Temple of Gond:
CHES 23rd (THE CLAW OF SUNSETS)
Zarek and Alley wake up early to help with the morning chores around Trollskull Manor, have breakfast with the staff and then they head out to their first port of call, Tymora’s Temple in the Tower of Luck, before they visit the Temple of Gond. The Tower can be found between Sighing Maiden’s Walk and the Street of the Singing Dolphin.
As they leave Trollskull Manor the two Heroes of the Fieldward make sure that they are not being spied upon or followed.
Alley: “We need to be on high alert with all these unsavoury Guilds and Factions all wanting a piece of us. Who know who might be following us or why.”
Zarek: “Chimera Addicts, Bent City Watch, Zhentarim operatives, Xanatharian operatives and The Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors.”
Alley: “Lets out a little giggle.”
There Zarek officially becomes a follower of Tymora and both Alley and Zarek attempt to gain favour from Tymora by tossing a coin into her open palm. Unfortunately, they both fail with their Sliver Shards.
Alley: “Maybe we should use a Gold Dragon next time.”
Zarek then tosses his newly acquired Holy Symbol of Tymora, a Coin with the Goddesses Head on it, and sees which of the Nimblewrights they should investigate first. Tymora choses The House of Inspired Hands.
Alley know where the building is and, in her best voice, tell the Rogue a little bit about said Temple.
Alley: “The House of Inspired Hands, Waterdeep’s Temple of Gond, sits on the corner of Seawatch Street and Shark Street in the Sea Ward”
Zarek: “That’s only 2 streets over to the west, by the West Gate. Tymora chose well.”
Alley: “The House of Inspired Hands looks like a cross between a temple and a workshop. The symbol of Gond, a toothed cog with four spokes, is displayed prominently and it is a Temple to the God Gond.”
Temple of Gond Explained:
Alley:” Gond (pronounced: ‘GHAND’ or ‘GOND’) is the Faerûnian god of craft, smithing, and inventiveness. The Lord of All Smiths had many forms and names, and under all of them pushed for innovation and imaginativeness, sometimes to a dangerous degree, as a result of his short-sighted desire to create. Gond was also known as Nebelun (pronounced: ‘NEHB-eh-luhn’) among Gnomes of the Realms, who venerated him alongside the other Lords of the Golden Hills.”
Alley and Zarek take one more look about as they stand next to the House of Inspired Hands, just in case they missed spotting anyone earlier. Alley fails to spot anything unusual, but Zarek spots something.
Zarek sees the silhouette of a humanoid shape perching on the rooftop. It extends an arm, releasing a tiny metal bird, a sparrow the Rogue first thinks to himself, into the sky. The bird does a few loops in the air, then veers right toward the Rogue and Bard.
The metal bird then flies toward Alley and Zarek believes that it intended to make an attack against the Bard and so the Arcane Trickster uses his Spell ‘Magic Missile’ to destroy the metal bird with only the first missile as the other two fly past the location where the metal bird was. Some of the crowd below clap, thinking it was part of the House of Inspired Hands attraction.
Zarek inspects some of the remining debris and can see it was a highly crafted device.
Alley: “Not as good as the one you bought from Xoblob.”
Zarek: “What one?”
Alley: “Your mechanical wooden bird from the Old Xoblob Shop.”
Zarek: “Oh, yes.”
Alley and Zarek enter the House of Inspired Hands and can clearly see that the building is divided into the religious section and then all the workshops.
The Temple of Gond is open and abuzz with activity during daylight hours, then closes from sunset until sunrise. At night, acolytes retire to their private quarters to work on pet projects. The heroes need to choose whether to ask one of the religious attendants for an audience with a Senior member or look about The Temple of Gond first.
Zarek tosses his coin again and they visit the Hall of Exemplary Inventions.
Hall of Exemplary Inventions:
The main hall of the temple holds two dozen marble pedestals on each side of the large central domed chamber. Each one bears a prize-winning invention or a miniature model of some other extraordinary creation. Among the displays are several that stand out:
- A 4-foot-tall working model of a Clock Tower rings at the top of every hour. It is made of wood, iron, bronze, and glass, with brass bells and delicate hands formed from solid gold.
- A wooden flying machine that has wings that flap when it becomes airborne.
- A miniature model of a Mechanical Dragon Turtle has a brass plate affixed to its pedestal that reads, “Big Belchy. Sank in Deepwater Harbor on the Day of Wonders in 1363 DR”.
- A functional “Waking Helmet” equipped with small, articulated metal arms and hands that gently slap the wearer if he or she falls asleep.
- A Miniature Model of a Red Submarine Shaped like a manta ray has a brass plate affixed to its pedestal that reads, “The Scarlet Marpenoth. Lantanese submersible. Launched in 1489 DR”.
No seeing the Nimblewright, the Rogue and Bard go and talk to one of the religious attendants and the Tiefling is polite and eloquent in his request that the religious attendant take the pair to see Valetta, for an audience with a Senior member of The Temple of Gond, Head Priestess of Gond.
Meeting Valetta of the Temple of Gond:
They are taken to see Valetta, a Dragonborn Priest of Bronze Dragon Ancestry, in her office.
Valetta is Head Priestess of Gond and she answers all the questions that Alley and Zarek have, once again Zarek being able to persuade the Dragonborn that he is following up on the recent death of a close friend and would like more information regarding the Nimblewright in their possession.
Valetta happily tells the Rogue that:
- They recently acquired the Nimblewright from Captain Zardoz Zord.
- Captain Zardoz Zord’s ship is berthed in the harbour, with his other two ships docked by the pier.
- Captain Zardoz Zord is Luskan and has recently arrived from there.
- Captain Zardoz Zord is selling the Nimblewrights for a very low price.
- Captain Zardoz Zord and his Carney Folk run the Sea Maidens Faire on the pier.
- Captain Zardoz Zord, his Carney Folk and Animals appear is processions and other events thought the months.
- Their Nimblewright, who they have named Nim, the automaton participated in the Twin Parades yesterday as part of the Temple of Gond’s procession.
- Their Nimblewright, Nim, operated a number of wonderous mechanical contraptions.
Zarek then mention the figure they saw on the roof of the temple, Valetta identifies it as Nim, their Nimblewright that was purchased from Captain Zord.
The Rogue then describe the incident involving the mechanical bird, Valetta sighs and leads them up a spiral staircase to an attic that Nim uses as a lair-only to find the attic’s door fitted with a new lock.
Valetta doesn’t recognize the lock or have a key to open it.
Valetta: “Shame a Rogue using thieves’ tools can pick the lock or a Spellcaster a ‘Knock’ spell or similar Magic might also open the door.”
Valetta won’t allow characters to break down the door, and so the Rogue does what he does best and is just able to pick the lock.
Zarek: “A very fine and complicated lock indeed, I will need to purchase one or two for the Trollskull.”, Zarek thinks to himself.
Meeting Nim:
Valetta: “Nim understands Common but can’t speak. It has developed a simple sign language that I and other members of the temple staff understand.”
After the incident with the bird, Nim hides amid the clutter in its lair, but he emerges when spotted by the Rogue and shyly converses through Valetta.
Zarek attempts to decern the Nimblewright’s background and history but it does not know anything of importance.
The Heroes then ask about the other Nimblewright from the attack on Trollskull Alley or if any other Nimblewrights, Nim admits he knows nothing.
Tower of the Order:
Next the Heroes head back across the Castle Ward to the Tower of the Order, on the Street of Bells, and Alley old stomping ground.
Zarek knows that the Tower of the Order is their Guildhall. They deal will all Magic item and Scroll knowledge for Watchful Order of Magists & Protectors.
Zarek: “For some reason Alley really doesn’t get on well with these women of authority, I hope that we see an old male representative.” Zarek thinks to himself.
Zarek: “Well at least we can request for assistance from Blackstaff and Alley should have a good idea of Magic Items that may aid in our missions for the Gray Hands.”
Alley and Zarek reach the Tower of the Order at one o’clock, having taken that long and also stopping for some Quippers and Chips.
“Quippers are small, sharp-toothed fish native to the region. Many vendors offer a quick meal of fried Quippers served with a side of root vegetables or bread.”
Once at the Tower of the Order, Alley and Zarek are made to wait for a few hours before someone of a high rank could deal with their request.
Alley and Zarek agree to ask to see the Nimblewright in the possession of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, explain that they were at Trollskull Alley when the horrific event took place and they wanted to help, as members of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors themselves Also, they lost a close friend in Iomhar.
Alley and Zarek are attended by Zarena, who asks the pair to wait until Lady Master Bowgentra Summertaen is free.
Eventually, a young female human Lady Master Bowgentra Summertaen arrives and does not look too happy to see Alley, but Is pleasant and courteous to Zarek.
Zarek: “Shame it wasn’t Ulkoria Stonemarrow or any other person, now stay calm Alley.” Zarek whispers when he sees Alley roll her eyes when she spots Lady Master Bowgentra Summertaen.
Bowgentra Summertaen: “Good evening, Allegory and Zarek, I am so sorry to have kept you waiting. Politics I’m afraid.”
Bowgentra Summertaen is then joined by their Nimblewright.
The Nimblewrights head is featureless, it has no eyes, no mouth, no nose, no ears, no hair. Bowgentra Summertaen, seeing their confusion, informs the two Heroes that:
Bowgentra Summertaen: “I can see you have questions and No, it does not impede its senses of sight or hearing. But it cannot communicate.”
Zarek goes on to explain to Bowgentra Summertaen the attack at Trollskull Manor, how they helped injured civilians, recovered clues and information at the scene and that the attack was perpetrated by a Nimblewright, similar to the one that they had recently acquired for the Tower of the Order.
Bowgentra Summertaen divulges that their Nimblewright was purchased from Captain Zardoz Zord, that they had had the Nimblewright for just over a Tenday and that their Nimblewright had not left the Tower of the Order, as far as she knew.
Alley and Zarek tried to press Bowgentra Summertaen for more information but were unsuccessful in their endeavour.
Bowgentra Summertaen: “I believe that Barnibus Blastwind is handling this investigation and I know for a certainty that he would not allow you to interfere with his investigations, especially if they were witnesses or persons of interest.”
Alley: “Yes but is it not you that always say to your utmost for the Order and the Order will reward.”
Bowgentra Summertaen: “I believe that rule must still be follow Allegory.”
Alley: “I believe that is not my name, actually.” Alley whispers to herself.
Sensing that anymore delving would draw to much attention to the two Heroes, the Rogue bows deeply and apologises to Bowgentra Summertaen for Allegory’s poor behaviour and they both leave the Tower of the Order for the Trollskull Manor.
Zarek: “That went well, we were meant to keep a low profile and I fear that we should now expect a visit from Barnibus Blastwind and Sergeant Saeth Cromley.
City Armoury:
Zarek and Alley finally head off to the City Armoury in the Wall, running along Troll Street in the Sea Ward, adjacent to Boltspring Alley in the Field Ward.
However, the gates are closed at this time of night and the pair are told to comeback in the morning.
Alley and Zarek have a short walk back to Trollskull Alley between Saerdoun Street and Delzorin Street.
Trollskull Taproom:
As Zarek and Alley relax at the bar of the Trollskull Manor Taproom, Lif hands the pair a fancy expensive envelop. Zarek opens the letter and inside the Rogue finds not a letter but an invitation printed on expensive stationary and containing gold leaf and a hand painted background.
Cassalanter Invitation:
