Day 1, 1st Ten-day, Month of Hammer (commonly known as Deepwinter) – Wintershield public holiday

Its late afternoon (twilight) on Wintershield as Klaes starts locking up his shop Ashford's Voodoo Emporium. Normally many shops choose not to open on Wintershield but Klaes decided to take advantage of the many people moving around on the public holiday and his takings for the day had exceeded all his expectations. As he moves around the shop Ophelia flits around, supposedly helping, but in reality being not much more a nuisance. As she picks up yet another object which is already in its place saying “where should I put this Klaes” he smiles and says “it’s ok where it is thanks Ophelia!” Then there the shop’s doorbell rings and standing on his step is his friend Aedar Silverblade. He is accompanied by an extremely good looking half elf with long flowing auburn hair and striking hazel/green eyes. Both are rugged up for the cold as the temperature is heading for below freezing. “This is my colleague Eryn from the Great Library of Candlekeep. She has come here looking for rare books and I said you might be able to help her!” he says introducing the half-elf.

“I’d be more than happy to share what I know over a glass of wine” Klaes replies. “I recently came across a new, well it was new to me but I suspect it has been there for some time, tavern in the Castle Ward called The Yawning Portal. Let us make our way there.” Klaes locks the door and leads the party from Vellar’s lane, where his shop is located, down the Street of Tusks towards The High Road, the sun sets and a full moon rises. They cross The High Road duck into Scroll street before turning into Snail Street which they follow until it crosses Soothsayers Street which they turn right into before following it for a couple of hundred feet before turning into the block where The Yawning Portal is located. As they walk along, Eryn takes the time to tell her new colleagues about themselves.

(Please disregard this post)

As the group walks, Aedar, pulling close his cloak about him in a vain attempt to fight off the cold says "It's really freezing out here! I'm eager to drink a few glass of hot mulled wine." accelerating his pace as he finishes to speak. Even with his winter clothes and cloak on, it is easy to notice Aedar's strong build.
The scholar is almost 6ft tall, with shoulder long dark hair, deep green eyes and his darker skin tone suggests a Calimshan heritage. 

Eryn bounces on her heels as she walks, excited about everything around her like it's the first time she's seen it. All the while talking about Candlekeep, "You guys know the Font of Knowledge right? Well Candlekeep is way bigger! I once got lost for half a day when I was really young." She's wearing heavy leather walking boots and a coat that look on the newer side. "People are always coming and going though, so I got to hear a lot of really interesting things about the rest of Faerûn. And now I actually get to see all of it!"

Klaes put on his best smile to the new arrivals. Outside, he opens one of the outside pocket on his jacket. "Come Little One, it is cold. You may ride here if you would like. By the way, thank you for your help. Business today was very good." As they start to walk towards the The Yawning Portal. "Ya maan. A good drink is what the docta describes for the spirit." Klaes replies to Aedar. "My apologies, young lady. I du not knoo of this Font of Knowledge you speak of, but I would like to hear about it."

Klaes Ashford walks the streets of Waterdeep like he owns the place, however far from the truth that is. From where he comes from, it is all about appearances. He wears a purple suit that, for an observant person, has been washed too many times, and patched here and there. "Soo... You come from Candlekeep ya? I hear there are many books there!!" He asks Eryn.

Ophelia observes the new guests. She flits around them her pink butterfly-like wings fluttering about. “Greetings, travelers!” She says cheerfully.

"Greetings to you too Ophelia" replies Aedar with a smile as the fairy flies around him. "Have you been helping Klaes today too? His shop sometimes is a bit messy..." adds with a whisper.

"You do not know the Font of Knowledge Klaes? I think that Eryn is referring to the Oghma's Temple in the Castle Ward. I have been there a few times, it's indeed really big." Aedar says in reply to Klaes's comment. He then turns towards Eryn "One day I would like to visit Candlekeep, it's seem to be a very interesting place, full of books and hidden knowledge."

Ophelia pauses for a moment. “Emm… I’m pretty sure I have, however I’m not quite sure how to help in his shop.” She replies to Aedar.

“Ahh. Another god’s temple. I probably know the building you talk about, but I do not usually visit the house of a god. For there are no such ting as gods back home.” Klaes replies to Aedar. “Now, Candlekeep. That would a place I would like to visit as well.”

"It's really cool!" Eryn agrees. "Though... you'd all need to find some pretty nifty things if you'd like to visit."

The party find themselves standing outside a multi-story building with a slate roof and several chimneys. Hanging above the door is a sign with what looks like a well on it but instead of bucket on a rope it has some sort of platform. As the party walk in the doors they find themselves in multi-storied room with verandahs – crowded with people sitting at tables – overlooking the ground floor. In the middle of the floor was a large hole leading down into the darkness. A derrick, with windlass, is mounted on one side of the hole. Tied to edge of the hole and connected by rope to the windlass, through an intricate set of pulleys, is a platform. Around its edges is a low wooden fence. It does not take much to work out that this is probably the yawning portal from which the tavern takes its name.

Rich blue tapestries decorated the wood-paneled walls of the common room, which consisted of a bar and tables of stout wood. At one table the party spies a tall dwarf with flowing red hair – slightly touched by grey – talking with two colleagues, a tortle covered in tattoos and a one legged half orc. Unusually for Waterdeep, the half-orc is dressed in full plate; resting against the leg of his chair is a shield emblazoned with two white hands tied with a red ribbon. (You recognise this as the symbol of Ilmater – the god of suffering, martyrdom and perseverance). The tortle wears a pair of spectacles on his nose and he is currently balancing a tea cup in one hand. Leaning against the back of his chair is a  a tall ivory staff that has gold and silver symbols carved into it down the side, and a tightly wrapped faint blue and gold handle in the center. The dwarf wears no armour but resting against his leg is a battle axe with a solid steel handle etched with tiny runes, wrapped in blue dragon hide with a star sapphire set into the pommel. The axe head is forged from silver, electrum, and steel alloys whose edges constantly shimmer with a deep blue luminescence.

At another table, the party spots a satyr – a creature rarely seen in Waterdeep. This one is wearing what seems to be a cloak made of the night sky emblazoned with stars. Whatever story the satyr is telling it has his audience splitting there sides with laughter.

At another table, Aedar spots his friend and fellow performer, Mattrim "Threestrings" Mereg idly strumming on his eponymous three stringed lute. Behind the bar and idly polishing glasses, Klaes spots a gentleman who had visited his shop in the past month and encouraged him to visit The Yawning Portal. At the time had introduced himself as Durnan.

"Finally we are out of the cold" says Aedar as the group enters the tavern "It looks like a very interesting and lively place." continues as he scans the area.
Aedar waves to his friend Mattrim as soon as he spots him. "I should have brought my yarting....anyway, let's find a place to sit and drink, shall we?" asks to the rest of the group.

Ophelia is flabbergasted by the big tavern and all the loud people. This is not like the calm fields that she is used to. "Wow, I've never seen so many people being in one place at the same time!" she says to herself, trying to take in the environment of this new place. "Ah, I really should've never gone through that hole," she thinks to herself.

Klaes liked to be outside. The smell of salt water reminded him a little bit of home, but because there was no putrid smell in the air, it also reminded him, to his relief, that he was not actually home. One thing he does miss from Dementlieu is that it had a temperate weather all year long, though very humid and dank, at the very least it was never frigidly cold. Once inside the tavern, he shakes off the cold, straighten his suit with both hands, and fixes his purple top hat on his head. He marvels at the place, and he thinks that it would not be out of place back home, its just the people here are actually entertained, and not just pretending. He spots the person that suggested that he visit this place.

With a smile Klaes approaches Durnan. "Grreetings mista Durnan. It is quite impressive ur establishment. Please, do tell me before you disclose the reason you asked me to come and visit your wonderful place, what is that hole in the middle of the tavern? I am quite curious."

Durnan speaks with a thick scottish accent "Master klaes, guid tae see ye. 'at hole takes ye tae th' undermoontain. ye can fin' yer fortune ur ye can fin' yer deaths. If yoo’d loch tae use th' platf'rm its a dragon per bodie ur creature tae gang doon an' a dragon, payable in advance, tae return. But a sensible cheil loch yerself ah think yoo’re haur fur th' entertainment tonecht an' tae discuss whit happened in th' lest year an' whit micht happen in th' next, raither than riskin' yer life. Can ah gie ye an' yer companions a bevvy?"

Aedar, at first finds hard to understand the man's thick accent, but as he focuses a bit he is able to his meaning "Interesting, 2 dragons to tempt Tymora and Beshaba at the same time! But before that, I would gladly have a drink." says to Durnan.

He turns then towards his companions and pointing at the hole says "I have to be honest, I'm very curious of what we may find down there."  

"Whoa, that's a really big hole," Eryn seems very excited by it. "What's down there?"

"Apparently our fortune or our death, Eryn" replies Aedar "hopefully only the first."

Klaes looks at the hole at the center of the tavern with a curious look. With his right hand, he calmly retrieves a oversized deck of cards from the inside of his suit. It is a strange artifact that most likely no one has ever seen. It looks like playing cards, but they are larger, and highly decorated with strange suits and and pictures. He does a light shuffle on the deck, and takes out one card, glance at it briefly (see below), then put the card back into the deck, and the deck back into the inside pocket of his suit. He then looks to his companions.

"Perhaps our destiny is connected to that plaace, for great deeds may await us, but not today. For today, we drink at our host's request." He turns to look at the tavern owner. "Soo, is there anyting that we can do for you, mista Durnan?"

“Nae other than buyin' a bevvy an' aiblins a platter ay quipper an' cheps ur whatever scran takes yer fancy?” Durnan answers. Klaes dutifully orders a round of drinks and some food and pays the required amount. As you sit at the table partaking of your food and drinks you suddenly hear a shout: “Ya pig! Like killin’ me mates, does ya?” Then a seven-foot-tall half-orc is hit by a wild, swinging punch from a male human whose shaved head is covered with eye-shaped tattoos. Four other humans stand behind him, ready to jump into the fray. The half-orc cracks her knuckles, roars, and leaps at the tattooed figure — but before you can see if blood is drawn, a crowd of spectators clusters around the brawl. What do you do? The dwarf at the table with the half-orc in plate and the tea drinking tortle looks up at the disturbance but realising there is no threat simply goes back to talking with his friends.