Dice Shame - 78 | 'A Sorry State'

Episode Date: April 8, 2021

Back in Waterdeep, the party rushes to find out what's happened to a friend of the group... Comedy, action and a whole lot of shaming come together in Dice Shame, an Actual Play Podcast of Storm King's Thunder by Wizards of the Coast! Join our GM Jo; her partner Harlan, his brother Alex & their best friends Justin and Rob as they tackle the daunting world of Faerun in this legendary adventure module! Dice Shame is a podcast that welcomes its audience to the gaming table. Like the games they play at home, they try not to take themselves too seriously. The show aims to be entertaining, inclusive, and irreverent, while still taking the rules (somewhat) seriously. Join us every Thursday morning for brand new episodes available on all major platforms including; Spotify, iTunes, Google Play and more! If you haven't checked it out yet... what are you waiting for?!? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Torin okay? You didn't say the magic word. Doran, what was that word again? Not so secretive after all. He's like back home. He's got all the time in the world to try and find Torin's mind if he can. I could use a fresh bit of sea air. I still remember you taking down that giant.

Everybody watch your step. There's some real troubling dangers that we face here in the north. It's been so long. What are you doing out of Goldenfields? Oh yeah, I'm just fine. They're red. And Doran kind of like takes a sweet. of beer to signal that he's trying not to say something.

Correct. Welcome back to De Shame. This is episode 78, Asori State. MVP this week is Alex Torelli for joining the Facebook group and sharing his kind support for our show. Thanks, Alex. Now this promo is very important, so listen up. If you're a fan of mystery, horror, and a nameless voice in your head that controls your eyesight, check out malevolent.

Soundbooth Theater is releasing a remastered edition of Harlan Guthrie's popular Lovecraftian audio drama, and Book 1 dropped on their website today. With new music, extended scenes, and of course, featuring the hard work of my talented partner. Visit soundboothether.com to show your support. Thank you, guys. Shall we do this? Yeah, let's do it. My favorite time of year is just around the corner. I'm looking forward to gorgeous spring weather. Yeah.

Oh, yeah. I don't like early spring. It's too cold. But May, to me, is just perfection. And right now, the birds outside are losing their goddamn minds. They're too loud. They are. Can't sleep in.

They're so loud. They wake me up in the morning. I know. I feel like a fucking Disney. princess. You look like a Disney princess. I'm a fan of those nightbirds. The ones that are like it's just dusk or just past dusk, you can open the windows and hear the birds

Hey, baby. I don't know. What you doing, baby? I agree, but I feel like the nightbirds don't come out until like a little bit later in the season, you know? We're hearing them around here. That's for sure. Are you? What do they sound like? Birds? Well, I'm going to do one. You tell me what this is. You tell me what this is. Ooh, ooh, ooh,

who, who, who, who. Whipper will. Nope, not a whippoor well. It's a dove. Oh, that's a morning dove. Ding ding ding ding. What about this one? It's a bird game. That's a chickadee.

That's a chickadee. No, that's a robin. I don't actually know. I just hear it all the time and it's annoying. What about, um, that's, uh, Kieran in the early days. Crow? Yeah.

Hi, boss. Cardinals always sound like laser beams to me. Peeu, beo, beo. I have this one that sits outside my window, it's like, I'm like, oh, my God, what the hell is that? Oh my God, it's a taranticle! I have one that visits me a night and he goes, You look good sleeping.

That's me. You look good sleeping. Oh, yeah, that's you. That's me trying to wake up. The birds are talking to each other right now because they're trying to get sexy with the other birds. That's what's up right now. Hey, baby. Hey, you look good.

I like your plumage. Wow. Is this what it's come down to? This is it. We're mimicking birds sounds. It could be worse. I'm sure someone will find this interesting. There will be the ornithologists out there in our audience.

They're going to really come out and leave something in the comments. Why would gynecologists scare what we're doing? All the birds who listen are going to be like, we don't fucking sound like that. Please don't leave a negative review. Stereotaping. Unsubscribe. Or they'll be like, this dice shape is pretty good. These guys get it.

They give a shit about birds. Yeah. They gave a shit about birds. Oh, that's funny. So the portal dumps you out into a magically lit stone chamber. The red torchlight is poor contrast to the blinding white light of the portal, and you blink to adjust your eyes to the dim atmosphere. The room is roughly square with a staircase that leads up into darkness in one corner.

A slight half-elf woman in gray robes, brown-skinned, with a halo of curly hair, is sitting at a study desk in an alcove. populated by a cot and stacks upon stacks of books. She sets down her quill and hops down off her chair to greet you, a quizzical look on her face. Hello, you're new. Oh. So Valharo added us to the list.

We're the nightstone four. Yeah, we're on the list. We are new, but we're allowed to do this. What's your name? Thestrel. Thestrel. She rubs an ink stain off of the side of her palm, absent-mindedly, where it's just been accumulating hour over hour of writing.

My name's Red. This is my best friend Doran and my best friend Kralath and my best friend Jack. Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm curious how Doran feels, how we all feel right now coming out of a magic portal that transports you. Yeah, well, this is your second time. So you've used one already when you went to Icewind Dale and then back again. Can I ask this?

Is there any difference between one that's read from a script and one that's built into tar? You may not ask that, of course. What are you, Jack? I feel like the script, I feel like the script one is like more lucy. And you kind of come out of feeling a little bit yucky, but then this one's like a very clean transition. You're like, this is like a...

Canon. Lucy is canon. Yeah. For sure, it's a little more solid. It's like taking the train versus taking the bus. Are we in Wadadadip? Oh, yes. Right.

Whereabouts and Red looks around? Well, you're at the Harper's teleportation circle. She's got an amulet hanging around her neck, much too large for her small figure. It hangs almost to her stomach, so she picks it up with both hands and holds it up to her mouth, and she whispers, Mirna, the sound of stone on stone sets your teeth on edge as the staircase permits daylight through a widening hole in the ceiling. Thank you, and we take the escalator up. Vestral gestures up the stairs, she's like. That's the way out.

Anything special we need to know to get back? Just the word Mirna. Perfect. And then it shuts again. God damn it. Mirna. Don't say Mirna. God.

The stone staircase leads up into the belly of a sarcophagus, whose lid has been removed for your exit. Above you standing motionless, a large marble statue resembling a morning woman holds the stone lid in her hands, waiting for you to exit. As you leave the secret teleportation circle room inside the crypt. The statue replaces the lid. The mausoleum is a smallish, carved granite affair with a quartet of similarly carved marble mourners

and a single sarcophagus through which you've exited. A worked iron gate leads out into the gray. Oh, are we supposed to keep this place a secret? Probably, since we needed a secret word to enter. The harpers are kind of like a spy network, so probably they're... Dorn, what was that word again? Mirna! Damn it!

Anyway, we head out of the graveyard. Into the pouring rain. Jack fishes a cloak out of his pack and puts the hood up and covers himself and heads off into the rain towards the copper cup and the dock ward. It's raining, raining, but it's cold enough that the rain drops freeze when they hit the tombstones and trees all around you. You're in the city of the dead. It's somber and peaceful atmosphere

given a more gothic cast by the ice storm. Everything is encased in an inch-thick layer of ice, sparkling and trailing icicles. As you look back over your shoulder to gain reference to the location, should you need to return here, you see that over the gate on the outside of the tomb, a single word is carved into the stone.

Mirna. Not so secretive after all. Feels like back home. For a moment, Red looks over his shoulder fleetingly at the gravestone that he visited many weeks ago and then turns back to the others. So, do you want us to come with you, Jack? At least until we figure out what fake Kieran is. Once we know Torin's safe. If there was something else you'd rather do or be during this ice storm, feel free. But I'd love the help. No, I just didn't want to

impose in case you didn't want us there. But absolutely. we're in. Dorn walked backwards a few paces to try and remember exactly the mausoleum that you'd have to enter. Just kidding. I was like, what?

Zombies grab you. No, like you slip on the ice. The gravel walkways between the graves are treacherous and it's hard to gain purchase anywhere. So as you're moving through this huge graveyard, this city of the dead,

you're sliding as much as walking. Kralath is definitely uneasy, even though it reminds him of back home. And there is kind of a sense of comfort in that. He has had too many bad experiences in graveyards. And he says, everybody watch your step, but not because of the ice. And Red begins heading towards the exit. He almost leads everyone, despite the immense size of it.

He knows exactly where the exit is. He's like, come on, just goes. But it's not unnatural. That doesn't seem weird for Red to know. Red's never lost. Exactly. But he's obviously been in this area. Well, and don't we?

We're not hampered by difficult terrain when you leave. Yeah. To hell with the hell with the age. It's even like maybe Jack goes as the crow flies towards the copper cup. And Red's like, actually, it's quicker this way. There's an exit to the street this way. And Red sort of turns and starts heading off. Through the winding streets and leading vaguely downhill, you make your way between crowds of people bustling here and there.

Water deep is as ever. a riot of color and fashion, despite the evening's inclement weather. The busier streets you find have been cared for with salt and sand from the harbor to combat the treacherous ice, and are therefore even busier than usual with foot traffic and carts piled high with crates, carriages drawn by high-stepping horses and palanquins carrying nobles out to attend some soiree, ice storm be damned. The dock ward is packed as ever. the cold weather has dampened the reek of fish and salt. Miserable-looking fishermen glower

out of the churning ocean, steel gray under the moon. Ships caked in ice sit anchored in the harbor, safer than crashing against the docks in weather like this. The copper cups sign, and its many planted windowsills are all crusted with icicles. The interior looks dim. Kralov turns to Jack. Jack's going to hold Kieran for a second and connect mentally just to be like, why don't we hide you for a moment so you can pop back in right when we need you? And he's going to put Kieran in that pocket dimension he's able to put his familiars in. So the story's going to check out, kind of.

Kieran curls themselves around your neck and gives you a long purr before they disappear into your interdimensional. pocket. And then Jack puts his hand on the door and enters out of the cold. Thank you, Alex. Inside, the copper cup is strangely quiet. Half a dozen patrons sit at the bar, and a table in the far corner is occupied by two fishermen with their feet up, contemplating the fire in front of them. An older human man, Tens Bar, dressed in the standard burgundy apron of of the cup. He's probably in his 60s, with curling salt and pepper hair and a creased face.

He welcomes you, Jack, with a practiced smile. Oh, Jack, welcome. Come here. And we all enter as well, sort of a bit nervously, giving Jack a bit of a wide berth. What's his name? Senom. Where's Torin? Like, not even like high Senom, but like, yeah. And then he catches himself and says, oh, uh, hey, Senam, thanks for, It's good to see you. Is Torin okay? His eyes dart to the side, and he clears his throat. You should talk to Lossie. She's upstairs. Do I know Lossie? Has she been here for a while?

Yep. You know pretty much everyone here. She's the manager of housekeeping, I guess. Copper Cup's a big place. It's three stories, so there's usually a ton of staff here, though this evening it's pretty quiet. Thanks. I'll go speak with Lassie. It's raining here. Doran's all wet, and he goes and stands by the fire while he waits for some sort of Kralath and I will head upstairs to Jack. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I hope so. Until Jack's is like, don't come, then we won't, you know?

Yeah. Jack, you head upstairs and poke your head into a few rooms before you find Lossie. She's got a basket of folded linens, and she's making the bed in one of the guest rooms. She looks exhausted. She's got her hair uncharacteristically not tied in a braid. It's just hanging loose around her face. She turns to greet you. Oh, hello, Jack, sweetheart.

Nice to see you. What's happened? Where's Torren? Torin was summoned to the Hall of Serenity to speak with a dawn night. Sir Hagrin-Tiel, I think. I don't fully understand why. Before he left, he said something about needing to clear up a misunderstanding. That's been five days now, Jack. Almost six.

Sir Hogram Steele? you said? Hegrin teal. Hey, Doran. This is he almost pulled a door in there. Everyone's got a little bit of Doran deep inside. Sir Hegrin Teal, have I heard of him before? No.

And the Hall of Serenity is what? Being that you are a worshipper of La Thander and you're familiar with the spires of the morning, you know that the Hall of Serenity is like a building for clarendy. parricks and magistrates related to the spires. What was the misunderstanding? I don't know. It didn't, he didn't say. I went by that evening after he left to see where he was. We hadn't seen him all day.

He missed his shift managing and was starting to get worried. But it was closed. I left, came back the next day to try to see him. And the clergy there, I guess, said that he was being held for a time relating to some charges relating to criminal activity. Can you imagine? I was told he'd have to be held until the matter was put to rest. Didn't answer any of my questions. Nearly dragged me out.

Unbelievable. Red sort of leans forward and says, what's happened around here? The copper cup is so much quieter. Is it all just because of torrent? Staff have been quitting. It's hard to keep good people, I guess. And, well, after Torin was picked up, I'm not sure if people don't want to associate with the copper cup or what's happening.

But, yeah, business has dropped off. Have you noticed any strange things happening here? Are people leaving for particular reasons? Customers complain about the quality of the rooms. I've been working double hard, especially with the staff who've left to make sure that everything is acceptable, but I suppose we have moths or something, holes in the linens. And red gives a knowing look to the others. Greyloff nods. Can't seem to get rid of the vermin either. There's an infestation of rodents in the kitchen.

Did Torin have an animal with him recently? Yes. He had that owl of yours. Yeah, where's that owl now? I haven't seen him since Torin was picked up. Okay. Thank you. you. Is there anything we can do to help in a straightforward way? I don't really want to make beds, but... Not really. I'm going to go get Torin. Welcome with you. So you head downstairs. I'm curious if Doran picks up on any of this sort of odd, anything odd that he senses, you know, like if there are rats, is he hearing rats? Is there... Would you hear things or whatever? So... You can roll perception. Fisherman conversation. Yarr, the fish were good today. Yarr, y'ar, we've been having imp problems.

A-16. You don't notice anything pertaining to rats or other pests, but one of the people who is sitting having a drink at the bar turns her head and you recognize her. Ah. From your time in Goldenfields. This is Z. Oh.

Oh, Yang. Z. Mm-hmm. And she's just kind of. drinking from a cup of wine. Doran bringing out his beard catches Zee's face from across the bar

and recognizes her but in true Doran fashion doesn't remember her name so he approaches Hey there, I I recognize you you're in Goldenfields it's me Doran and it stretches a hand.

Oh, Doran it's so nice to see you again. I still remember you taking down that giant we've been on the road a while and we're back. I'm surprised to see you here in Waterdeep. Yes, well, I made the travel a couple of weeks ago and I'll be heading out again shortly. My family was going to be sending me on a trade vessel.

Are you alone here? No, no, my party is upstairs. You might remember the others that I travel with. Of course I do. And maybe at that point, Red comes downstairs with the others. Yeah, yeah. The three of you all come down. Oh, here they are.

And immediately lock eyes. Zee! And Red runs over. How are you doing? And he kind of throws her arms around. Bewildered by your happy greeting, kind of awkwardly hugs you back. Yeah, she was the awkward one, right? Enthusiasm.

Well, Betsy. Oh, hi, hi, Krayloth. It's been so long. What are you doing out of Goldenfields? Just visiting with my family before I. I head out on business. Jack, how are you? Hi. Yeah, it's good to see you.

You told me about this place when we were eating together during High Harvest High. I don't know if you remember, but I was in town and I thought I may as well check it out, stop by for a drink. It's so weird to see you here. Yeah, I wish it was better times. Are you going to be here tomorrow? I'm set to head out tomorrow, actually. You're heading back to Goldenfields or no?

You said trading? I'll be taking a ship, yeah. To Mazdica? No, Red. Oh. We'll be heading south. Well, we haven't had a bite to eat. I don't mind sitting and staying with Z.

And Red sort of pulls up a stool next to her. Not that I want to abandon you, Jack, but, you know, maybe you could send a message if you need me. Sure. That's fine. Jack's already got his cloak half on. ready to storm across town in the middle of the night. Oh, yeah. Kralov has his hand on the door handle.

What happened? Oh, Toron is being held by the hall of serenity, whatever that is. The bartender kind of turns and, like, shakes his head at you, red. What? Like, looks around at the patrons. Oh, sorry. And sort of, like, motions a shush. Oh, sorry.

And he corrects and sort of gives a grim face to Jack, like, oh, sorry. And then just says it hushed to. uh z we don't know what's happened jack is going to go find out to find out what's happened now i suppose oh are you are you going to stay here red i guess i yeah i mean do you need do you think you might need some muscle there jack i don't know what is goldenfield's okay is i thought you were pretty hell bent on defending it maxine has put into effect quite a rigorous patrol of the watchful order of mages and I don't even remember.

But after the attack, things seem to have been more effective there, shall I say. Father Daravik has finally taken my suggestions under consideration, and I feel like, at least for the winter, things will be taken care of. And how are the bears? They're wonderful. Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jack's definitely like, okay, great.

Goldenfield hasn't been burned to the grounds. He's not out of work. It's just been protected further. He's already putting on his cloak to head out into the ice storm. I'm going to see if I can figure out what's going on. I don't know about this hall of serenity that seems new. And I just got to figure out where Torin's at and what's happening. Well, you're not going alone.

I'll have your back. Thank you. Doren kind of hops down off his chair and he shakes your hand, Jack. And he says, look, if you get into any trouble, you can do your mind message thing and we'll come for you but I'm gonna stick around here and maybe catch up with Z and

this bartender and see if we can suss out what's going on and me and red of course and I hold up my goblet and cheers and like if you need us let us know just like in Nguano's hole this is where we belong Doren high five that's right

Team awesome boys that's right good luck guys so I want to transition to kind of like montage mode for now. So we can talk about what Jack and Kralath get up to what kinds of avenues you want to explore and then just kind of hash that out together. Yeah, I'm, I mean, I definitely picturing a lot of like trudging through the ice and snow to get through like the streets of

water deep in the, in the mud churned up by all the carts, trying to just like this real miserable weather trying to get to this building. He kind of knows where it should be, but has never seen it because it's new. As it's getting later and later, there are fewer and fewer people out on the streets and it starts to get kind of eerie by the time you walk the couple of hours to get to the sea ward and you find the spires of the morning and you trace your steps and you manage to find this what must be the hall of serenity it's like one o'clock in the morning it's a large building it occupies a pretty substantial footprint and it's several stories tall within eyesight of the spires of the morning, but not adjacent to it. And on the one side

of the building, there's a huge stained glass window that you can tell based on the lead work would depict a thistle. The doors are locked when you try them. It's dark inside. You don't see anyone. Jack's going to sort of walk around the exterior and just try and message inside to see if he can connect to Torin's mind at all. If he's within 120 feet and vaguely in the direction, he's pointing in the building up below it, he's got all the time in the world to try and find Torin's mind if he can. Funny to think about that, though, because you think normal buildings make sense, but like in a magic city, magic would be so much more difficult to use through like a, I don't

know, wards and shit like that. I mean, I suppose it's a foot of stone, an inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or three feet of... Well, what I mean to say is, if you're a wizard and you have a hall of serenity, presumably wizards know about it or in it, you would develop tactics to negate spells

being able to pass through. For sure. It's a desperate move at one in the morning in an ice storm of a distraught, you know, person. It's super visual. I could see Jack even, like, crying. It's really romantic, actually, in like, the classical sense of, like,

this longing and just emptiness being returned. Kralath, you watch just this soggy wizard frankly walking around the perimeter of this building just expending so much effort and emotional energy trying to reach the man that he loves and just coming up empty, just constantly brickwalled. Literally.

And Kralath stands watch just by the entrance to the alley as Jack goes back and does his thing. I feel like Jack is like impatient and yanking on the door handles. on we certainly tried them once because you imagine you do all this and the doors open you're like oh fuck you didn't say the magic word meanwhile back at the bar red doran and z maybe you guys have settled yourselves in at a table cozily and you're enjoying some finger food what are you guys eating sausages i don't know but i think we're catching z up in like what's happened the past you know, a few weeks tell her about, you know, the hump rat house and what we've done with

the wheat stalk carving and how it's like become a symbol of hope within the party. She's loosened up a little bit to her like awkward exterior is falling away piece by piece as she re-familiarizes herself with you and you recount the battle that you endured together and she asks you about, so what have you been through in the months since we've seen each other? quite a while, and it was a fruitful harvest, but the winter has already felt so long. Yes. All sorts of magic interesting stuff has been happening. And then we've ran into some dwarves in Jalanthar that made life a little difficult for us. And he gives a look to Doren again. After the conversation on the road,

nothing really having been completely solved there. It does seem like there's a lot of forces working against us. Almost like there's some kind of entity. plotting against the party, making your life interesting and difficult for an outside observer. Remarkably aware of you, Zee. Makes you think. And when Z goes to get a drink,

Red does lean across the table, and he's just kind of like, you're doing okay, Doran? Oh, yeah, I'm just fine, there, Red, and Doran kind of like takes a swig of beer to fill his mouth. To signal that he's trying not to say something.

to prevent himself from spilling the wrong information. I think the imp fucked things up a lot for Torin around here. It must have been doing a whole mess of stuff, which makes me really concerned about Jack and what's going on with that hall of serenity. Yeah. Do you think maybe the imp has something to do with Torin being where he is right now in some sort of trouble?

Look, all I know is that Jack has some pretty high up contacts in Waterdeep. This all started when that imp showed up in Jack's life and I worry to think of what other things it could have done.

I mean, yeah, cutting some holes in sheets is bad, but what if the imp said more? There's a lot of stuff that we've done that could be

dangerous if it got out. And Red sort of leans back as Z returns to the table with fresh drinks. Like that imp knew everything. Yeah. Yeah, right? Think about it.

That imp hung out with you guys before you finished Grudhog and then saw everything up until... Yeah, a little freaking spy. So maybe we see Jack and Kralath. It's like two in the morning now. Jack knows exactly how many hours until sunrise. I think his next step is probably just to go to the spires in the morning and, like, wait and pray with lithander at dawn and sort of just stay awake. the rest of the night trying to... Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah.

So, Jack, we see you and Kralath now in the early, early hours of the morning, occupying the base level of this spire of the morning where they have an open temple of Lathander. Unlike this

hall that you've been trying to access the Hall of Serenity, this temple here is open to all who might need solace. And maybe you find some sliver of it among the familiar pillars and pews. Maybe there's even someone else here murmuring praise or asking questions to the deities. Kralath, this feeling of being safe within the four walls of a holy building maybe comforts you as well. Oh, indeed. Indeed. And I say,

Jack, you know, you did what you could tonight, but at this point, Maybe we can find solace in knowing that Torin is being looked after by Lathander and Kellemvore tonight. And tomorrow maybe we can help him. Don always comes. I think I'm going to stay here and watch the sunrise. I don't know if you want to go get some sleep. But as soon as soon as morning comes, I'm going over to the hall. Yeah, I wouldn't mind sleeping in a warm bed.

You're sure you're all right here on your own? I'll be here, yeah. Thank you. I'll see you in the morning. And Krayloth, you head back through the darkness of this sleeping city to find your companions curled up in their beds at the Copper Cup Fest Hall, and maybe you managed to close your eyes for a while before dawn comes. First thing the next morning, you are roused by a knock on your door, gentlemen, as Zee says her

goodbyes. Oh, Kralath, you must have. have come back after we went to bed. Hmm, yes, yes, Z. Did you guys have fun last night? I saw the empty tankards. It was nice to catch up. Oh, that reminds me.

Last night, just before Bedzie, I made you this. And Red pulls out a carving that he made right before bed. He's a guild artist, and he does wood carving all the time, and flakes lured the floor as he hands her a wood carving of a bird, a robin. And he says, take this with you. Your's brought us so much joy, and I never returned the favor. That's very nice of you. Thank you.

Of course. Kralath, we never got a chance to catch up last night. I understand that Jack needed some help. Is he all right? I think he'll be all right now that Don has come. He's just a little worried about his friend. Hey, are you in a hurry to run off, or did you want to come into town with me? I was going to get some ingredients and clerical components in the market if you want to

to join me. Well, that sounds just fine, actually, if you don't mind helping me carry some things. Sure, of course. Sure. I'll be heading to the docks right after I only have maybe an hour. Why don't you get your stuff? Anybody else want to come? I wouldn't mind tagging along if that's okay.

Sure, yeah. Come along, Red. I could use a fresh bit of sea air. Did you want to come to, Doran? Doren, like, sits up in bed and he's like, oh, and flops back down. So cute. Too many too many brews last night. Come on, Doran. And Red

slaps his foot and come on. And he gets him ready. I'm going to force Doran to come on. And he rolls out of bed, yes. I bet the seafood here is quite delicious actually. I didn't get to try it last time I came. Seafood. Suddenly a weak tummy. Jack, you are

standing, you know, within feet of the front door when you hear a click and you feel a shimmer and the lights go on. all at once and there are people inside the hall of serenity is open for business i go inside get your serenity here fresh fresh serenity it's only going to cost you an arm and a leg we promise get your halls we got halls and serenity here it's all a big ponzi scheme it's some kind of scheme upon entry to the hall you're met with a cascading series of stepped landing

that stack higher and higher to the left, split by a long set of stairs. Each landing's balcony overlooks all the floors below it. On the right side, the impressive series of stained glass windows depicting the thistle you saw last night, now glowing with the first rays of light of the morning, paints the interior with colored light,

a burned purple color. By the base of the stairs, an androgynous elf behind a desk, raises their hand for your attention. Good morning, how may I assist you today? I'm here to see Torin Cheldrick. I understand he's being held. Jack Page of the House of Wands.

Ah, yes, Jack Page. That's just fine. You're known to us here. And you vouched for the character of the indicated party? One Torin Cheldrick, they leaf through a couple of pieces of paper. Yes. Just sign here, please.

What's happened here? They slide a piece of paper across the desk to you and a quill hovers above it. Having walked through the space and seeing the kind of things going on here, have I been able to like determine like what kind of building this is, what its purpose is

like is this? This is a weird mixture of religious personnel maybe some of whom you're actually kind of fleetingly familiar with some people in armor perhaps guards and knights and then paper pushers, magistrates

a couple of members of the city guard that you maybe don't recognize, but you know their ranking from their outfits. This is like a mashup of city and religion. The two things that should always be separate. What's the paper say? The paper says that you will be retrieving Torin Cheldrick of the Copper Cup Fest Hall of Doc Ward and that you vouch for the character of the indicated party and then there's a space for your name, which already says Jack Page, was like a magically conjured document. How come no one else was able to do this before now? We did see one of Torren's associates. However, their standing was not determined.

Okay, fine. I'll sign it. But I mean, Jack has many questions, but he doesn't want to fuck up the part where he gets Torin out and buy him, and then he can come back and figure out what the fuck was happening. Their eyes shine brilliantly at you as they take the paper and stamp it magically with some kind of wax and lovely. The elf rings a bell on the desk and a serious young woman is at your side in a moment her whole attention on the desk. Yes, thank you, Ari. If you'll please bring Lord Page to sell 418 and release the prisoner into his care. Thank you, Jack, be well. and this young clerk starts leading you up the staircase in this busy building. Ari, how long have you worked here?

She doesn't answer you. She's looking straight ahead, walking very efficiently up the stairs, up the stepped landings up to the fourth floor, just presuming that you're following her, never pausing. Sorry, did you hear me, Ari? She doesn't look at you. So are you not allowed to speak? Or is this just, this is just part of the... What other attempts do you want?

Make? Several. Jack is the Karen of. Through a series of doors that's seemingly open at her step, she leads you past a dozen blank doors and then opens one seemingly at random. Torin, your love, is lying on his back on a cot with his hands clasped on his stomach. When he sees you, he leaps up. Oh, good. Takes three steps towards you and is in your arms in a moment. Thank God you, you're okay. I'm here. I'm sorry. Jack, oh my God. Thank you. We're going to get you out.

I didn't hear from you. I didn't know. I know. And then you realize that he's not talking anymore. He looks, he's looking over your shoulder at someone else standing behind you in the hallway. Lord Johan's page, sion of the House of Wands, what an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance. The man standing behind you is middle-aged. He's got brown hair, kind of thinning.

on top but not like in a self-conscious way he's got a neat brown suit coat and a fashionable blue cloak you know that it's like one of the most recent fashions in water deep the young clerk who led you here to torren's cell is standing at even more abrupt attention if that were at all possible from when you met her earlier her eyes are just focused on the ground in front of her So this is probably someone who commands a lot of importance in this building. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name. I'm sorry, I'm Errol Artis. An old friend of Carinas.

She spoke very well of you. Please, if you wouldn't mind, come with me to discuss some matters. I insist. Young Ari here will take Torin Cheldrick to gather his things, and you can meet him downstairs in just a moment. Ari, if you would, and the first time you hear her speak, she says, yes, hi, Lord Captain. And she takes Torin by the elbow and leads him down the hall.

I'll be right behind you, Torin. The rain continues on this morning, not as cold as yesterday, but passers by still look miserable that their obligations would have them out in this weather. As Z, accompanied by Kraloth, Doran, and Red, head out into the morning. Hmm. I feel like Doran are hanging back. stopping at stalls, buying chestnuts, throwing them at each other's mouths.

Just being goofballs in the background. Mischief, weirdos. Kralath is asking about Naxine and Golden Fields. And he had a, he had a connection to Naxine, some sort of, they vibed. Yeah. You guys did vibe. Motherly.

Yeah, yeah. And so he's asking lots of questions about how she's doing and whether or not she's baked any new dishes. Or, you know. Zee's answering all your, questions, kind of, you know, stilted formally, but warming up to you slowly through the course of your walk together. She ends up taking you by the arm after she almost slips in a puddle and the two

of you meander around. You pass by a shop built into the first story of a leaning townhouse whose windows are largely obscured by heavy red drapes. The sign above the door is just a painting of a blue sky dotted with clouds. It's Krayloth, right? A tall creature whose skin is covered with pearly blue scales stands in the doorway to the shop. Golden, reptilian eyes peer out at you lazily from beneath the cowl of their cloak.

Uh, who's asking? I'm Sky. We have business. Come in. They throw the end of their cigarette out into the, street and exhale the smoke from their nostrils before turning to go inside. Does Doren or Red see this? Yeah, you guys are like a little ways behind, maybe? I think we catch up at this point because Krayliff must have stopped.

Yeah. Hey, get out of my mouth, get out of my mouth. Doran kind of turns to red. Did you see that? What? Oh, who was that? I don't know. And here, Kralath, you were drawn back into a memory,

ringed with darkness around the edges lit by lavender auroras. milky eyes bright in the starlight, a creature grasping the hem of your cloak in shaking hands, murmuring some strangeness to you in the blighted, freezing town of East Haven. Your empty child, a haunted past among your friends, you are the last. Oh, ignorant one, listen to the sky. Kraloff. Kraloff. Oh, um. Um.

You're okay? We lost you for a moment there. Listen to the sky. Listen to the sky. And Kralov, without a word to the others, walks into this red-curtained building. And red looks to Doren, and Z. She shrugs. And red shrugs.

And Doren shrugs. And we enter as well. The door opens and a bell rings, and then you're inside this crowded shop. drying herbs hang down from the ceiling in bundles that brush your head and shoulders. Bookshelves line the walls, cremed with tomes and scroll tubes, topped with relics, skulls, and carved pieces of coral and driftwood. Wooden pedestals of all shapes and sizes occupy the center of the room, displaying artifacts on crocheted doilies in bell jars, piled loosely in bowls. There's a carved yellow candle a foot tall, a flask of mystery liquid, a white flower, which, and a white flower

with large, soft-looking petals, the claw from some chitinous creature. More detail evades you as the creature moves deeper into the shop and through a doorway hung with curtains. Through here, please. Greyhoth, are you okay? What's going on?

I am, uh, I have a feeling that what this person has to say to me is very important and I'm going to listen to them. You can come if you like Of course There are a few chairs here by a small hearth Crusted with ash and holding a steaming black kettle Where you guys can make yourselves comfortable

Or you can enter the back room with Kralath if you want I think I'll stick with Kralath Sure Just before I'm about to open the curtains Kralov stops and turns to red and says Listen um There's a lot about my past that Quite frankly I don't remember but

what you hear in there just if we can keep this like Nuanor's hold where you give me benefit of the doubt

I I greatly appreciate that and Red nods and says so long as you do the same for me when the time comes of course and Kralov kind of has a glazed

look he doesn't really fully register what Red has implied and nods and proceeds through the curtains. Jack, you and high Lord Captain Errol Artists do a classic walk-and-talk. In the background, we see clerics and knights about their business in quiet conversations, light streaming in through the stained glass as you move back into the main entryway and towards his offices.

Karina had some very high praise for you. Thank you. That's good to hear. You should see what I... did in dawn glow. Have you been back since? I haven't traveled that way yet. So you were the one who arrived in Nightstone and turned it to Don Glo? Yeah, that was

me. I think that was really what led Karina to setting me as her replacement. She saw that our cause could be greatly supported by holy action. It's got kind of like a satisfied smile on his face. And we retrieved the guilty

parties on your insight, really. So thank you for your love. was a great help. So what's Karina doing now? She's retired? She has gone her own way. She had some other business she wanted to attend to, and, well, she's left her position. I believe it's for the best. Ah, here we are, and he leads you into the captain's offices, every bit as grand and covered in tapestries, as you might imagine.

He lights the room with a cantrip, and settles into an armchair, just, gesturing for you to join him in the opposing. Has he ever come up on any radar before now? Like, is this a person that in any way would be known to Jack? Is he associated with the church? Has he done things before? The name rings a bell as someone who may have been used by Carina potentially or by the church, but maybe someone who wasn't present in Waterdeep

at the same time as you, someone who you've not met but could have heard tell of as someone, you know, maybe an ambitious man. So what brought you to Waterdeep? I've heard of your adventures in other places, but the call to the big city? Yeah, well, again, as Karina decided to step down, I was a logical replacement as her right hand, and I believe very strongly in our cause, so it's been wonderful, really. I mean, you know, it's strive always to aid. That's the work of Lathander, right? Precisely, precisely. Will you be in water deep for the feast of the moon, Jack? Do you mind

if I call you, Jack? Sure. Do you mind if I call you, Errol? No, please do, among friends, right? Lovely. The spires of the morning will, of course, be hosting a fete after the services, and you're very much invited. That would happen ten days from now. Sadly, I've got some other business to attend to,

perhaps we can talk about it a little further later. Understandable, my dear man, of course. You must be very busy, and what brings you to Waterdeep? Um, I'd heard Torin was in a spot and I wanted to look out for him. What happened to bring him into your attention? He's going through a box on the table beside him. He finds a pipe and a tobacco pouch. He's like setting around to cleaning it and, uh, adding some tobacco to the pipe.

How well do you know Torin, Cheldrick? Very well. What happened? Can you please just tell me what happened? Oh, of course. I'm sorry. I don't mean to be withholding nor dance around the issue, of course. This must be some concern to you as a close associate of his. We received a letter indicating him as a culpable party, someone who had some contact with devils, that there could be some sort of ring operating out of the

copper cup, and we've been observing it for some time now. Do you know anything about these charges? Can I see the letter? Oh, I don't have it on me. Right, and I'm not saying necessarily now, but can we make that available to me? Quite possibly. A halfling man enters the offices

with some writing utensils and sets up in a corner without saying a word. I haven't been in Waterdeep in some time. I can't comment on what sort of ring of creatures you might have uncovered. And again, it is not my intention to put you on the

spot here merely to gain some context and of course you vouched for his quality in order to retrieve him from our capture and so consider it a matter done as you say you have been traveling outside water deep for quite a few weeks now by my record do you have any other names that we should be suspecting as part of this devil ring have you encountered any other instances of devil worship or demonic activity within the populace. Any names we can have. We're just looking for new avenues to approach, really. What sort of redemption have you been able to bring these people to?

We're bringing them to the light. How do you mean? As part of the teachings of Lethander, we are, how shall I say, reordering their religious priorities. So, Jack, are there any details that you would like to add to our investigations, or? I don't know that I have enough context to provide anything relevant at this time. No other names that we should be noting as part of any kind of devil activity or demonry. Again, at this time, I don't know that I have anything relevant.

I understand. Without the proper context of what's going on here. Maybe I'm just going to go with Torin and we can sort this out later. Just finally as a parting offer, Jack, I understand that you're a busy man and surely have much to do today. We can always use people like you in the order of Anura. As a fledgling and ambitious organization, someone with your nose for trouble would be a real boon to the rank and file. What am I saying? You'd stand ahead and shoulders above most.

I could create a position for you. Any interest? You know, I, I, um, there's some real troubling dangers that we face here in the north and, and being aligned with the order of Enora might be one of the, one of the necessary steps to saving Farron. And so I'm, I wouldn't take anything off the table at this point. He stands up, puts his pipe down, and shakes your hand warmly before gesturing to the door. My office is always open.

Thank you so much. And you take your leave. I do quickly. Standing at the bottom of the long staircase, attended by another serious acolyte and bathed in colorful morning light, Torin Cheldrick shifts his weight awkwardly. He catches sight of you and relief washes over his face. It's a dark day in Waterdeep.

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