# ✧ Episode 23 — A Feast, a Gift, and a Long Way Down **Date:** Tuesday, 26th May 2026 **Location:** [[Waterdeep]] — [[Yawning Portal]], Zobolop's Emporium, The Manor, Undermountain (Level 1) **Notes**: as written by [[Kozu Marphanis]] ## Session Summary --- **Scene 1 — A Feast Before the Dark** The party gathered at the [[Yawning Portal]] — that grand, filthy cathedral of冒险 and ale where Waterdeep's adventurers come to boast, brag, and bargain before descending into the earth. [[Fredoku]], ever the man of ceremony, ordered two very fine bottles of wine and a full hog roast for the table. The party found a spot on the ground level, tucked toward the back, and [[Beatrix]] the waitress arrived with platters piled high — crackling skin, roasted apples, gravy in its own little boat. For a moment, there was only the sound of carving knives and satisfied sighs. But the Yawning Portal is no place for quiet meals. The rumours came floating on the noise of the crowd — talk of the Mad Mage and his apprentices, a dozen of them, each more eccentric than the last. Stories of monsters and experiments lurking beneath the city in the halls of Undermountain. The party listened as they ate, storing away every scrap of information like coin in a purse. --- **Scene 2 — The Cartographer Question** With the meal winding down, [[Fredoku]] approached the bar and the man behind it — [[Durnan the Wanderer]], the legendary adventurer-turned-tavernkeeper, his scarred face as much a landmark of Waterdeep as the Statue of Ahghairon. Fredoku asked the question that had been on his mind: did Durnan know any cartographers? Anyone who could map the tunnels below? Durnan considered this with the weight of a man who has seen a thousand adventurers ask a thousand questions before stepping onto the pulley. The first couple of levels, he explained, were largely controlled by certain factions from Waterdeep — not uncharted territory, but not exactly mapped for public consumption either. Names, contacts, and warnings were exchanged in the low murmur of professional courtesy. Durnan had seen parties like this one before. Some came back. Some didn't. He said nothing of that — he didn't need to. --- **Scene 3 — Moonstone Light** While Fredoku talked maps, [[Kozu Marphanis|Kozu]] slipped away to visit [[Zobolop]]'s purple shop — that curious emporium of strange and wonderful things tucked away in the dockward shadows. Zobolop was waiting. The necklaces were ready. Each one was strung with moonstone — pale, luminous gems that caught the light and held it. Kozu examined them with the careful eye of a professional. The enchantment was subtle but useful: each necklace would give a dim light in the dark, enough to see by, not enough to announce your presence to everything in the tunnel ahead. Perfect for a rogue's sensibilities. He paid, pocketed the necklaces, and made his way back to the party. --- **Scene 4 — The Artificer Arrives** A few days passed in the rhythm of preparation. The Manor's renovations continued under [[Coran Hammersmith]]'s watch. Martyn's axe commission at the [[Broad and Sword]] was nearing completion. And then came a knock at the door. The woman who stood on the threshold was unknown to them. She introduced herself as [[Tanya von Argent]] — an artificer, sent by [[Lady Silvermain]] to aid the party in their coming venture into Undermountain. Her bearing was practical, her gear well-maintained, and her manner suggested she had been briefed thoroughly. A gift from the Watch Commander. Or perhaps an investment. Either way, the party had gained a seventh hand — and artificers had a habit of making things explode in useful ways. --- **Scene 5 — The Descent** The day came. The party assembled at the Yawning Portal one last time above ground. [[Durnan the Wanderer]] worked the pulley mechanism himself — a great iron winch that lowered adventurers into the Well, a 140-foot vertical shaft bored straight down into the heart of Undermountain. The platform creaked. The light from above shrank to a pale coin. Then their feet touched sandy floor, and the real work began. The chamber where they landed was forty feet by forty — square, rough-hewn, with a sandy floor that crunched under their boots. Rusty shields hung on the walls, relics of previous expeditions or warnings left by something that didn't want company. A large tunnel opened to the south, black and waiting. The party formed up. Torches were lit. Weapons checked. At the end of the corridor, they entered a chamber filled with pillars — thick stone columns that broke the line of sight and offered a hundred places for an ambush to hide. Every shadow was a question. Every footstep echoed twice. It was [[Tanya von Argent]] who found the first secret — a hidden door, cleverly concealed along the corridor wall, leading into a narrow passage that opened into a ten-foot-square room. Dusty, empty, and very, very quiet. A holding room. A guard post. A trap waiting to be sprung. The party pressed on. Undermountain had them now. **Continues in [[Episode 24]]** --- ## NPCs & Locations Encountered | Name | Type | Description | |------|------|-------------| | [[Durnan the Wanderer]] | NPC | Legendary adventurer and owner/tavernkeeper of the [[Yawning Portal]]; scarred face, weighted with years of experience; operates the pulley into Undermountain | | [[Beatrix]] | NPC | Waitress at the [[Yawning Portal]]; served the party's hog roast feast | | [[Zobolop]] | NPC | Proprietor of the purple shop near the dockyards; provided Kozu with moonstone necklaces | | [[Tanya von Argent]] | NPC | Artificer sent by Lady Silvermain to assist the party; practical, well-equipped, professional bearing | | [[Lady Silvermain]] | NPC | Watch Commander (or former); dispatched Tanya to aid the party's Undermountain expedition | | [[Yawning Portal]] | Location | Iconic Waterdeep tavern built over the Well into Undermountain; ground-level seating, roaring crowd, Durnan's bar | | Zobolop's Emporium | Location | Purple-coloured curiosity shop near the dockyards; magical trinkets and enchanted goods | | [[Undermountain]] | Location | Vast dungeon complex beneath Waterdeep; the Mad Mage's domain; accessed via the Yawning Portal's 140ft Well | | Undermountain — Entry Chamber | Location | 40×40ft room with sandy floor, rusty shields on walls, tunnel heading south | | Undermountain — Pillared Chamber | Location | Large room with stone pillars; first major chamber after the entry tunnel | | Undermountain — Hidden Room | Location | 10×10ft secret room discovered by Tanya; accessed via concealed door in the corridor | ## Loot & Discoveries - **Moonstone Necklaces (multiple)** — collected from Zobolop; each gives off dim light in darkness, subtle enough for stealth - **Intelligence on Undermountain** — first two levels reportedly controlled by Waterdeep factions (per Durnan) - **Hidden Room Discovered** — a 10×10ft room off the main corridor, discovered by Tanya von Argent; purpose unknown ## Active Quests - **Refurbishment of The Manor** — Coran Hammersmith (Hammer & Board) is overseeing repairs, estimated ~1 week to complete - **Collect custom mighty axe** — Martyn's commission at Broad and Sword; ready imminently - **Explore Undermountain** — party has descended into the dungeon; first chambers explored, secrets already revealing themselves - **Identify Mystery Ring** — still in Kozu's possession; pearl acquired for Identify spell --- ## ⚡︎ Tags #dnd #sessionnote #storyline #waterdeep #kozu #martyn #fredoku #dolous #iz #tanya #lady-silvermain #durnan #zobolop #yawning-portal #undermountain #mad-mage #descent #themightyhands --- *Written from the journals of **Kozu Marphanis** — Episode 23, The Mighty Hands Campaign*