The Cultural Unity Gala closed with Lady Nyrule vanishing with the Eye of Ubtao, and the party spent the night at The Dead Fish. The next morning Beau, the river otter of the pet shop owner Alice, led them to Critters, Creepers & Crawlers in the Harbor Ward. Enforcers had ransacked the shop and poisoned the animals, and a white-haired Gnome fled with a lockbox. The party calmed and treated the animals, found a key marked with a smiling skull, a symbol associated with Ifan Talro’a, and found a blood trail leading toward the docks.
Recap
The gavel falls
It is the night of the twenty-third of Flamerule, 1492 DR, and the Cultural Unity Gala is concluding. The party has secured the black orchid, has lost the Eye of Ubtao to Lady Nyrule, and owes Jannalor Tezim three favors.
Lady Nyrule vanishes with the Eye of Ubtao and leaves a cryptic warning: “Ubtao’s gaze dims. Pray the dark treats you kindly.”
Ekene-Afa smashes the Witchlight Cage in a rage, which frees the spirit within, and then departs with the scroll. Jannalor Tezim secures the star chart. He sneers at its mystical implications in favor of the gold it represents.
Vonara speaks briefly with Wakanga, who expresses deep concern over the gala’s outcome, and specifically over Nyrule possessing the Eye.
The party retires to The Dead Fish for an uneventful night.
The morning plea
The next morning, the twenty-fourth of Flamerule, Beau, Alice’s river otter, arrives at the tavern, chittering frantically for help. The party follows Beau to Critters, Creepers & Crawlers in the Harbor Ward.
The shop is in chaos. Enforcers have ransacked the place and poisoned the animals. A white-haired Gnome, an enforcer, flees the scene with a lockbox. To cover his escape he unleashes a mutated giant constrictor snake named Noodle.
Venom and violence
Noodle, mutated by Yuan-ti poison, thrashes violently and destroys cages. Ember, a dragonnewt, is poisoned and sprays fire at random. Ignatious, a fire beetle, leaks flame from cracked sacs. Pebble, an axebeak chick, is dying from venom. Winged cats knock over lanterns and set the shop alight.
The party neutralizes the venom in Noodle and calms her before she can kill anyone. Pebble is stabilized just in time, which saves Alice from heartbreak. Ember and Ignatious are soothed and treated, which prevents a massive fire. Kivuli, a baboon, is calmed and stops throwing debris.
The trail
With her animals safe, Alice’s grief turns to rage. She offers her last gold piece to destroy those responsible.
The fleeing Gnome has left behind a small key emblazoned with a smiling skull. The symbol is associated with Ifan Talro’a, the Merchant Prince of Beasts.
The party finds a blood trail left by the Gnome, who was likely injured by the animals. It leads toward the docks.
Aftermath
- Lady Nyrule had vanished with the Eye of Ubtao.
- Alice’s shop was ruined, but her animals were safe. She was distressed and an ally of the party.
- Ifan Talro’a was a suspect. His symbol had been found at the scene of the crime.
- The Gnome had escaped with the lockbox, and the blood trail toward the docks was still to be followed.
Appendix
Present
Taenae · Vogal · Takhesis Calva · Vonara · Glade · Inete.
References
People: Lady Nyrule · Jannalor Tezim · Ekene-Afa · Wakanga · Alice · Ifan Talro’a
Places: The Dead Fish · Critters, Creepers & Crawlers · Harbor Ward
Other: Eye of Ubtao · Yuan-ti