Picking up after their arrival in Waterdeep and agreeing to investigate the plague-stricken Copper District on behalf of House Blackwood, the party began Session 2 ready to delve deeper into the crisis. Having taken a long rest, they were situated in Waterdeep, with travel through streets like Bliss Street and Ignorance Alley mentioned [Implied from map and general exploration, not specific in sources].
The initial objective was to explore the quarantined inner area of the Copper District. However, upon reaching the guards at the edge of the quarantine zone, the party found their path blocked. The guards were under strict orders from Lord Bram Blackwood not to allow anyone into the inner area. Despite showing a paper indicating their interest in assisting, possibly on behalf of the Copper District's management or council, the guards remained firm. They stated that Lieutenant Dan, who seemed to be in charge, was not present and suggested the party return later. Lieutenant Dan was believed to be at the Blackwood estate. The guards' demeanor suggested they were trained and serious about enforcing the quarantine, though one guard was dismissive. The party observed families desperate to get back into the quarantined area, some sneaking out for supplies like bread.
Feeling stymied at the quarantine line, the party redirected their investigation towards a bakery suspected of distributing contaminated grain as part of the relief efforts. Approaching the building, one member noted the suspicious look on a worker's face. Peeking through a window offered a good vantage point, revealing three figures inside who were half-orcs shrouded in black cloaks. These individuals were seen mixing grain from different barrels and handling it while wearing gloves, raising suspicion. One of the half-orcs, described as “Mr. Dusty” due to grain on him, was in a foul temper and seemed intent on getting the grain off himself.
Attempting to engage, the party knocked, and one of the half-orcs came to the door. After questioning about Lieutenant Dan, who was reported to be there, and showing identification, the half-orc was dismissive, telling them to come back when Dan was there. As the party considered waiting outside, a tense confrontation escalated into combat. Initiative was rolled, and perception checks were attempted. Weapons were drawn, and spells like ‘faith' (used on oneself) and ‘vicious mockery' were cast. Characters sustained damage and were healed. The combat tracker was used to manage the fight. During the chaotic encounter, one character, Skulk, went down and was left unconscious for a time, while another, Scarlet, seemingly vanished from the fight. Despite initially preferring to avoid bloodshed [implied from caution, not explicit in sources], the party emerged victorious.
In the aftermath, the party decided to drag the bodies inside the bakery, reasoning that leaving them outside would look suspicious. They were aware that Blackwood enforcers typically took bodies to the temple for cremation [implied background knowledge, not specific in sources]. To protect themselves, the party agreed to deny any knowledge of the events inside the bakery if questioned, specifically that they were “not at the scene of a crime” and knew nothing about it. A sample of the suspicious grain was also collected. One party member left a note on a body, stating “found these three inside,” “Sorry for the mess,” and “Grain is contaminated,” even stabbing the note to the body's chest to hold it in place. They also acknowledged that they still didn't technically have an official employer and had done this investigation for free.
The next morning, after a long rest, the party sought out the Copper District Council to report their findings. They met with Sander Lachman, a council member, and presented the vial of grain. Sander confirmed it looked “a little funny” and promised to have experts examine it, acknowledging the seriousness if someone was poisoning the grain. However, their conversation was interrupted by an assistant informing Sander of the discovery of three bodies found dead in the bakery that supplied relief efforts. Sander immediately asked the party if they knew anything about the “crime scene” or the “three half forks dead”. Adhering to their plan, the party denied involvement in the “triple homicide” and stated they only obtained the sample from the back window. Sander had a shocked and surprised look upon hearing the news. The party noted that they believed they knew more than Sander about the situation.
Following their report to the council, the party decided to pursue speaking with Lieutenant Dan, who was currently in charge of the district. They found him at a command tent near the infirmary. Lieutenant Dan recognized them from the previous day. He was distressed by the incident at the bakery and the discovery of the bodies that morning and was desperate for help, even asking if they knew how to bake.
Outside the bakery, the party encountered the bakers themselves. The bakers explained they had been ushered out by guards after finding the “carnage” in the kitchen and were not allowed back in. They speculated the deceased had broken in overnight and “paid for it,” questioning “Who made them pay?”. Through persuasion, the party successfully convinced the bakers to return to work, impressing Lieutenant Dan.
Still in need of aid, Lieutenant Dan offered the party different tasks, including help in the infirmary and guard duty. Two party members were assigned to the infirmary, while one took on guard duty. While working in the infirmary, the assigned members hoped to use their knowledge of the potentially contaminated bread to identify the actual cause of the plague and find a better treatment or cure. The shift was described as hellish, providing a firsthand look at the desperation of the citizens [Implied from description of infirmary work]. The party member on guard duty experienced a less busy shift as the day progressed.
As their shifts ended, the party was free to determine their next steps [Implied by ending]. They observed a cart following some tired individuals. Upon closer inspection, they made out a flier on the cart for the Temporal Temple. The cart appeared to be collecting bodies and dropping them down a grate. One party member decided to follow the cart discreetly. The others decided to join their companion, presumably to investigate further and potentially get their promised payment from House Blackwood.
Overall, Session 2 saw the party navigate bureaucratic hurdles, uncover a potential source of contamination at a bakery, engage in unexpected combat, deal with the aftermath of their actions, report their findings cautiously, take on public service roles, and uncover a new lead involving a cart and the Temporal Temple.