Azmarin 7

In the morning, the party is summoned to the safehouse at the Basilisk and the Bastille. Dave has out several very old maps of Azmarin, including the sewers, with the thieves' guild's hideouts marked. He tells them that they will have to get through the thieves guild and the aqueducts out of the city to meet Theo. They thought that all of Theo's party members were going to come with him, but he's actually coming alone.

They discuss preparations, and decide to meet at Briar's clocktower in the morning. Jude asks Dave about his father, and asks Dave to let him know that Jude's mother has chosen a side, and so has he. Charlie and Tarian head back to his library, and he goes down to the cellar to work on something, telling her that he needs an hour.

During that hour, Olympia arrives at the door, looking battered and with a broken arm. She tells Charlie that a man got her out and that told her that she and Charlie need to leave the city, and he didn't survive. She drags Charlie out of the house, and transforms into a devilish form. Charlie manages to get a Sending to Tarian, who rushes out and manages to banish it and get her back to consciousness.

Meanwhile, Briar goes to see a deep gnome tavern owner named Nip Nip. They have a conversation in Thieves' Cant, where she makes arrangements for some gear and logistics for the upcoming mission. Jude goes to an apothecary and makes some arrangements for some healing potions too.

Charlie comes to, feeling like she can't breath properly, and believes that something was left behind inside her. Tarian detects something magical left behind. He tries to counterspell it, but it only gets stronger.

As Tarian and Charlie are panicking, he casts message to Briar and Jude as whatever is inside her continues to try to kill her. As they arrive, he also messages Najua and demands that she do something. Briar turns her into book form and flips through it and finds Charlie's name. Right next to it are Tarian and Jude's names - all 3 are written in fading ink. The word "cursed" appears under Charlie's name. Briar asks Najua how to fix it, and the words "What will you exchange? Pick another name". In her head, she says "Take Hellbreaker instead". Najua/Gabriella shows her how to concentrate all her magical abilities on the darkness inside Charlie and destroy it.

The group composes themselves and heals Charlie, and Jude tells them that this should be a lesson. Later, Charlie tries to summon Nekir, using her necklace, but gets only a void of darkness. That night, Briar dreams of the heavens and recognizes her own true name on her blade.

In the morning, Charlie tries to contact Nekir, but gets no response. Tarian brings her breakfast in bed and gives her a pseudodragon, and tells her that he can't bear to lose her. He also kneels next to the bed and produces his mother's ring, and proposes to her, which she accepts with a kiss.

The group passes out potions and prepares their spells for the sewer mission. Briar tells them that they need to stop along the way for someone who can help them. They meet up with Nip Nip and make their way through the thieves' guild to the aqueducts. Jude strikes up a conversation with Tarian about their affinity to devils and angels, respectively.

They come to a large cavern containing a massive lake. Undead creatures sway around a platform at the center with a burning light on it. A massive form reaches tentacles out and grabs 2 of the undead creatures, pulling them under. Tarian recognizes the creature as an aboleth, just as it reaches out to Jude's mind, telling him it will let him pass in exchange for the beacon around "the girl"'s neck. It similarly reaches into each of the others' brains. The group collectively tells the creature no, and prepares for battle.