We pick back up with Bloody Thirston, the pack leader, holding a knife to Grabnar‘s throat. Grabnar is on the verge of death until Waldo stabilizes him—on the condition that he helps heal the pack leader. While Waldo feigns cooperation and tends to the pack leader’s wounds, Jackalwere “D” places his hands on the leader’s shoulders and pledges loyalty, saying he’ll do whatever is needed. The pack leader tells him to stand down.

During this tense exchange, Lis—still disguised as a jackalwere—pushes between the pack leader and Waldo. Jackalwere “D” sees this and suddenly lashes out, calling Lis a traitor. Unaware that Lis is part of the attacking party, the jackalweres break the stalemate.

The pack leader tries to regain control, negotiating with Waldo and demanding that we drop our weapons. Waldo pushes back, insisting we all step away and disarm simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Wrenn and Grix are still above the cavern in a tunnel. They follow it and discover it leads to a vantage point behind the enemies. Both draw their bows, unaware of the negotiations below. They’re spotted by a jackalwere and held at knife point before they can attack.

Wrenn and Grix put their arrows away and lean on their bows like staffs, signaling they’re not escalating—though they remain ready.

Du.ee makes his way across the room to check on Rio, but Jackalwere “A” grabs her limp body and drags her to the far side as leverage. The pack leader and Waldo agree to a compromise: we move to the far side of the room while the jackalweres begin to retreat.

Waldo drags Grabnar across the cavern by his beard while Du.ee casts a spell to revive him. As the jackalweres retreat, Grix and Wrenn see an opportunity—the leader is exposed.

Grix nods to Wrenn. Wrenn nods back.

Grix fires, striking the pack leader and slamming him into the wall, where he slumps over and dies. Wrenn follows up, dropping the nearest jackalwere with another arrow.

Now only one jackalwere remains in the room—two others have escaped. Lis casts Eldritch Blast, burning the last one but not killing him. Du.ee steps in. The jackalwere attacks, but his blow bounces off Du.ee’s metal frame. As the jackalwere turns to flee, Du.ee swings his book-flail and crushes his skull from behind.

Du.ee rushes to Rio, heals her, and she jolts awake in a defensive stance. She relaxes when she sees Micki, who vouches for us and brings her up to speed.

Rio crosses to a metal desk and retrieves a paper and some vials. Meanwhile, Wrenn searches the pack leader’s body, finding:

• A vial with a brown liquid
• Some kind of root
• A golden medallion.

The one face of the medallion is cast with the likeness of a lion, with the upper body and head of a woman. She gazes out with a fierce expression. Her left hand holds a book, pages facing out; her right hand points a dagger at it. On the reverse: an inscription reads, “The Word contains within itself both truth and deceit. Even the most pure lie under the Veil of Falsehood.”

Before we leave we decide to take Templeton’s body with us, determined to give him a proper burial.

Outside the cave, we question Rio about the vials. She tells us it’s Assassin’s Blood, produced using secretions of the cave snails—valuable and profitable. She admits she was trying to profit from this operation and proposes we help her find an alchemist in the city. In return, we’d get a cut of future sales. We don’t commit but keep it in mind. She asks us not to tell anyone. We ask what we’d get in return.

She says she can smuggle us into Brampton by boat, unnoticed – bypassing the long road into the city, across the bridge, where they would of course pay exorbitant tolls, and most certainly be questioned by authorities and harassed by assorted scoundrels and miscreants.

We return to town with Templeton’s body and Bloody Thurston’s head to the Rivington Rats’ lair, where we tell Jughead what happened. He’s devastated but thankful we avenged Templeton by killing the second-in-command and the leader.

To honor Templeton, we all take a burning shot of Malört (instantly regrettable).

We collect our reward: some gold and a book created by The Engraver—a book that resembles the one we saw in Du.ee’s library.

After a somber celebration, we head to the Crooked Tavern with Rio. Inside, we see Louie and a woman at the bar with a pigeon on her shoulder. She turns—Wrenn recognizes her.

It’s Ineeza, Silk’s ex-wife.

She says she got Wrenn’s message to Silk. He responded with the following:

Dear Inee — Nice to hear from you. Been a while. Tell Wrenn I’m up at the Three Old Kegs in the Upper City… at least I will be after I finish this assignment… might be a few days. Ask for S’ateen. P.S.: tell Louie that T.O.K. has better beer than him anyway. Love – S.

Rio tells us her contact Phyllis, a fisherwoman, can take us by boat to the Lower City in the morning. We eat, rest in our old rooms, and Rio crashes in the cellar, curled up on a pile of lumpy potatoes.

The group, augmented by a couple of Rivington Rats, hunker down in the first room leading into the jackalweres’ tunnels. They ponder their next move, and prompted to action by Templeton, decide to press forward back into the tunnels. But it is clear that the jackalweres are aware of their presence, as an arrow attack from the overhead slit injures one of the Rats as they pass by. Moving deeper into the tunnel, they find bodies of the slain lying where the left them following their earlier skirmish. Lis takes the form of one of them, and leads the exploration. The others string out behind him, making sure no one follows. As Lis comes around a bend into a small den, a scimitar-wielding jackalwere lurches forward to attack, and then checks itself. It sniffs the air, and says… “Olaf… that you?” Lis replies in the affirmative, and suggests that their enemies are outside, and they should go defend their leader. The jackalwere is deceived and turns to lead “Olaf” farther into the warren. Lis pounces and stabs the unsuspecting foe in the back. The jackalwere howls in pain and falls to the floor, dragging  itself away into the next den. Another jackalwere lurks there and comes forward to investigate. Seeing something obviously amiss, it engages Lis in combat. The rest of the gang come forward to assist and soon both of the jackalweres lie dead.

They carefully explore the passageways, finding a network of interconnected dens. Each one holds a pile or two of blankets and furs. It is quiet. It appears that the jackalweres are either lying low, or have vacated the place. Waldo conjures a black weasel familiar and sends it ahead to investigate. It finds a much larger chamber just around the next bend. Six jackalweres stand at the ready, as if awaiting an attack.  A seventh larger one stands at the back of the chamber. He glowers over the heads of his smaller minions. Small antlers, like those of an antelope, adorn his head. He stands next to a metal table, upon which a woman lies prone, apparently unconscious. Despite its stealth, the weasel is soon noticed by the alert jackalweres. Waldo instructs it to dart forward and see what it can see, before it can be killed. It brazenly scampers forward, evading several vicious kicks as it does so. It clambers up the leader’s leg to get a closer look at the unconscious woman. She does not appear to be bound in any way, but she seems to be in bad shape – pale, bruised, and bloodied. Waldo can see no more, because the jackalwere leader grabs the weasel in his fist and crushes it out of existence. He grasps the woman’s hair and pulls her head and shoulders up from the table’s surface, and calls out to his hidden foes: “Come forward. Show yourselves. If you want your spy back, you’ll have to let us pass!”

They decide to send Templeton with “Olaf the captured jackalwere” (Lis in disguise) to arrange a hostage trade. Templeton is an angry, aggressive gang member intent on getting these jackaweres out of his gang’s territory. He argues, accuses, and taunts, drawing the jackalwere leader into a hostile dispute. The adventures feel confident that they have the advantage, believing their foes to be bottled up in their den, with their rear exit likely compromised by the burning warehouse beneath which it emerges. They believe that the jackalweres, despite their bravado, have little bargaining power.

Templeton demands an explanation of why the jackaweres are here invading Riverton Rat turf. He vehemently accuses them of murders, thefts, and the disruption of Rat operations. The jackalwere chief responds, “Just like you, we are trying to survive! We were driven out of the upper city by a corrupt faction of our pack. That’s right. You invaded our den when your real enemies are up in the city! They’re the real bad ones, casting evil spells, and deceiving the wealthy. But we’re like you! We’re just trying to survive. You too – you Rats – you are also lawless gangsters! You sent this spy to trick us, to cheat us, to steal our assets. And now here you are attacking us! Allow us leave in peace and you can have your filthy spy back. If you hurry, you might even save her life. Then go up to the city – you’ll find my old pack – the traitors – working in the Wide… selling books and swindling the well-to-do. They call themselves the Amberdune Pack. They’re the real bad guys. They have no honor!”

During this discourse, Waldo conjures an owl familiar and sends it back the way they had come, seeking to scout the passageway leading to the arrow slits. The owl (dubbed Hoot-dini) finds a pair of jackalweres poised above cracks in the stone floor, ready to rain arrows into the large chamber. A small party of consisting of Grixori, Wrenn, and Mickey follow, intent on taking control of the arrow slits. They do so effectively, killing one archer, and driving another one further into the tunnels.

Meanwhile, negotiations are breaking down. The jackalwere chief accuses “Olaf” of cowardice and weakness. He insists that the errant jackalwere assume the form of a lowly jackal and come grovel at his feet. Lis, realizing that he will be unable to maintain the ruse, leaps to the attack! Battle erupts, and the melee is fierce. Blood is spilled on both sides. Several jackalweres are killed, but not without injuring several of the adventurers. The jackalwere leader strides into the bloody fray, leading his pack to focus their attacks on the fiercest opponents. Templeton is killed, and Grabnar is brought to the brink of death. The pack chief, seriously wounded himself, grasps the fallen Grabnar in a headlock, and holds a wicked knife to his throat. He commands his foes to stop fighting, or he will slit the dwarf’s throat. Waldo, persuades the desperate jackalwere chief to stay his hand and allow him to stabilize his friend in exchange for a halt in hostilities. He reluctantly agrees, slowly lowering Grabnar’s limp body to the blood-soaked dirt. The gnome pulls out his healer’s pack and staunches the blood flow, keeping Grabnar clinging to life for now. The tension is thick, and all the combatants stay their hands while this unfolds. Although Grabnar is stable, he is still in desperate peril. The jackalwere chief demands healing for himself. Waldo ponders whether to accept this demand, and how his decision might affect the outcome of this situation.

We picked up where we left off, deep in the cavern by the river, searching for a way to reach the Jackalweres. Spotting a narrow tunnel in the corner where the walls had separated, we decided to press forward. Wrenn led the way, followed by Grix, Grabnar, Templeton, Micky, and Waldo.

As we moved through the tight passage, about 20 to 30 feet in, we noticed an fissure in the stone above us. Before we could react, two arrows rained down, narrowly missing Wrenn. Realizing the danger, we sprinted forward to clear the exposed area before any more attacks could land.

Emerging into a larger chamber, we found ourselves flanked—two Jackalwere archers stood on high rock formations to our left and right, bows drawn. Wrenn and Grix returned fire, while Templeton and Micky, still positioned in the tunnel, shot back at the hidden archers above us, landing solid hits.

As we focused on the archers, more Jackalweres began to swarm in from branching tunnels, joining the fight. The battle dragged on, with seven enemies rotating in and out of the skirmish. One injured Jackalwere fled deeper into the caves, while the two archers retreated into tunnels above.

Once the dust settled, we regrouped, healed up, and discussed our next move. Choosing the tunnel to our right, we ventured deeper into the web of caves, spiderwebbed with narrow crevices. This region of tunnels carried a distinctly damp aroma, and the floor of the tunnels had some puddles of stagnant water. Before long, we arrived at a crossroads:

• Left – An apparent dead end, but something shiny was visible on the wall.
• Forward – Sloped downward and seemed to lead toward the river.
• Right – Opened into another cavern.

Curious about the shiny object, Waldo threw a rock at it—and it moved. An ooze-like creature slithered forth and started closing in, revealing itself as a trap. As we turned back, we found another ooze seeping out of the stone fissures, filling the passageway and blocking our escape. Trapped between them, we had no choice but to rush toward the river, escaping through a passage that led us several levels below our original entry point, opening upon stony low-tide shore of the river. We could see boats plying the waters and the outskirts of Baldur’s Gate on the far side of the broad river. Turning away from the river, we could see a plume of billowing smoke, and hear the clanging of bells – presumably the aftermath of the burning warehouse and the local fire brigade’s arrival on the scene.

We climbed our way back up to the top tier of the stone seawall, regrouped, and started planning our next approach to re-enter the tunnels and continue the hunt for the Jackalweres.

---

The adventurers pass a quiet night holed up in the cellar beneath the Crooked Bar. They arise in the morning and cautiously crawl out of the cellar, wary that enemies may be lying in wait. They split up. A couple exit via the exterior cellar doors and check for hostile parties in the street, while the others emerge in the bar’s kitchen. Inside the barroom, they hear snoring coming from a booth. Upon investigation, they find that they have been rather lucky. Their protector, Louie, has fallen asleep in a corner booth. They wake him, and Louie wearily expresses his chagrine at his having nodded off, rather than remaining alert to potential troublw. Fortunately it seems the jackaweres, perhaps disorganized following the loss of their leader, found themselves lacking the wherewithal to mount another attack. Additionally, it turns out that Louie’s night was not entirely unproductive. Before turning in for the night, he delivered Wrenn’s note to Silk’s “old lady,” Ineeza. Louie and Silk have had a recent falling out. Silk had brought some extraordinarily unsavory “business associates” into the bar despite Louie’s objections. Louie describes these folks as “disturbing” and far worse than the usual thieves, gang members, and smugglers. Silk has been working as an independent broker… putting together “specialists” with clients, and helping to facilitate shady business dealings. Louie believes Silk is good at heart, but has recently taken a turn down a dark road. He also believes that Ineeza still has contact with Silk, and will do what she can to pass along Wrenn’s message.

After a simple, nourishing breakfast, the party decides to pay a visit to Mimi’s Adult Book Shop – a place that Louie has indicated is run by the Rivington Rats. He suggests that an alliance with the Rats might help them stay safe, now that they have made enemies of the jackalweres. They leave the Crooked Bar and head down the street, where they discover that the body of the slain jackalwere leader still lies on the cold wet street where he fell. They decide to take some mementos that might help make an impression on the Rats.

They knock on the door of the not-yet-open-for-business book store, and after much delay, are greeted by a gruff, sleepy older man named Roj. Roj is astonished by the gall of this group… that they should be in such need of smut this early in the morning. But Roj soon warms to his sales-clerk duties and tries to interest them in various pieces of literature… mostly poorly written bawdy stories illustrated with amateurish drawings of various creatures in compromising positions and states or partial undress. They express their interest in books that might be of value to somebody seeking entrance at Candlekeep. Roj assures them that it has been tried. The Avowed at Candlekeep see no value in such works. He does however, have one unique book that might suit their purposes… although it will be expensive. He brings forth a book from a locked cabinet behind his desk. Roj opens the book and displays the contents: a series of skillfully drawn diagrams of human female anatomy. It is far from erotic. In fact is is rather unsettlingly matter-of-fact. Anatomical features are rendered with the utmost precision, and labeled like scientific specimens. The effect is rather disturbing. Grixori realizes that the drawing style has a marked resemblance to the diagrams featured in “DU.EE Model One: Instructions and Designs for the Candlekeep Servent.” They ask Roj who did the artwork for the book, and he replies that it was done by an itinerant artist who went by the name “The EnGRAVEr.” Roj describes the EnGRAVEr as a very creepy individual. He did some work for the bookstore (which produces and prints much of their own material) but despite his talent, his work had no soul… no spark, so they let him go. The EnGRAVEer seemed content with that arrangement. He took his pay and left for the upper city, where he claimed to have more pressing business. That was several months ago and they have not seen him since.

The group takes a keen interest in purchasing this book, but they do not like the exorbitant asking price. Rather than negotiate, Roj decides to defer to his boss. He takes the group downstairs, where they are introduced to a trio of Rivington Rats. The group’s leader, Jughead, looking weary, sits in discussion with his gang-mates, a woman named Mickey, and a large half-elf named Templeton. The group relates the story of the previous night’s jackalwere encounter, and display the gruesome evidence of their victory, demonstrating to the gang members that they share a common enemy. Jughead, agreed that yes, they have a common enemy. The jackalweres are relative newcomers to Rivington, and very unwelcome ones at that. In fact, the mysterious Rio was a double agent put in place by the Rivington Rats to try and collect information about the jackalweres. Jughead laments the apparent loss of this asset, but he states that she had recently delivered some valuable information. The jackalweres call themselves the “Blood Horde” and they are part of a much larger population of jackweres which has recently blossomed throughout the Balder’s Gate area. More importantly, Rio believed that she had learned the location of their lair. She reported that the jackalweres inhabit a system of tunnels, accessible via a hole in the crumbling seawall in the western river district.

Jughead would love to be rid of the jackalweres and he suggests that now might be the ideal time to strike. If the Blood Horde has just lost its leader, they might be in a vulnerable state until a viable “beta” jackalwere should be elevated to alpha. Jughead proposes that that party should go now, and take Mickey and Templeton with them. If they can clear out the jackalwere lair, Jughead will see to it that they receive passage on a boat to the wharfs in Baldur’s Gate… thus bypassing the arduous road through the outer boroughs.

Eight strong, the group walks uncontested through the quiet morning streets of Rivington. They can see fishing boats leaving their piers and heading downriver. Small knots of workers shuffle through the cold misty morning to their jobs at canneries and mills. Reaching the water’s edge they head west, downstream toward an even more desolate part of town, characterized by abandoned warehouses, empty lots, and rubble. There is a two-tiered system of stone seawalls built to protect the riverbank from erosion. The group staggers around the rocky, weedy terrain, seeking out the entry to the jackalwere den. The finally find an area where tracks seem to converge, and they discover a gap between two large blocks of stone. Just as they are ready to examine this gap, they are beset by a group of jackals. The snarling animals lunge and snap, but they do little damage. Most are quickly dispatched. One flees, and another is taken captive. Waldo speaks to the captive, and learns that it is an actual jackal – a wild animal, not a transformed beast like the jackalweres whom they fought the previous night. Still, these jackals are thralls of the Blood Horde. The creature fears for its life, but does not wish to betray its masters. Yet, under duress, it discloses that the lair is underground, and that there is another entrance in a nearby abandoned building.

To seal the back entrance, or perhaps to smoke out the jackalweres, Waldo sets fire to the abandoned warehouse. Then they gather at the seawall to wait… hoping that the jackalweres will attempt to evacuate via the seawall tunnel. They wait and wait and finally lose patience. They decide to enter the tunnel. It is a tight passage, wending its way crookedly between walls of stone. They soon discover their way blocked by a large rock, but with some muscle and effort, they find that it can be pivoted out of the way. It opens into a small stone-walled room. In the center of the room is a rusted metal desk, bolted to the floor. Waldo pulls open a rusty drawer, and finds some old paperwork, the ink long since run together into an unreadable mess. The rear and left walls of the room have shifted out of alignment, resulting in a gap in the corner. This opening leads to a dirt tunnel leading down into darkness. The recent tracks of many feet and/or paws indicate that this passageway sees frequent use. They gaze into the darkness while they consider their next move.

The travelers continue along the road, moving steadily northward while encountering no further aggressors. Over the course of several days of travel, they discuss their plans. They are interested in finding Matreous’ sister, to share the sad news of his demise, while perhaps finding some clue as to why he might have been killed. Quae had informed Lis that Matreous’ sister lived in the Seatower neighborhood of Baldur’s Gate. Lis, a one time resident of the city, knows Seatower to be an area in the western part of the city. He himself had grown up in the temple of Kelemvor in the “Temples” neighborhood in the Upper City. Lis explains that he was in fact, cast out from his order for his “heretical” views, and members of his order would like to do him harm.

As they proceed northward on the Coast Way, the wilderness slowly gives way to occasional farmsteads and cultivated fields, interspersed with stands of trees. Not far from the Outer City, they encounter a ragged looking man in a long coat, in the company of three children. He hails the strangers and introduces himself as Scorg. He explains that he is taking his children out of the city on a camping holiday. Noticing Scale, he reminds them that Baldur’s Gate forbids animals larger than a peacock within the Upper City. He recommends that they avoid the untrustworthy stables outside the gate, because there is no telling what might befall the animal. Instead, he offers a couple of solutions in the form of potions that he has for sale. One of them will reduce the size of the beast so that it can be legally brought through the city gates. The other would turn the animal invisible so they might surreptitiously bring it through. The prices for both of these potions are too high for their liking, so they decline to make the purchase. Waldo opts to dismiss Scale for the duration of the trip to the city, sending him home with the intent that they will reunite once this journey is complete. Waldo trims a bit off wool from Scale and puts it in his pocket. He gives Scorg and his children enough rations for six meals, and then bestows the gift of a throwing stone on each of the children.  Realizing that they also have a giant rat to deal with, they release it to make its own way in the wilderness.

They move on and as the road begins to descend to the river valley, they can see the city in the distance, along with the “Outer City” settlements clustered along the road and the river.  The first such settlement they come to is the town of Rivington. This is a fairly squalid town. Many of the buildings appear dilapidated, and the people in the streets looks a bit rough around the edges. However, they don’t seem to attract any undue attention. Wrenn, having spent some time in the area decides to seek out an acquaintance, a man named Louie who runs an establishment called “The Crooked Bar.” The building which houses this inn is, in fact, crooked. Its 3rd floor is shifted off-center from the floors below it. As a result the west-facing rooms on the 3rd floor overhang the sidewalk below.

Louie welcomes the six travelers  into his place and speaks warmly to his old friend, Wrenn. Apparently they haven’t seen each other for many years. Wrenn leaves a note to their mutual acquaintance, Silk. Louie informs Wrenn that Silk has not been welcome in the Crooked Bar for some time, but his “old lady” comes in from time to time. He says he will pass the note along to her.

Lis, still in the guise of Bella Wend, goes over to speak to a couple of thuggish looking blokes who are playing cards at a table. The go by the names of Ro and Dennis. They are members of the local street gang, the Rivington Rats. The gangsters find her mannerisms peculiar, so they are on their guard, particularly when they inquire whether she is related to Archduke Wend of the Kingdom of Tethyr. “She” concocts a story that implies a close relationship to the archduke, and his farming background. They scoff at the notion that such a well-to-do, powerful individual came from farming, and they dismiss the credibility of her story. However, as she inquires about the location of any book shops, they tell her about “Mimi’s Adult Books” just around the corner, where they stock some marvelous illustrated books that she or her companions might find interesting.

As evening deepens, they ask Louie for sleeping quarters. He sends them to two vacant rooms, one on the third floor and one on the second. DU.EE, Lis, and Grixori take the room on the second floor, while the others go up to the third. They examine the third floor room and find a loose floorboard where small items could be concealed, and also a loose wall panel. Moving the panel aside reveals a space between the walls of the adjoining rooms. There is a small peephole in the wallboard of the adjacent room. Peeking through, they see a an unoccupied room similar to their own. A grey, hooded cloak lies strewn over the bed, and a wide-brimmed hat hangs on a hook near the door.

During the night, their rest is disturbed by loud footsteps and angry voices in the corridor. It is clear that a small group of aggressive individuals is making their way up to the third floor. These individuals bang their way into the unoccupied third floor room. Grabnar bars the door, and Waldo assembles a molotov cocktail while Wrenn peers the through the peephole. He observes four hairy humanoids clad in leather and spikes, tossing the contents of the room. They have doglike snouts, pointed ears, and tails, and more menacingly, each is armed with a scimitar. They slice open the mattress, yank the drawers from the dresser, and generally make a mess of the place. Shortly, the largest of the four gestures toward the room next door, and barks a command in a language that Wrenn cannot understand. The intruders abruptly head for the door, and it become obvious that they mean to continue their search in the next room.

Grabnar braces the door, and shortly he feels an sharp impact. He holds firm, only to receive a second and a third even stronger impact against the door. This has given Wrenn time to take a tactical position behind a bureau, and for the downstairs team to head out into the corridor to investigate. Eventually the door is forced open and the four bestial humanoids burst into the room. They demand to know where Rio is. Of course, none of the three adventurers have any idea who Rio is. The aggressive intruders won’t take no for an answer and the confrontation erupts into violence. Two of the assailants run for backup, only to encounter “Bella Wend” on the landing. She tries to sweet talk them, but her charms fall flat. Frustrated, she lashes out, scorching one of them with arcane fire. The attackers turn the tables and bring Lis to the ground with a sleep charm. They try to hack at his prone body, but his companions are there to defend him. They kill one of the two and drive off the other, who flees down the stairs and out toward the street.

Upstairs, Waldo tries to attract attention by dropping his molotov cocktail out the window. It smashes on cobbled sidewalk with a gout of liquid flame. Two curious gnomes come out the front door of a hostel across the street, they see the fire, and then scurry away to retrieve water. Meanwhile the invaders attempt to shove Grabnar out of the window. He is too strong for them and he holds his ground. In fact he turns their tactic against them and sends the leader out the window. He lands in the flames with a shriek and a heavy thud. Burnt and wounded, he staggers to his feet and is promptly doused by a bucket of water flung by a gnome. He limps away, but is felled by an arrow in the back, and falls dead in the street.

When the hostilities end, one of the intruders has escaped, one lies dead in the street, and two lie dead in the Crooked Bar. Wrenn rousts Louie to explain what happened. Louie, no stranger to lethal fights in this rough town, helps to dispose of the bodies. He warns that if one of them escaped, he is sure to bring back allies. These are members a gang of jackalweres who he believes to be responsible for all kinds of trouble in the area. The Rivington Rats are their sworn enemies. Louie views the Rats as protectors of the town. Yes, they are dangerous thugs, but they are Rivington’s own, and they help keep other criminal forces at bay. He suggests that making friends with the Rivington Rats might be a good idea, especially if they have run afoul of the jackalweres. For now, they decide that they should lie low and recover from injuries sustained in the fight. Louie leads them down to the cellar, where there make themselves as comfortable as possible among sacks of potatoes, beans, and flour. Louie promises not to give them up when jackalwere enforcers inevitably come seeking vengeance.

The episode begins with DU.EE at the Candlekeep gates, awaiting instruction from Gatekeeper Fentrixil Greymist. Greymist is discussing the merits of a book that has been presented to him by a Seeker – a young woman named Bella Wend. He beckons to DU.EE and kindly asks him to take the book to the Great Readers for further evaluation. DU.EE takes the book and proceeds across the Court of Air. His innate curiosity prompts him to examine it on the way to the Emerald Door. He finds that the book, entitled Mazfroth’s Mighty Digressions is an odd mess of a book. The brown leather cover is worn from time and use. The name of the book and its author, Mazfroth Gethur, are elegantly written in cursive with black ink on the first page. The care put into the front page, however, does not apply to the rest of the book’s contents. Mazfroth’s handwriting is messy and hasty, as if he couldn’t write down their thoughts fast enough. Furthermore, the book’s pages don’t all match, indicating that the author kept adding more pages. It contains a collection of eclectic essays on such subjects as divinity, the denizens of the multiverse, and the nature of magic. The book’s stitching is haphazard, and looks like it could come undone at any moment. DU.EE helpful casts Mending on the book, and several frayed threads re-knit, securing the binding more firmly.

DU.EE passes through the Emerald Door into the Inner Ward. He traverses the familiar corridors and staircases and arrives at the desk of Daral Yashenti (this name is new to you, because I could not remember the actual name of this NPC during the game). Yashenti is a master sage, and one of the Great Readers. He welcomes DU.EE and reaches for the presented book. The book abruptly bursts into a luminous sphere of ectoplasm, taking both DU.EE and the master sage by surprise. It reaches out toward DU.EE with a lashing tendril of energy. Yashenti shouts, “Egad! It’s a Gingwatzim!” He speaks an incantation and gestures toward the glowing orb, which busts with a flash and disappears into nothingness. “Confound it!” Yashenti roars, “That’s the second time that has happened this month! We need to find out why this happening! Come with me!” With that, Yashenti storms out the door and across the Court of Air with DU.EE in tow. While they walk, Yashenti explains that a Gingwatzim s a peculiar form of life created by a spell or a ritual. A Gingwatzim natural form, which they just encountered, is an amorphous sphere of ectoplasm. But it can be assigned a specific form by its creator, replicating a small nonmagical object held or worn by the creator. Whoever made this Gingwatzim must possess the original book. But why did they send this dangerous creature to the library?

Meanwhile, back in the Hearth, the rest of the group has returned to see if Lis has concluded his business with the bartender. Upon entering, they see that Little One still sits reading beside the fire in the company of Sprig. Ferdinand naps in a comfy chair nearby. At the bar, Winslow Wolcott is “in his cups,” swaying over a nearly empty “Bloody Scale.” He nods at them blearily in a vague, inebriated welcome. Momentarily, the door to the back office opens, and out steps the bartender. “Where’s Lis?” they ask, but it quickly becomes clear that this is in fact Lis himself, bearing the bartender’s likeness. Lis assures them that the bartender “Quae” is safe, and has gone “on vacation.” He suggests that masquerading as Quae, a well-known individual around the library campus, he should be able to move around freely and gain some information without arousing suspicions. He informs them that Quae has a maritime background, and a pronounced love/hate interest in sharks. The real Quae had informed Lis that Matreous was a kind, studious, individual who was studying methods to diagnose and treat curses. He had a sister in Baldur’s Gate, and Quae had suggested that Lis and his friends should find a way to notify her of her brother’s passing.

The group discusses the concerning presence of an interloper within the library grounds with an unsettling interest in DU.EE. They decide that they had better find their friend. They leave the Hearth and arrive at the gate in time to see DU.EE and a tall, grey-haired sage in conversation with Fentrixil. They approach the group, and Lis, in full Quae mode, makes himself part of the discussion. Daral Yashenti is angry about the Gingwatzims and wants to know why Fentrixil didn’t give the book a closer look. He also interrogates the seeker, Bella Wend, who stands baffled, clearly not understanding the trouble her offering has caused. The sages conclude that the girl most likely had no idea what she carried, but they want to know where she got it. She states that she purchased it from a stand in Baldur’s Gate, but she can’t remember the name… something with the word “dune” in the name? She is upset that she spent a good deal of money on the book, only to find that it is a fraud. The sages sympathize, and decide to grant her admission anyway, as they did for another seeker who found herself in a similar circumstance just a few weeks ago. A mercenary by the name of “Valor” brought in a book that turned out to be a Gingwatzim. She is still within the Candlekeep grounds, working off her admission by performing some repair work on the roof of the House of Rest.

Luvalin suggests to them that this might be the very ploy to get DU.EE out of the keep, and away from the mysterious stranger who seeks him. He encourages them to go to Baldur’s Gate and find the source of these frauds, or even better, retrieve the original books that had served as the models for these Gingwatzims. Should they prove successful, they will be rewarded for their efforts. In the meantime, he will investigate the mysterious intruder, while running interference with Zor. He feels that her interest in the death of Matreous is outside her jurisdiction and exhibits poor judgment.

They decide to leave immediately, before Zor can return. Lis drops his disguise as Quae, and instead takes on the form of Bella Wend. He makes do with what he can piece together from the spare articles of clothing he carries, trying his best to emulate the garb of a young woman from a rural, farming background. They dress DU.EE in a cloak and head east on the Lion’s Way.

DU.EE is fascinated by the outside world, especially the sights and sounds of the woods where they hunker down during the night. After a few days of travel, they come to the Coast Way. There, they turn south, and duck into the woods. This course of action is designed to put any pursuers off their track. They travel through the woods back to the north, and eventually get back on the road, headed toward Baldur’s Gate.

Along the way, they are accosted by an aggressive ratlike humanoid, and his giant rat minions. Blades are drawn and battle ensues. Grabnar is badly bitten in the thigh by a rat, but the rest of the party fares better. They dispatch one rat (it’s head becomes a gruesome hat for DU.EE.) and disarm their leader. The ratman, one Mushika, surrenders, agreesing to leave and trouble them no more. He claims to have once been a member of the Thieves’ Guild in Baldur’s Gate, but they ultimately shunned him, perhaps due to his “condition.” They take what little coin he has (Mushika is apparently a very poor bandit) and they send him on his way. He takes off running north up the road with one of his rat companions. The group subdues the remaining injured rat, healing it and trying to turn it into a steed capable of carrying a gnome.

After their tense encounter at The Hearth, the party regrouped with Little One to get more insight into the events surrounding the attack on Sprig. Little One confirmed that Sprig was back on her feet by morning, but Little One had not seen the Imp that attacked her. The conversation turned to the possible reasons why Matreous had been targeted. Ferdinan revealed that Matreous had been studying dark magic, particularly methods to diagnose and treat curses. This revelation left the group with more questions than answers.

Wrenn inquired about the whereabouts of Matreous’s belongings, but neither Little One nor Sprig knew. However, Sprig mentioned that Zor had taken Matreous’s book after his death. While the group discussed their next steps, Lis remained in the back room with the bartender, leaving the others unaware of what was happening.

The group wanted to explore the grounds further, but they learned that the morgue, where Matreous’s body was kept, was in a restricted area of the library. Wrenn left a note for Lis at the bar to inform him of their whereabouts, while Waldo humorously left some apricots as payment. With Ferdinan and Sprig staying behind to rest, the group set out again.

As they exited The Hearth, they ran into Winslow Wolcott in the courtyard. Wolcott warned the group about a man who had been asking for DU.EE, describing him as tall, bald, with dark black eyes and an unsettling presence. Wolcott admitted the stranger gave him chills. Waldo asked Wolcott to inform them if he saw the man again, assuring him that DU.EE was merely resting. When Wolcott said he was headed to The Hearth for a drink, Waldo and Wrenn decided to tail him discreetly.

Meanwhile, Grixori and Grabnar headed to a merchant named Petal to offload some goods they’d acquired in the other realm. Grixori engaged in a lively negotiation with Petal over items such as beakers, Newt Dust, Toad Bark, and Dandelion Pills. After some haggling, Grixori offered a gold-plated letter opener adorned with gems, asking for five health potions and eight gold pieces. Petal, taking a liking to this group, let them in on a little side-hustle she has been running. Since she knows many travelers to Candlekeep are denied entry for having books that don’t pass muster with the gatekeepers, she uses her contacts in the trade to procure rare books. She then sets agents on the Lion’s Way to offer her wares to those with the wherewithal to invest in a substitute book that will gain them entry. She maked a business proposition to the group, that if they travel to Baldur’s Gate, she knows a resource there where she can acquire some new stock. Grixori and Grabnar expressed their willingness to take on this errand. Petal, intrigued by their promise to bring her rare books from Baldur’s Gate, offered six healing kits, one healing potion, and seven gold pieces in return. A deal was struck when Petal brought out a Greater Potion of Healing from her cellar.

Back at The Hearth, Waldo and Wrenn followed Wolcott inside. While tailing him, Waldo came up with a clever ruse, requesting Sprig to “fetch a book” to keep an eye on Wolcott without raising suspicion. While she was gone, Waldo mixed a drink for Wolcott, a successful concoction now dubbed the “Bloody Scale.” Sprig returned with a random book, ready to take notes on Wolcott’s behavior. Waldo, clueless about her intention, was nudged by Wrenn to suggest she write her observations in Gnomish, in case the notes were intercepted.

The party reunited in the courtyard, where they shared their respective updates. Wrenn suggested they locate DU.EE to warn him about the person seeking him. However, when they arrived at the front gate, DU.EE was nowhere to be found. Fentrixel and Luvalin, the gatekeepers, informed the group that DU.EE had been sent back to the keep with a book for review.

Luvalin pulled the group aside, explaining that they were not the first to inquire about DU.EE. He warned them to be cautious, revealing that a Shadar-kai—a dark elf from the shadow realm, thought to be mere folklore—was likely the one hunting DU.EE. Luvalin advised the group to take DU.EE away from the library until the threat was neutralized. He mentioned that if DU.EE fell into the wrong hands, his soul could be corrupted. Luvalin tasked them with traveling north to Baldur’s Gate to inform Matreous’s family of his death and to seek the House of Learning. He promised to contact them when it was safe to return and assured them he would handle Zor’s inevitable objections.

Before departing, Waldo and Wrenn hatched a plan to mislead Wolcott by falsely telling him they were headed to the Two Towers. Meanwhile, Grixori and Grabnar waited at the front gate for DU.EE’s return.

Our adventure resumed right where we left off—Waldo pulling Wrenn and the Mordenkainen book from the room after a chaotic fight with magical swords. Waldo managed to stabilize Wrenn’s wounds, and DU.EE stepped in with a potion to heal him up. Grabnar, in a clumsy fashion, let go of the swords and tripped over the ropes. One sword went flying, narrowly missing Lis, while the second lodged itself in the ceiling near Grixori.

Waldo and Wrenn quickly grabbed the ropes, wrestling the swords back under control. After several strikes, Lis managed to take out one sword, and after a team effort from Lis, Waldo, and DU.EE, DU.EE finally took down the second sword—his first real victory with his book flail! To top it off, he tried to hang the mangled swords back on the wall so that Coriander and Cumin wouldn’t notice the damage. With the battle behind them, the group took a much-needed short rest.

The Discovery of Liberty

Feeling rested, the group decided to investigate the adjacent room. Waldo immediately found another Mordenkainen book—this one marked with an “E.” That’s when we realized the books spelled out “L-I-B-E-R-T-Y.” (At this point, Grabnar, Lis, and Grixori were asked to step out of the room during the session.) DU.EE, Waldo, Wrenn, and Ferdinan rushed back to the castle entrance. With a shout of “Liberty,” Waldo reopened the portal, revealing the study we had come from. Only 10 to 12 hours had passed in the real world, and the room was oddly clean, with a strange smell of something freshly scrubbed.

As we investigated, a guard burst in, calling for Zor. Things escalated quickly when Zor began interrogating us, asking about a crime that had occurred while we were gone. Matreous had been killed by the venomous sting an Imp, who also stole a page from the very book we used to enter the other realm. The Imp also attacked Sprig after killing Mataris, making the situation even more suspicious. She perhaps survived by the Imp’s venom being all but spent on the lethal dose that had killed Matreous.

We tried to explain where we had been, with Ferdinand and Sprig vouching for us. Despite this, Zor remained skeptical and ordered DuU.EE back to his work at the gate, despite our efforts to keep him with the group. (At this point, Du.ee, Wrenn, and Waldo were asked to leave the room during the session, while the other group returned)

Grabnar, Lis, and Grixori decided to have a look at the Arboretum. Lis had an interest in capturing a Faerie Dragon. He even brought a large specimen jar with him. The three entered the lush garden with a bit of caution. It wasn’t long before they heard rustling ans snickering by unseen creatures in the foliage above. Lis moved forward, when suddenly a dazzling array of flashing, colored light burst forth out of nowhere. Lis and Grabnar were temporarily blinded, and the three immediately staggered back out into the corridor, with the sound of giggling ringing out from the treetops.

The Return of Grabnar, Lis, and Grixori

As the rest of the group returned, Lis, Grixori, and Grabnar came through the portal behind us, weapons drawn and ready to fight. Wrenn quickly called them off, reassuring them there was no danger. Their arrival through the portal backed up our story in front of Zor, who finally seemed to accept our version of events. Still, she left with a warning—we were being watched.

Lis, ever curious, wanted to see how others would react to him disguised as Matreous. The group made its way to the courtyard to figure out our next steps and how to solve the mystery of Mataris’ murder.

The Hearth and the Impersonation

Waldo decided it was time to reunite with Scale, his goat, and the group headed to The Hearth to track down Little One. Waldo made a grand entrance, trotting in on Scale as if it were completely normal. We found Little One, who was relieved to see us. He didn’t have any new information about the murder, though he mentioned the body had been taken to the morgue, located in the big tower.

While at The Hearth, the bartender spotted Lis in his Matreous disguise and called him out. Matreous, after all, was dead—and Lis’ behavior, like blowing up bottles behind the bar, wasn’t helping his case. The bartender requested Lis to come to the back room behind the bar, while the rest of the party watched from the fireplace and bar. Waldo, indignant at their treatment by Zor (particularly her attitude toward DU.EE) and by the confrontational stance of the bartender toward Lis, helps himself to a bottle of ale, and sits astride Scale in a position where he hopes to overhear Lis’ interaction with the bartender.

And that’s where we ended our session. What will happen next? Will the group figure out who the real culprit is, or will Lis’ charade get them into deeper trouble?

Hey guys,

It’s been a busy week, so I’m a little slow to post session notes. JP, you might need to correct my “from memory” notes with the notes you jotted down last Monday. But here’s my summary:

Wrenn, Grabnar, and Grixori ponder the book case filled with chained, iron-bound books. After their experiences with aggressive books, chairs, and dustpans, they are leery about messing with this collection of volumes. While discussing what to do about it, they realize that there is a single un-bound book lying upon the reading stand. It is another Mordenkainen book with a fancy capital “L” emblazoned on it’s spine.

Meanwhile, Lis, DU.EE and Waldo continue contemplating the strange, illusory planetarium. Lis had pointed one of the 5 telescopes at one of the 5 bright stars glowing in the virtual firmament and found that it shone a beam of light directly at the glass orb in the center of the room, causing it to glow with refracted starlight. DU.EE examines the walls, which, when approached, appear as simple, unadorned grey slate. He finds no secret doors or anything noteworthy. However, he does hear thumping and yelling from beyond the west wall.

(I don’t remember the exact sequence or who initiated contact with the bookcase – so I’ll summarize very generally)

The group in the hidden room with the “chained library” decide to examine some of the books, and sure enough… the whole bookcase springs to life and attacks them. It lashes out viciously with heavy iron books at the ends of sturdy chains. Wrenn and Grabnar both take a thumping!

Realizing that their friends are in some kind of trouble, and suspecting that the telescopes and the glass orb might mean something, Lis and DU.EE start aligning more of the telescopes. Waldo takes off at a sprint to get up into the attic to help.

Wrenn, Grixori, and Grabnar, realizing that they are about to get pounded into jelly, wisely (and dexterously) scamper back up the rope into the attic. Meanwhile, the planetarium experiment bears fruit. The combined light beams from all five telescopes sends a beam of light that seems to not just illuminate, but to conjure a door in the west wall. They swing it open, and find themselves face to face with a furious piece of furniture. Looking up, DU.EE notices a pair of feet clambering up into a ragged hole in the ceiling.

A battle ensues. Between flaming arrows, eldritch blasts, and other attacks, the belligerent bookcase is finally smashed to bits. Scorched wood, chains and books tumble to the floor.

Investigating the wreckage, the group discovers many books written in an unrecognizable language, but using draconic characters. A couple of books written in common stand out:

A Treatise on the Ethics of Constructs, and Magic of the Rune

“Magic of the Rune” discusses how truth innately resides in written language. The most pure of words are those expressed in runes… shapes that have deeper meaning than simply codifying spoken phonetic sounds. A rune can carry power beyond words. But those truths can also be turned to acts of falsehood. There are runes of power than can be used to conduct great works of magic, when drawn with precision, care, and proper materials. A ribbon holds the place on a chapter discussing the “Magic Nullifying Rune.” It can be used to overcome some of the most powerful charms, curses, and other magical effects. The rune must be drawn on the item upon which the magic has been cast – using rare materials that must be prepared with great care. This rune in particular must be drawn using mummy brown – a rich brown pigment made from the remains of ancient mummies – mixed with an extract of Black Nocturnumbra – a very rare variety of nightshade. It must be applied with a brush made from the hair of a hellhound’s tail.
 
This book is annotated by Fystandia – describing how this rune can be placed on a book to circumvent the magic protecting it from theft in Candlekeep. Including items held within the Chamber of Lost Lore.

The explorers are all very curious about these arcane components needed for this rune, and wonder what might lie within the destroyed remnants of smashed specimens in other rooms they had encountered. Waldo casts “Detect Magic” and proceeds to lead the group through a quick review of the spaces they had previously visited. He realizes right away that this entire mansion is innately magical. There is a constant ambience of magic throughout. Perusing the specimens left behind in the alchemical lab, Grixori finds some nightshade, but not the rare species noted in “Magic of the Rune.”

Passing through the main corridor of the “ground level” they observe Cumin and Coriander dragging bits of deceased mimic out to the patio and chucking it out into the purple mist. Ferdinand is sitting in the Study engrossed in one of Fystandia’s memoirs.

Before the “detect magic” spell runs out, they decide to investigate an unopened door alongside the damaged decorative armor at the top of the stairs. The find a short corridor and two more doors. Opening the first, they are faced with a Trophy Room. The walls are decorated with the mounted heads of a peryton, a black dragon wyrmling, a stag, a wolf, and a demonic looking dog that they are certain must be a hellhound. Two crossed longswords hang above a fireplace. Waldo detects strong magic present in the swords. Lis approaches them with a pair of lariats and carefully loops them around the pommels. He runs to the door, pulls the ropes, and predictably, the swords spring to life and dart toward him. He pulls in the slack rope and slams the door, pinning the swords tight against the door jamb. Alas, Wrenn had secreted himself behind a reading chair, and although presently undetected by the angry swords, he is trapped in his hiding place.

The group outside the door discuss a great many schemes on how they can keep the swords restrained while extricating Wrenn from his predicament. Grixori takes action and climbs back up into the attic. He pries open the floor, and peers down into the trophy room. The swords strain mightily at their tethers, trying to get at him. Wrenn takes the opportunity to grab a nearby tome bearing a letter “Y” on its spine.

With the swords preoccupied with Grixori, Grabnar throws open the door and grabs each of the two sword handles before they can fly off and do any damage. Unfortunately, one of the wildly struggling swords manages a swipe at Wrenn just as he scrambles for the door. The blade connects, resulting in a grievous wound that leaves the hapless gnome prone and bleeding on the floor.

Our latest game night was packed with action and surprises as Wrenn rejoined the crew after being MIA for a few hours. His timing couldn’t have been more interesting as he walked in just as we were preparing for an unexpected battle.

The Battle Begins

Grabnar, Waldo, Lis, DU.EE, and Grixori had placed a mysterious creature in the middle of the table and were ready to light torches around it. Wrenn, bewildered by the scene, questioned the wisdom of the plan. Despite his concerns, the torches were lit, and the jar exploded, unleashing a Tasmanian devil-like creature that immediately attacked Lis and Grabnar.

After several intense rounds of combat and the creature growing in size, we managed to defeat it. To our dismay, there was no apparent reward or benefit from the battle.

Exploring New Rooms

We headed back upstairs to the study for a full rest. Refreshed, we decided to explore the adjacent room, discovering it to be a training room filled with weapons and training dummies. A broom and dustpan were innocently cleaning up, and Wrenn wisely cautioned us not to touch them. Ignoring the advice, Lis took all the weapons, and we proceeded to the 2nd floor.

The Trap Door Incident

As we approached the top of the stairs, we noticed a trap door. During our investigation, Waldo decided to return to the armory to test if the broom could fly. This curiosity led to his downfall, as the dustpan and broom attacked and incapacitated him. Ferdinan alerted us to Waldo’s plight, and we rushed back to help.

After rescuing Waldo, we resumed our trap door investigation. Grixori and Grabnar attempted to throw Wrenn through the trap door, but he failed to grab the ledge and crashed onto the armor below, revealing it to be a cheap decoration. Cumin and Coriander flew up to the attic and secured a rope for us to climb.

Discoveries in the Attic

Grabnar, Grixori, and Wrenn ascended to inspect the attic. They noticed light at the end and discovered a study with iron-bound, chained books after tearing up some floorboards. Meanwhile, Du.ee, Lis, and Waldo explored parallel rooms, finding an astrological study. Within the study, they discover another Mordenkainen-authored tome featuring the letter “T” emblazoned on its spine. The book deals with the presence of other worlds among the stars. It has complex descriptions of the movement of stars and other bodies through the heavens, and how the focusing  of starlight during certain arrangement of stars can open an array of portals into worlds. Most of this room is taken up by long wooden tables that are covered with glass vessels and books. Cabinets with glass doors line the walls, and they contain all manner of specimens. Just below the ceiling in the middle of the room, colorful globes circle each other in an intricate dance. The far wall is almost completely covered by a map of the night sky, with a golden sunburst in the center above a closed door. Most of the stars are represented by mere dots or small circles, but the five most prominent stars are rendered as blazing silver suns.

The Mysterious Orb

In the next room, they encountered an illusion or holograph of the night sky, five telescopes, and an orb. DU..EE’s curiosity led him to touch the orb, but nothing happened. Upon looking through the telescopes and focusing one on a bright star, the light projected onto the orb, causing it to glow.

And that’s where our session ended, leaving us with glowing orbs and more mysteries to unravel.

Stay tuned for the next adventure!