Quote from Quasimodal >>

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

Quasi, reading back over the psionic focus description, this is specified: "It is a handheld object that has special meaning to you, but that can’t be a weapon or magic item." DMs have the right to bend or break rules, but I wanted to make sure you were doing that on purpose.

I wasn't aware of that. But if you are okay with it, consider the rules bent.

(if you wanted to use something else as a focus, go ahead and do that instead. It just seemed like a mind flayer's amulet would be a convenient storytelling device, even if it is a magic item too.)

I'm OK with it if you're OK with it. It's a pretty sweet magical item. I feel a little guilty getting to keep it.

Quillary will look thoughtful at the conversation between Hildigrim and Jorin, then (eventually) drink herself into a stupor that night, sleeping it off on a bench.

OOC > 7th level Druid gets one new spell. That's it... well and a few more hit points. 8th level gonna be sweet though!

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

I'm OK with it if you're OK with it. It's a pretty sweet magical item. I feel a little guilty getting to keep it.

(Just remember that feeling, when this next module is finished. The magic item is only useful to either Quillary or Hildigrim, so I am aiming for Quillary to get it.)

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

"All we did was kill him and turn him to ash. Him ... a citizen of this community."

Drusk: "Keep in mind, it was negligent about keeping its murderous pets on a leash. Yrax was going to kill us, for defending ourselves from its pets (here, and in Waterdeep). If the flayer was more responsible about training those things, events would have turned out better."

"Was he?" Hildigrim asks, not at all sounding angry. "He was clearly upset that his servants had let the ones loose we encountered in the hallway. For all we know, he was very careful, but was cursed with inept employees." Hildigrim shuts his mouth, looking a little more upset, but still not angry — more sad.

OOC: Something for Quillary to look forward to! :)

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

"Was he?" Hildigrim asks, not at all sounding angry. "He was clearly upset that his servants had let the ones loose we encountered in the hallway. For all we know, he was very careful, but was cursed with inept employees." Hildigrim shuts his mouth, looking a little more upset, but still not angry — more sad.

OOC: Something for Quillary to look forward to! :)

 Pascal shrugs, “Meh, he tried to eat us twice, failed twice. I only tried to eat him once, succeeded. I say I’m in the right here.” Pascal chews on a mindflayer kalimari twizzler.

Quote from JcAndD >>

 Pascal shrugs, “Meh, he tried to eat us twice, failed twice. I only tried to eat him once, succeeded. I say I’m in the right here.” Pascal chews on a mindflayer kalimari twizzler.

Drusk: "Yeah, events might have been different if he didn't let his pets roam around to attack people. Yrax should have invested in a few more leashes, instead of trying to kill us for defending ourselves from its brain-cats."

In the morning (hard to tell, since Skullport is always pitch black), the party has breakfast after their long rest. Volothamp pays for the meal, to try to improve the mood of your group. "I have arranged a boat to get you back to Waterdeep... but it will be another day or so before the trip can be made. In the meanwhile, would you please visit the Keel Haul, and find out if this Bosskyn fellow is willing to part with the key? I am not asking for violence, just information."

Volothamp offers another 5 potions of (use before the module ends) healing, to do this simple negotiation.

(If you wanted a refresher on the different levels of Skullport, I've put it in the "spoiler".)

• • Lower Skullport - Also called the Street Level, this section of the city encompasses the buildings near the ground level of the cavern.
  • Middle Skullport - This city region is built on top of Lower Skullport buildings and stalagmites as well as into the cavern walls.
  • Upper Skullport - The highest locations in the city are referred to as Upper Skullport. These buildings, haphazardly built atop the buildings of Middle Skullport and into huge stalactites, rise all the way up to the cavern’s 90-foot-ceiling.
  • Travel - Numerous ladders, stairs, and ramps grant access to Skullport’s upper regions. Catwalks, rope bridges, and old ship’s rigging crisscross the city above the ground. Anchored to the various buildings and the cavern’s natural features, they act as streets and alleys in the air. Most of the catwalks are 10 feet in width and are as rickety and haphazard as everything else here.

In my excitement about leveling up, I completely forgot Hildi also grabbed some books on his way out of Yrax's. What'd he get?

Quillary is feeling "under the weather" after her night on a bench, but tucks in to the free breakfast. "I'm amenable, this place is... interesting."

Hildigrim is still unusually quiet, but watching him reveals that he isn't sullen so much as jumpy. He keeps glancing around as if looking for something. He's also wearing the amulet that the mind flayer had been wearing. While he eats, in between occasional scans of the room, he studies his spellbook.

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

In my excitement about leveling up, I completely forgot Hildi also grabbed some books on his way out of Yrax's. What'd he get?

One is a book that assists in learning the skills for psionics. (Role-playing aid, not any effect on game skills.) The script is unlike any other arcane source Hildigrim has read, but it is safe for his studies.

Another is Yrax's diary. A little bit is read, enough to confirm what Yrax mentioned about Mugrub, the drow courier Cory’bant’ex, and the Zhent named Bosskyn at the Keel Haul. But you might want to destroy the book, because reading it more will risk madness (due to the alien thought processes of the mind flayer), and there is nothing else of use in the diary.

The other two books also risk madness, with no reward. (Musings on evil and good, how to deal with the inferior humanoids so their fear doesn't taint the brain before eating... all in mind flayer grammar.)

Jorin listens to Hildigrim and Drusk talk, and laughs at Pascal's joke.  After the conversation is done, his voice softens as he says, "The life of an adventurer is often one of regret.  Regret for not being home with your family, or for not starting a family.  Regret for being away from friends, or not having friends.  Regret that those friends and family you might have, pass while you're away."

He eyes fix on Hildi, "But never regret slaying a worthy foe.  We must weave our threads into a pattern we are proud of, but, our threads are bound to our blades and the life we weave when be of a red hue."

He takes a level of fighter.

The party goes to the north edge of Skullport, to use the stairs up to the middle layer. As you climb the stairs, in the distance you can see the explosion of multiple Fireballs, and the maniacal laughter of flameskulls yelling, "Dance! Dance!" Fortunately, they are far enough away that you can avoid trouble.

The party makes its way to the destination. The Keel Hall is a 60' by 45' two-story tall festhall that has seen better days. The interior features nautical décor —ships wheels, flags, and so forth. Tarnished gilded mirrors hang on the walls. The interior has dim light from the few candles. The air is musty and filled with mildew and rot. The once-fine furnishings here have been left to decay. The floor creaks loudly.

There are a half dozen Zhentarim thugs on each floor, doing random errands. (You sense more eyes watching you, but they are staying out of sight.) When you mention that Volothamp wants to communicate with Bosskyn, a pair of massive hobgoblins in plate armor escort you to the upper level.

A blind male tiefling in his mid-30s sits in a posh chair in a position of prominence. The chair rotates around to face your group as you enter. (You notice the chair "walks" around under its own power.) After the hobgoblin bodyguards whisper to him, the tiefling speak with a silky voice: "Nulgen and Duttak tell me that you are here to talk on behalf of the famous Volothamp. Bosskyn would hear what message you bring."

Coming into the space, Quillary takes a deep breath of the air redolent of rot and mildew, and gives a faint smile as her own spores mill about her, then settle.

She does not mind the prying eyes, meets the hobgoblin gazes without blinking, but is wise enough to know she should not be the one to speak when the party is questioned by the blind tiefling.

She stands at ease, one hand twirling her messy hair. 

Jorin is staying close to Hildigrim, knowing the halfling is uneasy, and will stand in the room, hands resting on the pommels of the weapons at his hips.

OOC: I know any normal person would immediately take the wise action of destroying the three books, but this is Hildigrim, the one who isn't always smart when it comes to safety versus knowledge. Give me a DC for keeping the books, and I'll roll to find out if he does toss them, or if he risks going mad in his quest for knowledge. (His ideal is "Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge." and one of his flaws is "Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy.")

Hildi's feelings of being watched only intensify once inside the Keel Hall. His eyes dart everywhere. He accidentally bumps into Jorin, and, looking up, realizes the human is intending to stay close. Hildigrim feels a little reassured by this, but remains quiet and wary.

Perception for looking for people looking at him: 10

Quote from DirtyDogP >>

OOC: I know any normal person would immediately take the wise action of destroying the three books, but this is Hildigrim, the one who isn't always smart when it comes to safety versus knowledge. Give me a DC for keeping the books, and I'll roll to find out if he does toss them, or if he risks going mad in his quest for knowledge. (His ideal is "Knowledge. The path to power and self-improvement is through knowledge." and one of his flaws is "Most people scream and run when they see a demon. I stop and take notes on its anatomy.")

(No problems if he keeps them in a safe place. I was letting you know that there is nothing to gain, and sanity to lose, by spending time pouring over them... If there is some day where Hildigirm has to make an Arcana check for knowledge of mind flayers, warlock Great Old Ones, or a Performance check for really bad new-age poetry, remind me about the books.)

Hildigrim notes that the Zhentarim watching your group don't seem to be preparing to attack.

Just the usual caution when five unknown, heavily armed warriors enter your headquarters and seem fidgety with their weapons (Jorin).

Guffaw!  Jorin isn't fidgety, the pommels of his weapons stick out from his hip and make a good resting place for his extremely beefy arms/hands.  It just so happens that those pommels are attached to implements of death and if that makes others uncomfortable, well, that's their problem.  

Jorin smiles broadly at the guards.  

In a few more seconds, Quillary's gonna throw caution to the wind and start talking. This might not be the best outcome. :)

Yeah, Bosskyn is waiting for someone to speak up, since the group came to him to talk. (If you want Drusk and his -1 CHA modifier talking, just let me know.)

(OOC: Pascal has the best CHA, but maybe it is from force of personality rather than being an extroverted  talker. I’m thinking of one of the Dirty Harry movies with a press conference. Harry is in a mob of reporters as the mayor is speaking. Harry isn’t saying or doing anything, but the movie viewer is drawn to him by the intensity of his glare.)

Quillary does the next best thing, nudging Hildigrim forward with some force.