Session 32, Eyes Wide Shut

The party stepped through a flickering magical portal set into the stone wall of the Thayan embassy in Waterdeep, emerging moments later into a vast receiving hall in the city of Eltabbar. Blackstone columns rose into vaulted arches overhead, crimson lanterns burned between them, and cargo crates hovered silently above polished floors inside circles of faint red light. Clerks moved briskly between desks, and through enormous archways beyond, the gray-blue waters of Lake Thaylambar shimmered in the morning light. It was, unmistakably, a customs facility — and it was entirely business as usual.

A young brown-haired official named Mira Venn approached the group with a clipboard and began the intake process, requesting that each traveler declare their magical items, extraplanar spaces, familiars capable of independent speech, and any other noteworthy capabilities. Séantal produced a pre-prepared, itemized note card listing every relevant belonging — including their wand of the war mage, wand of secrets, and familiar — which left Mira genuinely delighted, as such preparedness was apparently quite uncommon. The rest of the party scrambled to catch up, with Velessa producing an increasingly staggering inventory from her leotard, which functioned as a bag of holding: a rope of mending, several scrolls, two magical swords, a pistol, a pearl, a silver pin, sending stones, a necklace of teleportation, a hair tie of awareness, a potion of healing, and her familiar Quillbit, among other things. Yona, meanwhile, quietly sought Séantal's advice on how to describe her draconic patron without revealing too much to the Red Wizards, settling on the technically truthful description of "draconic in nature." When Mira had recorded everything she could manage, the document burst into red flame, signaling the end of the process.

Shortly after, a second woman arrived to relieve Mira — Tazira Imravel, younger sister of the party's contact Saresha, assigned as their handler and guide due to the family connection. She was organized, sharp, and immediately launched into an orientation on Thayan law, which she described as extensive, contradictory, and enforced largely on vibes. The first and most important rule: only Red Wizards may wear red, a law so strictly enforced that Tazira herself carried a legal certificate for her own dark wine-colored outfit, officially registered as "Violet Brown." Velessa, whose wardrobe consisted almost entirely of black and red, was dismayed to learn that even her red eyeliner was inadvisable. The group also learned that a Red Wizard's command must be obeyed, that disrespecting one was considered treason, and that Red Wizards possessed broad authority to impose immediate punishment — fines, imprisonment, or worse — without needing to involve any other authority. Tazira noted that the party's status as invited guests of Zulkir Szass Tam might discourage most wizards from pressing the issue, but it offered no legal immunity. They had the evening to explore Eltabbar before their meeting with the Zulkir at midday the following day.

Tazira's first stop was Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments in the Bazaar Ward, a prestigious tailoring house that would not sell red garments to anyone who was not a known Red Wizard. The proprietor, Wynston Wrynn, was a tall and bombastic man who greeted the group with theatrical enthusiasm and performed rapid, non-magical alterations with impressive skill. Velessa selected a purple jacket from the rack and Wynston prepared a lengthy legal certificate detailing the specific dyes used to prove the garment was technically purple and not the forbidden crimson. Throughout the visit, Séantal grew quietly suspicious of Wynston's prying questions about where the party was from, where they were staying, and what business had brought them to Eltabbar — the questions were peppered casually throughout the conversation, but taken together, they painted a picture of someone trying to gather information.

From the tailor's shop, Tazira led the group through the Bazaar Ward toward a Bezantur-style restaurant for a midday meal. Along the way, a scuffle broke out between two shopkeepers over prices, drawing the attention of a nearby Red Wizard. Tazira immediately intervened, switching into a practiced, disarming charm that had the wizard laughing within moments and walking away entirely satisfied that nothing of interest had occurred. She then turned to the merchants and quietly settled the dispute herself. The party watched, impressed, as she rejoined them without a word of explanation. At the restaurant, the group settled around a table laden with heavily spiced dishes — saffron goat curry, vindaloo, black pepper lamb, and nearly everything else on the menu, thanks to Yona's enthusiastic approach to tasting everything — accompanied by a bottle of wine that Tazira ordered for the table. Over the meal, the conversation turned to the ritual they had come to perform: the Lawful Draw, which would sever Szass Tam's contract with the god Bane. Tazira admitted she had complicated feelings about it, but believed it was a step in the right direction. Séantal reflected that while freeing Szass Tam from Bane's influence was dangerous, allowing a god of tyranny to direct one of the most powerful necromancers in the world was arguably more so. Before the meal concluded, a server leaned in and whispered something to Tazira, and the restaurant quietly covered the entire bill without explanation.

It was during this exchange that Velessa noticed something. The server had made a deliberate gesture — two fingers pressed near the corner of her eye socket, dragged quickly across — and Tazira had responded with what appeared to be the same motion, disguised as brushing hair from her face. Curious and emboldened, Velessa mimicked the gesture openly at the table, asking what it meant. Tazira grabbed her hand and slammed it to the table, her composure cracking for just a moment, and insisted they leave immediately. She said nothing more until they were well away from the restaurant, and even then, her nerves only gradually settled as they moved on through the city.

The party passed through the Mages' Ward, where imposing architecture and magical wards made the Red Wizards' dominance feel absolute. A wizard was openly bullying a street cleaner for sport, and not a single bystander so much as glanced in their direction — the studied indifference of people who had learned that looking was dangerous. Signs of a recent magical duel were still visible on the street, with non-magical laborers forced to clean up the wreckage. From there, Tazira led them into the Workshop Ward, an industrious district packed with alchemical labs, scriptoriums, and magical shops of every description. The party visited Peri's Arcane Emporium, owned by the Red Wizard and artificer Peri Po, a warm and flirtatious woman who immediately took a liking to Velessa and pinched her cheek in greeting. Peri showcased her specialty — spell-fueling armors etched with intersecting arcane ruins that enhanced a caster's power and allowed them to recover expended magical energy after a short rest — as well as a variety of other curiosities, including a ring that enhanced the wearer's ability to discern truth, a bracelet that could transform into a ranged weapon and produce its own ammunition, and trick weapons disguised as mundane objects like quills or spoons. Velessa purchased the ring and expressed interest in returning for a custom commission, while Séantal inquired about armor that could automatically trigger a protective magical effect at the start of combat, and Peri agreed to prepare a quote. Before they left, Peri mentioned that the title of Red Wizard could be earned through sponsorship and apprenticeship — not just birthright — a detail that lingered in Velessa's mind as they departed.

The final ward they passed through was Eltab's Ward, the poorest district in the city. The streets narrowed, the stone gave way to cracked plaster and patched timber, and laundry hung between the buildings. Market stalls shrank from luxury goods to vegetables and repaired tools. Tazira had just begun to explain the local tradition of "closed eyes" — the survival strategy of pretending not to see trouble that didn't concern you — when a Red Wizard enforcer was spotted roughing up a fruit merchant, knocking over part of his stand and demanding three weeks of payment the merchant insisted he had already made. The bystanders around them became intensely interested in their own business, looking anywhere but at the confrontation. Then Tazira turned on her heel and walked straight toward the enforcer. She tapped him on the shoulder, produced a series of documents from her binder, and methodically dismantled his authority using the merchant's employment contract, Imravel family subcontracting agreements, and the threat of a formal commercial dispute review by the guild. The enforcer released the merchant with a growl and a promise that it wasn't finished. Tazira replied simply that next time, he should bring paperwork. As the merchant backed away, he made the same two-fingered gesture Velessa had noticed at the restaurant, and Tazira subtly returned it, disguised once again as brushing hair from her face. Velessa bought a mango from the merchant's stall for a gold coin in quiet solidarity, though she found the fuzzy skin deeply unpleasant and handed it off to Yona almost immediately.

That evening, Tazira brought the group to the Crystal Ball Inn in the Lower Ward, a modest establishment run by a large, friendly man named Syle Gur, who was clearly a trusted friend. Tazira covered the party's tab, and the night dissolved into generous pours of wine, mead, and whatever the green bottle was that Velessa had pointed at. Velessa summoned her familiar Quillbit to share in the feast, fulfilling a standing contractual obligation between them — Quillbit immediately tackled the leg of lamb off the table, sending it crashing to the floor, and devoured it there without ceremony. Velessa poured the imp a shot of vodka from a thimble, which, from Quillbit's perspective, was roughly the equivalent of a pint glass. Most of the party ended the evening thoroughly drunk, with Séantal having been caught off guard by the wine, and Tazira quietly nursing her own drink and watching the group with something between amusement and exasperation.

When the party had been herded upstairs to their rooms, Tazira secured the doors and windows and finally dropped her professional composure. She told them to stop using the hand gesture they had seen — it was the signal of the Open Eyes, a resistance network operating in cells throughout Eltabbar. Where the Closed Eyes survived by pretending not to see, the Open Eyes survived by making sure that somebody did. Tazira was a member. The network moved information, hid people, stole spell components, and interfered when someone powerful decided someone less powerful was disposable. She admitted she had complicated feelings about the party's mission, but believed that separating Szass Tam from Bane was likely a step in the right direction — a view that had apparently been the source of the rift between Saresha and her former partner, Maelra, who had believed the ritual would be a mistake. Tazira had never approved of that relationship. She had told Saresha as much. Before she let the group sleep, she offered one final, quiet warning: Szass Tam might treat them fairly. He might have told them the truth. He might keep every promise he had made. But no matter how polite he was when they met him the next day, they should remember who he was.

Last we left off, our party stepped through a shimmering portal from the Thayan embassy in Waterdeep and emerged into the heart of Eltabbar — a city where power is worn on the sleeve, quite literally in crimson. They navigated a customs intake that was equal parts bureaucratic theater and genuine threat, declared their considerable magical arsenals to a delighted young clerk named Mira Venn, and were handed off to Tazira Imravel — sharp, composed, and carrying more legal documents than most lawyers — who served as their guide through a city governed by laws that were extensive, contradictory, and enforced largely on instinct. The day took them through the Bazaar Ward, where a tailor named Wynston Wrynn outfitted Velessa in a legally certified purple jacket and asked rather too many questions, through the Mages' Ward, where the studied indifference of the populace spoke louder than any law, and into the Workshop Ward, where the artificer Peri Po charmed the group with spell-fueling armors, trick weapons, and the quietly significant revelation that the title of Red Wizard could be earned — not merely inherited.

Through it all, Velessa's sharp eyes caught something the rest of the city had learned not to notice: a two-fingered gesture, passed between Tazira and a restaurant server, and again between Tazira and a fruit merchant in the impoverished Eltab's Ward — a merchant Tazira had just defended from a corrupt enforcer using nothing but paperwork and nerve. When Velessa mimicked the gesture openly at the table, Tazira's composure cracked for the first and only time that day.

That evening, settled into the Crystal Ball Inn with wine, mead, a leg of lamb claimed entirely by Quillbit, and a green bottle of uncertain origin, Tazira finally let the mask slip. She told them the truth: the gesture belonged to the Open Eyes, a resistance network threading quietly through Eltabbar's wards, and she was one of them. She spoke of Szass Tam's invitation, of the ritual to sever his contract with Bane, and of the fracture it had caused between her sister Saresha and a former partner who had believed the whole endeavor a mistake. And then, before she let them sleep, she offered one final warning — that no matter how gracious the Zulkir proved to be when they met him at midday, they should not forget, not even for a moment, exactly who he was.

Through a portal they stepped, east-ward bound, To a customs hall, red-lantern crowned. Séantal's note card Left the clerk off-guard — Most prepared traveler she'd found!

Now Tazira arrived, sharp and neat, With a binder and law-talk complete. "Don't wear red," she said, "Or you'll end up dead — And that eyeliner? Please, off the street."

Through the wards of Eltabbar they strode, Past a tailor who fished for their code, And a wizard who preened, While the street-cleaner cleaned Up the duel-wreck left in the road.

At the inn, Quillbit tackled the lamb, And Velessa poured vodka — a dram! The party got sloshed, Their good judgment squashed, While Tazira watched, cool as a clam.

Then she told them of Open Eyes' sign, Of resistance that ran down each line Of the city's dark seams — "Szass Tam's polite," she said, "it seems — But remember whose table you dine."

Hearke well, ye souls of wandering kind, Who stepped through flame and left the West behind; To Eltabbar's great hall of stone they came, Where crimson lanterns burned like captured flame.

A clerk did greet them, clipboard held with care, And Séantal's note card left her standing there In wonder bright — for none had come prepared With such a list of all the things they beared.

Through Bazaar Ward the tailor Wrynn did pry, With questions soft and a too-curious eye; And Tazira, sharp as any blade, did guide Them past the Mages' Ward with practiced stride.

In Eltab's Ward, where cracked plaster told Of lives made small by those who wielded gold, She faced the enforcer with naught but law, And sent him off with fury in his maw.

At last, the inn — the wine, the lamb, the night — And Tazira spoke of those who kept the light: The Open Eyes, who dared to see and say, And warned them well of who they'd meet next day.

When last we left our intrepid disaster ensemble, they had just teleported into a Thayan customs hall — because nothing says "we've thought this through" like voluntarily walking into the bureaucratic heart of a necrocracy. Velessa produced what can only be described as a Mary Poppins bag full of weapons, scrolls, and one (1) imp from her leotard, Séantal handed in a pre-prepared itemized list like the teacher's pet they absolutely are, and Yona described her god as "draconic in nature," which is technically true in the same way that describing a house fire as "warm" is technically true. Their handler, Tazira, then spent the entire day shepherding them through a city where wearing the wrong shade of red is literally treason, defusing a wizard confrontation with the power of charisma, and defending a fruit merchant with a binder full of subcontracting agreements — all while carrying the secret that she's part of an underground resistance network, which she only revealed after getting the party sufficiently drunk on mystery green bottle wine.

And now, with Quillbit passed out next to a demolished leg of lamb, most of the party nursing what will certainly be a productive hangover, and a meeting with one of the most powerful undead necromancers in the world scheduled for tomorrow at noon, things are going great. Totally fine. No notes.

Dramatic — Tazira

Next time, bring paperwork.

Context: Coolly dismissing a Red Wizard enforcer after burying him in bureaucratic documents to stop him from extorting a fruit merchant

Funny

Séantal hands the customs official a pre-prepared itemized note card listing all their magical belongings, leaving the official delighted and the rest of the party scrambling.

Context: While the rest of the party fumbled through their declarations, Séantal had come fully prepared with a neat itemized list

Funny — Velessa

It's a little lighter than well, yeah, it's three instead of her four.

Context: Holding up a purple jacket she selected from the rack, comparing its shade to Tazira's legally certified 'Imravel Wine Number Four' outfit

Dramatic

Velessa mimics the secret 'Open Eyes' hand gesture in public, causing Tazira to grab her hand and slam it to the table, hissing that they need to leave immediately.

Context: Velessa's curiosity about a secret resistance signal nearly exposed the entire group in the middle of a restaurant

Funny

Quillbit tackles a leg of lamb off the table, sending it crashing to the floor, and proceeds to devour it entirely on the ground.

Context: Velessa summoned her imp familiar to share in the feast at the inn, fulfilling their contractual obligation in the most chaotic way possible

Intriguing

Tazira reveals she is a member of the 'Open Eyes' resistance, explaining that while the 'Closed Eyes' survive by pretending not to see, the 'Open Eyes' survive by making sure somebody does.

Context: After ushering the drunk party to their rooms, Tazira secured the doors and windows before dropping her professional facade

Dramatic — Tazira

Just remember who he is, no matter how polite he is.

Context: A quiet, serious warning to the party about Szass Tam on the eve of their meeting with the powerful necromancer

Intriguing

Tazira reveals that Saresha and Maelra Szandru broke up over a disagreement about the ritual — Maelra believed separating Szass Tam from Bane would be a mistake.

Context: A surprising revelation that recontextualized the rivalry between Saresha and Maelra as ideological rather than purely personal

1. Arrival at Eltabbar Customs

The party steps through a portal from Waterdeep and arrives at a massive Thayan customs facility to begin their mission for Szass Tam.

Key events

• The party steps through a flickering magical portal set in stone in the wall of the Thayan embassy at Waterdeep.
• They emerge into a vast hall in Eltabbar featuring blackstone columns, crimson lanterns, hovering cargo crates, and brass-railed inspection stations with views of Lake Thaylambar.
• A customs official named Mira Venn approaches the group with a clipboard to begin the intake process.
• The party is asked to declare all magical items, extraplanar spaces, familiars capable of independent speech, and magical capabilities.
• Séantal provides a pre-prepared itemized list of his belongings, including his wand of the war mage, wand of secrets, and familiar, which Mira finds delightful and uncommon.
• Velessa declares an extensive list of magical items, including her leotard which functions as a bag of holding, a rope of mending, various scrolls, her black moon sword, a pistol, and her familiar Quillbit.
• Yona seeks advice from Séantal on how to declare her draconic patron without revealing too much to the Red Wizards, settling on describing it as 'draconic in nature.'
• Mira records the party's declarations before the document bursts into red flame, signaling the completion of the process.
• Tazira Imravel arrives to relieve Mira and introduces herself as the party's assigned handler and guide, noting she was assigned due to their connection with her sister, Saresha.

2. Orientation on Thayan Law

Tazira provides the party with a stern briefing on the complex and often arbitrary laws governing Eltabbar.

Key events

• Tazira explains that Thayan law is extensive, contradictory, and largely enforced based on the 'vibes' of those in power.
• The party is warned about the first law: only Red Wizards may wear red, a rule so strictly enforced that Tazira carries a certificate for her own wine-colored outfit, legally registered as 'Violet Brown.'
• Velessa questions the legality of her own red eyes and eyeliner, while the group debates whether accidental bleeding could be considered a violation.
• Tazira details the second law: a Red Wizard's command must be obeyed, with higher-ranking mages taking precedence, determined largely by 'vibes.'
• The party learns that Red Wizards are drafted from children with magical aptitude and put into specialized training programs.
• Tazira warns that disrespecting a Red Wizard is considered treason and that they have broad authority to impose immediate punishment, including fines, imprisonment, and forced labor euphemistically called 'rehabilitation.'
• A warning is given regarding the strict laws governing magical practice by non-Red Wizards, especially for destructive or experimental spells.
• The group is informed that ordinary crimes like theft and assault are illegal but enforced inconsistently compared to offenses against Red Wizards.
• Tazira explains that Red Wizards act as judge, jury, and executioner for those who refuse to pay fines.
• Tazira mentions the party will have the evening to explore Eltabbar before their meeting with Szass Tam at midday the following day.

3. A Visit to Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments

The party visits a high-end tailor in the Bazaar Ward to acquire new clothing that complies with Thayan color restrictions.

Key events

• Tazira leads the party to Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments, noting that the shop will not sell red garments to anyone who is not a known Red Wizard.
• The party meets Wynston Wrynn, a tall, bombastic, and highly skilled tailor who greets them enthusiastically.
• Velessa expresses her need for an outfit that avoids 'illegal colors,' lamenting that most of her wardrobe is black and red.
• Wynston questions the party about their origins, learning they hail from Menzoberranzan and Baldur's Gate.
• Velessa reveals that her mother is currently leading a military occupation of Baldur's Gate.
• Séantal explains they are in Eltabbar to perform a personal favor for Zulkir Szass Tam.
• Velessa accidentally picks up an apron from a rack, mistaking it for a skirt.
• Velessa selects a purple jacket, and Wynston prepares a lengthy legal certificate of authenticity detailing the specific dyes used to prove the garment is not red.
• Wynston performs rapid, non-magical alterations on the party's new clothing with impressive dexterity.
• Séantal rolls an insight check and becomes suspicious of Wynston's prying questions regarding their lodging and business in the city, noting the questions seem designed to gather information.

4. A Stroll Through the Bazaar Ward and Dinner

The party explores the Bazaar Ward, witnesses a tense confrontation between shopkeepers and a Red Wizard, and enjoys a heavily spiced Bezantur meal with Tazira.

Key events

• Tazira leads the party out of Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments and into the bustling Bazaar Ward.
• Velessa notices a beacon of light in the distance, which Tazira explains is likely related to Mythrellaa, the Zulkir of Illusion, who resides in Eltabbar.
• A scuffle breaks out between two shopkeepers over prices, drawing the attention of a nearby Red Wizard.
• Tazira intervenes, using her charm and 'customer service mode' to de-escalate the situation and send the Red Wizard on his way.
• Tazira explains her talent for talking people down and reveals she was born in Bezantur.
• The party discusses the upcoming ritual to free Szass Tam from his contract with Bane, expressing mixed feelings about the potential political fallout.
• Tazira invites the party to a Bezantur-style restaurant for a meal, offering to pay for the group.
• The group arrives at a nice outdoor diner filled with the scent of spices, and Tazira orders a bottle of wine for the table.
• Séantal asks for the spiciest food available, while Velessa orders saffron goat curry and flatbread, and Taliya orders the vindaloo.
• Yona decides to order everything else on the menu to ensure the group can taste every dish.
• Tazira questions the party about their thoughts on the 'Lawful Draw' ritual and the goal of breaking Szass Tam's contract with Bane.
• Séantal reflects on the danger of gods taking advantage of mortals and the potential for Szass Tam to go rogue once freed.
• Velessa playfully offers herself as a 'pillow' for Tazira to nap on, prompting Tazira to note her sister would be jealous.
• A server whispers a secret message into Tazira's ear, and the restaurant covers the party's bill without explanation.

5. A Secret Language Revealed

Velessa notices a secret hand gesture exchanged between their guide and a waitress, leading to a tense departure from the restaurant.

Key events

• Velessa rolls a natural 20 on an insight check and observes a waitress performing a specific gesture with two fingers near her eye socket while whispering to Tazira.
• Velessa mimics the gesture openly, asking what it means, causing Tazira to grab her hand and slam it to the table, insisting they leave immediately.
• Tazira becomes visibly anxious as they leave the restaurant, though she regains her composure as they move on.
• Velessa offers to teach Tazira Drow sign language in exchange for learning the local secret signals, which Tazira deflects by calling it a 'date' for later.

6. Walking Through the Wards

The party travels through the Mages' Ward and into the Workshop Ward, observing the harsh social dynamics of Eltabbar.

Key events

• The party passes through the Mages' Ward, witnessing a Red Wizard bullying a street cleaner while bystanders pointedly look away.
• Velessa compares the oppressive atmosphere of Thay to her home city of Menzoberranzan.
• Signs of a recent magical duel are visible, with non-magical people forced to clean up the mess.
• The group enters the Workshop Ward, an industrious district filled with magical shops, scriptoriums, and alchemical labs.
• The party discusses the nature of sentience regarding undead and golems.
• Velessa expresses interest in finding a scroll shop to bolster the party's magical capabilities.

7. Shopping at Peri's Arcane Emporium

The party visits the magical shop of Red Wizard Peri Po, browsing specialized Thayan enchantments and discussing custom commissions.

Key events

• Velessa immediately begins flirting with the shopkeeper, Peri Po, who welcomes the group warmly and pinches Velessa's cheek.
• Peri Po showcases her specialty: Spell Fueling Armor etched with arcane ruins that enhances spell damage and allows casters to recover expended spell slots after a short rest.
• The group discusses the tactical advantages of the armor, particularly how it would benefit a mage casting numerous magic missiles.
• Peri Po describes other curiosities, including a Ring of Candor and a Sniper's Bracelet that transforms between jewelry and a ranged weapon.
• Trick weapons are also displayed, capable of transforming into mundane items like quills, spoons, or hairpins.
• Velessa inquires about converting her pistol into a sniper's bracelet to make it easier to draw from her leotard.
• Séantal expresses interest in custom armor that could automatically trigger protective magic at the start of a conflict, and Peri Po agrees to prepare a quote.
• Peri Po reveals she is a Red Wizard and an artificer, explaining that the title can be earned through sponsorship and apprenticeship rather than just birthright.
• Velessa purchases a Ring of Candor and discusses the possibility of future custom orders.
• Peri Po gives Velessa headpats and bids the group a friendly farewell.

8. Confrontation in Eltab's Ward

The party traverses the impoverished Eltab's Ward, where Tazira intervenes in a Red Wizard's extortion of a local merchant and reveals her membership in a secret resistance group.

Key events

• The party enters Eltab's Ward, noting the shift from luxury to cracked plaster, patched timber, and laundry hanging between buildings.
• A Red Wizard enforcer is seen harassing a fruit merchant, knocking over part of his stand and demanding three weeks of payment despite the merchant having already paid.
• Tazira explains the 'Closed Eyes' tradition, where citizens survive by ignoring trouble that does not directly concern them.
• Tazira intervenes in the extortion, producing a series of bureaucratic documents from her binder that invoke Imravel family contracts to force the enforcer to back down.
• The enforcer releases the merchant and growls 'this isn't finished,' to which Tazira replies 'next time, bring paperwork.'
• The merchant uses a secret hand gesture—two fingers to the eye—to acknowledge Tazira without speaking.
• Velessa buys a mango from the merchant for a gold coin to support him, though she finds the fruit's fuzzy skin and taste unpleasant and gives it to Yona.

9. A Night at the Crystal Ball Inn

The party settles into the Crystal Ball Inn, where Tazira reveals her membership in the 'Open Eyes' resistance and warns the party about Szass Tam.

Key events

• The party arrives at the Crystal Ball Inn and meets Syle Gur, the large proprietor and a friend of Tazira.
• Tazira covers the party's tab, leading to a night of heavy drinking, with most of the group becoming heavily intoxicated.
• Velessa orders roasted leg of lamb and summons her familiar Quillbit, who tackles the leg of lamb off the table and devours it on the floor.
• Velessa fulfills her contractual obligation to Quillbit by sharing food and drink, giving the imp shots of vodka from a thimble.
• Tazira ushers the intoxicated party to their rooms, managing the group like a herd of goats.
• Tazira secures the room and warns the party to stop using the 'Open Eyes' hand gesture in public, as it marks them as members of the resistance.
• Tazira reveals she is a member of the 'Open Eyes,' a resistance network of local cells that move information, hide people, steal spell components, and interfere with Red Wizard cruelty.
• Tazira explains that the ideological rift between Saresha and Maelra Szandru was over what to do with the Nathlum—Maelra believed separating Szass Tam from Bane would be a mistake.
• Tazira warns the party to remember who Szass Tam truly is, no matter how polite he may be during their meeting.
• Lysandra Mortain is noted to have been quietly present throughout the evening, sipping wine.

Mira Venn

A young brown-haired customs official at the Eltabbar warehouse who processes incoming travelers and their magical declarations. She was delighted by Séantal's pre-prepared itemized list and grew increasingly exhausted by Velessa's extensive inventory before being relieved by Tazira.

Tazira Imravel

The younger sister of Saresha Imravel, assigned as the party's handler and guide in Thay due to the family connection. She is pragmatic, organized, and well-versed in Thayan law, using her bureaucratic expertise and charm to protect commoners from Red Wizard extortion. She is a member of the 'Open Eyes' resistance and is conflicted but cautiously hopeful about the party's mission for Szass Tam.

Wynston Wrynn

A tall, bombastic, and highly skilled tailor who operates Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments. He performs rapid, non-magical alterations with impressive dexterity and provides legal certificates of authenticity for garments that border on the restricted color red. Séantal found his prying questions about the party's lodging and business suspicious.

Mythrellaa

The Zulkir of Illusion who resides in Eltabbar, associated with a prominent beacon of light visible from the Bazaar Ward.

Peri Po

A human Red Wizard and accomplished artificer who owns Peri's Arcane Emporium. She is friendly and flirtatious, specializing in spell-fueling armors and bespoke magical commissions. She revealed that the title of Red Wizard can be earned through sponsorship and apprenticeship rather than just birthright.

Red Wizard Enforcer

An aggressive Red Wizard seen extorting a fruit merchant in Eltab's Ward, demanding three weeks of payment despite the merchant having already paid. He was thwarted by Tazira's bureaucratic paperwork and forced to back down.

Syle Gur

The large, folksy proprietor of the Crystal Ball Inn and a friend of Tazira. He provides the party with generous amounts of alcohol and food, maintaining a safe and neutral haven.

Quillbit

Velessa's palm-sized imp familiar who enthusiastically tackles and devours a leg of lamb on the floor of the inn and drinks shots of vodka from a thimble during the party's night at the Crystal Ball.

Lysandra Mortain

A Chosen of Jergal who accompanied the party through the portal to Thay. She remained a quiet, observant presence throughout the evening, sipping wine at the inn.

Thayan Embassy at Waterdeep

The starting point of the session where a stone portal flickering with magical energy was prepared for the party's journey to Thay.

Warehouse Ward Transport Facility

A massive receiving point in Eltabbar featuring blackstone columns, vaulted arches, crimson lanterns, and brass-railed inspection stations where cargo crates hover in circles of red light. Shipmasts and the gray-blue waters of Lake Thaylambar are visible through enormous archways beyond.

Bazaar Ward

The commercial heart of Eltabbar, filled with canals, luxury shops, and a beacon of light associated with Mythrellaa, the Zulkir of Illusion. The party dined at an outdoor Bezantur-style restaurant here and witnessed Tazira de-escalate a confrontation between shopkeepers and a Red Wizard.

Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments

A prestigious tailoring house in Eltabbar's Bazaar Ward featuring a curved glass frontage and elegant showroom. One of the few establishments legally authorized to handle red fabrics for the Zulkirate's elite, though it will not sell red garments to non-Red Wizards.

Mages' Ward

An affluent district defined by imposing architecture and magical wards where Red Wizards openly exercise their authority. The party passed through and witnessed a Red Wizard bullying a street cleaner while bystanders pointedly looked away, as well as signs of a recent magical duel.

Workshop Ward

Eltabbar's industrial hub, characterized by utilitarian streets packed with warehouses, alchemical labs, and shops specializing in magical goods and trinkets. Home to Peri's Arcane Emporium.

Peri's Arcane Emporium

A high-end magic shop in Eltabbar's Workshop Ward owned by the Red Wizard Peri Po, marked by crimson accents and Red Wizard heraldry. It functions as both a showroom and a manufacturing facility specializing in spell-fueling armors and bespoke magical commissions.

Eltab's Ward

The poorest district in Eltabbar, characterized by cramped tenements, patched timber, laundry hanging between buildings, and a culture of 'Closed Eyes' where residents ignore trouble to survive. A Red Wizard enforcer was seen extorting a fruit merchant here before Tazira intervened.

Crystal Ball Inn

A modest and secure inn in Eltabbar's Lower Ward owned by Syle Gur, a large man and friend of Tazira. It serves as a safe haven for travelers and a secret hub for the 'Open Eyes' resistance, offering privacy from magical surveillance.

Wand of the War Mage

A magical wand belonging to Séantal, declared during the customs inspection at the Eltabbar warehouse as part of their itemized list of magical belongings.

Wand of Secrets

One of the magical items listed on Séantal's pre-prepared itemized declaration form for the Thayan customs officials.

Velessa's Leotard (Bag of Holding)

A magical garment that functions as a bag of holding, providing sixty-four cubic feet of extra-planar storage space. Velessa was required to declare it at customs, explaining to the bewildered official that her extra-planar space was 'primarily the top half' of her leotard.

Rope of Mending

A magical rope pulled from Velessa's extra-planar storage during the customs inspection, producing a comically long amount of rope.

Calamus Pactum

A noteworthy magical quill in the party's possession, declared to customs by Séantal as an item that Szass Tam is aware of and expecting.

Seal of Concordance

A significant magical artifact declared by the party during their entry into Thay, noted by Séantal alongside the Calamus Pactum as a noteworthy item.

Mòyuè jiàn

Velessa's black moon sword, a magical rapier she declared to the customs official during the entry inspection.

Imravel Wine Number Four Certificate

A folded document carried by Tazira to legally prove her dark reddish-purple outfit is registered as 'Violet Brown' rather than the restricted Red Wizard crimson. She noted she has needed it before.

Certificate of Authenticity (Garment)

A lengthy legal document pinned by Wynston Wrynn detailing the specific dyes used in a garment—such as specific beetles—to prove it is technically purple or brown rather than the forbidden Red Wizard crimson. He prepared one for Velessa's new purple jacket.

Purple Jacket

A stylish garment selected by Velessa at Wrynn's Bespoke Vestments, legally registered as a shade of purple to avoid violating Thayan laws against non-wizards wearing red.

Saffron Goat Curry

A heavily spiced Thayan dish ordered by Velessa during the party's meal at the outdoor Bezantur-style restaurant in the Bazaar Ward.

Bezantur Wine

A bottle of wine ordered by Tazira to accompany the party's heavily spiced meal at the outdoor diner.

Spell Fueling Armor

Armor etched with intersecting arcane ruins, favored by Thayan Knights and showcased by Peri Po. It allows the wearer to treat any roll of one on a damage die as a two, and to recover a limited number of spell slots after a short rest.

Ring of Candor

A magical ring purchased by Velessa at Peri's Arcane Emporium that enhances the wearer's ability to discern lies and allows for the casting of truth-compelling magic.

Sniper's Bracelet

A magical piece of jewelry displayed at Peri's Arcane Emporium that can transform into a ranged weapon at the wearer's touch, capable of producing its own ammunition automatically when fired.

Trick Weapon

A holdout weapon displayed at Peri's Arcane Emporium, designed to transform into a mundane object such as a quill, spoon, or hairpin to avoid detection.

Mango

A piece of fruit purchased by Velessa for a gold coin from the harassed merchant in Eltab's Ward. She found the fuzzy skin unpleasant and the taste disappointing, and gave it to Yona.

Leg of Lamb

A roasted meal served at the Crystal Ball Inn that Velessa shared with her familiar Quillbit, who tackled it off the table and devoured it on the floor.

Nathlum

A dangerous tome mentioned in conversation at the inn; Tazira revealed that Saresha had sent her copies of its pages to prepare her for the party's arrival and mission.

Prestidigitation

Suggested by the GM as a practical solution for quickly cleaning blood off clothing to avoid it being mistaken for the restricted red color worn only by Red Wizards.

Enlarge/Reduce

Mentioned by Taliya as a potential solution for Velessa's frustration at always having to look up at people. Velessa noted it requires a willing target, making it impractical for reducing others.

Eldritch Blast

Séantal describes their use of this magic as a dry, rote procedure, referring to different versions of the spell as numbered variations based on the distance of the target and any active modifications.

Hex

A curse Séantal uses to mark enemies before attacking, forming a key part of their tactical flowchart for combat alongside Eldritch Blast.

Armor of Agathys

A protective spell mentioned by Séantal as a potential enchantment for custom-made armor from Peri's Arcane Emporium, which would automatically trigger the effect at the start of combat.

Magic Missile

A reliable arcane spell discussed by the party in the context of how Spell Fueling Armor could maximize its damage output by treating any roll of one as a two.

Change Dance

An Eilistraeean ritual dance mentioned by Velessa that was historically used to magically alter a participant's biological sex, originally employed so that men could qualify for the women-only clergy of Eilistraee.