The Waterdeep Adventures or Kobold Soup is good eatin!

[spacehulkster]

The Key Store

“Good day gents. How can I be of help?” a large nosed gnome on stilts ask the group as they enter.
Elric surveys the room and notices no one else around. He gives Vern the all clear sign. Vern steps up just short of the counter ledge so as to view the gnome on the other side.

“Well we were hoping you could answer a few questions for us.?” Vern replies in his most diplomatic tone.

“I’ll do my best. What type of lock are we talking about?”

“The locks at the Lantern Street Orphanage, you are familiar with them?” Vern eyes the locksmith intently.

The locksmith is immediately unnerved and begins to hedge. “Aye, that I am. But what would you gents want to know about them? Their some of my best work,” he justifies.

Felix flies up above the counter, startling the locksmith, “You know of the disappearances of the children from there? Well we’re here to find out what you know!”

“Oh, my! I have nothing to do with their kidnapping, I can assure you.”

Felix’s ears prick up, “Kidnapping? Who said anything about a kidnapping? Elric did you say anything about those kids being kidnapped?”

“Come to think of it, Felix, I did not. How ‘bout you Pudge? Did you say they were kidnapped?” Elric replies.

“Nope, not me!” Pudge fixes his gaze upon the locksmith and doesn’t blink.

“Well Mr. Locksmith, seems to me you got sum esplainin to do!” Felix points an accusing finger at the gnome. “These kids were kidnapped? Are they in danger? What if something happens to them? You wouldn’t want that on your conscience, would you?” Felix tries a different approach and notices that the gnome is getting increasingly nervous.

Finally, the gnome breaks under the pressure. His eyes meet Elric’s and he nudges his head back to his right.
Elric gets the hint and notices a curtain behind the counter and moves to flank it. While the locksmith continues to ramble for time, Elric motions Pudge to come around the counter and he slips through the curtain into a back room with stairs. Pudge soon follows and notices three chest set in the middle of the room. Elric has spotted a secret door that is under the staircase. As he moves towards it, he is jumped on from above.

As this noise alerts the others in the shop area, Pudge is able to get a flanking position on the figure in dark clothing. The man’s attacks meet nothing but air, as Elric tumbles out of danger. Pudge delivers a telling blow as Carthax and Vern come in from behind the curtain.

“Who is this? Or what is this?” Pudge ask rolling the body over to see his features. The figure has no hair, gray skin and blue pupil less eyes.

“That’s one of the tall ones. He’s supposed to keep an eye on me…..

Keygan, the locksmith opens up about the “tall ones” and the “short ones”, which live in an abandoned gnomish enclave below the city. The entrance to which is beyond the secret door. How they came to him wanting skeleton keys that can open most doors in the city. They have his familiar, a pet rat, as a bargaining chip.

He soon breaks down crying, “I didn’t think they were going to kidnap children. They promised no one would be hurt. I thought they were just petty thieves.”

Milo wraps his arm around the gnome and offers comfort. “There is a priestess who can help. We are helping her investigate these disappearances. Maybe she can help you too. Let’s take you there for safety.”

While Pudge, Felix and the Elves search Keygan’s home and shop for clues, with his permission, Milo and Vern walk Keygan to Jenya’s temple.

 

[spacehulkster]

“Nice Place,” Thalez comments. “Everythings so low to the ground though!”

“Think gnome!” Valen points out sarcastically.

“Keep focus saplings!” reprimanded Elric. He was sure there were more clues to be found here. But as time passed, it was evident that there wasn’t and the gnome was probably telling the truth. He was just another pawn in a bigger game. Thoughts were going through Elric’s mind, “I must make a contact here. Someone I can count on to get the truth in matters like this a little faster!”

“I think I found something!” Felix cries out. As the rest reach him, he is in the locksmith’s bedroom, hovering above a dresser chest with the middle drawer partially out.

“A dresser?!?” questions Thalez.

“No. I found this in the middle drawer.” Felix holds up a map. “Elric, I believe there may be a trap. Would you check?” states Felix.

Elric draws near to the chest, examining it with his eyes first. Then, lowers himself to the bottom drawer, seeing that it has keyhole, he picks the lock successfully. But gently pulls the drawer open. Probing with his hands he finds a trigger. “Everyone back please. I don’t know what this will trigger.”

He follows the line to what he believes to be a catch and while holding it, he triggers the trap. A slight “chink” can be heard from above. But nothing follows.

“There is a place for a key to open this without triggering it,” he explains. Pulling the drawer open he finds a couple bound books. One is apparently the gnome’s spellbook, the other a locksmith book. He gathers them to bring back to Keygan.

The searchers gather at the entrance to the levels below. “Shall we see where these stairs lead?” Pudge asked.

Felix seconds the notion, “It would seem to be the next step!”

“No, I believe we should report that we found no other clues to the rest of the group first.” Elric replies.

“Is something troubling you my friend?” Pudge ask, trying to discern why Elric’s gaze was so downcast.

Elric manages a smile, “Nothing, just trying to fit the pieces together.”

“That’s what I let Vern handle,” came Pudge’s response.

 

[spacehulkster]

Reunion

The search party makes it back to Blackstar Inn, where Milo and Vern sit on high chairs at a table drinking. “Pudge,” Vern motions for them to come over. “The Inn-keeper said that a cat-like looking bugbear was by asking for you. Would this be your friend Basti you’ve told us so much about?”

For the first time in a very long time, Milo saw Pudge’s face light up. A smile wider than any human could muster. He sat back smoking his pipeweed Carthax had hooked him on and enjoyed in Pudge’s excitement.

“Yeah, that would be him. I told you he didn’t look like most bugbears because of his half-human lineage. Did he say where to find him or leave a message?” Pudge said with enthusiasm to see his old friend.

“You’d better ask the inn-keeper,” Vern encourages. Pudge left straight away. Vern notices Elric wry smile, “Basti’s your friend too, not excited to see him?” he ask.

“Yes, it will be nice to talk with him,” Elric responds hiding his true intentions for wanting to see Basti.

After a few hours of listening to Pudge tell the stories of how him, Elric and Basti had become friends, the group (especially the young elves) were glad to see him enter the bar. The stories were nice, but I bet you had to be there to appreciate them more, they thought.

Little by little the group grows smaller in size, as one by one, party members leave for bed, leaving just the three of them to talk. At one point during the evening, Pudge gets up to relieve himself and order more ale, Elric uses this opportunity to talk discreetly with Basti.

“Basti, you’ve been here some eight years now correct?” he ask.

“That I have!” comes Basti’s slurred response. In drinking contest with Pudge, Basti could never outlast him, but he always gave it a good shot.

Oblivious to Basti’s condition, Elric continues, “I need to make some contacts here in Waterdeep. Good contacts, of the information type.”

“I can give you information, belch! I’m starting to get dizzy, whoa!”

“Basti quit fooling, I’m serious. Now pay attention. Do you know anyone in….” he motions with his hands. Intricately signing, Basti tries hard to watch and make sense of the gestures, but his head just keeps bobbing around. Frustrated, Elric continues, slower and emphasizes key gestures. Slowly, Basti mimics the hand signals and a bell goes off in his head, “Oh! Those contacts. I know a few,” he blurts out, drawing the attention of a few customers. Elric quickly grabs Basti’s hands to stop him from further signing and smiles courteously at other patrons staring at them.

Basti leans in and in a slur whispers, “Decided to continue your trade, aye elf?! Yeah, I know of some one, buts this is dangerous business here in Waterdeep. Thieving is not tolerated here, if’n your caught!”

“I don’t intend on thieving. We need information and I don’t need Milo finding out about where we get it, got it?”

“Understood. I will do what I can, but I can’t promise anything. I know a few people that know people. It usually cost something Ell. You willing to take the risk?” Basti was fading, but still raised is mug and took a large gulp.

Elric looked hard at Basti, thinking he had no choice. He had to link Patch’s information of “The Last Laugh” thieving guild with Keygan’s shop. He could think of no other choice, “yes, I’ll take the risk.”

Pudge wandered over with another gallon pitcher of ale, “Hey you two look pretty serious. What’s the banter ‘bout?” Pudge took his seat next to Basti and filled all three of their mugs, “I see you finished yours, Basti. You’re only three down from me now.”

“awe it wasn’t much,” he slurred grabbing his mug. Then he leans to the side, his head comes to rest on Pudge’s shoulder and he gives Elric a wink, “Elric wants me to find him some friends!”

Pudge gets a wry smile, looks over at Elric, “Feeling frisky are we Ell?” The two half-breeds bust out in laughter as Elric turns three shades of red.