Gods, Monsters, and Poor Life Choices // D&D
Session 21, Don't Rock the Boat
Session 21, Don't Rock the Boat
Date: 2026-07-10
Summary
The final days aboard the Chionthar Princess were a welcome reprieve from the chaos that had defined the party's time in Baldur's Gate. Velessa spent her evenings dancing, drinking, and cautiously rebuilding bridges with her sisters Ilmryn and Talice — conversations filled with light-hearted sibling bickering, plans for moving Ilmryn's life to the surface, and twenty years' worth of stories to catch up on. Talya charmed anyone willing to listen with tales of the Feywild, explaining the nomadic nature of satyrs and the peculiar fey tradition of collecting rare names like precious currency. Vagnfríður, meanwhile, made shameless and thorough use of the ship's spa, leaving the pool cleaners with considerably more work than usual. The voyage north along the Sword Coast was peaceful — almost suspiciously so.
The morning the Chionthar Princess entered Deepwater Harbor, Waterdeep rose before them like a city built to win an argument with the gods. White towers climbed the mountain, golden spires caught the sun, and waterfalls spilled down through terraces of stone and greenery. The dock had been dressed in the ship's own purple and gold colors, a ceremonial platform waiting with watch officers at attention and officials wearing their most polished public smiles. For one glittering moment, it was all grandeur and civic theater — and then something clicked beneath the music and applause. The ceremonial platform buckled upward in a blast of fire, smoke, and splintered wood, throwing officials and onlookers to the ground and slamming the Chionthar Princess hard against her moorings. When a gust off the harbor tore through the smoke, two numbers were revealed painted in fresh black across a surviving section of dock wall: 99.
The party wasted no time. Velessa moved through the injured with practiced efficiency, stabilizing the worst cases while Séantal channeled waves of healing energy across multiple victims at once. Vagnfríður tore through the wreckage with her bare hands, hauling debris off trapped survivors and mending the most critical wounds with magic. Silfy was found near the collapsed platform with a severe rib injury and heavy bleeding, and Becka Bitesize was dazed and staggering with a nasty head wound. Duke Rakath Glitterbeard rushed up demanding priority treatment for a minor singe on his palm — and was handed a bandage by Velessa and firmly dismissed by Séantal before stomping off in a huff. Velessa improvised a solution to the spreading fires by conjuring a magical disc, submerging it in the harbor, and walking it — full of seawater — across the burning dock, while Vagnfríður used a powerful gust of wind to snuff out the smaller flames.
As the chaos began to settle, Séantal noticed a figure in a brown tunic and bandana slipping calmly away from the carnage, heading north into the Dock Ward while everyone else was in a panic. The City Watch arrived and began dispersing the crowd, and two investigators approached the party: the shorter, inquisitive Inspector Barnibus Blastwind and the tall, formal Captain Hystus Staget. They revealed that graffiti from a group calling itself the Ninety-Nine had been appearing across the city for the past few ten-days — tally marks, claims of counting the dead, and anti-wealth slogans — with this explosion being the most egregious action yet attributed to them. A singed note found in the wreckage contained a poetic message referencing "golden gods" and expressing contempt for the luxury of the Chionthar Princess. The investigators, short-staffed on sharp-minded individuals, recruited the party to assist with the investigation, and Captain Brackwater doubled the offer, ordering the group to find those responsible and hold them accountable — though Captain Staget made clear he wanted suspects delivered to the Watch alive. Before departing to see the city with her companion Maelra, Saresha Imravel pressed a sending stone into Velessa's hand and warned them, almost as an aside, about the Thayan Embassy's involvement in the slave trade through a legal loophole involving the underground city of Skullport.
Taking a small rowboat out to the center of the explosion, Velessa and Séantal examined the wreckage up close. Velessa identified the remains of a smoke powder shaped charge — an iron-cased device designed to blast outward toward the ship, but whose casing had failed, causing it to explode in a full radius instead. A pitch-soaked, fire-retardant canvas had been hidden beneath the decking, intended to act as a backstop to direct the blast, and the wooden struts holding the boarding ramp had been deliberately sawed and weakened. The device bore none of the religious craftsmanship typical of Gondian artificers despite using smoke powder, suggesting a utilitarian maker — someone who knew enough to build the thing but not quite enough to make it work as intended. The party collected the iron shell fragments and the canvas as evidence and returned to the dock.
Questioning the locals of the Dock Ward proved a study in contrasts. Hard-coated dock workers refused to speak about the Ninety-Nine at all, especially to a group that had clearly arrived on the Chionthar Princess. A child mentioned that the group sometimes left food, bread, apples, and small copper coins wrapped in paper for the poor, and that a masked man had once warned them to run home before the Watch came. An older fishmonger explained that the Ninety-Nine's mark usually appeared where nobles had cheated or landlords had thrown families into the street, and that people generally cheered when they saw it — though they were more hesitant today. A dock laborer expressed bitter resentment toward the Chionthar Princess as a symbol of obscene wealth, though he stopped short of endorsing the bombing. The picture that emerged was of a populist movement engaged in class warfare, one that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere and was now escalating rapidly.
The fire-retardant canvas led the party to Aurora's Realms Shop on Slut Street, where a clerk identified it as high-quality sailcloth and directed them to Rennit Brindlehook's chandlery on Dock Street. Velessa, in a moment of impulsive inspiration, purchased a small fishing net from the grumpy sailmaker and magically fashioned it into a revealing dress, claiming it had cultural significance — a claim Vagnfríður found deeply unconvincing. More importantly, Rennit identified the canvas as his own work and recalled selling it to a young human woman, along with twenty feet of water-resistant wick designed to stay lit in moist sea air. She had paid with a voucher from something called the Osvoldo Memorial Fund, which Séantal purchased from Rennit for ten gold to use as evidence. Vagnfríður stayed behind to bond with the shopkeeper over fishing, discovering he was considerably less grumpy on the subject.
The Osvoldo Memorial Fund led the party to the Palace of Waterdeep, a grand structure at the foot of the mountain with a staircase that seemed to go on forever. Velessa summoned her magical sword and rode it to the top, Talya flew on her own power, and Vagnfríður climbed three steps at a time while loudly judging the others for cheating. Inside the bustling Grand Hall, head clerk Tamsin Greel directed them to a visibly stressed clerk named Jorin Thale, who oversaw the fund. Jorin explained that the account had been established anonymously four years ago with a staggering 250,000 gold in the name of Osvoldo Cassalanter — the eldest son of one of Waterdeep's most prominent noble families, who was reportedly still alive and studying abroad. The fund had sat untouched until about six months ago, when small withdrawals began appearing: meal vouchers at the Blushing Mermaid, a significant payment to forewoman Della Marthain of the High Tide Crew, and the payment to Brindlehook's chandlery. Séantal pointed out the alarming lack of security in the system, noting that whoever held the unique magical wax seal bearing an elaborate letter O could issue vouchers to anyone they chose — and that the city was simply acting as the mechanism through which anonymous money was distributed to fund criminal activity. Velessa cleaned the ink from Jorin's exhausted hands with a touch of magic before they left.
Shane, who had rejoined the group at the palace, revealed a startling personal detail: Victoro Cassalanter was one of his own criminal aliases. He claimed no knowledge of the actual Cassalanter son, but the connection was unsettling. The party's next destination was the Blushing Mermaid, which had appeared repeatedly in the fund's payment records. They arrived in the evening to find a grand establishment built around a central heated pool served by merfolk, with masked iron-faced staff moving silently between the tables. Séantal requested to speak with the owner, and Lady Alathene Moonstar descended the staircase with an unearthly, gliding grace — her feet barely seeming to touch the ground. She listened to their questions about the Osvoldo Memorial Fund certificates with polite composure and then firmly refused to compromise the anonymity of her guests or staff, unmoved even when Shane warned her that trouble of an explosive nature might be coming her way.
While Séantal and Shane spoke with Lady Moonstar, Velessa and Talya cannonballed into the central pool, where they were met by three mermaid servers: the grumpy red-headed Nessa, the watchful silver-blue Veroa, and the bubbly, eager Liora. Velessa used magic to allow Talya to breathe underwater so they could lounge comfortably in the pool, and the conversation turned to the mermaids' magical bags of holding and the peculiarities of life beneath the surface. Meanwhile, Talya cast an invisibility enchantment on Shane so he could stealthily follow Lady Moonstar through the upper floors of the establishment. He watched her pass by several windows in sequence — and then simply vanish before reaching the last one. A spectral face materialized two inches from his own, whispering "mind my anonymity" before dissolving into mist, sending him back to the group considerably more shaken than when he had left.
The evening wound down with the party settling into the Blushing Mermaid, securing rooms on the second floor at three gold a night — complete with warm baths and meals. Séantal had already dispatched a courier with a carefully worded letter to the Durinbold Villa, warning the family about the nature of their companions and requesting a meeting time, paying the courier a full gold coin without a second thought. Velessa's sisters Ilmryn and Talice joined her at the pool, announcing they had secured Room 211 and settling in on either side of her with the easy comfort of siblings who had finally found their way back to each other. The Ninety-Nine were out there somewhere in the city, their anonymous benefactor issuing vouchers from a quarter-million-gold fund, their motives still murky, and their next move unknown. Waterdeep had welcomed the party with an explosion, and it seemed unlikely to get any quieter from here.
Short
The final days aboard the Chionthar Princess offered a peaceful reprieve, with Velessa reconnecting with her sisters Ilmryn and Talice, Talya charming fellow passengers with tales of the Feywild, and Vagnfríður making thorough use of the ship's spa. That tranquility shattered the moment the vessel entered Deepwater Harbor, as a smoke powder shaped charge hidden beneath the ceremonial docking platform exploded in a blast of fire and splintered wood, injuring officials and onlookers alike — including Silfy and Becka Bitesize — and leaving the ominous number "99" painted across the surviving dock wall. The party responded swiftly: Velessa and Séantal triaged the wounded, Vagnfríður hauled survivors from the wreckage, and Velessa improvised a seawater delivery system to combat the spreading fires. City Watch investigators Inspector Barnibus Blastwind and Captain Hystus Staget recruited the group to investigate the Ninety-Nine, a populist anti-wealth movement whose graffiti and escalating acts of sabotage had been appearing across Waterdeep for weeks. Before departing, Saresha Imravel quietly warned Velessa about the Thayan Embassy's involvement in the slave trade through Skullport.
The investigation moved quickly through the Dock Ward and beyond. Forensic examination of the blast site revealed a deliberately misaligned device built by a capable but imprecise maker, with fire-retardant canvas and a sawed boarding ramp pointing to careful premeditation. Questioning locals painted a picture of a movement that enjoyed quiet sympathy among the poor, leaving food and coins for the needy while targeting symbols of noble excess. The canvas was traced to chandler Rennit Brindlehook, who recalled selling it alongside water-resistant wick to a young woman who paid using a voucher from the Osvoldo Memorial Fund — an anonymously established account holding 250,000 gold in the name of a Cassalanter noble heir. The fund's vouchers had recently begun funding meals, labor, and materials tied to the bombing. A visit to the Blushing Mermaid, where fund vouchers had also been redeemed, introduced the enigmatic Lady Alathene Moonstar, who refused to compromise her guests' anonymity and demonstrated an unnerving awareness of Shane's attempt to shadow her. The evening ended with the party settled into the Mermaid's rooms, Velessa reunited poolside with her sisters, and the Ninety-Nine still at large — their benefactor, motives, and next move unknown.
Classic
Last we left off, our party found themselves aboard the Chionthar Princess, enjoying a rare and peaceful voyage north along the Sword Coast — a welcome breath of calm after the storm of Baldur's Gate. Velessa rekindled bonds with her sisters Ilmryn and Talice, Talya enchanted fellow passengers with tales of the Feywild, and Vagnfríður made herself thoroughly at home in the ship's spa. But peace, as it so often does, gave way to something far more dangerous.
As the Chionthar Princess entered Deepwater Harbor, Waterdeep rose before them in all its impossible grandeur — white towers, golden spires, and waterfalls cascading through terraced stone. The ceremonial welcome waiting at the dock was everything one might expect of such a city: polished officials, attentive watch officers, and civic pageantry in full display. And then the platform exploded. Fire, smoke, and splintered wood tore through the celebration, and when the harbor wind cleared the haze, two numbers remained painted in fresh black on the surviving dock wall: 99. The party leapt into action — healing the wounded, hauling survivors from the wreckage, and dousing the spreading fires with equal parts magic and ingenuity.
Now, drawn into an investigation by the City Watch, the party has begun pulling at the threads of a shadowy populist movement known as the Ninety-Nine — a group that leaves food for the poor with one hand and builds smoke powder charges with the other. A mysterious fund bearing the name of a Cassalanter heir, a fire-retardant canvas, a vanishing noblewoman, and a spectral warning whispered two inches from Shane's face have painted a picture that is equal parts murky and alarming. Waterdeep has made its introduction, and it seems the city has no intention of making things easy from here...
Memorable Moments
The ceremonial dock erupts in a massive explosion as the Chionthar Princess pulls into Waterdeep, sending fire, smoke, and officials flying — and revealing the number '99' painted on the surviving wall.
The party's grand arrival in the City of Splendors is immediately shattered by a targeted bombing, kicking off the entire investigation.
"Why does this shit keep happening everywhere we go? Can we just not have one normal day?"
— Vagnfríður
Exasperated reaction immediately after witnessing the dock explode upon the party's arrival in Waterdeep.
Velessa improvises a firefighting solution by submerging her magical floating disc in the harbor and walking it — full of seawater — across the burning dock to douse the flames.
Quick thinking in the chaos of the aftermath, using a utility spell in a completely unintended but effective way.
Duke Glitterbeard rushes up demanding magical healing for a minor singe on his palm while critically injured people lie around him, only to be handed bandages by Velessa and rebuffed by Séantal.
A pompous noble prioritizing his trivial wound over the mass casualties around him, stomping off in a huff after being dismissed.
"Unfortunately, we are cursed with competency."
— Séantal
Dryly responding to Inspector Blastwind's apology for misjudging the group's capabilities after they efficiently managed the disaster.
Shane, rendered invisible by Talya, follows Lady Moonstar through the Blushing Mermaid — only for a spectral face to materialize two inches from his, whispering 'mind my anonymity' before dissolving into mist.
Lady Moonstar demonstrates she is far more than a simple innkeeper, detecting and confronting an invisible rogue with unsettling ease.
"I'm going to make it into a dress."
— Velessa
Announcing her intention to Rennit Brindlehook after purchasing a small fishing net from his chandlery, leaving the grumpy sailmaker completely baffled.
Scenes
Aboard the Chionthar Princess
The party enjoys several days of leisure travel north along the Sword Coast toward Waterdeep, engaging in philosophical discussions about fey magic, language, and the nature of their world.
- The party spends several days traveling north along the Sword Coast aboard the luxurious Chionthar Princess.
- Velessa spends time dancing, drinking, and attempting to reconnect with her sisters, Talice and Ilmryn, discussing plans for moving Ilmryn's life to the surface and what to do about Talice.
- Talya describes the nomadic lifestyle of satyrs in the Feywild and their preference for the happier parts of their home plane.
- The group discusses the nature of fey magic, specifically the concept of stealing names and trading them like currency, with Talya explaining that rarer names are more valuable.
- Séantal clarifies their preferred pronouns and their nature as a tiefling, noting that several people have told them they are unusual even among tieflings.
- The party debates the mechanics of communicating with animals, specifically whether spells like Speak with Animals grant sapience or merely allow communication.
- Vagnfríður mentions her newfound ability to speak Druidic and Sylvan following her recent physical transformations.
- The party notes the absence of Mawyse, who jokingly fell overboard during a drunken romp and was never seen again.
- Vagnfríður spends much of the voyage abusing the availability of the ship's spa.
Arrival at Waterdeep — The Dock Explosion
The party arrives at the City of Splendors aboard the Chionthar Princess, only for their grand entrance to be shattered by a violent explosion on the ceremonial pier.
- The Chionthar Princess enters Deepwater Harbor to a cheering crowd, ceremonial music, and a dock decorated in the ship's purple and gold colors.
- A massive explosion rips through the ceremonial platform on the dock, sending fire, smoke, and splintered wood into the air and throwing officials, guards, and onlookers to the ground.
- The shockwave slams into the Chionthar Princess, blackening its white hull with scorch marks and causing significant structural damage to the starboard paddle wheel.
- Chaos erupts as thick black smoke swallows the harbor and people scream for help amidst the wreckage.
- The party observes that Silfy has been severely injured by debris near the collapsed platform, and Becka Bitesize is dazed and staggering with a head wound.
- Duke Rakath Glitterbeard is seen screaming and staring at his hand in the aftermath.
- A mysterious mark — the number '99' — is discovered painted in fresh black paint across a surviving section of the dock wall.
Triage at the Docks
Following the devastating explosion, the party springs into action to provide medical aid and rescue survivors from the wreckage.
- Velessa, Vagnfríður, and Séantal coordinate a triage effort to treat the roughly twenty-five injured passengers and crew members.
- Vagnfríður uses her immense strength to lift heavy debris off trapped victims while providing magical healing to those in critical condition.
- Duke Glitterbeard demands priority treatment for a minor singe on his hand, but is rebuffed by Séantal and given simple bandages by Velessa before stomping off in a huff.
- Séantal notices a suspicious individual in a brown tunic and bandana calmly walking away from the chaos toward the Dock Ward while everyone else is in a panic.
- Velessa uses a magically conjured floating disc to ferry seawater from the harbor to extinguish fires breaking out in the rubble.
- Vagnfríður uses a powerful gust of wind to snuff out smaller flames spreading through the wreckage.
- Velessa stabilizes Silfy with magical healing, and Becka Bitesize is confirmed stable though unconscious.
- Séantal begins directing the arriving City Watch officers to organize the rescue efforts and allocate resources.
Meeting the Watch Investigators
The party is approached by City Watch officials who seek their assistance in investigating the bombing of the Chionthar Princess.
- Inspector Barnibus Blastwind and Captain Hystus Staget approach the party, noting their competence during the crisis.
- Séantal provides the investigators with a description of the suspicious person seen fleeing the explosion site — a brown tunic and bandana, heading north into the Dock Ward.
- The investigators reveal that graffiti from a group calling itself 'The 99' has been appearing around the city, featuring tally marks and claims of 'counting the dead,' with this explosion being the most egregious action attributed to them.
- A City Watch officer presents a singed note found in the wreckage containing a poetic anti-wealth message referencing 'golden gods.'
- Captain Staget and Inspector Blastwind recruit the party to assist the short-staffed Watch in a formal investigation, offering payment from the city's coffers.
- Captain Brackwater orders the evacuation of the Chionthar Princess due to structural damage and fears of follow-up attacks, and offers to double whatever the Watch pays the party if they find those responsible.
- Captain Staget requests that any suspects be turned over to the Watch for formal justice rather than dealt with extrajudicially.
- Saresha Imravel informs the party she will be staying in Waterdeep to renew her business license at the Thayan Embassy and provides the party with a sending stone to maintain contact, warning them about the Thayan Embassy's involvement in the slave trade through a legal loophole involving Skullport.
Investigating the Explosion Site
The party takes a small boat to examine the wreckage of the explosion up close, uncovering key evidence about the nature of the attack.
- Séantal and Velessa take a small rowboat to the center of the explosion to examine the debris more closely.
- Séantal finds small iron fragments embedded in the dock wood, piecing together the shell of the explosive device.
- A pitch-soaked, reinforced canvas is discovered hidden beneath the decking.
- Velessa uses her expertise in tinkering and artificing to identify the device as a smoke powder shaped charge that failed — it was designed to blast outward toward the ship, but the casing failed and it exploded in a full radius instead.
- The reinforced canvas was intended to act as a backstop to direct the blast toward the Chionthar Princess.
- Velessa notes the device was not made in the Gondian tradition despite using smoke powder, suggesting a utilitarian, non-religious maker.
- The wooden struts designed to hold the ship's boarding ramp are found to have been intentionally sawed and weakened, confirming the attack was carefully planned.
- The party collects the iron shell fragments and the pitch-soaked canvas as evidence.
Whispers of the Ninety-Nine
The party investigates the Dock Ward of Waterdeep, questioning locals about the mysterious 'Ninety-Nine' graffiti and the recent explosion.
- Séantal attempts to track the suspicious individual through the Dock Ward, following their trail from Dock Street before losing them near where Dock Street curves into Net Street.
- The party interviews various Dock Ward residents, encountering a range of opinions on the Ninety-Nine.
- Hard-coated dock workers and locals refuse to talk about the group, especially to the party.
- A child mentions that the group sometimes leaves food, bread, apples, and small copper coins wrapped in paper for the poor, and that a masked man once warned them to run home before the Watch came.
- An older fishmonger explains that the Ninety-Nine mark usually appears where nobles have cheated or landlords have thrown families into the street, and that people usually cheer when they see it — though they are more hesitant today.
- A dock laborer expresses resentment toward the Chionthar Princess, viewing it as a gaudy symbol of wealth, though he does not want it blown up.
- The party learns about the political structure of Waterdeep, including the anonymous Masked Lords and the Open Lord, Laeral Silverhand.
- Velessa purchases fresh mackerel from a local fishmonger while gathering information.
- The group concludes that the Ninety-Nine is a populist movement engaged in class warfare against the wealthy elite, and that something may have happened that did not reach the general public.
The Chandlery on Dock Street
The party visits Rennit Brindlehook's shop to trace the fire-retardant canvas found at the explosion site.
- The party first visits Aurora's Realms Shop on Slut Street, where a clerk identifies the canvas as high-quality sailcloth and directs them to Rennit Brindlehook.
- Velessa impulsively purchases a small fishing net from Brindlehook and magically fashions it into a revealing dress, claiming it has cultural significance.
- Rennit identifies the fire-retardant canvas as his own work and recalls selling it to a young human girl of roughly human adult age.
- The girl also purchased twenty feet of water-resistant wick designed to stay lit in moist sea air.
- Rennit reveals he was paid with a voucher from the 'Osvoldo Memorial Fund,' which Séantal purchases from him for ten gold to use as evidence.
- Vagnfríður stays behind to bond with the grumpy shopkeeper over fishing techniques and equipment, finding him much friendlier on the subject.
Bureaucracy at the Palace of Waterdeep
The party climbs the grand staircase of the Palace of Waterdeep and navigates its bustling administrative halls to investigate the Osvoldo Memorial Fund.
- The party travels north through the dense Dock Ward to reach the Palace of Waterdeep, confronted by a massive staircase.
- Velessa summons her magical sword and rides it to float up the stairs, while Talya casts a flight spell to avoid walking on her hooves.
- Vagnfríður climbs the stairs three at a time, mocking the others for cheating.
- Shane rejoins the group, having been absent, and is caught up on the dock explosion and the investigation into the Ninety-Nine.
- Séantal observes the high volume of clerks and officials, noting the similarity to their own workplace.
- The group enters the Grand Hall, a bustling center of clerical duties, taxes, and petitions.
- Séantal dismisses the rest of the party to handle the bureaucracy alone, much to the annoyance of those who just climbed the stairs.
- Head clerk Tamsin Greel approaches the group and comments on their lack of appropriate dress for a government building before directing them to Jorin Thale.
- Jorin Thale, a stressed clerk, explains that the Osvoldo Memorial Fund was established anonymously four years ago in the name of Osvoldo Cassalanter, who is reportedly still alive and studying abroad.
- The fund operates like a checking account where an anonymous holder issues vouchers authorized by a unique magical wax seal bearing an elaborate letter 'O.'
- The fund was initially deposited with 250,000 gold and remained inactive until about six months ago, when small withdrawals began for mundane items like meals and labor.
- Séantal points out the fund's lack of security and anonymous nature makes it a perfect tool for criminal activity.
- The party learns of other payments from the fund, including a significant one to forewoman Della Marthain of the High Tide Crew and multiple meal vouchers at the Blushing Mermaid.
- Velessa uses prestidigitation to magically clean the ink stains from Jorin Thale's hands as a gesture of kindness.
- Shane reveals that he often disguises himself as 'Victoro Cassalanter', though he claims no knowledge of the actual Cassalanter son.
Evening at the Blushing Mermaid
The party secures lodging at the famous Waterdavian establishment and attempts to gather more information from its enigmatic proprietress.
- Séantal hires a courier to deliver a letter to the Durinbold Villa, warning them about the nature of the adventuring party and requesting a meeting time, paying the courier a full gold coin.
- The party arrives at the Blushing Mermaid in the evening, noting the grand central pool served by mermaids and the masked iron-faced staff members.
- Velessa inquires about room rates, learning that second-floor rooms cost three gold per night and include warm baths and a meal.
- Séantal requests to speak with the manager, leading to a meeting with Lady Alathene Moonstar, who descends the staircase with an unearthly, gliding grace.
- Séantal and Shane question Lady Moonstar about the Osvoldo Memorial Fund certificates, but she firmly refuses to compromise the anonymity of her guests or staff.
- Shane warns Lady Moonstar that trouble of an explosive nature may be coming to her establishment, but she remains unmoved.
- Velessa and Talya cannonball into the central pool to interact with the mermaids, specifically seeking out the red-headed Nessa, who is initially annoyed by the impulsive entrance.
- Velessa uses magic to grant Talya the ability to breathe underwater so they can lounge in the pool.
- Talya casts invisibility on Shane so he can stealthily follow Lady Moonstar through the upper floors of the establishment.
- Shane observes Lady Moonstar passing by several windows before she mysteriously vanishes before reaching the final one.
- A spectral face suddenly appears two inches from Shane's face, warning him to 'mind my anonymity' before dissolving into mist, sending him back to the group.
- The party engages in lighthearted conversation with the mermaid servers — Nessa, Veroa, and Liora — about their magical gear and life under the sea.
- Velessa's sisters, Talice and Ilmryn, join her at the pool, revealing they have secured Room 211 for their stay.
- The session concludes with the party relaxing at the inn, planning to follow up on their investigation the following day.
NPCs
Ilmryn Xilraen
Velessa's favorite sister and an expert artificer who is traveling with the party. She and Velessa spent the voyage reconnecting, discussing plans for moving Ilmryn's life to the surface and what to do about their youngest sister Talice.
Talice Xilraen
Velessa's youngest sister and an expert poisoner who is part of the family reunion. She joined Ilmryn and Velessa at the Blushing Mermaid's pool and informed the group they had secured Room 211.
Silfy
An investigative reporter who was seriously injured by debris during the dock explosion, found near the collapsed platform with a severe rib injury and heavy bleeding. She was stabilized by the party's quick medical intervention and tended to by Mol.
Becka Bitesize
A goblin artificer who was found dazed and staggering with a head wound following the blast, eventually rendered unconscious but stable. She offered to double whatever the Watch pays the party if they find those responsible.
Duke Rakath Glitterbeard
A pompous noble passenger who was seen screaming and staring at his hand in the aftermath of the explosion. He demanded priority magical healing for a trivial singe on his palm, was rebuffed by Séantal, and stomped off after Velessa handed him bandages.
Inspector Barnibus Blastwind
A shorter, inquisitive investigator for the Waterdeep Watch who works alongside Captain Staget. He approached the party after the explosion, noted their competence, and recruited them to assist the short-staffed Watch in investigating the bombing.
Captain Hystus Staget
A tall, formal Captain of the Waterdeep Watch who works alongside Inspector Blastwind. He oversaw the security of the dock ward following the explosion and insisted that any suspects be turned over to the Watch for formal justice.
Saresha Imravel
A merchant associated with the Imravel Exchange who is staying in Waterdeep to renew her business license at the Thayan Embassy. She provided the party with a sending stone to maintain contact and warned them about the Thayan Embassy's involvement in the slave trade through a legal loophole involving Skullport.
Laeral Silverhand
The Open Lord of Waterdeep, mentioned by a local fishmonger as the only public member of the city's ruling council and generally well-regarded by the populace.
Rennit Brindlehook
A master sailmaker and netmender who owns a chandlery in the Dock Ward. Initially grumpy and baffled by Velessa's fashion choices, he identified the fire-retardant canvas as his own work and recalled selling it to a young human girl along with twenty feet of water-resistant wick. He became much friendlier when Vagnfríður engaged him in conversation about fishing.
Tamsin Greel
One of the head clerks in the Office of Civic Works at the Palace of Waterdeep. She is professional and observant, immediately noting the party's unconventional attire, and directed them to Jorin Thale after examining the Osvoldo Memorial Fund certificate.
Jorin Thale
A stressed, tall clerk at the Palace of Waterdeep specifically responsible for overseeing the Osvoldo Memorial Fund. She explained that the fund was established anonymously four years ago with 250,000 gold in the name of Osvoldo Cassalanter, who is reportedly still alive and studying abroad. She provided the party with records of recent withdrawals and had her ink-stained hands magically cleaned by Velessa.
Osvoldo Cassalanter
The eldest son of the prominent Cassalanter family of Waterdeep. A memorial fund was established in his name four years ago despite him reportedly still being alive and studying abroad, which Jorin Thale found suspicious and potentially a slight against him or his family.
Della Marthain
A forewoman for the High Tide Crew, a subgroup of the Carpenters, Roofers, and Plasterers Guild. She was noted in the Osvoldo Memorial Fund records as having received a significant payment.
Lady Alathene Moonstar
The elegant and mysterious proprietress of the Blushing Mermaid, who descends staircases with an unearthly, gliding grace. She is fiercely protective of the anonymity of her establishment's patrons and staff, refusing to provide information to the party. She demonstrated powerful magic when she confronted an invisible Shane, manifesting a face two inches from his and warning him to 'mind my anonymity' before dissolving into mist.
Nessa Thornfin
A red-headed, grumpy mermaid server at the Blushing Mermaid who was initially annoyed by Velessa's impulsive cannonball into the pool but eventually engaged in conversation with the party.
Veroa Reefsilver
A mermaid server with silver-blue hair who maintains a more serious and watchful demeanor, observing the party's arrival in the pool with a stern eye.
Liora Redwake
A bubbly, blonde mermaid server at the Blushing Mermaid who was eager and excited to chat with the surface-dwelling adventurers.
Locations
The Chionthar Princess
A grand Lantanese-built luxury riverboat featuring gold trim, purple banners, velvet awnings, and a great smokestack. The party traveled aboard it for several days north along the Sword Coast. It sustained significant structural damage to its starboard paddle wheel and hull during the bombing at the Waterdeep docks.
Deepwater Harbor
The bustling entrance to Waterdeep, packed with ships, dock workers, street vendors, and crowds. It was the site of a devastating explosion that destroyed a ceremonial pier decorated in the Chionthar Princess's purple and gold colors during the ship's arrival.
Dock Ward
A bustling, salt-aired district of Waterdeep where the party began their investigation. Hard-coated locals were reluctant to speak about the Ninety-Nine, while others expressed sympathy for the group's anti-wealth message.
Net Street
A street in the Dock Ward where the party lost the trail of the suspicious individual seen fleeing the explosion site.
Slut Street
A colorful thoroughfare in Waterdeep's Dock Ward where the party visited Aurora's Realms Shop to identify the fire-retardant canvas found at the explosion site.
Brindlehook Chandlery
A small shop on Dock Street and Waystraw Alley run by the grumpy but skilled sailmaker Rennit Brindlehook, specializing in nets, sails, and fishing supplies. The party traced the fire-retardant canvas to this shop.
Palace of Waterdeep
A grand structure at the foot of Mount Waterdeep featuring a massive staircase and a bustling Grand Hall filled with clerks, petitioners, and the sounds of administrative bureaucracy. The party visited the Office of Civic Works here to investigate the Osvoldo Memorial Fund.
The Blushing Mermaid, Waterdeep
A high-end tavern, inn, and festhall in Waterdeep's Dock Ward featuring a grand central heated pool where patrons are served by merfolk. Many staff members wear iron masks to conceal their identities. The establishment is known for extreme privacy and has been receiving frequent vouchers from the Osvoldo Memorial Fund.
City of the Dead
A large park-like cemetery in Waterdeep noted by the party for being covered in mysterious magical bubbles.
Skullport
A subterranean city beneath Waterdeep mentioned by Saresha as a hub for the slave trade, accessible via a legal loophole through the Thayan Embassy.
The Yawning Portal
A famous Waterdeep inn mentioned by Saresha as a potential lodging option for adventurers, known for being rowdy and actively advertising itself as adventurer-friendly.
Items
Sending Stone
A small magical stone covered in carved faces with open mouths, given to the party by Saresha Imravel to facilitate long-distance communication during their investigation in Waterdeep.
Singed Note from the Ninety-Nine
A piece of paper found in the explosion wreckage by a City Watch officer, containing a poetic anti-wealth message referencing 'golden gods' and expressing contempt for the luxury of the Chionthar Princess and its passengers.
Iron Shell Fragments
Small pieces of an iron casing embedded in the dock wood, recovered from the explosion site. Velessa identified them as the remains of a smoke powder shaped charge that failed to direct its blast toward the ship as intended.
Pitch-soaked Canvas
A high-quality piece of sailcloth coated in a non-flammable resin, found hidden beneath the decking at the explosion site. It was intended to act as a backstop to direct the blast toward the Chionthar Princess. Traced back to Rennit Brindlehook's chandlery.
Water-Resistant Wick
A specialized cord purchased by the suspected bomber from Rennit Brindlehook, designed to remain lit even in moist, humid sea air. Approximately twenty feet of it was sold.
Osvoldo Memorial Fund Voucher
A sealed financial document bearing a unique magical wax seal featuring an intricate letter 'O,' used as a form of payment by a young human girl at Brindlehook's chandlery. It functions like a personal check drawn from a massive anonymous account at the Palace of Waterdeep. Séantal purchased it from Rennit for ten gold to use as evidence.
Magical Wax Seal
A unique, magically forged stamping device used to authorize payments from the Osvoldo Memorial Fund. Only one has ever been issued, and it bears an elaborate letter 'O' surrounded by intricate marks.
Velessa's Fishing Net Dress
A garment Velessa fashioned from a small fishing net purchased at Brindlehook's chandlery, magically altered to serve as a revealing outfit. Velessa claimed it has cultural significance given Waterdeep's fishing heritage, though Vagnfríður considered it mere rags.
Mackerel
Freshly caught fish purchased by Velessa from a local fishmonger in the Dock Ward for a few copper coins while the party gathered information about the Ninety-Nine.
Mermaid Pouches
Magical bags of holding worn by the mermaid servers at the Blushing Mermaid to carry personal items and payments while working underwater.
Spells
Tenser's Floating Disk
Cast by Velessa, who submerged the magical disc in the harbor to carry large quantities of seawater to extinguish fires breaking out in the dock wreckage — a creative improvised use of the spell.
Gust of Wind
Used by Vagnfríður to snuff out smaller unprotected flames spreading through the wreckage at the docks, specifically noted to extinguish candles and similar unprotected flames.
Cure Wounds
Used by Vagnfríður to provide magical healing to those trapped under the collapsed platform at the docks, stabilizing critically injured victims.
Healing Light
Used by Séantal to quickly stabilize and heal multiple injured civilians following the explosion, channeling celestial energy to mend wounds across several people simultaneously.
Guidance
Cast by Velessa on herself to enhance her focus while investigating the mechanical nature of the explosive device found in the dock wreckage.
Fly
Cast by Talya on herself to bypass the thousand-plus stairs of the Palace of Waterdeep, floating to the top rather than walking on her hooves.
Prestidigitation
Used by Velessa on two occasions: first to magically alter a fishing net into a dress, and later to clean the ink stains from Jorin Thale's hands at the Palace of Waterdeep.
Invisibility
Cast by Talya on Shane to allow him to stealthily follow Lady Alathene Moonstar through the upper floors of the Blushing Mermaid without being detected — though Lady Moonstar still sensed his presence and confronted him.
Water Breathing
Mentioned by Velessa as a spell she can provide to allow companions to breathe underwater; she used it to allow Talya and Séantal to comfortably lounge in the Blushing Mermaid's central pool with the merfolk.