TGAT: Session 5

#### **T6. Book Wyrm's Treasure**

The players met the shop owner Rishaal the Page-Turner, a half-gold dragon and a member of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors.

Rishaal remembers old owner of Trollskull Manor, she was a half-elf called Lif. He heard rumour that she was poisoned by her abusive husband. Maintaining the tavern was her life's work, and Rishaal believes she couldn't abandon the place in death. If the party wanted to know more they could ask the priests of Myrkul and Kelemvor in the City of the Dead.

The party elected to rest at Levi Gastonne's home and leave Lif alone.

### Scene 3: Joining Factions

During a period of downtime, Richard Dickens was contacted in the dead of night via a flying snake with a parchment tied about its body*:*

> *"Want to be part of something big? Speak to Davil Starsong at the Wizards Sleeve."*
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Meanwhile, Lee and Cubone revisited Trollskull Manor and found a letter under the front door addressed to all of the party members:

> *"Renaer tells us you are a good bet. He bought you tickets to the opera tonight at the Lightsinger Theater in the Sea Ward. If you are interested, meet Mirt at intermission. Private Box C. Formal attire is required for admittance."*
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Enclosed are tickets for the entire party to *The Fall of Tiamat*, an opera sung in Giant describing the evil dragon queen's defeat at the Well of Dragons.

### Scene 4: The City of the Dead

The party head for the City of the Dead while they wait for night to fall. As they walk the great park of grassy hills, tended flower beds, artfully placed clusters of trees and bushes, beautiful sculptures, astounding architecture, and gravel paths that wend intriguingly through it all, Richard Dickens spotted a metallic object within one of the bushes.

He began to clear some of the foliage and could make out it was a metallic humanoid in a calm and peaceful sitting position. He tapped the object on its head and its glowing red eyes opened, and appeared alert. Richard Dickens jumped backed and gave the creature ample space. Rising slowly and walking calmly towards Richard Dickens the awoken Warforged Monk asked *"Why have you interrupted my meditation?"*. Richard Dickens explained he thought it was a statue, which prompted the automaton to educate Richard Dickens on what he was and that he was in the middle of a multi-century spirit walk.

The party invited the Warforged to join them as they searched for the temple of Myrkul and he accepted, when asked his name the Warforged replied he was not given one and the party named him "Bushy" as that had been where they found him.

The party found a small worshipping stone which was being blessed by a priest of Myrkul and the party asked what he knew of getting rid of their poltergeist. The priest explained that spirits are often bound to places and object which they are emotionally attached to. Should these objects become damaged or tarnished their attitudes mimic the state the of the object. In their case the ramshackle state of the tavern was causing Lif to be quite aggressive.

### Scene 5: *Lightsinger Theater*

Lightsinger Theater is a high-end establishment located in the Castle Ward. The characters meet Mirt in his private box during the opera's intermission, he described the Harpers and offered membership to all characters. Characters who accept receive a silver pin of a harp within a crescent moon, along with their first mission.

> *"One of the drays working in the city is pulled by a talking mare named Maxeene. Locate her, find out if she's learned the identity of any Zhent operatives, and if so, determine their whereabouts." - Mirt*
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Because they all accepted to join the Harpers and Richard Dickens agreed to play double agent with the Zhentarim. Mirt also warned the party that they should watch out for a business rival called "Emmek Frewn" who was also interested in purchasing Trollskull Manor but lost out in the bidding to Volothamp Geddarm, so he may be planning retaliatory action.

### Scene 6: Wizards Sleeve

Richard Dickens and Cubone both seek out Davil Starsong in the Wizards Sleeve and easily find him sat with Yagra who handles initial introductions. Davil tasks only Richard Dickens with a job and offered him 50gp if he is successful.

> *"Someone is killing elf and half-elf sailors in the Dock Ward-three dead so far, each one decapitated by a blade in the dead of night. Look into it, will you? Methinks the City Watch could use a little help." - Davil Starsong*
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Richard Dickens attempted to extort additional gold for the job and failed horrifically. Davil countered by tapping his inner thigh with his pistol and told him he has but a tenday to decide if he wants to help for what was offered or else...

As they sheepishly leave they spot a collection of horses outside the tavern and attempt to speak to them one by one. Richard Dickens found Maxeene and immediately insulted her calling her a stupid horse. Cubone on the other hand successfully woo'd her with his incredible handle animal ability. The horse recalled giving a ride to a sun elf and his half-orc bodyguard moments ago; she picked them up at an intersection and dropped them off here. They talked about hiring spies to root out Xanathar Guild hideouts in the city. Maxeene's descriptions of the passengers match the appearances of Davil Starsong and Yagra Strongfist. Cubone offered her a place in their tavern's stable block in return for free food and lots of grooming.

### Scene 7: Trollskull Alley

The characters relay the information about Davil Starsong and Yagra Strongfist back to Mirt, then return to Trollskull Manor. Upon their arrival they find that the tavern has become infested with rats. Deeper investigation lead to discovery of small holds that had been drilled into a number of outer walls and food being scattered inside. Large rat footprints were found leading towards the sewer entrance. After consulting Lif the characters were able to discover that she had witnessed a number of were-rats inside the tavern as she animated one of the rats on the bar by walking it like a human across the bar top.

The party remembered bumping into some were-rats near the Xanathar Hideout so decided to descend into the sewers...