Winter Wizardry (Waterdeep: Dragon Heist)

[findinmyself]

Chapter 1: A Friend In NeedAh, Waterdeep! The magnum opus of Faerûn! Located in the Sword's Coast, this huge sprawling metropolis of a city is nothing short of magnificent to behold. This place is highly walled, and well defended, with City Watch guards constantly patrolling and on the look out for anything that would disturb the peace of their fine home. Another defence they have are their immensely large statues, placed in different areas of the city. They are colossal, standing at least a hundred feet tall and proud. But, they aren't just a novelty, as in a time of world ending or Waterdeep destroying magnitude, these statues rise in defence of the great people of the city.

It's not just this. The place has adapted it's own culture, and follows it proudly. You would call a Copper piece a Nib here, a Silver is a Shard, and a Gold a Dragon. You pay tax if you wish to live here, in any capacity, and often the streets are bustling on tax collection day, when the citizens don't want to be indoors to receive that knock demanding money. Even without this day, the Wards and buildings of the place are constantly alive, whether it be a theatre, a store, or a tavern. And there is one tavern that sticks out in this place.

The Yawning Portal.

What an absolutely legendary establishment! Anyone who comes here knows the man behind the bar, Durnan. Passing rumours tell of his descent into the Undermountain, along with an ally, and he and this ally have been the only to return from that dreadful place. In fact, he came back with so much wealth in magical items and the sort, that despite being human, he does not seem to age any more. And if you let a human live for that long, his view on life is bound to go sour. This place itself was built around the giant well in the centre, emptied of all water, and instead with a rope and bucket attached to it, for allowing people down. These people are often adventurers, who seek to claim fortune in the vast Undermountain below. This place is a brilliant area for anyone to stay. Information can be gathered, secrets unfurled, and stories told. Music can be heard at all times in this tavern, and people's spirits tend to be extremely high in this lovely atmosphere.


It is a cold day today. Extremely cold. Winter has arrived, and it has not come to play. The ground outside in this bustling city is covered in 3 inch deep snow, gently coating the entire settlement in a blanket of soft white. Citizens are less frequent out in the town, as many would rather sit at home with a fire lit and a meal ready, spending time in the warmth. You can still see this vast place's kinds all over, from traders to adventurers, from City Watch to the Lord's Alliance. They still go about business as usual, but it's hard to find merry-makers wandering the cobble paths in the middle of the day. However, the Yawning Portal is thriving more than anything else in the city. Being a large beacon of hope for those catching a case of frostbite, this huge tavern hosts many hearths, with which people from all over have come to sit around with some warm wine and talk to others in similar situations. The well in the centre isn't garnering as much attention as it normally does, because people would much rather not sit near the cold opening in the tavern. Who could blame them?

In this jovial, calm atmosphere, many different types of races, workers and figures dot the busy tables. It's hard to find a seat in this place, except ones near the well. The presence of this thing is almost haunting, in comparison to its normally mysterious and enticing feel. You can almost hear screams from below. Or you would, if it weren't for the off key strumming of a bard near the centre well.

The bard seems to be trying relatively hard, yet his lute has only three strings. You suppose that's where he gets his name from, or at least his nickname. This jovial human lad doesn't have any other name except Threestrings, which people lovingly call him. Despite the bad playing, he is indeed a charismatic figure, that can win the hearts of many. His playing is soft and quiet, but mesmerising, and further makes the tavern feel like home in these cold times. It's still off tune though. As he finishes his short song, a few claps can be heard spread from across the tavern, as passing chatter fills the room once more. He sits back down at his round wooden table, and people return to their business.

"Arius, my good friend!" He proclaims in a loud and smooth voice, certainly fitting of a bard. The man turns his head, his locks flowing backwards, as he looks to you, Arius. You had been waiting for a moment, since Threestrings took the spotlight about 10 minutes ago like he normally does. Your table is quite the popular place. Any known city bard is privileged to sit with Arius and Threestrings, and rarely people do. But when they do, they are normally others of your kind, maybe a Harper or two gathering information, or a friendly figure with some reputation. It's just you and him at the moment, however, and you can always count on there being wandering eyes. "I would think that perhaps we both need a break, do you not agree? Allow me to buy you a drink, in exchange for your company." He holds his pale hand out, in which a Shard is lying in his palm. A small glint is in his eye, as a cheeky grin spreads across his face.

Mentioned Konopine

 

[Konopine]

A deep, hearty laugh escapes Arius' lips as he shakes his head, his larger hand carefully coming to close around the other bard's. Were he any other man, he probably would not have the patience to sit through yet another song of Threestrings' but with a mug of ale already warming his belly he at least finds it tolerable enough to humor the friendly gesture of his fellow bard. "Keep your coin, it'll probably be hard to come around once I find an adventure exciting enough to leave this place." A thick accent teasing the younger man with a warm smile. "I can always offer an old friend some company, with or without the drink." He adds, leaning back into the chair he was spectating his fellow performer with just moments prior. "Please sit down, what can I do for you?" He asks him in a welcoming tone. He's used to piquing people's interest, many coming to sit with him after he was done playing his music, but something inside of him felt curious about why the bard had approached him so jovially. Maybe he finally came with news on something interesting.

Waterdeep was fine by all means, but staying in one place had never been ideal for Arius. Waterdeep had probably been his longest visit in a long while. It was a beautiful city with many people and even more rules. Rules that were punished accordingly. He supposed the order felt nice at first, it was a place where could make fair coin, but he was getting bored and hungry for something exciting in his life. There were only so many nights playing against Threestrings that could be exciting and he had just about had his fill.

findinmyself

 

[findinmyself]

Taking a moment for himself to listen, you can feel Threestrings' gaze almost piercing a little, like he's over-analysing you. Perhaps an intense curiosity in your equally joyful manner, or maybe something more. He puts up a good front, and it's hard to tell beyond his facial expressions. His hand still stretched, he looks down towards the Shard, before chuckling softly and pocketing it in his side pouch on his clothes. "You have always been a charming man, my good friend! And one that seems to keep me in check. I imagine that I would be much more Nib-less were I not under the watchful eye of tavern patrons, mostly you though." As he finishes putting away his money, he lays the broken lute down on the large table with a thud, relaxing himself on a wooden stool close to you.

"I believe you will like this. Information from bard to bard, yes?" The man winks, brushing his long hair behind his ear and leaning in closer. "Blood has been rampant on the streets of Waterdeep as of recent. I have done a small amount of investigation work, and I believe that the war between the Black Network grows volatile by the day, seeping out from underneath our fine city." His tone suddenly becomes serious, as he attempts to hide his speech from others that would attempt to listen. And a conversation between bards is an intriguing one to say the least. "The Zhentarim's operations have become frequent. I believe something is afoot with these folks, and they appear to be operating in Waterdeep primarily. Something lurks, perhaps a new leader." A small smirk spreads across the man's face again, feeling proud of his knowledge of the area.

Mentioned
Konopine

 

[Konopine]

He leans in to listen, but his eyes are focused on the patrons in the bar. It's a relaxed gesture, more so to provide the illusion of him merely listening to gossip rather than receiving news. It might as well be considered gossip, or at least one might think so after hearing Threestrings speak. After all, bards are not known to be noble, honest and courageous people by any means. When it comes to their work, mayhaps but he knows more than a few bards who are ready to leave in order to save their skin whenever trouble comes around. Waterdeep wasn't any different. "I suppose it's only a question of time before they bring their business in here, then." He speaks, casually. Despite his rather short time in Waterdeep, he was more or less aware of the happenings in the underground part of the city and what he knew mostly came from the other bard.

His own instrument rests against the foot of the chair, Arius wrapping a hand around the neck as he picks it up, resting it on his lap before beginning to strum a little tune. The tavern had grown fairly silent without Threestring's off-key tunes and there was nothing more suspicious than a tavern with two bards and no music. It's a fairly quiet tune, but with his instrument intact, it provides something more pleasant to the ear. "Have you noticed anything interesting tonight so far?" He asks over the music.

 

[Hella Downweather]

What the heck was he even thinking, going to a place so cold the snow could easily cover his boots. Why couldn’t he have done the smart thing and begin his adventure somewhere hotter...Like a tropical island or something? Maybe he could change with someone who had a little bit of fur...that ought to keep him hot. Aenori wasn’t completely used to his face yet, but he could walk and run without looking awkward, a feat that took him a few week to master. The boy wasn’t that eager to take on another face so quickly…

Plus this one WAS pretty handsome.

Cursing internaly his vain self, the young elven boy was relieved to find the tavern warm and cozy. And the mood...the mood is to die for. People of every races talking, bustling around, a few bards here and there. THAT was the feeling he was looking for. Popping back his hood to let golden locks circle freely his face, the boy made a beeline for the counter. He looked around, trying to spot the one in charge. Seeing the barman alone behind his bar, he waved at him, asking :

-Hello there, do you still have a free room?

 

[findinmyself]

Listening back towards Arius, Threestrings quietly begins to scan the room. "I have seen many strange things, as one does if they stay in this place for too long. Yet today, I feel something brewing." His frail, skinny finger points over towards a Half Orc woman, sitting in the corner of the room with her large, buff grey arms pressed into a cross. She appears to be also scanning the room, her foot tapping impatiently onto the floor. "See that lady there? She's been waiting for someone for hours. Bonnie walked over to her to serve her and she completely ignored her. Seems like business is in order for her, wouldn't you say so?" A hearty chuckle escapes the bard's lips, as his attention then turns somewhere else.

Durnan, the well kept yet also weathered forty-something bartender, busy cleaning a mug, quickly turns his attention towards you, Aenori. His thick eyebrows raise, before the left one goes down, the right still staying up to maintain a small aura of curiosity. He lays the mug to the side, before arriving in front of you, as he adjusts his collar. With a short huff he says, "We are unfortunately full today, sir. This winter weather has everyone looking for a place to stay, even the homeless fork over their last Nibs for a chance to sleep in a warm room."Durnan speaks dull and low, with a slightly crackly voice. He seems in a perpetual state of tiredness, and is waiting for the day to be over. "I can offer you a drink though. In fact, if you don't complain about the bloody weather to me, I'll give you half off. 2 Nibs instead of 4, eh?" He raises his posture, breathing out heavily. It seems that this man breathes heavily a lot, and stops mid speech sometimes to catch his breath.



Mentioned
Konopine
Hella Downweather

 

[Konopine]

Arius looks up from where he was looking at his fingers, dancing along the neck of the instrument as he strummed a peaceful tune to fill out the silence in betwixt the rowdy conversation in the tavern. Indeed he spots the half orc woman, sticking out like a sore thumb with no drink or meal to warm her belly in the freezing winter cold. A lonesome patron with a menacing expression and an aura to match. Certainly she was interesting and Arius decides to keep an eye out for her as he returns to focusing on the tune of his lute.

"Mayhaps. Seems like she is waiting for someone rather important. A bearer of bad news perhaps?" He says casually, his eyes scanning the room meanwhile. Durnan seemed busy as well, a new patron it seemed like and someone he hadn't seen frequent the yawning portal at that. Perhaps he was the person the half orc-woman was waiting for, or perhaps he was just another traveler looking to find some warmth in the comfort of the central tavern of Waterdeep.

findinmyself Hella Downweather

 

[Hella Downweather]

Well that was just his luck. With no room to stay, his adventure was really starting on the wrong foot. But, he was a follower of Tymora after all, surely his luck would turn around if he listened well to the people around him. That usually did the trick for him. Grinning at Durnan’s offer, Aenori answered, chipper as ever :

-Well, that’s some bad luck, though I appreciate your kind offer. Have any dwarvish ale by any chance? Preferably something a bit musky to warm me up.

But god did this human seemed tired, and from what he said, in dire need of anything not related to the current weather. Looking a bit closer to his face, he quickly rejected the idea of ever borrowing it. A bartender in such a well known city was sure to be remembered by a plethora of people.

-So, as you can see, I just arrived in town. Anything interesting to see or do you could recommend?

As the young elf waited patiently for an answer, he started to look around, trying to find a familiar face and was relieved when he found none. A blank state, perfect for starting a new life.

--

findinmyself

 

[findinmyself]

Durnan does not seem to care about the light-hearted response he is being delivered, and instead stares on as blank as ever. His hollow brown eyes seem to not be paying attention, but the moment speech ends from the elven boy, he suddenly perks back up a little, as if he'd been listening attentively all that time. "Shadowdark ale is going great for people at the moment. Five Nibs and it's all yours. Kind of a warm taste to it?" He seems to not know much of what he is talking about, despite owning the most popular tavern in Waterdeep, and therefore the Sword's Coast. A disarming presence to be sure.

"Another fuckin tourist? Got you." He winks, and openly hums to himself as if in thought, but exaggerated, almost mockingly. "Well there's a lot to do and see. Should be a couple of festivals in a few days. Maybe see the Walking Statues? They're a nice sight." He sighs, rubbing his hands through his hair. "Listen, maybe I'm not the best guy to talk about this stuff. I've seen everything in this city, even the well underneath, and honestly don't care too much about it if I'm honest." A passive dumb smile spreads across his face, tilting his head. "Now, Shadowdark?" As he places his hand on one of the taps, ready to serve.

Mentioned
Hella Downweather

 

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Suorra

LvL 1 Dragon Hybrid Druid
..[/div][/div][div class=out][div class=text] [div class=image][/div] A confident stride in a, hairs and feathers erect from the freezing breeze, dipped into the snow in front of the tavern. With what appeared to be fingerless evening gloves over a pair of light-green gauntlets ending in dangerously sharp tips, the my arms were crossed over my chest and shaking, as despite that seeming double layer, my dress was definitely too thin for winter. Ah, how I wished the smoke blown out of my mouth was from actual fire within me! That would at least have kept me warm, instead of having the hands that were doing such an effort to protect my body unconsciously reach out to the tavern door.

Like a magic spell, the mere act of opening the door seemed to bring the whole place to life as the previously muttered sounds exploded in my eardrums. The music from the previous bards had ceased a moment prior to me opening the door, but one could still hear the rough laughter, the rolling dice, the movement of chairs and the occasional table, a million and one conversations and bashing glasses of warm ale (or cold, for those whose brains had already been frozen by the winter) . I simply stood there in front of the threshold for a moment, taking in the first wave of warmth, and observing the establishment with a stoic gaze after shivering once more due to my body acclimating. Truth be told, I barely needed to look: Simply from the warmth, I could tell where I was going to be headed. Rushing out, however, would risk me hitting one of the tables of other patrons with one of my appendages. The wings hiding under my hooded cloak, making it appear as I had a bit of a hunch, were particularly suspectible to that risk.

I turned left and began strolling towards the fireplace. I was walking in the way my original parents had taught me how, each step purposefully and correctly placed and a gaze that looked down from above. Raised chin, chest puffed out, arms close but moving through the air as if commanding a symphony to the fae or the fingers tasting the air like sublime wine. I'd heard others describe it as "graceful" or "elegant" before, but to me, it was just a "careful walk". A bit stiffening, really, but it would probably be worse if I accidentally knocked something down in a rush. I guess the pelts I was wearing over my neck, with the dried blood hidden, combined with my dress, perhaps made me look wealthier than I truly was.

At long last, I was next to the fireplace. There were no tables left available there (understandably so), but I still felt so very cold...

So, naturally, I dropped to the floor right there and streched on the floor, arms, legs and wings all going up while my belly supported my weight.

Ah! Some little voice in my head cried for me to run, but honestly the majority of my body told me otherwise. I moved closer to the fireplace, practically curling up next to it. As the stiff layer of cold left me however, a different problem began arising from an emptiness within me. My hand instinctively reached toward my belly, and I looked over my shouler. Ideally, I would find a way to solve my new problem without having to move an inch.

With the warmth, true to the place's name, I yawned.[/div]
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[findinmyself]

Instantly, Suorra, you notice that the small crowd of about 4 civilians, patrons of this new tavern you entered that are huddled around the fireplace, their gloves tipped with a layer of frost, have all immediately turned their attention towards you. Their wandering gaze fixed upon you, you can also notice that their looks are mainly at the wings you carry, unsure whether to believe if they are real or not. Certainly, some must have guessed it was a form of magic, but it's still a shock to the system. Therefore, three of this small crowd promptly sit up, dust off their behinds from the mildly wet floor below, and go to try and sit somewhere else. All except one. A tall, slightly skinny looking man in some fairly regal clothing, slightly tattered and worn out, definitely old. He wears a bright green ring on his left ring finger, which shines warmly next to the crackling warm blaze of the fire. He seems to be staring into it, a little dull and tired. It's not like he didn't notice your obvious presence, but seems to not care in comparison to the other patrons, which now have many more eyes on you.

Threestrings points over to the girl on the floor of the tavern, clearly tired from something. "Ah, yet another curiosity. You know, at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if The Xanathar them self suddenly decided to float on in." He says jokingly to Arius, as his attention is also captured by the strange girl. He huffs quietly, thinking to himself for a moment.

The sad looking gentleman next to you, Suorra, takes a few moments before slowly looking down towards you in mild confusion, but calm and collected.
"Hello there, miss. I can assume you're new to Waterdeep? Haven't seen your face." His speech is slowed and quiet, but has as touch of grace. "You'd do good to make a few friends here, lest you be left alone is such a grand place." A small smile spreads across his weathered face, which now you notice is heavily scarred in lots of different places. This man has clearly seen many fights in his day, but doesn't give off the impression of one with an aggressive nature.

Mentioned
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Konopine

 

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Suorra

LvL 1 Dragon Hybrid Druid
..[/div][/div][div class=out][div class=text]The stairs from my fellow floor-dwellers, people whom I would have already called the ones with the most common sense out of the bunch (who, after all, wouldn't want to be as close to the fire as they could with such a harsh winter outside?) did somewhat surprise me with their great sense for beauty, as I could tell their glares were fixed upon my wings. I grinned at them with teeth that while not like those of a bear or a lion, were certainly sharper than most, the canines being especially pronounced. As a little demonstration, I slowly flapped my wings a little, and I might have moved around a tail if I had grown one yet. In their generosity, these fellow patrons even went so far as to give me more room near the fireplace, which of course I immediately slithered to while ignoring the only one who had remained. If the opportunity were to arise, I would make sure to repay their kindness. It was what my gut told me to do, after all!

My thoughts and stretching were interrupted by that last patron commenting on how he hadn't seen me around before, followed by a bit of advice about "making friends". I glanced over to him, rising to a 'sitting on my knees' position to make it easier to take a proper look. His clothes looked human-fancy and he had a couple of very expensive-looking rings in his hands. He was probably very wealthy. He probably had a fireplace back at home. Or maybe he was on a trip like me? He looked very old, but humans had always grown old so quickly, maybe it didn't matter as much to them and they could continue doing trips even after they reached their transcendant dreams. That might also explain why he looked like that, maybe he was tired from the trip.

"You're sort of right, sort of wrong. I am new to THIS place, but I've been on waterdeep for a little over a week. It's not the kind of place I imagined from mother's stories. Everything is so much smaller, so much duller! Mother did live with other people though, so maybe that's what I am missing? Friends? Hey mister, would you like to be my friend then?" My wings perked up a little, and my eyes glinted with jovial joy as they stared right at the man's face. It took me a moment, but I did come to notice all the markings on it, eventually recongizing them as scars. My curiosity was peeked! "I mean, I wouldn't even know who else to ask!... By the way, what's with all the scars? Did you get in trouble with a lot of hunters?"

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[findinmyself]

Your off putting sense of happiness and charisma certainly takes the man off guard, as he stares not at your strange, unfamiliar features that couldn't have a race discerned from them, but your eyes. He traces them perfectly, and as you talk, he seems to become rather interested. He places his head on his hand, crossing his legs and turning his attention towards you completely. Almost as if a child was watching a circus. As the fire crackles gently beside the both of you, the scent of flame catches your nostrils, as he passively stokes the wood with a metal pole, rubbing his hands together occasionally. The atmosphere of the place seems to fade out a little, becoming simply a backdrop for your conversation. The bard's tune, a few tables down from you, echoes gently as it creates a peaceful feeling.

Leaning in, intrigued, the gentleman fiddles with his rings, staring down at his ring finger once again for a brief moment. "Well this place is... very large, to say the least. Perhaps maybe not to you, but to anyone from anywhere else in Faerun, it's quite the sight to behold." And then, the mention of friends. The moment that word escapes Suorra's lips, his eyes brighten as a huge smile, unsubtle, creeps across his weathered face and stubble, before quickly fading back down, seemingly in an attempt to disguise his sudden joy. "Such a... you know, you're strange you know that, miss?" He coughs briefly, as if to clear his chest, lightly punching it to clear it further. "I suppose I could be your friend." His hand extends outwards, a ringed set of fingers extended for a handshake.

His attention, however, briefly switches towards his own face, as he picks up his drink with the other hand and looks at himself in the reflection of the ale. His eyebrow raises, before eventually coming to rest again. Placing it down, he begins to explain himself. "Ah, well I used to be the adventuring type for quite the while. But as you could maybe tell, that life has been gone long ago. Along with everything else." He chuckles awkwardly to himself, breathing in an attempt to relieve some tension.

Mentioned
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Suorra

LvL 1 Dragon Hybrid Druid
..[/div][/div][div class=out][div class=text] My eyes naturally followed the man's hand, and the metal pole stoking the fires, before the heat forced me to look away from it again, blinking a couple of times to feel better. As I regained my vision, the man had leaned in near enough that I could practically count the hairs on his half-shaven beard and mustache.

"It's very long, but mother is very large, much bigger than me! Well, most people are, but that's not the point, she said that staring at the houses here was like staring at mountains, with people coming out of holes in them! I guess I was just expecting more, maybe? At least the woods have so much more sounds, and smells and such vivid life! Even the winter brings with it new flowers to admire, and the snow and ice decorate the trees like a festival, all for yourself as the animals rest. Have you ever seen a hybernating owlbear? They are such adorable things, those big bulky fluffy bodies lying over their eggs as they sleep, while their little cubs climb on top of the parents and rest there. If they didn't have those claws and beaks, you'd just want to go there and join the pile!" My hands prickled me a bit as they unconsciousy pressed my cheeks while I gushed over the forests. Though I missed it dearly, I had yet to accomplish what I had come to do.

When he smiled, my smile simply grew wider, and I anxiously found myself bouncing ever so slightly up and down while remaining seated on my knees. My excitement died down a bit when his response was calling me 'strange'. I looked down. I knew that much. Guess that was no-

Wait, he agreed?!

As the old man agreed to be the first person I could call a friend in this town, I practically lept right past his extended hand and straight into attempting to embrace him , attempting to throw my arms around his neck.

"Thank you, thank you! Hehehe." I pulled back again, utterly unable to hold back my smile. My friend, huh? My very first friend here! Ah, what should I do, what should I do... what did friends even do?

While I struggled with such monumental questions, my friend briefly glanced at a bottle, then revealed he had once been an adventurer. I tilted my head, not fully processing what he just said, part because of how vague it was, and part because I was already plenty distracted.

"I'm not sure I get that, but you were an adventurer, right? I met a few adventurers before. They got lost a lot. Sometimes they came asking if there was anything they could do for some coin or supplies. They had so many weapons though, couldn't they have just hunted? Are adventurers bad at hunting mister friend?"

As the imagine of some recently slaughtered and roasted deer came to mind, a slight hint of drool and a minor rumble interrupted my thoughts of food... I mean hunting. My thoughts of hunting.
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[/QUOTE]

 

[Hella Downweather]

He wanted to say something, to argue about the virtues of the ale, but cut himself short. That wasn’t the right place for his face to do so right now. He’d have to contempt himself with whatever Shadowdark was all about. Man...maybe he should’ve brought with him a flagon or two of good old ale instead of selling it all...Or not, with the temperature outside, it would have turned bad pretty quickly and he wasn’t going to use his magic for petty tricks like that.

-Yeah, sure, hit me up with the Shadowdark ale of yours.

The mocking tone of the barkeep made the boy laugh a bit in return, true, it was a bit foolish to go and visit a town he never heard of before...But when he opened the map, the coin clearly landed on it, so who was he to go against luck itself? His first destination as Aenori was going to be Waterdeep, and he was going to enjoy it.

-Well I figured that if I was passing by, I should at least take the time to explore a bit don’t you think? If I can find somewhere to stay, since your fine establishment is full today, I think I’ll wait around to see the festivals. Thanks for the tip.

He placed 6 nibs on the counter, figuring that if this place accepted tip it was enough, and if it wasn’t customary, it wouldn’t be offensive. As he waited for his beer, the elven boy indulged himself to his favorite pastime. People watching.

There were people engrossed in discussion. Uninteresting humans, like he saw in every city he visited. Two of them caught his attention however, as one still got a peculiar instrument with him. Bards, his favorite kind of people, always having stories to tell and people to bed.

There were a lot of movement, and the elven boy tried to focus on whatever interesting events were going on at the time...

Invest check - 2 + 3 = 5

 

[findinmyself]

As you look around the bar curiously, Aenori, you attempt to pay attention to the two curious bards sitting down a few tables from you, but the view is quite obscured from the many faces of the Yawning Portal. Honing in a little, you attempt to focus and catch a thorough look into what they're doing, you hear a clicking in your ear. As your attention is drawn back towards the bar, the origination of the sound, Durnan is already there with ale in hand. It only took him around 3 seconds to pour that, which is quite unnatural considering the large size of the container. The liquid inside is dark, with a small layer of white froth just barely tempted to begin seeping from the top of the cup. It looks okay, and doesn't smell that nice. Neither do many standard ales, but they get the job done for the common man or woman.

An expression of slight boredom is shown on Durnan's face as he pushes the tankard towards you, slamming it ruthlessly onto the bar. Froth spatters onto it, as it decorates the surface with a few splotches of white. He doesn't seem to care about it all too much. Just as quickly as he places the cup down, he picks up the Nibs. He takes a short moment to look at them, count them, and realises there is one extra. His face scrunches up slightly, as he scratches his mutton chops. "You aren't gonna make it in Waterdeep with that." He says, before promptly placing one Nib back on the counter, as it spins for a few moments under the impact. You hear a loud thud, which is also strange for just a single coin. His large arms may be a contributing factor. With a simple "Cheers.", Durnan returns to his business, and tends to the next customer, as a dwarven lady with braided black hair walks up to the bar with a Shard in hand.

Suorra, you seem to have completely disarmed the gentleman. It is quite possibly the most confused face you would have ever seen on a man, beast, or anything else in between. He doesn't know where to put his hands, as they hover awkwardly around you and he tries to find a place to put them. He eventually goes with the response of letting his arms drift to the floor, unsure of what else he could do without looking like a total fool. The entire set of tables around the fireplace have had their attention drawn at this point at such a public show of affection, but choose to ignore it, if slightly uncomfortable as a few people shift awkwardly in their seats before returning to conversation.

As the man allows you to throw your arms around his neck, he begins to try and keep himself up, which he manages to do quite well. He messes with his faltering hair slightly as you speak, coming up with a response. "Adventurers don't typically hunt, really. Unless we have a job to do so. Normally, places like this do the work for them, killing and cooking and everything else in between." He giggles quietly to himself, before moving to try and sit himself back up. "You know, I haven't had something like that since Faerell-" The moment he says this name, you see him recoil, before attempting to slowly back away from you, as if you were suddenly a ghost. He looks horrified, and then tries to simply focus himself back on the fire, crackling beside you.

BOOM!
​

Without a moment's warning, you all hear a massive eruption from underneath the tavern, as loud as the entire city itself feels. It's like someone had just knocked several walls down at once, and killed a dozen people along with it. The sound rings in all of your eardrums, as you feel hearing falter for a few moments. People jump from their seats as you all feel a gentle shaking from the floor underneath, backing slowly into every corner they can fit into. Threestrings instantly stops and flees, picking up his lute in a panic before escaping to join the rest of the terrified crowds. The scarred man by the fire lurches back to life, as he frantically looks around the room in hopes to see something, fumbling to find something near the fire, before revealing a longsword he had buried underneath, with a golden hilt. The half orc in the corner continues to sit, not phased by this sudden event.

But primarily, it's Durnan that attracts the most attention. Instantly jumping to attention, he leaps extraordinarily fast from behind the counter, almost kicking you to the floor Aenori as he passes. You all see in his grasp a grand greatsword, shimmering with ivory and seeming to swirl gently with a light green hue. The blade is almost the size of him, and he holds it in a single palm with ease. Keeping it prepared and ready, he turns to the crowd. "Any able bodies, we may need you. Something's coming out of this thing!" He points over to the large, now even more eerie well in the centre. At this point, even more commoners shunt to walls, fearful of what could break from the stone structure. You are all approximately 30 feet away from it, and you all felt this the most. As people rush to escape, you may choose to join them or stand your ground. It doesn't look like the ringed man is leaving any time soon, as he slowly begins to stand up. Durnan walks slowly towards the well, grasping the hilt of the greatsword with both hands as he gets 15 feet away from the centre. It looks like something is about to happen, and it isn't going to be pretty.

What are you all doing?

Mentioned
Idea
Konopine
Hella Downweather

 

[Idea]

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Suorra

LvL 1 Dragon Hybrid Druid
..[/div][/div][div class=out][div class=text] Following the warm embrace, I pulled slightly back while the man ruffled his head and racked his brain in search of a response. I looked up, staring at him while he thought, then told me that adventurers didn't actually hunt OR cook!

I was actually a little surprised by this. I figured it was possible they didn't hunt themselves, but to think they actually just ate their food raw? Well, I could certainly respect that. My conversation with that man, however, was interrupted before I even got to learn of his name. For some reason, he suddenly tried to run away with a horrified look on his face. I gulped, wondering if I had done anything to him, but he proceeded to pull out a sword seemingly out of the fire and run somewhere else. Everyone escaped as the place shook with the loud noise, my head felt like it had been striken with a cowbell and it had lodged inside my brain somehow. I attempted to stand with one hand over my forehead and the other's claws digging into a nearby table in an effort to help me get up better.

I chuckled a little at the sight of everyone pressed against the borders of the tavern, they reminded of beetles spread on the floor, or the owlbear cubs I was talking about earlier, piled onto one another for comfort. Still, my gut told me something was coming, even I had no idea why or what. Everyone seemed to be getting ready for whatever it was too, both the man I was talking with moments earlier, and the barman who had just lept out of his bar and was now waving some huge sword around. I growled a bit at the vibrations and their seeming source, that well at the center of the tavern. The flames behind me, so comfortable, felt a little less warm in relative terms, as flickers of magic began to heat up my hands. I took a couple of steps forward, and removed my evening gloves, revealing that was underneath them were not in fact gauntlets at all, but genuine humanoid-ish draconic paws ending in sharp yet somewhat bendable claws.

Whowever it was that was coming up that well, they deserved a good beating for reuining my good relaxing time!
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Interactions: N/A
Mentions: findinmyself (Jalester)
May Also Want to Read: Konopine

 

[Konopine]

They share some friendly banter, mostly looking at the different patrons of the bar, each making their assumptions about their reasoning for being here. It's a pleasant pastime that he and Threestrings get up to once the tavern fills out with a pleasant buzz, and he feels himself relaxing against his chair as his fingers strum over his lute, the instrument showcasing the mood of its player. He almost feels himself zoning out, the constant droning of Threestrings theories acting as a white noise before a loud noise erupts from the depths of the namesake of the tavern.

He sits up straight, the music abruptly stopping as Threestrings scrams like a cockroach. So much for integrity. It does make the older bard wonder how the man would react if Xanathar indeed would float into the tavern. He should start counting the second it takes for the bard to flee, but before he gets the chance, Durnan, the barkeep urges people to help him out with whatever the well had decided to spit out tonight. Poor logistics, with putting a well such as this one in the middle of a tavern, he thinks but he feels excitement well up in his chest as he stands up from his seat.

Arius begins moving, not as close as Durnan and keeping a distance of about 20 feet from the creature, feeling sparks of magic at his finger tips as he readies his hand on his rapier.

 

[Hella Downweather]

Some would say his first night in WaterDeep was a complete disaster, no place to sleep (yet!), a barkeep who took him for some greenhorn tourist (well that wasn’t too far from the truth either) and a place where he couldn’t quite focus on people’s faces, as they were so many it blocked his face.

But Aenori was nothing except a complete optimist ! Surely Durnan was simply looking out for him, explaining to him he better have more gold if he wanted to attract someone’s attention. Well, it figures, as it was the first big city the elven boy went to after...after completely changing faces.

And just as he started to get bored, a loud explosion resonated into the well, causing Durnan to spring into action. It seemed like Tymora didn’t abandon him after all...an attack so soon after he arrived...that oddly resemble something akin to fate no? Leaving his beer on the counter, Aenori quickly took out his mace and his shield, staying in the back for now (30 ft). His favorite spells were long ranged after all.

Eyeing the fearful crowd yet not fleeing crowd, the boy was intrigued, was it something that happened often?

 

[findinmyself]

As you all begin to ready yourself, the bartender holds a fist lightly in the air, in order to signify everyone to stop. He seems to think that he has enough readily able people to take this. Grasping the hilt with both hands once again, he brings the blade behind him, ready to swing upwards once needed. The gentleman who was once by the fire has not slowly stood up, and readies himself for whatever is to come. He stands 20 feet away, prepared to change in should the need be. His stance looks off, as he simply stands quite awkwardly and holds the longsword to his side. His hands seem to tremble slightly too.

And then, more booms. Several. At once. As it sounds like something huge is trying to clamber its way up, gripping onto the sides of the pit. Well, maybe not one thing, but it's hard to tell. It's quick and savage, and the booms become faster, and closer, and closer, before erupting from the well is two large, hulking monstrosities. They tower a good 5 feet over all of you, emerging from either side of the well as they slam onto the creaky floorboards, looking like they'll collapse in an instant. A feral snarl escapes their lips, as the fanged teeth growl towards all of you. They most definitely are hostile. And begin walking towards Durnan, as he grins smartly. You notice that one of these creatures has attached to them about a dozen bat-like creatures, with fat bulging stomachs that radiate a deep red energy. They seem to all be dead, and clung onto the being with their teeth. Perhaps their last bloody meal. Durnan takes no time in exchanging pleasantries, as he turns quickly to the rest of the tavern.
"Everyone attack the one with the bats! It's hurt! I got this one." He stands ready, beginning to slowly lure the much less injured creature away from the other patrons. Looks like he wants a good old duel.

Meanwhile, the other troll seems to look aggressively at Suorra and her new friend, who seem to be the closest to the fray other than Durnan, who is slowly pacing away to keep the other one from getting anywhere close to anyone else. And then, it lurches forward.

Initiative Order
Arius: 21
Durnan: 17
Trolls: 13
Suorra: 8
Aeori: 5
Jalester: 5

Important Troll Stats
AC: 15
Max HP: 84
Passive Perception: 12

AriusAs you see these two hulking weird creatures burst forth from within, one of them is steadily diverted from you and ushered away. The drained being, however, is still near you, and looks like it may pounce on anyone. You can tell its attention is slightly focused on the two people approaching from the fireplace, but it's demonic looking eyes still scan the room. It can tell what's going on, and doesn't have a one track mind.

What would you like to do?

Roll to hit, damage and everything else, I have provided important stats to know if you hit, and how much damage you should be doing before this thing goes down. The injured creature's Max HP is only 44 at the moment. I will not reply unless it's a monster or NPC's turn, so feel free to narrate enemy reactions if you would like, as long as it's not 'The Troll is petrified with fear, and it runs away.' I'll be marking damage for you all, and keeping tabs.
​

Mentioned
Konopine

 

[Konopine]

The two trolls are large compared to everyone else in this bar, including Arius who is not a short man. The bard watches from the corner of his eye as Durnan begins to usher the uninjured troll away from the masses, seemingly in control of the situation. His attention is brought back to the injured troll, who roars in anger as it tries to decide who to pounce on. He wonders if the creature was playing 'eenie meenie' in his head considering the fact that it hadn't gone out and pounced on the first creature he saw.

"There's nothing more attractive than a man who can defend his own establishment, I bet the ladies or gentlemen if you prefer will flock around you after this" He calls out to Durnan, perhaps not too inspiring knowing the bartender's personality, but he tries it nonetheless. His words are followed by a charming smile before he turns to the injured troll, taking a few steps backward to create distance between himself and the massive creature.

"Hey! Big guy!" He calls out in an attempt at gaining the trolls attention, hand gripping onto the handle of the rapier as he pulls it out of its hilt, his stance ready to strike if the creature got close enough to him. "I see you finally decided to show up, and here I was thinking I had been stood up!" He taunts the creature, words laced with subtle enchantments.

 

[findinmyself]

Hearing your words of slight encouragement, and flattery, Durnan takes a moment to look back over to you. His eyebrow raises before turning to the crowd, seemingly transfixed on him. He seems motivated, and ready to strike.

The Troll looks quickly over to you, before suddenly his eye twitches and he grasps his head in a slight panic, attempting to be rid of whatever incantation you're muttering. This has certainly got his attention, as he now looks over towards you in anger, snarling savagely.

Durnan runs in, and with his first attack adds a little extra flair and bravado to it to please the petrified crowd. He cleaves his blade upwards, flipping it around as he does, before performing three more strikes in quick succession. Managing to do so many in such little time? He knows what he's doing, as they are well placed and aimed at all of the right positions to cause the most hurt to this feral Troll.

All four of these blows land easily, as the Troll backs away, four huge gashes of blood popping open its think green skin. Green blood flows out of the wounds, as the feral attitude of the Troll stops for a moment to catch its breath. Durnan grins slyly as this happens, giving a knowing nod to you, Arius.

The Troll you muttered these words to seems to have taken the full brunt of the damage, as it reels back from the sudden strange pain it feels in its mind. It looks confused, but ready to pounce. And it does, as it's the Troll's turns.

Initiative Order
Arius: 21
Durnan: 17
Trolls: 13
Suorra: 8
Aeori: 5
Jalester: 5

The one engaged with Durnan flails wildly in an attempt to catch anything. And in its rage, catches him with all three as Durnan's formal attire becomes a joke of clothing, shredding into scraps. The man himself, however, completely un phased.

The other Troll runs full force at you, Arius, and attempts three strikes towards you in rapid succession. Two of the claws catch you, as you take 10 damage from the first. Still feeling like you can fight, you manage to stand, before another at full force slams into your chest, knocking you unconscious. With no reactions, you slump down, as the Troll eagerly scans the room for the next victim.

Suorra
It's your turn! You have seen a lot happen within a few seconds, but the most immediate threat is the now ravenous Troll who has just taken out a handsome looking gentleman about 20 feet from you. It looks ready to charge at whoever is next, but so does your new friend, as he begins charging forwards towards it.

What would you like to do?

Mentioned
Idea

 

[Idea]

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Suorra

LvL 1 Dragon Hybrid Druid
..[/div][/div][div class=out][div class=text] At last, those ugly things revealed themselves. There was something beautiful about the way the bats clung on to the decrepit body of one of them though, like a cycle either brought death to the other, one through killing, the others through drinking. Had I some form of magical wind (and some reassurance that the incident wouldn't repeat itself any time soon), I might actually have simply shoved the creatures down the well again. As it was, however, I simply couldn't allow them to distract us any further.

Electrical sparks travelled between the cravices of my hand's scales, heating them up more and more, until they reached the palms. Each small flash conjured embers of flame, until they engulfed my fingers. I growled at the creature as it stared me and my new friend down, prepared to take my sweet revenge, already swinging my arm when that darned bard stepped into the fray by pulling out the troll's attention. A bolt of flame flew onto a decorative pelt in the wall behind where the creature was moments prior, and another (released by my distraction) drops down at my feet and catching onto a chair next to me.

"AAARGH!" I lept to the side in surprise. A tiny bit of smoke was coming from the tip of my wing, like the fingertip of a child that curiosly touched a fying fan and kept their finger there for a second more than it needed to start the burn. Thankfully the fire's magical nature would keep it contained until the spell's effect itself was cut, which should be within the affected entity, in this case the rug on the wall and the chair next to me. I turned my head quickly to growl at the bar who had pulled away the monster from my aim, but it was then I noticed that they had already been propelled back. Given they weren't moving in the slightest, I couldn't be sure whether they had even survived the impact or not. I gulped. I knew why I had that tiny feeling of satisfaction, as if the big monster had vented my frustrations in my place. On the other hand, more than just plain being dissatisfying, seeing that person just...just...

I glared at the big creature. There was no way I could sneak around, it probably had eyes behind its back too or something. If I was going to do what I was going to do, I had to count on my speed first and foremost.

In a mixture of four-legged and two-legged running with leaps in between, I attempted to run towards the fallen bard.
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Interactions: N/A
Mentions: findinmyself (Jalester and Troll) Konopine
May Also Want to Read: N/A

 

[Hella Downweather]

Wow. Trolls, and two of them to the boot. But nothing that even seemed to faze the barkeep, as his attack went straight into the creature, like knife in butter. As Aenori was contemplating whether founding Durnan’s very own fanclub would be a good idea, the bard he was previously ogling looking at seemed pretty hurt by the creature’s attack. Well...it seemed like talking wasn’t going to resolve anything...but maybe these kind words would soothe a bit the unconscious man.

-Fear not beautiful stranger, your fortune doesn’t end there!

And with those soothing words and the help of his focus, Aenori casted a spell he knew by heart, for having practiced it over and over again, Healing words. He hoped that it was strong enough to at least pull the man back on his feets.

This was his first real battle as an adventurer, he couldn’t let it show, he couldn’t let the chance pass at making a good impression on another clearly more experienced warrior than he was. Mentally flipping through his known spells and cantrip, he found exactly what he was looking for. Ohhhh this was going to hurt.

-And as for you...well I believe a little lesson is in order.

The cleric pointed at the troll who was just maiming the fallen bard, and a clear sound of bells tolling could be heard in the distance. With a little bit of luck, Toll of the Dead would do his effect and knock a bit of life out of the troll. Aenori looked perfect in that moment, big smile on his face, arm long, clearly the face of a leader.

 

[findinmyself]

Arius, you feel a sudden rejuvenation, as just moments after being struck you return from your forced 'slumber', currently still on the floor and knocked prone, but with 5 extra hit points. Not bad, as you cough out small bit of blood onto the floor, it spattering across the wet wood. You are no longer unconscious.

Initiative Order
Arius: 21
Durnan: 17
Trolls: 13
Suorra: 8
Aeori: 5
Jalester: 5

As you dash towards the fallen bard, slowly managing to return from his sudden state, the Troll's rage filled face turns to you as you get close. It looks like you're its next target, since you became the most obvious one. He also seems extremely annoyed that his victim, within a couple of seconds, has returned to kick back. So it looks like for now he might be flailing between the both of you. However, his attention is then caught by this suddenly strong bell noise, as he looks around frantically, attempting to shrug it off.

Jalester, the rough looking scarred man who had been sitting with you, Suorra, charges straight on in. There seems to be some slight fear in his eyes, but he's shrugging it off, at least for now, as he needs to man up and take some sort of a stand. Clutching his blade with both hands, he arcs two strikes across the Troll's back in quick succession, seeming to know what he's doing somewhat. The scars probably mean something.

Arius
It's your turn. You are still prone, but back up and ready to go with reinforcements. A girl to your side, and a friendly looking fellow with a sword cleaving into the back of the Troll. You are still within range of it, and if you leave its range it will be able to strike you again. If you want to get up, you need to use 15ft of movement. What would you like to do?

Mentioned
Konopine