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| The symbol of Moradin, the Dwarffather |
- Shrain, dwarf cleric of Moradin.
- Zelder, halfling rogue.
While their companions pursued errands of their own, the dwarf Shrain and the halfling Bezelder (Zelder for short) met and conversed in the comfort of the Helm and Cloak, the city’s finest inn; their stay was being covered, for now, on the coin of Duke Silvershield—whom the PCs had yet to meet. There was, however, a missive that had arrived for them: they were to meet the duke in the morning at the 9th bell in the High Hall.
Zelder, for his part, was just as new to the city as the others. He’d come from Neverwinter on a business errand for his family—involving medical supplies for the Flaming Fist mercenary organization—and had spent this last day in the city observing the various and mostly-ugly moods of Baldur’s Gate’s populace. Mostly in the Lower City. Down by the docks of Brampton and Eastway, especially near the Low Lantern, he’d witnessed Flaming Fist soldiers giving the immigrant workers—who came in each day from the slums of the Outer City—a hard time. Normally they idled after their day’s work in the local taverns, but now the Fist was getting rough with them, hurrying them back out of the city proper. It seemed Ravengard’s suspicion that the Guild operated out of the Outer City was intensifying.
The night passed easily. While the others were still plagued by bad dreams, Shrain’s memories of any nightmares were minimal—perhaps his holy work in Gond’s temple had helped.
Shrain and Zelder went alone to meet with Silvershield. Tredek was off to the High House of Wonders to seek out a library, while Ulther and Djarek were otherwise occupied. In the High Hall, the mage Imbralym appeared and was immediately discouraged to see that only two members of the party had deigned to appear (no fault of their own!), and of those only one was one of the “heroes of the Wide” (Shrain). The mage sighed, truly disappointed, and said they’d have to reschedule.
Zelder, for his part, was just as new to the city as the others. He’d come from Neverwinter on a business errand for his family—involving medical supplies for the Flaming Fist mercenary organization—and had spent this last day in the city observing the various and mostly-ugly moods of Baldur’s Gate’s populace. Mostly in the Lower City. Down by the docks of Brampton and Eastway, especially near the Low Lantern, he’d witnessed Flaming Fist soldiers giving the immigrant workers—who came in each day from the slums of the Outer City—a hard time. Normally they idled after their day’s work in the local taverns, but now the Fist was getting rough with them, hurrying them back out of the city proper. It seemed Ravengard’s suspicion that the Guild operated out of the Outer City was intensifying.
The night passed easily. While the others were still plagued by bad dreams, Shrain’s memories of any nightmares were minimal—perhaps his holy work in Gond’s temple had helped.
Shrain and Zelder went alone to meet with Silvershield. Tredek was off to the High House of Wonders to seek out a library, while Ulther and Djarek were otherwise occupied. In the High Hall, the mage Imbralym appeared and was immediately discouraged to see that only two members of the party had deigned to appear (no fault of their own!), and of those only one was one of the “heroes of the Wide” (Shrain). The mage sighed, truly disappointed, and said they’d have to reschedule.
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| Imbralym Skoond |
And then he was interrupted by an attendant, for it seemed there'd been a new incident in the city. No, five new incidents. Vandalism of a higher order. The hands of five prominent sculptures/statues had been removed—cut or broken off. Four in the Lower City, one in the Upper City:
- Seasearpent Tamed by Umberlee, near the Water Queen's House, temple of Umberlee (Lower City)
- Fury of the Fist, near the Seatower of Balduran
- Balduran Looks Out to Sea, overlooking just out of the eastern gate
- Six Wise Machinists, outside the High House of Wonder
- Faithful Shopkeeper Meets the Honest Trader, just outside the Counting House near the docks
Shrain and Zelder set out to investigate the missing hands and assess the damage firsthand. They examined three of the five, searching for a link between them, some common theme, but couldn’t quite deduce a pattern. They'd even spoken with the wavemistresses of the Water Queen's House and Zelder climbed up the stone serpent to look closer at the Bitch Queen's maimed arms. The PCs did concluded, however, that the damage and theft had been the work of a professional stoneworker; Shrain was a dwarf, after all. The hands of all the statues had been broken off cleanly, with tools, and the fact that the deed had been done without being seen or heard (at least, in any way that mattered) was a testament to the thieves’ skill. Upper and Outer City residents were particularly bothered by the severe vandalism; Outer City residents were just amused.
They’d also secured permission, approved by Imbralym Skoond on behalf of Duke Silvershield, to examine (within the bowels of High Hall, under scrutiny of the Watch) the weapon that Duke Abdel’s assassin had used to kill him. It seemed an ordinary, nonmagical short sword, bent at the tip where it had punctured his plate armor. Shrain made thorough sketches of it, and upon leaving High Hall, both halfling and dwarf ventured toward the Outer City late in the day to visit their blacksmith acquaintance, Mareak, to get his opinion. On the way, they stopped by Brother Hodges, the Ilmatari priest at the Shrine of Suffering, to get his take. Noting that the shrine depicted two giant stone hands, they pondered a connection there. But Hodges had little to offer, and said he had nothing to hide. The PCs questioned the homeless men and women gathered at the shrine, but learned nothing substantial.
When they found Mareak, the dwarven smith looked at Shrain's drawings and concluded that the short sword used by Abdel's assassin was fairly run-of-the-mill, simple in design, and certainly not masterwork. If he had to say where it came from, he'd suggest Waterdeep; some of the stylizations in its design were popular among Waterdhavian blacksmiths.
On their way back towards the city gate, however, they were pursued by thugs—two humans and a half-orc—who attempted to corner and rob them. The PCs turned off the main road and entered a dark series of alleys between the shacks that made up the “buildings” of the Outer City.
When the thugs came in close and called out for them to hand over their money, cherubic Zelder surprised his gruffer companion with a burst of speed: with a stab of first his short sword and then his dagger, the rogue quickly ran through one of the would-be muggers. Together the cleric and rogue took down the muscular half-orc, with Zelder hanging back and loosing arrows at the brute. Though he employed divine spells and his axes, Shrain fumbled with his weapons and even took a stab from the human who’d led them. He was not having a good time of it and was getting sour on the whole of Baldur’s Gate. But as the third thug went down, Shrain called on Moradin to spare the man’s life and stabilize what would have been a mortal injury.
As Shrain looked around the vicinity, he was rewarded with a crossbow bolt to the chest from another shadow-lurking assailant. Though, this one skulked in the shadows and seemed more efficient than the thugs. The bolt dropped Shrain to the unconscious. Drawn by the sound, Zelder came around the bend…only to find the assailant dangling off the ground against a wall, being garroted with a long chord by another shadow figure. Quickly Zelder broke out his healer’s kit and stabilized the dying Shrain.
When the assailant stopped gasping and twitching, he was dropped to the ground. Zelder greeted his unseen helper, and asked for help in fixing his dwarf companion. A narrow face in a shadowed hood looked down at him from the top of the wall. The man spoke in a thin voice and said simply, “You will meet me in Little Calimshan at dusk tomorrow, by the gate.” After agreeing, Zelder watched as a potion vial dropped down to him even as the figure disappeared.
Zelder used the potion of healing to revive Shrain, and together they carried the unconscious thug (the one they'd spared) towards the city, intent on handing him over to the Flaming Fist at the gate. Then they'd conclude their day at the Elfsong Tavern, which they’d heard about but hadn’t yet visited.
They’d also secured permission, approved by Imbralym Skoond on behalf of Duke Silvershield, to examine (within the bowels of High Hall, under scrutiny of the Watch) the weapon that Duke Abdel’s assassin had used to kill him. It seemed an ordinary, nonmagical short sword, bent at the tip where it had punctured his plate armor. Shrain made thorough sketches of it, and upon leaving High Hall, both halfling and dwarf ventured toward the Outer City late in the day to visit their blacksmith acquaintance, Mareak, to get his opinion. On the way, they stopped by Brother Hodges, the Ilmatari priest at the Shrine of Suffering, to get his take. Noting that the shrine depicted two giant stone hands, they pondered a connection there. But Hodges had little to offer, and said he had nothing to hide. The PCs questioned the homeless men and women gathered at the shrine, but learned nothing substantial.
When they found Mareak, the dwarven smith looked at Shrain's drawings and concluded that the short sword used by Abdel's assassin was fairly run-of-the-mill, simple in design, and certainly not masterwork. If he had to say where it came from, he'd suggest Waterdeep; some of the stylizations in its design were popular among Waterdhavian blacksmiths.
On their way back towards the city gate, however, they were pursued by thugs—two humans and a half-orc—who attempted to corner and rob them. The PCs turned off the main road and entered a dark series of alleys between the shacks that made up the “buildings” of the Outer City.
When the thugs came in close and called out for them to hand over their money, cherubic Zelder surprised his gruffer companion with a burst of speed: with a stab of first his short sword and then his dagger, the rogue quickly ran through one of the would-be muggers. Together the cleric and rogue took down the muscular half-orc, with Zelder hanging back and loosing arrows at the brute. Though he employed divine spells and his axes, Shrain fumbled with his weapons and even took a stab from the human who’d led them. He was not having a good time of it and was getting sour on the whole of Baldur’s Gate. But as the third thug went down, Shrain called on Moradin to spare the man’s life and stabilize what would have been a mortal injury.
As Shrain looked around the vicinity, he was rewarded with a crossbow bolt to the chest from another shadow-lurking assailant. Though, this one skulked in the shadows and seemed more efficient than the thugs. The bolt dropped Shrain to the unconscious. Drawn by the sound, Zelder came around the bend…only to find the assailant dangling off the ground against a wall, being garroted with a long chord by another shadow figure. Quickly Zelder broke out his healer’s kit and stabilized the dying Shrain.
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| In the Outer City. |
Zelder used the potion of healing to revive Shrain, and together they carried the unconscious thug (the one they'd spared) towards the city, intent on handing him over to the Flaming Fist at the gate. Then they'd conclude their day at the Elfsong Tavern, which they’d heard about but hadn’t yet visited.
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