24/06/21: Little Rock and the Necklace

2nd to 12th of Mirtul, 1491 DR.

Following their very successful job for Sella the Red, the trio, now flush with more coin than anyone of them has ever had, they talk a bit about which inn to stay in. In Waterdeep, the Yawning Portal Inn is one of legend.

The taproom is a three story affair, allowing patrons on the second and third stories to look down from the railings of those open levels. In the middle of the ground floor is a well and atop this will is a lift. It is said that it descends over a hundred feet into that known as Undermountain. Word is that Undermountain was an ancient dwarven city, then the home of  Halaster Blackcloak, the Mad Mage. Halaster converted it into a dungeon. Warriors and adventurers pay a gold each to be taken down in the basket... and another gold to be brought back up; they don't always return.

The trio has spent the last tenday at the Yawning Portal Inn. Mostly each day a group of stalwart adventurers pay to be lowered down; most make it back. Nearly all worse for the wear. Some take days to return. But then the occasional party returns with gold and magic and tales, the legend of Undermountain builds and more fool pay to be lowered down.

Here, on the surface, the group has come to realize that Yawning Portal Inn is a social hub of sorts. Mixed in the crowd are merchants, travelers, adventurers, and even the occasional noble; their clothes, their manner, their guards, or their signet rings betraying their nature. Those nobles and merchants tend to keep to the upper balconies, though not always. The inn seems to have a staff of somewhere around a dozen.

In the mornings your trio walks the city streets of Waterdeep. You have seen the sites: the City of the Dead, Castle Waterdeep, Spires of the Morning, the temple of the Morning Lord.

A tenday to mingle has allowed the group to learn about some of the regulars and even meet a few.

• Durnan. This middle aged human man seems to always be about, most of the time manning the bar. He is the owner. He is rumored to be over a hundred, if not hundreds of years old, is a retired adventurer, and bought the inn with treasure recovered below. Even if the rumors are true, he is not known to go into Undermountain.
• Bonnie. This human woman seems to be the senior barmaid of the inn. She can be found on any of the three levels serving or checking that guests are getting good service.
• Mirt the Moneylender. This overweight, loud, braggart is a good natured regular at the inn. He talks with a overly broad circle of people, from adventurers to nobles to common folk. While he is obviously known as a money lender, he also seems to be a fixer.

12th of Mirtul, 1491 DR.

At this time, the party has spent 25gp on lodging, food, and drink.

The evening is young. Drew, Kithsira, and Mylar find themselves at a table on the ground level enjoying a warm beer and bowl of the house stew. Durnan promises that the meat is giant mole. A bit greasy, but real, fresh and well seasoned with potatoes and carrots. The broth is thick and the sour dough bread served with it complements the meal well. The three of you feel like you have arrived.

As you watch the patrons around you, a foursome of brash young warriors, three men and a woman, have been drinking for the last hour. Swords hang at their sides and each wears a dark leather tunic with metal studs, the size of a gold dragon. Mylar tells you, "drinking for courage, you wait." Now, they walk up to the bar and lay their gold down, while speaking loudly, "we're going down."

Durnan comes out from behind the bar and prepares the basket. Once aboard, he swings it over the well, a man with a lute is playing a tune and singing a ballad about brave adventurers and Undermountain and the lair of the made mag.  Several patrons attempt to sing along. Many patrons raise their voice to the chorus. The tempo of the song gets softer as the bucket goes down and out of sight. Before Durnan finishes, signaling their arrival at the bottom, most patrons have returned to their business.

Looking around, you see something fantastical. A male and female elf, both with blue skin and elven ears with a strange shape. You also notice something like gills on the side of their neck... Mythical sea elves! They are real. You note that the male has several bruises on his face. You see that are talking to Mirt. He rubs his chin and points to a nearby, empty table while talking to him. They get up and go sit down.

Mirt then looks directly at you and gestures for you to come to his table... You don't know him. You've never met him. He shouldn't know you.

• Mirt has noticed the trio at the bar for several days now.
  • He noticed they are armed and carry themselves well. 
  • He noticed they watch and mingle and talk.
  • He inquires as to what they do.
• Once he gets to a certain point where he asks them if they would like a job. 
  • The sea elves are Brenger GreenCoral and Dravana Anafi.
  • Brenger and Dravana are betrothed. Brengar came into the dock ward looking to buy a ring for Dravana, but they were more expensive than he thought they might be, so he did a little gambling. Won a little, lost a little. But he won big... and against big odds... and then he got accused of cheating. Truth be known, he is very lucky. Then he got beat up and robbed. They took more than his money though, they took his necklace. He cannot go home without the necklace.
  • Brenger was at the Pickled Fisherman. He gambled with Little Dave. 
  • Mirt offers 100gp to recover the necklace.
• Little Dave is at the Pickled Fisherman.
  • he is wearing the necklace.
  • He figures the necklace is worth several hundred, if not a thousand, gold dragons.

Drew spends some time talking with the bar tender before finally settling on sending a drink to Little Dave, following the drink for a conversation. She attempts to parley for work, but Little Dave says the only thing she could do is get his ex-wife, Netty, to let him see his son, Little Rock.

Drew continues spending time learning more about the situation, where they are, and the fact that Little Dave slept with both her sisters before heading off.

They find Little Rock in the street, playing with other kids. She has Mylar play to distract them while she integrates in for conversation. After a bit, Netty arrives. She is suspicious of Drew and angry when Little Dave is mentioned. 

Drew and Kithsira head out to by whiskey, steamed fish, and bread while Mylar plays the fiddle. When the girls return, neighbors are out enjoying the free show and the sun is dipping into the horizon. 

Now plied with whiskey, a little food, and more whiskey, Netty opens up on how much she hates her sister, Grendella. Grendella slept with her husband and got their mother's ring. She wants their mother's ring so she can throw it into the bay while Grendella watches, hopefully, enticing her sister, who cannot swim to jump in after it.

They learn that Grendella and her husband are regulars at the Angry Coxswain. The trio head there next, immediately heading to the bar tender and slipping a gold coin to point out Grendella.

The three nurse drinks for an hour watching, before Grendella finally has to go to the bathroom. They follow her in and Kithsira spreads out her hand, saying a prayer. Moondust extends out, putting the three women in the stalls all to sleep. They quickly find Grendella, liberate the ring, and make their way out of the tavern.

Little Rock is sitting on the step. Drew asks him to get his mom. Netty is initially mad, but turns ecstatic upon seeing the ring and heads off with the ring, leaving Little Rock with the trio.

They escort Little Rock to the Pickled Fisherman and Little Dave. Little Dave is overwhelmed to see Little Rock, who thought Little Dave was dead. Little Dave gives Drew the necklace as agreed and asks for her name and where she hangs out; he hadn't cared earlier. She gives him her real name and that she is staying at the Yawning Portal.

They then return to the Yawning Portal where Mirt is talking to a halfling woman in white robes and human man with a well trimmed beard and a staff in his lap. Seeing the trio, Mirt quickly ends his conversation with the pair, telling the halfling woman, "tell your grams I'll be by for her famous cookies tomorrow."

Upon presenting the necklace to Mirt and insuring him no blood shed and all finesse. Mirt motions to the elves. Dravana collects the necklace and escorts Brenger out of the inn.

Mirt then slide out a small bag, presumably with 100gp, and pulls out what he says is a Potion of Flying. Drew asks about gills and Mirt reaches into an impossibly deep bag, rummages around and pulls out a potion he says is water breathing, then offering a choice. She keeps the Potion of Flying, looking longingly at the well.

Mirt stands to leave, telling the pair to see him tomorrow.

Mylar tallies their expenses for drinks and shopping for the night. 5gp. A net profit of 95gp... and a magic potion.

 - end of session -