The Red Sky and Nightstar Detective Agency
"So, what do you think?" Trelasarra asked, "Worth walking across a ward for?"
Kuhl couldn't answer immediately as the drow moon dancer had posed the question the moment he'd taken a bite of the sugar-doughed pastry she'd bought him. She brushed back stray strands of silvery white hair to take a bite of her own treat while she waited. They were sitting at a table in front of a bakery. Around them the North Ward continued to rouse to a brightening day. The morning air was crisp and new, and birds sang from the tree lined streets. Flocks of doves took wing from rooftop dovecotes to circle in the sky overhead. It had been hard to wake and join the moon dancer of Eilistraee for her dawn training, but now that they were to her morning ritual of breakfast, he was glad he did.
Kuhl finished chewing, took a sip of his kaeth, enjoying how the bitter black-hued beverage mixed with the lingering sweet taste in his mouth and put the mug down before answering.
"More than worth crossing a ward for," he said. "I'd gladly walk across the city for it."
"Well don't start thinking of this as a new morning tradition," Dawnbringer said in his mind. "It looks fattening. And you, remember, are the bearer of an ancient blade from the age of Netheril and need to keep fit and trim."
"I just spent over an hour sparring," Kuhl thought back. "I earned this."
"How about a continent?" Trelasarra asked. "The proprietor told me this isn't even proper bouqthi since that is stuffed with wild rhubarb gathered on the outskirts of the Lluirwood, whereas this rhubarb probably comes from Goldenfield. I've told myself that someday I'm going to journey to Luiren and taste the so-called real bouqthi for myself.
"I'd be happy to join you on that noble quest," the half-elf said, taking another bite of his pastry.
"I'd be happy to join you on that noble quest," his sword mocked telepathically. "Sounds a bit flirty if you ask me. Yet I make one little observation on her beautiful blade work and I get a lecture from you on how she is old enough to have known your grandmother before she went to Evermeet."
"I feel the need to point out," Kuhl thought. "That no one actually did ask you."
"Don't get churlish with me," his sentient weapon teased. "I wasn't the one stealing glances at my grandmother's friend while she washed off sweat earlier."
"Everything alright?" the moon dancer asked.
"Fine," the half-elf said. "Fine."
"It's just you look a little flushed," she said. "So flushed I thought you might be choking. I suddenly worried about trying to explain to Karsel'lyn how I let her grandson die from choking on a pastry I bought him."
She laughed, which brought inquisitive looks from the few early morning patrons at the other tables. Kuhl and Trelasarra spoke Elvish, so likely couldn't be understood by the mostly human and primarily aged males sitting around and sipping at their own cups of kaeth. Strangely they seemed more curious in him than the drow in their midst basking in the morning sun. Of course if this was one of her normal after training haunts, she would be a familiar face and he an unknown newcomer.
"Just the kaeth hitting my system," he said. "It's very strong."
He took a sip of said drink and another bite of pastry.
"Nice recovery," Dawnbringer said in his mind.
She did not sound all that sincere in her statement.
"And to be honest, I am not entirely sure my grandmother even knows about me," Kuhl said. "My father hasn't been back to Evermeet since leaving and I have never been there."
"You weren't raised around Karsel'lyn?" she asked. "That does somewhat explain a question I had. I naturally wondered how her grandson ended up as a paladin of Sehanine Moonbow and not a devotee of Eilistraee."
"I was raised by my aunt in Evereska," Kuhl said. "Who is a priestess of Sehanine."
"I see," the drow said, nodding. "Well, then. I like to think a pair of noble sun elf daughters on Evermeet are dancing to our Dark Maiden in the moonlight in recompense."
She smiled, showing she was merely teasing, but Kuhl did know his grandmother had founded a small but growing congregation to the Dancing Goddess on the elven island.
The morning birdsong fell silent, interrupted by the clatter and clip clop of one of the two story, horse drawn carriages Waterdhavians called drays. It stopped on the cobblestone near the bakery and a variety of uniformed house workers hopped out and scurried to the servant entrances of surrounding manor houses.
"I can see why you like this bakery," Kuhl said. "Nice place to just sit and watch the city wake up. Thank you for showing it to me."
"The least I could do for my new neighbor," she said. "The very least I could do. Believe me."
That last part seemed an odd thing to say, but he let it pass. And they weren't actually neighbors. But the Dancing Haven was within an easy walk from the newly renovated and reopened Trollskull Manor. Jhelnae was surprised when a trio of dark elves from the nearby, but previously unknown to the companions, temple of Eilistraee showed up to their grand opening last night. The drow had been equally surprised to find a daughter of a darksong knight among the new owners of the tavern. The meeting had been awkward, at least at first, but the moon dancer and her companions had stayed until closing time, learning all they could of Jhelnae and her friends.
The dray had now disgorged its passengers and trundled down the street. Kuhl and Trelasarra both took long drinks from their steaming mugs as they waited for the sound of its departure to fade into the distance.
"I'm glad you answered my invitation to train this morning," the moon dancer said. "But I'll admit I actually expected another to at least be with you."
The half-elf knew the question of the Jhelnae absence would come up eventually. He was actually surprised it took so long.
"Dawn training is not really her thing," he said.
"Tell her if you had tried to wake Jhelnae up this early she'd have just blasted you straight through the door you were knocking on," Dawnbringer laughed in his mind. "All without getting up or even pulling back covers."
It was meant to be light mental banter, but Kuhl went cold with the thought.
"The Eilistraeens don't need to know she has that power," he warned in his mind.
Given the source of the half-drow's magic, that was imperative.
The drow's brow wrinkled in confusion.
"She should have had plenty of time between your closing and the time I suggested to train to take reverie.
"She doesn't take reverie," Kuhl said. "She sleeps. I do as well."
"Ah," the moon dancer said, nodding in understanding. "I had hoped to evaluate Jhelnae's skill this morning to see where she best fits in among us."
"Where she best fits in among you?" he said, repeating the words slowly and not liking their implication. "What does that mean?"
"She is one of us," the drow said. "Will be useful in our work to refound the Promenade of the Dark Maiden. I have communicated with her mother in sendings, and she agrees."
The half-elf shook his head.
"Actually, she is one of us and I think she intends to keep it that way."
Trelasarra sighed.
"I'm sorry. This was a conversation I planned to have with Jhelnae alone, possibly sipping kaeth together right here. I shouldn't have involved you."
"You can't just drag her away from us," Kuhl said. "She should have a choice."
The moon dancer's eyes narrowed.
"Of course she'll have a choice. We aren't Lolthites. And the choice will be hard. I could tell her bonds of friendship with all of you are strong. But do you think it was easy for Karsel'lyn to go to Evermeet alone? To be the only drow on the island and likely ostracized? To go from dancing with her sisters in faith to lonely dances by herself? It was hard for her. But she did it because your grandmother knew the importance of having an ambassador among our cousins that showed another side of our people."
Kuhl had never thought of what it must have been like for his grandmother, and he suddenly felt proud. Very proud to be her grandson.
"It would be an easy thing for those of us who have found the surface and Eilistraee to just embrace our new life, find joy, and forget what came before. But that would not be following the example of our goddess, who chose to share her mother's exile because she knew the drow would need her light in times to come. So we do not forget and fight to bring more of our people into the light."
She gave the half-elf a sad smile.
"The one who risked herself to bring me into the light was named Karsel'lyn."
She went silent, looking at him expectantly, but Kuhl could think of nothing to say about this revelation. He did, however, suddenly understand why she felt the very least she could do was buy him breakfast.
"Of course she did nearly kill me first."
The moon dancer touched a spot on her abdomen. When she had been washing the sweat off from their earlier training, Kuhl had noticed an old scar there.
"So that is why you were hitting me so hard," he said.
The drow chuckled.
"You share Karsel's sense of humor I see," she made a show of studying his face. "And other things. I see features passed down from her - even if you took more after your moon elf ancestry."
"Her arguments are strong ones," Dawnbringer said in his mind. "Jhelnae does have a birthright she should not ignore."
It was true. And despite all her complaining about her mother, the half-drow had gained perspective in the Underdark on the importance of redeeming the drow. She'd said so herself. Many times. But it was unthinkable she should leave them now, after all they'd been through together. Especially to go and confront danger without them. Then there was also her pact, or whatever it was, with Lolth. Based on the dream the half-drow described, Eilistraee had both forgiven and tried to protect Jhelnae from her mother. But would the followers of the Dark Maiden feel the same?
"What if she served the cause of Eilistraee," Kuhl said. "But continued to live with us?"
The moon dancer was already shaking her head before he finished.
"In our fight to redeem the drow, there are no half measures," she said. "If she is to serve in the way I envision, in the way her mother also envisions, she must be fully integrated with us."
As a former soldier, a member of the Tomb Guard of Evereska, Kuhl understood her meaning. To be at its most effective, a force must train, live, eat, sleep, bleed, and even breathe together. Only in this way could they know each other so completely they could predict each other's actions before they occured. But Jhelnae already had that level of affinity with a group."
"She could stay with us," the half-elf pressed. "And we, as a group, could be called on to help you in your mission as needed."
Trelasarra sat back in her chair, then brought the mug of kaeth to her lips and drank, staring at Kuhl all the while.
"Are you offering the services of a paladin of Sehanine Moonbow?" she asked, as she set her drink down. "To call upon as needed?"
"And a sorcerous aasimar and a tabaxi," he said.
He hesitated, then fell silent, those were the only ones he felt he could confidently speak for.
"Tabaxi?" the drow asked.
"Sky," he said. "The…um, cat girl."
"The one taking a nap next to the fireplace?" she asked.
The tabaxi had pronounced their grand opening party as boring soon after it started and had napped most of the evening away.
"Yes," he said. "But trust me, when she is motivated, Sky can move like no one you've ever seen."
"I don't know," Trelasarra said, sounding doubtful.
"We escaped the Underdark together," he said. "Helped fight off an army of oozes invading Blingdenstone together. We know how to work with each other."
"Perhaps," the drow said, thoughtfully. "I shall think on it. But as I said, this was never meant to be a conversation with you, but with Jhelnae herself. She might not even have the objections you have. She was raised among Eilistraeens and is likely eager to return."
Kuhl doubted that very much.
"I'm just offering alternatives," he said. "It is her decision of course."
"I shall think on it," the moon dancer repeated. "And I'll have some time. Tomorrow we will leave Waterdeep for a time. Most of today and tonight will be taken up preparing for our trip. But when I return, I will stop by. Tell Jhelnae to expect my visit."
Oh, he certainly would. It was all he could do not to get up from the table and sprint back to the Trollskull to warn the half-drow.
Trelasarra lifted her cup and drained the remains of her kaeth in one long swallow. Seeing this as a sign they were done, Kuhl followed her lead. His drink had gone lukewarm during their conversation and some ground beans were in the dregs.
He stood to leave, waiting as he assumed they would walk back part of the way together. They were heading in the same direction. But the drow leaned over and plucked up his circular bronze shield from under the table and handed it to him without getting up.
"That really is quite light, isn't it," she said. "And not a scratch or dent on it. Elven forging?"
He shrugged.
"I got it in Blingdenstone," he said, accepting the shield.
"I'm going to have another cup as I probably won't be getting kaeth for some time," she waved a hand in dismissal. "And I want to say goodbye to some friends."
She nodded towards the gray haired and hunched older men clustered around the tables near them. They watched as they had throughout the conversation but brightened realizing she was talking about them.
"Where are you off to?" Kuhl asked.
"Secret mission," she said, holding a finger to her lips.
"I wish you luck on it then," he said.
As he turned to leave, she called his attention back.
"Oh, and Kuhl," she said. "When I do get back, let's spar again. I still feel I owe you some more strikes from grandmother Karsel'lyn nearly killing me."
She winked and touched her abdomen at the place which bore the scar.
"Sounds painful," he said. "Is there an offer for breakfast again afterward?"
"There is," she said, nodding.
"Then I accept," he said.
He was a couple of paces away when he heard her laughing and speaking in Common.
"Oh, just the grandson of a friend of mine. You know I prefer my males more well seasoned and white haired. Like you handsome fellows."
"Is there an offer for breakfast again afterwards?" Dawnbringer mimicked in his mind. "Sounds very flirty. Which is kind of gross when you consider she is a friend of your grandmother."
Kuhl gave a half-hearted smile, but he was in no mood for their normal internal banter as he made his way back to the Trollskull. Traffic on the cobblestone streets had increased as the sun had risen higher. Residents exited manor houses and waved goodbye to children in windows as they walked away. Others jumped into waiting coaches.
Lost in thought, Kuhl didn't notice a carriage rattling over the cobblestones as he started across Golden Serpent Street. The driver was forced to haul back sharply on the reins and horses whinnied in protest as they came to a sudden halt.
"Whoa! Whoa! Damned idiot!"
The driver shook his switch at the half-elf from atop a carriage of dark wood bearing the heraldry of a purple shield with a boat with orange sails on a foaming wave under a crescent moon. The back curtains fluttered as the angry jostled rider - a gray bearded passenger - gave the half-elf a sour faced glare. Kuhl hurried by a hand raised in apology, and proceeded north down Gelthoon Street.
"Pay attention!" his sentient sword snapped telepathically. "I don't want to tell my next bearer that my last one died being run over by a coach. Swallowed by a dragon or disintegrated by a beholder eye ray, fine. Heroically inspiring even. But not run over by a coach."
"Dead is dead," he thought back.
She sensed his mood and her voice in his mind became more soothing.
"You don't need to worry so much," his sword mentally said. "Trelasarra is going to take your offer."
"She is?" Kuhl thought, slowing his pace in surprise.
"You offered your services, and she knows your worth," Dawnbringer sent back. "You held your own in sparring. And that was without even wielding me."
They had used dulled practice blades to be able to swing with less control.
"I did?"
If it hadn't been for some healing after their bouts, he would be very sore and probably limping.
"She needed healing as well. Also, the possibility of what Aleina has to offer intrigues her. I saw that in her eyes when she was mentioned. You've grown familiar with our aasimar and forget how mysterious and otherworldly her celestial heritage makes her look. Now trust your sword, stop worrying, and watch where you are going."
Kuhl didn't know if he could trust his sword's judgement, but he did feel slightly better as he made his way north.
Soon he passed the fallen former colossal walking statue known as the Swordmaiden. Most of her had been repurposed after she broke apart, but the stone head of the Swordmaiden sat in a stand of tall trees. A door had been placed at the center of its jaw and mouth and the sign above read Thort's Findings. Since the first time he'd passed it, Kuhl had wondered what sort of store would be inside a giant statue's head. But now was not the time and it was closed anyway.
He hurried up Whaelgond Way and took Delzorin Street towards the south entrance to Trollskull Alley. The genasi couple, Embric and Avi, were hard at work stoking the fire of their forge and didn't notice him pass by the wide-open double swinging doors of their shop the Steam and Steel. The wood elf herbalist, Fala Lefaliir, watered the plants in front of their shop, the Corellon's Crown. They gave a bright smile and waved at his approach.
"Great opening last night," the gender-neutral druid said. "Out for a morning run with your shield?"
Kuhl laughed self-consciously.
"Something like that. Thanks for coming last night."
"Wouldn't have missed it," the wood elf said, tossing a long braid over their shoulder. "I was surprised to see the second sign go up this morning. I thought for a moment Surash might be opening an apothecary, but it looks like you'll be competing with Vincent Trench."
"Competing with Vincent Trench?" Kuhl asked, confused.
Vincent Trench was the investigator for hire nearby. The poor man had Sky at his business every day asking questions. A sinking feeling formed in his stomach as understanding dawned. Sky!
"I've got to go," he said.
He headed through the south entrance to Trollskull Alley and their three-story tavern-manor came into view.
An army of carpenters, masons, and painters had descended on the place since they'd freed it from the influence of the ghost hag and secured the goodwill of the residing poltergeist, Lif. The roof had been repaired, copper shingles replaced as needed, chimneys rebuilt, boards removed from windows and glass panes replaced, and balconies and railings shorn up and secured. But Kuhl focused on the new sign nailed up to the side of the main entrance. It depicted the red sunset sky over an ocean scene that faded into darker night above lit by a single star. Big letters said, 'Red Sky and Nightstar Detective Agency.' Smaller letters read, 'Red Sky In The Morning, President. Kuhl Nightstar, Junior Partner. No case too small, two copper nibs, plus expenses.'
"Sky," he muttered, shaking his head.
"I like the way she incorporated both your names in the art of the sign," Dawnbringer said in his mind as he ran up the steps to the tavern.
Fargas was sitting at one of the tables in the common room, still in his night clothes and a plate of eggs and fried flat boar strips in front of him. The halfling looked up at him with a still bleary gaze. As the one actually running the tavern and managing the staff, he had been very busy last night.
"Oh," he said. "Tally was just looking for you. Something about you owing him payment for a sign he made."
Tally was the half-elf carpenter who owned the shop known as the Bent Nail, which was nearby. Kuhl took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"Have you seen Sky?" he said. "Actually, forget that. Have you seen Jhelnae? I need to talk to her."
First things first.
Fargas's eyes brightened into wakefulness.
"That's right," he said. "You trained with that moon dancer this morning. So, they sometimes dance without clothing, but what do they wear when they train?"
"What?" the half-elf asked.
"What do the Eilistraeens wear when they train?" he asked. "Anything at all?"
"Fargas," Kuhl began, but then threw up his hands in exasperation and decided the sooner he indulged the halfling's curiosity the sooner he'd get an answer to his question. "Protective leathers to help pad the blows, like everyone else."
"Oh, good," Fargas said, breathing a sigh of relief. "I was going to go with you to watch. Just in case. But I couldn't make myself get up. It doesn't, however, sound like I missed anything special."
"Fargas, focus," the half-elf said. "Have you seen Jhelnae? I need to talk to her."
"You just missed her," Fargas said, taking a bite of boar and egg and talking between chews. "She and Aleina went for a walk. Something about taking in the view along Cliffwatch. They invited me to go, but I wanted breakfast."
Cliffwatch. It was a place in the city with cliffs so steep and high that the city wall was interrupted on either side. A public walkway allowed residents to take in the beautiful sight of the countryside to the east. He'd been close to there while at the bakery with Trelasarra. For a moment he thought about running and trying to catch up with them, but who knew where their walk would take them if he missed them at Cliffwatch. He'd just have to talk with Jhelnae later.
"Fine," Kuhl said. "Have you seen Sky?"
The halfling shrugged and shook his head.
"Probably in her room."
The half-elf bounded up their newly constructed internal stairs to the second floor. Sky had selected the small room off the dining hall for herself. She'd claimed to want peace from the chattering of roommates, but Kuhl had suspected there was another reason. The room had its own small balcony where a certain tabaxi would be able to climb down without a half-drow or an aasimar inquiring where she might be going. She answered to his knocking almost immediately.
"Sky," he said. "I need to talk to you about a sign Tally put up…"
"It's ready!" she said, interrupting.
She was past him in an instant and running down the stairs. He finally caught up to her outside where she was admiring Tally's handiwork.
"It's great!" she said, tail lashing. "He got the Red Sky and the Nightstar in the background just like I wanted. You know why I had him put those in there, right?"
"Our names," Kuhl said.
"You figured it out," she smiled in approval. "That is why you are going to make a great junior detective. Make sure to give Tally a tip when you pay him."
"Strange thing," the half-elf said. "I don't remember commissioning a sign. Or volunteering to be a partner in a detective firm. Or even know you were planning on forming one."
"It was Vincent's idea," Sky said. "He seemed to be getting really annoyed with me going to his place every day…"
"Imagine that," Kuhl said.
"And finally said that if I was so curious about being an investigator for hire, I should just start my own," the tabaxi continued, as if the half-elf had not spoken.
"And you were going to ask me about becoming a partner when?" the half-elf asked.
"Well first I asked Jhelnae," Sky said, turning back to admire the sign proudly. "But she said it was a silly idea. Then, when I asked Aleina, she said it sounded more like a Kuhl thing."
"Of course she did," he said, rolling his eyes.
"So, you were her third choice?" Dawnbringer asked in his mind. "Ouch."
"And, naturally, I just stopped my search right there," the tabaxi said, with a dismissive shrug. "I mean if Aleina says it is a Kuhl thing, who am I to question her?"
"Naturally…" Kuhl said, sighing.
He gathered his resolve. Sky was so excited, and he didn't want to disappoint her, but she needed to be talked out of this mad notion of an idea.
But they were interrupted before he started to speak.
"Excuse me, is what it says on the sign true?"
The speaker was an aged, hunched, dark skinned human woman with thick spectacles. Her eyes were red rimmed as if she'd been crying.
"Is what true?" the half-elf asked.
Was this old woman lost? Senile? She wore a night robe with only one slipper and seemed distraught and out of sorts.
"Is no case too small?"
"Our first client!" Sky clapped.
Before Kuhl could protest, the tabaxi took the woman by the arm and guided her to the common room of the Trollskull, helping her up the steps one at a time. Fargas came out of the kitchen as they entered.
"Is she alright?" the halfling asked. "Did she fall down outside or something?"
The half-elf held up his hands to show he didn't know while Sky had the woman sit down at one of the tables. The tabaxi produced a piece of parchment from a pocket and a charcoal pencil.
"Now then," she said, unfolding the paper. "Let's start with the basics. Name? Occupation?"
"My name is Uza Solizeph and I am a bookseller," the old woman said. "I actually don't have any copper nibs, but I can pay later. I didn't know what to do. I went to the City Watch and they said they'd look into it but didn't seem to be in that much of a hurry. I didn't want to wait at the Watch Station so I was on my way to my friend Rishaal to see if he could help me or if I could at least stay with him while I waited. Then I saw your sign."
"We can worry about payment later," Sky said, with an airy wave. "Rishaal? The dragonborn who owns the Book Wyrm's treasures?"
Uza nodded.
The tabaxi started madly scribbling on the parchment. Kuhl looked over her shoulder and saw scrawled pictures of the woman in the chair and their gold dragon ancestry dragonborn neighbor. The word 'victim' and 'friend' were also there along with an excessive amount of question marks. Despite the speed with which Sky drew, the pictures were actually quite good renditions.
"So, what seems to be the problem?" the tabaxi asked. "You are in your night clothes and wearing slippers, and only one of them at that. So, I assume you had to leave your home quickly?"
The woman's eyes widened, owlish behind her thick spectacles, and she blinked several times.
"Yes. I had to run out as fast as I could. A horrid little creature came up from my basement and chased me out of my home," she said. "Which is also my bookstore. The Watch Sergeant said it is probably just a rat, but are rats round little spheres? Do they float?"
"Ah," Fargas said, nodding in understanding. "This is typical Sky craziness, right? Well, then. I'm going to go and finish prepping for our opening, and I'd appreciate it if this, whatever this is, is taken care of before our staff and patrons arrive. Because it would kind of be nice if we made it through our first full day before everyone knows how weird the owners are."
He gave Kuhl a meaningful look, then headed back towards the kitchen.
The tabaxi herself didn't even look up. She flipped over the parchment and her charcoal pencil scratched furiously while she muttered to herself.
"Floating. Horrid little creature. Spherical. I think I hit one with a rock down in the sewers."
"Sewers?" Uza asked. "What were you doing in the sewers?"
"Long story," the half-elf said when Sky didn't answer.
"Was this what you saw?" the tabaxi asked, holding up her parchment.
As Kuhl expected, the drawing was of the spherical little creature they'd fought in the sewers before it flew away.
"That's it!" the old woman said. "That's it! Can you help me? I'm sure the Watch will eventually send someone around. But I'm so worried about my cat and my books."
Sky suddenly went very still. Her tail stopped swaying behind her, and her feline eyes narrowed.
"Did you just say your cat is in danger?"
"Yes," the woman said. "I'm worried about my poor Nutmeg."
"Let me get my crossbow and then you can show my partner Kuhl and I the way," the tabaxi said. "And Uva, no need to worry about payment, we're doing this one for free."
I apologize for the length of this. I didn't intend the first part to grow so big. Kuhl was always supposed to go out for essentially coffee and donuts before returning to the Trollskull as I wanted to do a 'slice of life' around the ward. But then when I started looking for ideas by clicking on the Waterdeep Interactive map, I discovered a temple to Eilistraee nearby. This caused a problem for me, because wouldn't they be curious about the new drow owner in their neighborhood? And furthermore, what would happen when they learned she was the daughter of one of their darksong knights? I didn't want to deal with it, so I resolved to ignore it.
But you know the way our nerd minds worked. Once I knew the dang temple was there, I couldn't get it out of my mind. I had to deal with it and give a reason why they wouldn't demand Jhelnae join them (since I have made it a point that her mother is always pressuring her to grow in her faith). I probably didn't do an effective job in dealing with the issue, but I tried.
Hopefully Sky and her detective agency works okay. This does not follow the module (although the missions presented will be inspired by the faction missions). But Sky told me this is what she wanted to do...
Please let me know if you don't think it works and I'll rethink it.