Chapter One: Shadows in Waterdeep

[eldritchknight]

Welcome all to Chapter One: Shadows in Waterdeep. We now join our heroes, who are about to go on the adventures of their lives...

15 Flamerule, Year of Wild Magic
1372 DR

Elistar

Elistar stands in the study of one of his teachers, a beautiful half elf woman named Tsarra Chaadren, one of the senior apprentices of the Blackstaff, who has resided at the tower for the last eight years.

Elistar looks around the room. It was of modest size, about fifteen square feet, and paneled in fine dark wood. A heavy oak desk sits under one of the windows, with a pair of chairs, with fine cushions from far off Amn, before the desk. Bookshelves line the walls to either side of the desk, and as you glance at them, you notice that they deal primarily with the flora and fauna of the Sword Coast North.

As you stand there before the desk, the woman who stands at the window turns to you. 'œPlease, be seated, Elistar,' she says to you, waving at one of the chairs.

'œI know that you are curious as to why I have summoned you here, and it is a simple thing, really,' she says as she comes forward and sits down in the chair behind your desk.

'œAs I am sure you know, gaining understanding in the Art is equal parts study and experience, and your studies are going very well, but I believe that it is now time for you to stretch your legs, and see the world, and with experience, gain more understanding of Mystra's Mysteries.'

'œAlso, the Blackstaff has asked that you join a group of agents being formed by House Amcathra, as requested by House Amcathra. I believe that you would be a perfect fit for the job, apprentice,' she says.

[eldritchknight]

15 Flamerule, Year of Wild Magic
1372 DR

Sanaktkhefnaktdet

Sanaktkhefnaktdet sits in his office in House Amcathra's villa in North Ward. It is a spartan office, with a desk shoved under the only window to take advantage of the morning daylight, and a bookshelf along one wall with the books that Sanaktkhefnaktdet has acquired from Lord Amcathra's library there.

He is busy writing in a book when a knock sounds at his door, and a voice call out, "Sir, Devlin has arrived,"

And that is when he remembers that he was supposed to meet one of his companions, and travel with him to the Grinning Lion just a short distance away to meet the other two members of their group.

[eldritchknight]

15 Flamerule, Year of Wild Magic
1372 DR

Tandien Swiftblade

It is a hot day in the Trade Wards district of Waterdeep, as Tandien Swiftblade steps out of his parents shop, Woodland Wares. Tandien smiles as he thinks of the new life of adventure that he is about to live, the young moon elf excited for it to begin.

Tandien moves at a quick pace through the bustling crowds of Waterdeep, listening to the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, strret urchins at play in the back alleys, and the occasional shout of anger as the hot mid-day heat gets the better of the tempers in the city.

Tandien thinks longingly of a nice cool beverage and the shaded confines of the Grinning Lion, a tavern of some repute in the North Ward, and where he is to meet his new companions, and quickens his pace.

After an hour of walking through most of Trades Ward and half of North Ward, Tandien Swiftblade stands before the door of the Grinning Lion, and his life of adventure is about to begin...

[eldritchknight]

15 Flamerule, Year of Wild Magic
1372 DR

Devlin

Devlin leaves the tavern where he was gathering information for House Amcathra, and heads toward the Amcathra villa in North Ward to meet Sanaktkhefnaktdet, the wizard that would join him and two others on some important work for the House.

It takes Devlin some thirty minutes to arrive at the villa, where the two gaurds let him in, for he is a familiar figure here at the villa. When he is in the entrance room of the villa, he sends a servant to fetch Sanaktkhefnaktdet.

[Trogdor]

Elistar

Elistar nods to Tsarra. The past several years had been filled with a great deal of scholarship. There were few places in Faerun that provided the quality of teaching that Blackstaff Tower did, and Elistar knew how fortunate he'd been to be taken on as an apprentice. Blackstaff's library alone was almost beyond description.

But Tsarra was right. He'd mastered all of the basics and was even now moving on to more and more complex magics. Yet in all these years he'd never had much of an opportunity to put any of it into practice. A few side trips, it's true. But nothing that would really challenge him. And to be honest, part of what made Khelben's training program so good was that it mixed theory and practice.

"Of course," Elistar replies with barely a pause. "It is about time to try and put your fine teaching to practice. Not that I won't miss Blackstaff Tower and all the training exercises you like to give me." He smiles at Tsarra. "But it will be nice to see how well I can cope in the field."

"So who will I be working with and when do I meet them?"

[eldritchknight]

As you are speaking, a winged cat, a tressym, flies through the window ad settles itself on Tsarra's shoulder. She reaches up to scratch the cat behind its ears, and it begins to purr.

She turns her head and looks at Elistar.

"You are to meet your compatriots at the Grinning Lion Tavern in the North Ward. There you will meet Devlin, an agent already in service to House Amcathra, and the other three members that the House has assembled. I wish you weel, Elistar, and always remember that you are welcome within the walls of Blackstaff Tower."

[DretKyrin]

Having visited the tavern a handful of times before, Tandien confidantly slips into the tavern and absorbs his surroundings. Overly excited with the thought of finally getting out on his own, the elf cannot seem to wipe the wide smile from his face. He proceeds to the bar to make an order, keeping an eye out for those he is supposed to be meeting.

"Good day!" he says to the bartender, recognizing him as a face he's seen around the city before, but unable to place the name. "Can I get an elven wine with some bread and cheese?" he asks, thinking maybe a light meal might not be a bad idea.

He continues to glance about the tavern, looking for his companions.

[Krill]

Sanaktkhefnaktdet

Sanaktkhefnaktdet finishes what he is writing, stands and looks down his nose at the servant, a very distinctive thing to do considering his nose's outstanding hook. "Thank you", he responds gruffly, and proceeds out the door to meet Devlin.

[eldritchknight]

Tandien Swiftblade

The bartender looks over at the elf, sneers briefly, and says roughly, "We don't serve no pointy-ears swill here, Pointy," the bartender snarls. "All we have is some good Waterdhavian wine, if you want that,"

As the man talks, Tandien recognizes him and puts a name to the face: Gunthor Shieldstone, one of the bartenders at the Grinning Lion, and with a bad temper and dislike of elves to match his sour disposition.

[eldritchknight]

Sanaktkhefnaktdet

Sanaktkhefnaktdet walks through the halls of Amcathra Villa, and looks over the wealth displayed in the fine tapestries that line the hall, depicting the various heroes of the house, pictures of Mourngrym Amcathra, the Lord of Shadowdale, and Regnet Amcathra, younger brother of Arilos Amcathra, who is the lord of the house.

After walking through the hall and looking at the pictures for a bit, you find yourself in the entry hall where a nondescript young man you recognize as Devlin stands.