Sterling had just come down for breakfast. The warm reception of his companions to their armor--and the few sales to local clients--had spurred his creativity, and between crafting, coming up with costume designs, and simply helping with the performances, he'd worked so late last night that he had to drag himself out of bed this early. But he was content; his road forward was clear, and he was confident his hard work would result in the future he desired.
He had of course expected some of the others to already be downstairs, and he greeted them as usual, but the bard was then surprised to see a cup of hot tea, carefully placed atop a saucer next to a small spoon, float his way as he sat down. "Oh! Why... thank you, Lif!" The gratitude was sincere; apparently his recent overtures towards the spirit were finally paying off, as his initial reaction to the discovery of a ghost living in the manor had led to a few rather.... short-sighted comments he'd come to regret. Hopefully he and Lif were finally past all that.
Carefully placing a dollop of honey into his brew, he then reached for the rare berries he'd kept on the table--a delicious treat he'd recently discovered being sold at a pretentiously exorbitant shop in the wealthier part of town--and found his fingers grazing air. Absent-mindedly reaching deeper, he eventually touched the wood of the little bowl, whereupon he remembered: he'd run out. At their price he hadn't wanted to just rush out to buy more, but they were sooooo good. Reminding himself to remain disciplined and wait until next week, he simply retracted his hand and instead cast a little bit of magic to imitate the flavor in his drink instead.
He sighed and closed his eyes as he savored the first sip. The entire ritual was comforting, and the tea immediately perked him up, helping him focus. After a moment, he felt ready to concentrate on less trivial matters.
"So," he began as he placed his cup down and glanced at the others. "We've got--"
BOOOOM!!!
Sterling started, then quickly looked around. The entire manor had shaken from the blast--not very violently, but enough to rattle the windows and possibly spill his tea had he still been holding it. The immediate screams from outside then caught his attention, tempering his knee-jerk irritation with concern, and he stood and followed Wagner to the front door, his brow furrowing as he started to think.
"What in the world is going on? What was that, and why was it in front of our tavern??"
Oriace had just started his morning melody when the BOOOOM! shook the tavern. His fingers froze on the strings, the scent of fire and ash rushing in. He was on his feet in an instant, following Wagner and Sterling to the door. “The Nine,” he muttered, eyes sharp with suspicion. “We should tread carefully.” Before stepping out, he reached out mentally. 'Lif, keep watch inside. Let us know if anything seems off. Make noise.' Then, gripping his rapier’s hilt just in case, he strode into the street.
Mana was on the floor, letting Yersinia nibble some left over scraps from breakfast when the floor lurched and the boom rocked the peaceful morning. Poor Yersinia didn’t know what to make of it. She must have jumped a foot or more into the air before scrambling for shelter. Mana looked to her sympathetically while leaping to his feet. Most were already at the threshold before Mana could catch up to them. He glanced out the windows as he passed, silently marveling that they hadn’t shattered. He was looking for smoke, flying debris, fleeing people, etc. and shout to the others any important observations, like if it would be hazardous to exit the manor.
You see others also emerging from their buildings to see what the explosion was about. No buildings have been damaged, but there are 11 people dead. It looks to have originated about 30ft from Trollskull Manor.
One elderly female human.
Two cloaked male humans clad in leather armor with sheathed longswords.
Two female humans and one male half-elf dressed in plain clothes.
One male gnome wearing a burned cloak and clutching a dagger.
Two female halflings who were playing a flute and a fiddle, and two male halflings who were dancing.
If you wish to search the bodies (which at this point would not involve taking anything) it's a perception check. If you wish to try and identify the cause of the explosion it's an arcana check. If you wish to do anything else let me know. Based on the fact this is a respectable area, you gather you only have a couple of minutes before the city watch arrive and then being an active crime scene it will be cordened off.
Mana rushes outside with the others, though not attempting to be first to arrive. “Oh no. Oh no.” Mana swallows hard trying to quell the bile rising in his throat. He purposely focuses away from the faces of the deceased. He can’t come to grips that these were probably neighbors he knew. His breathing quickened in anxiety as his eyes flitted to rooftops and nearby windows. He was looking for nefarious witnesses perhaps enjoying the show.
He also will try and identify the ground zero for the explosion, leaning into his Arcana expertise to see if it was magical or if the explosion was of terrestrial origin (gas/oil/other).
Wagner tries looking around at anything but the bodies for evidence. Was there anyone who looked like they were outside during the blast? Any flickers of movement indicating someone fleeing the scene, or still watching? If nothing pops out at him, he starts trying to talk to the neighbors, see if anyone knows any of the victims.
Wagner tries not to disturb the scene specifically as he has quite the bad reputation from his vigilante “career” as interfering with the guard.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
Oriace’s breath caught as he saw the carnage. No hesitation—he rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside the nearest body, hands already moving as he whispered the mournful refrain of Spare the Dying. His fingers brushed the scorched skin, seeking any lingering spark of life.
Nothing.
His jaw clenched. He scrambled to the next. Then the next.
One by one, he reached out—
(I honestly don't expect it to work but it feels to me that it is what he would try anyway.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
It took a moment for Sterling to compose himself as the others rushed into action. The scene was intense, even sobering, and he wasn't immediately sure what aspect of it needed to be focused on first. Eventually, seeing that Oriace wasn't able to revive anyone, his mind settled on: Why? And then, How?
In fact, he continued thinking, was this even the end of it? Was everyone here safe even now? Finally settling on something he figured he could handle, the bard immediately walked towards what appeared to be the center of the explosion, looking for signs of a cause--all while also keeping his eyes open to the surroundings, in case he caught a glimpse of someone running away, or anyone... too interested in the carnage.
Due to Sterling's roll, I can reveal that the name of chapter 3 is: Fireball! The cause of the explosion. As for the source of the fireball, you can't see one. Though those looking around for witnesses can make a perception check
Toser had spent days tracking stolen relics for the Emerald Enclave, his body weary from a late-night meeting with a shadowy contact. He was still tangled in his sheets at Trollskull Manor when a deafening explosion jolted him awake. Groggy but alert, he yanked on his clothes and buckled into the sleek armor Sterling had crafted for him, its craftsmanship catching his eye even in the rush. He bolted downstairs, boots pounding, only to find his companions already in the street, staring at the chaos. No buildings were harmed, but eleven bodies lay lifeless amid the cobblestones. Frowning, Toser muttered arcane words, his hands glowing as he cast Detect Magic, moving through the scene for any trace of the power that had shattered the morning.
Oriace barely lifted his head at Mana’s call, but the words resonated in his mind. The gnome saw it coming.
A silent affirmation echoed back to Mana, a brief flicker of thought, before Oriace shifted his focus. He moved swiftly to the gnome’s crumpled form, pressing two fingers to the neck, checking for any sign of life—even knowing it was hopeless. His hands, practiced in both healing and subtlety, searched the gnome’s pockets and cloak, feeling for papers, insignias, or anything out of place while keeping his movements discreet. (Sleight of Hand: 20, incl. 1 from Mana's inspiration) All the while, he kept his expression solemn, his posture that of a grieving man, covering his actions under the guise of a futile attempt to save another life.
Oriace, in the course of your investigation you discover one of the dead male humans has a black, winged snake (the symbol of the Black Network) tattooed on his right forearm.The dead gnome has dry waste on his boots and cloak, suggesting he has spent time in the sewers recently. He also has a pouch containing five 100 gp gemstones which you can subtly pocket without anyone noticing.
There are three people who look like they saw more than anyone else. Fala Lefaliir (the owner of Corellon’s Crown), a wealthy female who looks to have just left the Tiger's Eye. And a 12 year old boy, who looks extremely upset. Toser you see that there seems to be a glow of evocation magic from his pocket
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Using misty step to get ahead of her, Wagner steps into the path of the wealthy female and turns on the charm. “Going somewhere, beautiful? From the look on your radiant features I guess you’re one of the few people around here who have a clue of what happened. Mind sharing with a big gossip like me?”
Persuasion: 22
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards. DM - The Old Keep
Luckily, the persuasion is not needed, as she is more than happy to gossip (same for the other 2 witnesses. They are all eager to talk).“I tell you, it was not a man. More like a puppet shaped like a man. A puppet without strings. It was on the rooftop. It hurled something into the crowd below that caused the explosion. I saw those halflings burned alive! I saw them!”
Also around the same time the city guard have arrived and cordoned off Trollskull Alley, posting six guards at each entrance. The guards don’t allow anyone in or out without permission from a superior officer. Another six guards, including a sergeant with 18 hit points, make their way to the crime scene and watch over the dead bodies until the City Watch arrives. (They will not allow any of you to get near to the body. Oriace has had chance to quickly check each of them for life, as well as identify that none of them were immediately familiar.) Lingering smoke from the fireball also attracts a Griffon Cavalry rider. As its griffon mount circles the neighbourhood, the rider watches the streets and alleys for suspicious figures.
Despite the alleyway being cordoned off, you are still free to move around the alleyway and talk to the other witnesses.
Sterling sighed as the guards locked the area down. Part of him wanted to just go back inside and let them deal with this mess, but the fact that the explosion happened right outisde the manor had him wanting to know what was going on. Looking around, it was then that he spotted Fala Lefaliir. Having gotten to know the neighboring businesses, the bard knew Fala was the owner of the Corellon's Crown, and if anything might feel her business was in jeopardy as well. He casually walked her way.
"Fala? Hello! It's good to see you and your establishment are safe! Our manor is fine as well, just a few rattled windows; but... what's all this noise about? An act like that, right on our street! The nerve! You... you didn't happen to see how it happened, did you?"
(( Just being fairly generalized here; I don't recall any details on Fala. ))
Sterling had just come down for breakfast. The warm reception of his companions to their armor--and the few sales to local clients--had spurred his creativity, and between crafting, coming up with costume designs, and simply helping with the performances, he'd worked so late last night that he had to drag himself out of bed this early. But he was content; his road forward was clear, and he was confident his hard work would result in the future he desired.
He had of course expected some of the others to already be downstairs, and he greeted them as usual, but the bard was then surprised to see a cup of hot tea, carefully placed atop a saucer next to a small spoon, float his way as he sat down. "Oh! Why... thank you, Lif!" The gratitude was sincere; apparently his recent overtures towards the spirit were finally paying off, as his initial reaction to the discovery of a ghost living in the manor had led to a few rather.... short-sighted comments he'd come to regret. Hopefully he and Lif were finally past all that.
Carefully placing a dollop of honey into his brew, he then reached for the rare berries he'd kept on the table--a delicious treat he'd recently discovered being sold at a pretentiously exorbitant shop in the wealthier part of town--and found his fingers grazing air. Absent-mindedly reaching deeper, he eventually touched the wood of the little bowl, whereupon he remembered: he'd run out. At their price he hadn't wanted to just rush out to buy more, but they were sooooo good. Reminding himself to remain disciplined and wait until next week, he simply retracted his hand and instead cast a little bit of magic to imitate the flavor in his drink instead.
He sighed and closed his eyes as he savored the first sip. The entire ritual was comforting, and the tea immediately perked him up, helping him focus. After a moment, he felt ready to concentrate on less trivial matters.
"So," he began as he placed his cup down and glanced at the others. "We've got--"
BOOOOM!!!
Sterling started, then quickly looked around. The entire manor had shaken from the blast--not very violently, but enough to rattle the windows and possibly spill his tea had he still been holding it. The immediate screams from outside then caught his attention, tempering his knee-jerk irritation with concern, and he stood and followed Wagner to the front door, his brow furrowing as he started to think.
"What in the world is going on? What was that, and why was it in front of our tavern??"
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates) - incl. General Rules
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Oriace had just started his morning melody when the BOOOOM! shook the tavern. His fingers froze on the strings, the scent of fire and ash rushing in. He was on his feet in an instant, following Wagner and Sterling to the door. “The Nine,” he muttered, eyes sharp with suspicion. “We should tread carefully.” Before stepping out, he reached out mentally. 'Lif, keep watch inside. Let us know if anything seems off. Make noise.' Then, gripping his rapier’s hilt just in case, he strode into the street.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Yawning Portal || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan Shi - Liquid Swords || Syed - Drakkenheim || Kaelthor - Dragonlance ||
Mana was on the floor, letting Yersinia nibble some left over scraps from breakfast when the floor lurched and the boom rocked the peaceful morning. Poor Yersinia didn’t know what to make of it. She must have jumped a foot or more into the air before scrambling for shelter. Mana looked to her sympathetically while leaping to his feet. Most were already at the threshold before Mana could catch up to them. He glanced out the windows as he passed, silently marveling that they hadn’t shattered. He was looking for smoke, flying debris, fleeing people, etc. and shout to the others any important observations, like if it would be hazardous to exit the manor.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
You see others also emerging from their buildings to see what the explosion was about. No buildings have been damaged, but there are 11 people dead. It looks to have originated about 30ft from Trollskull Manor.
One elderly female human.
Two cloaked male humans clad in leather armor with sheathed longswords.
Two female humans and one male half-elf dressed in plain clothes.
One male gnome wearing a burned cloak and clutching a dagger.
Two female halflings who were playing a flute and a fiddle, and two male halflings who were dancing.
If you wish to search the bodies (which at this point would not involve taking anything) it's a perception check. If you wish to try and identify the cause of the explosion it's an arcana check. If you wish to do anything else let me know. Based on the fact this is a respectable area, you gather you only have a couple of minutes before the city watch arrive and then being an active crime scene it will be cordened off.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Mana rushes outside with the others, though not attempting to be first to arrive. “Oh no. Oh no.” Mana swallows hard trying to quell the bile rising in his throat. He purposely focuses away from the faces of the deceased. He can’t come to grips that these were probably neighbors he knew. His breathing quickened in anxiety as his eyes flitted to rooftops and nearby windows. He was looking for nefarious witnesses perhaps enjoying the show.
He also will try and identify the ground zero for the explosion, leaning into his Arcana expertise to see if it was magical or if the explosion was of terrestrial origin (gas/oil/other).
Arcana: 9
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
Wagner tries looking around at anything but the bodies for evidence. Was there anyone who looked like they were outside during the blast? Any flickers of movement indicating someone fleeing the scene, or still watching? If nothing pops out at him, he starts trying to talk to the neighbors, see if anyone knows any of the victims.
Wagner tries not to disturb the scene specifically as he has quite the bad reputation from his vigilante “career” as interfering with the guard.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Oriace’s breath caught as he saw the carnage. No hesitation—he rushed forward, dropping to his knees beside the nearest body, hands already moving as he whispered the mournful refrain of Spare the Dying. His fingers brushed the scorched skin, seeking any lingering spark of life.
Nothing.
His jaw clenched. He scrambled to the next. Then the next.
One by one, he reached out—
(I honestly don't expect it to work but it feels to me that it is what he would try anyway.)
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Yawning Portal || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan Shi - Liquid Swords || Syed - Drakkenheim || Kaelthor - Dragonlance ||
It took a moment for Sterling to compose himself as the others rushed into action. The scene was intense, even sobering, and he wasn't immediately sure what aspect of it needed to be focused on first. Eventually, seeing that Oriace wasn't able to revive anyone, his mind settled on: Why? And then, How?
In fact, he continued thinking, was this even the end of it? Was everyone here safe even now? Finally settling on something he figured he could handle, the bard immediately walked towards what appeared to be the center of the explosion, looking for signs of a cause--all while also keeping his eyes open to the surroundings, in case he caught a glimpse of someone running away, or anyone... too interested in the carnage.
Arcana Check: 22
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates) - incl. General Rules
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Due to Sterling's roll, I can reveal that the name of chapter 3 is: Fireball! The cause of the explosion. As for the source of the fireball, you can't see one. Though those looking around for witnesses can make a perception check
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Perception to rooftops and overlooking windows: 13
Regardless of his perception, clearly Mana was rattled and failed at determining the cause of the blast.
He redoubles his focus and this time begins scanning the carnage. He notes that only one victim had a weapon drawn.
”Oriace!” He shouts as he sees him stooping before the dead in turn. “It seems only the gnome saw it coming. Attend to him next.” He suggests.
Mentally Mana stretches out his mind to Oriace and tries to convey this thought, sneakily search the gnome.
He believes the others were collateral damage. How evil does one have to be to wipe out 10 to target one? He thinks to himself.
Mana summons a bardic inspiration for Oriace to aid in his search through a magically imbued mournful verse.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
Toser had spent days tracking stolen relics for the Emerald Enclave, his body weary from a late-night meeting with a shadowy contact. He was still tangled in his sheets at Trollskull Manor when a deafening explosion jolted him awake. Groggy but alert, he yanked on his clothes and buckled into the sleek armor Sterling had crafted for him, its craftsmanship catching his eye even in the rush. He bolted downstairs, boots pounding, only to find his companions already in the street, staring at the chaos. No buildings were harmed, but eleven bodies lay lifeless amid the cobblestones. Frowning, Toser muttered arcane words, his hands glowing as he cast Detect Magic, moving through the scene for any trace of the power that had shattered the morning.
Sterling's Perception Check: 12
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates) - incl. General Rules
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf
Oriace barely lifted his head at Mana’s call, but the words resonated in his mind. The gnome saw it coming.
A silent affirmation echoed back to Mana, a brief flicker of thought, before Oriace shifted his focus. He moved swiftly to the gnome’s crumpled form, pressing two fingers to the neck, checking for any sign of life—even knowing it was hopeless. His hands, practiced in both healing and subtlety, searched the gnome’s pockets and cloak, feeling for papers, insignias, or anything out of place while keeping his movements discreet. (Sleight of Hand: 20, incl. 1 from Mana's inspiration) All the while, he kept his expression solemn, his posture that of a grieving man, covering his actions under the guise of a futile attempt to save another life.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Yawning Portal || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan Shi - Liquid Swords || Syed - Drakkenheim || Kaelthor - Dragonlance ||
Wagner’s Perception: 25
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Oriace, in the course of your investigation you discover one of the dead male humans has a black, winged snake (the symbol of the Black Network) tattooed on his right forearm.The dead gnome has dry waste on his boots and cloak, suggesting he has spent time in the sewers recently. He also has a pouch containing five 100 gp gemstones which you can subtly pocket without anyone noticing.
There are three people who look like they saw more than anyone else. Fala Lefaliir (the owner of Corellon’s Crown), a wealthy female who looks to have just left the Tiger's Eye. And a 12 year old boy, who looks extremely upset. Toser you see that there seems to be a glow of evocation magic from his pocket
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Using misty step to get ahead of her, Wagner steps into the path of the wealthy female and turns on the charm. “Going somewhere, beautiful? From the look on your radiant features I guess you’re one of the few people around here who have a clue of what happened. Mind sharing with a big gossip like me?”
Persuasion: 22
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
That’s a natural 1 and technically a 9, I typed the wrong bonus
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Luckily, the persuasion is not needed, as she is more than happy to gossip (same for the other 2 witnesses. They are all eager to talk). “I tell you, it was not a man. More like a puppet shaped like a man. A puppet without strings. It was on the rooftop. It hurled something into the crowd below that caused the explosion. I saw those halflings burned alive! I saw them!”
Also around the same time the city guard have arrived and cordoned off Trollskull Alley, posting six guards at each entrance. The guards don’t allow anyone in or out without permission from a superior officer. Another six guards, including a sergeant with 18 hit points, make their way to the crime scene and watch over the dead bodies until the City Watch arrives. (They will not allow any of you to get near to the body. Oriace has had chance to quickly check each of them for life, as well as identify that none of them were immediately familiar.) Lingering smoke from the fireball also attracts a Griffon Cavalry rider. As its griffon mount circles the neighbourhood, the rider watches the streets and alleys for suspicious figures.
Despite the alleyway being cordoned off, you are still free to move around the alleyway and talk to the other witnesses.
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Wagner will defer to others in his party to talk to the other witnesses. If they don’t he will try talking to them.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Sterling sighed as the guards locked the area down. Part of him wanted to just go back inside and let them deal with this mess, but the fact that the explosion happened right outisde the manor had him wanting to know what was going on. Looking around, it was then that he spotted Fala Lefaliir. Having gotten to know the neighboring businesses, the bard knew Fala was the owner of the Corellon's Crown, and if anything might feel her business was in jeopardy as well. He casually walked her way.
"Fala? Hello! It's good to see you and your establishment are safe! Our manor is fine as well, just a few rattled windows; but... what's all this noise about? An act like that, right on our street! The nerve! You... you didn't happen to see how it happened, did you?"
(( Just being fairly generalized here; I don't recall any details on Fala. ))
Tooltips Post (2024 PHB updates) - incl. General Rules
>> New FOW threat & treasure tables: fow-advanced-threat-tables.pdf fow-advanced-treasure-table.pdf