Hildigrim follows closely behind Mary, clearly very pleased.

Mary marches along, her tethered and floating object weaving about in her wake, Mortimer trotting at her heels. She takes you south along the back streets at first, along Vhezoar Street, then across Sulmor and Hasantyr. You're not sure why she's going this way, as the clean and bustling High Road is just a few blocks to your right. But as you cross into an area of much smaller streets with colorful names like the Stabbed Sailor, it becomes apparent that the place is home to a number of smaller noble villas. Even as the roads are less wide, the buildings shorter, they are more refined, if definitely older (and some in need of repair).

She takes you around a few corners, and then stops before a nondescript villa. Without bothering to make sure you have all followed, she lifts a hand and makes a pulling gesture in the air. Somewhere inside, you hear a faint bell. A few moments later, a glowing golden orb pops into existence just in front of her. It pulses for a moment, and disappears. Then there is a noise inside, and the door is opened.

Hildi can barely contain himself. The Cartophile is known to do business from an exclusive shop in the Castle Ward, but you have not quite even left the North Ward yet. If this is not the Cartophile's place of business, and yet Mary is taking you to the Cartophile, then this must be...!!!

Mortimer slinks inside, slipping ahead of Mary as she sweeps across the threshold.

The entry is modest, though refined and clearly expensive. The door was opened by a fairly average looking human man, who nods at Mary. "Miss Greymalkin," he says, with an accent that is hard to place.

"Lorence," she replies with nod. "He is expecting us."

"Indeed, Miss," Lorence says, indicating you should all enter. "Welcome to the Compass Rose," he says as you enter.

The main hall has several closed doors leading away, as well as a staircase at the back that leads to parts unknown upstairs, and down. The hall continues to the back of the house, but it is smaller and less opulent. Mortimer is scratching at double doors to the left, and Mary raises a hand as she moves towards them, the handles turning and the doors opening on their own. Mortimer slips inside.

This room is a large library and sitting room, complete with a second, balconied story accessed by a spiral staircase in the far corner. It is replete with books, scrolls and folded papers. There are sitting chairs and loveseats throughout, as well as tables, most covered with scrolls or maps held open by rocks or bottles or the occasional detached monster claw.

Almost in the center is a small table, with a small chair where a small person is sitting. The table has an intricate model of a barrel on it, and the person is a gnome, dressed in clothing of fine quality and impeccable taste. He is fiddling with the barrel model and looks up as you come in. Mortimer jumps up on the table and sits on the gnome's work, to which he just chuckles and brushes the cat off, to Mortimer's expressed annoyance.

This is the Cartophile. "Mary!" he says. "You have beaten the others. Garret will be disappointed." At this news, Mary looks like the cat that got the canary.

I suspect that, though i might be the first to have read this, HIldigrim would almost certainly be the first to interact, so i'll leave him to it!

Drusk will make sure that Hildi has a clear path to tables of papers and the gnome doing the talking.
(He doesn't want to risk getting run over by the halfling.)

He does keep an eye on the surroundings, in case there are any unwelcome surprises hiding in this room.
He is absent-mindedly twiddling his Wand of Smiles after seeing Mortimer's annoyed expression, but Drusk does not take any action.

As Mary works her magic, Hildigrim makes a mental note to take more advantage of his own limited wizard prowess. She just looks so cool moving things without touch them. He begins to incant his invisible mage hand when she opens the double doors and exposes the library. The incomplete whispered spell dies on the halfling's lips, and he stumbles in, his eyes as wide as saucers and his neck swiveling to try to take it all in. He has completely missed the gnome until the Cartophile speaks. Hildigrim audibly gasps. When the gnome's eyes focus on him, Hildigrim quickly composes himself, and his hands begin unconsciously adjusting his tunic and brushing back his hair. He steps forward, clears his throat, and bows low. He is bent over for so long, the others begin to wonder if something is wrong. He finally snaps back erect and displays a dreamy grin. "Sir, it is such a great honor to be in your presence in your very own library. I have dreamed of this day for many years. My name is Hildigrim Goodbody. These are my friends and associates." He turns a little and gives the person directly behind him a look to invite them to speak.

The Cartophile nods pleasantly at Hildi. "Master Goodbody, any associate of Mary's is welcome here." He looks expectantly at the others.

Drusk gives a slight head nod and continues smiling.

Since nothing was asked, best to keep silent so Hildigrim and the cart-gnome can continue their conversation.

The small woman enters and looks around the room, eyes drawn to monster claws and whatever broken machine the gnome was playing with, and not the books. She listens, and, hearing some expectant pauses, steps forward in a strange bow that turns into a curtsey (she grabs onto her long knife scabbards, not wearing a dress) and says "Feldspar. I'm new. I assume you know more about those statues than the gawkers do. And you want us to do something about it. And Mary doesn't want to, or can't. Who's Garret?

The Cartophile quirks an eyebrow at Spar's unusually curtsy, and then again at her directness. He smiles. "Garret is now irrelevant," he says, to which Mary smiles. "You are very direct, Feldspar. It is to business, then." He turns, with a glance at Jorin, but moving on, and lifts the small barrel model from the table. He turns back to you, holding it to show you all.

"Who has heard of the wondrous Apparatus of Kwalish?"

(pausing to let Hildi interject if he wishes to...)

Drusk leans towards Jorin, and speaks softly. (Trying not to interrupt Hildigrim and the gnome's conversation.)

"Is that one of those fancy kitchen appliances that Pascal keeps asking you to forge? Sounds pretty serious for a street food cart vendor."

"The legendary device invented by the mythical inventor Kwalish shaped like a barrel," Hildigrim says, motioning toward the model, "but able to transform into something resembling a lobster that can provide transportation on land and underwater." The halfling states this as if reading from a book. His demeanor is now all-business.

"Indeed," the Cartophile say, giving no indication whether he heard Drusk or not. "This is but a model, the actual thing is large enough to carry two grown humans, it can transform," he moves a hidden catch and six legs snap free. He has to move them each into position. "Into, well, into a vehicle of sorts." He brings the model close to his face and pries at something, and unfolds a claw from one side. "In any case, this is but a rickety model. The actual thing is wondrous to behold. I have seen one in action once, its operators made it crawl into the surf and disappear under the water for hours. They surfaced again, with a rare... ahem. Well, they retrieved something for me from the bottom of the ocean."

"Kwalish only made a few, though there are surely several more kept privately. As such, these devices are known as the Apparata of Kwalish, in the plural."

"Kwalish was a scholar and inventor who lived centuries ago, and is said by writings from the time to have made many of his discoveries somewhere in the Barrier Peaks, the last line of peaks before the Endless Ice Sea that lies north of the Spine of the World." At this, he pointedly looks at Jorin.

(Jorin should look at private messages in Discord.)

The Cartophile tries to stick the claw and legs back into the model, but gives up, turning to place it back on the table. He turns back to you and then walks to another table, where a large book is open. The page shows a drawing of the God Catcher, one of the Walking Statues of Waterdeep, and one of the most feared. The Blackstaff at the time had to use magic to sink the behemoth into the ground, such that its left leg is buried up to the hip. The Statue reaches skyward, where a large stone sphere floats just outside of its grasp. Yes, the sphere just floats there. You've all seen it as you have moved about Waterdeep (the God Catcher is just north of the Market, and hard to miss.

"You know, of course, of the recent movements by some of the Walking Statues," he says, looking back at you. "I can tell you that all the usual suspects are clueless. The Lords, Silverhand, even the Blackstaff herself. But I have been contacted by an interested party who believes the knowledge of Kwalish could unlock this mystery. He was, after all, a master of automata. The last record of Kwalish says that he was on another expedition to the Barrier Peaks when he and his entire party went missing. They have not been heard from since."

"But now..."

He stops, making sure everyone is looking his way. Mortimer has jumped back on the little table and is pawing at the model of the Apparatus. The Cartophile notices, and a brief flash of irritation crosses his face, but he clearly does not want to ruin his big reveal. Mary does not appear to notice.

"This interested party has commissioned a journey to discover the remains of Kwalish's last expedition, retrieve his notes and artifacts, and return them to Waterdeep."

With a pause in the discussion, Drusk speaks up.

"Let me ask a question before you continue telling us more details.

Are you trying to recruit people to join this expedition, or to compete against it?

I've heard some refer to their rivals as "interested parties". It would help to know if you are cooperating with them, or if you have a spy with that group who is alerting you that you might be scooped if you don't act quickly."

Feldspar, still looking at the Cartophile, replies to Drusk, "we're meant to be the commissioned journey, aren't we?"

Quote from rkmobius >>

Feldspar, still looking at the Cartophile, replies to Drusk, "we're meant to be the commissioned journey, aren't we?"

"That is why I am asking. It may be the more straightforward interpretation, but nothing he has said so far has ruled out a competing expedition."

The Cartophile smiles, cocking an eyebrow at Drusk’s unexpected shrewdness. “No, no, nothing like that. There is nobody else with the maps and knowledge of Kwalish’s last expedition, and I can assure you that the interested party is not seeking other avenues.” He stops to think a moment, finger tapping his chin. “I suppose there’s the possibility that the Blackstaff might commandeer Force Gray for something like this, but it is highly unlikely. This would take them very far from their responsibility to Waterdeep.”

Mary interjects from behind you, “And Anaxis has assured me that he will not be sending any other groups, either.” She raises her own eyebrow at the gnome. “Isn’t that right? First in?”

The Cartophile smiles reassuringly. “Of course! Mary has done an outstanding job collecting the lot of you. A native northerner for the terrain, a scholar for the research, a cleric to keep everyone on their feet, and…” he looks at Feldspar. “Are you the druid? The sorcerer? Or… the monk?”

At the mention of Quillary and Ilena, some of Hildigrim's excitement slides away to reveal sadness.

"I'm the muscle," Feldspar says, with a smirk. Arms folded, she pushes her lean biceps out for emphasis. 

Assuming she does not get uproarious applause, or the benefit of the doubt, she rolls her eyes and says, "I can see in the dark, sneak up on drow, walk on walls, and... eliminate threats. Near and far. Also I paint."

Drusk can guess that the Road Enders have been investigated and watched.

"Feldspar has recently joined our group, but has already shown her worth and capabilities.
Anyone not already here" (like Pascal and Quillary) "will not be contributing to this trip."

(Sorry all, was out of town over the weekend)  

When the Cartophile mentions the Spine of the World, Jorin's face lights up.  He stays quiet though, as the others ask questions.  Finally, during a break in the conversion he joins in,  "A chance to see my home again, or near enough.  I would very much like to do this, and friends, you could have no better guide that one of the Bodt.  The spine of the world encircles the rugged Ten-Towns of Icewind dale at its western most end and then stretching east for...well for as far as the east is from the west.  The Barrier Peaks are one of the most rugged areas in the whole range.  It will remind me much of my childhood." 

"Come friends, let us not delay!  Master Cart, we will recover your lobster builder and dispatch any who stand to hurt him." He then pauses for a moment, looking over the group, "We should get cold weather provisions first.  Heavy furs and climbing gear."