Fantasy Dragon Heist (Completed)

[Yokai]

Ask the guards about the crime.​

Having turned the corner into the Dock Ward, the three companions were confronted with a gruesome scene. Bodies littered the streets, brutalized and bludgeoned in some sort of attack, the City Watch circling like vultures. Iselas couldn't help but feel a little morbidly curious; after all, they had attacked so brazenly in the streets and left such a high body count. She wondered what the dispute could have been over that didn't require any measure of tact.

At the officers' dismissal she offered a sympathetic nod that she didn't quite feel and decided to do some questioning. Authority wasn't something she was particularly invested in. They could tell her to do something and it was up to her to decide if she wanted to do that. "Of course," Iselas said quickly. "Though, if I may, what happened here?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"No, you may not." The City watch member stares you down.

You can see Amiri perking up at tone and knowing how difficult the barbarian is in dealing with her rage, she could only cause problems here. Your half-orc companion doesn't budge, instead looking curiously down the street.

"I think the funny fellow told us to come this way." He says.

- Follow Volo's instructions to the Skewered Dragon.
- Search the Dock Wards thoroughly.

 

[Yokai]

Follow Volo's instructions to the Skewered Dragon.
​

Iselas' smile broadened into open mischief, she'd been expecting the guard to brush her off. Still, it didn't hurt to ask and it was a little funny. Shrugging slightly she turned her attention to Amiri and snorted at the new underlying tension. She gently patted her shoulder. It was probably best for them to move on and find this Floon before the trail disappeared. They could search the Dock Wards after checking the tavern.

"The funny man did tell us to come this way," Iselas nodded to Regongar, visibly amused by his wording. Stepping away from the carnage and the stony guard she made to continue down the street. Following the directions provided by Volothamp they weren't too far from the Skewered Dragon.

 

[ArcticFox]

Tall, densely packed tenements leave most of the neighbourhood in shadow at ground level. Most of the streetlamps have had their glass smashed and their candles stolen, and the smells of salt air and excrement linger as you pass by rows of run-down buildings.

The Skewered Dragon faces an alley that runs between Net Street and Fillet Lane and you find it without any further trouble. It looks like a ruin, though. Both of its front-facing windows are smashed, and a ship's anchor is lodged in the roof.

Through the windows, you can see a group of haggard patrons drinking from huge tankards.

"My cage looked better than this shack." Regongar murmurs.

"Looks dangerous." Amiri says, hand involuntarily going for her greatsword.

- Go in and talk to the patrons.
- Go in and talk to the barkeep.
- Let Amiri gather information.
- Let Regongar gather information.

 

[Yokai]

Go in and talk to the barkeep.​

Poverty was a familiar sight to behold as they walked through the filthy streets that bordered the Skewered Dragon. If desperation had a scent then she guessed it'd smell a lot like this. As a child Iselas had been raised on streets like these, slept in the alleyways, and stolen the candles from street lamps herself. That being said, she knew better than to venture too close to the taverns; urchins weren't really seen as children but more like scavengers or wild animals.

"Kinda reminds me of my childhood," Iselas grinned, unbothered by Amiri and Regongar's expressions. "Right! Let's get in there and hope we look like the kinda people ya wouldn't wanna start a fight with." They could certainly handle themselves in a brawl but they weren't looking for one. And considering that they were actually looking for someone in particular she decided to head for the bar. If anyone would remember a face it'd be the staff.

 

[ArcticFox]

Most of the patrons stop drinking and turn around to look at you as you enter the inn. The barkeeps, an old man, with scraggly beard and calloused hands, nods a greeting and waits for you to order. When neither of the party moves to get some ale, he looks at you suspiciously.

He doesn't look like the sort that would divulge any information willingly, and neither do the rest of the patrons.

- Get information out of him by force (roll d20, modifier 3).
- Bribe him for information (give 10 gold pieces).
- Charm him for information (roll d20, modifier 5).
- Let Regongar question him.
- Let Amiri question him.

 

[Yokai]

Charm him for information (rolled 8).​

The patrons' suspicious stares were rewarded with an easy-going wink from the half-elf as the three strode past them, headed towards the bar. Standing inside the Skewered Dragon Iselas began to recognise that it would be quite difficult to garner the information that they needed on this Floon man. Both the customers and the barkeep appeared to be too jaded to fall for her tricks of persuasion. But if it saved them from making threats of violence or bribery then she might as well try.

"I apologise for intruding on you like this," Iselas said apologetically, attempting to form her expression into something sincere. Blue eyes were widened to look innocent within a seemingly well-meaning face. Her posture relaxed and as non-threatening as possible. "We are just looking for our employer; a ginger bearded human named Floon. He said he had work for us but he hasn't been seen for a few days. We were wondering if you'd seen where he'd disappeared to?"

 

[ArcticFox]

Your charm falls flat as the barkeep stares at you unamused.

"Dunno who he is." He shrugs.

Regongar pulls you aside before you can respond. He and Amiri have the same mischievous glint in their eyes.

"I'm not saying that you are not persuasive, you could have persuaded me any day..." The orc winks. "But, it seems it's not working on the old horse here. Let me grill him a bit." He says and you feel electricity moving from his hand onto your arm and then course through your entire body. It is not an unpleasant feeling.

"No need. I can talk to him." Amiri adds, though you knew well that she never simply talked to anyone beside the two of you.

- Bribe the barkeep for information (give 10 gold pieces).
- Let Regongar question him.
- Let Amiri question him.

 

[Yokai]

Let Regongar question him.​

That was definitely the wrong approach! Maybe she should have tried something less innocent and sweet? Before Iselas could properly contemplate the shortfallings of her persuasion she was pulled aside by her two companions.

An eyebrow was raised at the half-orc's trademark wink and she huffed a quiet laugh under her breath. Iselas kept forgetting that she could rely upon them to handle situations; especially ones like these. Blue eyes flickered briefly between Regongar and Amiri, weighing up the pros and cons in terms of who had more tact and who would cause less destruction. Amiri definitely won out in the latter.

"Sure," Iselas nodded, lips still quirked into a smile as she ran her thumb over the back of Regongar's hand. "Who am I to stand in the way of your fun?" She snorted and stepped aside, closer to Amiri who she then grinned at. "You and me can sit back and watch how it's done~"

 

[ArcticFox]

Amiri snorts, thinking how she could have handled the situation better, but still she moves along with you to take an unoccupied table.

Your half-orc companion steps up to the counter again, leaning over it with a grin. You can see him exchange a couple of words with the barkeep, who looks at him without much interest. Regongar's expression darkens and his hands and arms flicker as lightning snakes around them. He taps a finger lazily on the counter, watching the barkeep flinch.

A moment later, Regongar strides over to your table with a smug expression, informing you of his findings.

After Volo left, Floon stuck around long enough to meet with another friend - Renaer Neverember, the son of Waterdeep's previous Open Lord, Dagult Neverember. Just another spoiled, rich noble, the barkeep claimed. The two drank and played a few rounds of Three Dragon Ante before leaving around midnight. Five men followed them out and the barkeep did not see what happened after that. The men who left shortly after Floon and Renaer haven't returned to the tavern since, but the barkeep had seen them around a warehouse on Candle Lane.

"We are supposed to look for the snake symbol on the door."

- Go find the warehouse alone.
- Go find the warehouse with one of your party.
- Go find the warehouse together.

 

[Yokai]

Go find the warehouse together.​

Leather boots were kicked up casually on the table as Iselas reclined back, close enough to press her shoulder against Amiri's. From their table across the bar she watched as Regongar handled the situation with a grin. It didn't appear to take long before he resorted to intimidation and when electricity licked down his arms she snorted. Nobody really wanted to be on the bad side of her companions: Amiri would crush you and Regongar would fry you.

"And the teacher returns." Iselas drawled when the half-orc sauntered back victorious. She dropped her boots from the table and leaned forward. Listening to the details with her chin in her palm and intense blue-fire eyes narrowed in concentration.

"That's... huh," Iselas remarked, tapping a finger against her lips before she sighed. "This is beginning to sound more complicated than I'd originally hoped." The hope had been that Floon was dead somewhere and they just deliver his corpse to Volothamp for the reward. Obviously things were never as easy as she intended them to be.

"You both want to come along?" She asked as she stood up from her seat. She was happy to let either of them go should they ask for it. Neither of them were her coworkers after all. They were more of a strange ragtag group that Iselas found herself growing slowly fond of.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Yeah, I'm coming. Nothing better to do anyway." Regongar says with a smirk.

"You need someone to watch your back." Amiri says, placing a heavy hand on your shoulder.

Your companions have gotten used to you, as much as you have gotten used to them.

--

The buildings on either side of Candle Lane are so tall and so tightly packed together that light touches the street only at high sun.

Gloom envelops a narrow alley as dark as a dungeon and as odorous as one, too. As everyone along the Docks, nearly all the streetlamps have been smashed. This doesn't bother you, though, you see just fine, but occasionally you hear one of your companions stumble. The only light that pierces the darkness is a faint flickering from down the lane, like a distant candle.

As you approach the flickering you realise that it comes from the one streetlamp still intact on Candle Lane. The light doesn't look natural and must have been kept alight by a spell. You see a warehouse directly across the street from the lamp, which illuminates a black winged snake painted above the door's handle.

The symbol looks vaguely familiar. You might have seen it before, but you are not sure. Neither of your companions seem to know anything about it.

- Try to remember the symbol (roll d20 for intelligence check).
- Enter the warehouse.

 

[Yokai]

Try to remember the symbol (rolled 15).
​

Watch her back? Iselas grinned as they stepped out into the filth of the streets once more.

"Don't get too distracted back there, Amiri~"

It didn't take long for them to venture deeper into the underbelly of the city. Thick darkness had settled in around them and for once Iselas' elven heritage came in useful as her eyesight sharpened. Those pointed ears weren't just for show. That being said, she did reach out a few times to steady her companions when they stumbled badly. Otherwise, she allowed them to make their own way down the alleyway (whilst subtly herding them around obstacles).

The flickering light ahead of them had single-handedly stopped this ordeal from being performed in the pitch-black and it came sharply into focus. Iselas was left to blink in confusion at the symbol displayed before her. They had been directed to find a door with a snake symbol on it; she just hadn't expected to recognise it. Iselas brow furrowed as she attempted to recall where she'd seen it before from the depths of her lizard brain.

 

[ArcticFox]

You suddenly remember where you have seen the symbol - on a man's tunic inside the Yawning Portal. A particularly shady guy who kept to the corner during the brawl. And not only that, you have heard about this particular symbol from the scholar that influenced your decision to come to Waterdeep. It is the symbol of Zentharim.

Apparently, the Zhentarim is a shadow organisation that trades mercenaries and goods, mostly weapons, for profit. It has long sought to gain political influence in Waterdeep, but other numerous factions inside the city are making things difficult for them, forcing them to act from shadows. Either way, things did not look good for poor Floon.

Your keen roguish eyes spot the building's three points of entry - a front door, a large warehouse loading door and a painted-over window. They are all locked.

The front door has a sliding peephole that can be opened from the inside.

You have your thieves' kit that you can use to unlock either of the doors, but you also have Amiri there, a human battering-ram.

- Use your thieves' tools to unlock the front door (roll d20 for dexterity check, modifier 5).
- Use your thieves' tools to unlock the large loading door (roll d20 for dexterity check, modifier 5).
- Try breaking through one of the doors or the window (roll d20 for strength check, modifier 1).
- Let Amiri break through one of the doors or the window.

 

[Yokai]

Use your thieves' tools to unlock the large loading door (rolled 19).
​

It occurred to Iselas that waltzing into one of the possible bases of the Zhentarim could be quite dangerous. They were not an organisation that she wanted to actually get involved with. It'd been over a year since she'd left the Red Hands and she was being good! She'd been staying out of mercenary pockets and had taken on adventuring instead. The mentors and friends and lovers that she'd left behind were worth that freedom... right?

Still, that didn't stop her from retrieving the thieves' kit from her backpack and getting down to work.

Iselas made her way toward the large loading door, having decided that the front door may be a little presumptuous, and crouched down to peer at the lock. It was standard procedure but Iselas didn't know how familiar she'd be with their particular locking mechanism. They were all a little different after all, though some were more similar than others. With the lock pick in hand she began.

 

[ArcticFox]

You unlock the door easily and silently and the three of you creep inside.

As you walk into the warehouse you see that tables and chairs have been carelessly tossed across the floor. But, more importantly, you see the corpses. A dozen bodies lie along the walls, their rapiers and daggers lying nearby. On the north side of the room, stairs rise to an open level above.

Four short, avian creatures with long beaks and black feathers look over in surprise from where they stand in the middle of the warehouse. Each wears a hooded cloak and wields a shortsword.

"Now's our chance!" Regongar says, letting a bolt of lighting at the nearest one, frying the bird-like creature without any pause. The remaining four turn to fight, two going for Regongar, one for Amiri and one for you.

- Attack it with the crossbow (roll d20, modifier 1).
- Attack it with the sword (roll d20, modifier 1).
- Call Amiri for help.
- Call Regongar for help.

 

[Yokai]

Attack it with the crossbow (rolled 14).​

Thieves' kit stowed into her backpack once more, Iselas straightened up and slipped through the loading door. They were met with a horrific sight. The inside of the warehouse was a graveyard; furniture had been demolished in what appeared to be a fight, corpses were strewn across the large room alongside their weapons. It was gruesome to behold but thankfully they didn't have time to dwell on it (or to see if Floon lay among them).

The five strange, bird-like creatures in the middle of the room were their immediate concern. Iselas barely had time to draw her crossbow before everything burst into motion. Regongar's surprise attack managed to knock one of the bird-men down before the other four charged. Iselas only had a short moment to hitch an arrow into her crossbow, raise it up, and aim to kill.

 

[ArcticFox]

You are quick enough to aim at the avian creature that ran toward you. The bolt strikes through its shoulder and the impact makes it reel back.

"Damn kenku!" Amiri shouts, pummelling her attacker with her bare fists, the creature's short dagger not even coming close to her.

Seeing two of their comrades die and one getting incapacitated, the kenku shriek and caw and then scramble to run away. Regongar stops, not pursuing the two that ran away from him. Your attacker is not so quick though, wounded by your bolt, and Amiri catches it by the other arm, forcing it to the ground. The kenku looks at you pleadingly.

You can now see that all the bodies on the ground have a black tattoo of a winged snake on their necks or forearms, whole the captured kenku has a blue tattoo on the palm of its right hand that looks like a circle with ten spokes radiating out from its circumference. Not a member of the Zentharim. A different guild.

- Intimidate the kenku into telling you what happened (roll d20 for intimidation check, modifier 3).
- Kill the kenku.
- Let the kenku go.

 

[Yokai]

Intimidate the kenku into telling you what happened (rolled 11).
​

Iselas clicked her tongue and rounded on the captured kenku, crouching down beside it's wounded shoulder. This left the creature to be bracketed by herself and Amiri. While it was unfortunate that her arrow had missed anything vital, it was mostly unfortunate for the kenku. Because that left them with the opportunity for questions. Iselas reached out to hold the stem of the arrow that had embedded itself in its shoulder; a threat or perhaps a promise of pain.

"So nice of you to stick around. Now, how about you tell us what happened here," Iselas began, not bothering to sweeten her voice or bat her eyelashes. She was going to kill this kenku and that wasn't something she felt proud of, but it was necessary. "Or things might get a little painful for you." She flicked the end of the arrow idly.

 

[ArcticFox]

When kenku speak, they mimic sounds and voices they have heard before, much like a parrot might. Your captive lets out an intelligible shriek, before starting to ramble in different voices. You manage to discern the following phrases:

In a deep voice with an orcish accent: "Xanathar sends its regards..."

In a thin, nasal voice: "Tie up the pretty boy in the back room!" and "Follow the yellow signs in the sewers."

In a scratchy voice: "No time to loot the place. Just get him to the boss."

"Weird." Regongar remarks unhelpfully.

- Search the back room.
- Choose how to deal with the kenku.

 

[Yokai]

Choose how to deal with the kenku. ​

It seemed that she wouldn't have to kill the kenku after all. Iselas liked the sound of that option a lot. Honestly, she felt a little bad for the kenku, especially when it looked so obviously terrified and was so willing to cooperate. Her mentor would have called her soft and she would have been right. But Fayen wasn't here anymore and Iselas could do what she liked. Even if that meant letting ends go untied and loose.

"Thank you for your help," Iselas nodded to the kenku and she released the arrow from her grip. She stood up with a frown and nodded to Amiri to let the creature up. "You're free to go and you may have your life. We have no quarrel with your people."

Now, she turned her attention to the back room and stepped away from kenku. "So... what are the chances that we will find our pretty boy in there?" Iselas hummed, expression slightly hopeful.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I don't like it." Amiri says, even as she lets the kenku go.

"We already have one loose end with the Zentharim, and now we have gotten in trouble with Xanathar too?" Regongar sighs. "Should we look for other factions and make a note to piss them off on purpose?"

But, still they went along with you, as you move to check out the back room.

The door to this back room hang loosely on broken hinges. The cramped chamber beyond smells strongly of sour fish and vinegar. It is filled with discarded ropes, canvas tarpaulins, and splintered wood from smashed barrels. You see a man hiding here, a frayed rope that was probable used to bind him on the ground. He peeks his head from under a tarpaulin and then gives you a confused look.

"You are not guild members."

"And are you Floon?" Regongar asks.

"No, I am not. My name is Renaer Neverember, at your service." He walks out of his cover and introduces himself with a flourished bow.

- Ask about Floon.
- Ask about Zentharim.
- Ask about Xanathar.

 

[Yokai]

Ask about Floon.​

Iselas shrugged off her companion's concerns. After all, two of the kenku had escaped already. If one of them survived to explain how they'd shown mercy -- or, at least, how they had no quarrel with their guild -- then that may save them some trouble in the future. Or, alternatively, Iselas might just have told herself that to ease her own mind.

Either way, she pushed onwards to investigate the back room and was startled to find an actual human cowering under the tarpaulin. It was a nice surprise to find somebody alive amongst all this death. But it wasn't a nice surprise to find out that they weren't the noble who they were looking for.

"Ah, so a different pretty boy then?" Iselas hummed as she watched Renaer bow with quiet amusement. Her arms were folded over her chest as she sized him up. "We were sent to rescue Floon, do you know where he's been taken?" She figured that telling him they wanted to help Floon could empathize the human to their cause. They'd met and drank together in the Skewered Dragon, surely they were friends.

 

[ArcticFox]

"Oh, you must have been sent by Volo." The man gives you a look over. He straightens up, dusting his coat and clears his throat. "It's my fault they took him, I'm afraid." He frowns. "Floon was too intoxicated to find his way home by himself so I offered to escort him. We were jumped by five thugs as we left Fillet Lane. I believe that they mistook Floon for me. The Zhentarim thinks that my father embezzled a large amount of gold while he was Open Lord, and that he hid the dragons somewhere in the city. They think they can find it by using an artefact called the Stone of Golorr, which was in the hands of the Xanathar Guild until recently. Apparently, someone stole it. The Zhents thought I knew something about all of this, but I don't. My father and I haven't spoken in years."

He takes a deep breath and looks at you. Of course, you an your companions knew the story of the embezzled dragons already, but this is the first relative of the ex Open Lord that you have encountered in Waterdeep.

- Ask him about the treasure.
- Ask him about the artefact.
- Ask him to join you in search for Floon.
- Explore the rest of the warehouse ground floor.
- Take the stairs to the upper floor.

 

[Yokai]

Ask him about the treasure.​

"So, they managed to kidnap you both on your way back from the tavern... but then failed to tell either of you apart?" Iselas questioned with a raised eyebrow and a slight drawl. She laughed quietly, obviously finding some amusement in the plan gone awry and shook her head. When her gaze focused back on Renaer it was filled with genuine curiosity.

This was the son of the reason that they were here in the first place. Maybe not on this particular rescue venture but in general they were here to check on whether there was any proof to this tale.

"Anything you can tell us about this so-called treasure?" Iselas asked, lips tilted up like she was fighting back a smile. "Do you believe the story has any merit? You kept saying that the Zhents 'think' your father embezzled the dragons, what do you think?"