Hannibal's Journal - Mirtul 11th

Great honor has been bestowed upon me today!!!

As a result of our activities the other night, we found ancient coins that had been stolen from the Museum... and because Nipskitch was replicated by the rod, we found 3 times the amount of coins stolen.

When we returned the original coins to their rightful owner, the Museum curator said that he would take ownership of the extra coins in exchange for "minor" items from their storeroom.

It was here that I found a valuable artifact: an authentic Tymanchebar Arditi Blade used by the Shock Troopers of Djerad Thymar as he led our people to independence against the Dragon Empress of Skelkor.

I couldn't allow the curator to do such a bad trade. I tried repeatedly to make him see his error... but he was quite adamant in getting the extra coins, so I now own the blade.

Simply wielding this blade brings much honor to an individual... I must strive to be worth it.

Hannibal's Journal - Mirtul 10th

Today we received word that Ellanzo is giving us a monthly stipend and free lodgings in order for us to do more work for the City Watch.

Hannibal's Journal - Mirtul 9th 1489

It's been years, but I've taken up my journal again. Unexpected events tonight might allow me to move on and start to put my life back together....

It started like any normal night; a long day looking for work followed by an evening at the tavern with the locals and other unemployed sell-swords. Because of our mutual circumstances, I've been commiserating with an odd assortment of individuals at the tavern recently:

• Diovanni, a local Waterdavian and newly minted acolyte of Bahamut. His father Ellanzo is head of the local constabulary, looks like he can wield the weapon at his side and holds much honor amongst the locals. Ellanzo expects much from Diovanni and rides the boy constantly. Diovanni has a good heart, but is very green.
• A local dwarven warrior named Brolgar who seems to be a descendant of a respected family in Waterdeep. He has the look of a formidable fighter in him.
• Leif, an elven shaman and childhood friend of Diovanni is the sadest story of all my companions. His father passed away awhile back and apparently the boy just couldn't accept it. His spirit companion now manifests itself as his father...and Leif actually has conversations with it and seems to take advice from it?
• Jax Frost is newly graduated from the Wizards School here in Waterdeep. Ironic name, seeing as he burnt me badly with a Flaming Sphere in our first battle together.
• Riddick is a very dangerous looking Drow who has taken up in the area. I must admit that preconceived notions of the Drow have made me wary around Riddick... though he does little to dispel my prejudices. I have yet to decide whether this is an individual of honor.
• The most enigmatic figure of our group is Brother Krux, a traveling monk of the Githzerai race. He doesn't reveal much about himself or his travels, but you can tell that he is absorbing everything around him.

Our night started with a pointless "bar brawl" against a old school mate of Diovanni and Leif named Billy Barrue. He and his companion received a swift beat down, but this loud-mouthed, arrogant and (apparently) well-connected brat looks like he might need the lesson revisited to him in the near future.

Diovanni's father came to clean up the mess and was impressed with the way we had promptly stopped the fight. Almost on a whim (or as a last resort) he sent our group on a clandestine search for a stolen rod from the Museum of Antiquities. The suspected thief, a local thug called Nipskitch, seemed way out of his league. Ellanzo wanted to go outside normal channels on our investigation and it seemed to have something to do with a family member or friend being implicated... I'll make sure that's checked into later.

We cased Nipskitch's house, a "flop house" for scum using illegal substances. What should have been an uneventful capture became complicated when this small time cut purse unleashed the power of the stolen rod, disintegrating his house and leading us in a chase through the sewers.

...how did Nipskitch discover how to activate the rod when academics and arcanists at the museum could not? Another question to ponder.

Overall, our group fought admirably. There were rookie mistakes, but still much potential... perhaps I will stay around and make sure this group doesn't get themselves killed before they realize that potential.

They call me Billy Barrue

1489
Year of the Warrior Princess

Mirtul 9th

Well it is another boring night exchanging stories at the tavern until Billy Barrue walks in and starts a fight with the group using his "assistant" Hank as a distraction. As usual Billy gets away with just a slap on the wrist from Diovanni's father, Ellanzo. Ellanzo is a Paladin who holds the post of Mechant Quarter's General-in-Arms, an elected post that Billy's father Walton Barrue is rumored to be seeking in the next election.
Ellanzo grudgingly acknowledges that the group performed well together and caused no permanent casualties during the fight. He offers them some side work, which they agree is better than doing nothing else on a Friday night.
At Ellanzo's office they hear a noise when they are about to enter, Diovanni sees a quick glimpse of some type of imp which vanishes before he can really get a good look at it. It was trying to pull out certain papers from an old file cabinet.
Ellanzo tells the group an old magical rod was stolen from the Museum of Antiquities earlier in the night. Due to the sensitive nature of the item and how it was stolen, he wants to use the group to get it back outside of official channels. The culprit is one Nipskitch a local cut purse. Approaching Nipskitch's house, they find it is a drug den with several whacked out users in and around the house. They enter stealthily until Leif pushes open the back door which falls to the ground crashing. A mad dash through the house and up the steps! They find Nipskitch who activates the rod disintegrating most of the house and plunging everyone into the sewers!
Nipskitch summons the rod's powers killing most of rats and other creatures but some beetles grow to many times their size and attack the group! After this encounter they hear Nipskitch getting the worse of some combat but it takes them some time to fight through some newly created skeletons lead by their undead Ghoul captain.
At last they corner Nipskitch, and he invokes the rod to create 2 copies of himself! The fight wages on for a few more turns but the group slowly beats back all 3 versions of Nipskitch. In a desperate move he summons to courage for a final blast using the ancient rod. An electrical blue light erupts and consumes Nipskitch and nearly destroys everyone in the sewer.
Our heroes return to the surface a bit more bloody (and smelly). Brother Krux notes the upside of sewer warfare, "If you soil your pants no one can tell". As a reward Ellanzo puts the group on retainer with paid rooms. They also return the item along with 60 ancient silver marks from the Imaskari empire. A bonus was found when Nipskitch duplicated himself, his items and stolen loot also duplicated so the group now has an extra 120 rare coins. The museum curator makes a deal with the group for the extra coins, they can choose some older, lesser powerful items that the museum can afford to give up in exchange for the coins. Everyone is happy and they decide to carry on together for the time being.

EXP Awarded: 1225

Welcome to the new group!

Here are some starters:

As for back Story we are in Waterdeep, and our parents were all low level police at some time in the past. Some went on to run bigger and better police stations or even a commissioners postion, some when into politics, and some might have died in the line of duty do to nefarious forces. Not even all of our parents might be friendly, but we all are.

Starting money is 360 GP, plus one item either 1st or 2nd level.