(Sorry for the delay)

Eryn - what are you doing?

 (I say we go back to Klaes' store and regroup.)

Eryn just nods, suddenly snapping out of the shock. She helps Klaes.

Day 10, 2nd Ten-day, sometime after sundown, Month of Alturiak (commonly known as The claw of Winter) – The Mosh Pit

It is now about a month after Klaes returned unsuccessfully from his venture into the sewers to rescue Floon Blagmaar, carrying the dead body of his companion Aedar, and Klaes is sitting with his co-owner Gael Stormwind, around a large table in the tap room of what soon – they hope – will become one of the most successful taverns in the North ward, possibly a rival to the Yawning Portal, planning a housewarming for their neighbours.

Hang on a minute you say ‘when and how did Klaes become a tavern owner?’
‘Well after arranging for the burial of Aedar, Klaes met with Voldo at the Yawning Portal to report his failure. Much to his surprise when Klaes arrived he found Voldo sitting with a bald dwarf, Renaer and a handsome young man who very much matched the description of Floon Blagmaar.

The first thing that Voldo said was “I’m sorry for your loss. I know I promised you 400 dragons if you could rescue Floon, well I promised Gael here a similar amount and let’s just say that book sales weren’t what I expected. Now while Renaer promised to cover my debts, I entered into the contract and therefore I should pay. Instead of money I can give you the title deed to a tavern in the North Ward; Trollskull Alley to be precise.”

Gael wasn’t too happy at becoming a property owner but eventually Voldo managed to talk him around. The next day Voldo, accompanied by both Renaer and Floon, took Gael and Klaes to courthouse in Castleward where a tiefling magistrate named Kylynne Silmerhelve witnessed the transfer of the deed. When she said there was an estate transfer tax of 25 dragons, Voldo looked a little sheepish. With only the smallest of sighs, Renaer signed a chit transferring the funds to the city coffers.

The new title holders accompanied by Voldo, Floon and Renaer then went to inspect the property.

Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building was one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley. However it would require some work; while Klaes could see the potential, Gael was not too sure and there was a lot of harrumphing from the Hill Dwarf.

When they first entered the building, they could see that the taproom was filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that had turned to vinegar, and other worthless detritus. The tavern’s other rooms were also all empty, except for cobwebs, dust, and harmless rats. However, a deal was a deal.

Within a day, Klaes had arranged for his furniture and much of his belongings to be shipped to their new premises. And Gael had also moved his belongings from his rented lodgings in the Sea Ward. One night early in their occupation of the house, Gael and Klaes were throwing around names as to what they could call the new tavern when one of the few plates they had salvaged and placed on a shelf fell to the floor with a clatter. Intrigued they both went over and looked at the plate. In the dust beside the broken plate could be seen the words ‘The Mosh Pit’.

The next day Renaer came around to see how the work was going. He had not been there long when a well-dressed Halfling had stuck his head around the door and stretched out a hand “Broxley, local representative of the Fellowship of Innkeepers” he had said. After the introductions were complete he had then gone on to say they it was believed that the tavern was haunted. The party members explained the events of the night before and he had replied “well that makes sense, sounds like a poltergeist! Best you make peace with it!” he then looked around the building and said “its bones are sound and there aren’t many taverns in the North ward so you could make a nifty nib or so if you did the place up, but it will cost you a bit. Never mind I can put you in contact with the right people, skilled and licenced tradesmen if you want. But to access them you will need to join the Fellowship?”

Gael and Klaes dutifully joined the Fellowship of Inkeepers and over the next few days, worked out that by pooling their savings and selling off some excess equipment they could just scrape together the funds they needed to restore the building to its former glory. The Mosh Pit became a hive of activity as work was undertaken; proving that depths of winter are no hindrance to commercial activity in the City of Splendours. During this time the two tavern owners also got to know their neighbours including:

• Talisolvanar “Tally” Fellbranch, the male half-elf carpenter and woodcarver, owner and chief artisan of the Bent Nail (T2)
• the two genasi, Embric (fire) and Avi (water), who owned and operated a forge (T3) called ‘Steam and Steel’ nearby
• Fala Leafaliir a wood elf who owned and operated the herbalist shop, known as ‘Corellon’s Crown’, directly across the street
• Vincent Trench a human private detective who operated out a house (T5) a bit down the street
• Rishaal a dragonborn of gold dragon ancestry who managed the bookshop ‘Book Wyrm’s Treasure’ (T6) two houses down the street from Vincent Trench’s premises.

As Gael and Klaes started to return the Mosh Pit to something approximating its former glory they come to realise just how many guilds operate in Waterdeep having had to engage with the:

• Carpenters’, Roofers’, and Plasterers’ Guild to organise the repair of the walls and roof
• Cellarers’ and Plumbers’ Guild to manage the refurbishment of the basement and plumbing
• Launderers’ Guild to provide clean sheets and other linen
• Dungsweepers’ Guild and the Loyal Order of Street Laborers to keep the streets around the building site clean and tidy
• Vintners’, Distillers’, and Brewers’ Guild to supply the alcohol they planned to serve
• Guild of Butchers to supply meat, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!

During the renovation work, the poltergeist who it turned out was the tavern’s previous barkeeper – a half-elf named Lif – proves to be remarkably helpful, fetching tools for the workmen, keeping the worksite clean and tidy every night.

About two weeks into the renovation, Broxley popped by on one of his semi-regular visits and said “I know a young bloke by the name of Lasciel Argent who may be interested in playing regularly once you open. I’ll send him around.” Sure enough a day or so later Lasciel turned up on the building site and introduced himself.

One week later Volo came around. After passing favourable comments on the work to date he said “I know you don’t owe me anything, but I count it as a favour if you could look after an acquaintance of mind. I’ll send him around.” Much to the Gael, Klaes and Lasciel’s surprise a small giant, well it least looked like one, turned up the next day. In a deep rumbling voice he introduced himself as Chumba Wamba of the Wymdoom clan and that Volo had told him that as his special friends you would make him welcome.

Eventually the Mosh Pit was almost ready for its official opening but before they did so Gael and Klaes and their new companions, Chumba and Lasciel, decided to invite their neighbours in first. The four of them are standing in the doorway when their guests start to arrive, most of whom are bearing gifts – for example:

• Tally is carrying a large wooden sign which has a collection of people standing with their arms in the air and lying on top of them is another person
• Embric and Avi have brought several sets, one for each fireplace in the tavern of beautifully crafted fire irons
• the other neighbours have all brought similar gifts; even their competition, the human proprietor of Frewn’s Brews, Emmeck Frewn, is carrying a small cask of some sort.

Over to the players

"Ahh I'm tired already and we have yet to start. Chasing down criminals was more relaxing than this." says Gael slumping into a chair as the group waits for the neighbours to arrive. The portly dwarf takes out from a pouch his pipe and lits it, sending circle of smoke towards the doorway.

"Here they are." says the dwarf as Tally and the other neighbours starts to arrive. He stands up with a loud sigh "My bones."  he then adjusts with one hand his green and white vest while clutching his pipe on the other.

"Tally, thank you for the sign. What does it mean?" asks the dwarf examining the sign.
"Emmerck? That's a surprise, I did not expect you to join us. The call of our dwarven ale was too strong for you to resist eh?" says the dwarf with a merry laugh.

     Lasciel leaned against the bar in a very cool and relaxed way - he knew because he practiced it til it was perfect - and mentally paced the taproom floor.  He was going through his planned set list for tonight and visualizing his movement around the floor as he performed each song.  Of course in practice it would all be up to the size of the crowd and where they congregated and which groups seemed to enjoy his performance most and a dozen other variables but one had to have a plan to adjust and break from.

     Tonight was more a cold open than anything else so the crowd should be relatively thin and less rowdy than the actual opening but they would still expect entertainment and word of it's quality would surely help dictate how packed a house they have for the real shebang.  Lascial planned a mix of crowd favorites and more current songs as well as a couple well chosen and practiced "improvised stories" to give the crowd a break from the music but still grab their attention.  Lasciel was still going back and forth about debuting his new song which was a bittersweet balled to The Swordmaiden that he intended to have the crowd in tears during and leaping to their feet cheering after...  Perhaps he really needs a packed house for that?  He'll play it by ear, he decided, which is no real decision at all. 

     As the first guest arrives Lasciel picked up Patches and looked the cat in the eyes for a moment.  "No mischief tonight, and try not to get stepped on, eh?" he instructed the Calico before tossing her onto the bar so she could do her thing.  She was a cat, she would do as she pleased no matter what he told her.

     Lasciel hung well back from the door and allowed Gael and Klaes to greet the guests as they arrived.  Lasciel was proud of the work he had done around The Mosh Pit since he was first introduced to the paid but it was their place and he was just the hired help.  The owners deserved all the praise and congratulations, the workers deserved to work and get paid...  Something he was sure he would be.  Eventually.  Right?  Right?!?

     Each guests is acknowledged with a smile and a nod or wave as they enter and Lasciel approached and took drink orders, helped them find seats and generally gladhanded everyone only after they had made it past the owners at the door.  Until his musical performance began he was doing a performance of another kind, that of host and concierge, making it his job to make sure everyone is happy and comfortable. 

"Tally, thank you for the sign. What does it mean?" Gael asks half-elf while examining the sign. "Remember a couple of weeks ago, you said the placed was to be called The Mosh Pit. Well I did some research and this was the best that I could do. Do you like it?" Tally asks.

"Emmerck? That's a surprise, I did not expect you to join us. The call of our dwarven ale was too strong for you to resist eh?" says the dwarf with a merry laugh. "Why don't you put this in your cellar and let it mature and then we'll see who has the best drink" Emmerck says. Gael can't quite put his finger on it but there is something that doesn't ring quite true about Emmerk's statement.

"Sure, sure that I like it Tally! It's perfect." says the dwarf giving a pat on the half-elf's back before putting the sign on a nearby table "I'll ask the others to put it in the best place of our tap room."

Gael rises an eyebrow at Emmerck's reply "We will see, but in another time. Today we drink our ale." The dwarf takes Emmerck's gift and heads towards the pantry. As soon as he is alone, Gael puts it in a corner of the room before returning to the taproom.

With a heavy heart, and his top hat by his chest, Klaes Ashford said his goodbyes to Aedar. “I‘ll see ya at the next life brodah.” That day he lost two good friends. After Klaes mourned his friend appropriately he went back to Yawning Portal to look for Mista Volo and deliver the news. Much to his surprise the meeting turned out completely different from what he thought.

During the renovation of the The Mosh Pit, he feigned to be hard at work helping with the heavy lifting, but he was actually was just trying to get involved with the decor of the place working closely with Broxley.

On one of the quieter night, he retired to his quarters earlier. He sat cross legged on the floor and tried to communicate with the spirit that resided in the property. “Greetings Mista Lif. We would like to thank you for all the help you have provided. Ah hope we can have a talk tonight.” He stays still for a while waiting for an answer.

Just before the official opening, Klaes went to check on Lasciel, offering a hand if one was needed for him to make his final preparations for the night.

When the time came for the opening. At the sight of the first visitor, he takes off his top hat and bowed low. “Welcome! Welcome, esteemed guests. It is me pleasure to welcome you to the new and improved The Mosh Pit!”

Chumba:

The goliath Chumba is surprisingly helpful during the construction process, proving to be a good worker and somewhat frighteningly strong.  He easily volunteers that he came south from the Spine of the World to hunt down and destroy an evil dragon to gain honor among his people, somewhat aptly named the Wyrmdoom tribe.

He proves surprisingly facile with percussive accompaniment during music practice sessions, though at times when the music swells he has a tendency to strike a huge cymbal with a resounding crash—which looks more like a dented round shield than any true musical instrument.

Much of his free time away from the tavern is spent trying to track down his dragon obsession, though his skills are more suited to wilderness tracking than urban information gathering—but he still tries.  With his stout drumsticks, Chumba makes a rather intimidating bouncer for the tavern, and that is his role tonight—at least until the beat drops.

The party is in full swing and Lash has just finished admonishing – probably uselessly as it is a cat – Calico when he hears a voice in his head …

Spoiler – Lasciel

 Meanwhile Chumba Wamba having gone down to the Cellar to get resupplies finds himself followed by a small white cat which …

Spoiler – Chumba

Gael carries the keg into the pantry and turns to go back to the party when a tiny paper bird flutters into the room. Suspecting it made by from the Harpers he grabs and quickly peruses it.

Spoiler – Gael

 At some stage during the night Klaes takes a break from his duties as official host. Whilst he is out of sight of the party a small winged snake comes flying in through an opened window. Wrapped around its body is a small parchment. Klaes unties the parchment and reads

Spoiler – Klaes

     Well... This is awkward, Lasciel thinks as he looks around the filling taproom and trying to spot each of the other three.  Um, hello? he thinks loudly, if such can be done.  You still there?  At once at once or like in the morning at once?  We kind of have a thing right now...

(I'm assuming he gets no response to his mental reply so....)

     Lasciel forces a smile and goes about what he was otherwise doing - Mixing and entertaining and hosting and serving and doing whatever he can to make the night a success.  Exact terms of his payment were yet to be hammered out but the more he made himself an essential part if The Mosh Pit the more it can only help his case in the negotiations.  When his mingling and small talking brought him near each of the other three he would grab them aside and give them each a variation on "I just got the strangest invitation...  A magical mental communication from The Blackstaff inviting me... Inviting us... to come to Blackstaff Tower.  At once.  But... I assume they meant after this, yes?  Or perhaps the morning?"  He goes to Chumba first, then Gael and then Klaes.  Assuming none decide they should kick everyone out and go at once, Lasciel will end it with "Well, we'll decide when we close up..." and then move on about the taproom floor doing his thing.

     If nothing else comes up to change things Lasciel will indeed ask the others to come with him once things finish up in the Pit.  "I know, I know... there is more than a night's worth of cleaning to do after tonight, but this was The Blackstaff.  I'm already worried delaying this long...They said to bring you all but if you don't want to come..."  Lasciel shrugs and hopes they come.  At least one of them.  It is exciting to be going to Blackstaff Tower but also a bit scary...

     Patches, the calico cat that demand Lasciel feed them in exchange for their tolerance and forebearance, spies a white cat within their tavern and has thoughts about that.  Narrowing their eyes and preparing to go and speak with this foolhardy tabby they are saved the trouble as the cat is already on their way out.  Patches is curious what they were up to and decides to double her patrols of her tavern - She can't just be letting strays and such into her territory willy nilly.  She has a reputation, after all.

Gael finishes to read the note and tucks it in one of his pockets, "I'll have to dust out my old formal attire then." murmurs to himself the dwarf before returning to the taproom and continuing with the reception of their guests.

As Lasciel mentions the invitation, the dwarf raises an eyebrow and says "You are not drunk right Lasciel? An invitation to Blackstaff Tower is not a minor matter." Gael quickly examines the young lad for signs of drunkenness, but as he does not find any he adds, patting his dwarven bald head, "You are serious and not drunk, my apologies lad. We can not of course close shop now, but tomorrow morning we will go and hear what they have to say."  He takes out the note he received before and without showing its contents to Lasciel he says "I too have received an invitation from some old business associates, but my meeting is tomorrow night at the Lightsinger Theatre."

Chumba:

Making a reverence to this messenger of the gods, Chumba considers what he knows of the Emerald Enclave, and how its goals might mesh or conflict with his own faith in Manethak, the Wise Hunter .

History:  16

Religion:  20

Later, as the others admit their contacts, Chumba feels at once reassured and somewhat less special.  He says, "I was visited too, but the invitation seemed more personal than for the whole group..."

"Wow!!" At first Klaes is surprised by the winged snake. "Ohh!! Hello there my friend. What is this?" Klaes sees the parchment and reads it. He's not sure if the snake understands him, so he nods to the snake, and gently lets it go. "I shall be there." He says to the snake, but now he needs to finish the opening of their business, and he goes back to entertaining the guests.

When Lasciel approaches the group. "Yeah, me too maan. Though, I believe in my case it is a personal invitation, howevah, I du nut see why not we cannot go togethah." He thinks for a moment. "I do agree with Gael that meeting with dah Blackstaff is mighty important indeed. Perhaps we can go first thing in dah morning."

     “First thing…” Lasciel says, hesitantly agreeing with the assessment of the others.  During his time with the City Watch he’d been instructed time and again that “at once” meant just that.  Of course he had ignored such quite often back then, but perhaps that is why his time with The Watch ended.

     This is The Blackstaff though, he’d never spoken to anyone so high up before, nor been summoned by them, and the delay in responding makes him nervous even if he does logically agree with it.

     “Yes.  First thing in the morning.  We’ll all go.  Perhaps the Blackstaff will explain why suddenly we’re all in such demand?” And, he thinks, if the all go then surely he alone cannot be blamed for the delay.

Chumba:

”Right, then.  I will see you lot in the morning,” says Chumba as he finishes cleaning up for the night.

https://www.aidedd.org/atlas/index.php?map=W&l=1

Next morning the party sets off for the Blackstaff’s Tower which everybody except for Chumba is on Sword Street, approximately 20 minutes walk away. However the party given the cold, the party decides to take dray. As the party members clamber aboard the fare taker charges them 2 nibs each. After about 10 minutes travel, the party arrive at the front of the Blackstaff’s Tower which appears to be no more than three stories high and built from some sort of dressed black stone. As the party approaches the front door it opens and a large hippopotamus like creature, dressed in academic robes, intones in a deep voice “go in you are expected!” The party enter the tower followed by the Hippopotamus like creature and they are faced with a large central stairwell and what appears to be far more than three levels; a round dozen to be precise. Many alcoves and shelves cover the walls of the stairwell displaying a variety of items and artefacts.

As the party step onto the stairs, from behind them the party hear the hippopotamus like creature say the word “nhurlaen”. The party now find themselves in front of a finely carved door which opens. From within the depths of the room they hear a female voice say “enter”.

The dwarf nods at the large hippopotamus-like creature and enters. "It's bigger on the inside!" says Gael to the group after examining the interior of the building.
"It's better to not make our host waiting" says the dwarf stepping on the stairs, "What just happened?" adds the startled dwarf as the group is transported in front of the finely carved door. Gael waits for the rest of the group and then enters the room.