Sunday, September 30, 2018

Waterdeep: Settling In



As Episode Two of the Prelude begins, our Druid, Fighter, and Paladin chased a slaver named Erskine into the sewers to find a curly-haired sculptor for the Lord's Alliance. They had captured the slaver's leader, a woman named Melody who forgot to mention there were traps down there. Threats and a bit of violence got her to tell them how to disarm them, but not before the characters down below heard a knocking sound.

As they find Erskine, he is talking to four very tough looking operatives: a sullen man, a dangerous woman, an angry barbarian, and a watchful tabaxi. The sullen man, the apparent leader, is yelling at Erskine because that isn't the right target and Erskine keeps mentioning a hat.

The tabaxi cautions the characters to stay back and (amazingly) a negotiation takes place. The four toughs, dissapointed that the sculptor isn't the right target only want to leave but promise Erskine there will be recompence for his mistake.

While this going on, the Bard is above them "interrogating" Melody by stabbing her. Melody offers her up to 80 gold to let her and Moby, her henchman go. But no deal is reached.

Soon, all the players are back upstairs and not only do they have the sculptor they are looking for, but four other victims, as well.

It's a this point that Melody reveals herself as a spiderwere and Moby reveals himself as a werebear.

The fight is short, Melody falls, Erskine is knocked out, and Moby simply flees without attacking.

Soon, Alliance "cleaners" Crockett and Abernathy arrive and sort things out.  The Paladin arranges for the sculptor to be handed over to their handler, a female halfling named Chestnut Boykin. The exchange occurs at the Yawning Portal and our Bard pitches woo Chestnut's way and there seems to be interest there.

They find out the sculptor is a man named Floon and he has friends in high places who have promised an extra reward for them.

The players turn over all the information they have including the name of Councilwoman Aria Frond.

Meanwhile, the next day our Bard, after a date with Chestnut, gets some forgery work, a project that needs fast turnaround, papers for a false identity, Saturnine Bacchanal.

A few days later, Chestnut wants another meeting at the Portal.
It's there that the meet Volo, Rennar Neverember, and Floon. They learn that Rennar and Floon were out carousing and a bit drunken, Floon took Rennar's hat. It was then they were jumped and Floon was abducted. Volo is a good friend to both and is very glad to have the Alliance at his back. As a special reward, Volo donates a piece of property he had acquired to ascertain if it is haunted and Rennar takes care of all of their taxes on it.

After a nice dinner, the author, the noble, and the sculptor depart and Chestnut asks if they are up for another assignment. When they agree they are, she tells them that Councilwoman Frond is trying to leave the city with some forged paperwork and she has a tip on where she will be. However, she cautions them that the Alliance is certain the Zhentarim is involved and since they are war with the Xanathars, it could be a very dicey situation.

And that is where we ended for the evening.

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