The Sunless Six

A Meeting at Phaulkonmere
27th day of Eleint

As Ash and Stubbs begin tracking Aesino using the mother’s coin, Xanath and Quin return to meet with Anakis and Grisduin who are cleaning up after the street fight. They are confronted by the City Watch whom question the group as to the circumstances of the tussle.
Captain Staget arrives on the scene and questions the 4 individually. He deems them to be trustworthy. He explains that he’s been dealing with a lot of violence between the members of the Zhentarim and Xanathar’ s Guild, and is happy that their are now less thugs off the streets for him to deal with.
Xanath tries to then glean some information from Captain Staget about Skullport, but the captain claims he doesn’t have time to talk as he is now dealing with creatures from the Undermountain coming up to terrorize the Dock Ward. The captain conveys that finding the entrance to Skullport would be very difficult, if it even still exists.
The group then continue their search. Grisduin notices a small white cat that has been following them for a while now. The cat relays a message to Anakis that a high ranking member of the Enclave would like to meet her in Phaulkonmere, a manor near them in the South Ward.
The group decide to investigate this and head to Phaulkonmere. They are greeted by a familair face, David the Bugbear, who is know working for Jeryth Phaulkon, who he explains to the group is Emerald Enclave adjacent.
tarokka.jpgJeryth welcomes the group to her garden, where she offers to reads the groups futures from her Tarokka cards. After she reads Grisduin’s cards, she asks him his house name and what he is looking for. She reveals that the Promenade of the Dark Maiden, which Grisduin is seeking, has been destroyed by the Xanathar Guild and the evil drow that lurk near Skullport. She tells him that she believes the moonspring still exists within the ruins of the temples. She then asks Grisduin his house name, and is not surprised. Jeryth then proceeds to fashion a small moonspring with the help of Grisduin’s drow magic. Although he cannot travel through the portal, he is able to look in. He sees a small community of people living under the shade of the canopy of a high forest. He sees his sons practicing their sword work with skill and the grace of dancers. He sees his daughter talking, teaching others around her, her beauty unmatched but for the beauty of the Dark Maiden herself.
Anakis then accepts Jeryth’s offer. Jeryth informs the group that a Grell has taken a woman in the Dock Ward. She believes that Xanathar has been releasing creature from the Undermountain into Waterdeep as a distraction for something. She would like Anakis to investigate this and hopefully rescue the woman is their is anything to rescue.
The group begin tracking the Grell and quickly come upon it near an old dock by the seaside. They notice a second Grell and a panicked scream from a woman and quickly engage the two aberrations. The group eventually take down the pair, but then notice another beast rising to the shore. An Otyugh rises from the sea and attacks the groups.
The group does battle with the beast and eventually kills the aberration leaving its body lapping in the shallow sea waves. 520px-Otyugh_1.jpg
Bloodied and beaten, the group returns to Phaulkonmere. She shows the group gratitude and gifts each member with a charm of heroism. David prepares a meal for the group and Jeryth offers accommodations for the night at Phaulkonmere.

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Into the Liar of the Xanathar
28th day of Elient

Ash and Stubbs track the mother’s coin to a run down part in the Dock Ward. Ash investigates a small dwelling he feels might be harboring Aesino. Upon entering and investigating, he finds the body of Bastella lying on a bed in a back room. Aesino’s sword is sticking from her stomach and Ash finds 2 coins on the dead woman’s eyes. Both look like his mother’s coin. He covers the body and takes both coins and the sword.
On the street, David’s cat messenger finds Ash and tells him that his colleagues are at Phaulkonmere Manor. Stubbs decides to head back to his newly purchases tavern.
As Ash finds his group in the manor, he breaks the news of Bastella’s death to Quin and gives her Aesino’s sword. Quin seems unconcerned. Ash, feeling guilty fesses up to David about Kevin’s death. David does not seem to take the information well and leaves the group.
Jeryth Phaulkon then approaches the group, telling them that her awakened rats have found a short cut into Skullport via the sewers and through the Xanathar’s layer.
A rat guides the group through the city and into the sewers to a spiral stairway that descends deep into the dark. xanathar.jpgThe group push through a doorway and into a chamber containing a magical surveillance eye. Ash uses a darkness spell to obstruct eye as the group venture to a hallway at the back of the room. The group then encounter a room full of what looks to be beholders. They ascertain that the beholders are all decoy plants save for the one in the center of the room, which seems to not notice them.
Not wanting to take their chances fighting a beholder, the group decide to head though another set of doors on the other side of the initial chamber. As Gruisduin enters the large chamber, he hear heavy footfalls. He hides and sees a dwarf approaching. As this is happening Xanath tries to ‘take out’ the surveillance eye with his warhammer. He fails miserably nearly hitting Quin in the process and creating a loud thud on the stone floor. Hearing this the dwarf stops, and yells out who goes there! Grisduin answers that it “The Dancing Devil”!!!! The dwarf does not know the name and goats the drow. As Grisduin is set to charge, Anakis tries to quell the situation by putting up a wall of thorns between Gris and dwarf. Realizing that he is now outnumbered, the dwarf decides to flee. The group pursues, and with his feline grace and agility Ashes catches up to the dwarf, who turns on the Tabaxi and knocks his unconscious with 3 quick blows of his great axe. The dwarf then proceeds to flee. Quin then catches up to the tabaxi and brings Ash back to consciousness.

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Blood and Glory
30th day of Elient

The Sunless Six find themselves surrounded with no other option but to surrender to the Xanathar’s Guild. They are taken captive and put into holding cells.
Sharing the cells with the group are 2 other captives, a halfling named Samara and a half-elf named Richard. The two relay a plan to the group to escape and take down the lair in the process. The group reluctantly agree.
Anakis wildshapes into a rat and scouts the area. In scouting she retrives Quin’s thieve’s tools, to aid in their escape.
Members of the guild return and take Grisduin to have audience with the Guild Master. Upon his arrival, Grisduin is greeted by his former slave master, Baron Von Straedler. The Baron tells Grisduin that he owns him and that he will be fighting for him in the tournament.
The next day the group are escorted to the fitting pits. The crowd is rowdy and blood thirsty.
The matches are set and Grisduin faces off against an Orog. The Orog comes on strong, but is no match for the Dancing Devil’s prowess with the sword.
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The next fight matches Richard with the returning champion, a Minotaur. Richard then proceeds to shift his form into a hulking barbarian. The Minotaur charges “Dick” with intent to gore. Dick sidesteps the assault and proceeds to relentlessly beat the Minotaur to a bloody pulp with a warhammer.
Now Grisduin must face the changeling. To everyone’s surprise, Dick throws the fight as an attempt to distract and enrage the crowd. Just then, Aesino appears from the darkness and enters the ring to appease the crowd. He challenges Grisduin to a fight!
Aesino tries to cast a spell, but to no avail. He did not realize the fitting pit is surrounded in an anti-magic field. Quin goats her father, as a look of panic washes over his face. Grisduin charges in. Aesino, not used to fighting with his magic is taken aback, as Grisduin has him on the ground for a final blow! The crowd is errupting, as a shot flies through the air as Samara tries to take down a pillar. The shot misses wildly. Seeing this, Xanath breaks through the crowd and unleashes his fire breath in the direction of the pillar. The flames hit a hidden stash of smokepowder and the column collapse. The crowd panics, and the group escape through a side door. As they run through the center chamber, Grisduin launches magic missiles at more smokepowder hidden throughout the chamber. They escape into a room as the great hall begins to collapse. Covering their tracks they blow more powder hidden in a doorway. They then reach the final room with the plant beholders, acting fast, Xanath launches a firebolt into the room and the group takes cover as the contents of the room explodes!
The group then dash through the room and into a tunnel that Richard confirmed as the way out. As they sprint down the narrow tunnel the rooms behind them collapse and they are chased by smoke, they continue to run, but find the head of the tunnel has also collapsed in on itself. They are now trapped.

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Below Skullport
2nd day of Marpenoth

The Sunless Six, along with their 2 new companions, find themselves trapped in a narrow tunnel that supposedly leads to .
After hours of moving rubble, the group finally find an opening on the other side of the collapse. The tunnel continues on, but is blocked again by more rubble.
Anakis decides to use magic to more the rubble and gains good ground before she mentally exhausts herself. Grisduin and Quin then proceed to clear more rubble and break through to the other end of the tunnel. Quin scouts ahead as the tunnel tightens, but finally leads upwards.
Quin finds a trap door that enters into the cellar of what looks to be a tavern. The group move up to the tavern to find the proprieter, a teifling names Quietude. They bribe the teifling to turn his eyes on the fact that he saw them emerge from the tunnel.
Samara Strongbones then leads the group through Skullport to the hideout of the Zhentarim. They are pleased with the part that the Sunless Six have played in toppling the Xanathar’s Lair and offer respite from Undermountain within their hideout in Skullport anytime the group may need it.
The group enquire about the Promenade of the Dark Maiden. They gain knowledge that the drow followers of Eilistraee have been run out of the temple long ago and is now taken over by more drow. Samara agrees to bring the group to the Sargauth River and direct them towards the temple.
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Shortly after Samara parts ways, the group is confronted by a group of Kuo-toa demanding toll for travelling up the shores of the river. The encounter quickly turns hostile and the group do combat with the Kuo-toa. They know 2 of the strange fish people unconscious and grapple another one for questioning.

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Ferrying the Sargauth River
3rd day of Marpenoth

The Sunless Six start questioning the captured Kuo-Toa. They inquire about a temple, and the Kuo-Toa archpriest replies that there is only one god, the god of his people named Blipdoolpoolp. The shrine lies deep in the river and cannot be found. Ash decides that this fishman has no information and releases him from his manacles. Upon release, the Kuo Toa unleashes the spirit of his god, but as he tries to flee into the river, he is stuck dead by Anakis’ giant wasp.

The group then proceed to venture down another cramped tunnel. They send Quin ahead. After a long creeping walk, she finally finds a change in the tunnel. The stone of the walls and floors are more worked and sculpted. As the rest of the group catch up, they discover a door. They push the door open to reveal a small chamber. In the chamber there is a large stone that seemingly has crushed a goblin. The group deduces that the room was trapped and set off by the goblin. At the end of the chamber is a heavy stone door. Grisduin reads the elvish script on the door and pushes the door open with ease. Beyond the door is a large room with marble pillars and a few sculptures of female elves dancing naked, holding a sword. xorn.jpgIn the center of the room lies a silent earth elemental. Xanath decides he will awaken the Big Xorn by attacking it with his flying broom. His plan works, but the Xorn quickly attacks the broom, crushing it into splinters in it’s giant jaws. The group then enter to do battle with the elemental. Xanath gets revenge on the Xorn for destroying his broom by disintegrating it into dust with a lightning bolt.

The adventurers investigate the room, finding nothing of value, but deduce this must have been a sculptor’s workshop. They proceed out a door on the other side of the room. Beyond the door, a short tunnel leads back to the Sargauth River. At the edge of the river is a gondola manned by a teifling skeleton.
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The group pay the ferryman who proceeds to take them up the river. Upon leaving the shore, Quin notices an intense man with white hair and long beard staring at her with piercing eyes. She points this out to the group, who claim they cannot see the old man.
As Quin looks back, the man dissipates into smoke. After investigating the shorelines, the group decide to search down the creepiest, spider web filled howling tunnel. Not far down the tunnel the group encounter a drider seemingly pacing frantically around a narrow chamber.

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The Tortured Drow
3rd day of Marpenoth

The group find their path blocked by a raving drider, whom seems greatly bothered by the howls of the wind coming down the tunnel. Grisduin decides to talk to the mad drider. He calms the drider enough for Ash to pass by and cast ‘Silence’ up the tunnel. The howling moans of the wind stop and a great relief washes over the drider’s face. Grisduin tells the drider of Eilistraee and he is grateful for the repose that she has given to his tortured mind. The drider tells the group of what is ahead, and Xanath recognizes the name of the priestess, T’riss Auvryndar, a drow he was to be a concubine to earlier in his life.
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The group then pass and travel further up the tunnels until they reach a room with 4 drow in it. Tortured screams seem to be coming from adjacent chambers that the drow seem very pleased to hear. Grisduin, unable to contain his anger, charges at the drow taken 2 down, the rest of the group quickly follow clearing the room and checking the other chambers. They do battle with the torturers and question the victims, only to find, that they are not so much victims… they were enjoying the sick, sadistic torture!
The Sunless Six decide to leave this horror behind and find a group of six Grimlocks tormenting some prisoners. the group do away to the Grimlocks and question the prisoners.
Quin releases a Waterdavian named Geldax Breer whom was capturer by the drow. Three other cells contain malnourished drow that are competing to be concubine to the priestess. An old wiry gnome exposes himself from underneath the rotten corpse of a grell in on cell. He is enthusiastic that Quin pick his lock and free him. Unsure of the strange gnome, Quin decides to pick the lock. Once free, the naked grimy gnome sprints away gleefully.
The group move on and enter a door secured from the outside. Within the room is a grey skinned elf with dark black hair and pale, but lively eyes. He tells the group to enter and tells them his name is Iarhana Goltorah, but you can call him Golto.

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The Spider Hatchery
4th day of Marpenoth

Golto offers the group a rest from the spidery dungeon. He pulls out his rod and magically teleports the group to his homeland. An island named Aerenal in another realm. The group rest in a dim lit quiet forest of tall trees.
Once rested the group decide to head back in search of the Promenade.
Grisduin pushes ahead to find 4 troglodytes in chains, mining the walls of an adjacent chamber. As he enters a giant spider falls on him. The group kill the spider and try to talk to the troglodytes, but they cannot convey their message and the prisoners attack.
Once the troglodytes are taken down, the group notice a well built door adorned with a bronze relief of a bejeweled long sword. The door is locked, but Quin figures out how to pick it.
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Grisduin peers into the room to see a drow priestess, presumably T’rissa Auvryndar, presiding over a half dozen drow.
Grisduin then unabashedly enters the room playing his war drum. T’rissa orders her followers to attack the intruders. Taken by surprise by Ash’s agility and quickness, the priestess is stunned and unable to assault the group and they cut through the drow and the giant spiders from the hatchery. Panicked, T’rissa’s mage throws any and all magic she has available in an attempt to save herself. This proves to be her downfall as Anakis thornwhips and pulls the drow mage through her magical summoning, killing her. The group then take a breath to look around. They believe this is the main temple of the Promenade of the Dark Maiden, desecrated by the Lolthian Drow and tranformed into a vile hatchery for the Spider Queen.

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Opening the Moonspring Portal
6th day of Marpenoth

The group investigate 2 doors at the back of the temple. As they open the door they discover a small room that 2 giant spiders have taken up as their home. Xanath sends fire into the room, greatly injuring the spiders as the rest of the group charge in to clean up the rest of the mess.
As they investigate the room they see a dried up well in the center of the room. They deduces that this must be a moonspring portal. After a few efforts, Anakis is able to activate the portal by filling the well and casting moonbeam on the water.
The Sunless Six, along with Golto enter the portal and find themselves in a darkly canopied forest. They are greeted by 2 drow who quickly reveal themselves as Sune and Eiskle, the adopted sons of Grisduin. The 3 drow share a moment in their reunion and bring the group to meet with their priestess, Graeda.
Grisduin is happy to once again see his daughter.
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Graeda explains to Grisduin that she is an avatar of Eilistraee and his sons are her sword dancers. The three are to bring the church of the dark maiden back to relevance in Faerun.
They are the building blocks to the renewed church, and Grisduin was the champion, rescuing the three from certain death and opening up the moonspring portal in the Promenade of the Dark Maiden.
Graeda then calls over Ash and looks deeply into this eyes. She explains to Ash that her father’s selflessness resurrected him. She sent Anja to Grisduin, and Grisduin decided to use her power to save the life of his friend. Ash is happy to have found his matron and vowed to stay by her side as she reestablishes the Promenade in the underdark.
As the day goes on Sune offers Grisduin to spar with himself and Eiskle. The fight goes the distance with all party’s being surprised with the strength and ability of each combatant. In the end Grisduin nearly falls to Sune’s longsword, but is able to get the decisive blow on his son ending the match.
Sune then offers his sword to his father, a powerful longsword enchanted with the magic of Eilistraee. Grisduin appreciates the offer.
As night comes, Golto approaches Grisduin. The two have a talk about fate and the Gods, and Golto advises Grisduin to be his own entity and not willingly give his power away. Golto then gives Grisduin his rod. The rod allows the party to return to the island of Aerenal, Golto’s home.

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A Return to Woopedu
7th day of Marpenoth

The Sunless Six return to Wilderem’s Workshop in Woopedu via Wilderem’s transportation pendants. Feeling indebted, Ash decides to stay back with The Eilistraeeans and aid in the efforts to reclaim and rebuild the Promenade of the Dark Maiden.
Grisduin, Xanath, Anakis and Quin are greeted by Wilderem’s partner, the goliath Halwreck. Halwreck brings the group through the workshop to meet with Wilderem.
The group catch up and trade goods. Wilderem’s then suggests that the group should take him up on the offer of exploring the White Plume Mountain. He’s researched further into the mysterious note sent from the believed to be expired wizard of lore Keraptis. Wilderem has shared the location of the mountain, as well as confirmed the validity of the disappearance 3 legendary weapons, Wave, Whelm and Blackrazor, that are thought to be hidden within the dungeons of the mountain.
tower.PNGAs the party decides to head to town, they are greeted by Soak, and young wizard that Wilderem had encountered in Waterdeep. Soak is panicked as he explains to Wilderem that he has found intruders in the old tower.
Xanath, Grisduin and Quin decide to lend a hand in the investigation. As they approach the tower they notice a green light flickering about in the upper story of the tower. They also notice the lower floors are being guarded by a couple of heavily armored thugs.
The group try to engage with the thugs and quickly find themselves in a fight. Hearing the ruckus, the thugs are accompanied by a mage and another thug from the floor above.
The group overpower the thugs and remove the threat as they decide whether or not to investigate the strange light in the top floor of the tower.

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Trouble in the Tower
8th day of Marpenoth

The Sunless Six try to decide how to deal with the perceived threat at the top of the tower. Quin and Soak probe up to the higher levels of the the tower but retreat when they see the threat of the growing green light. They decide to flee the tower for now, but are interrupted just outside the door by 2 gemstones thrown from the tower. The gems erupt into 2 elementals, summoned from an entity at the top of the tower.
With nowhere to go, the group decide to fight their way out of the mess. Grisduin rushes back into the tower only to be confronted by a green flame skull. Quin joins the drow.
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Anakis conjured up a tidal wave, and extinguishes the fire elemental. The water elemental is then taken care of as the rest of the group enter back into tower to aid their comrades.
As the group does battle with the green flame skull, an Mage in red and gold robes enters into the fray. Seeing his chances of survival very low after witnessing all his conjurations gone, he flees outside and tries to trap the group in the tower with ice. The group burst through the ice barricade and kill the mage. Halwreck and Pebbles finally reach the tower followed shortly by Wilderem.
Wilderem recognizes the wizard’s garments. He says these are the colours of the Red Wizard’s of Thay. Wilderem wonders what they are doing in the Sword Coast and more specifically how they found Woopedu. He will need to consult with Sir Miles as to beef up the garrison of the town should such an incursion happen again.
The Sunless Six then rest for the night deciding their next plan of action. They decide they will use Wilderem’s Teleportation circle to teleport back to Trollskull Manor in Waterdeep and seek passage to the North in search of White Plum Mountain.

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