replacing signboards after the festhall was overrun by "at least thirty" carousing Illuskan reavers yesterday. In addition to much broken furniture and several injuries (all of which, it is assured, were shared among the reavers themselves rather than by any of the Cup's dancers or bystanders), there was also the "impressive" wreck of the entire Northern Passage sail-shop after a dozen heavily-armed members of the City [[Guard]], called in response to a [[Watch]]-horn, forced several of the fierce, drunken berserk reavers against the shop's wall in order to forestall a conflict between the Illuskani and a local street gang, the [[Alley Cleavers]]. According to a passing dungsweeper, one of the reavers "//simply began pullin' down the shop and throwin' pillars and beams at the gangers like they was javelins, as Tyr's me witness!//" The reavers eventually were escorted back to their ship and deposited aboard. Evethe Unthusk, one of the Cup's dancers, said, with a smile, that the festhall would be closed a tenday "//for recovery... of the property AND the escorts.//"//

An cousin of Perrigan's, whom he considers an adopted brother, and with whom he frequently corresponds. Crium is located in [[Baldur's Gate]].\nOccupation: Horsebreeding, nobility

Also known as the Followers of the Scaly Way, the Cult of the Dragon is a debased sect that holds the belief that the world will one day be ruled by undead dragons, known also as the "Dark Dragons" or "Dead Dragons," and that the free folk of Faerun must pave the way for their ascendancy. According to the priestess [[Naneatha Suaril]], the Cult in reality serves more as a protection or extortion racket than a religious movement; many folk are said to "tithe" coins to the Cult in order to avoid its depredations. \n\nThe Cult's presence was heretofore unknown in Waterdeep, until [[Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] and [[Carter]] discovered a clandestine meeting between the merchant [[Ilnaster Ravenar]] and an unkempt, white-bearded Cult wizard. The duo defeated the Cult wizard and placed him in the custody of the [[Watch]]; a careful search of Ilnaster's shop and house revealed 5,000 gp in gold trade bars and a list indicating that several amounts of similar size had passed through the merchant's house over the previous twelvemonth. Given references to "guarding coins well until they're under the claws of a Dead Dragon," they can only presume that this money constitutes revenues for the Cult.

Danilo Thann: Feckless, hard-partying and rather lackwitted scion of the Thann noble family (son of [[Cassandra Thann]], the family matriarch and younger sister of [[Khelben Arunsun]]).

The Dawntree Elves - group of elves seeking a new home here in Faerun (as opposed to Evermeet). Various members have differing ideas about where and how to accomplish this task.

[[Home]]

A festhall-girl at the [[Purple Palace]]. Known as "the Dark" for her complexion (she is from [[Thay]]) and perhaps her (mis)deeds, for she is an accomplished gray trader and assassin for the [[Order of the Black Flame]]. Recently cornered in Skullport and chased out of Waterdeep by [[Thauntle's Company]].

Dhaeramos Cragsmere: Senior member of House Cragsmere (one of [[Waterdeep]]'s richest families), and son of Japhyl "the Hawk," patriarch of that house. Dhaeramos once hired [[Thauntle's Company]] to babysit his son [[Flaern|Flaern Cragsmere]] on some monster-hunting mission outside the city.

Dharjamyn "Dhar" Thauntle - former [[Waterdeep]] cobbler who found his fortune in rubies and fled town. The party took the name [[Thauntle's Company]] from his shop, which he left them in payment for protection.

Dichara Stormheart: Flame-haired "roving civilar" (Watch investigative officer) who has plagued [[Thauntle's Company]] about its "improper" investigations of various homes and businesses (most recently [[Hlethvagi]]'s house).\n\nShe has since changed her attitude toward the party a bit, through conversation with [[Majmalo]] and by watching the party help the Watch with their job.\n\nDichara is assisted by the watch-wizard [[Tagon Banestar]].

(C13)

Ports, by their very nature, are unclean, noisy, crowded, and constantly busy places where few outsiders are welcome. [[Waterdeep]]'s Dock Ward fits this mold, though its notoriety and bedlam are, if nothing else, slightly muted by the tales told up and down the Sword Coast. It was best described, by a wizard of no little note, as a '//riotous, semi-stationary but nigh-perpetual brawl that covers entire acres and is interrupted only by small buildings, intermittent trade business, an errant dog or two, and a few brave watchmen (who do manage to keep the chaos from spreading beyond the docks), the whole lot wallowing in the stench of rotting fish. Still, in all, twas quite a lusty, intriguing place to spend an evening.//'\n\nCity watch patrols and guard contingents keep this ward in a semblance of order, traveling in well-armed groups of eight during the day and groups of twelve or more after dusk. Many of the roads are gravel-packed dirt, once the docks and cobblestone access roads to the [[Way of the Dragon]] are left behind. The dark, mud-strewn alleys are endless in Dock Ward, and they hide many dangers, despite the alertness of Waterdeep's defenders, so travel in large, heavily armed groups if you must.\n\nDock Ward's boundaries, quickly stated, are the harbor and the southern boundaries of Castle and Trades Wards. The northern boundary runs north and east on Lackpurse Lane to Belnimbra's Street, over and down Gut Alley, and turns east to Shesstra's Street. Moving east and turning south onto Book Street, the boundary moves east again on Drakiir Street until it meets the Way of the Dragon, the eastern perimeter of Dock Ward. The southern border of the ward is, of course, the docks and the harbor.\n\nDespite being the oldest settled area of Waterdeep, Dock Ward consists of many wooden structures all built upon each other with a few stone buildings to provide structural support for therest. While people worked and lived here for 1000 years before Ahghairon’s rule, few buildings last for more than 30 years. The only permanent constructions that have existed for extensive periods of time in Dock Ward are the docks themselves, as well as the protective harbor walls and the towers of Deepwatch Isle. With the relatively new cobblestone streets along the docks providing easier access to trade routes within the city, talk is circulating of updating and improving buildings along those routes. As far as the Lords are concerned, any improvements here are definitely for the better.

See [[Ellandra Tolbaern]].

The the tall, slender, and handsome heir of the [[Thongolir]] noble family. Currently searching for a bride, ideally a "kind, gentle woman who loves to cook, knows how to ride, won't disapprove of frivolity, hard drinking, or long hours of neglect while I attend to work, and is willing to share my bed." Dolerphus has been disappointed in his search, his last bride having absconded with a good part of the House's fine art collection, which he dispatched [[Safina]] to retrieve.

The Inn of the Dripping Dagger (T3) is a cozy old inn on the east side of the High Road, south of Selduth Street and north of the Coffinmarch. It’s well-known as the favorite watering hole and resting place for hireswords, and has a reputation for jovial horseplay that keeps the more timid merchants and pilgrims away from its doors.\n\nThis tavern has a fieldstone street-level floor pierced by a few squat, iron-barred arched windows. A row of iron and amber-glass lamps run along its front, illuminating the hanging dripping dagger signboard and the entry door, which is covered with many bloodstains and weaponscars. \n\nThere is a stable behind and a little south of the inn reached by a passage off Spindle Street, and a few gnarled old trees that one can relax under. This back alley is frequently full of fighting men at practice.\n\nInside, the inn has a dark, low-ceilinged taproom like many a tavern. A stair beside the bar leads up to the inn rooms, and there is a private dining room around behind the stairs that has been used for many war councils and private business meetings down through the years.\n\nThe place is simple, but comfortably furnished and welcoming. The warrior guests seem to relax completely here, and laugh, joke, and play at dice, cards, or board games with easy, lazy enjoyment. Songs and playacting, wherein one hairy warrior gets up and lisps and flirts his way through an imitation of a noble lady or mimics a pompous merchant met during the day, are common.\n\nLaughter rings often around this taproom. It’s easy to see why guests love this place so and become regulars. Those who are not fighting men are greeted affably and treated with courtesy rather than being made to feel unwelcome or out of place. On a typical visit, one might see three hulking mercenaries on their knees on the floor solemnly playing orc squash with a little boy as his mother looked on in pleased amazement.\n\nThe proprietor is [[Filiare]], a jovial, middle-aged ex-mercenary who’s [[Blazidon "One-Eye"]]’s chief competitor in the business of getting mercenaries hired. Many folk come here seeking hireswords in a hurry and Filiare is known to all and trusted by most. He has lots of spare weapons and gear given to him by fighting men who never came back or who paid him in goods when they lacked coin, which he will sell or rent to adventurers. He has also known to trim his prices a bit for guests thin in the purse.

Dulbravvan Anteos - Business associate of [[Fylgard Onister]] and head of House [[Anteos]]. Once a slaver house, Anteos is now a moneylending and trading house. The House has a famous ghost who haunts the house from outside the windows whenever a party is thrown requiring the shades be shut. Party discovered that [[Korras Anteos]], nephew to Dulbravvan, is probably spying for Anteos' old rival, [[Yunth Hothemer]] of House [[Hothemer]], a competitor of House Anteos who is also involved with caravans.\n\nDulbravvan was found slain by poison on the 6th of Alturiak in the Year of the Prince (1357 DR). Thauntle's Company discovered information suggesting that the assassin [[Voralanya Maragund]] undertook the job at the request of [[Korras Anteos]], and passed this information to Dulbravvan's widow Ranaya, who had Korras arrested.

Proprietor of the [[Yawning Portal]] inn. A tall, broad-shouldered man of advancing years with a reputation as an adventurer of note. Durnan is relatively little-spoken and seems to spend almost all his time at his inn.

Once a thriving community of 100,000 dwarves, this dwarven city now holds only a tenth of its former strength. Located in a high mountain valley in the midst of the Earthfast Mountains of Impiltur, Earthfast seems a grim, doomed city.\n\nFew women and children live there today. The bustling trade that once went on is now limited to a few brave peddlers from other cities who slip through the goblin-kin patrols to reach the city, bringing seeds and fruit, cheeses and textiles to trade for the famous war-goods of Earthfast. The dwarves that remain in the city mine and fight valiantly, beset by orcs and goblins who have recently gathered together in attacks aimed at eradicating the remaining dwarves. The city is a gloomy, silent place, but for the noises of smithy-work and war. The dwarves of Earthfast fight silently, too, though they do utter an eerie low, rumbling roar of victory when a battle is won.\n\nEarthfast is ruled by a single hereditary leader, the ironlord. The current lord, Torg Arnfist, blood of Dorn, commands the army and keeps law and order in the shrinking city. A black-bearded, foul-tempered dwarf, he is prone to bombast and overstatement, and has recently trained his troops in the use of polearms to augment their traditional crossbows, axes, and swords.\n\nTorg has taken a liking to the canaries used by dwarven miners in the north. In warmer caverns of the south, glowing fungi betrays bad air by a change in hue, but it dies in the chill air of northerly delves, so they have turned to these winged companions. He can often be seen carrying a beautifully-wrought birdcage with him about the city, even in the midst of battles. The ironlord lost both wife and son to orcs some time ago.\n\nVery few creatures of any race earn the trust of the dwarves of Earthfast. This is true even of most other dwarves. There are notable exceptions, including King Azoun of Cormyr, who has a longstanding treaty of alliance with Earthfast. King Azoun is said to have helped the dwarves in the past.\n\nRecently, a mysterious human female warrior of great fighting-skills has been seen fighting alongside the dwarves. Some say that she is a renegade witch of Rashemen, and others that it is one of the Knights of the North, cast out of the Citadel of the Raven by the Zhentarim. Other traders who have seen her say that it is a woman of fierce temper and a regal manner, possibly a petty ruler or courtesan of a more southerly land. The pirate “queen” Shandagara recently vanished from the waters of the Vilhon Reach, leaving her abandoned ship wallowing in the waves still laden with treasure— -- spirited away by magic, obviously. Perhaps she came to Earthfast. Pressed on this point, Elminster merely smiled enigmatically and said that some things were best revealed in good time— -- and revealed they would be, though the time might not be good.\n\nThe dwarves of Earthfast are skilled weaponsmiths, and their axes are especially valued. A full suit of Earthfast plate can fetch a staggering price, for it is said to be the equal of Ironstar-work -- conferring extraordinarily resilience even without the need for magical reinforcement. Armor from Earthfast is extremely rare, however, and under no circumstances can the city’'s dwarves be commissioned to make new armor for outsiders (they are far too busy fighting and repairing their own armor for the ongoing fray). Most of the Earthfast armor in existence fits only dwarves; the few suits that are larger tend to be close-guarded family treasures, in Sembia, Amn, Waterdeep, and other wealthy places (such as the Palace of King Azoun, in Suzail).\n\nMuch of Earthfast is abandoned already, and because the rest of it seems doomed to fall from the hands of the dwarves sooner or later. It will then be one more dwarven casualty in the long wars with the orcs.

Elaith "The Serpent" Craulnobur (male elf) - Silverhaired, self-styled adventurer. Rich and very graceful (movements of a cat... or a snake).\n\nCath spoke to him at the [[Hawkwinter]] Ball. He seemed uninterested in other elves, somewhat rude, and asked Cath to meet him at the [[Elfstone Tavern]] the next day.\n\nCath came with the entire entourage, but not after Carter did a little digging around. Turns out [[Blazidon]] and [[Filiare]] (mercenary suppliers both) will not do business with him because the consensus seems to be he only wants cheap, expendable muscle.\n\nMeeting with him revealed he has a map supposedly of [[The House of Stone (Stoneturn)|Stoneturn]]; the citadel built by the dwarves for elves in Ardeep Forest for the purpose of holding elven valuables against attackers (such as orcs and trolls). It is riddled with traps.\n\nElaith offered [[Thauntle's Company]] the map in exchange for 1/10th of whatver the party retrieves from the citadel. The party accepted his offer.\n\nFurther discussion with Cath's new friends (the [[Dawntree Elves]]) revealed that Elaith was also a member of several adventuring groups and was the only survivor. It is believed he betrayed them (if not killed some or all of them himself).

The Elfstone Tavern (C32): A place popular among elves in [[Waterdeep]]. This old, dimly lit tavern stands on the east side of the Street of the Sword, north of Waterdeep Way. It is an earthy-smelling place, where living trees have been encouraged through elven patience and forestry skill to grow up from the cellar and through the taprooms. By day, rooftop shutters are pulled aside to let rain and sunlight in for the trees. By night, dancing lights spells bathe the place in soft, floating, blue motes of light.\n\nHere elves gather to drink Evereskan clearwater (2 gp/tallglass), moonwine (4 gp/ tallglass), elverquisst (14 gp/tallglass), guldathen nectar (16 gp/glass) and maerlathen bluewine (17 gp/glass), and dine onbiscuits spread with roe, shrimp, spiced silverfin, crab meat, or mint jelly (all 1 gp/platter). You can also eat skewers of sizzled squirrel, rabbit, or venison done in a green sauce (2 gp each). These are so good that the gods would ask for more!\n\nGentle harp, pipe, flute, and choral music is performed and service is fast, near-silent, and graceful. This is a place where dwarves and half-orcs may be viewed with suspicion, and even humans and halflings regarded with mere tolerant amusement – elves can be very standoffish when they choose to be. However, the mood is usually light or serene, and the owner and staff welcome //all// folk. They will not allow anything to get too far out of hand.\n\nThe proprietor of the Elfstone is [[Yaereene Ilbaereth]]. The wizard [[Mistmyr Iroan]], as well as several sages of the city, can often be found here.

"The Doctor." An anatomist, worshipper of [[Loviatar]] and co-conspirator of [[Hlethvagi]]'s.

The Sage of Shadowdale; perhaps the single greatest living loremaster of the Realms.

Commander of the [[Flaming Fist]] mercenary company and one of the four Grand Dukes of [[Baldur's Gate]].

Ward Civilar, North Ward. Emmer is an urbane, witty, and surprisingly sophisticated swordsman. He is friendly with many of the city's younger nobles, including [[Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]], and especially close with [[Danilo Thann]] and [[Regnet Amcathra]]. \n\nEmmer replaced the previous Ward Civilar, Ryn Sulbrinter, after the latter was accused of embezzelling and of using his position to ruin various political enemies. Some whisper that the charges were false, trumped up by Jhundyl's influential friends. He has quickly become known as the "Lion of North Ward," due to his booming, jovial voice, swiftly-expanding waistline, and general newfound swagger.

Erevan Ilesere\nElven deity of of Mischief and Change.\n\n[[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] used to worship her until he was called by [[Sehanine Moonbow|Selune]].

Erik\nFormerly an orphan of [[Helm's Hall]], Erik is the adopted apprentice of [[Hammerhand Krabbellor]]. At age fourteen, he has proven to be a gifted silversmith, and his own designs have been praised as having “the excellent workmanship of dwarven material with a nimbleness and finesse like elven work.” His specialty, however, is silver-plating weapons, and one that the boy takes too well to, causing Hammerhand to worry about him running off to become an adventurer.

Essimuth Lanys\n''Occupation'': [[Merchant|Essimuth's Equipment]], retired mercenary\n''Locations'': [[Essimuth's Equipment]] (S28), [[Spouting Fish]]; S1, S8, S9, S15, S18, C21\n\n''Description'': Sometimes mistaken for a dwarf due to his height (and demeanor), Essimuth is a scarred veteran of many battles. A scruffy gray beard covers most of his facial scars save the long scar from chin to brow that runs under the eye patch over his right eye. He wears a cap to cover his bald head and the rest of his clothes are typical linen shirt and leather breeches. His right leg is missing below the knee, replaced by a peg leg. His clothes are very often covered with wood shavings from his whittling and carving.\n\n''Personality'': Essimuth is an adventurer at heart, and his only exploits now are through his own stories and those of current heroes. He truly misses the excitement of the open road, but is content to while away his later years here in Waterdeep around family and friends. While his manner and tone are always quite gruff, there’s a layer of mischief underneath when dealing with children and favored friends. He is extremely long-winded and can be a tad vindictive if not allowed to finish his stories; while seeming to ramble, Essimuth actually has distinct points to make, “//especially to young warriors who would do best to take my advice, lest they end up in the wake of a pirate ship or in the gullet of a monster!//” Nothing hurts Essimuth more than disrespect for his experience; “//Even though I’m past my prime, don’t think I can’t teach you lackwits a lesson or three!//”\n\n''Trivia'': Essimuth is a former hiresword who is said to have served with [[Mirt “the Moneylender”|Mirt]] back in the latter’s days as Mirt “the Merciless,” Essimuth owns three elaborately carved peg legs. His usual leg looks like an owlbear holding up his leg with its arms and shoulders; for more formal occasions, he has a duskwood leg carved with the shield and coat of arms of his old mercenary company; and for winter he has an ivory leg carved like a rearing white dragon (the wings becoming the top, of the leg) with grooves for better traction on ice and snow.

S28. Essimuth's Equipment\nThe ground floor of this less-than-tidy two-story tenement contains this equipment shop. Over the door is the symbol of a wolf's head surrounded by a snake swallowing its tail. Inside, the shop is surprisingly organized and well-kept, a shop boy always busy polishing and dusting the rack of weapons and armor behind a counter. There are barrels and racks of nearly any conceivable piece of equipment one might need at reasonable prices.\n\nThe short, battle-scarred proprietor, [[Essimuth|Essimuth Lanys]], sits upon a stool behind the main counter at all times of the day, constantly whittling and carving pieces of wood that healso sells as trinkets (his standards are little orcs that he often just tosses to children who enter his shop). His right eye is covered with an eye patch, a dull, jagged scar from brow to jaw telling its fate, and his right leg is replaced below the knee with a peg leg (also carved by Essimuth into a little owlbear bearing his weight on its shoulders and arms). \n\nPeople that shop here can expect great service in terms of Essimuth telling what's available and how best to use it in sticky situations; of course, this is all tangled within somewhat long-winded stories of Essimuth's days as a caravan-guard and soldier of the Sword Coast (and, to hear him tell it, pirate!).

Estrip Rosznar, "the Masked Lady": Lone member of House [[Rosznar]] (who had the rest of her family banished to [[Amn]] after exposing details of slavery, blackmail, and worse operations), Estrip has had a rumor dropped at the [[Hawkwinter ball]] by [[Myrna Cassalanter]] that she's having an affair with "that Southerner... Anszim or something?" \n\nSaid rumor, at the request of [[Danilo Thann]], subsequently led [[Thauntle's Company]] to track down the Red Wizard [[Ethur Anszim]], who also appears to have been involved with the [[Order of the Black Flame]]. Ethur was devoured in the sewers by a strange tentacled creature perhaps associated with the [[Savants of the Dark Tide]].

A Red Wizard involved with [[Serpentil Books and Folios]], the [[Order of the Black Flame]], and apparently various underhanded doings in the sewers. Deceased in the sewers at the hands of a tentacled creature possibly associated with the [[Savants of the Dark Tide]].

Legendary Elven island home where many elves have travelled to. Exactly why is still a mystery.

The Eye - unknown entity operating below [[Waterdeep]] who commands [[A]].

Now that Waterdhavian societal norms are covered, the discussion turns to what drives such a society. The various power groups of Waterdeep can be divided into four factions. These four factions are the Ruling Faction, the Guilds, the Temples, and the Independents.\n\nThe Ruling Faction consists of the [[Lords|Masked Lords]], the [[Magisters]], the [[Guard]], the [[Watch]], the [[Palace|Piergeiron's Palace]] officials and diplomats, and the special groups working directly (and discreetly) for the Lords. This faction traditionally has the upper hand in Waterdeep, and the Lords are extremely careful to ensure that things stay that way by retaining (ruthlessly, if need be) the absolute loyalty of the other members of this faction, particularly the guard (whose loyalty, traditionally, the guilds always try to purchase). \n\nWith few exceptions, the [[nobles|Nobles]] are considered part of the Ruling Faction, as they stand squarely behind it. The nobles largely leave the Lords alone in terms of city rule, and they are thus far more free to act as they wish without responsibilities beyond their immediate fiscal duties. At one time, almost all the noble families controlled the guilds; these days, most noble families withdraw from the cut-and thrust of active guild membership (only to replace such activity with the social cut-and-thrust within the nobility).\n\nThe second faction, the [[Guilds]], operate within limits set by the Lords, some only as far as the Lords’ vigilance forces them to.\n\nThe Temples and priesthoods, long thought of as “silent partners” among the power groups of the city, work their ends solely through their influence in the common people. Their control is evident only by exhortation and by direct diplomatic appeal to the Palace on behalf of one faith or one congregation.\n\nThe most numerous of the blocs, the Independents faction consists of any private citizens of Waterdeep who do not belong to a guild. Most adventurers and mercenaries are members of this faction, as are lone wizards and thieves. This faction gains its name from the independent (nonguild) merchants of Waterdeep. The lack of any common organization renders this most numerous group the least powerful.\n\nThe most active interfactional rivalry in Waterdeep is between the Guilds and the Ruling Faction, a rivalry traditionally won by the Lords because of the personal strength of the Lords, although weaker Lords could crack down on all other factions with stiffer, martial law; of course, the only effect this would have in the end would be to ruin Waterdeep’s ever-growing prosperity, and the Lords' own popularity. \n\nWaterdeep is not like many more corrupt cities in the South, however, which squander their time, resources, and energy in futile feuds and vendettas of power. By and large, everyone in the City of Splendors is too busy making or spending money to care enough about such rivalries to cause any open conflict. This or that individual might slay or trick a rival individual, but the factions do not see themselves as cohesive groups warring with each other. Indeed, within guilds, priesthoods, and nobles, there are stronger rivalries than between factions.

Faerun (~Fay-ROON) is the cradle of the Realms. In discussion, Faerun and the Realms are used interchangeably. Faerun consists of the north-west quarter of the dominant continent on [[Toril]]. It is bounded on the west by the [[Trackless Sea]], on the south by the [[Great Sea]], on the east by the wide expanses of the [[Hordelands]], and on the north by the ice of the uttermost north. The continent includes a number of large off-shore islands, including [[Lantan]], [[Nimbral]], the [[Moonshaes]], fabled [[Anchorome]], and [[Evermeet]].

''Occupation'': Priestess of High Moonlight (High Priestess of Selune/Sehanine Moonbow). \n''Location'': [[House of the Moon]] ($56).\n\n''Description'': Feluna is petite and beautiful, with soft, impish features, dark blue eyes, and black hair. She has a catlike manner in her movement, fastidiousness, and manner.\n\n''Background'': Feluna is a younger daughter of the [[Moonstar]] noble family, sister to Lord Rober, the family heir. She was recently made Priestess of High Moonlight (the leader of [[Selune]]'s faith in Waterdeep) following the exposure of [[Naneatha Suaril]] as a disguised fiend. Feluna's technical title is "priestess-in-waiting," since she has been elected by the Selunite synod to serve only until the Moonmaiden provides a sign of her will.

Mercenary broker who runs the Inn of the [[Dripping Dagger]] (T3). Filiare can usually be found there, behind the bar. He is a jovial, middle-aged man whose thinning black hair and moustache are shot with gray. Despite his years of retirement from the field, Filiare manages to maintain the strong physique and fighting reflexes that made him one of the higher-paid mercenaries of the Sword Coast decades agone.\n\nAlways pleasant and inviting, Filiare is one of the city’s most beloved innkeepers (by all save [[Blazidon "One-Eye"]], with whom he competes as a job-finder for hireswords). Filiare is a good, kind, considerate host, and is more than willing to shave a few coppers off a bill (for used weapons or a bar tab) for folks down on their luck.

A tavern in the Lower Port section of [[Skullport]] off Furlough Street, just north of the Fish Market. The members of [[Thauntle's Company]] were brought through a hidden entrance to a back room here by [[Kylia]].

Flaern Cragsmere: A handsome, charming, effusive, but apparently somewhat adventurous, reckless and unwise member of the Cragsmere noble family and son of [[Dhaeramos Cragsmere]]. Flaern will one day be head of the family, if he survives to middle age! \n\nGave [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] his rapier, which is of superior make, for helping to protect him on a hunting foray to the north.

The largest and mightiest mercenary company in Faerun. The Flaming Fist is usually based in [[Baldur's Gate]], where its commander, [[Eltan]], is a Duke. The Fist has many agents sown among the City Watch of the Gate. \n\nThe Fists have a good record of achievements, particularly when operating against other mercenary companies, such as bands of hired orcs, goblins, or even giants! The Flaming Fist is the most powerful and most expensive fighting forces in the Realms, and is the result of decades of work and effort, both in training and in accumulating magical items for use on the battlefield. The Fist normally hires out at a base rate of 50,000 gp per day plus its share of the plunder, but will pay its own transportation costs and agree not to begin charging their rates until directly entering the employer'’s service.\n\nMembers of the Flaming Fist encountered by [[Thauntle's Company]] include the company wizardess [[Moruene]] and [[Beluarion]], one of the Fist's seven senior captains.

The unassuming house of the so-called "potion wizard" Kappiyan Flurmastyr (S10), this place is where folk come to seek alchemical items of a non-offensive nature. It is a landmark of [[South Ward]], though Kappiyan is a quiet, kindly neighbor, living here alone except for a single apprentice, the 16-year-old Shalara Malarkkin.\n\nThe house sits at the northern entrance to Anchoret’s Court and has easy access to the safe drinking water well there. An arched wooden door with a brass strike-gong and a brass nameplate that says “Kappiyan” leads into a small, neat, richly appointed two-story building.

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Fylgard "The Fat" Onister - Rope merchant and old friend of [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]]'s. Originally concerned about rumors that he and his business associates (House [[Anteos]] and some other merchants) were being maligned with rumors of being involved with slavery. Asked party to investigate his competitors, [[Baershin Talnu]] ([[Talnu's Ropeworks]] on [[Adder Lane]] in [[Dock Ward]]), [[Ornliir Lalthlussz]] ([[Old Knot Shop]] on the [[Street of Bells]] in [[Trades Ward]]), and [[Glaerth Homblestaum]] ([[Merlook's Nets & Knotware]] on [[Net Street]] in [[Dock Ward]]). \n\nInvestigation yielded little, save Glaernth's involvement with an expensive escort and some possible strange dealings with the [[Guild of Apothecaries and Physicians]] regarding someone investing in new healing substances via a roundshield called the "[[Avauntance Fellowship]]." After Fylgard called off the investigation, Glaernth's shop and home were burnt down along with an entire row of houses and shops. Glaernth is presumed dead. New investigation revealed that someone is indeed attempting to spread rumors that House [[Anteos]] and her associates are involved with slavery to hurt their reputation and business.

S37. The Garrulous Grocer\nThese three adjoining buildings are owned by [[Nindil Jalbuck]], a halfling merchant. The one-story long building has two doors leading into a one-room grocery with all manner of foodstuffs, dry goods, and household supplies in ready reserves. A door within the grocery leads into the two-story storehouse and granary, where much of the produce is stored. Next to the two-building arrangement for business is the row house that Nindil shares with his wife [[Scyphia|Scyphia Jalbuck]] and his employees, [[Riath and Illia|Illia & Riath Perhkes]], a married couple. This house is a three story wattle-and-daub with a stone foundation.\n\nDuring the summer and harvest months, the Grocer's bins are always overflowing with fresh fruits and vegetables direct from the fields; during the winter months, dried and preserved produce is available. Fresh milk, butter, and cheese are always on hand, thanks to Nindil's small herd of cows that are kept at a local farm to the east. The Garrulous Grocer is open from sunup to highsun every day, with special full day hours once every tenday when fresh butter, cheeses, and other prepared items are sold. While the store is open, Riath and Nindil act as haulers, stockers, and as the primary help; Scyphia and Illia keep the house and the grocery in order, make sure everything is tended, and act as the primary sales staff. After closing at highsun, all attend to other chores from churning butter to repairing and restocking the bins and the stores.

A Calishite merchant-galley bound northward through [[Baldur's Gate]] to parts unknown. The ship was slated to carry some "black box" cargo arranged through the [[Thieves' Guild of Baldur's Gate]]. Investigations by [[Thauntle's Company]] revealed that the ship took on a new crew with each voyage, with the exception of the ship's guards and the two partners running the vessel, [[Masakaddyr]] and Chuul, a priest of Bhaelros. Inspection of the ship's contents uncovered several boxes of cargo marked with the symbol of a many-tentacled squidlike thing, as well as the "black boxes" brought on board by the Thieves' Guild. Inside the boxes were some pieces of jewelry sized to fit a creature of truly enormous size, as well a large amount of trade bars with the coster stamps filed away. Other boxes (not the "black boxes") were found to contain silks, spices, and other goods being brought from the South. Finally, the boxes with the squidlike creature on it were opened to reveal a number of large, irregularly-shaped pieces of stone covered in carving of indescribably ancient design; [[Majmalo]] was unable to identify their origin or purpose.\n\nInspection of the ship's records revealed that Masakaddyr and Chuul had been trading regularly up north via the [[Seacaves]], and thence into the [[Sargauth Deeps]]; such trips included records of "human cargo," or slaves. Also found was a letter of passage and vouchsafe for them from the [[Eye]].

This inn and stables (T32-33) is run by [[Torst Urlivan]]. It is a popular destination for horse-traders and travelers with large stabling needs. Torst is known as an excellent groom.\n\n[[Aurelia Ssarn]] was kidnapped from here.

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Glaerth Homblestaum - a rope merchant, proprietor of Merlook Nets and Knotware (D65) on Net Street in [[Dock Ward]] and trade rival of [[Fylgard Onister]]. Glaerth was a rather ridiculously foppish old man who spent far too much for a simple rope merchant; the cause was revealed to be his involvement with a festhall escort at the [[Purple Palace]] named [[Dessra the Dark]]. Subsequent investigation revealed Glaerth's investment into a roundshield called the [[Avauntance Fellowship]] sponsored in part by the [[Guild of Apothecaries and Physicians]]. After the investigation was called off, Glaernth's shop and home were burnt down along with an entire row of houses and shops. Glaernth is presumed dead.

Wonderbringer\nGod of Blacksmiths, Artificers, Crafts and Construction\n''Symbol:'' A toothed wheel of brass, bronze, iron, or bone.\n\nGond (GOHND) Wonderbringer is the god of blacksmiths, woodworkers, inventors, and engineers. In religious art, he is most often portrayed as a burly, red-hued smith, with a mighty hammer and a forge and anvil that allow him to craft the stuff that stars are made from.\n\nAll Gondar strive to make new things that work. All of Gond’s clergy are said to be skilled at forging, casting, or tempering, and to practice various means of joining and fastening until they are adept at making things to fit a space or situation with which they are confronted. To venerate Gond is to continually question and challenge the unknown with new devices and items.\n\nGondar practice experimentation and innovation in the making of tools and implementation of processes and encourage these virtues in others through direct aid, sponsorship, and diplomatic support. Gond’s church is known for the vast array of bizarre and complex devices that it is continually turning out and refining, and steam, clacking cogs, and magical auras are common in the vicinity of the Wonderbringer’s temples. \n\n''Places of Worship:'' Gondarism is the official state religion of the island nation of Lantan, which is also a hotbed of invention and new devices. There are a number of northern branches of the Gondar faith, including a budding temple complex in Tilverton and, of course, Gond's temple in [[Waterdeep]]. As a center of innovation and craftwork, the City of Splendors is seen as an important center to Gondar worship, and thus Gond's temple here, the [[House of Inspired Hands]], is one of Waterdeep's largest and has strong affiliations with several of the city's guilds.\n\n''Hierarchy:'' Clergy refer to themselves as the Consecrated of Gond, and may speak of other Gondar priests as “fellow Consecrates." Though Gondar may act independently in their duty of encouraging inventions, their religious hierarchy is ordered and obedience to a superior is unquestioning. All Gondar thus defer to the Most Holy Servant of Gond, the highest-ranking mortal priest of the Wonderbringer. This priest, currently Danactar the High Artificer, presides over the High Holy Crafthouse of Inspiration in the city of Illul in Lantan.\n\n''Dogma:'' The beliefs of the Gondar can be summed up as “Actions count.” Intentions and thought are one thing, but in the end it is the result—what remains after the sword is forged, the battle is fought—that is the most important. Talk is for others; those who truly serve Gond do.\n\nAll Gondar are to strive to make new things that work. All of Gond’s clergy should become skilled at forging, casting, or tempering, and practice various means of joining and fastening until they are adept at making things to fit a space or situation with which they are confronted. To venerate Gond is to continually question and challenge the unknown with new devices and items. Elegance and usefulness are the two legs any new making should stand on.\n\nGondar must practice experimentation and innovation in the making of tools and implementation of processes and encourage these virtues in others through direct aid, sponsorship, and diplomatic support. They should strive to make farmers, hunters, and others think of new tools, improved ways of crafting and using their existing gear, and new ways of doing things. The Consecrated must keep records of their strivings, ideas, and attempts, so that others can continue where they leave off when gathered at death to the Holy Maker of All Things. Gondar are instructed to observe, acquire, and store safely the makings of others, and show what they have learned to other Consecrated of Gond. They are to discuss ideas and spread them so that all may see the divine light that is Gond.\n\n''Daily Activities:'' Gondar keep the formulas for smoke powder and various sealants, cleansers, and lubricants secret. They sell small jars of all of these as they travel Faerûn, making a lot of money thereby as well as by selling buckles, small brass bells, mortars and pestles, and various monocles and lenses. The special glass jars they use to store smoke powder and other formulas were formerly made only in Lantan. They have proven so popular that rival makers have sprung up in Calimshan and the Tashalar. To protect church trade secrets, Gondar priests are charged to work against these rivals by sabotage, diplomacy, and financial influence, whenever they can covertly do so.\n\nAs they travel, Gondar clergy establish caches, investments, and alliances and grab samples of any new inventions they come across. It is their duty to assist inventors and innovators and to file regular reports to the nearest Master by means of messenger envoys of the faith as they travel.\n\nSettling in one place is frowned upon unless a priest can show his or her superiors that their prospective home is a locale where much innovation occurs that bears need for constant watching such as Waterdeep, Athkatla, Suzail, or Zhentil Keep. Making a handsome personal living while one serves Gond is encouraged, however, for who better walks upon Faerûn to demonstrate the rewards of following the Way of Gond?\n\nPriests of Gond are much in demand as builders, especially of vaulted and buttressed temples dedicated to other gods. Because of these temple engineering and construction contracts, the faith of Gond is growing in wealth and influence, but also in foes. Who else would know the secret ways of a rival temple than the builder?\n\n''Holy Days/Important Ceremonies:'' Gondar have only one calendar-related festival: the Ippensheir, The Ippensheir is the name given to the 12 days immediately following Greengrass. It is named for Ippen, the first great cleric of Gond, who sometimes appears to clergy in need these days as Gond’s First Servant. During the Ippensheir, all clergy members of Gond’s faith and his devout worshipers gather at a temple, abbey, or holy site of Gond to share innovations and show inventions and innovations they have made or witnessed with and to their fellow Gondar. (Many cavern networks and remote towers where capable inventors once dwelt are revered by Gondar as holy sites.) It is a time of feasting, drinking, and revelry, and some Gondar make much use of magic to visit as many gatherings of the faithful as they can during this time.\n\nDaily rituals to Gond are simple: muttered prayers upon rising and retiring that are often scheduled as part of dressing or disrobing so that they are not forgotten, a longer prayer of thanks at the main meal of a priest’s day, and a special prayer of thanks and dedication of their work before commencing any work of new making (as opposed to repair or maintenance).\n\nIf a new tool or machine is seen or made by any Gondar, that Gondar is charged to make two copies of it if possible. One is hidden away against the prying eyes of thieves or vandals for later display to fellow Gondar, and the other is smashed—or preferably, burned—while a prayer of offering to Gond, the Sacred Unmaking, is chanted. This ceremony reinforces Gond’s dominion over both constructive and destructive engineering.\n\n''Priestly Vestments:'' Gondar clergy members wear saffron ceremonial vestments with a crimson collar and stole. Over their right or left shoulder they wear a leather sash ending in a large pouch. The sash is dotted with small metal tools, gears, wire, cord, locks, hooks, hasps, buckles, and bits of steel, tin, and wood that might prove interesting or useful in a pinch (including, for Gondsmen, their lockpicks). Their vestments also include belts of large, linked metal medallions and enormous sun hats. They wear Gond’s holy symbol as a pendant fashioned of bone, brass, bronze, or ivory.

''Occupations:'' Mercenary recruiting, weaponsmithing\n''Location:'' Gralhund villa (N20)\n\nA noble house of [[Waterdeep]]. Found to be purchasing finished bars of metal alloy, the work of the duergar clan [[Xundorn]], from Undermountain for sword-forging, apparently in an attempt to undercut their rivals, including [[House Amcathra|Amcathra]]. Also notable for the strangely sulfurous smell that the scouts of [[Thauntle's Company]] noticed when investigating the trail of metal bars to their estate.

A set of magical harness once possessed by the [[Belabranta]] family, this heirloom was lost over three centuries ago during the Battle of ~Blood-Drenched Swords in the [[Second Trollwar]], the same battle that resulted in the ennobling of the Belabranta clan. \n\nPersons unknown recently contacted [[Safina]] to retrieve the item on behalf of the Belabranta family; she has mentioned it to her comrades in [[Thauntle's Company]] and also to [[Lord Mourn Belabranta]], heir to that house. Mourn mentioned that the //Griffontack// had been lost when the then lord of the house fell in battle; it was suspected that the lord's battle-companion Obleth Zoar might have carried off the //Griffontack//, and that [[House Ilvastarr|Ilvastarr]], a rival family, received them from the Zoars when they were forced to abandon Waterdeep following the return of Open Lord Baeron and the end of the [["Bloody Misrule of the Lords Magister"|About Nobles]].

Grocer's Lane, an alleyway finally named by locals, is wide and tidy as [[Nindil Jalbuck]] hires men to keep it that way (and keep the midden within its bounds, not in the street). Many assume Snake Alley is named after its twisting path, but some tell tales of a monstrous serpent loose in [[Waterdeep]] that carved this path through the buildings nearly two centuries ago.

The City Guard are the heavily-trained, fully-armored military of [[Waterdeep]]. They crew the city's rakers (light fighting ships), defend the city or outlying holdings in times of war, patrol roads outside the city walls, and garrison for Piergeiron’s Palace, Castle Waterdeep, and the many guardposts along the city’s perimeter – towers, walls, seacaves, jails, and armories. \n\nThe Guard also serves as bodyguards for Piergeiron and as honor guards for visiting diplomats. The city gates are manned by both by the Guard, who control access and see to the security of the city from attack, and by [[Watch]] patrols, who observe those entering, and are ready to aid the guard introubles, chase fugitives so that the guard need not abandon their posts, or escort visitors if required.\n\nThe Guards’ uniforms are silver scale mail covered by black tabards with gold trim. They tend to be armed with rods, short bows, short swords, and daggers; different posts demand different weapons, so guards posted at the gates might be armed with spears and long swords, whereas the raker crews might be more proficient with crossbows and throwing daggers.\n\nA Guard patrol typically consists of twelve members: A civilar (captain or lieutenant), an armar (sergeant), and ten Guardsmen. Reinforcements are sometimes on horseback.\n\nA precious few elite Guardsmen also patrol the City of Splendors from above on griffon-back.

On your trip back to Waterdeep, you have much opportunity to talk with the bold Guardsmen who accompanied you in the attack on the goblin/winter wolf caves. Orsar (Swordcaptain) Vorhyn, leader of the force, is thankful for you having preserved the lives of his men (and the men are of course thankful as well at having been kept out of harm's way!). You are able to befriend the guards and develop a nodding acquaintance with their ranks and customs, as well as perhaps find a contact or two who can be useful, including Vorhyn himself.\n\nVorhyn commends you on your bravery and prowess. He mentions several items of potential interest:\n\nOne month past, in the town of Secomber, east of Waterdeep, a Guard patrol reported that the inhabitants found the corpses of six elves, washed down the Unicorn Run from the woods upstream. The extraordinary thing is that the elves were completely ebon-black in color, and clad in featureless gray cloaks that were nearly disintegrated as if eaten by acid. All were slain by fire and sword. The purpose that brought these creatures to the woods, and the identities of their slayers, are unknown. \n\nAll is quiet around Dragonspear Castle. The armies encamped there report that no devils or other foes have been seen since The Feast of the Moon (previous Uktar). But at least one caravan from Calimshan, heading northwards from the borders of Amn at the beginning of Ches, has vanished without a trace in the lands between Amn and the Way Inn, where Waterdeep’s forces have a guard on the road.\n\nKnights of the Guard are readying griffons for aerial patrols along the caravan-ways as soon as spring comes in earnest. Young griffons and intact, warm griffon eggs are sought, and Piergeiron will pay top prices for any brought to him in Waterdeep.\n\nOrcs are reported to be on the move in large bands near Baldur’s Gate and along the northern borders of Amn, and even remote villages have reported the passage of secretive, stealthy orc patrols, who avoid men rather than slaughter them, and make no raids on livestock or stored crops. Some believe that these are forces from Dragonspear Castle sneaking away ere Waterdeep's forces attack again in the spring, but others fear the orcs' unusual behavior denotes something worse, such as the gathering of many orc-bands into a Horde, for instance, something not seen for nearly two hundred years in the North, or perhaps some new plot of the mysterious wizards for the Inner Lands who command many of the orcs in the area, or their monstrous allies. Others say the orc King Graul is gathering all loyal to him to drive men out of the North, now that the elves have left, and establish a great orc kingdom.

animals, slaughtering of: Butchers\narmor, fitting: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\narmor, leather: Skinners & Tanners\narmor, metal: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\narrows: Bowyers and Fletchers\nart: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nbaked goods: Bakers\nbars (windows, grates): Smiths & Metalforgers\nbarrels, making & repair: Coopers\nbaskets, making & repair: Basketmakers\nbeer: Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers\nbells: Pewterers and Casters\nbelts, etc.: Skinners & Tanners\nblacksmithing: Smiths & Metalforgers\nbookkeeping: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nboots: Cobblers & Corvisers\nbottles: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers\nbows: Bowyers and Fletchers\nboxes: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\nbranding (animals): Stablemasters & Farriers\nbuilding construction: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers, Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nbuilding design: Surveyors and Mapmakers (Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers)\nbuilding repair: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers\ncandles, making: Chandlers and Lamplighters\ncargo handling: Watermen\ncarpentry: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers\ncaulking and sealing: Cellarers and Plumbers (not ships)\nchain: Smiths & Metalforgers\nchain, fine: Jewelers\ncharts, nautical: Surveyors and Mapmakers\ncleaning (streets & stables): Dungsweepers\nclerks: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\ncloth: Weavers and Dyers, Taylors, Glovers, and Mercers\nclothing: Launderers, Taylors, Glovers, and Mercers\ncoach building: Wagonmakers\ncomposing (poetry & music): Musicians and ~Instrument-Makers\ncounterfeiting: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\ncourt records: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\ncrates: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\ncrystal balls: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers, Magists & Protectors\ndictation: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\ndigging: Cellarers and Plumbers, Street Laborers\ndistillation: Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers\ndocks, loading & unloading: Watermen\ndocuments: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\ndrugs, medicinal: Apothecaries and Physicians\ndrydocks: Shipwrights\ndung removal: Dungsweepers\ndyeing: Weavers and Dyers\nengraving: Pewterers and Casters, Jewelers\neyeglasses: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers\nferrying: Watermen\nfertilizer: ~Farmer-Grocers, Dungsweepers, Fishmongers\nfinesmith-work: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nfirefighting: Magists & Protectors\nfish, fishermen, fish-sellers: Fishmongers\nflowers: ~Farmer-Grocers\nfood: ~Farmer-Grocers\nfood, preservation and packing of: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\nfootwear, making & repair: Cobblers & Corvisers\nframes, metal: Smiths & Metalforgers\nfurniture: Fine Carvers, Basketmakers\nfurs: Furriers & Woolmen\ngarbage removal: Dungsweepers, Watermen\ngems: Jewelers\nglass, making & installation: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers\ngloves: Taylors, Glovers, and Mercers\ngold: Jewelers\nguiding through streets: Chandlers and Lamplighters\nharness: Saddlers & Harness Makers\nhealing: Apothecaries and Physicians\nhorseshoeing: Smiths & Metalforgers\nhorse breeding & training: Smiths & Metalforgers\nhousing (“who lives where” information): Basketmakers\nink: Stationers\ninns: Innkeepers\njewelry: Jewelers\nlamplighting: Chandlers and Lamplighters\nlatches: Smiths & Metalforgers\nlaundry: Launderers\nleather: Skinners & Tanners, Cobblers & Corvisers; (winter only) Saddlers & Harness Makers\nletters (written): Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nlighting, night: Chandlers and Lamplighters\nliquor: Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers\nlivestock: Butchers\nlocks: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nlongshoremen: Watermen\nmagic (including protection against): Magists & Protectors\nmagnifying glasses: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers\nmaps (purchased, drawn, and sold): Surveyors and Mapmakers\nmasks: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nmasonry: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nmaterial components (for spellcasting): Magists & Protectors\nmeat: Butchers\nmedicine: Apothecaries and Physicians\nmetal, precious: Jewelers\nmetal-work, design & repair: Smiths & Metalforgers\nmetal casting: Pewterers and Casters\nmounts, “trade-in”: Stablemasters & Farriers\nmusic: Musicians and ~Instrument-Makers\nmusical instruments: Musicians and ~Instrument-Makers\nnautical charts: Surveyors and Mapmakers\nneedles: Smiths & Metalforgers\npackaging, construction of: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\npacking: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\nparchment, fine: Stationers\npaper-making: Stationers\npastries: Bakers\npedigrees, animal: Stablemasters & Farriers\npens: Stationers\npewter-work: Pewterers and Casters\npiloting (harbor): Mariners (Watermen)\npipe laying: Cellarers and Plumbers\nplans (building): Surveyors and Mapmakers\nplaster work: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers\nplumbing: Cellarers and Plumbers\nportraits: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\npottery: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\npreservatives, making & using: Salters, Packers, and Joiners\n“problem patrons,” information: Innkeepers\nquarrying: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nquills: Stationers\nrecord-keeping: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nrenovations, building (plans): Surveyors and Mapmakers\nrental coaches & wagons: Carters and Coachmen\nrepairing buildings: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers\nroofing: Carpenters, Roofers, and Plaisterers, Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nrope: Sailmakers and Cordwainers (Mariners)\nsaddles: Saddlers & Harness Makers\nsages: no guild; see here\nsail: Sailmakers and Cordwainers (Mariners)\nsand: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers, Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nsandpaper: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers, Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers, Jewelers\nscabbards: Skinners & Tanners\nscribes: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nscriveners: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nseals: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths (see also Stationers)\nseasonings: Butchers\nsecret compartments: Wagonmakers\nsewer work: Cellarers and Plumbers, Dungsweepers\nshipbuilding (very uncommon): Shipwrights\nship-loading & -unloading: Watermen\nship-captaining: Mariners\nship-owning: Mariners\nship-repair: Shipwrights\nsigners: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nsilver: Jewelers\nsinging: Musicians and ~Instrument-Makers\nskinning, animals: Skinners & Tanners\nslaughtering, animals: Butchers\nsleighs & sledges, rental: Carters and Coachmen\nsmithy-work: Smiths & Metalforgers\nsmuggling: Coopers, Apothecaries and Physicians, Wagonmakers\nsoap-making: Launderers\nspectacles: Glassblowers, Glaziers, & Speculum-makers\n“spell-guard”: Magists & Protectors\nstable cleaning: Dungsweepers\nstamps, business: Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nstolen animals, tracing: Stablemasters & Farriers\nstone polishing: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nstone cutting: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\nstreet cleaning: Dungsweepers\nstreet construction: Street Laborers\nstreet repair: Street Laborers\ntack: Saddlers & Harness Makers\ntailors: Taylors, Glovers, and Mercers\ntanning, hides: Skinners & Tanners\nthieves: no guild (see Jewelers)\ntile making: Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers\ntools: Pewterers and Casters, Smiths & Metalforgers\ntoys: Fine Carvers, Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\n“trade-in” mounts: Stablemasters & Farriers\ntransportation (within city), land: Carters and Coachmen\ntransportation (within city), water: Watermen\nveterinary aid: Stablemasters & Farriers\nwagons, making & repair: Wagonmakers\n“wanted” likenesses: Scriveners, Scribes, & Clerks\nwarehouse rental: ~Farmer-Grocers\nwaxes: Stationers\nweapons: Smiths & Metalforgers, Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths (swords, finest quality)\nweaving: Weavers and Dyers\nwheels: Wheelwrights\nwicker-work: Basketmakers\nwine: Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers\nwire: Jewelers, Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths\nwoodcarving: Fine Carvers\nwool & woolens: Furriers & Woolmen\nwork clothing: Taylors, Glovers, and Mercers\nzzar: Vintners, Distillers, & Brewers

Nearly seven feet tall, with the brilliant golden skin and maiden-fine hair of the high elves, Haldar is a compelling figure. Perhaps the greatest bard of consequence among the "poor remnant" of the Fair Folk who inhabit lands outside the elven stronghold of Evereska and the fabled isle of Evermeet. Sought after by the greatest lords of all free folk, he is as likely to be found performing at the court of the [[High Lady Alustriel]] of [[Silverymoon]] as in a quiet forest glade along the [[Trade Way]], of an unknown house. [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] heard him sing of [[Braceldaur]].\n\n\n''The Horns of the Far Elf Realm''\n//As I walked that grim battlefield forlorn\nI heard a distant, haunting elven horn\nCalling o'er high hills beyond the moon\nCalling from a land I'll find soon\nBraceldaur, where elves still stand proud\nBlowing their horns, sounding them loud\nCalling to thee, calling to me\nCalling to all who burn to be free\nBraceldaur, where the lost trails run\nLost in mists, in shadow, in sun\nLand of beauty, land so green\nBright and far in dreams I've seen\nBraceldaur, fore'er awaiting me\nReached by paths I cannot see\nSoft blue mists, dark standing trees\nDarker eyes watching through leaves\nFind it I must\nIn it I trust\nBraceldaur, my life I bind to thee.//

Halifer the Scribe\nOccupation: Broadsheet editor\nLocations: The [[Light of Truth]] offices (S45); the [[Spouting Fish]]\nThis boisterous man’s voice always booms loudly when he talks – and he talks constantly! A giant in self-promotion as well as girth, Halifer takes every opportunity to plug his broadsheet, the [[Light of Truth]], “//just making sure everyone knows the news of the day//” (and the news behind it, adding his own editorial pronouncements). If he isn’t gossiping or bragging, this self-aggrandizing bald man cracks the worst puns ever heard in Waterdeep. Despite all this, he is a fair employer who pays his staff well.\n

“Hammerhand” Krabbellor\nOccupation: Silversmith\nLocation: Krabellor Silversmiths (S38)\nKrabbellor is a dwarven silversmith of some note. His name comes from the fact that, when just a child and apprentice to his father, a mishap at the forge caused his left hand to be coated in iron and crippled. Krabellor had it fashioned into the shape of a hammer to give it use.

This tavern (D32) stands on Net Street about two blocks west of the Way of the Dragon, in [[Dock Ward]]. It is a gathering place for poets, scriveners, writers, calligraphers, and other literary folk, and is a good place to hear a tale. The patrons tend to smoke pipes, snore a lot, and to be hopelessly behind on everyday news. They also tend to be rude and opinionated, but not of the build or temperament to actually engage in physical disputes. Patrons who come up short on a bar tab are occasionally allowed by the proprietor to work off their bills by beating the regulars at a tall tales contest\n\nA surprisingly good selection of wine is available, as well as all sorts of ales.

The Headsmen - a gang who was paid by [[Hlethvagi]] to prevent [[Thauntle's Company]] from reaching some guard outposts with items, corpses and captured enemies.

Hedrik\nOccupation: Boarding house help, part-time cook\nLocations: [[Madame Garah's Boarding House]] (S30); Hemmerem's Stables (S34), [[Spouting Fish]]\nDescription: Hedrik is a tall, gangly lad of fourteen, his most recent height increase putting him at 5’10’ tall and still growing! His skinny face has bold, squared features that suggest a strength and solidity that the rest of his body has yet to catch up to. His coal-black hair is always tousled and in disarray, and he wears it at shoulder-length. His eyes are his most haunting feature, both eyes covered in a milk-white film that obscures his eye color and vision. He wears simple clothes of breeches and shirts, though he is meticulous and is never covered in dirt and dust.\nPersonality: Until he was adopted by [[Madame Garah]], Hedrik was a sullen, angry young child who struck out at anything that threatened him. Since his blinding, he has calmed down and thrived in the care of his new mother, but he has an inner drive to prove himself that sometimes frightens people. Hedrik is headstrong, and has an insatiable need to finish any task he puts to himself. The boy is noticeably sharp of wit and mind, and often astonishes people many years his elder in [[Philosophers' Court]].\nTrivia: Hedrik uses a staff to guide him a clear path, and he is often heard talking to it as if it were alive, though his mother swears it’s a normal staff.

HELM \n//He of the Unsleeping Eyes, the Watcher, the Vigilant, the Vigilant One, the Great Guard, the God of Guardians//\nGod of Guardians\nLesser God of Mechanus\nSymbol: An open, staring eye, often painted on a metal gauntlet.\n\nHelm (HELM) is the epitome of the guardian, the watcher, the guard, and has in years past been greatly venerated by those who need to remain watchful for evil at their doorsteps.\n Helm is difficult to understand and is often viewed as emotionless, heartless, and devoted only to his duty or goal at the cost of all mortal consideration. While he is devoted to the point of obsession, he is not heartless, but merely a stern disciplinarian. He is fond of children and has been known to be most uncharacteristically lenient (for Helm) when dealing with small infractions by them or on their behalf.\n “He also serves who stands and waits and watches carefully” and “Careful planning always defeats rushed actions in the end” are popular sayings of Helm’s faithful. Followers of Helm are charged to be vigilant and to be fair and diligent in the conduct of their orders. They must protect the weak, the unpopular, the injured, and the young and not sacrifice them for others. They must anticipate attacks and be ready, know their foes, and care carefully for their weapons so that their weapons can perform their duties properly when called upon.\n Helm’s faith is most popular among groups of guardians (city watches, knightly orders, and lawful mercenaries) and in regions that face a daily threat, such as the towns near Darkhold.\nThe aged knight [[Kiber Ederick]], founder of the orphanage known as [[Helm's Hall]] in [[Falcon's Quarter]], [[Waterdeep]], is a servant of Helm.

S46. Helm's Hall \n[[Kiber Ederick]], an aged paladin of [[Helm]], has turned his duty to protecting the weak and watching over those who are forgotten or lost, rather than pursuing the usually martial duties of servants of the Watchful God. He takes many orphans off [[Waterdeep]]'s streets and feeds and clothes them. Together with the help of various temples throughout the city, Kiber teaches the children basic reading, writing, and the history of the Realms. Many of the children ten and over are either apprenticed or working with [[The Lamplighters' Guild|Guilds]] at night, though they must show the ability to ply a trade before leaving Helm's Hall at age 15.

Hemmerem\nOccupation: Stabler\nLocation: [[Hemmerem's Stables]] (S34); The [[Spouting Fish]]\nThis successful horse merchant and stables owner was once a street beggar in the alleys of [[Trades Ward]]. He learned his trade by hiring out with caravans and watching the drovers at [[Caravan Court]]. The clean-shaven, chocolate-brown-haired man now runs a profitable stable and provides cheap lodgings for those down on their luck, as he once was. He spends much time around the [[Spouting Fish]], vying for the attentions of [[Cial Myntion]].

S34. Hemmerem's Stables\n\n[[Hemmerem]], an enterprising young merchant, wisely bought up four decrepit warehouses fronting on Slop Street two years ago and spent six months and much gold renovating them. The one- and two-story stables now bear well-kept fronts, and the saddle symbol of a stable is emblazoned across the front of all four buildings in bright green paint. The lower floors are the stables, with room enough for 100 horses here at one time. On the floor above, Hemmerem keeps an office in each building, multiple storerooms for stabling equipment and tack and barding, and loads of dry hay and feed for the horses.\n\nFees for stabling and feeding a horse here are 2 sp for less than 6 hours, 1 gp for up to 48 hours, or 4 gp for a tenday. Because Hemmerem remembers his downtrodden days, he also has twenty cots set up in the northern stable's second floor that he lets to people at 1 cp per night (all folk turned out at sunrise).

A strange, beak-nosed, furtive man (who doesn’t seem to wash much) who accompanied the PCs on the [[Mermaid Sword]] journey to [[Baldur's Gate]]. Seemingly returning with rare seeds and plants he had been collecting in the North for the gardens and farms of the Western Heartlands. In reality an alias used by a mageling of the [[Cult of the Dragon]] who attacked the PCs repeatedly until slain in a rooftop battle near the [[Blade and Stars]] inn.

This vast woodland covers much of the eastern central North, stretching for almost five hundred miles from its southern edges (near Secomber) to its northern end (near Turnstone Pass). The High Forest is said to be home to many strange races of intelligent woodland creatures. Treants, the “woodrulers,” are closest to Everlund, and that part of the Forest is known as “The Woods of Turlang” in deference to the treants’ aeons-old leader, Turlang “the Thoughtful.”\n\nMen know little of the interior of the High Forest, although dwarvish faerie creatures are said to inhabit the headwaters of the Dessarin, and several networks of subterranean caverns to underlie the Forest’s western edge.\n\nThe Unicorn Run, a place sacred to the goddess [[Mielikki]], enters the interior of the High Forest from the south. To the east, along the western bank of the upper Delimbiyr, elves of old had a realm called Eaerlann that was abandoned when Ascalhorn fell, becoming the fell Hellgate Keep. Despite the dangers from the Keep, druids moved into the region known as the Tall Trees to preserve and defend the forest. To this day, the druids remain here, defending the trees and the forest creatures from the evil of Hellgate Keep as well as the careless evils of adventurers who might wander their way.\n\nThe Forest is so vast that travelers can, and have, found every sort of woodland creature within its green depths. Rumors of lost cities and treasure regularly surface in taverns about the North, but the truth is, few dare to investigate. With all the powerful adventurers resident in the North, few have chosen the High Forest for their home (aside from the legendary adventuring company the Nine and the powerful illusionist called the Mistmaster, and even then they did not settle the Forest’s interior). Lesser men have been much slower to cut trees and carve roads through the High Forest than the settlers in the Dragonreach lands.While few openly admit to it, there is something about the Forest itself that warns civilization away. What is it? Only time and daring exploration will tell.

Hlaaken Stables (S17): A horse stable in [[South Ward]]. The party has been advised to leave messages for the [[Red Sashes]] here.

Sinister moneylender and once-potential successor to [[Dulbravvan Anteos]]. Also known as "the Whipmaster" of the cult of [[Loviatar]]. Deceased.

Welcome to the Wiki for the Realms of Iron, a //Monte Cook Presents: Iron Heroes// game set in the Forgotten Realms.\n\nThe starting date for the campaign is 1357 DR, the Year of the Prince. The previous year has seen tremendous turmoil: the annexation of Tilver's Gap by the powerful kingdom of Cormyr, the invasion and near-successful conquest of the Dales by Lashan of Scardale, the (unsuccessful) invasion of the small town of Shadowdale by the forces of Zhentil Keep, the burning of numerous towns and cities of the far East by rampaging fire elementals born of raw magic, and, most momentous of all, the devastation of several of the North's great cities and much of its countryside by a mysterious and world-shattering event: The Flight of Dragons. Help is hard to find in these dark and turbulent times, and heroes even more so.\n\nMagic in the Realms, while a thing of diverse wonders and marvels, is nothing like the reliable science it may be in some stories. The Art (the shared term for magic among scholars) is a dangerous and subtle thing indeed to wield, and, the church of Azuth argues, a thing that should not be wielded at all without tremendous restraint. The presence of the wild and dead magic areas that dot Faerun are a mute testament to the dangers of magic gone awry. \n\nAs a result, most wielders of magic, save in the churches of Mystra and Azuth (and, it is rumored, in certain semi-mythical nations of the Shining South) are careful not to reveal their true powers or nature. \n\nThe profession of "adventurer" is not unheard of in the Realms; however, true adventurers are nowhere near as common as tavern-tales might suggest. Most so-called adventurers are mere hireswords or bored noble younger sons, not heroes of true merit and iron prowess. In border areas, such heroes are likely to be the only examples of their kind.

''Occupations:'' Trading, owning fleets of caravan wagons\n''Location:'' Hothemer villa (N52)\n\nA noble family of Waterdeep.

The House of Inspired Hands ($38): The temple to [[Gond]] in [[Waterdeep]]. The House is a sprawling edifice encircled by a high wall, within which various clankings, hisses, and explosions can often be heard: the results of testing various new "sacred artifacts." Some of the more dangerous inventions are occasionally tested in Gondwatch Lane, the alley south of the temple. Adventurous children often gather here when the saffron vestments and leather sashes of Gondar priests are glimpsed on folk heading to that alley.\n\nThe church of Gond is friendly with several of the [[Guilds]] of Waterdeep, especially the Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths; the Guild of Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, & Tilemakers; and the Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors. In partnership with these guilds, the church markets alchemical items, firearms, and explosives (such as smoke powder) as well as clockwork constructs and various other mechanical inventions, known to the faithful as //apparati//.

The Kiss is the most infamous festhall in all of Skullport. It is a towering four-story structure with whitewashed walls and balconies on every level upon which loiter lovely professional escorts of all kinds and dispositions, including humans, half-elves, dark elves, and even orc females. It has numerous entrances and exits on all its levels, providing for ready entry and rapid escapes. The interior is a maze of small but jewel-like, intimate chambers, cramped but richly decorated with warm wall hangings and suggestive sculptures from distant parts of Faerûn. Scattered throughout these chambers are gaming tables (for everything frivolous draughts-and-lanceboard play among couples as well as deadly-serious, high-stakes private card games.\n\nThe festhall is run by the notorious entrepreneur [[Transtra]], who took possession of the festhall from the previous owners after their unfortunate encounter with her sorcery. She acquired the adjoining properties soon after and expanded the festhall both upward and outward. She is reputed to be fabulously wealthy and to have lived in the Port of Shadow for over a century.\n\nPrices at the Kiss are fabulously high, with meals averaging 10 gp or more and drinks equal to that (excellent quality, exorbitant prices). For company while one dines, the cost, as always, is extra. Tips are strongly recommended.

The House of the Moon:\nThis is the temple to [[Selune]] in [[Waterdeep]], and one of the principal houses of worship to the Moonmaiden in all Faerun. The House of the Moon is a spectacularly spired building of translucent white marble, with a great open chancel and a huge circular terrace on the roof on which services to the goddess may be conducted on nights when the moon is clearly visible (for Selune prefers sevices done under the open night sky). The temple has extensive quarters for its priest(esse)s, lay brethren, servants, and guards, and maintains a force of sixteen men-at-arms for security (more being forbidden by will of the [[Lords|Masked Lords]]). \n\nThe temple was erected nearly two hundred years ago, though it was nearly burned down in the Year of the Saddle (1345 DR), during the Night of Temple Fires.\n\nThe high priestess of the House of the Moon is [[Naneatha Suaril]]; other known clergy include [[Feluna Moonstar]] and [[Arisel Malandar]].

Fabled elven kingdom that supposedly ruled the Sword Coast before the founding of [[Waterdeep]]. The [[Dawntree Elves]] hope to refound it in its original location or elsewhere.\n\n[[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]]'s parents claim that their parents came from there.

Illia & Riath Perhkes\nAn older couple, Illia and Riath work for and live with the [[Jalbucks|Nindil Jalbuck]]. They all met at [[Goldenfields]] years before, when Nindil saved Riath from a bulette attack. In addition, Illia’s only child was delivered by [[Scyphia|Scyphia Jalbuck]]; the child still lives and works as a border guard at Goldenfields. Illia and Riath are both lifelong worshippers of [[Chauntea]] who simply tired of the farming and joined the couple they owed so much to in [[Waterdeep]]. While Nindil insists they are not his servants, Illia and Riath tend to the household chores and other duties.\n[[Madame Garah]] describes the situation thusly: “//Those two look on the halfling and Scyphia like they were their children; it goes beyond paying a debt or simply serving someone. They’re part of your life and that’s that.//”

//Deceased//\n\nA drunken, gossipy seller of coffers, lockboxes, satchels, and handchests, Ravenar appears to have been a local contact for the [[Cult of the Dragon]], and to have often held interviews with cult members in the upper room of his shop and home. Some years back, Ilnaster's next-door neighbor, [[Rokkek Ingerr]], discovered that the roof-drain their shops share makes a good listening-tube for anyone in Rokkek's attic to hear what’s said in Ravenar’s upper room. \n\nIlnaster certainly seems to have had some interesting visitors—though one woman, who hisses like a snake, seems to have sensed that someone is listening; upon hearing her, Rokkek quickly departed for a tavern elsewhere in the city.\n\nRecently, [[Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] and [[Carter]] investigated the roof-drain listenings and interrupted a conversation between Ilnaster and a Cult wizard. They were too late, however, to save Ilnaster, who was "rewarded" for his service by being blasted to death with a spell of black lightnings.

''Occupations:'' Beast taming and breeding, exotic meats\n''Location:'' Ilvastarr villa (N53)\n\nA noble family of Waterdeep. Suspected by various individuals of holding the legended [[Griffontack of Belabranta]] in their vaults. [[Thauntle's Company]] has recently offered to retrieve it.

''Location:'' Ingerr residence (S33); [[Spouting Fish]] (S18), [[Temple of Good Cheer]] (S29)\n\nImerra, the Amnite wife of Rokkek Ingerr, dearly loves Waterdeep and its hustle and bustle, but she doesn’t adapt well to the commerce and leaves that to her husband. She loves music and is attempting to learn to play the harp ("with some small progress...," proffers her instructor, [[Arkiem Arren]]). As it is, she spends much time at the [[Spouting Fish]] watching Arkiem every night when he plays there. With her husband growing more distant and his business flagging, she spends even more time drinking to forget her troubles.

A consortium of slavers in [[Skullport]]. The Ring appears to have exclusive control over [[Skull Island]] and also substantial influence over trade practices in Skullport's Slave Market. Known members of the Ring include [[Malakuth Tabuirr]] and the [[Horned Dwarf]], as well as priests of [[Loviatar]].

Jannaxil Serpentil: A scrawny, hunched, bitter and ill-mannered old man, Jannaxil has owned and operated [[Serpentil Books and Folios]] (on Book Street in [[Dock Ward]]) for over 60 years; according to older locals, he hasn't aged a day in that time. He's rumored to stock tomes dealing with dark lore and magic, and to live in the windowless apartments above his shop. The shop itself is protected by powerful magical wards.

Thieves' Guild "senior" of [[Baldur's Gate]]. A quiet, unassuming, bookish man who seems extremely cautious and little given to bold steps.

Dwarven scholar and explorer with a light beard and a ready smile. She is only in Waterdeep in winter, and she spends the rest of the year wandering the Savage Frontier, looking for dwarven relics as well as observing the local fauna. When in Waterdeep, she can be found at the [[Selune's Smile]] tavern (D6) in [[Dock Ward]]. \n\nIn return for advice provided earlier regarding [[the provenance of a certain bar of metal|Xundorn]], [[Thauntle's Company]] has agreed to accompany Jasmal for part of her usual explorations. She requested that the company meet her on [[Midsummer]] in the city of [[Luskan]], at the [[Seven Sails Inn]].\n\nJasmal recently accompanied [[Carter]] and [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] out of Waterdeep in search of [[Stoneturn]], but the trio were ambushed by assassins and forced to abandon their search for the moment.

Bard and former friend of Cath's, Carter's and Safina's. Was kidnapped outside the [[Spouting Fish]] tavern.

Lady Jeryth Phaulkon\n''Occupation:'' Idle noble\n''Locations:'' [[Phaulkonmere]] (S44); all parties about town\n\n''Description:'' Jeryth, a fashion plate of [[Waterdeep]], is a person never seen with a hair out of place or a wrinkle in any clothing. Her long blonde hair is arranged in elaborate coiffures, and she wears many green and gold outfits to match her eyes and hair. Her use of cosmetics and perfumes is a bit excessive, always trailing a cloying cloud of fragrance. Jeryth has recently most often been seen in the company of [[Regnet Amcathra]] and of [[Arun Tarm]], the young heir of the Tarm family, although she has taken the opportunity to flirt with [[Perrigan|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]] at every occasion.\n\n''Personality:'' Jeryth is a typical young noblewoman of Waterdeep: vain, arrogant, and utterly frivolous in her interests of only the next good party. Despite her faults, many like her and respect her for her forthrightness and honesty in their dealings with her, provided they can get and keep her attention.\n\n''Trivia:'' Jeryth has a habit of idly toying with her hair, twisting a length of it around her fingers playfully.

Leader and contact of a loose association of assassins in [[Waterdeep]] who attacked [[Carter]], [[Cath|Maegcarak'cath]] and [[Jasmal]] while on their way to scout out [[Stoneturn]]. He was slain by one of his own men when he surrendered to [[Carter]].

Type the text for 'Journal Entries'

Kerrigan's Court is named after a traitor-Lord from [[Ahghairon]]'s time. Ahghairon killed him with spells and then cursed [[Kerrigan]] "//to lie in the dust and never have stone to decorate your passing.//" To this day, any large stones that are laid down or pass over the center of the court fly up and strike passersby!

Khelben Arunsun, "The Blackstaff"\nOccupation: Wizard\nLocations: [[Blackstaff Tower]] (C6), Castle Ward\nDescription: Khelben is a six-foot-tall, well-muscled, bearded man with a receding hairline, black hair shot through with silver (a distinctive silver wedge in the center of his beard), and a distinguished manner. He wears simple blue or gray robes and carries his signature //blackstaff//, a simple staff of zalantar-wood.\nPersonality: Khelben is gravely wise, but not pompous or humorless. He is known as a learned sage and definitive expert in the history, lore, and traditions of magic and spirituality as practiced by humans in the North since the rise from barbarism.\nTrivia: Rumored to be one of the [[Masked Lords]] of [[Waterdeep]].\n

Servant of the [[Snome]] household and Wife of [[Tomed Myntion]].

Kiber Ederick\nThe elderly man who runs [[Helm's Hall]] still holds himself with noble bearing, though he is more apt to carry a nightmare-plagued child at night than a sword. Kiber has not often raised a weapon in two decades, and then only to protect his charges. He still tells stories to the children and others of his noble adventures with a distant twinkle in his eye. He does, however, get angry with patrons of the [[Spouting Fish]] when they attempt to teach the kids tavern games and crude mercenary songs.\n

Knights of the Shield - Trading group?

Nephew of [[Dulbravvan Anteos]], until recently head of the [[Anteos]] noble family, Korras was initially suspected of having been funneling Anteos trade secrets to Dulbravvan's rival, [[Yunth Hothemer]]. Subsequently, Korras was connected by [[Thauntle's Company]] to Dulbravvan's death on the 6th of Alturiak, Year of the Prince (1357 DR), and arrested. He has been sentenced to death by beheading in front of the [[Palace gates|Piergeiron's Palace]] on the 15th of Tarsakh in the same year.

S38. Krabbellor Silversmiths\nThis little first floor shop, fronting off [[Weeping Maiden's Run]], is less than perfectly maintained, its windows cracked and dirty and its floors almost always unswept and dusty. Nevertheless, the wares in the window showcase draw many into this otherwise unremarkable shop. The showcase and three tall floor-to-ceiling sets of shelves are filled with incredibly fine silverwork. Nearly anything made of silver can be found here, from silverware to tea sets, daggers to trophies, or even daring headresses and bustiers of silver mail! Each item within the shop is a display piece and purchases are made to order; people say that [[Krabbellor|Hammerhand Krabbellor]] is slower in his work than his immediate competitor ([[Ilmar Gaukul]], over on Fishwife Alley), but his craftsmanship and versatility make it worth the wait. \n\nWhile most naturally assume Krabbellor was a former adventurer, he bristles at such suggestions: "//Me brother died on some fool quest seeking gold and fame; there's precious few dwarves enough, and I'd always been more fond of my life and my silver.//" His left hand is coated with iron (an accident from early childhood); since then, Krabbellor had his hand and its metal magically reshaped and reforged into the shape of a hammer to give it some use, thus giving him the nickname of "Hammerhand." He is gruff and dour, a typical dwarf in all appearances with a very conservative and cautious outlook. His apprentice, [[Erik]], is a bright, cheerful lad who laughs at many of Hammerhand's threats as "over-worrying," though he does heed them. He is one of the few who can get a smile out of Hammerhand, having been raised by him for the past six years. Erik's specialty is silver-plating weapons.\n\nThe only other remarkable item of note about the shop is its ghost. The apparation is that of a young boy carrying a long-poled lantern. His clothes and lantern mark him as one of the Chandlers' and Lamplighters' Guild of a century agone. He enters the shop through the center of the east wall and, looking behind him every few seconds, walks hurriedly through all objects and exits through the forge and the west wall. The boy seems very frightened of someone behind him; of note, the boy's steps make no sound but he is swiftly pursued by heavy bootsteps and the tapping of a cane only a few seconds behind him. This visitation occurs each year on the last night of Kythorn.

Occupation: Noble; Horsebreeding and mercenary recruiting and training\nLocation: [[High House of Roaringhorn]] (N42)\nDescription: Kuldos is a giant of a man, resembling his nephew [[Perrigan|Sir Perrigan Roaringhorn]]. A veteran of several mercenary campaigns and an expert wrestler, Kuldos shares the responsibility of managing House [[Roaringhorn]] with his brother [[Vastarr|Vastarr Roaringhorn]]. He is a seemingly constant participant in the incessant revelry and competitions of strength that have reduced the High House of Roaringhorn to its current shambles. Kuldos is a good friend of Arilos Amcathra, heir of the [[Amcathra]] noble family.\n

Kylia\n''Occupation'': Stage magician\n''Locations'': [[Madame Garah's Boarding House]] (S30); [[Spouting Fish]]; [[Garrulous Grocer]]; [[Helm's Hall]]\n\n''Description'': This tiny (4’6”) woman looks like a fragile doll, her auburn hair and red robes never disheveled or out of place. Her face, often smiling and innocent, can be both childlike and serious well beyond her apparent years. Few ever get a good look at her, as she tends to move quickly and use theatrical garb to emphasize the variety of stage tricks she pulls off.\n\n''Personality'': Madame Garah’s nickname of “Secrets” fits Kylia, as few get close enough to her to find out what she’s really like. Overall, she is a pleasant woman, though a tad brusque, and she has a flair for the dramatic if using magic. Her demeanor is unassuming, almost meek, but those who know her sense that something fierce lurks just beneath the surface.\n\nRecently, Kylia disclosed herself as something more than just a meek, secretive performing magician when [[Thauntle's Company]] unexpectedly ran into her in [[Skullport]]. She appears to be a habitue of the City Below (or at least knows more than one safehouse, such as the one she dragged the Company to) and has some rather confidential information about who's who and what's what in the Port of Shadow.\n\n''Trivia'': Kylia clearly has some mastery of magic, although probably only the most basic of hedge magic. She is a popular hire for wealthy merchants’ and noble parties. She cannot resist using simple tricks to punctuate her entrances and exits; her most common approach is the classic thunderclap and puff of smoke, though she’s had some fun with a shimmering outline effect that coalesces into her normal form.

Lady Marie Phaulkon\nThe elder daughter of Lord [[Barauthar Phaulkon]], Marie has always been the wildest of children. Despite a cultured, “ladylike” upbringing, she horrified her mother with wild escapades and excesses with the young nobles of [[North Ward]] (and, rumor has it, sailors in [[Dock Ward]]). Of late, Marie has four suitors among the commoners and noble men of [[Waterdeep]] and she is said to be faithful to none.\n\n

Laran\nLocation: [[Laran's Cartographers]] (S39)\nA sallow-skinned native of Unther, Laran escaped from slavery long ago and fled to the west. He fell in with a group of adventurers who taught him languages, reading, and writing; thirteen years ago, Laran came to Waterdeep to stay, his comrades moving on without him. He worked with the Surveyors’, Mapmakers, & Chartmakers’ Guild in the Map House for seven years and still keeps in close contact with them. Laran opened his own [[map shop|Laran's Cartographers]] four years ago and he and his staff of three chartmakers have been quite successful. Laran’s goal, after seeing the wonders of much of Faerûn, is to create a map of all of Toril.

S39. Laran's Cartographers\nOne of the Guild's best cartographers, formerly based at the Zoarstar, has opened this new shop on [[Grocer's Lane]], establishing his own business of creating maps on order. For affordable fees, [[Laran]] and his staff will take log books, notes, and descriptions of lands and areas in question and create maps of desired sizes. Laran is also noted as a top-rate illustrator and is commissioned quite often to render portraits of customers.

Lareth is [[Quallos|Quallos Myntion]]’ and [[Miri|Miri Myntion]]’s eldest son, formerly a watch member until a year ago. He began ardently worshipping Tyr and became “a holy warrior in a just cause,” leaving Waterdeep on a quest to right wrongs as a paladin. ==Since then, he has disappeared and no one knows his fate.== His last known location is [[Baldur's Gate]]. Thauntle's Company has agreed to go find him.

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The legended "Masked Lady" of Waterdeep, Lhestyn was the daughter of Waterdeep's first Open Lord, Baeron Silmaeril (and ancestor of [[Khelben Arunsun]]) who infiltrated the [[Thieves' Guild of Waterdeep]] in order to destroy it.

S45. The Light of Truth \nThis old stone two-story building, home to one of [[Waterdeep]]'s more infamous broadsheets, is constantly in need of cleaning due to "//dissenting opinions armed, alas, with offal and rotten vegetables,//" according to the Light's [[editor|Halifer the Scribe]]. The broadsheets are printed and distributed each afternoon, posted on the various kiosks throughout the city and handled by a few intrepid broadcryers (many of whom, thanks to the broadsheet's reputation, know to carry handy daggers to ward off irate objectors!) and available for 1 cp each. \n\nDespite its somewhat sketchy facts in reporting the social goings-on inside the parties of North and Sea Wards (Hlanta Melshimber still resents the insinuations that she had spoiled, inferior wines at her last party, while Ultas Maernos is still demanding reparations for a report that he was affiliated with a rumored evil cult), the Light has many eyes and ears and much of what is reported tends to be found true. While the editor, one [[Halifer the Scribe]], is given to "provocative and enticing" headlines and reporting, he does tend to steer clear of outright libel and definitely takes care not to openly insult or question the Lords and their rulings; this is all that keeps him and his staff of 12 from being exiled outside the city walls.

LLIIRA\n//Our Lady of Joy, Joybringer, the Goddess of Joy, Mistress of the Revels//\nGoddess of joy, happiness, dance, festivals, carefree celebration, contentment, release, hospitality, freedom/liberty\n''Symbol:'' Three six-pointed stars arranged in a triangle with their points touching with the orange star upppermost, yel