3 Eleint 1789

Having come together for a very lucrative job for Ranear Neverember, the party soon discovered that Ranear has been missing for several days. Hired by Ranear’s friend Volo, and hoping a daring rescue will garner favor with your lordling patron, the party set off to find him. An investigation of Neverember House in the Sea Ward removed suspicion from the housekeeping staff, though Bollabar found an intriguing safe in Ranear’s office, as well as letters from Ranear’s noble leader father threatening him with disowning if Ranear did not return home soon. The head of the house said that Master Ranear had a late night meeting at dock “C” two nights ago, which was the last time she saw him.

Heading to the dock, you stumbled onto a scene of gang violence between the Zhentarim and the Xanathar Guild, with several gang members dead in the street, and two Zhentarim are being arrested by the City Watch. Atzlan got information from the Zhents, pretending to be their lawyer, learning that there are big moves happening in the city, with the Zhent also hired to find “a missing lordling” before the Xanathar members got in their way.

At the dock, more Zhent members confirmed that Ranear had been here, looking to secure passage for himself and an unknown cargo, discretely, out of the city. They don’t know where he went, but they wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up down on Candle Lane in the Dock Ward.

Investigating the shoddy and ruined warehouses of Candle Lane, you found four kenku guarding the entrance to a Xanathar hideout, where an orc named Grum’shar is interrogating an alley of the Zhentarim to learn about the gang’s plans. You explored the sewer hideout of the Xanathar Guild and snuck your way through the various goblin gang members and made a friend, a cowardly goblin named Tusktooth, and evidence of a vampire torturer within the guild. In the main room of the hideout, a mind flayer watched over the orc torturing Ranear but disappeared when you appeared with combat in mind. Quick strikes and heavy attacks allowed you to free Ranear without major damage to any of you.

Returning to the surface, Ranear recovered somewhat and said he was going to a safehouse, asking you to watch over his home in Trollskull Alley to make sure no one else was coming to look for him. Once he’s recovered, he’ll tell you of the job he needs you to do. You spent the evening at the manor, awaiting what comes next.