Adventures

CHAPTER 1: THE MAP WITH NO NAMES

Rumors abound of a map that leads to a treasure of unimaginable value. When chance drops the map into your hands, you have the chance to become wealthy beyond your wildest dreams. But you’re not the only ones with that dream. The chase is on. Part One of the Umbral Aristocracy trilogy.

The adventurers were asked to follow a left behind treasure map. The adventurers followed the map, went to various locations around Waterdeep and found more clues at each stop. At the map's penultimate location, a lycanthrope protected the clue to the map's final location.

CHAPTER 2: BENEATH THE CITY OF THE DEAD

The treasure hunt has led to the City of the Dead. Beneath that well-manicured park is an ancient crypt where the treasure awaits you! Part Two of the Umbral Aristocracy trilogy.

Traveling to the city’s massive graveyard, the adventurers scoured the manicured gardens for an entrance to the crypt while avoiding unwanted attention. The characters located the crypt’s inner sanctum but were beset by its guardians along the way. Having made their way to the innermost part of the crypts, the adventurers followed the map to the treasure. However, they discovered that the map has led them directly into the lair of a powerful creature, Artor Morlin. In exchange for their lives, Artor asked the adventurers to seek out who is behind the false treasure map.

CHAPTER 3: DOCK WARD DOUBLE-CROSS

You’ve been set up. However, the man you were set against is more than willing to forgive and forget, if you are willing join forces to seek a terrible vengeance. Part Three of the Umbral Aristocracy trilogy.

The characters were “recruited” to exact Artor’s vengeance upon whomever had been spreading false maps. The characters located the source of the maps hidden in the Dock Ward. The characters finally infiltrated the safehouse and dealt with the cunning drow that overseed it—revealing that Bregan D’aerthe had been behind the false maps the whole time. While investigating the sewers beneath the Dock Ward, the characters thwarted Bregan D’aerthe’s other criminal dealings within the city.

CHAPTER 0: ONCE IN WATERDEEP

Who knows why adventurers are drawn together? The lust for gold, a common foe, or the whimsy of fate? Pull up a stool, stoke the hearth, and let YOUR story begin!

The players met an interesting character at the Yawning Portal and learned of the a longsword that was engraved with a sever map of Waterdeep, but their meeting was interrupted by the arrival of two meddling crooks. A dramatic intervention by a wayward carriage lead to a combat in the taproom. During the confusion, the longsword was almost stolen. Just as the situation settled, the inn was fired upon from the outside and then attacked but the adventurers dealt with the attackers and the rest fled the scene.

CHAPTER 4: A WRINKLE IN THE WEAVE

The Blackstaff has discovered an oddity in the Weave that surrounds Waterdeep. The enigma may have been there all along or it might be new and the Blackstaff intends to figure it out using an ancient artifact from the reign of Emperor Shoon III. Part One of the Folded Time Trilogy.

The adventurers were summoned to a meeting with Vajra Safahr, the current Blackstaff of Waterdeep, who requested that the adventurers allow her to cast a spell to project them mentally back in time. The adventurers landed in 130 DR as a small party at the Shoon Palace was getting underway. Introductions were made with various guests and interesting connections were made. The adventurers discovered evidence of Shoon IV’s foul plan during their exploration of the palace. The adventurers assisted Saamas in saving a family heirloom from the Great Library. Artor Morlin attempted to spirit as many guests as possible from the palace as he spread news of a planned coup by Ahmal Shoon IV against his brother Shoon III. After an eventful night, the adventurers reconnected with Artor and Hilather on the outskirts of Shoonach to learn where their new friends aimed to set out.

CHAPTER 5: THE HERO OF THE TROLL WARS

Hurtling through time, you find yourself embroiled in a struggle to keep the fledgling town of Waterdeep from succumbing to a vicious Troll invasion. But sometimes the true threat lies within the city walls... Part Two of the Folded Time trilogy.

Finding themselves on a farmstead in the year 940, the party was recruited by a young wizard to aid in defending a strangely familiar harbor town. Rushing to stop an inferno of flame from devouring the fledgling Waterdeep, characters had to unearth magical wards created by Halaster Blackcloak to amplify their new ally's magic. In the fields surrounding their abbey, Sisters of Chauntea had carefully preserved flora that would otherwise have been lost to war. The sisters feared losing their fields more than they valued their own lives; the characters intervened and prevented both from happening. Umberlee, capricious goddess of the sea, had collected tithe from Waterdhavian sailors for millennia. The adventurers failed to persuade her mermish clerics for her aid? The sun rose on the city, bathed in fire. Ahghairon required the adventurers’ help to back the flames, preventing the City of Splendors to burn to ashes.

CHAPTER 6: PURGING THE BLOOD

Still falling through time, Waterdeep has grown into a small city with a problem, a vampire problem, but an old friend offers a solution. Part Three of the Folded Time trilogy.

The characters found themselves spiraling to a new point in time, where Ahghairon and Artor Morlin had a mission for them. The adventurers investigated a city block where Artor Morlin had noted increased vampire activity. If the Blackstaff was to be trusted, this block also held the secrets to the Weave. The adventurers traveled to the Trades Ward to confront the Helmfasts at their business, but someone had tipped them off! The adventurers chased them through the district. The characters faced off against Weave cultists and uncovered the true nature of the Weave, as well as visions into the past, present, and future revealed by its magic.

CHAPTER 7: INTO THE DARK

When one of the Lords of Waterdeep asks you to root out a threat to the city, you respond to the call. Prepare for a foray into Undermountain. Part One of the Vampire Hunt trilogy.

Artor directed the characters to Durnan to see if a back entrance to the Undertaker’s lair exists. Durnan agreed to help, seemingly in exchange for blue lichen said to grow in the Stonebone Mine. Duran mentioned he’d prefer a regular supply of the lichen should the characters discover a renewable source. They did. The characters entered the haunted Clan Melairkyn mine and located the back entrance to the Dungeon Level and also helped Fisik Palescale to save the mine from collapse due to Tev Gorin's pompous ignorance. The characters discovered the unstable entrance being (poorly) excavated by Tev Gorin, and a possessed golem made of bone and blue lichen. They defeated both the golem and Tev Gorin and were able to harvest the lichen.

CHAPTER 8: CRYPT OF THE DARK KISS

Are there actually vampires in Undermountain? The Baron of Blood demands that you find out! Part Two of the Vampire Hunt trilogy.

Tasked by Artor Morlin the characters passed ancient obstacles to enter the crypts. The character were tested by dwarven traps before moving forward. A crypt devoted to those who served the clan as clerics had been corrupted. Those dwarvish mummies attacked the characters but were destroyed. A crypt devoted to the craft masters of the clan were interred there were mainly smiths with various expertise. Now they had been reduced to skeletons attempting to make odd items with black fire. The were also destroyed. Moving into the final chamber the characters were confronted by the original guardians of the area. The guardians had been corrupted and Halaster had altered the area such that it now had a gate that granted access to another level of Undermountain instead being a simple archway to additional Crypts. The characters discovered how to open the gate.

CHAPTER 9: FANGS AND FROGS

Your chase to wipe out the vampires of Undermountain leads to the Slitherswamp. The master vampire is close at hand! Part Three of the Vampire Hunt trilogy.

At Artor's request, the adventurers ventured to Slitherswamp where they learned of the mystery of the bullywug vampire lord. While the characters struggled to make sense of what was real and what was not real within the Slitherswamp, they ran afoul of its original denizens and a pair of shadow assassins of Shar that Rhacoph had managed to enlist. The adventurers found that the level rearranged itself to suit its needs as they moved deeper into the dungeon–full of fading, chaotic mind-effecting and reality warping effects lingering from the Mad Mage and his apprentice, Arcturia. Arcturia was known for her mind-effecting and transmutative abilities and had placed traps for the unwary. The characters encountered other adventurers enthralled by two spirit Nagas called the Ssethian Scourges in possession of information regarding the bullywug vampire, Rhacoph. The characters encountered Rhacoph the Bulbous’ vampire lair in a ruined temple to the forgotten serpent gods. They distroyed him and his minions.

CHAPTER 10: THE SKULL SQUARE MURDERS

When Volothamp Geddarm hires you to recover a missing key, you find yourself wrapped up in a series of murders in Lower Skullport. Can you find the killer before they find you? Part One of the Skullport Shakedown trilogy.

Volo met with the adventurers and begged them to recover a key for him. He said that he could be on the cusp of the most exciting bit of modern archaeology ever accomplished in Waterdeep! The characters visited Thimblewine’s Pawn Shop and found out that the shop owner sold the key and that there was a serial killer plaguing the area. With a little poking around, they found out the person who bought the key did so for a mind flayer called Yraxilinith. A note lead the adventurers to Laurel Stillwater, a necromancer at Dead Man’s Corner. They found out that she had dealings with Grubbus, a bookie and fighting pit manager. The trail continued to The Bat’s Roost, a seedy fighting den where the adventurers agreed with Grubbus Pitsnout, a goblin mage and bookie, to fight in the arena to learn the location of the mind flayer's lair. Tyrin was the winner! After facing a gauntlet of traps, the adventurers confronted Yraxilinith in its lair. It happily told them that it bought the key (through a cat’s paw) and that it sent the key (by courier) to the Zhentarim to settle a debt. The adventurers left after receiving this information leaving the mind flayer tending its prized intellect devourers.

CHAPTER 11: POISONED WORDS

Your search for Volo’s key in Skullport has you playing a dangerous game between The Xanathar Guild, Bregan D’aerthe, and the Zhentarim. In the Port of Shadow, how do you know who you can trust when lives are on the line? Part Two of the Skullport Shakedown trilogy.

The adventurers found aid and were asked a favor by the local Zhentarim led by Bosskyn Gorrb, in the Keel Hall. Given directions, the adventurers explored Skullport to learn more information about where the courier with Volothamp's key may have gotten off to. They helped a drow nimblewright automaton to escape Xanathar guild agents. Using Xanathar symbols, the adventurers entered Skull Island fortress and The Tower of Seven Foes where they bested Commander Sundeth, a hideous half-ogre, and his wyvern, but were forced to retreat when a visiting drow high priestess with her demon, phase spiders and bodyguards were too much for our adventurers. Before fleeing, they learned that the the key was ripped out of the courier Cory'bant'ex's belly and that the key had already been sent to the Xanathar's mansion in Upper Skullport.

CHAPTER 12: XANATHAR'S WRATH

This couldn’t get worse. The key you are searching for has fallen into the hands of the eye tyrant of Skullport himself. Now you just need to rob Xanathar without getting disintegrated. Part Three of the Skullport Shakedown trilogy.

Starting from the Tawdry Nymph, the characters met with Grumble, a goblin. The Xanathar Guild has the key to Aghairon's tower within a converted pirate ship, Wrath, in Upper Skullport. Scoping out the Wrath the characters learned that Ott Steeltoes is responsible for making sure that Xanathar's goldfish, Sylgar is always alive. The fish dies often but Ott replaces the fish so that Xanathar doesn't know about it. The characters saw that Ott levitated onto the ship somehow but decided not to use that route to entering the ship that hangs from the ceiling. The characters learned that Xanathar's right hand dwarf, Ahmaergo really likes minotaurs so Grmble procured a minotaur skull for the characrers for 100 gp. From Grumble the characters also learned that a child prodigy was hired to paint Xanathar's portrait that the child was kept under guard in the Crock and the Helm inn under guard. The characters freed the child and killed the pirates keeping the child captive. After this the character went to the ship and presented the skull to Ahmaergo. The dwarf was impressed until the characters killed him and his minions. Sweeping the ship, the characters managed to find the fish in a hidden room and killed them all. The characters hurried and searched the ship finding the vault of Xanathar, a beholder crime lord and managed to retrieve the key they were looking for. The characters returned to the Guts & Garters inn and gave the key to Volo. Volo also promised to return Veena, the artistic child prodigy back to her noble family in Baldur's Gate.

CHAPTER 13: THE VAMPIRE OF SKULLPORT

Something is wrong in the endless gloom of Skullport, and the Baron of Blood has tasked you with setting things right. Part One of the Undying Threat trilogy.

The characters were given a list of missing persons by Artor Morlin and instructed to meet with a half-elf named Cal'al Claddani to learn about recent disappearances in Skullport. Artor believed that a portal to Vanrakdoom—one of the many levels of the Undermountain dungeon complex—exists somewhere in the port city and charged the characters with securing it. In Skullport at the Flagon and Dragon tavern, Cal'al suspected that a cult of Shar has been preyin upon visitors and residents alike kidnapping people. The characters investigated clues on the kidnappings speaking with a darkling seller of equipments and trinkets called Vyraxxan. Interrogating him, he told that the Cult of the Midnight sell exotic items to him. The characters also went to the Bin, a shady meat shop where they learned that the cult sells them meat and the minotaur Cutie doesn't ask about the meats origins. The characters also spoke with Lara Vu, an oracle, and she told the characters that the Cult of Midnight is the reason behind the disappearances. The characters were attacked by the Cult but killed the attackers. After leaving the oracle, the Cult attacked again but the characters killed the attackers, again. One of the cultists begged for his life and led the characters to a secret door that led to the lair of the Cult of Midnight. In the lair the characters wiped the denizens, killing a number of vampire spawn, shadow assassins and braved several traps. The characters learned that the leader of the lair, a mage called Austra Trumaine works for Seabordt, maybe a vampire? Finally, the characters found a room with a huge circle of spidery runes dominating it. Austra was there preparing to sacrifice her latest victim. Succeeding in the ritual, the portal to a place called Vanrakdoom opened and the character had to kill reinforced pouring from the portal. The characters went back to Artor to let him know where the portal to Vanrakdoom is. Artor thanked them and let them know he may need them to go through the portal at a later time. For now, he used his own minions to make sure that no more vampires come through to threaten Skullport.

CHAPTER 14: RESCUE FROM VANRAKDOOM

Vampires in service to Shar, the Mistress of Night, are somewhere in Vanrakdoom. You must locate them without drawing the attention of the other residents of this dangerous place. Part Two of the Undying Threat trilogy.

The adventurers were sent by Artor Morlin to investigate the hideout of Austra Trumaine, a minion of Kerestra Delvingstone. Austra has actually been working for Seabordt, capturing residents of Skullport to bring to his lair. At the hideout the adventurers made their way to a secret passageway where they found several skulls. Speaking a catchphrase the adventurers learned from Austra's hideout, they made their way through a portal to Vanrakdoom. At the ancient dwarven ruins the adventurers were teleported to they fought shadows and several vampire spawn and even a beholder zombie. At Seabordt's den the adventurers found out that Seabordt is hiding the hideout from Kerestra and is building a Forge the vampire spawn are powering by snatching people from Skullport using their essence to power the Forge, a magical item that keeps the hideout hidden. The adventurers also found a secret room where was a long dead body of dwarf. The dwarf's ghost Ganloch Bayand told the adventurers that he stole the ring from a dwarf named Ambergris who lived in the Shadowfell, who locked him in the chamber as punishment. As he couldn't rest without someone bringing the ring back to Ambergris, the adventurers were given a map of a part of Shadowfell to the hut where Ambergris lives. The adventurers also found out that they were indeed in Shadowfell. On their way to Ambergris, the adventurers found several prisoners and promised to free them and take them back to Skullport after returning the ring. Fighting revenants the adventurers found Ambergris in her hut and took back her ring. Ambergris told the adventurers that Ganloch had condemned her for ruining her family name, tuend her into her clan's leadership on false charge, and stole her ring as punishment, saying she did not deserve the honor of Dumathoin's grace. She also told the quickest way back to Skullport: a magical tavernin the Shadowfell called the House of the Black Lanterns, which appears to those in need of it, and inside there is a portal. The adventurers freed the prisoners, walked into complete darkness with a true desier to enter the tavern, and the House of Black Lanterns appeared, a three-story building. Yarol, the tiefling that owns the House of the Black Lanterns took 10 gp per person and the adventurers and freed captives were teleported through a portal back to Skullport. Reporting back to Artor Morlin, the adventurers were told to prepare to return to destroy the Forge of Fangs.

CHAPTER 15: FORG OF FANGS

The Forge of Fangs has been located in Vanrakdoom. While many innocents have been saved from an undying fate, the forge remains. Artor Morlin would like to see it torn to the ground and the threat ended forever. Part Three of the Undying Threat trilogy.