Deep Water in Waterdeep

From the Cozy Couch to the Lower Archives, Part III

The Grinning Lion is in a well-to-do commercial area of North Ward; the tavern sits off the main street, down an arcade of shops, where the houses look old, and dusty, and a little haunted.

As we enter, the bartender is talking to a gnome illusionist, as a group of adventurers come out of the basement, having fought some giant rats.

Jolly meets with a few contacts but there is no information on Lord Sedfreid Alauren. Jolly is buys our group a round of drinks (cheers Jolly!), but upon his return to our table, he sees Hala Myrt. Delivering our drinks, he points Hala out to us.

Jolly takes an ale over to Hala and lets him know that we were looking for info on Alauren. Myrt signals, in Thieves Cant, that he does not trust us, and that we must do something to gain his trust. Jolly and Myrt go out back for a smoke, to talk more, under the falling snow.

Myrt tells Jolly that someone in the Scrivener's guild is trying to defame a friend of his. And that we must go to the Lower Archives and bring the 1021 almanac to Myrt, before he will trust us.

Jolly returns to us. We drink our ales. But we are ready to be on our way.

As we step out, into the ally, we notice a circle, with arcane symbols, like a summoning circle, and a large dog, with red gleaming eyes appears as the circle fades; an odd sounding, almost smoky growl emanates from deep within the hound.

I draw my bow and fire, assuming this is hell-spawn; and, though my arrow passed right through the specter, and though there was a little yelp of pain, it did not seem to hurt as much as I expected or hoped. Jolly melts into the shadows and silently moves to flank. Adrik fires a bolt that finds the most tender parts of the shadow, but it also seems to do less damage than expected. The shadowy mastiff flows up to attack Adrik; and, with a mighty crash, knocks him to the ground, and bites down hard on him. Rue, tail curling and eyes flashing, casts Eldritch Blast; but the blue globe flies wide. I make another fine shot, but it seems to strike only at the black wisps, leaving the dog unharmed. Another Eldritch Blast flies from Ruelaga and electrifies the entire mastiff, its satisfying yelp signals that it is finally hurt. Moving around behind it, Jolly strikes at the hound's most tender bits; again, it seems that his blade strikes merely at wisps of smoke. Rising from the cobblestones, Adrik, keeps the beast's attention, so Jolly can strike again, with advantage. The mastiff, seems to become even less corporeal, and fades into the shadows. I can not see the dog, so I just hold my bow ready, waiting for a sound of glimpse to reveal our target. Moving towards the Grinning Lion, Rue whispers all but the final incantation of her Eldritch Blast spell, also held ready for the dog's return. Adrik hears the nails of the hound clicking on the cobblestones, and though he can not see it, he fires his crossbow towards the sound; but there is no obvious effect. Materializing right in front of Rue, the mastiff dodges her eldritch fire. Following up with a vicious bite of its own, the beast opens Rue's forearm and knocks her down. I let another arrow fly, striking the hound. There is a final shriek and it disappears, for good, leaving only an inexplicable pile of electrum pieces (3.5 e.p. for each of us). Finally, the street is quiet, the only movement, the moon, sliding along, high in the sky.

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Photo: https://www.deviantart.com/art/Derlict-Library-123699319