11 Eleint 1789

You met with Istrid Horn, another member of the Zhentarim who informed you of a schism within the Zhentarim, causing her group of allies to split off from those working with the Wizard and calling themselves the “Doom Raiders”. She also said that her allies and agents are getting rounded up by the City Watch after the Villa attack, which they set off in order to capture Orlund and save him from the wizard’s control, hoping that he would know more about what Yalah was up to, believing he would never side with the Wizard.

Istrid told you that there’s a second home in the Field Ward on Firewine Alley, a trashy “sex palace” where the couple would retreat to. It’s likely that this is where Yalah went to investigate the Stone. You all set off after her to recover it, but opted to attempt a play for her alliance instead of combat. She acquiesced fairly readily, though she was concerned by your lack of knowledge. She had no real interest in the vault itself, but more the leverage and power it provided and was more than ready to allow you all to take the risks in finding it. She handed over the stone, but warned you that the vault did not only contain gold, but invaluable magic items, secrets, and artifacts that anyone would want to get their hands on and that an ancient wizard could do just about anything he wanted with. She also warned you of the Dragon that guards the vault and signed a bargain with you that guarantees you won’t harm each other for 5 years, she’ll assist with the dragon or lich fight, and she is entitled to anything from the vault save a doomsday device. She bid you goodnight after that, as Bollabar left without being seen and helping himself to some treasure.

In all of that, Riven took the stone and was given a vision of branching paths forward and chances of destiny unfolding, with only one path available to them to retrieve the items from the vault. She opted for that path, in which the many consciousnesses within the stone rewarded her and hummed in acceptance of fate. It then linked itself with the rest of the party, allowing all of you to access it, and indicated that the vault would be found and located in time. You returned that night to your tavern, Six Taps Til Gold, and established it more as a home for yourselves as you weighed all that you learned, and what lies ahead, and began thinking about what you’ll do if and when you actually have this gold you’ve been chasing for the last two weeks.