A letter from Bloodstone

If you want to be a successful adventurer, you must be truly exceptional.

Take me as an example: My maxed INT score implies, I'm a genius. I would not say that I'm more clever and more brilliant than can possibly be imagined, but close to it. I've also maximum DEX, which gives me superior hand-eye coordination, agility, reaction speed, reflexes, and balance. It all boils down to the fact that I don't need armor to protect me in combat, chances are, that my opponent will not score a single hit in combat. And finally CHA! OK, Gareth Dragonsbane has more charisma, but hey: Who gets the girls? I never had difficulty to find loyal henchmen and I usually get positive reactions from others.

So I'm a master thief and a skilled magician with many magic items, including an ebony fly figurine of wondrous power and a defender sword +4. But I would not have reached anything with a nine-to-five attitude.

One of my core competences is that I can deal with unexpected difficulties - and that is exactly what is most important now: To make that clear, I'm not talking about waking up thirsty, with a terrible headache and having missed breakfast and lunch. These are the things you come to expect, as normal consequences of drinking exotic alcoholic beverages in significant quantity. I was very well prepared for this: The Pampered Traveler is not only the right location, to consume the expensive and potent firewine of the Rashemaar, but also the place, where you recover from it's inevitable side effects.

The unexpected difficulties appeared in the form of an inconspicuous letter sealed with a Crossed Pick and Sword - the family crest of House Tranth. It was an official letter from the Baron of Bloodstone. Being a master spy, I did not have to open the letter, to know its content. Even an urchin from the docks of Waterdeep would have easily guessed that this letter from Gareth Dragonsbane could never ever contain the requested gp to secure the funding of the current mission for the next quarter.

My headache was still bad, but that did not matter. The most important thing was the current mission. I had to get my act together and find a solution ...

What did Riordan tell me yesterday? House Vandree changed its allies. Hmmm ... No. That won't work. But there was something else, Riordan insisted on. What was it? It was something about matron mother Anthiela being in Menzoberranzan. No. Who cares about the dealings of the 17th House in a drow city? If it were House Xorlarrin, the third house, that would be a different thing ...

Ah ... I remember: Riordan was wondering, if the high priestess Fini'they was scheming against Anthiela. But that would not help either. Those things are happening all the time within the noble houses of the drow. Lolth is a cruel, capricious goddess, thought by many to be insane. She delights in setting her worshipers at each other's throats, so that the strongest, most devious and cruel will survive to serve her.

The new allies had strange names. Something like "thayan convergence" ... Hmmm. Yes! That's it. This will work! House Vandree's new alliance is led by the red wizards of Thay! Brilliant! Great intelligence. House Vandree obviously works on an alliance between the drow of Menzoberranzan and the Red Wizards of Thay. I'll have to flash out some details in my report to Gareth, but this should definitely be sufficient, to justify further investigations.

Despite my headache, I started to write my report. After I finished the first paragraph, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!" I said. "But I don't have much time."

"I was right." Cousin Riordan was really exited. "This was more than a simple change of allies."

"Off course." I replied "The Menzoberranzan and Thay unite against the Kingdom of Damara and the free realms!"

"Indeed. I thought, you did not really listen yesterday" replied Riordan "but I can prove it: Moredryss Vrinn works for various Red Wizards as a hired killer. Before she appeared in Neverwinter, she has been employed by the anti-Tam faction to work against the necromancer’s allies. We can attribute the death of a young Red Wizard that has been mysteriously killed, to Vrinn’."

"Great Job, Cousin Riordan. Baron Gareth Dragonsbane needs to know this." it is important that people you work with get positive feedback from time to time, even if they are family. "I need you to write a detailed report with all the relevant facts. We don't have much time, so hurry up! In the meantime I'm organizing an audience with the Baron. It is of utmost importance that I can present our report as soon as possible. You can stay in my room and start immediately. I have to go and get something to eat. See you."