Alphonso Knox is a sergeant in the Neverwinter Guard, and one of Lord Neverember’s personal bodyguards. He was also responsible for dealing with adventurers in the city, usually hiring them in defense of Neverwinter against its various enemies. He is the highest ranking officer directly overseeing the day to day activities of the city guard. He spends most of his time at the Guard House situated within the Seven Suns Marketplace in Protector’s Enclave.
You sense the unusual tension in the air as you enter the Guard House. The place seems to be running on a skeleton crew, and you did not notice as many foot patrols on the street as you made your way here from the Hall of Justice. It seems that Knox has every available man and woman tracking down what he referred in his message as “Nests of Vecna Cultists.” The Guards seem overworked and exhausted. You recognize many of them, and they greet you with as much enthusiasm they can muster, congratulating you on your rescue of the Lost Children.
“You’re proper heroes now, you are.” says one of the Guardsmen you recall is named Mark. “You’ve become living legends in the last few days thanks to the Neverwinter News!” You make your way through the Guardhouse, noticing that the entire place is in disarray. Clearly Vecna’s plot is keeping the city watch very busy.
You find Alfonso in his office at the back of the Guardhouse. He is sitting at his large oak meeting table with a map of the city spread out, several papers scattered across it, and several discarded message scroll wraps scattered on the floor near his chair. There are a few plates stacked nearby at the edge of the table with half-eaten meals. You can see no less than eight Sending Stones laying in disarray but within reach of Knox. Each Stone serves as a means of communication with a party of soldiers in the field. It’s obvious he hasn’t slept in days and isn’t eating well. When he sees you, he sits up in his chair, setting down one of the many Sending Stones on the table in front of him.
“Ah, the heroes return. Welcome, welcome, my friends. Have a seat. I am happy to see you!” He forces a smile, physical and mental fatigue clear on his face. “Much has happened since I last saw you.”
Knox goes on to explain the developments of the last few days. The Fearneharts, Delvin and Kevori, who you patrolled with on your first night with the Neverwinter Guard cracked open a Vecna cult operating with the Feral Dog in the Chasm District. Evidence led them to discover that the murder victims in Bluelake had been killed there, and strategically placed within Bluelake by a necromancer and surgeon named Filge. Owen Hawkwinter and Malcolm Brokengulf were found to be members of the cult and worshippers of Vecna. They escaped and are still at large and wanted dead or alive.
Documents found at the Feral Dog along with the literature you recovered from the Lost Library led to deciphering a map that marked several cult safehouses within the bowels of the city. The cultists refer to there locations as “nests.” Since then, Knox has been working around the clock nonstop to root out this sinister cult. He has dedicated the majority of Neverwinter Guard along with several mercenary parties to raiding and clearing these nests. So far ten have been cleared, but there are still twenty within the city. Five teams are presently in the field, leaving fifteen more that need to be dealt with but there are no available personnel. Several have been killed and many more injured.
What has been discovered in the aftermath of each raid is that the cultists are broken into cells. They are small, decentralized from leadership, and led by a single fanatical priest dedicated to Vecna. This dispersed structure allows the cultist networks to operate secretly and elusively, and to deploy cells at any time and place within the city.
Each nest has contained at least one but usually a half dozen captives. These prisoners are always of moderate class or higher, privy to secrets that the cult extracted through rituals that pulled the information from the captives like a doctor might draw infection from a wound.
Worst of all, Knox explains, that this situation is not unique to Neverwinter. Apparently these nests have been discovered throughout the Sword Coast in every large city including Waterdeep, Baldur’s Gate, Daggerford, Lukan, and even Muraan. It seems that the infestation of Vecna has spread throughout the Sword Coast like a plague.
Showing Knox the sketches of the Neverwinter citizens your party saw in the Feywild surprises him. He rustles through a pile of missing persons posters, numbering easily fifty or sixty individuals. He smooths out a particular bundle featuring drawings of people who match the sketches drawn by Khef.
“These are four prominent citizens have been kidnapped in the past several days.” explains Knox. I’m not sure why they would give the impression that they have been there for years, but witch magic is tricky. Maybe it has played with their senses and addled their minds.” He sighs, rubbing at his one good eye which is bloodshot due to lack of sleep. “I can only assume that all of these people,” he swipes at the stack of missing person posters. “All of them have likely been captured by Vecna’s cultists to extract their secrets for blackmail or whatever other nefarious purposes they may be collecting this information.”
Eldon Keyward is a highly knowledgeable Human scholar who specializes in the Outer Planes.
Indrina Lamsensettle is a Human actor who moves in Neverwinter’s highest social circles.
Sarcelle Malinosh is a Human wild-magic sorcerer who plumbs the mysteries of the Outer Planes.
Umberto Noblin is a Gnome historian who has written books on various deities.
Knox sighs again, retrieving a nearby notebook and adding to the wild scribblings on its pages. “I’ll make a note that they are being held in the Feywild. I’ll reference Strikeforce Grey as the contact for further information.” He yawns, and sits back in his chair with a groan.
“I don’t suppose you are willing to raid one of these nests,” he says hopefully.
You explain to him that you received a message from Elminster, instructing you to go to the Shard of the Moon. He exhales, and nods. “I understand. You have responsibilities beyond even those of my own. I remember Elminster making it clear that you were destined for great things in dealing with the Evil that has fallen on the Sword Coast.”
At that moment, a soldier steps into the room. She is tall, wearing leather armor with waist-length dark hair. “Two more missing persons, Sergeant.” She handed the papers to Knox, who added them to the pile without looking at them. “Who is it this time, Patricia?”
The woman stepped towards the door, making to leave but answered Knox before departing. “It’s those kind Birdfolk who run the Fallen Feather. A patrol found the place ransacked only an hour ago. The proprietors are missing.”
Knox’s eye opened wide with realization, snatching up the the new posters. He sucked in his breath, looking directly at Khuiekec.
STEAMPUNKAPOTAMUS! 