Recap

  • Someone recap.
  • Volo hired you to find Floon. Paid 10gp each, promised another 100gp. (This is good money - a month of staying in a good inn and living and eating well).
  • Interrogated the Kenku. “Follow the yellow signs in the sewers.” Found Renaer. Kidnapped by Zhentarim - stone - Xanathar - Floon.
  • Where was everone. Was anyone watching the door? Who is with the Kenku? Renaer is composing himself in the corner. You were passing around loot.
  • Stealth (+1) for Watch, perception for who is surprised.

City Watch

Hyustus Staget

The watch is upon you suddenly. Guards begin fanning out, you are soon surrounded by six, while another 6 begin securing and searching the warehouse. Multiple guards are yelling at you to “Drop your weapons!” Renaer comes forward, and the Captain seems to recognize him and straighten up a bit. “What in Helm’s name is going on here?”

If characters don’t answer, Renaer steps forward.

Hyustus might ask if the characters found any contraband.

Sewers

There is a sewer access close to the warehouse. No light.

A putrid stream flows along this sewer tunnel, which leads in two directions. In one direction, you see a tiny symbol drawn on the wall in yellow chalk: a palm-sized circle with ten equidistant spokes radiating out from its circumference.

TWO Gazers

Go to dnd beyond.

Final sign leads to map.

Reward

  • Who is leading the conversation with Volo? Hand them the deed.
  • Volo’s guide to spirits has been put aside, no longer need the property. Not very liquid right now.

I confess that I have but few coins to spare. But never let it be said that Volo reneges on a promise. Allow me to present something much more valuable.” He holds out a scroll tube. “The deed to a remarkable property here in Waterdeep! We’ll need a magistrate to witness the transfer of ownership.

I assure you the property is worth twice what I owe you (mutters: more if it weren’t coughs HAUNTED). Do you accept?

Please, inspect the property tonight if you wish, and those willing to accept this property as your reward, and who want your name on the deed, meet me at the courthouse in the Castle Ward at highsun. (mutters: you’ll need 25GP for the transfer tax, which I regrettably don’t have at the moment).

Recap

It has been a long night. 2 AM.

Trollskull Manor

Volo: About a month ago, the owners of the Trollskull Manor taproom disappeared. Neighbours have complained to the city watch of haunting (who have draggged their heels). I bought the property at a steal, for research for my book Volo’s guide to spirits.

  • 45 min walk from Yawing Portal.
  • Deed transferred in courthouse in the Castle Ward, magistrate Kylynne Silmerhelve.

The neighbourhood is quite respectable and vibrant. There are several other businesses and establishments in the Alley. Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building is one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley. Tavern’s taproom is filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that have turned to vinegar.

Secrets

  • The house is haunted by two beings: Lif who is a harmless spectre, and his wife Falenas who is a deadly Banshee.
  • Falenas killed Lif.

Exploring the manor

  • Who is exploring and doing what. Do they split up?
    • doors slam open and shut
    • plate smashes
    • “Closing time” and “last call” in the dust
    • Mug rises from the shelf, and is hurled at you - what do you do?
    • Hear a bone shattering wail once per day.
    • A few bones of small animals littered around, cats, a giant rat, and birds it looks like (from mimic)

Mimic

  • In an upper room, a chest in pretty good condition. As soon as PC approached, is grappled by a Mimic

Basement

  • Zombie here. Two graves, Lif and Falenas.

Banshee

  • Attic room contains Banshee. She hired an assassin to kill Lif, who also killed her and robbed the place.
  • Warning message on door. Elven: Don’t open. Banshee! (Lif wrote it).

Lif

Lif is a poltergeist. He will like and aid PCs that begin to fix the place up. He will then warn characters of rats and mimic.

Tavernkeepers’ Guild

One morning, PCs approached by a halfling named Yenkin Cherrybarrel who informs you that if you are intending on running a Tavern you must register with the Tavernkeepers’ guild (100 GP).

Fixing it up

1000 GP total.

  • Furniture from bent nail.
  • walls and roof: Carpenters’, Roofers’, and Plaisterers’ Guild
  • basement and plumbing: Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild
  • clean bedsheets: Launderers’ Guild
  • meat: Guild of Butchers; ale and wine: Vintners’, Distillers’, and Brewers’ Guild; bread and pastries: Bakers’ Guild

Trollskull Alley

The Bent Nail

A small wooden sign above this shop’s main door is bare except for a large, bent nail sticking out of it. The front room contains displays of ornate wooden furniture, as well as a selection of bows and crossbows. The wall behind the counter is lined with rows of finely carved wooden canes, quarterstaffs, and shields.

Talisolvanar “Tally” Fellbranch (CG), the owner and chief artisan of the Bent Nail, is a male half-elf carpenter and woodcarver. He is a commoner, with these changes:

Tally sells wooden weapons and shields at normal cost. He also crafts and sells furniture and wood sculptures.

Steam and Steel

During daylight hours, smoke and steam billow from the many windows around this indoor forge where metal weapons, armor, and tools are made. The forge is owned and operated by a married couple: a fire genasi named Embric and a water genasi named Avi. Both are members of the Most Careful Order of Skilled Smiths and Metalforgers. As an armorer, Avi also belongs to the Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths.

You see a fire Genasi (efreet) blasting some metal with produce flame and pounding on it with big sweaty muscles, and then a water Genasi (djinn) shaping water from a bucket and cooling the metal.

Embric (NG) tends the forge and is an expert weaponsmith. He claims descent from the efreet of Calimshan and is prone to extreme mood swings.

Avi (NG) worships Eldath, god of peace, and uses his magic to quench hot steel. He is an expert armorsmith. Avi is laid back and speaks plainly.

Services

The genasi couple sells all metal weapons, armor, and shields listed in chapter 5 of the Player’s Handbook at normal cost.

Corellon’s Crown

Fala Lefaliir (non-binary, friends with a Zhent).

Herbalism and apothecary shop. There is a sign associating it with the Guild of Apothecaries and Physicians. Three-story town house, the third floor of which has been converted into a greenhouse. Its translucent glass walls allow anyone on the street to see the rainbow of flowers blossoming within.

You are greeted by a Wood Elf. “You bought the Manor, yes? You planning on fixing that place up? Pretty sure it’s haunted, you must be very brave. If you’re looking for potions, we have:”

Potion Cost
Potion of animal friendship 125 gp
Potion of climbing 50 gp
Potion of healing, greater 250 gp
Potion of healing 50 gp
Potion of water breathing 250 gp
  • Quest: obtain some Hydrathistle.

Tiger’s Eye

This private detective’s business is unremarkable on the outside, its only distinguishing mark an orange-and-black sign featuring a cat’s eyes. Inside is a regal apartment dimly lit by flickering oil lamps. The door is locked, and visitors must knock or ring the bell before being let in.

You are looking for someone, yes? No. You want information.

They are met by Vincent Trench, a human detective and the owner of the Tiger’s Eye. He speaks concisely, dresses in a sharp suit, and smokes a slim pipe. Vincent is in fact a rakshasa named Valantajar that always casts disguise self on itself before seeing visitors. The rakshasa has lived in Waterdeep for years, switching identities as often as needed to keep its true nature hiden. It has grown accustomed to living among mortals and, much to its own astonishment, is rather fond of Waterdeep and its citizens.

Services

Trench can discover any secret in Waterdeep, for a fee. Use your judgment when pricing its services; 50 gp is sufficient for most investigations, but if the characters want to learn secrets relating to the major antagonists of this adventure, the rakshasa might require a service in payment, such as slaying enemies that are hunting it, posting advertisements for its business in their tavern, or keeping tabs on someone Vincent has been hired to spy on.

Book Wyrm’s Treasure

The front of this bookstore is adorned with a charming sign of a gold dragon curled around a treasure hoard of books and scrolls. Inside, the shop is decorated with beautiful hardwood, and the earthy scent of old books permeates the air. The library fills two floors of this three-story building, and it somehow seems to contain more shelves than the building should be able to hold.

The shop is managed by a short dragonborn of gold dragon ancestry named Rishaal the Page-Turner, who lives on the third floor. Rishaal, a member of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, is a mage, with these changes:

Rishaal is neutral.

Services

The shop contains books of all sorts. In addition, Rishaal has a small collection of spellbooks and allows wizards to copy spells from them at the cost listed in the Spells for Sale table. He can scribe any of these spells as a spell scroll but charges twice the listed cost for this service.

Zephyr Post

Birds of all colors can be seen delivering letters through the upper windows of this sky-blue townhouse at all hours of the day. The residents of Trollskull Alley and other nearby streets use the Zephyr Post to deliver letters to friends, colleagues, and mercenaries throughout Waterdeep. The inside of the shop is filled with the sweet aroma of Calishite incense.

The Zephyr Post’s hawks can deliver a message to any address in Waterdeep for 2 sp.

Sewer Access

At the east end of Trollskull Alley is a removable metal grate that covers an opening. Below the grate, a ladder descends 20 feet into the Waterdeep sewer system.

Rival

Emmek Frewn (NE)

So Volo outbid me on this property, and now you have it? Yeah you ding dongs sure look like business geniuses. (Chuckles: ding dongs hah). We’re going to run in you into the ground lady.

Gives a “free” beer.