Adrik Stractart returns from a long day at work to find a metal cylinder on the bed mat upon which he would be ready to collapse were it not for the metal cylinder in his way. The metal cylinder features an intricate design inscribed with “hear me” in dwarven on one end. Adrik listens to the cylinder but it remains silent. Adrik shakes the cylinder and, slight improvement, it rattles. He bites the cylinder and chips a tooth, axes the cylinder and chips the axe, throws it at the wall and chips the wall. He mutters “hear me” and the cylinder greets Adrik personally and implores him to meet at the Quastarte archives at sunset on the third day of the second week of the fifth month of this year. Adrik sighs, leaves his cozy apartment, and heads toward the archive, passing a fellow dwarf with a runed quarterstaff just entering an inn.
Harthar Moonshadow, call him Harry, returns to the inn where he stays while investigating his sister’s murder. Innkeeper Bob First received a package for Harry while he was out, a metal cylinder that features an intricate design inscribed with “hear me” in dwarven on one end. Harry ponders the inscription aloud. The cylinder greets Harthar personally and implores him to meet at the Quastarte archives at sunset on the third day of the second week of the fifth month of this year. Also, bring a dwarf named Grund whom he will find at the temple of Moradin.
At the temple of Moradin, Grund Malnarson Dimdylkin Grimstoen, Grudgebearer of Drunget Mogh Buldohr, call him Grund Malnarson Dimdylkin Grimstoen, Grudgebearer of Drunget Mogh Buldohr, studies his book of grudges. Grudge #7469 is interrupted when he notices some dishonorable sneak has abandoned a metal cylinder that features an intricate design inscribed with “hear me” in dwarven on one end. He demands for the cowardly cylinder to speak! Nothing. Ach! Hear me! The cylinder greets Grund personally and implores him to meet at the Quastarte archives at sunset on the third day of the second week of the fifth month of this year. Also, a dwarf named Harthar has be sent to meet him. Harthar enters and explains that an intricate metal cylinder directed him to accompany Grund to the Quastarte archives. Grund collects a few of his most lethal possessions, including his greathammer, The Judge, and off they go for the archives.
Melura Fancybeard, call her Mel, is knocking back a few Marley’s at a disreputable tavern when Innkeeper Bob Second informs her a package was just delivered for her. The metal cylinder features an intricate design inscribed with “hear me” in dwarven on one end. She proclaims it the world’s worst ale tankard as it has no top from which to consume the Hear Me ale. The cylinder greets Melura personally and implores her to meet at the Quastarte archives at sunset on the third day of the second week of the fifth month of this year. Also, bring a dwarf named Baergar who is in the alley.
Mel finds Baergar behind the tavern rummaging through alley treasures. She explains the cylindrical message calling Baergar by name. Absent any pressing social engagements, Baergar follows Mel to the Quastarte archives.
The gripe of dwarves meets simultaneously outside the archive door. The door opens and they are greeted by a can with an eyestalk who welcomes them into the perfectly harmless nonfiction section through an entryway lined with an excess of golden cans with eyestalks.
Archivist Fidacius Crumpot sweeps into the room on his gnome legs and greets the adventures each by name. But where is the other, he wonders? The uther, explains Grund laconically, can be found at any disreputable tavern where cats abound.
Fidacius grows concerned about an old friend, Morak Ur’gray, the innkeeper at Knightstone Inn in Nightstone. Fidacius has summoned these hearty adventurers to check on Morak.
Grund checks his grudges for Nightstone-related vengeances and lands on #1273: Thelbin Osstra didn’t deliver wheat in proper condition to a party. Grund would be pleased to travel to Nightstone.
Mel wasn’t planning on travel or field work, but has been reassigned to Nightstone. Fidacius summons an automaton dedicated to tracking the abundant complaints against Mel from the temple of Moradin where she clerics. He retrieves a roll of scrolls, much larger than the automaton that produced them, and reads a brief selection of complaints. All the complaints against Mel cite brawling, invariably initiated by some comment on her ribbon-festooned … beard? The next thing Fidacius reads is Mel’s fist crashing through the scroll and into his eye.
Baergar was heading back home to Nightstone anyway, but it never hurts to negotiate payment for what you’re already doing. Baergar negotiates payment for what he’s already doing and Fidacius hands him an empty cloth bag. There’s some vague promise of later payment, but only if he has the bag. Dubious Baergar sells the bag back to Fidacius for one gold piece and Fidacius hands the bag to Grund.
Harry hails from a brewing commune. He has been investigating the murder of his common-law sister from the commune and his investigations suggest maybe some progress could be made in Nightstone.
Adrik doesn’t particularly want to go to work tomorrow so he doesn’t particularly object to any particular part of the plan to travel to Nightstone.
Fidacius flips Harry an electrum piece to hire a ride down the highroad to a signpost where they’ll follow a trail into Nightstone, and under no circumstances should they stop in Waterdeep.
. . .
Several days later when they arrive at the junction to turn off toward Nightstone, suspicious Baergar recalls the suspiciously trenchant reference Fidacius made to the signpost. He gives the signpost extra scrutiny. Grund regards the signpost with equal suspicion, but Baergar, local to these parts, assures him it points the same directions it always has.
On foot, the party follows the trail toward Nightstone. Midway to Nightstone a river cuts through the trail. A curved stone bridge spans the thirty foot stream and Baergar warns the party that this bridge is a popular ambush point for brigands. He often did charity fundraising at this bridge.
A man approaches from the other side. Grund adopts a wide stance and hails the stranger from across the bridge. The pleasant stranger introduces himself as Barmulus Thondreld. Grund dashes any prospect for a congenial passing when he recalls that Barmulus Thondreld is sanctioned for theft by grudge #1052. That debt will get settled on this bridge right now.
Barmulus is pleased to settle the grudge, if coin is acceptable. He hoists a very heavy money bag and offers it to Grund, his other hand shoved deep into his vest. Barmulus seems way too happy for someone at his apparent disadvantage. Harry backs up to have a closer look under the bridge for what might be going wrong. Grund accepts the bag, keeping one hand on the judge, and counts out the remittance. There is just over three gold worth of coin and sixteen gold-painted rocks, not nearly enough of either to cover the grudge.
Barmulus retrieves a glass bulb of fire from his vest and tosses it into the air where it explodes into six smoke and magma mephits. He attempts to flee the scene, but Grund’s grudge judge bashes him in the dome. Judged.
Adrik fires his crossbow up into a mephit and compulsively scoops up the sixteen gold-painted stones.
Harry’s perfect magic missiles and Mel’s warhammer destroy a mephit together, but it explodes on Mel and she is forced to self-administer a precious cure wounds spell to stay in the battle.
Grund is blinded by a retreating mephit and realizes the fire damage will soon overwhelm the party. He calls for everyone to jump into the shallow stream.
Harry wades into the river and prestidigitates some gusts of wind to throw water onto the fiery mephits, but they fly too high to be rained on from below.
The adventurers largely succeed at avoiding the mephit attacks, especially easy pickings Adrik who becomes surrounded by clawing mephits when all her mates jump over the side of the bridge. She critically crossbows a second bolt into her mephit, but it is too tough to die. Her favorite terrain is not water so she does not jump off the bridge. Her favorite terrain is forest so she runs across the bridge into the forest hoping to make some advantage there.
When the party breaks contact, the mephits turn their fiery attacks on dead Barmulus, charring him while shouting in ignan. Satisfied they’ve done their unruly duty, the mephits fly over the horizon to chase their bliss.
Unsqueamish Adrik loots Barmulus’s smoldering remains, and good thing because she finds sixteen additional gold pieces. She relinquishes thirteen gold to Grund to satisfy his grudge and pockets the rest.
Baergar hears two horses drawing a cart approaching. Sounds like it carries a goliath.