ACT TWO
24 Tarsakh, 1489 D.R.
ACTIVE CHARACTERS:
- Thaed, 13th Level Human Cleric [Myrkul]
- Adabon, 13th Level Copper Elf Fighter
- Vrae’ree, 13th Level Drow Wizard
- Fo, 13th Level Human Monk
- Brûne, 13th Level Human Paladin
- Tharivol, 11th Level Moon Elf Fighter
INACTIVE CHARACTERS:
- Alric, 11th Level Human Paladin
- Deiter, 6th Level Human Fighter (Neverwinter Noble)
- Ki’rok, 11th Level Drow Ranger
- Abernacky, 6th Level Human Fighter
- Tom, 5th Level Halfling Wizard
PART ONE: LOST VAULT OF WAUKEEN
Waukeen was known to have several hidden vaults throughout the Realms. Many of these were ransomed to Graz’zt and plundered by the demon lord. However, a few of these complexes remain untouched. Such was the case with the Dungeons of Swords.
The Serpent Hills are the home of the Dungeon of Swords, supposedly a relic of the days of Netheril. The dungeon is a small crypt of a forgotten war hero who worshipped Waukeen. The hero either forged or collected a huge number of magical blades that are said to rest with him in his crypt.
The location of the complex was revealed to spymasters within the Harpers. An advance team of soldiers from the Order of the Gaunlet were sent along with Maccath the Crimson to investigate the complex and recover the legendary swords from within.
Our heroes were sent to recover the team along with the weapons. They arrived after a herd of Buletes attacked the team, leaving only Maccath alive but unconscious.
PART TWO: MACCATH THE CRIMSON
Maccath is a leading member of the Arcane Brotherhood, a league of mages based in the city of Luskan at the fabled Hosttower of the Arcane. The Hosttower is an academy for the best and brightest mages of Faerûn. Only the most promising are accepted as members in the Arcane Brotherhood, and only members of the order can study at the Hosttower. Maccath became the loremaster of Draconic lore within the Hosttower, and thus has agreed to work with the Council on a temporary basis until the Brotherhood decided their place on helping the Council.
With the safe return of Maccath, the Arcane Brotherhood are in agreement to lend their aid to the Council of Waterdeep. The Arcane Brotherhood are powerful allies, and the Council is pleased to earn their allegiance—with the exception of the Order of the Gauntlet. Ontharr Frume knows that the Arcane Brotherhood does not police its members in what kinds of knowledge they pursue, and that they tolerate many evil wizards in their company. Bringing the Arcane Brotherhood into the alliance doesn’t lose Frume’s respect, but neither does it earn it.
PART THREE: SECOND COUNCIL OF WATERDEEP
The most powerful factions of the Sword Coast all recognize the significance of Tiamat’s possible return, and they are willing to coöperate with each other to prevent it. Trust doesn’t come easily for these disparate groups. But even for orders and organizations that have been in conflict in the past, the “enemy of my enemy” is easily understood.
To coördinate their efforts against the Cult of the Dragon, the factions have sent important delegates for secret meetings in Waterdeep. Our heroes are summoned to this meeting because they now know as much as anyone about the cult’s activities, and their heroics have been brought to the attention of powerful leaders and earned them a place at within the Council.
Having completed the mission for Leosin, the adventurers are received at the Lords’ Palace, bastion of the mysterious Lords of Waterdeep. Once inside the Lords’ Palace, the party is met by a concierge named Chundriser. Maccath pays no heed to Chundriser, and Fo is overly rude to the man. The rest of the Company pays very little attention to him and he gives up to return to his post. Chundriser had intended to welcome them and ask them to follow him to a special staging room where many of the local nobles were waiting to speak with them.
When the characters arrive in at the Council staging area, they are met by the Harper agent Leosin Erlanthar. The monk explains the purpose of the Council and tells our heroes they are expected to attend the gathering— so that they may answer several questions for the delegates.
It soon becomes clear that although the Factions are all nominally committed to stopping the Cult of the Dragon, none of the delegates have made substantive pledges yet because they continue to focus on the smaller picture and not the overall situation. Although the Remi Haventree, the new begins the meeting viewing our heroes adversely, she ends the meeting believing that they are indeed valuable resources to the Council. To that end, she invests them with writs of emergency powers of investigation, and grants them the coveted title of “Gray Hands.”
She explains that too much mistrust still burdens the Factions, and not enough is known about the situation. She thinks the leaders need someone to show them the right path— heroes who will lead the forces of the Sword Coast with certainty into the coming darkness. He believes that the adventurers have a chance to be those heroes. However, she explains that each Faction will weigh every word the heroes say and scrutinize every one of their decisions from this time on. What pleases one group might anger another, and it will be incredibly difficult to make all parties happy. She suggests that they may be interested in acting as an advanced team to infiltrate the Well of Dragons before the main armies arrive on the battlefield.
PART FIVE: WELCOME TO THE GRAY HANDS
With Lady Haventree’s decree that our heroes be given “special emergency investigative powers” she was setting into motion the fact that they would be entered into the secret society known as the Gray Hand Enforcers. Gray Hand enforcers are hand picked by the Lords of Waterdeep to protect and defend the City in times of peril. They answer only to the Lords of Waterdeep and are selected for their courageous deeds in the battlefield. They are called the “Gray Hands” because their actions are deemed to be neither Good or Evil, but simple necessary – as a shade of gray in the sea of black and white politics.
Each of our heroes will be met by the leader of the Gray Hands, Taskmaster Harshnag the Grim. The Grim will explain their responsibilities as a Gray Hand, and require them to make a pledge of honor to serve the Lords of Waterdeep. If they make the pledge, they will each be issued a small coin (called a token) that bears the symbol of the Gray Hand. The token must be pressed into the palm of your left hand. It will graft with your skin, leaving what will seem to be a tattoo on the left palm.
The grafted token provides the following abilities, but will only allow the user to take (1) bonus action per turn:
- Damage Reduction (3) : Subtract 3 from any damage done to you while the graft remains on your left palm.
- Dragonward Strike: As a bonus action, you may make a melee or spell attack with a +4/+4. This ability may be used 4 times and then must be recharged by taking a long rest.
- Dispel Magic: As a bonus action, you may cast Dispel Magic. This ability can be used 4 times a day and then must be recharged by taking a long rest.
- Lord’s Boon: As a bonus action, you may heal 20 points of damage to yourself or someone else. This ability may only be used once and then requires a long rest to recharge.
PART FIVE: SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD
Legal authority in Waterdeep rests within the Open Lord and the hidden Lords of Waterdeep. The Lord’s Court is chaired by Piergeiron, and is attended by at least two other Lords and two Magisters. The Lord’s Court hears all “severe” crimes.
Twenty-six appointed black-robed Magisters conduct the Common Courts of Waterdeep. Three “Black Robes” are always on duty at the Palace. During daylight hours, a Magister is also posted at each gate. Magisters can pass sentence instantly, but most sentences are conditional on the supporting evidence of witnesses. Magisters are always accompanied by at least six members of the city guard.
Our heroes decided to visit the mortuary to view the body of Arthagast Ulbrinter to do some investigating. Fo suggested to bring Magistrate Hoff with them because he was known to be trustworthy and fair.
Thaed looked over the body, noticing that the killing blow was inflicted by a piercing weapon, most likely a curved dagger. The wound was puckered and blackened probably from poison. He spoke with the clerics of Torm who care for the mortuary and discovered that the weapon was recovered at the scene. Thaed cast Speak With Dead, but the spell failed because it had been cast on the body recently.
Vrae’ree was able to use his amulet to cast Commune to ask three questions of Oghma. Doing this, they were able to determine that Lord Neverember was innocent. Since the Magistrate and the six city guardsmen were there to witness, Hoff said that he would go right away to Lady Haventree to pronounce Neverember’s innocence.
However, questions remain as to who the real murderer may be.
PART SIX: A GATHERING OF ARMIES
The Council agrees that they will declare open war on the Cult of the Dragon and its allies. Word has been sent to the Factions to muster their troops and prepare to march. The Five armies with band together as one to rise up against the threat of Tiamat.
Our heroes have three days before they will meet with the Harper Spymaster to discuss the mission into the Well of Dragons. After that they will have roughly four Tendays before the Faction armies can muster and begin to siege the Well of Dragons.
Children of the Ampersand 
[Copied from Facebook Group]
From Fo’s perspective the council is more interested in fighting with each other from padded chairs than bringing the fight to the enemy. Fo wants to prove his loyalty and honor on the field of combat not around a table with squabbling children. To that end Fo wants to lead a raid on the Well of the Dragons. Potentially attempting to capture enemy leaders for questioning. To that end Fo would like to use the three days to gather supplies like Greek Fire and poison for use in the raid. Also perhaps finding some magical restraints for use in capturing enemy spell casters. Fo would like to discuss the options of multiple raids on various enemy targets to draw forces away from the well of Dragons.
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It would have been interesting to talk to the Waterdeep nobles, but I bet they would appreciate Tiamat not rising.
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Vrae’Ree believes examining the murder weapon recovered at the scene may help discover who the the true killer was. Perhaps Fo’s skill with poisons could tell us what faction or group may have been behind it since many of them often prefer specific types. And who knows? Perhaps the murderer was fool enough to use a dagger with a symbol or something of the like that would point them out. Vrae also mentions to Harshnag the Grim that a powerful illusion or a shape-shifter are the two most logical possibilities as to why the murderer appeared as Neverember. if there is any way to set wards or detectors for shape-shifters we should do it. And Perhaps a list of illusionists in the city (including those serving as Lords of Waterdeep) would help in the investigation; for no one is above suspicion.
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When Vrae’ree inspects the dagger left at the scene of Masked Lord Arthagast Ulbrinter he notices that the weapon is of Drow make. It was forged recently, and marked with the symbol of Drow House Daermon N’a’shezbaernon. It is unlikely that any Human could have noticed these two details.
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