Upon returning via Mella's teleportation circle to Waterdeep, the party finds themselves at the estate of the paladin Ontharr Frume. Here they are able to report to the Council's operatives, reporting on their adventure at Xonthal's Tower. They avoid mentioning the blue dragon mask, however, and keep it hidden in their bag of holding. Brin attempts to destroy it, but it is a powerful magical artifact and resists those efforts. Shortly thereafter, the adventurers learn that the Zhentarim, an organization of thieves and assassins, has been approached with death contracts against the entire party! The Cult is using the underworld of the city to attack anyone carrying out the Council's war preparations. Each of the adventurers go to the organizations they know best, searching for information on this threat. But when they gather again to compare notes, the cleric is missing! From a dark corner of the room, a voice speaks out - Jamna Gleamsilver, the rogue who has helped them in the past. She wants the party to continue to thwart the plans of the Cult of the Dragon, so she has come to help them deal with this threat. To this end, she leads them to a butcher shop that is a front for a Zhentarim cell, then leaves them to infiltrate it. Mella sends her familiar in to scout, finding two thugs inside and a stairway leading down. Brin turns Tammy invisible, and she sneaks close enough to knock out one thug. The other is quickly wounded by arrows, but manages to stagger to the stairs and shout a warning before succumbing to his wounds. At the bottom of the stairs, they find a heavy locked door. Tammy's rogue skills are not up to the task of opening it, but Brin casts a knock spell that does the trick! Within is a basement where two Zhentarim await, and after a brief skirmish, one escapes into another room. Acting quickly before he returns, the adventurers listen closely, and are able to hear the cleric yelling down a different passage! More Zhentarim block the way, but are quickly dealt with. By the time the rest of the party appears, Noramina has already managed to free herself by commanding one of the Zhentarim to open the cell door. But as they begin to leave, the other door slams open and through it charges a monstrous drider! This half-spider, half-Drow creature is clearly angry and followed by many of his fellows. Fortunately, the party is already on their way out and escape into the butcher shop, barring the door behind them. As the party leaves the area, Jamna appears, and the adventurers learn that the Zhentarim cell they just attacked was a rival to Jamna's own organization. Now that they are weakened, she will be able to take over their operations - and of course, cancel the contract with the Cult. The rogue is well pleased with this outcome and soon disappears again. The party returns to the paladin's estate to rest and wait on the Council. War preparations are underway, with armies moving slowly toward the Well of Dragons. It will not be long before the final battle.