The headpiece has not been hidden, and Glory is able to locate it quite easily. Farnok stirs, and it is quite obvious he was never really out in any sense of the word, but he senses now that , within a firm grasp and with the cap located, the jig is truly up.
"Well well, look what I found. So Leoros, now that I have your magical item, what can you tell us about it. I'm sure it will be of great interest to Grimesdatch here. It would seem that this little item is what all the trouble has been about." Glory holds up the mask that belonged to Leoros.
"I didn't believe it at first," begins Leoros. "But then I put it on, and remembered Darruk saving me all those years ago. That's what it does, you see -- when you put it on, you remember something you had forgotten, or that somebody made you forget. I don't know how word got out, but those two thugs at the bar wanted it and then suddenly I'm walking down to give it to this dandy in a carriage for Pelor knows why...and then you show up again."
"I was too young to recall you myself, but the hat doesn't lie," Leoros smiles at Darruk. "Or, at least I think it doesn't. That was one reason I was intending to take it to the Blackstaff tower, to see if Mistress Safahr might be able to make heads or tails of it. Another was, once word got out of something that could could recover memories, it seemed like every crook in the city was after it. You are welcome to put it on, while I still have it, which won't be long. " He frowns in the direction of Farnok. "I'll be well rid of it -- but to a rightful authority -- the Blackstaff, or Lady Silverhand, not to the likes of them."
Grimsdatch nods to a few of his men, who surround Darruk and Farnok, weapons at the ready. Leoros shrugs at Glory, as if to give permission for whatever the group feels should follow.
Glory gawks at Darruk as he snatches the mask from his hands and tries it on. "Just how cursed might that be? I don't know enough magic to help you if you get stuck in that thing you know."
"Caution is boring, but I don't know much of magic either. It does stuff sometimes it doesn't. Secondary effects are not something I usually think of "
Darruk tilts his head in recognition of Leoros’ gratitude, as he places the piece on his head.
At once, images bombard the dwarf — images of the hills of his clan in flames, as a mixed band of orcs and giantkin ravages the countryside.He sees himself sprinting through bodies of humans and dwarves strewn about like so much seed.He sees a much younger version of Leoros, clad in the livery of a martial patrol and shaking with fear, standing alongside Darruk's sister between an Ettin and two dwarven children.While Leoros’ spear quivers, his sister’s axes are held steady, even beckoning.Despite himself, Darruk allows himself a small smile of pride at the memory.Neither he nor his sister may have been regular soldiers, like this human, but clearly both dwarves had seen far more of battle.A cry jerks his attention back towards the scene he knows he can never reach in time.
Again, he sees his sister shoulder block Leoros out of the way of the descending morningstar, saving him only to take the blow for herself. He sees the shock and horror on the human’s face screw into resolve, as Leoros impales the Ettin on his spear.Two faces snarl in unison as it pulls itself down the shaft to club the frail human over his head.Half-blinded, Leoros falls over the children.The wounded giant pulls the spear out of its body, takes a moment to flash a rictus grin at Darruk, and raises the weapon for a killing stroke.Even in this memory, Darruk is not sure if the human had raised his hand to protect himself or the children, but the movement sparks the dwarf to see red for the first time.With a burst of speed belying his short legs, Darruk flashes between Leoros and the Ettin, grunting as he accepts the spear, drowning the pain in the rush of his anger.The Ettin, not smart enough to turn its focus away from the human that so injured it, does not think to offer resistance until the raging barbarian has clipped him two, three, four times, at which point it is too late, and both sets of eyes close…
...Darruk surveys the hills, now quiet except for winds whistling through newly piled cairns.Fires have been extinguished, bodies disposed of as befit their station.Strong as ever, the clan presses on, rebuilding, and, weak as ever, the humans retreat behind the walls of their cities.Except was it retreat?They may be frail, and in need of instruction, but that one showed they had something at their core, something they could teach as well.Perhaps it was time to leave the clan, if only for a while.
Perhaps it was time to see what these humans and their cities had to offer.
A moment later, Darruk blinks in the lanternlight of the Waterdhavian streets.
"Almost thy persuadest me to try the mask." Glory watches as Darruk has what looks like a deeply spiritual experience. He is tempted to try the hat on but thinks better of it after a while and offers the hat to the Grimesdatch. "I think we need to keep this closely guarded. It has more power than we now know."
Sergeant Grimsdatch accepts the offering, with a curt nod at the companions, and at Leoros. "Agreed. Such a power deserves study, away from those who would abuse it, but the Watch is not in the habit of taking lawful possessions from citizens. The cap is yours. Should you still wish to present it to the Blackstaff, or the Open Lord, we shall provide you safe escort . For the moment, though, it is a fine idea to get off these streets. My men can deal with the immediate cleanup. After the people you have rounded up today, I can think of a place that will buy as all a round."
He gestures towards the Yawning Portal, a short ways in the distance.
"Shall we?"
This concludes "Once in Waterdeep," as you have successfully completed all objectives of this one-evening module:
Prevent the antagonist -- in this case, Farnok, the "mastermind," from obtaining information leading to the Vault of Dragons, which you accomplished through creative application of false information.
Prevent the antagonist from taking the MacGuffin, in this case, the Circlet of Memories, and optionally saving the victim, which you also did. (The Circlet is something for this story only, and not something a character can keep or purchase.)
Thwart the antagonist, breaking as few of the Laws of Waterdeep as possible. (Waterdeep has a code of laws, the penalties for breaking in AL were not published prior to our beginning, but suffice to say indiscriminate theft, assault and murder could have resulted in lengthy prison sentences, effectively retiring the character from AL.) You never robbed, or cheated, and engaged in violence only as necessary and appropriate to answer threats.
Under the Season 8 award guidelines, each of you earned 4 Adventure Checkpoints (AP), 4 Tier 1 Treasure Points (TP), 10 Downtime days, and 1 renown. If you log these on your character's log sheet, you can take this character to any Adventurers League table, online or offline, and continue their story. If you are unfamiliar with the rewards system, a brief overview:
AP replace Experience Points in Adventurer's League. from levels 1-4, each level is 4 AP, so you each have earned enough to reach level 2.
TP are how one acquires magic items. Items are purchased with Treasure Points. One table of items costs is here. The points you have earned today can be used to buy any Tier 1 item. So, for example, you could use 1 of your current TP to buy 50gp, or you could save up until you have 16 of them, and buy a +1 weapon of your choosing.
Speaking of gold, gold is not found or awarded in Adventurer's League, but rather obtained upon each level. Hitting level 2, you earn 75gp.
Downtime is used to fund activities that take place between adventures. In addition to those listed in the Player's Handbook, the canonical example is a wizard scribing a spell from a scroll or a found spellbook into their own spellbook. That might take 16 hours for a spell of a certain level; the wizard must have enough downtime days to scribe.
Renown is a measure of your character's fame, which makes you eligible for certain benefits. When we started this game, the rules had not yet been finalized, but, at your current renown rank, you would start each game with a Potion of Healing, which would be good only for that session. As you gain renown, other benefits become available. Renown can be gained each adventure, but rewards can be lost at the DM's discretion if the character behaves in a way the DM judges to be incompatible or unheroic actions.
Players also have the option to take "slow advancement" -- essentially take half of the stated awards. Why would one do that? This adventure, for example, is intended to be a brief introduction to Waterdeep before the hardcover proper. If you wanted the same character to play the full Dragon Heist hardcover, you might eventually find yourself too high a level to be challenged, or even to continue playing. Taking slow advancement is a way to keep a character within a certain level range for a longer period of time.
There are also two Story Awards in this module, to include on your logs:
Everyody receives "Faction Favor" from both the Emerald Enclave (from Blossom) and the Order of the Gauntlet (from Savra)
You have won the favor of two of the great factions: The Emerald Enclave, the Lords’ Alliance, the Zhentarim, the Order of the Gauntlet, the Harpers, or Force Grey (circle which factions apply when you receive this award). As the bearer of this award, you may at any time replace your own background feature with the Safe Haven background feature (Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide).
In addition, you may call upon these factions to cast raise dead on your character if your remains are taken to Waterdeep. Doing so removes this story award from your record. You can use this favor even if you don’t have the Faction Agent background.
The raise dead award is significant in AL, as it is an expensive spell and gold is difficult to acquire, especially at low levels.
For saving the cat from the fire, Saraba also receives the "Marmaduke the Tomcat" award
This old ginger tomcat has a heart of gold and likes nothing better than to snooze on your lap. He wears a name tag on his collar that identifies him as “Marmaduke”, but the tag has chipped off just underneath “This Cat Belongs To...”. If you can find Marmaduke’s owner, you’re sure to get a reward!
Unfortunately, Marmaduke is extremely cowardly. During combat, he leaps onto you and digs his claws in, never letting go and scrambling all over your body. Treat this as a flaw – if you use it to your disadvantage, your DM can grant inspiration at their discretion.
Once in Waterdeep is a new type of module for Adventure's League, in that it is less direct than most. Our rather lengthy introduction, as well as all of the questions and back and forth, served to create what followed. The characters of Leoros and Farnok were improvised out of your responses and backstories; AL's intent is to increase replayability by having DMs and players together make up large swathes of the content as they go. While these particular characters cannot go through Once in Waterdeep again, should you play another character in this module, large portions may be different. Next time, the antagonist may not be a manipulator at all, but a hulking brute invading the Tavern personally. The Leoros character may not be a victim from long ago, but an ally, or perhaps a seeming ally who eventually stabs the party in the back.
If anybody has any questions about Adventurer's League rules, keeping log sheets, or pretty much anything else, please feel free to contact me either on this thread, in our OOC private thread, or even through direct messages. I will be happy to assist however I can.
Thank you all for playing, and for sticking it through to the end of an entire AL module through posts. It has been fun, and a learning experience for me too.
Thanks,
Greg
P.S. Please feel free to hit me with any comments or criticisms, either publicly or privately, as well; that's the best way for me to learn.
Darruk holds tight suspiciously not trusting him to be out or at least subdued
The headpiece has not been hidden, and Glory is able to locate it quite easily. Farnok stirs, and it is quite obvious he was never really out in any sense of the word, but he senses now that , within a firm grasp and with the cap located, the jig is truly up.
==Glory=Half-elf=Sorcerer==
"Well well, look what I found. So Leoros, now that I have your magical item, what can you tell us about it. I'm sure it will be of great interest to Grimesdatch here. It would seem that this little item is what all the trouble has been about." Glory holds up the mask that belonged to Leoros.
Lot's of stuff ...
Blue Eyes continues to stand next to Glory. "Yes, tell us what it does."
I have an intelligence of six, I know what I'm doing.
"I didn't believe it at first," begins Leoros. "But then I put it on, and remembered Darruk saving me all those years ago. That's what it does, you see -- when you put it on, you remember something you had forgotten, or that somebody made you forget. I don't know how word got out, but those two thugs at the bar wanted it and then suddenly I'm walking down to give it to this dandy in a carriage for Pelor knows why...and then you show up again."
"I saved you...wait, is it really you?"
"I was too young to recall you myself, but the hat doesn't lie," Leoros smiles at Darruk. "Or, at least I think it doesn't. That was one reason I was intending to take it to the Blackstaff tower, to see if Mistress Safahr might be able to make heads or tails of it. Another was, once word got out of something that could could recover memories, it seemed like every crook in the city was after it. You are welcome to put it on, while I still have it, which won't be long. " He frowns in the direction of Farnok. "I'll be well rid of it -- but to a rightful authority -- the Blackstaff, or Lady Silverhand, not to the likes of them."
" I don't intend to let go of this man until the guard has him properly restrained but if I could try it I'd be grateful "
Darruk will lean his head towards Leros so he can place the circlet on.
Grimsdatch nods to a few of his men, who surround Darruk and Farnok, weapons at the ready. Leoros shrugs at Glory, as if to give permission for whatever the group feels should follow.
Once convinced that Farnok is secure Darruk will walk over and put the item on his head before guards can confiscate it.
Glory gawks at Darruk as he snatches the mask from his hands and tries it on. "Just how cursed might that be? I don't know enough magic to help you if you get stuck in that thing you know."
Lot's of stuff ...
"Caution is boring, but I don't know much of magic either. It does stuff sometimes it doesn't. Secondary effects are not something I usually think of "
Darruk tilts his head in recognition of Leoros’ gratitude, as he places the piece on his head.
A moment later, Darruk blinks in the lanternlight of the Waterdhavian streets.
"It is you. You look well Lad"
Blue Eyes nods. "Keep that mask, I don't need anything harming this pretty face."
I have an intelligence of six, I know what I'm doing.
"Almost thy persuadest me to try the mask." Glory watches as Darruk has what looks like a deeply spiritual experience. He is tempted to try the hat on but thinks better of it after a while and offers the hat to the Grimesdatch. "I think we need to keep this closely guarded. It has more power than we now know."
Lot's of stuff ...
"He's very right. Time to get ourselves off the street too?"
Sergeant Grimsdatch accepts the offering, with a curt nod at the companions, and at Leoros. "Agreed. Such a power deserves study, away from those who would abuse it, but the Watch is not in the habit of taking lawful possessions from citizens. The cap is yours. Should you still wish to present it to the Blackstaff, or the Open Lord, we shall provide you safe escort . For the moment, though, it is a fine idea to get off these streets. My men can deal with the immediate cleanup. After the people you have rounded up today, I can think of a place that will buy as all a round."
He gestures towards the Yawning Portal, a short ways in the distance.
"Shall we?"
This concludes "Once in Waterdeep," as you have successfully completed all objectives of this one-evening module:
Under the Season 8 award guidelines, each of you earned 4 Adventure Checkpoints (AP), 4 Tier 1 Treasure Points (TP), 10 Downtime days, and 1 renown. If you log these on your character's log sheet, you can take this character to any Adventurers League table, online or offline, and continue their story. If you are unfamiliar with the rewards system, a brief overview:
Players also have the option to take "slow advancement" -- essentially take half of the stated awards. Why would one do that? This adventure, for example, is intended to be a brief introduction to Waterdeep before the hardcover proper. If you wanted the same character to play the full Dragon Heist hardcover, you might eventually find yourself too high a level to be challenged, or even to continue playing. Taking slow advancement is a way to keep a character within a certain level range for a longer period of time.
There are also two Story Awards in this module, to include on your logs:
Everyody receives "Faction Favor" from both the Emerald Enclave (from Blossom) and the Order of the Gauntlet (from Savra)
The raise dead award is significant in AL, as it is an expensive spell and gold is difficult to acquire, especially at low levels.
For saving the cat from the fire, Saraba also receives the "Marmaduke the Tomcat" award
Once in Waterdeep is a new type of module for Adventure's League, in that it is less direct than most. Our rather lengthy introduction, as well as all of the questions and back and forth, served to create what followed. The characters of Leoros and Farnok were improvised out of your responses and backstories; AL's intent is to increase replayability by having DMs and players together make up large swathes of the content as they go. While these particular characters cannot go through Once in Waterdeep again, should you play another character in this module, large portions may be different. Next time, the antagonist may not be a manipulator at all, but a hulking brute invading the Tavern personally. The Leoros character may not be a victim from long ago, but an ally, or perhaps a seeming ally who eventually stabs the party in the back.
If anybody has any questions about Adventurer's League rules, keeping log sheets, or pretty much anything else, please feel free to contact me either on this thread, in our OOC private thread, or even through direct messages. I will be happy to assist however I can.
Thank you all for playing, and for sticking it through to the end of an entire AL module through posts. It has been fun, and a learning experience for me too.
Thanks,
Greg
P.S. Please feel free to hit me with any comments or criticisms, either publicly or privately, as well; that's the best way for me to learn.
(OOC: so we are done here?)
Lot's of stuff ...
Good game. I'd run another one with these same characters if it becomes an option.