Windriver Company sets about acquiring the three keys to the vault of the dragon hoard as outlined by the Stone of Golor. The silvered warhammer tops the agenda since it may be a special order. Vincent casts invisibility on Togy, last seen by the dark elves carrying the attuned SoG, and Smoll, who stands out in any crowd. Vincent himself takes on the disguise of gentlemanly high wealth. Janky joins his act as Vincent’s high society bride. Reade slips into a disguise of a beggar wearing a bag hood. Concealed from suspicion they head over to Steam & Steel.
The smithing genasi duo work up an estimate for an in-stock warhammer to be silvered. That’s a 12 gp warhammer, plus owner-furnished pound of silver, plus 70 gp labor, plus 20 gp expediting fee, plus 20 gp tip, payed up front as an indication of Vincent’s intent and wealth. The silvered warhammer will be deliverable in a couple of days.
The next stop is the Bookworm’s Treasure bookstore to catch a lead on the local art scene via-a-vis any paintings of dwarven miners. Dragonborn Rishaw, tipped off by an illusion detecting bell, skeptically regards disguised Vincent and Janky. He directs them to the art district.
The party next hires a wagon to take them to the starving artist district. They quickly locate a portraiture shop, Barttle proprietor. Vincent, now disguised as a male dwarven miner, no, a female dwarven miner, gets an estimate to commission a portrait which will obviously take weeks of sittings. Janky and Togy share a glance. Togy proposes starting with one of his finished dwarven portraits and “completing” it with a few edits to add a pickaxe and some rocks. The resemblance between the painting and Vincent is suddenly uncanny. For the low, low price of 36 gp plus tip, the intrinsically valuable painting entitled “A Dwarfen Miners” will be ready in about a day.
For the trickiest key, Reade goes right to the source at the great hall of Waterdeep to collect the regular monthly ritual contribution of alms for the poor from open lord Laeral Silverhand. None of the guards stationed along the long line of people waiting for government intervention quite remember this monthly ritual but seem perfectly convinced the error is their own and usher bluffing Reade on through to Laeral Silverhand’s office.
Reade anticipates an awkward meeting since Laeral tasked Reade and company with locating the Stone of Golor just a few days ago. Laeral does not recognize Reade at all. Reade candidly admits that they met with an imposter who retrospectively should have been regarded with far more suspicion. Laeral tries to drill down on the details of that meeting, but Reade deflects. Laeral gifts Read’s order a platinum piece for the poor. Reade calmly excuses himself.
Reade rejoins the party at a nearby cop bar and catches them up on the wonderfully good fortune he had.