This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Toser smacks his head for a moment and then in a clear voice he begins to sing a Cheerful Song. [Tooltip Not Found]
Waking up to the sunlight, feeling so alive,
Every step I take, I’m ready to thrive.
Joy is in the air, let’s dance and sing,
Life's a bright adventure, come join the swing!
Friends around the corner, laughter fills the day,
Together we can chase our worries far away!
Affecting Oriace, Wagner and Sterling
He will also then begin to climb the building.
Acrobatics 8
You sing a happy little tune, bolstering the spirits of up to 3 friendly creatures within range. Affected creatures gain 1 temporary hit point, and can add a +1 bonus to their first attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made before the start of your next turn.
Mana leans over the roof and helps Oriace and Toser onto the top of the building, completing their climb. He calls down to Sterling in a voice only loud enough as necessary to be heard by him.
"The threat has been eliminated. See if the he is alright." Pointing to the intended victim.
Turning to the others,
"What are we going to do with him (referring to the slain attacker)? We probably only have minutes before the Watch will arrive."
He looks at Wagner and his wounds and to the others to see if they are hurt. He wants to help heal right away but realizes that the wounds are evidence that the Watch should record, IF we plan on still being here when they show.
Sterling looked around for the drow's target, then hurried over to him. "Sir, are you alright?" he asked as he looked the elf over. "Look, I don't know what that attack was about, but it sounds like the night watch is about to arrive. If you want to report this, I'll stay with you as a witness. But if you'd rather not get the officials involved--and believe me, I understand that if you don't, that's your business--then we should probably leave now."
The half-elf target is very drunk. He looks around and in a quite slurred voice replies. "Attack? I think we might both be seeing things. It looked like there was going to be a big fight behind me, then it all went dark and then when the darkness vanished only you are left."
Sterling just smiled and nodded. If the target wasn't even aware he was being targeted, then he likely didn't have anything to hide--which meant it was probably best to let him give whatever story he felt appropriate to the authorities.
"Well, you're safe now." He patted the half-elf on the shoulder. "Just be careful out here, sir... no telling what sort of miscreants might be about tonight." With that, the bard scurried off away from the oncoming watch. Once a short distance away, when he was sure the target wasn't watching, he conjured his magic to have his voice emerge near the others on the roof. The low-volume projection seemed to come out of thin air, although it wasn't exactly a whisper.
"I'm headed back to the manor," he said via the spell. "If you'd rather I hide and wait around just in case, give some sign that won't tip the watch off that you're up there... an owl's hoot or something."
"An owl's hoot?" sighed Sterling as he shook his head. They might have been able to magically send a message back, but he hadn't memorized what all spells everyone else did or didn't know. "Slacker!" he chided himself as he stepped into the shadows and waited for a response.
Just as a reminder, the fast approaching watch that was heard was an illusion by Toser. You have no idea if the watch is actually on their way. No one can see them from the rooftops.
(Mana assumed the sounds of battle, and cursing, would have stirred awake some residence. Perhaps we're in a more industrial or storage section of the Dock Ward.)
Mana perks his ears up for any commotions or calls of alarm that would bring the authorities upon them.
It quite possibly did stir residents awake. But it would take time for them to alert the watch, if they cared too. And more time for the watch to arrive. You noticed on your previous night patrolling that this area was not heavily patrolled. Most of the watch around the dock ward are at the docks themselves, not on the alleyways around. And most of the residents are the poor people, not really wanting to get the watch involved anyway. (An extract from Volo's guide to Waterdeep that he would have given you is in the spoiler)
Dock Ward
The Dock Ward was long considered the most dangerous district in the city, but the Field Ward has since taken that title. I don’t doubt the residents of the Dock Ward are glad of it, for in some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation.
Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least literate people in the city. Yes, most of its taverns are inhabited by habitual drinkers, and far too many inns charge by the hour. But all must concede this: the residents of the Dock Ward often work the hardest while living under the harshest conditions.
Warehouses, poorhouses, and tenements dominate much of the area. Streets are steep throughout, and few have space alongside for pedestrians. Wandering through the ward can be a bewildering journey without a guide. Except in the immediate vicinity of the piers, shop signs and advertising of any kind are rare, and warehouses and other businesses often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse.
Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward. Their candles, oils, and glass are too regularly stolen or smashed. The Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters makes a half-hearted attempt to repair the streetlamps at the start of each season, but for most of the year, locals are forced to carry their own light when traveling these streets at night.
The colours of the Dock Ward are burgundy and orange, and its mascot is a swordfish that has always been depicted as green for reasons lost to time. The folk of the Dock Ward take competition seriously, and they frequently draft their champions from the rough-and-tumble sailors who come to the city. (Some say they draft pirates, but that is pure slander.) Frequent complaints arise that these women and men are more citizens of the sea than of the Dock Ward itself. But if they register with a magister and pay taxes, they are as welcome to compete as any long-term resident of Waterdeep.
Just as a reminder, the fast approaching watch that was heard was an illusion by Toser. You have no idea if the watch is actually on their way. No one can see them from the rooftops.
(( Doh! I'll just presume Sterling didn't notice Toser casting the spell, and so was convinced by the illusion himself. He'll just take the resultant teasing form having fallen for it. ))
Oriace scans the area with the others, checking to see if the commotion had drawn any unwanted attention. The darkness and relative quiet of the Dock Ward, aside from the illusion of the approaching watch, seem to offer a degree of safety for now. Satisfied that no one is immediately coming their way, he moves over to the fallen drow, kneeling beside the body. With careful hands, he begins to search the drow for anything that could serve as proof of their actions—something that would confirm to their employer that they had indeed stopped the murderer. His fingers brush over a small token, perhaps a symbol of some affiliation or something distinctive, and he quietly pockets it for later inspection. He gives a subtle nod to the others, indicating he's found something (assuming he did).
Straightening up, Oriace brushes off his clothes and says quietly, "We should move quickly. The sooner we bring news of the deed to our employer, the better. We can meet back at the manor after and discuss everything." His voice carries a note of relief, and he allows himself a brief smile. "I'm glad we managed to handle this without it turning too deadly for us. And thankfully, this wasn't some secret agent of the Harpers exacting justice. From all appearances, this was just a regular murderer, targeting innocent people for no reason other than their heritage. A good deed done, if you asked me." He glances at his companions, his tone more relaxed now that the danger has passed. "Let's wrap this up before anyone else gets involved."
You do find no token of any sort of affiliation but you do find a pistol on his waist as well as some pouches of powder and bullets. That is a description for the players however, as your characters would not have come across firearms before. His boots also seem special. The intricate markings on it make it seem enchanted in some way.
As far as a token for proof, if the above is not enough, his sword does have an inscription on it in undercommon in the spoiler.
Oriace examines the drow's body carefully, noting the strange contraption on the drow’s waist and the intricate markings on his boots. He gestures toward the boots, glancing at his companions. “These boots... there’s something off about them. They look enchanted, but I can’t say exactly how. We might want to keep those. It's not that he has any need of them.”
He turns his attention to the unfamiliar device at the drow’s waist but takes the bullets for ball bearings and ignores the powder. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he says, picking up the pistol, handling it with caution. “Whatever it is, it might be worth holding onto. I'm not taking the murder weapon," he gestures toward the sword, "but this could help us understand who he was.”
Lacking any clear token of affiliation, Oriace pulls a knife and carefully cuts a lock of the drow’s hair, then slices off a piece of the distinctive clothing. “These should suffice as proof for now. If the murders stop, that’ll speak for itself, and sooner or later, the guard will likely find the body and connect it to the killings.”
He looks at the others, nodding as he pockets the hair and clothing. "Let’s get out of here. The faster we bring this news to our employer, the better. Anyone cares to join me, or do we meet at the manor?"
Toser climbed up to the top of the roof with the help of Mana. He sees the dead body of the drow and for a moment is struck by what had happened. As the others examine the body he motions to the sword. "Those markings on the blade might be best to prove his identity." Either way he agrees with the other. "Time to move on. I am headed to the manor." he'll look to see a quieter, less visible direction to climb down and then head to the manor. If no one else did, he will be sure to take the boots. "We can determine what these are when we get back."
No longer hearing the illusion of the approaching night watch, Sterling leaned out from the shadows and tried his best to see what his companions were up to. As he caught flashes of them leaving, he simply sighed, shook his head and headed back towards the manor.
Mana translates the Undercommon on the blade to those within earshot.
”I agree with taking the rapier as proof to the Zhentarim. They don’t need to know about the boots, those can be taken directly to the manor. Are we really going to leave the corpse on the roof? Or should we clean him and the scene up with Sterling’s ability to magically clean things? We should be able to take back allys to near the Yawning Portal and hand the body over to your contacts. But that will probably take both Sterling and Wagner, our big people, to prop him up and walk him like he’s passed out or something.”
Toser smacks his head for a moment and then in a clear voice he begins to sing a Cheerful Song. [Tooltip Not Found]
Waking up to the sunlight, feeling so alive,
Every step I take, I’m ready to thrive.
Joy is in the air, let’s dance and sing,
Life's a bright adventure, come join the swing!
Friends around the corner, laughter fills the day,
Together we can chase our worries far away!
Affecting Oriace, Wagner and Sterling
He will also then begin to climb the building.
Acrobatics 8
You sing a happy little tune, bolstering the spirits of up to 3 friendly creatures within range. Affected creatures gain 1 temporary hit point, and can add a +1 bonus to their first attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made before the start of your next turn.
((OK, redo action as my cantrip has changed))
Toser forms a mote of light in his hand and then launches it at the drow Starry Wisp
Attack hit: 24, radiant dmg 6 (from game log)
Then he starts to climb - Acrobatics 8
Just Wagner left (who could quite conceivably get a killing blow). They failed the save for Oriace's Vicious Mockery.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Wagner attacks with his rapier. [[AC 19, 9 damage]]
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
The drow crumples in a heap (had 4hp left). The dice were in your favour this time.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Mana leans over the roof and helps Oriace and Toser onto the top of the building, completing their climb. He calls down to Sterling in a voice only loud enough as necessary to be heard by him.
"The threat has been eliminated. See if the he is alright." Pointing to the intended victim.
Turning to the others,
"What are we going to do with him (referring to the slain attacker)? We probably only have minutes before the Watch will arrive."
He looks at Wagner and his wounds and to the others to see if they are hurt. He wants to help heal right away but realizes that the wounds are evidence that the Watch should record, IF we plan on still being here when they show.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
Sterling looked around for the drow's target, then hurried over to him. "Sir, are you alright?" he asked as he looked the elf over. "Look, I don't know what that attack was about, but it sounds like the night watch is about to arrive. If you want to report this, I'll stay with you as a witness. But if you'd rather not get the officials involved--and believe me, I understand that if you don't, that's your business--then we should probably leave now."
Nico - V. Human Swords Bard 6 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Wysp's Hidden Tower
Sterling - V. Human Art Bard 3 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist (w/ Mansion) - Jasper's [Pic] - Sterling's [Sigil]
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates)
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
The half-elf target is very drunk. He looks around and in a quite slurred voice replies. "Attack? I think we might both be seeing things. It looked like there was going to be a big fight behind me, then it all went dark and then when the darkness vanished only you are left."
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Sterling just smiled and nodded. If the target wasn't even aware he was being targeted, then he likely didn't have anything to hide--which meant it was probably best to let him give whatever story he felt appropriate to the authorities.
"Well, you're safe now." He patted the half-elf on the shoulder. "Just be careful out here, sir... no telling what sort of miscreants might be about tonight." With that, the bard scurried off away from the oncoming watch. Once a short distance away, when he was sure the target wasn't watching, he conjured his magic to have his voice emerge near the others on the roof. The low-volume projection seemed to come out of thin air, although it wasn't exactly a whisper.
"I'm headed back to the manor," he said via the spell. "If you'd rather I hide and wait around just in case, give some sign that won't tip the watch off that you're up there... an owl's hoot or something."
"An owl's hoot?" sighed Sterling as he shook his head. They might have been able to magically send a message back, but he hadn't memorized what all spells everyone else did or didn't know. "Slacker!" he chided himself as he stepped into the shadows and waited for a response.
Nico - V. Human Swords Bard 6 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Wysp's Hidden Tower
Sterling - V. Human Art Bard 3 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist (w/ Mansion) - Jasper's [Pic] - Sterling's [Sigil]
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates)
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Just as a reminder, the fast approaching watch that was heard was an illusion by Toser. You have no idea if the watch is actually on their way. No one can see them from the rooftops.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
(Mana assumed the sounds of battle, and cursing, would have stirred awake some residence. Perhaps we're in a more industrial or storage section of the Dock Ward.)
Mana perks his ears up for any commotions or calls of alarm that would bring the authorities upon them.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
It quite possibly did stir residents awake. But it would take time for them to alert the watch, if they cared too. And more time for the watch to arrive. You noticed on your previous night patrolling that this area was not heavily patrolled. Most of the watch around the dock ward are at the docks themselves, not on the alleyways around. And most of the residents are the poor people, not really wanting to get the watch involved anyway. (An extract from Volo's guide to Waterdeep that he would have given you is in the spoiler)
Dock Ward
The Dock Ward was long considered the most dangerous district in the city, but the Field Ward has since taken that title. I don’t doubt the residents of the Dock Ward are glad of it, for in some respects this area has never truly deserved its bad reputation.
Yes, aside from the Field Ward, this is the area where most of Waterdeep’s poor reside. Yes, it is home to some of the least literate people in the city. Yes, most of its taverns are inhabited by habitual drinkers, and far too many inns charge by the hour. But all must concede this: the residents of the Dock Ward often work the hardest while living under the harshest conditions.
Warehouses, poorhouses, and tenements dominate much of the area. Streets are steep throughout, and few have space alongside for pedestrians. Wandering through the ward can be a bewildering journey without a guide. Except in the immediate vicinity of the piers, shop signs and advertising of any kind are rare, and warehouses and other businesses often have no sign at all. You either know where you are going and have reason to be there — or you are lost, and a likely mark for pickpockets or worse.
Streetlamps don’t fare well in the Dock Ward. Their candles, oils, and glass are too regularly stolen or smashed. The Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters makes a half-hearted attempt to repair the streetlamps at the start of each season, but for most of the year, locals are forced to carry their own light when traveling these streets at night.
The colours of the Dock Ward are burgundy and orange, and its mascot is a swordfish that has always been depicted as green for reasons lost to time. The folk of the Dock Ward take competition seriously, and they frequently draft their champions from the rough-and-tumble sailors who come to the city. (Some say they draft pirates, but that is pure slander.) Frequent complaints arise that these women and men are more citizens of the sea than of the Dock Ward itself. But if they register with a magister and pay taxes, they are as welcome to compete as any long-term resident of Waterdeep.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
(( Doh! I'll just presume Sterling didn't notice Toser casting the spell, and so was convinced by the illusion himself. He'll just take the resultant teasing form having fallen for it. ))
Nico - V. Human Swords Bard 6 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Wysp's Hidden Tower
Sterling - V. Human Art Bard 3 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist (w/ Mansion) - Jasper's [Pic] - Sterling's [Sigil]
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates)
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Oriace scans the area with the others, checking to see if the commotion had drawn any unwanted attention. The darkness and relative quiet of the Dock Ward, aside from the illusion of the approaching watch, seem to offer a degree of safety for now. Satisfied that no one is immediately coming their way, he moves over to the fallen drow, kneeling beside the body. With careful hands, he begins to search the drow for anything that could serve as proof of their actions—something that would confirm to their employer that they had indeed stopped the murderer. His fingers brush over a small token, perhaps a symbol of some affiliation or something distinctive, and he quietly pockets it for later inspection. He gives a subtle nod to the others, indicating he's found something (assuming he did).
Straightening up, Oriace brushes off his clothes and says quietly, "We should move quickly. The sooner we bring news of the deed to our employer, the better. We can meet back at the manor after and discuss everything." His voice carries a note of relief, and he allows himself a brief smile. "I'm glad we managed to handle this without it turning too deadly for us. And thankfully, this wasn't some secret agent of the Harpers exacting justice. From all appearances, this was just a regular murderer, targeting innocent people for no reason other than their heritage. A good deed done, if you asked me." He glances at his companions, his tone more relaxed now that the danger has passed. "Let's wrap this up before anyone else gets involved."
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
You do find no token of any sort of affiliation but you do find a pistol on his waist as well as some pouches of powder and bullets. That is a description for the players however, as your characters would not have come across firearms before. His boots also seem special. The intricate markings on it make it seem enchanted in some way.
As far as a token for proof, if the above is not enough, his sword does have an inscription on it in undercommon in the spoiler.
Surface elves are scum.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Oriace examines the drow's body carefully, noting the strange contraption on the drow’s waist and the intricate markings on his boots. He gestures toward the boots, glancing at his companions. “These boots... there’s something off about them. They look enchanted, but I can’t say exactly how. We might want to keep those. It's not that he has any need of them.”
He turns his attention to the unfamiliar device at the drow’s waist but takes the bullets for ball bearings and ignores the powder. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he says, picking up the pistol, handling it with caution. “Whatever it is, it might be worth holding onto. I'm not taking the murder weapon," he gestures toward the sword, "but this could help us understand who he was.”
Lacking any clear token of affiliation, Oriace pulls a knife and carefully cuts a lock of the drow’s hair, then slices off a piece of the distinctive clothing. “These should suffice as proof for now. If the murders stop, that’ll speak for itself, and sooner or later, the guard will likely find the body and connect it to the killings.”
He looks at the others, nodding as he pockets the hair and clothing. "Let’s get out of here. The faster we bring this news to our employer, the better. Anyone cares to join me, or do we meet at the manor?"
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Trystane - Trollblood Lycanthrope - Vecna || Valerian - Pallid Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Cy Naïlo - Wood Elf Crossbowman - ChatGPT || b'Reh - Stig Order Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant Path Barbarian - Runewarren || Reyhana - Elf Champion Dervish - Seventh Sojourn ||
"I'd like to keep my association with the Zhents as discreet as possible, so I'll head to the manor."
Liarin: Against the Cult of the Reptile God
Adewild: Shadows and Light 2
Brother Thaddeus: Rime of the Frostmaiden.
Toser climbed up to the top of the roof with the help of Mana. He sees the dead body of the drow and for a moment is struck by what had happened. As the others examine the body he motions to the sword. "Those markings on the blade might be best to prove his identity." Either way he agrees with the other. "Time to move on. I am headed to the manor." he'll look to see a quieter, less visible direction to climb down and then head to the manor. If no one else did, he will be sure to take the boots. "We can determine what these are when we get back."
No longer hearing the illusion of the approaching night watch, Sterling leaned out from the shadows and tried his best to see what his companions were up to. As he caught flashes of them leaving, he simply sighed, shook his head and headed back towards the manor.
Nico - V. Human Swords Bard 6 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Wysp's Hidden Tower
Sterling - V. Human Art Bard 3 - [Pic] - [Traits] - in Bards: Dragon Heist (w/ Mansion) - Jasper's [Pic] - Sterling's [Sigil]
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates)
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Mana translates the Undercommon on the blade to those within earshot.
”I agree with taking the rapier as proof to the Zhentarim. They don’t need to know about the boots, those can be taken directly to the manor. Are we really going to leave the corpse on the roof? Or should we clean him and the scene up with Sterling’s ability to magically clean things? We should be able to take back allys to near the Yawning Portal and hand the body over to your contacts. But that will probably take both Sterling and Wagner, our big people, to prop him up and walk him like he’s passed out or something.”
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams