Episode 2: Of auctions and fights

When last we left this group they were awkwardly sitting around a table with food and drink, trying to sort out the events of the day and what we think of each other.

After some back and forth and cautious questioning of each other, and Luthis still being quite suspicious of Luna, they get down to the business of the day. The party is on a missing from Waterdeep to find out more about the underground market's ownership/participation as the market has gotten more aggressive after Halester's attack on Waterdeep. Luna is looking for the same information, though for different reasons.

Then we got to the big question: What did Luna get from the toady at the warehouse.

At this point she reveals that she acquired an invite to the true underground market here in Waterdeep as part of her mission. Which happens to be their mission as well, though perhaps for different reasons.

The group finally agrees to travel as a group to this underground market, and after a bit more posturing and questioning each other, they agree to the vibe of Quinn and Luna are buyers and the rest are their staff/guards.

Investigating the invite they determine when to be at the location, but there's not a location listed. Upon Luna touching the seal, however, there was a wave of magic and those who failed their save suddenly have a magic indicator in the corner of their eyesight. They realize that's how they navigate to the market.

As it was only mid afternoon and the time to go to the market wasn't until well after dark, the party split up to rest and do any errands they needed to do. Luna took her leave and returned to her room alone after agreeing to meet the group back in the common room after sunset.

And strangely enough the entire party reconvened at the right time, so they set off on foot to the location.

Following the odd magical directions was easy enough and they made their way to an enclosed, gated, area. There, the guards stopped us, so Luna offers up the invite she procured. They waved her party through.

Finding themselves on a long driveway of sorts, they were passed a few times by enclosed carriages running dark with no insignia. So people with wealth are showing up for this, further reinforcing we're on the right path.

Arriving at the building we find a large, long, tavern filled with ruffians and and guards. The buzz is typical for a tavern, people playing cards, betting, low-key roughhousing and the like. Definitely smells like an ale soaked tavern full of unwashed humanity. You enter in through one set of doors, seating is everywhere, there's a bar on the left and there's a matching set of doors at the far end directly opposite the doors you enter in. That set of doors has guards, so we figure that the more important things are behind them and make our way there.

Making our way through the crowded tavern we do garner some attention. We're not exactly a blend in sort of group. But we make it to the guarded doors no issue only to be informed only Luna, as the invite holder, and two attendants can go through the door. The other two were to remain in the tavern. She quickly chose Quinn and Dancing Wind, leaving Luthis and Morlech to hang out in the tavern having an ale.

With that, the guards let Luna with Quinn and Dancing Wind pass. There we are escorted through a long, downward sloping hall, by one of the staff members. He gives us a bit of the rundown on how this works, the typical toady level suck up talk and the like.

After winding downwards for a moment we find ourselves in stadium style seating. We'll call this the first floor. Its a large circular cavern filled width a lot of noise and smells. The first floor is tiered stadium style seating, and we're escorted to our spots and left.

Looking around we find that there are box seats on floors 2 and 3, think like an opera house, clearly private and reserved for the wealthier or more powerful patrons. The first floor stadium seating is more for the wealthy enough but not as important patrons.

The stadium floor level is where the obvious action is. There's a large ring in the middle of the stadium floor and there's some sort of prize fight going on. There's standing room only crowds around the fight, and clear signs of betting and drinking going on. These folks come across as general commoners, coming to pay for, and gamble a bit, on a bit of entertainment. Naturally, the house always wins.

We quickly clock though that the less obvious action though is happening in the private boxes of floors 2 and 3 it seems, and in the mingling of the guests.

Quinn makes a new friend, a gentleman named Horace. A bit of a down on his luck drunkard, Quinn is still able to charm some information out of him about the operations here. Some was useful, some confirmed what we were seeing as well.

After a few fights, an announcer takes the stage and starts auctioning off treasures and humanoids. It is a black market, and a slave market, after all. Luna, in her role as a customer, bid on a few lots but never aggressively enough to win a lot. She wants to look the part, but she doesn't want to own anyone.

After that is done there's an intermission so the stadium trio decides to get up and start mingling. We quickly clock that the first floor hallway does a full circle around the stadium seating with two observation points at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions. There is also a well guarded set of stairs, presumably to the 2nd floor box seats, at the 3 o'clock.

While all that is going on, the tavern duo were quietly having a drink at the bar. OK, maybe not. Luthis proceeds to start studying the buzz of the room, noting the general atmosphere and attitudes. Morlech does proceed to the bar, but doesn't drink.

And then this dynamic duo decide to cause a distraction. Luthis proceeds to mimic - at a substantial volume - some insults, making it sound like it was table 1 calling table 2 these insults. As these sorts of insults are typically dealt with, a small riot broke out. And Morlech took that opportunity to summon his fire elemental - behind the bar. Where there's decades of spilt alcohol and well seasoned wood.

Unfortunately the bartender noticed Morlech's antics and shouted ...