Part IV. Hall of Harsh Reflections

Ilyana and Marzena allow some time for reminiscing, but the bulk of their time is spent studying the portents surrounding mention of the Age of Worms. After many nights of discussion, they decide to send the young group of heroes to Waterdeep for two reasons. One is to contact the established Temple of Lathander and see if they will lend aid to the Diamond Lake church and to their investigations, which will certainly take manpower and coin. The other purpose is to contact Eligos, a sage that used to travel the same circles as Ilyana and Marzena. His insight could prove valuable in their coming trials.

The road to Waterdeep is relatively quiet, giving the young men a time to reflect on all they've been through. Their lives were quiet for years, and the blood they've spilt in the last few months wears on them. Arriving in Waterdeep, the city of Splendors, the heroes are overwhelmed. The city is magnificent in its beauty, and impressive in its scope. A parade winds through the main streets of town, displaying great beasts for the upcoming arena games. While watching, our heroes are accosted by pickpockets as a chimera escapes from its cages. A chaotic battle takes place, with our group saving many bystanders from the wrath of the magical beast. Clem chases one of the fleeing thieves into a nearby warehouse and discovers that it is not wise to be alone in a darkened place with such a man. He is wounded, but escapes the building, allowing the thief to get away.

With their newfound glory brightening their day, the heroes find the Temple of the Morninglord in the center of the temple district of town. It is a huge, opulent place, almost too gaudy for what they are accustomed to. Given the poor confines of Diamond Lake and their church, they wonder why things are so different here. Inside they are first taken to meet Abbot Grogan, who quickly establishes his authority over the group. He is familiar with Ilyana and apparently none too fond of her. He dismisses Cergus, telling him to report to the guard if he wishes to serve in any capacity within Waterdeep. Jonas requests to speak with the head priest, the Sunrise Lord Ledare, but he is denied. His reports will be evaluated and given to Ledare when time allows. A bit disheartened, our group leaves, hoping to have better success with Eligos.

Eligos' estate is found in a wealthy portion of the city, although it sits quiet and not well-tended. They gain audience with the man, and quickly gain a rapport with him. He listens to the grave news and agrees to look into it, although it will take him a few days to make any judgments. He takes Zeb under his wing, as he too has studied the bardic traditions. The group is told to return in a few days to discuss the findings, and in the meantime to enjoy what Waterdeep has to offer.

Nothing is ever so simple, however. Two nights into their stay, the group has a rough encounter at the inn where they stay. After Jonas goes to relieve himself, he returns and stabs the barkeep with a dagger. Surprised, the group moves to intercept him, and finds him to be a capable combatant, even though he still looks to be their priestly friend. To add to the confusion, another Jonas walks down the stairs and joins the fray. Many are wounded, but they prevent the murderous Jonas from escaping. In death, his form is revealed to be a doppleganger. The group saves the life of the bartender and earns his unending gratitude. On the corpse of the doppleganger, they find an old key that may provide clues to their assailant.

Talking around town, they eventually find that the key points to an old warehouse in the dock district called Sodden Hold. Under cover of night, the five enter the hold and find that it houses more than simple supplies. A fight with mimics disguised as crates starts the night proper, and a few deadly traps are encountered and bypassed. Within the Hold, they find a few captives who beg to be freed. As they release two of the men, they reveal themselves to be dopplegangers and press the attack, but are slain in the end. A lone elven female glares at the group, but upon Cergus' determinations, she is considered dangerous and left in her cell. The path leads to a submerged section where invisible stalkers try to destroy the party. As they prevail, the heroes find a way down below the warehouse, but decide to hide outside of Sodden Hold and regain their strength.

The next night, they find someone has cleaned up after their fight and that the female captive has disappeared. Descending, the group encounters a giant octopus in a watery room that knocks Zeb unconscious and nearly slays the rest of them. With everyone revived, they move on, fighting a disturbing battle against dopplegangers mimicking their appearance in a twisting maze of mirrors. As they move to the next room, they see another scene of themselves, each chained to a chair. As they struggle with their bonds, our heroes hesitate. As one frees itself, the Cergus that had been traveling with them, strikes Clem from behind. The fight is chaotic, as the other 'captives' release themselves, except for the captive Cergus. All of the attacking duplicates are laid low, and Cergus is freed from his restraints. He tells a woeful tale of how he was taken not long after reporting to the Lathander arm of the guard. He is restored his weapons and health, and they move to confront the remaining dopplegangers.

The next man they meet assumes the form of Eligos and beckons them forward, but it is an expected trap. He proves to be a capable enemy, using spells and mechanical traps in the room to harry our heroes. The doppleganger, named Telakin, is killed, and his room is checked for clues as to why they attacked the party. Notes are found listing reputable persons in the city and terms such as 'mind clone'. Armed with this knowledge, the group goes to leave. Returning to the water-filled room, they are ambushed by the mind flayer Zyrxog and two drow assassins. He stuns the group and leaves his drow to finish them, but he underestimates the group's strength. They escape into the night to warn the church and city guard.

After some research based on clues found on the drow, the group narrows down the location of this mind flayer's lair. The notes point to him being the unseen master behind the dopplegangers, so they decide to confront this villain. His subterranean lair is manned by drow who wage war from the shadows of the rough caves. A few horrific aberrations are encountered and dispatched, and slaves are freed from their drow captors. The group meets a spirit naga who lairs there, but instead of fighting it, they parley and strike a temporary bargain for passage. Soon enough, they move into Zyrxog's lair. They are unprepared for the mental might of the villain, who quickly stuns them all (save for Clem, who it leaves in a burning heap). It takes its time, savoring the moment before beginning to eat Cergus' brain. A moment of divine mercy occurs, and Jonas is able to strike the mind flayer, shaking Cergus out of his paralysis. They fight a last-ditch battle and barely triumph over the mastermind. But is he the true villain behind this conspiracy? They learns that this may not be the case, as journals reveal a contract placed on their lives by Loris Racknian, the man organizing the Free City Arena Games in Waterdeep.