Second Council of Waterdeep Agenda Item 2: The Maelthra Incident – Infiltration, Corruption, and Fallout
As murmurs settle and Lady Silverhand lowers her gaze, a subtle nod passes to the robed figure beside her. Leosin Erlanthar, eyes shadowed by sleepless nights, rises.
Leosin Erlanthar:
“What we believed to be mere miscommunication or political carelessness has proven far more sinister. The fiend known as Maelthra did not simply impersonate a courtier. She wove herself into Neverember’s ranks like ivy through stone.”
He glances towards Dagult Neverember, choosing his words with care.
“Her charm was infernal, yes. But it was not undetected. Reports were filed, suspicions voiced. The systems failed. We failed.”
Lady Laeral Silverhand (cutting in, her voice razor-sharp):
“She is not merely a succubus. She is a sign. That our walls, magical and political alike, are thin. And someone has taught the Cult to dig beneath them.”
Whispers begin to swell among the gathered delegates. A tall, striking woman seated near the gallery watches with narrowed eyes, her identity unrevealed to most. King Melandrach shifts with a hissed breath.
Leosin (continuing):
“She has escaped us for now. But she leaves threads behind. Threads we must follow.”
He unfurls a scroll of correspondence recovered from the court chambers. The contents are redacted magically, names blurred.
“These notes confirm one thing above all else: Maelthra acted with purpose. She was not merely seducing aides for sport. She was passing messages. Locations. Ritual components. Internal weaknesses.”
Lady Laeral:
“If we do not root out the rot now, this council may not survive a third meeting. I propose a task force: one agent from each faction, reporting directly to this chamber. No walls. No secrets.”
King Melandrach (leaning forward at last):
“And what of the Harpers? Were they not watching?”
The accusation is clear. Tension crackles like static.
(Insert Althaea Moonshadow’s or Remallia’s response here depending on how the player plays it.)
Unidentified Woman in the Gallery (her voice smooth, yet cold):
“When dragons are asked to bleed for mortals, we expect those mortals to know who sleeps in their beds.”
Her words land heavily, and more than one head turns to study her. The implication is unmistakable, even if her identity remains obscured for now.
Lady Laeral (closing this segment):
“Enough. We do not indulge blame. We act. The time for denial ended with Arauthator’s death. The time for consequences begins now.”
She nods toward the adventuring party.
“We may ask more of you. Maelthra’s trail runs deeper than any of us guessed. And she knows your names. That is not by accident. That is by design.”
Silence falls as the council prepares to address Varram. The shadow of the succubus still lingers in the firelight.