Session Two - Waterdhavian Knights

Waterdeep, Marpenoth 1st, the Year of the Cauldron, 2:10 AM

Evading any casual questions by the City Watch, the agency piled into "The Beast" and slowly weaved in and out of the main thoroughfares trailing the gradually thinning blue/violet emotional mist under the direction of Ms. Nightswallow. They pulled to a stop in front of Ruid's Stroll, a dog-leg alley that connects the Caravan Court with the road about the nearest Trolltower.

In the seedy alley, the discovered the terminus of the emotional trail, a fading pool of banked emotional turmoil centered around an old fight scene. Broken crates and scuff marks indicated the presence of a scramble, and Nikki discovered at its center, buried beneath garbage, a new and enchanted unholy symbol of Cyric upon a broken thong. Meanwhile, Penny, exploring the upper rafters of an overhanging wooden walkway, discovered a brass grapple head inscribed with an unknown maker's mark.

Then, the party encountered the eponymous Ruid the Damned, a drifting 12-foot tall dark cloaked wizard shade that drifted along upon a cushion of chilling mist. Upon encountering the party, he intoned "Dost thou bar mine passage?", and, when questioned, merely repeated a old rhyming verse:

''"In life didst knowledge/I bind and keep;/Seventy seven by seven/Are the years ere I sleep;/For seven years burden,/Mine knowledge is thine,/A question to ask,/'Pon which I'll divine."''

Kaine lashed out against the phantom in fright, to which the gods-cursed creature responded with withering force, driving the party out of his alley, from which he either cannot, or will not, leave.

Once out in the deserted Caravan Court, the party was immediately accosted by a swaggering group of ruffians known as the "Plague Rats", led by a pox-scarred weasel-faced tough who demanded they hand over their money and the secrets of their "horseless carriage". Their overconfident show of force was explained after Penny transformed their leader into a toad, as they exploded into the flying gray and black fur and sickly pink white tails and snouts of humanoid rats - wererats!

A short battle was joined in which the party found themselves without the silver weapons to truly harm the monsters, but quick thinking by Penny shoved the bulk of the gang back into Ruid's Stroll to be (presumably) annihilated by the terrifying wraith. Their leader, seeking to save his skin, babbled answers to whatever questions the party asked, informing them that he knew the bookkeeper Lathan Carlysle, and he and his gang saw him accosted in Ruid's Stroll by a pack of street urchins who left him dead and without his book bag. He also gave up the name "Malchior" when questioned about Cyricists in the city. Kaine then shoved him into the alley with the oracular Ruid and sealed the exit as they sped away.

Waterdeep, Marpenoth 1st, the Year of the Cauldron, 3:15 AM

Making their way "home", the Mystic Eyes introduced their new house guest to the "peculiarities" of their domicile, including the homonculus Hoggle, the iron clad Dog-Bot, and their general allergic reaction to cleanliness. After a short time prepping a VERY late dinner (or possibly somewhat early breakfast) of steak, mushrooms, and chocolate pudding, they discussed strategy.

A brief examination of the unholy symbol found in Ruid's Stroll led to Syd's determination that it bestowed its wearer with a misdirection effect, effectively blocking attempts to read emotion, intent, or truth about the bearer. Syd indicated he might be able to ask around after the possible creator of such a subtle enchantment.

Penny, not sure which maker the mark upon the brass grapple line might indicate, resolved to ask her friends at the House of Inspired Hands on the morrow.

They also appeared resolved to speak with Senior Civilar Olophin yn Zelmazzar of the City Watch, to inquire after the life (and death) of Delenca Carlysle, their mysterious "9th" victim.

Kaine conducted a few rituals with the remainder of the evening, summoning a minor yugoloth to garner more information about this Malchior. In exchange for a soul tied to the Dark Sun symbol, the yugoloth informed him that Malchior maintained a minor residence in the city at The Unicorn's Horn Inn, and outside the city, at the fell fortress of Darkhold. She also helpfully let him know that Malchior has personally murdered 586 people, all for the greater glory of the Dark Sun.

Extremely early in the morning, Kaine answered the door to encounter a man who identified himself as Dag Zoreth. The polite, black-clad gentlemen easily met Kaine's demand for 3 gold pieces in exchange for his own (edited) version of the events at the Jade Dancer. He seemed most interested in the nature of the "burn-bones" that the part vanquished, before departing the establishment.

Finally, at a little past 9:30 in the morning, Penny was awakened to met a gentleman caller, one Harrold Farrier of the City Watch. Having been given her calling card in the City of the Dead the previous evening, he arranged with her a dinner date for 5 pm that very evening.

Session XP: 1,225

From Ruid's Stroll:

• The Symbol of the Dark Sun: (Neck Slot) An unholy symbol of the Dark Sun made of lacquered iron and painted amethyst and white. At will, the wearer may target anyone within long range. Any attempt to read thoughts, discern alignment, or detect lies upon the wearer of the Symbol reads, instead, the targeted creature.

From the Plague Rats:

• 1 gold pieces, 7 silver pieces, 9 taol, 1 copper penny.
• 788 cp worth of blacksmithing components (consisting of various daggers and small swords tossed about during the fight that can be smelted down or kept).