A week in Waterdeep passed swiftly. Rhogar and Titus continued their studies, Naivara searched for a useful magic item, Varis kept on the down-low while doing odd jobs around the Xanathar Guild, and Halle did some tavern trawling to learn what sort of mess his brother Frederick had gotten himself into. At the end of the week Naivara asked everyone to meet at Halle's mansion, where she confronted Varis about the crime he was wanted for. Under Titus' Zone of Truth spell Varis professed his innocence and shared what little he knew of the murder of Naivara's friend Thurewood Getor in Neverwinter. Satisfied, she gifted him the Hat of Disguise she had searched for an obtained. Visitors stopped by the mansion during that evening. One of Ambassador Brawnanvil 's Dwarven guards delivered a message to Naivara from her old friend Barnabus Stonemane , about Varram the White 's search for the Tomb of Diderius in Najara. An acolyte from the Church of Oghma visited Varis to make sure Fodel Marsk 's message from Neverwinter, about church leader Alder Fang 's ties to the Cult of the Dragon, reached him. Halle received a message from Laeral Silverhand informing him that Varis' grandfather's Dragon Slayer sword could only be reforged by the Yajerit clan of Dragonborn, or others who may have learned that secret from the dragons. Halle also separately received an invitation for him and all his friends to attend a party at his bother's mansion the next evening. Rhogar arrived late. He had been held up by Nihiloor , the mind flayer ally of The Xanathar , and hired to clean up some experiments in an old house in the Sea Ward. He was psychically shown an image of the house along with a swarm of cranium rats and a red pool of slime behind them. Rhogar negotiated doing the job for 1,000 gp worth of diamonds, and received half up front. The next day, Naivara and Titus worked together to research the Tomb of Diderius, Najara, and the rumored locations of Lord Volmer . She laid out the locations on a map of the Sword Coast and plotted a course of travel. Rhogar, Halle, and Varis searched the city for the house Nihiloor showed Rhogar. He wasn't able to describe it very well, and after asking for help from the guard he was directed to the Dock Ward. They spent the day searching uneventfully, and by afternoon headed back to Halle's mansion to prepare for their dinner. Waiting outside the mansion was the Harper Leosin Erlanthar . He told them the Harpers received word that Varram the White had been spotted at Boareskyr Bridge , and the Council was eager for them to head down after him. This would be a great opportunity to set the cult back some more, and if they could bring him back alive it would allow the Council and their allies to interrogate Varram. When asked about how they might transport Varram alive, Leosin remarked that it should be no issue to procure a barred prison wagon from the town guard. Leosin expressed interest in the group's "new" member, the overweight cobbler who Varis was currently disguised as. Once the confusion was cleared up Leosin understood and would keep the secret. After cleaning up and changing the group traveled to Lord Frederick Fitzater's mansion in the Sea Ward. Immediately Rhogar recognized this as the place Nihiloor showed him, though an illusion seemed to show it as less decrepit. As they were shown around a few members of the group began to be able to see through the illusion of the pristine manor, and even noticed some strange red strands connected to the feet of the servants. They were introduced to other minor nobles who seemed to be waiting for something to happen and getting impatient that it hadn't yet. One by one the nobles were convinced to follow a servant into a room in the back of the house, and when they came back out they too had those strange red strands connected to their feet. At the kitchen Halle and the others were reunited with Wellby and Shellby Hilltopple , the Halflings twins who traveled in the caravan with them from Baldur's Gate to Waterdeep. The twins were thrilled to see Halle again, and less than pleased they were currently working for his brother - it seemed they showed up and offered their services to the wrong "Lord Fitzater". They directed the cooks to make a fantastic, traditional Halfling feast. During the dinner, Halle began dropping not-so-subtle threats to the other nobles which in no small part involved telling of Varis' propensity to end confrontations in fire. After dinner Halle went to find them and be more direct, while Naivara investigated the back room with Halle's Brother and Rhogar. Responding to perceived threats by both Naivara and Halle, the Elder Oblex which had been masquerading as half the nobles and all the servants attacked them openly, nearly taking out Varis immediately. Varis retaliated with fire, and it wasn't long before the aged home was a fiery inferno. Vastly outnumbered and overpowered, the final attack launched by the trapped, dying Oblex killed Wellby Hilltopple outright. Titus rushed him and his sister out of the house to safety. Halle and Rhogar continued the fight against the Oblex spawn littering the basement while Varis and Naivara used magic to try and slow the fire down so everyone to escape safely. The Oblex threat was summarily ended. The swarm of cranium rats was seen in the basement but not interacted with before the blaze became too much. One by one the group escaped the burning house and stood outside in the now obviously dried and dead garden, watching the flames engulf the clearly run-down house. Only one of the other nobles managed to escape, but where he fled to is unknown. Titus called upon his god-granted power to return Wellby to life, bringing him back to the land of the living much to his grieving sister's relief. At game start it is 30 Uktar in the Year of the Warrior Princess, 1489 DR.
