Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fo-Ti restores youth and strength. It smells rich, earthy, and bloody.
Handles thugs, pimps, slavers, and manufacturing. This is one of the key houses of
influence, as they hold the key to something like eternal life. They also handle
protection.
Beginning thieves are natterjacks, lieutenants are grimalkin, captains are foxes,
captains about to be promoted are Puk, and Guildmasters are just that.
There is a pit, not too far from the bar where the guild stores some of its bodies as a
final threat. This pit was once a magical pool for the goblin city that was the basis of
waterdeep and which it is built upon.
At the other end of the pit is a door with a color key based on the nursery rhyme
below. Around the door in goblin is written “One very dark night”
The colors are white for the feather, pink for the heather, gold for the strand, and
blue for the bluebells. If entered correctly the goblins on the door will dance and
the door will open.
On the other side is an ancient temple to the god Bargrivyek, the Goblin god of
cooperation. The party must cross a stone bridge where there was once a flowing
stream, but now there are rats in swarm. The God is grander and nobler than in
other depictions, where he is often seen with Magubliet. His statue has been covered
with grafiti and is missing its hand. It is clear that this was once a great temple.
Those books not stolen are solid with moisture, but there are still some walls
depicting noble aspects of goblin life. Goblins here will have vague resonances of
what once was. A onyx sphere still partially shows itself through the stones on the
ceiling after a earthquake which those in the temple must try to withstand. The
quake is frm mechanical temple parts moving to reveal more detail. The earthquake
also unearths silver panels which if the party tries to take will unearth legions of
rats. Each panel is worth 5-10 gp.
2. Squatter’s Rights
The party will be led to a broken down pub with an upper floor. This will be one of
Vras’ acquisitions and will be given to the party as a place to stay and a potential
means to launder money and trade if they fix it up. They are told to find the court of
miracles and help them keep a temple they have been squatting in until they get
rights to the temple in 5 days. The court will then help them to fix the bar and their
lodgings. In the meantime, the party can pursue their own ends, as the Bregan
D’aerth are unlikely to attack in the daytime because of the exposure it would bring
and due to their being drow.
This is all in a not from Xanathar who is using this mission as a means to 1.get the
party a place to stay, 2. Get the party familiar with the court, and 3. Get the party
familiar with the Bregan Daerth as an opponent.
The court of miracles has been staying in an abandoned temple to the spirit of
waterdeep, Sargauth, for almost a year and is about to gain possession of the temple
through a kind of ecclesiastical squatter’s rights. (The Sargauth was a subterranean
river in the Northdark that ran deep under the city of Waterdeep.[1])The court grows
medicinal herbs and food there. The court acts as a effective way to launder money
for the guild and so they would like for the court to have the temple. The Bregan
D’aerth have discovered this and begun harassing the members of the court there. It
is evident that soon they will use more aggressive tactics to remove the court. The
party is tasked with making sure the court remains in the temple and alive. If the
party gets along well with the court, members will pickpocket for them. If treated
poorly, the court will speak to one of the guild’s “ears” and report the behavior. The
court has a druid circle of the city and this circle will help any druid in the party.
If they party pursue the Bregan, they will discover that the drow mercenaries were
hired by the Zentarim, a human called Brint McDoogle is the Drow contact in the
Angry Coxswain, which are members of a shadowy black market organization
seeking to destroy the Thieves’ guild and undermine the status of the court of
miracles.
On the Second day the children of the court will offer to intercept one of the items a
court member is trading for, which is a packet of documents about Sargauth and the
origin of the river that now flows under the city. If they find the map, they will be
able to access the city’s spirit, to which the shrine they are in is dedicated.
In the first two days the Bregan will send scouts at night. The Bregan D’aerth will
attack 3 nights before the squatter’s rights take effect. They will throw in an
enchanted tanglefoot root, which will overtake the small space where the court
members are sleeping, while a couple druids with spells to control plants go inside
to kill remaining persons. Drow waiting outside will confront anyone fleeing.
Two days before the court gains possession the Bregan D’aerth will attempt to bribe
or blackmail both the party and the court members inside. On the final day before,
the Bregan D’aerth will attempt to bribe officials in the city to evict the court. The
party may find this out ahead of time and bribe the captain of the local guard, a
dwarf named Brimli Longbotom. If the party does not find this out they will have to
manage two local guards, both level 1. The guards are easy to defeat or sway, but the
party will have to deal with the repercussions of either.
If the druids in the court are displeased, they will try to take matters into their own
hands, which will provoke a gang war and be bad for all involved. Hoska, or another
guild rep, will encourage the party to stop them.
If even a single court member remains, the temple is the court’s and they will
celebrate. The next day thirty workers will appear at the tavern the party owns and
fix it within a few days. The party will also receive a small amount of gold, but no
magical items, as the drow don’t carry any.
In the room is a fire imp who starts burning the library. The books themselves
remain and the library is restored if the party catches the imp.
Book:
1. chamber through the fire with elementals
2. Beastiary with salamanders
3. Change places! Ben Jammen
4. A book of Binding
The second room is the crying door. A labyrinth of bookshelves leads to a room with
four books chained to a wall and a door with a crying woman’s face. The woman
asks sad riddles and cries in increasing volume to fill the room.
I can fill a room or just one heart. Others can have me but I can’t be shared.
What am I? Loneliness
What do the poor have, the rich want, and all creatures take to their graves?
Nothing
What are all of us on the planet doing at the same time? Getting older
I was carried into a dark room, I was set on fire, and then I wept until I was
no more; what am I? A candle
Books:
1. A book of scholarly articles which dries up anything around it including the
reader. A DC 10 con save or 1d4 damage from being dried. 3 successful saves
gives proficiency in one intellectual subject. “On Logic” North
2. A book about the stars opens up a portal to the sky. “Exaltiorum”
3. A book about mermaids and other aquatic cryptids “Aquatic cryptids of the
sword coast” South
D1: summons mermaids D2: starts transforming the characters into
mermaids D3: Calls up a giant toad who tries to drink everything D4: teaches
the languages aquan and primordial and gives scales
4. A book that told an emotionally compelling story with a good ending. “The
tale of Zoltar the noble traveler”
The book is psychically engrossing. DC 16 wisdom or you have to read it to
the end of the chapter 1d6 rounds before making the check again. 3 failed
checks and you have to finish the book.
After the water has drained
The third room contains a door that is fifty feet from the door. Winds fill the
chamber and increase as you come closer to the door. There is a large button on the
door that has to be pressed to stop the winds.
Books:
1. A botanical guide that causes vines to grow. “Culpeper’s Herbal”
2. A Book of biology that makes people grow and shrink. “Morphology, a
Primer”
3. A book on the construction of mechanical birds (the title changes according
to who sees it). The book can alter the reader’s sense of self as they gain an
increased knowledge of mechanical systems. “the mechanist’s primer”
4. A book to speak with the wind. The wind contains many secrets and rumors
which may degrade the mind in the long term.
The Last room is a giant Hive where the bees have consumed the book. The bees
seek knowledge and will take any form they can hold onto for safe passage.
The books on philosophy try to convince the players to return them. The joke book
makes them hard to take seriously.
While they are traveling they will make a perception check. Any perception above
20 will smell spilled lamp oil and hear some rustling in a nearby residence.
3. Investigation will show a bugbear rummaging a nearby apartment. The bugbear is
looking for a letter, but will likely fight the goblins, thinking they will steal his
quarry. The bugbear will tell them of a local fence at the Silent Shield if they let him
leave with the letter. The bugbear is bringing the letter to the fence, as it is a love
letter to a married orc woman.
2. If the characters don’t detect this or don’t investigate, they will find a beggar at
which point the person addressing will make an insight. With insight of 15 or above,
they will notice nicer boots than any beggar they know of and that the man doesn’t
smell. If they don’t notice this or follow the man anyway, he will lead them to a trap
of the town guard. The trap involves no less than a smoke bomb, one use of the spell
Web, 7 town guards with mantacles, and Jalester silvermane who is head of the
guard. If the party escapes, they will get led to the fence without problem. If not,
they will be put in jail and charged with stealing the Hope diamond.
1. If they go to one of the bars, they can still be led to an ambush if they trust Lyklor,
who is staying at the Broken Lance. Lyklor wants to rob newbies and take what they
have. If they go to the Silent Shield, they may be referred to the Broken Lance by
patrons who distrust them. If they make a friend, they are lead to Carl. The members
of the silent shield include:
Karloff- the bartender who signs to them in cant if they want shelter, stuff, or info.
Maxine- the former prostitute now barmaid, the baby belongs to the head of the
Casalanteers
Truist- an elven necromancer who buys bodies and gets shelter at the shield
Mareen and Gel- two prostitutes hiding from the whore’s guild
Dayson, Helen, and Mark Bitumen- a noble family in desperate debt
Freed Johanson- just a rogue who makes deals here
Carl the fence- he is hiding from the guild
The Mechanical book leads them to a bar where there is a secret fighting ring.
Fighting, outside of boxing, is against the law in waterdeep, but an exception is made
for fights in taverns, so long as the owner does not make a fuss. Several bars in the
area cooperate with the thieves’ guild to run fighting rings, which also provide
covert gambling. The guard is aware of this, but it is considered superlegal. Guards
often receive a part of the pot to supplement their widows and orphans fund.
One of the fighters is a Goblin who has been inside of Xanathar’s lair and recognizes
the Book of Vanishing, which keeps appearing outside where the party keeps it. The
book will appear and even fly if it has to. The Goblin fighter will recognize the book
and will lead the party to the place in Asmagh’s alley where there is an unmarked
building with a tight alleyway and an ancient door.
Inside the door is a office space busy with Modrons. These automatons are exiles
from the great Modron march or other exiles seeking a place. These Modrons almost
never leave this building, but receive regular business. The Modrons fulfill clerical
and legal roles hired by major houses. Any other books the party stole, especially
books on mechanical invention or law, will affect the Modron. Books on Mechanics
will help evolve and devolve the Modron, upsetting their hierarchy, while books on
law will give them greater flexibility of thought and cause them to want to leave.
Within the building is a passage to Xanathar’s lair. The Modron leave both the lair
and Xanathar alone, since Xanathar is not anything special to them and his lair is a
private residence. If the Modron change their minds about the law, they may enter
Xanathar’s lair.
5. Walpurgis Nacht
The team fights the 5 face4 modron.
Vras has shown the team her plans for a diamond heist.
It is St.Walpurga’s night when all the occult creatures come out in force. The players
must steal something from a great forested monolith that grows in one night and
shrinks in the same night. This they deliver to Xanathar who offers them a place to
stay, but does not trust them.
Chidren is the contact.
6.Cassalanteer infiltration
Zina has been recommended for promotions by Noska after Zina stood up to
Noska. Quelgar has been recommended for promotion after the bells incident
and after reaching out to Mel to reach xanathar.
The Cassalanteer’s children have both left the premises with a group of adventurers
and are presumed dead. As a part of the character’s test for lieutenant status, they
have an infiltration job acting as the Cassalanteer’s children!
7. Facing N’arl
The characters have discovered N’arl, one of the thieves’ guild masters, is a spy from
the Bregan D’aerth and the Zentarim. They must work on his assassination with Mel
Poke.
Guild lords:
Xanathar is a paranoid, megalomaniacal beholder crime lord whose goal is to wipe
out anyone it perceives as a Zhentarim operative or sympathizer, retrieve the Stone
of Golorr, and secure the cache of dragons.
Its base is a dungeon under Skullport, a subterranean settlement beneath
Waterdeep. This lair is described in chapter 5.
Xanathar has a healthy fear of Laeral Silverhand and is inclined to spare those in her
employ, to avoid provoking a conflict with Waterdeep’s Open Lord. Adventurers
who incur the wrath of the beholder can use its fear of Laeral to escape certain
death.
Henbane: Mel Poke, Kenku. Lvl 15 Rogue with lustrous feathers, a black cape with
yellow accents. He carries a rapier that looks ancient with modern finishes. He
mimics in clever ways, but can compose speech just fine thanks to a charm.
Mandrake: Lyona Undine human Lvl 17 Bard (Lyona Decima Veronica Esyth
Undine). Lyona is short and thin with gold and red noble’s robes. Her hair is
always richly composed. She is charming and deceptive. She has high tastes
and a completely manufactured lineage.
FoTi- Noskos Ur’Gray Orc, female monk. This Orc has a very strong feeling of
self responsilbility and condones a lot in the name of it
Within the most south lying district of waterdeep a group of derelicts known as the
court of miracles exists. The guild supports the court for a range of reasons. The
court acts as a place of safe retirement for guild members where they can live fairly
well. The court is a safehaven for criminals and ne’er-do-wells. The court is a place
where those who know of the guild can live. The court gets info for the guild and can
launder money for them. The court also supplies most of the guild members as their
natterjacks are put out of commission.
A druid society exists within the court and helps them in making guerilla gardens
throughout the city which allow the court to eat, grow medicine, and make some
money.
Djanil Haran is the pointman for the guild and will work with the party.
Kuson Lilanter is an alchemist with a “tame” gelatinous cube named buddy
Djanil is wary of buddy
Initiation:
Initiations are made to test three of the four aspects of being a thief: Will, insight,
and skill. The last skill is silence, which is a continual test for the thieves’ guild. For
this party will was robbing an apothecary shop to test their taste for risk, being
abandoned in a catacomb just before their destination to test their insight, and
robbing a suit of bells silently to test their skill.
If the characters pass the three tests, they get a night in the cloak and stagger. This
means free drinks and safety for a night, and boy the drinks are good, but it also
means that the party has access to the heads of the thieves’ guild. They will take
selective interest in each member of the party depending on the skills of each and
their interests. Those doing exceptionally well in the last trial will receive a reward:
5 bells: 100gp
10bells: 20 marbles of the cleaner, each of which arranges a 5x5 space to order
20 bells: rod of holding.
Nying Village
So the village has split off from another goblin village in the Greypeak Mountains
named Guthash "Bloated" after it was taken over by a small group of Hobgoblins
who enslaved the tribe. Elders Iac and Bleex led a small band of Goblins, mostly
the old, unskilled, and others the Hobgoblins did not need for Hruggek's hoard.
The Goblins fought their way to neverwinter and tried to gain pantronage. Iac
eventually earned some wealth after selling some magical items that he and Bleex
stole or won. Bleex sold this for a village in the south. The sale was a scam and
when the troop arrived at their village, it was a barren patch of field.
[9:12 AM]
The Goblins settled there and used their fake deed and the battle prowess of Iac
and Bleex to defend the land. Bleex's sister Plilyk had lost a foot and was seen as
weak in the previous village. Plilyk had good knowledge of agriculture,
basketmaking, and farming of animals. They discovered a family of possums and
plenty of rats that they began to farm. Plilyk had creative ideas for alternative
income streams. Plilyk was shy and Grimurt, the runt now grown, fought her on
this seeing it as against the way of Hrugyek, but Bleex defended Plilyk and set
Hrugyek as against the tribe's interests. Using Plilyk's ideas and the new creative
atmosphere, the tribe established a trade with some of the local villages at
competitive prices.
[9:16 AM]
In a note of irony the village was named Nying (gift) village
Guild members:
The Party:
Lower Members:
Vras-
Hoska Tarleaf- human- Henbane lieutenant- the beggar the party initially met. He
has a gruff voice and grubby skin. When in public or non-guild persons he will
scratch himself and act manic. When working with the guild he is abrasively
straightforward and interested in developing members of the guild.
Extras:
Ezekiel Hawkins- a mercenary who was chasing a guild member by the name of
Arsene into the catacombs and got lost. The party picked him up and helped him.
Celelgilg and Thro, the two drow that the party incorporated
Bregan D’aerth
Belgos Dyrr- if the party goes too hard at the Bregan and almost die, they will
meet Belgos by being captured, if they are more masterful, Belgos will appear at
their residence. Belgos wants to integrate Drow into larger society for a range of
personal reasons from the Drow’s image in society to wanting male Drow to have
more prestige. Belgos has a regal bearing and a utilitarian speech. Belgos is
attended by two drow guards: Rua and Tebrin. Tebrin is actually a high elf with a
hat of disguise self, but onlt Belgos and Rua know this.
Party notes:
Quelgar showed interest in his rat fighting and the creatures of the street should be
part of what he does as a druid, as should be healing. I like the idea of a druidic
gypsy band living in the court of miracles and using the flora and fauna of the city.
At some point the party may have to recover their goblin dogs.
Zina should find gradually that the maker of the bird is a craftsman known as
Marchell, whose flying chair flew off at this year’s day of wonders. She should
also learn of the church of Gond. At some point the party may have to recover
their goblin dogs.
Haaz should continue to learn about herbs and poisons. He is the most foolhardy
and should perhaps have a mentor or a grand heist to direct his energy. The court
of miracles will have a druid society which will protect members of the court.
Vras led them all to this door and gave the group a warning about the thieves’
guild as they looked at the corpse pit before the door.
Session 3 Marpenoth 4
Session 4
The two fight some drow and spiders. Their allies run away or die. Quelgar makes
a pact to remain alive. Two goblins in a trench coat walk into a bar. Half a Jarla
and a threat.
Session 6 Marpenoth 7
Met Bizbabs Brizz. Saw Abe at the apothecary and helped him make potions. Met
Kwalish the fence. Stole his letter back from the orc couple (Zina, do you Eat
Rats?). Broke into the wizards house the same way after a rather gullible gnome.
Zina finds a book on artificing that she takes. The book of CHANGE PLACES!
Session 7 Marpenoth7
The party finishes the library and decides to take the book back to Xanathar after
hearing the rumor that his MajorDomo means to dethrone him.
Angel: Magic Items (so far): - Headband of Intellect - Brooch of Shielding - Cloak
of the Manta Ray - Decanter of Endless Water - (Ring) of comprehend languages -
Keoghtom's Ointment - Necklace of Fireballs - Paper Bird - Periapt of Health -
Periapt of Wound Closure - Ring of Evasion - Ring of Mind Shielding - Ring of
Regeneration - Ring of Protection - Ring of the Ram - Rope of Entanglement.
Se
Bizbabs Brizz
Panoptis- the name of the wizard
Kwalish
Raelyn
Books:
A Mechanist’s Primer
Culpeper’s Herbal
2 artificer’s books
philosophy
Sociology
Joke Book
The box from Duagar- A history of Magubliet’s overthrow of the gods
45 gold