Session 02: Whim Street Stakeout

The city of Waterdeep never sleeps; from the raucous taverns, splendid ballrooms, seedy dives and other nighttime festivities, it can be easy to get lost in the chaos of the night...

Summary
The adventurers — Jynxx the goblin monk, Kados the tiefling sorerer, Maho the human wizard and Suthra the dragonborn bard — met outside of Renaer Neverember's home at the intersection of Whim Street and Mendever Street in the North Ward, ready to stakeout the noble's neighborhood in search of the drow that had been stalking him. Renaer wanted the drow to be captured alive so that he could find out why the dark elf had been following him.

Suthra had run into Jynxx at The Kappa's Pool in the Dock Ward, the goblin's description of what he was up to intrigued the fledgling bard into tagging along in hopes of inspiration for her next performance piece.

The Stakeout
The party met Renaer who introduced them to his associate — Eulena the human fighter. Shortly after, Deckard the human fighter recognized Renaer and joined inquired about the group's activities.

Before Deckard could get a reasonable answer, different members of the group split off to gain better vantage points and Eulena retreated into Renaer's home to protect him.

Keller's Pastry Shop
Deckard, Jynxx, Kados and Suthra took to the pastry shop across the street from Renaer's front door. They partook in owlbear pies before Suthra left for the inn, Moira's Place, next door to the pastry shop.

Deckard left to watch the back of Renaer's home.

Jynxx and Kados kept themselves busy trying to pick out suspicious folks in the crowd. Much to Jynxx's dismay, Kados did not have the natural knack for picking out shady individuals nor did the tiefling outfitter-turned-sorcerer have the discreet demeanor necessary to refrain from directly pointing at suspicious folks on the street.

The Brass Lantern
Viego and Maho went to the tavern across the street from the side of Renaer's home, The Brass Lantern. Upon entry Viego, still hungover from the last night, almost lost his composure from the sheer smell of alcohol. The two human companions made there way upstairs to the balcony overlooking Mendever Street.

The two were accosted by a retired human navy captain sporting an eye patch, peg leg, hook hand and a bottle of extremely potent "sea maiden's wine". The captain warned the two of the wicked "purple rocks" that take everything away from you.

Viego and Maho were eventually able to find a position from the second floor of the tavern to keep their eyes out for the drow.

Moira's Place
Suthra made her way to the inn directly next to Keller's Pastry Shop. Inside the inn, Suthra met the owner of the establishment, a human woman named Moira, asked about the upstairs room. Moira noticed Suthra's hurdy-gurdy and was willing to trade a few hours in the private upstairs room for a song. The dragonborn bard's playing brought the woman to tears.

Moira led the dragonborn to the room where she was able to get a view of Whim Street.

The Attack on Renaer
After hours of keeping watch it began to rain but the adventurers were able to spot a male drow clad in purple perched atop the roof of Moira's Place. The party was able to get to closer positions without alerting the drow, as they got closer it was apparent that the drow was wielding what appeared to be a hand crossbow underneath his purple cloak. In an attempt to catch the drow by surprise, Jynxx launched a dagger at him only to alert the dark elf.

The drow ran atop the rooftops and the party gave chase, some able to attack the elf without any retaliation from him. Another male dark elf made an appearance, also wielding what looked like a hand crossbow under his purple mantle. The two drow escaped the fray by hopping into the city sewers via an opening left by a manhole cover behind Renaer's home. Before the first drow escaped he warned that Renaer was now in danger.

The Battle on Whim Street
Heeding the drow's words, the party returned to Renaer's apartment to find the noble bound in rope, acosted by two wicked winged creatures covered in black needles. Along with the winged creatures were four folks in red robes and golden masks.

Before most of the adventurers could make their way up to Renaer's home the two winged creatures grabbed the noble and carried him out a broken window.

The party was able to kill one of the devilish creatures, freeing Renaer from their clutches.

In Renaer's apartment Jynxx, Maho and Viego were caught in the thick of battle. Jynxx and Maho were quickly incapacitated by the red-robes and their magical familiar. Viego attempted to stabilize and save both Maho and Jynxx but the red-robes were merciless, slitting an unconscious Maho's throat. Viego was able to carry Jynx's body away from the apartment as the red-robes escaped Renaer's apartment via the rooftops.

Renaer led the party through the rain drenched streets of the North Ward to the nearest city watch outpost, there the party was able to retreat into the security of the city's watchmen.

Conclusion
Renaer thanked the adventurers once more and told Suthra that he had arranged for Jynxx's body to be retrieved by any of the adventurers for a proper burial in the City of the Dead. The noble suggested that they leave the city for their own safety, but if they sought retribution for their loss that day he would be more than willing to work with them. Renaer suspected he has been put in harm's way because of the actions of his father, the nobleman plans to settle this score himself. Renaer told the party that he would keep himself in the company the Yawning Portal and the many adventurers that visit the establishment for a time until he could find a safe home to stay in.

Player Characters

 * Deckard the human fighter
 * Eulena the human fighter
 * Jynxx the goblin monk
 * Kados the tiefling sorcerer
 * Maho the human wizard
 * Suthra the dragonborn bard
 * Viego the human kensei

Non-Player Characters

 * Keller, the female elven baker of the pastry shop, Keller's, in the North Ward.
 * Moira, the female human innkeep of Moira's Place in the North Ward.
 * Renaer, the male human noble and son of the recently deposed Open Lord of Waterdeep, Dagult Neverember.

Allies

 * Renaer: After the attack on his home, Renaer extended an invitation to the party in his efforts to seek out and end the hunt for him by the folks in red robes.

Enemies

 * The red-robed individuals: A mysterious group of people wearing red robes and golden half-masks who are in pursuit of something called the "stone of golorr".

Organizations

 * The purple-cloaked drow: One of these drow had been stalking Renaer at night, when the party attempted to capture him, he warned them of Renaer's fate before escaping into the sewers of Waterdeep.

Deaths

 * Jynxx succumbed to injuries from combat with the red-robed group.
 * Maho had his throat cut by a member of the red-robed group.