Xaul completes his meeting with his patron, now feeling a little bit stronger, and then finds the chest behind the chair as he takes a last sweep about the place. He announces its presence to the party, but suggests that 'We should wait until we're above ground or even back in the tavern to distribute it. Don't want to hang around any longer in this dingy place.' He then hauls the whole chest into his backpack and tightens up his straps to carry it the way back. 

As the party trudge through the sewers back towards the surface, he mentions 'So, I wonder what we will do once we complete our mission? Perhaps we can stick together in case another opportunity pops up around town?'

[Is there anything we need to do in the sewers, or on the surface on our way back, or is it just heading back to the Yawning Portal to return Floon?]

Kylaski had changed back to Sehaethas for the trip through the sewers.

Sehaethas was about to decline Xaul's offer, but when he opened his mouth to do so, Kylaski's voice came out, "Sure! You guys are fun!". 

Sehaethas then groaned at the thought of more difficult and life threatening times ahead...

(nothing you need to do if you want to head back. Will resolve the quest in the morning) 

Skye nods. “Feels there might be more to this than just the case of the missing Floon. Tentacle-faced men under the city… a Neverember.”

”I think there might be more coin on offer soon.”

You return to the Yawning Portal with Floon and Renaer in tow. Volo is there drinking alone but jumps up, and runs over to give Floon (and then each of you in turn) a hug. He then looks a bit sheepish. “I confess that I have but few coins to spare. But never let it be said that Volo reneges on a promise. Allow me to present something much more valuable.” He holds out a scroll tube. “The deed to a remarkable property here in Waterdeep! We’ll need a magistrate to witness the transfer of ownership. I’ll arrange a meeting with one after you’ve inspected the estate and deemed it satisfactory.”

(Also, there is this that Renear would have said. I don't think anyone explicitly asked him why he was kidnapped so it wasn't said. But I am sure people would have asked since then. “The Zhentarim thinks that my father embezzled a large amount of gold while he was Open Lord, and that he hid the dragons somewhere in the city. They think they can find it by using an artefact called the Stone of Golorr, which was in the hands of the Xanathar Guild until recently. Apparently, someone stole it. The Zhents thought I knew something about all of this, but I don’t. My father and I haven’t spoken in years.”)

Skye watches Renear's face closely, trying to see if his expressions line up with his apparent distance from his father, or whether his speech is perhaps a little too rush or halting when talking about this fantastical hoard of which he apparently knows less than nothing. 

Insight: 2

Xaul has little interest into Renaer's tale other than realising 'Ah, so that's what all the discourse is about...might be an important later...' He's more interested in Volo's statement, and whilst slightly peeved that he's loosing out on cash, he's more than satisfied when he hears about the property. He strokes his chin and says 'That'll really save on all the bed and board I've been paying here, and will make a marvellous centre of operations for the party. Perhaps we could open a storefront there too to earn some passive cash? With my patron's invocations, I could open a veterinarian clinic where I can diagnose pets and familiars by simply asking what's wrong with the beast...I could even install a fountain for my patron, the possibilities are endless!' He grins widely and claps Volo round the back with a broad palm, saying 'I would love to check out this property as soon as available!'

[Unsure of how much downtime is available in the campaign and this is probably a better question for once we've seen the place, but I would actually like to open a shop of some sorts. Xanathar's Guide (on theme) has a bunch of rules for running a business and just downtime in general that I've used before and had a great time with, so I think that would be great fun if we're okay and welcome to spend some time on downtime rather than constantly getting up to the main story!]

Chapter 2 is mostly downtime with a few things thrown in. And the property is an old Inn, with living space above for you all (accessible from a separate entrance outside, so not tavern rooms). The module gives guidance on if you want to renovate it (very expensive) but I see no reason you couldn't choose to make it a shop over a tavern. You would have to find ways to stock it though.

 Map of the surrounding alley (You are at T1) and a floor plan. It's called Trollskull Manor, and it's in Trollskull Alley. 

[Sounds great, if the party's up for the renovation side quest I'd be happy to do that, and as for stocking it all, I guess we'd have to adapt depending on what we choose to run the business as. I'm up for a regular shop but there may be some alternatives that could play to the party's strengths too]

Would Damros' passive insight of 12 help Skye a bit?

*  *  *  *  *

While the rest negotiate terms with Volo, Damros murmurs about 'seeing a man' and slips out to find the City Watch and that one particular officer that waved them toward the sewer before - Captain Staget.   He hopes to 'report' what transpired (minus the act of arson) -- specifically about the illithid and intellect devourer encounter down there.    To see if 'we' get a pat on the head or a kick in the breeches for our efforts.

Persuasion check: 13

 And perhaps hinting that 'our group' is open for any comissions or 'quests' which the City Watch would prefer be handled by others?   

Quote from Swiftgale >>

Chapter 2 is mostly downtime with a few things thrown in. And the property is an old Inn, with living space above for you all (accessible from a separate entrance outside, so not tavern rooms). The module gives guidance on if you want to renovate it (very expensive) but I see no reason you couldn't choose to make it a shop over a tavern. You would have to find ways to stock it though.

 

 ((Hmmm. It’s … not the one Xual burnt down is it? If it needs renovation. In any case, as an Ale smuggling sailor, Skye and I love this.

I will try and think of a better name than ‘The Patron’s Inn-vocation’))

(it is not the tavern Xaul burnt down. It is in a much more reputable ward of town, frequented by the more upper class rather than the dock ward you were in)

Renaer seemed to be speaking the truth (including with the passive from Damros). And its something that others (like Volo and Floon) would back up (Volo just backing up the estranged part, not knowing anything about the Stone. Floon was being tortured about the Stone but has never heard of it before).

Captain Staget is happy to hear you rescued Floon, and even happier to hear you "cleared" a Xanathar hideout (by his logic, the fact it was found means they will need to relocate which will take time and resources that they won't be using to cause more trouble elsewhere). He is less keen by the Ilithid side of things, particularly the fact it could take a portal to who knows where. And he also keeps your offer in mind to pass to his superiors as such.

It sounds like you accept this.  Volo sets up a meeting with a tiefling magistrate named Kylynne Sil­merhelve. The brief session takes place at a courthouse in the Castle Ward at highsun. Magistrate Silmerhelve witnesses the transfer of the deed, rendering the new ownership official, with the impatience of one who has more important matters to attend to. She also collects an estate transfer tax of 25 dragons, which is normally paid by the new owners. However Renaer makes sure that Volo has a pouch of coins to cover the expense. 

When you first arrive, the tavern’s taproom is filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that have turned to vinegar, and worthless detritus. The tavern’s other rooms are all empty, except for cobwebs, dust, and harmless rats. You can pay 2 dragons for some people to come and clean it from top to bottom (will be finished by nightfall), and although you don't have beds yet, it is at least is warm and dry and most importantly, free. 

Xaul is very pleased with the property. He does not at all mind a few cobwebs and rats, but thinks it's best to pay the 2 dragon cleaning cost, if the party agrees to it. Speaking of money, after giving the large property an extensive look from top to bottom, he sets the chest from the hideout down on a table in the taproom and opens it, saying 'I think it's best that we keep a portion of this money in this chest as funds for fixing up this place. If take all the cash with us, we're bound to get pickpocketed, but that doesn't mean we can't have a share each to keep in our money pouches.' He counts the money up slowly and sighs, saying 'Well, we've got a few dragons, a fair handful of shards and more nibs then anybody would need, but overall we've got 26 dragons and 7 shards when you add it all up. We'll keep the 7 shards worth in the chest since they're barely worth anything, and then we can split the remaining amount of dragons five-ways; one portion for each of us and then a share for the funds.' He does the maths (which takes a rather long time) and figures that everybody in the party gets 5 dragons worth of coin, with 6 dragons worth spare going back into the chest. 

[DM, are you happy for us to just put the 5 GP value onto our sheets straight? I'm assuming 3 of us will take 5 GP and then somebody else will take 50 SP, and we then fill the chest with the remaining 1 dragon, 32 shards and 250 nibs, making up the remaining amount, but just thinking it would be simpler to just record the totals rather than the individual coins.]

If everyone is happy with this, he then raises the cleaner cost. If the party is fine with paying this too, he'll take 2 dragons worth from the chest (leaving 4 dragons and 7 shards worth left) before heading out to where-ever he needs to be to hire the cleaners. He nearly blows all his cash on some tailored fine clothes on the way back, since his dirty cloth tunic and baggy tumbler's trousers from the circus are starting to wear old and mucky, but restrains himself and growls 'One day, when we've got more, one day...'

Skye gives a Taol on behalf of the party to cover the double dragon cost of having untenable items disposed of.

While they clear the inn, she heads down to cellar looking for any ‘fine’ vintages, by name not appearance if they’re already fouled. After that she heads floor by floor, looking in corners and knocking on walls, looking for points of weakness in the buildings defenses, hidden bolt holes and smuggling caches that previous owners and criminals might have left secretly.

By the time she returns to the cellar Xual has finished calculating the split of the sewer haul. She slips two dragons back into the chest.

”Don’t worry about it,” she says, “I batted my eyelids and the drudges are clearing the place.” 

As I'm not bothering with encombourance or coin weight, I don't care how you record it as long as the total is correct. I would advise someone (I volunteer Shiver as he set up the chest) to have a container on their sheet for party supplies at the inn, including party funds (just do it as a custom name on something).

There are not structural defects, intentional or otherwise. All walls are solid. The building is sound just effectively empty 

[Aye Aye Captain! I'll get that sorted!]

Quote from Swiftgale >>

As I'm not bothering with encombourance or coin weight, I don't care how you record it as long as the total is correct. I would advise someone (I volunteer Shiver as he set up the chest) to have a container on their sheet for party supplies at the inn, including party funds (just do it as a custom name on something).

There are not structural defects, intentional or otherwise. All walls are solid. The building is sound just effectively empty 

 ((Any casks in the cellar or bottles that Skye recognises as a valuable year/product? Something she can Distort Value)) 

Nothing intact. There is the few bottles of wine upstairs that are opened (and hence vinegar now) but nothing sealed