W:DH Week 16 – Romancing the Stone

Seated in the viewing booth with Jumanji, Tobby, and Cromley, I got the uncomfortable sense that something was off.  I knew the Harpers wanted to disguise the identity of the priest, but the goat-head mask seemed a bit much.  The priest brandished a weapon and then killed a child with it.  Have the Harpers gone insane?  I’m not sure how I kept myself from beating my way through the glass. I could sense the outrage from the other occupants in the booth as well.  We watched in stunned silence as the questions were asked.

Usrtul refused to answer any questions about the specific identities of his employers.  He confirmed that he was following Dalakhar, intent on stealing the Stone before it was delivered to us.  He retrieved it after the fireball and went to the Gralhund Villa.  The Gralhunds double crossed Urstul and gave the Stone to the Nimblewright.  The confrontation at the villa ensued, and Urstul followed the Nimblewright to get the Stone back.

As we were leaving the ceremony, Cromley punched Barrage in the face.  I felt no need to step in here. I wanted answers too.  After Cromley left, Barrage introduced us to the recently murdered child – alive and well.  It was all an act to ensure Cromley’s silence.  I understand the logic of the ruse, but do not care for it.  We invited Cromley to a ceremony run by those we are allied with.  While we mentioned no name, Cromley must now think we have an affiliation with a cult of some sort.  One problem solved, and another created.

We returned to our manor and found that Shava had attuned to the Stone.  It seems that the thing is intelligent.  Shava was conversing with it, trying to gain information about the Neverember treasure.  She learned that the vault is protected by an ancient dragon.  This dragon apparently also carries Aghairon’s staff.  The Stone then went silent.  Apparently, it can only talk for short intervals between periods of rest.

While discussing this, we realized that Jumanji’s house-guest was one floor above us, and had possibly heard everything we had just discussed.  Tobby snuck upstairs and snatched a journal from the woman’s hands as she was writing in it.  He was back with us before she could even react.  And react, she did.  Luckily, Jumanji defused the situation, and she returned to her room.  The only one among us that could read the journal was Jumanji, and he said that the entries that mentioned us were less than flattering.  We discussed it, and decided she needed to leave in the morning

Shava, having waited an hour, started speaking with the Stone again.  It now insisted on being referred to as, “Your Highness.”  This cannot be a good sign.  The Stone spoke of three keys needed to enter the vault.  The 1st is the freshly severed hand of a Drow.  The 2nd is an unerring rendition of the Dwarven drinking song, “Your Bearded Face.”  The 3rd key is having a beholder present.  If these are indeed the keys to the vault, we have our work cut out for us.  Are they really the keys though?

The next morning Jumanji found his house guest dead in her room.  She appeared to have been strangled.  We need to stop producing dead bodies in our manor.

Boaz made his way to the performer’s guild to learn about the Dwarven song needed for the vault.

Tobby and I went to the Yawning Portal to ask Volo about Emek Frewn.  We learned that the man attempted to hinder Volo’s efforts to purchase Trollskull manor, and later tried to drive him away.  We should be able to find the man at his place of business – Frewns’ Brews.  I think we should pay him a visit.

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