Session 6: Fireball

Ches 19 was opening day for the tavern in Trollskull Manor. Despite some dragon cultists throwing all pall over the festivities until Rasool had a talk with them, it was a success, and the Batmen are eagerly discussing ways that they can enhance their reputation. During this time, Dagrim got a message from Davil Starsong. "You are to obtain a silk handkerchief from Maester Roderick Bartlethorpe during the Twin Parades. He will be in the shadow of the Great Drunkard. Afterwards, go to the intersection of Dock and Net streets, and give it to the Tiefling girl who lives in a crate there." The party falls into planning mode, and decide that their newest member, Graycen Macullie, will perform the theft and deliver the object.

The twin parades are part of the celebration of Selûne Sashelas, which itself kicks off the festival of Fleetswake. From where the party awaits the appears of Maester Roderick, it is spectacular. It opens with the City Guard in formation, followed by the sea captain Zardoz Zord on the back of a rainbow-feathered diatryma. His procession of exotic animals, including leucrotta doing tricks, would be the talk of the town for months, as would his finishing act: shooting a dwarf from a cannon. There was a float of actors, and a mechanical beholder with glowing eyestalks, followed by the House of Inspired Hands float (done in conjunction with the House of Wonder). Gond's temple had ribbons of water filled with mechanical fish, but the highlight was a mechanical man, his clockwork visible, who commanded the fish to do tricks. This last crew seemed distracting enough for Graycie to do her work. She snuck across the street, and filched a handkerchief out of Maester Roderick's pocket. From there, it was easy to follow the parade route to the docks, seeing Gond's mechanical man several times along the way. The tiefling girl is very happy to get the handkerchief, and the Batmen return to the tavern in Trollskull Manor.

The very next day, the tranquility of the Batmen is interrupted by a massive explosion outside of their manor.  They rush outside to see what happened, and quickly figure out that someone set off a fireball. There are ten dead, including two Zhentarim agents and a gnome. Chip managed to palm a bag of gemstones off of the gnome. They interviewed witnesses, and find out that it was a mechanical man who used a necklace of fireballs. He wore a red robe and foppish red hat with a feather. He also had a long, stylized Van Dyke beard. (This is unique to the Gralhunds’ nimblewright and may help identify it to Captain Zord later.) He took something off the body of the gnome, and fled. There was also a heavyset man in his forties who was injured by the fireball, but limped off of the scene towards the Bent Nail. Chip attempted to follow him, but was only able to catch a glimpse as he faded into the street crowd. The watch arrived soon afterwards to cordon off the crime scene, led by Sergeant Saeth Cromley and his assistant, Barnibus Blastwind, and the party retired to Trollwind Manor's Inn to compare notes.

Shortly thereafter, Renaer showed up. He said he was supposed to meet Dalakhar here, but given the commotion outside, fears the worst. Dalakhar was a gnomish agent of his father's, and had something to hand off to Renaer, so Renaer had suggested meeting at the tavern. He didn't know what it was, just that it was something valuable. The party didn't have much to go on yet, but Marty recalled that the Temple of Gond had a mechanical man in the parade the day before, and so the party went to the House of Inspired Hands.

As they approach the temple, they see a mechanical man atop a balcony. He throws something at the party, narrowly missing Hank. It turns out to be a mechanical sparrow, though unfortunately destroyed. The interior is truly a wonder to behold, with several ingenious contraptions on display, including a miniature submarine called the Scarlet Marpenoth. The Batmen are met by Valetta, a bronze dragonborn. When they tell her of the incident with the sparrow, she shakes her head and tells the party to follow her. In the attic is the mechanical man they saw earlier on the roof, a construct of bronze and clockwork parts. Its hair consists of multicolored overlapping feathers. Valetta chastises the creature she calls a nimblewright, and names it Nim. She says she is going to have to take away his toys, and some acolytes move to empty the attic. As they empty the attic, Dagrim notices a mysterious rod, and inquires. It turns out to be a nimblewright detector. Sensing an opportunity, Hank asks if they can rent Nim for their tavern. They agree to pay 50gp up front and 5 gp per day, for four days every tenday. They then leave and, the hour being late, head back to Trollskull Manor for some rest and to plan their next steps.