The city of Neverwinter stands proudly on the Sword Coast, west and north of Dessarin Valley. Fifty years ago, the city was nearly destroyed by the eruption of Mount Hotenow. Today, the city stands mostly rebuilt. It bustles with skilled tradespeople, intrepid adventurers, and hardy townsfolk.

Leadership in Neverwinter falls to Dagult Neverember, lord protector of the city—and your employer. The city lacks a formal militia, so Lord Neverember often hires mercenaries and adventurers such as yourselves to keep the city secure.

It's been a few days since you were recruited to assist in the patrols, but so far things haven't been too eventful, thankfully. The peace, however, is short lived. Three days since you were recruited, an anguished scream erupts from a nearby alley. The sound comes from a slender human woman clad in the light leather armor of a scout or investigator. Clutched in her arms is the dead body of a human man clad in a tattered gray robe. The man and woman bear a striking resemblance to each other.

With a dull thump, a desiccated eyeball rolls out of the dead man’s palm.

(Feel free to mention anything you might have done during those first couple days if you like, before going on)

Tezcerell freezes for a moment as the anguished scream pierces the quiet of the city. His heart races, and he feels a surge of adrenaline as he realizes that something terrible has happened nearby. As he and his squad rush towards the alley, Tez's mind races, trying to process the scene before him. The sight of the dead man and the woman clutching him sends a chill down his spine. His training as an artificer had not prepared him for this. He's seen death before, but never so raw and public, out here on the street. He recalls the voice he had been hearing since his arrival, the voice that had been growing clearer over time. 'Could this be related?'  He wonders

Taking a deep breath, Tez tries to focus.He exchanges a quick glance with Eima, Sky, and Tymm, their eyes wide with concern—or at least, that's how he interprets them for his own feelings are overwhelming. They were all in this together now. Approaching the woman cautiously, Tez tries to assess the situation. His mind races with questions. Who were these people? What had happened here? As he reaches the woman, he speaks softly, trying to keep his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "Are you alright? What happened here?" he asks, his eyes darting between the woman and the lifeless body at her feet. 

Eima pauses to take in the sight. She'd seen death before and it was never a delight. A robbery gone wrong? With the similar appearance, presumably a sister and brother. Eima did not envy the empty chair at the table the woman would be seeing. As Tezzy speaks Eima takes note of the eye. Gold or other valuables she would expect, but an eye? Strange. Perhaps clawed from the attacker? Or from the man? She looks at  him to see if he has both eyes.

Sky had been talking with his friend Tymm about the meal they had the other day and how good it was. They were on patrol. All at once they hear a scream down the street and see Tez and Eima running towards it. He looks at Tymm for just a moment and starts running along with his group to see what has happened. 

Arriving on the scene, his healers training kicks in. He takes out his healing herbs and gently takes the man and lays him down and looks for any signs of life. He shakes his head and says "I'm so very sorry for your loss."

He then notices the eyeball that just fell from the deceased's hand. He takes a cloth and picks it up. He checks the man over to see if it was his and what injuries caused this as his friends try to comfort the lady. 

As Tymm approaches the scene, he takes it all in at a glance.  He keeps his distance though.  If anyone asks he's staying back to monitor for any other potential threats in the area.  In truth, he's staying back because he finds the scene fascinating in a childlike sort of way.   Especially the loose eyeball is SO COOL and he wants to look at it/play with it just a little.  But Sky would probably scold him for that.  Besides, Tymm is at least smart enough to understand that he probably shouldn't let his giddiness show during this very serious scene.  So he will stand a bit a way from everyone else and avert his and try to keep a goofy smile off is face.

As Tymm stares at the eyeball, sky does turn around with a disapproving glance. 

(I LOVE IT. Thanks Nightbird)

Tez and Tymm recognize both Delvin and Kevori as mercenaries employed by Lord Neverember to patrol the city, but everyone can clearly tell they are definitely related as siblings.

Unfortunately, the man is dead, as his sister weeps softly over him. She looks up as you approach though, "We were supposed to meet here. Delvin said he had information on a hideout for a cult Lord Neverember had tasked us with investigating. He said he had a way into the cult but something went wrong here, horribly wrong. The only clue we have to go on that I can tell is this...eye...thing..." She points to the dessicated eyeball. "Please, do me a favor? Find out who killed my brother. I must return to the Hall of Justice and bring my report to Lord Neverember. Kill them if you must, but don't forget Lord Neverember would also be greatly pleased, and likely pay better for capturing a cultist alive, if that's who it is."

Sky stands and looks down at her and say "We will bring justice, wether by chain or blade."

"My lady. What else can you tell us about these cultists?"

Sky will try to figure out what type of being the eye is from. He studies it in the cloth. 

“I don’t know anything about any cults. Tell us what you know about it. How was your brother supposed to get in?”

Tymm is feeling proud of himself and looks around at the others, seeking approval for his smart questions

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Kevori", says Tez with a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Do you need help carrying him back?" He asks solemnly. "If not, it would be best we start searching from here. Try to retrace foot steps or search for clues how he died. Does he show any injuries as far as you can tell?" Tez hesitates to touch Delvin as he doesn't want to upset Kevori even more.

"Anyone sees a weapon around? Or signs of a fight?"

Eima internally perks up at the mention of "pay better" with a live cultist. As Tezzy speaks she takes a quick look around, looking for any possible routes of escape an attacker could have potentially used. She'd grown up on these streets and if experience was anything, there were a myriad of ways to get around.

Perception: 8+3 = 11

Quote from nightbird1219 >>

“I don’t know anything about any cults. Tell us what you know about it. How was your brother supposed to get in?”

Tymm is feeling proud of himself and looks around at the others, seeking approval for his smart questions

[[ Gonna let a roll of the dice decide how Eima responds. ]]

Insight: 17

Below 10, Eima is oblivious to Tymmy's seeking of approval.

10 or above,

Eima looks at Tymmy and gives a quick, though kind of awkward, smile to acknowledge his question.

A search of the area reveals nothing. It seems perhaps he was already dying before he made it to the current location. His cause of death is likewise equally mysterious, but it is definitely a humanoid eyeball, or was, anyway.

"I don't know much about the cult yet, that's what he was trying to get a way in for. Perhaps he got too close. I think your best  course here is to take this eyeball and see what you can do."

(DM error: there is a slip of paper on his body that simply says "Hail the Undying")

Eima holds back a squeamish feeling. Blood she could deal with easy enough. Can't get by without getting some cuts and bruises. But a detached eye? Yech! Thank goodness Sky seemed to be willing to take the lead on it. But there was still a looming question on her mind. Timidly she asks the woman, "If ye can forgive me for a being a bit crass, lass, do ye know where that eye came from?" she hesitates and gestures at the body, "Is it, er, his?"

[[ I sure hope that eye doesn't turn out to be some ancient and evil artifact that threatens to corrupt us all. Very dangerous if something crazy like that. But then again what are the odds of that? My brain must be getting silly. ]]

“What was the last place that he investigated? Or do you have an idea who the undying is that this paper mentions?” Tez inquires and tries to remember if he can recall information about a being that would be referred to. (History: 4)

The woman lays the man down and stands up, smoothing herself out and wiping away a few more tears. "Well if he had an extra on him I never knew about it. I have no idea where he was before this except somewhere in the city. But if he found a way into a cult, I suspect the eye has something to do with it. I can't imagine any other reason to carry around such a hideous object. Now I better be going and inform Lord Neverember. I'll be back later for the body." She tears herself away and runs off back through the city.

"Ok. Let's try and retrace his steps." Sky suggests point back along the way he came. 

Eima loads a bolt into her crossbow*. "Sounds like a plan, chappy. Cultists and eyes," she hides her squeamishness on the latter part, "looks like an adventure."

[[ *Just reflavoring the shortbow as a crossbow. ]]

(Anyone make an Insight or Arcana check)

“Can I have a look at that eye?” Asks Tez. (Arcana: 13, Insight: 2)