Location: Gracklstugh
the next day, Party attempts to ask around about the lockdown again
- attention is drawn to a couple of guards beating a merchant unconscious over a golden pin
- after they leave, Mylz makes sure the man is okay, and Zaz keeps the pin for investigation
Skjorn (against all odds) successfully persuades Topsy & Turvy to bite him, then transform together to look for Buppido
- they find Buppido in the middle of a grocery run, and he greets the party as if he never left
- he knows of ways out of the city, but he can't bring lead the party to off-limits areas
- Mylz gets the feeling he's lying about there being no accessible tunnels in the Darklake District
Party looks for secrets around the Shattered Spire
- Dibrael hears about trade routes being more dangerous lately, as well as demon attacks on settlements
- Zaz hears about a derro named Droki, who might be a promising lead
Zaz and Skjorn hear that Zaz's bounty has been spread around; he will have to be in disguise from now on
- Skjorn asks around for copies of the wanted poster, turning one into paper a hat before handing it over to Zaz
- the entire party is now aware of the bounty
Skjorn and Spiderbait wake up with worse grackle-lung; Yuk Yuk stays at the inn with the latter
- Dibrael cures Skjorn, but the half-elf makes it weird by saying "come here, pretty boy 😏"
a priest arrives at the inn and introduces himself as a member of the Keepers of the Flame
- the party has caught their attention, and they've been watching their actions
- they are to be escorted to meet their leader and Themberchaud
Party arrives at Themberchaud's cavern, where they meet an egotistical red dragon and her handler, Gartokkar
- Themberchaud demands a private meeting with the party, asking them who they are and how they got here
- she knows the Keepers have been hiding things from her for some time now, and asks the party to become her agents: do whatever the Keepers ask but report to her first
begin quest: Themberchaud's Spies
afterward, Gartokkar speaks to the party privately and explains their mission
- a thieves' guild called the Gray Ghosts has stolen a dragon egg meant to hatch Themberchaud's successor
- the guild is also believed to be the cause of all of the disturbances lately
- they've identified an agent named Droki; the party is to find and tail him, find evidence of the Gray Ghosts' activities, and report back
- she gives the party golden badges with Themberchaud's likeness that can be used to enter previously forbidden areas
begin quest: Investigate the Gray Ghosts