C2 E4: A Talking Horse

The PCs investigate a talking horse informant and learn more about the mysterious Black Viper.

* Current Secrets

This episode starts the evening of Ches 5th. It ends Ches 18th.

## Last Time

Last time, the PCs met the suspiciously friendly Broxley Fairkettle of the Fellowship of Innkeepers. He persuaded the PCs to join the guild and talked about some of the other guilds that they may need to contact. Tally started repairs on the manor and should finish on Ches 10th, and the PCs purchase new windows that will be installed on Ches 15th. Tovarish sent an animal messenger back to the UFFR asking for any comrades looking for further work.

The PCs also returned to their new patrons at the Emerald Enclave and the Order of the Gauntlet to be inducted. Savra Belabranta asked Kaavu to investigate the return of a notorious criminal, the Black Viper, who has been leaving calling cards at noble's houses. They didn't learn much from questioning the exuberant broadsheet publisher of the Waterdeep Wazoo. His "evil twin" theory was unsubstantiated. The PCs then went to the Yawning Portal to talk to Volo and crew about the thief, and eventually went to their neighbor Vincent Trench to find out more.

Trench surmised that the Viper is stealing information or letters, and hasn't yet stolen items for money, so must come from a noble family. The PCs employed Trench to find any connections.

## Offscreen Events

* Tally Fellbranch is repairing and furnishing the manor. PCs rooms have been repaired and have basic furniture

### Harpers Mission

* When found, Maxeene can be convinced by charisma or by bribery (apples, hay, etc)
	+ Can be found through a series of investigation checks, which will indicate when Maxeene's shifts are
* Maxeene gave a ride to a sun elf and his half-orc bodyguard (Davil Starsong and Yagra Stonefist)) on Ches 1st. They were dropped off at the Yawning Portal. They talked about hiring spies to root out the Xanathar Guild hideouts and finding "that weird mechanism" for a benefactor
* Reward: 100gp, closer to being admitted to the Harpers

* Harpers mission return
	+ PCs can meet Mirt in his box at intermission again, or can send him a message via paper bird
	+ Mirt will arrange for money to be delivered, along with a box of 8 paper bird sheets
	+ Mirt encourages the PCs to pursue any leads they encounter and will send them a new mission soon "after a different field agent reports in"

Mirt wants the PCs to find a talking horse that's a spy (Maxeene).

### NPC Visits

* Justyn of the Butcher's Guild
	+ arrives alone
	+ a large, scarred man who resents being in the North Ward (doesn't earn enough to live there)
	+ asks what day he should deliver meats
		- 5gp per month for guild dues
		- "unless you're planning on a vegetarian tavern, which won't have much traffic!"
* Hammond of the Vintners' etc Guild
	+ arrives with a young tiefling scribe, Jinny, who records notes in a book as Hammond speaks
	+ ask what sort of drinks the PCs will want to serve
		- top shelf liquor/wine: 15gp per month
		- medium quality liquor/wine: 5gp per month
		- low quality liquor/wine: 1gp per tenday
		- ale: 3gp per tenday per keg additional (15 gallons / 165 bottles' worth)
	+ has a sampling of a new spirit: cold-aged whiskey from Luskan
		- The bottle stays chilled and the drink cools the consumer noticeably
		- "just in time for summer, eh?"
* Renaer Neverember stops by
	+ just coming in to say hello, see how things are
	+ heard they were going to open and wanted to see when
		- "will there be invitations? what's the dress code?" etc
		- "who else will be there? hopefully no one I dislike"
	+ secrets
		- Mirt the Merciless, "that old bag", asked him about the Rosewind Society recently
			* Renaer is a member of the Harpers as well
			* Renaer and Mirt decided to employ the Black Viper to search for the Dryad Mechanism, believed to be in the Rosewinds' possession
		- The Sea Maidens' Faire is selling nimblewrights, and Renaer is considering purchasing one
		- A Zhentarim operative, Urstul Floxin, is gaining notoriety through the city for his particularly brutish tactics

### Downtime / Party Planning

* Who do the PCs want to invite?
	+ will it be invite only or open to the people?
* What do the PCs want to serve?
* What events do the PCs want to have at the opening?
* Will there be a special VIP area?

## Todo / Happenings

*What did those fools get up to this time?*

* went to talk to Maxeene, the horse, for the Harpers' mission
	+ bluff their way past the garage receptionist ("have to help my anxiety by talking to a horse")
		- garage is multi-level stable and carriage story
	+ Maxeene has a very high pitched voice and neighs a bit
		- picked up a half orc and a sun elf, took them to the Yawning Portal. They were talking about spying on Xanathar to root out hideouts and also hired to find a "Dryad Mechanism"
* went to the Yawning Portal to talk to Yagra Stonefist
	+ Wrote a message on a paper bird to Mirt: "spoke to Maxeene. She picked up two Zhentarim the 1st of the month.
	+ Yagra Stonefist
		- talk to Yagra and realize that Davil Starsong's table
	+ Davil Starsong
		- talking to a hooded figure in a red cloak who leaves the Yawning Portal
		- Tovarish introduces himself
		- Davil asks why they are interested in the Dryad Mechanism
			* Davil recognizes that the PCs don't know what the Dryad Mechanism is
		- Several other people come by Davil: Emerald Enclave, Black Viper in plainclothes, other Zhents
* PCs go to talk to Mirt and discuss what they've learned
	+ Mirt is in the same box, bodyguard lets them in
* Party Planning
	+ PCs want to name tavern "A Nu Start Inn"
		- Sign is a sunrise over two hills
* Justyn of the Butchers' Guild
	+ Tom orders sausages, ground meat
	+ Ladro orders charcuterie
	+ 7gp per month plus a "delivery fee".
	+ Will deliver food on the 18th of Ches
* Hammond of the Vintners' etc Guild (with Jinny, his scribe)
	+ Wines of vintages and price points
	+ sells a vintage
* Downtime until the party
	+ Tovarish knits a wool tunic and forages for ingredients
	+ A visit from Vincent Trench (Ches 9th)
		- Black Viper is likely Estele Roszvar, who Vincent saw returning at odd hours
			* Not stealing money, only blackmail or information
			* Rosvar family was banished a hundred years ago but has returned
		- Black Viper is working with Davil Starsong
		- Break-ins likely related to the Grand Game, Neverember's Enigma
			* Large sum of money gone missing in the transition
* PCs go back to the Yawning Portal to talk to Davil, looking for work (night of Ches 9th)
	+ "need funds for additional repairs"
	+ they do the first Zhentarim mission
		- fire starts from webbing in the dock ward, burns down a building
		- Drow escapes but lays low for a while, earning the PCs the reward
			* PCs pick up his gun, which is a distinctive flintlock design