Location: Mantol-Derith
Zilchyn escorts Party into the warehouse, putting the drow inside on edge
- he explains that Party is with him and they're trying to get to the bottom of the outbreak of madness
while Party takes a short rest, Dibrael tries to leave to search for Zaz on his own
- Sylrien tries to take charge, but Dibrael doesn't appreciate being told he isn't allowed to do this
- Mylz tries to appeal to his emotions more, but Dibrael gets even more agitated and lashes out
- finally, Sarith physically blocks his exit and pleads with Dibrael not to go without backup; Dibrael reluctantly concedes
Nexena Arabiryn approaches Party and demands to know their business
- Jorlan steps forward and respectfully explains the situation, and Nexena agrees to give information in exchange for some of the party's valuables
- Nexena says one of their gargoyles left its post and flew in the direction of the Zhentarim enclave
- Party invites Zilchyn to go with them to the Zhentarim enclave, and he happily joins them, eager for more entertainment
in the Zhentarim's pavilion stands 4 female drow
- Skjorn draws attention to himself, putting the drow on the defensive
- the drow leader commands Party to leave at once, for they are interrupting private business
- Mylz attempts to bring up the gargoyle, but the drow leader shuts down the conversation
- however, at the mention of the gargoyle, one of the drow women in the back of the group shifts nervously and glances up
- Mylz & Gaziel follow her gaze to a single gargoyle watching over the lot of them
- Party decides most of them will back off, retreating a safe distance
Mylz casts Pass Without Trace and finds a hiding spot, along with Jorlan and Shoor, to spy on the drow women
- the three of them watch as a smarmy aristocratic human, a group of thugs, and a maimed beholder exit from the Zhentarim warehouse
- the Zhentarim and the drow begin discussing an alliance against the duergar and deep gnomes that have broken the peace
- the drow leader implies they might even want to wipe out the other factions from Mantol-Derith
- suddenly, the nervous drow from earlier shouts, "For Fraz-Urb'luu!" and attacks the beholder, causing both groups to break out into a fight
Mylz, Jorlan, and Shoor return to the party and share what they saw
- Mylz explains that Fraz-Urb'luu is a demon lord known for deception, illusions, and manipulation to cause mass chaos
- Party makes the connection that the madness-spreading gem has something to do with Fraz-Urb'luu
Party looks back at the fighting to see only one (heavily injured) survivor: the drow that started it all
- Party begins pursuit, cornering her against a wall before Dibrael grapples her
- Mylz & Gaziel search the drow for the gem, only to find nothing
- Gaziel intimidates the drow into talking: the
gargoyle gave her the gem, which she took as a message from Fraz-Urb'luu
to kill the beholder
- the drow disposed of the evidence in the river, which she later watched an orc drink from; if anyone has it now, it's him
- Gaziel asks Zilchyn to take the drow prisoner and escort her back to the drow enclave
- along the way, Zilchyn stops to loot the new bodies, then tells the party there's some good stuff there
Party loots the bodies, finding a new Spellbook for Skjorn and...
- a ring emitting an aura of divination magic
- a letter addressed to Ghazrim DuLoc informing him of the party's mission and upcoming arrival
- Sylrien realizes these items mean that they've just found their contact, and the ring must be the "map" that will guide them to Gravenhollow
complete quest: Obtain a Map
Party persuades the guards inside the Zhentarim warehouse that they're here on official business and they did not, in fact, kill Ghazrim DuLoc
- Party is let inside and begins questioning merchants if any of their orcs have been acting strangely
- an orange tabaxi named Garfield the Deals Warlock points them in the direction of an orc named Dan the Donut Man, who is even more unbearable today than usual
Party meets Dan the Donut Man and Skjorn attempts to buy one of the donuts in his display case
- Dan the Donut Man pockets the money but doesn't give Skjorn a donut, stating that he just sold his last one to an angel
- Dan the Donut Man claims that while he was getting a drink earlier, he accidentally slurped up a donut, which he brought back here to his stall
- Dan the Donut Man claims that while he was getting a drink earlier, he accidentally slurped up a donut, which he brought back here to his stall
- when asked to describe the angel, he says the man had wings and a blonde ponytail, and was accompanied by a little blue guy
- Party begins to panic as they realize the demon lord's gem is now in the hands of Aerlian
- Party begins to panic as they realize the demon lord's gem is now in the hands of Aerlian
- Dan the Donut Man asks if they're friends with the angel, and when Party says yes, he reveals that Aerlian went through a secret tunnel in the back of the warehouse - and gives them the password
Party approaches the secret tunnel; just before they enter, the screen fades to black...
update quest: Wild Gem Hunt & Where's Zaz?