Team Ramrod still has several hours to kill before their meeting with the drow barmaid. They discuss how best to spend it and decide to head back to the Town Hall. Inside, Nazzeth inquires about the message board post regarding the Beast of the Warrens.

Lawmaster Kolpepper tells them noises were heard in The Warrens earlier in the week. “The Warrens is what we call the sewer system here,” she explains. “Anyway, I sent a few guards to check it out. Only one returned, and he was quite injured.”

When they ask how, she only shrugs. “He was spouting off about some monster. That’s all I really know. He’s still not back from leave. If you want, you can go to the barracks where he’s staying and ask him yourself.”

They decide to do just that — at least, some of them do. Nazzeth, Dare and Mystic head South towards the barracks while Lilvari and Mercarri look for Lillian Wester’s house. Ultorin looks feverish, and instead of going with either group, heads back to The Venturer’s Tavern.

As they’re going through the market, Nazzeth, Dare and Mystic notice a human female wearing the standard turquoise robes of the church. She has a parchment in her hand, and when she tries to afix it to the side of one of the market stalls, a guard approaches. He makes her take it down. Nazzeth, Dare and Mystic move a bit closer in order to hear the conversation.

“But please,” she says to the guard, “my daughter’s been missing for nearly a ten day, and there’s been no word. Her father and I are worried sick.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Triste,” the guard says, “I truly am. We’re doing everything we can to find her. I just… I can’t let you hang bills in the market. It’s against the law.”

 It’s then that she notices Nazzeth, Dare and Mystic. Nazzeth asks her for more information about her daughter. The woman’s eyes light up. She gives them her daughter Evelyn’s description — 16 years old, short black hair, violet eyes… “And she has the most lovely, the most enchanting singing voice in the Sword Coast.” She breaks down into tears.

Nazzeth asks about the last time anyone has seen her. She tells him that it’s nearly been a ten-day — the day before the carnival left town. Nazzeth and Dare share a look. They remember watching the Witchlight Carnival procession go by on their way to Helmshold… and a beautiful voice coming from one of the wagons, singing a song so lovely that it lulled them into a near stupor. They don’t bring this to the woman’s or the guard’s attention, however.

Instead they ask her about Evelyn’s mood before she disappeared. Her mom says that her daughter’s been having a rough time of Holy Watcher Tarmikos death, and that the new Holy Watcher, Taman Cithreth, has taken a keen interest in Evelyn’s voice.

“He recognizes her talent,” she says. “He wants her to take it seriously and spend more time perfecting it. It’s been hard for her, but it’s wonderful that he thinks so highly of her, don’t you think?” Nazzeth says nothing. He promises that they’ll keep an eye out for her. The woman, who introduces herself as Evantica Triste, thanks them profusely. She hands over the parchment to Nazzeth before departing in the company of the guard.

Nazzeth, Dare and Mystic continue on to the barracks and find the guard inside. He’s extremely paranoid and begs them not to go to the Warrens. He describes the monster as having a human’s upper torso on top of a spider’s body. He claims that this creature was armed with a sword. They thank him for the information and head back North to meet up with the others. 

Reunion of Friends…

Lilvari finds the Wester residence without much trouble. It’s a lovely home, sitting on a large square of land behind a wrought-iron fence. Rose bushes line the property. She and Mercarri head to the door. It’s answered by a servant. After announcing themselves, the servant fetches Aldous Wester, a forty-something man with salt and pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He welcomes them inside. Lillian is with him. She wraps her arms around Lilvari and squeezes. 

They make a bit of small talk, Lillian asking Lilvari about her horse and the stable. Eventually, Lilvari turns to more urgent matters. She tells Aldous about their thoughts on the murders in Phandalin, how they think Griste was nothing more than a scape goat.

“That’s why we’re in Helmshold,” she says, “to uncover the truth.”  She asks a favor of him. “It might not be necessary, but if needed, could Droop stay here?”

His face whitens. He tells her about how a goblin is not welcome in Helmshold, and should Droop be found, the goblin would be immediately strung up. Lilvari says she knows. Aldous sighs and seems to turn inward for a moment before agreeing. “If you have need, Droop can stay here. I’ll keep him safe.”

He then goes on to tell Lilvari about where the hatred towards certain races began, at least where he thinks it began  — with a member of The Order of the Gauntlet who got fed up with his faction.

“Over fifty years ago, a shape-shifting succumbus worked her way through the ranks of the faithful here in Helmshold. In time, she became the church’s leader, and she turned many of the clergy into her servitors. 

“You see, after the Spell Plague, many magic-folk went mad. Where Helm’s Cathedral now stands, there used to be a place called the Sanitorium. It was dedicated to rehabilitating the ‘spell scarred’.

“The succumbus, known as Prophet Rohini, used them as sacrifices to her god, the arch devil Asmodeus. Eventually, this was found out. A great battle ensued, and Neverwinter sent The Order of the Gauntlet to aid Helmhold. With their help, the succumbus was stopped. But Javen Tarmikos, a twenty-something-year-old who was a member of the Order of the Gauntlet, was apalled. The Order of the Gauntlet knew something was amiss well before the succumbus made her intentions clear, yet they waited to act until it was absolutely proven. By then, scores of men, women and children were dead. 

“It’s said that Javen saw a sign from Helm himself. It was in the newly erected Helms Cathedral. While gazing at a symbol of Helm — the golden eye — he claims to have seen it weep. Soon after, his priests and priestesses also received their own divine signs. He created the Order of the Gauntlet, became it’s leader and swore to strike down evil before it occurs. Naturally, dozens of the surrounding orc tribes were massacred just because of their race. The same has been repeated with goblins, hobgoblins, even some mixed races. It doesn’t matter who they are. If the Holy Watcher has one of his visions about you, well, your time has come.”

Under his breath he tells LIlvari that he’s still not certain of his feelings for the new Holy Watcher, Taman Cithreth. Lilvari agrees. Being new, means he probably has something to prove. 

After partaking of a bit more conversaton and refreshments, Lilvari and Mercarri make their way back towards the Town Hall.

It’s a Dirty Job, but…

They arrive at the entrance to the Warrens — a rusted metal door at the end of a narrow alley. A nearby guard unlocks the door so they can enter. He tells them that he’s going to lock them in, and when they’re ready, just knock on the closest door or look for another guard through the many grates that line the sewer. “Someone will get you out eventually.”

Team Ramrod, minus Ultorin and Droop,  climb down a ladder to the sewer floor. A river of sludge flows between two passageways. Different sized lumps of excrement float by. The smell is awful. They head left for a time, stopping when Dare notices something. Across the sludge on the other platform sits a pile of what appears to be shit. But then it moves. His first instinct is to kill it. He fires a crossbow bolt, hitting it dead center. There’s a loud screetch as the sludge stands on hind legs. It’s not a pile of shit, but a rat — nearly three feet tall. It sucrries off, the bolt still stuck in its midsection.

They continue on until their path ends at a stone wall. An iron grate sits in the river of sludge, completely severing it from the tunnel upstream. All sorts of shit-covered ditritus is stuck against the grate. Mercarri points out something amongst the rest of the refuse — something that refracts the light of Nazzeth’s torch. Nazzeth, using mage hand, is able to pick through the waste and find a scroll case. Inside is an intact magic scroll. 

They head in the other direction, walking for several hundred yards before coming across a makeshift bridge — a few panels of wood strung together that lies across the sludge river. They barely give it a glance and continue on their way. But after a time, they find that their path is again blocked. It looks as if the bridge might be their best option.  They head back.

Dare doesn’t bother using the bridge though. He looks back to Nazzeth to make sure he’s watching. Then he takes a running long jump over the waste water. Only as he pushes off, his boot slips on the moss-covered stone. He does a face plant right into the sludge, completing going under. Liquid shit pushes its way into his mouth and up his nose. He can’t help but swallow. As fast as he can, he comes up for air and swims across the muck, pulling himself up onto the ledge. Despite the sounds of nearby rushing water, Dare thinks he can still hear Lilvari snickering. He blows poop rockets from his nose and flicks pieces of undigested corn from his armor.

Having seen what happened to Dare, Nazzeth decides to use the bridge. However,  he doesn’t check to make sure it can hold his weight. Two steps is as far as he gets before the bridge splinters. He falls in and goes under. He is, however, able to keep the sludge from entering his mouth and nostrils. 

As he’s pulling himself back up, he notices a spot on the ground that’s free of algae and moss. It’s in a wedge shape, as if it was made from the bottom of a door opening. After rising and brushing off some of the globs of excrement, he examines the wall more closely. He finds a groove. When he pushes, it opens to reveal a small room. Inside is a rotted corpse wearing robes, a few canvas bags and a door on the opposite wall. 

Searching the area, Nazzeth and Lilvari find a Necklace of Fireballs and two small jars of pigment. Strangely, behind the opposite door is nothing but a wall of dirt.

They go back out to the main area and again attempt to cross the sludge. Mystic is able to jump the gap with no problem. Nazzeth follows and makes it as well. Mercarri slips but manages to catch herself, the shit only going to the top of her boots. Lilvari refuses to try. She knows she can’t make it. Despite the rest of the group egging her on, she won’t change her mind. She and the others search their packs for other means of getting across, but there’s nothing that will help. Eventually, she casts Thunderstep and apparates inches from Dare across the sludge river. The smell of shit is so strong and so near that it stings her nose. She has to swallow to keep from vomiting. Dare turns his head, pretending not to notice. It seems as if he’s a bit embarrassed. 

The group continues on. The narrow, ten-foot passage eventually widens. A few hundred yards further in, they see more lumps of what appears to be excrement scattered across the floor ahead. There’s also  spider webs hanging from portions of the vaulted stone ceiling. They are blowing in the slight breeze cast by the flowing waste water.

Team Ramrod doesn’t wait for the sludge piles to move. Lilvari unleashes Eldritch Blast on two of them. Nazzeth casts Chill Touch at the same time. There’s the sound of screetching. Several swarms of rats scatter. The adventurers can see the rats’ fur is matted and caked with excrement. Their eyes though… their beady black eyes stare up at their attackers. Several dozen rats, having numbers on their side, start closing in.