The Ball! Part 2
- Rachel Toner
- Mar 3, 2018
- 3 min read
The night continues on, and after a time the group notice a strangely dressed man keeping to himself in the corner of the room. Saphira addresses him and we find out that this is Lot Dod, the human with divination powers which Regius told us of. He invites us to his room to speak with us further, all but Àdus go with him. Lot addresses the group, “Some of you are already dead. There is a dark cloud hanging over this gathering. I must speak with the dwarf.” Vandal and Lot discuss the situation with the Zhentarim, as they had sent Lot to the ball to seek us out. He tells us of the East Wing Trading company and their use for slaves remaining unknown. Something is happening underneath the city. “Zerubbel sits in Solamnia at the duke's ear, he has his full attention. His interest in what lies beneath the citadel is great, we know not what he seeks only that it relates to Tiamet. The Cult of the Dragon moves silently, there is unrest in Greenest. Be warned as there will be great interest in your Dragonborn friend. She resembles those who have begun to walk the streets at night. Dragon-like creatures. Listen, friends... all has gone silent.” With this the party notice that the hubbub from the ball has stopped. Vandal and Lukas manage to push the door open, pushing a body out of the way. On opening the door we are greeted with a sea of still bodies. Dead and foaming at the mouth, including the mayor. But Bremen is not among the dead... Vorn checks the punch bowl, detecting the poison from the liquid. Lot Dod is beside himself with shock, “Bremen must have done this as he is the only one missing. The Zhentarim will be blamed as I have survived, I know what I must do. You must run as the only survivors you will be blamed. Run to the trap door under the kitchen and escape!” Adus takes off to the enclave to retrieve his gear. The group make their way to the trap door, all the while the cries of guards searching them getting ever louder. Eventually, the party all make it through the trap door, dropping into the festering waters of the sewer system below the mansion. The only way to go is forward. After what seems like an eternity of travel, the group hear a rumbling sound from behind them. The city systems have been flushed! Each of the party is able to jump and hang on to the wall as the water crashes down on them. All but Mushu who loses her footing and begins to be dragged away by the water. All the group reach their arms to grab her but Thraback is able to hold her steady until the water subsides. However, this has left Luna and Vorn sickly, with Agrippiana healing Luna but unable to help Vorn at this time. The party continue on and the water level around them beings to drop. The party comes to a 40ft drop below them, seeing refuse below. Quark helps to tie a rope a the other side, bolstered by Saphira’s levitation spell. The group is able to make their way across. As they hover above the drop, the refuse below begins to move as if sensing them... Saphira hears a voice in her head, “I am waiting for you down here... You have a long way to go...” The party quickly move on from this part of the sewer, desperate to get out. ... All the while Àdus returns to the enclave to retrieve his belongings when he is stopped by Human Cost, who questions him about the ball. The city and port are in chaos and it appears there is a fire burning down at the pier. As Àdus tries to plead with Human to let him past, Human snarls at him, “You have lost your focus, you have lost your way. You have thrown your lot in with those... people.What were you thinking? You are no longer worthy to be one of us. You are hereby stripped from the Red Wizards and not fit to wear those robes. You exist to us no longer, whatever was yours, is ours now. Be gone from me.” With that Human Cost and the Red Wizards turn from him, shutting the door in his face leaving Àdus speechless.

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