Session 6

Say No To Cultists
The party open the door to reveal Fel’rekt, bound and gagged. Visk frees him, and the drow stands and looks directly into her eyes and thanks her sincerely and tenderly. He then picks up his weaponry and makes to depart. As he leaves he says, “I cannot stay, but I wish to thank you properly. Meet me in the Yawning Portal tavern at highsun tomorrow. Please.” He reveals Loreloth betrayed his master in a bid for power and failed, thus was cast out. Avanna locates the secret door leading to the top of the middle finger, where they find a signficant amount of gold, and in Loreloth's chambers Yelmaer finds a ruby studded symbol of Asmodeus. Avanna sends Egg to fetch the City Watch, and a bound and gagged Loreloth is swiftly handed over to them.

What Is This, Property Brothers?
As they enter Trollskull Alley, Euphrasie stops a careening apple cart just outside and they meet the three urchins responsible: Squiddly, a skinny 9 y/o tiefling with an eyepatch, a small bow, and a quiver of toy arrows; Jenks, a portly 9y/o Turami boy wearing a cloak, a toy wand, and a stuffed owlbear; and Sam, a lanky 10 y/o deaf Illuskan girl with a wooden toy sword. They know Euphrasie through her philanthropic work, and greet her enthusiastically.

Volo warns them of the spirit residing in the property. Avanna mindlinks with Lif, the resident half-elf poltergeist and former barkeep of Trollskull Manor. He is suspicious but approves of their goal to renovate the tavern. Visk and Euphrasie stay to clean up while the other look around the neighbourhood. Volo returns to inform them of the heft estimated repair cost, and Lif throws a rotten potato at him in response.

Pinching Pennies
Avanna and Yelmaer stop by the Bent Nail, a furniture store, and meet its owner and chief artisan Talisolvanar "Tally" Fellbranch. He's excited for the new tavern, and grateful to an alternative to Emmek Frewn's pub, and offers a discount on all future purchases just for that.

After spending the whole day cleaning, they return to the Belabranta estate. Renaer offers to invest, proposing to receive 2.5% of all net profit in the future for every 100gp borrowed. The party is grateful, but ultimately refrain from formally accepting.

Payment in Kind
At noon, they head to the Yawning Portal and post an ad on the signboard for help at the tavern, with “payment to be negotiated”. There, they meet J.B. Nevercott, a half-elf haberdasher wearing a tremendously ostentatious feathered cap. Fel’rekt accompanies him but speaks little during this meeting except to shyly greet Visk. J.B. is the picture of propriety and grace in this meeting, thanking the characters profusely for saving his errand boy’s life. Upon asking why a drow like Fel’rekt is in waterdeep, Nevercott reveals that he himself is a spy for the Bregan D’aerthe and is shielding Fel’rekt from harm. At the end of this meeting he places a wax-sealed envelope with a skull-shaped seal on the table. “As thanks for saving my boy,” he says and departs. Inside is a cheque for 500 dragons. They return to the manor and do more repairs.