This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Since I am on P57, I use my crossbow, light to hit Kenku#1 by the door.Attack: 10 Damage: 11
Meanwhile, my Mage Hand is rummaging through the boxes looking for something stylish it can wear, like a white glove, statement ring or brass knuckles.
(@Adrasteia: Yeah, that roll of 29 is comprised of two many dice. I'll take your original roll of 6 and the first correct roll above, 8. The highest of the two plus your modifier of +5 reaches that same 13again, which hits. Please try to include your +5 bonus in the Dice roller. Nonetheless, Adrasteia already went this turn, so I'll resolve the others' turns before getting to this.)
Standing on the nearby boxes, Mokiakia shoots a bolt at one of the suffering Kenku, but hits the heavy door instead. The Mage Hand comes out of the crate of arrows with a tooth from an unknown beast. It is quite large and dull, but at some point it was surely sharp.
Sim is more accurate with her rapier, putting and end to one of the Kenku's suffering (Kenku#3 - CMD: 14->DEFEATED).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Both Kenku will stand back up and allow the fight or flight instinct to kick in. The one that is in the thick of it will fight, the one that was attempting to open the loading door will quit on it and try to make it for the window.
-> Kenku#1 lifts himself from prone and runs to {K52} (Getting up from prone uses half of your movement, so he cannot run very far.)
-> Kenku#4 tries to poke Sim once again after moving towards her (Q53) - Attack: 20 Damage: 7 piercing. His short blade luckily finds a gap in the rogue's armor. Sim feels week once again but is still standing.
Adrasteia then puts and end to Sim's assailant by hitting it on the back (Kenku#4 - CMD: 14->DEFEATED).
(The last Kenku is still making a run for the window. It is now Sim's and Mokiakia's turn.)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Since all Kenku are dealt with and I have a useless tooth, I want to run an investigation check on the corpses, not the corpses of the Kenku but the corpses in the room, to see if they are identifiable and/or have valuables. 11
Sim pulls out an arrow from her quiver (is it on your back or hanging from one of your sides?) and like a flash, it lands on the last Kenku's shoulder. He stumbles over and hits the ground beak-first. He is still alive, but out of commission. The fight has concluded.
Noticing just that, Mokiakia runs over to the eastern wall and looks over at the not-so-fresh corpses. There are a total of twelve corpses here, mostly human except for an elf, a halfling, and a half-orc. Five of the humans sport a tattoo of a black winged snake enveloped in a golden circle either on the neck or the forearm (see spoiler box below). The other six corpses display no such symbols, but the dead halfling has a black tattoo on the palm of his right hand that looks like a circle with ten spokes radiating out from its circumference (also in the spoiler box below).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
I run a History check on these symbols 24. Since I am a noble half snake myself, i feel there should be extra clue about these black snakes. The sun looks a like a religious symbol to me but I will let the cleric assess that further. Also, I find it curious that the only the humans have the snake symbols on them.
Mokiakia arrives at the same conclusion Adrasteia had reached earlier. The flying snake symbol represents the Zhentarim and these five humans were certainly part of the mercenary group, as is Yagra. The representation of the sun might symbolize a new dawn for the organization, or at least one of its two main internal factions. (I invite you all to click here and read the lore box on the Zhentarim if you haven't yet done so.)
The other seven are not part of the Zhentarim, otherwise they would likely represent it with a similar tattoo. Mokikia's best guess is that they are part of a competing organization, perhaps represented by this circle-with-spokes symbol. There have been talks and witness accounts of groups of Zhentarim mercenaries being repeatedly attacked throughout Waterdeep, and some suspect these attacks are more organized than what the current official story says (i.e. that street criminals are fighting the mercenaries due to petty disagreements.) This is all information the three of you have been collecting thus far from the City Walk, tavern patrons, Xoblob, etc. It would seem that (i) these attacks have escalated enough for this secondary group to reach and invade Zhentarim hideouts (There was a flying snake symbol on the door to this place after all;) and (ii) the person you seek, Floon, somehow got involved in it.
The picture below is a good representation of what you guys just went through (notice the symbol on the door):
Sim goes half way up the steps very quietly and perks her ears. Interestingly enough however, it is her nose that catches something. Beneath the stairs, a door to a closet room hangs loosely on broken hinges. The cramped chamber beyond the door smells strongly of sour fish and vinegar, and Sim can feel it even from the steps. She swears she heard some sort of movement coming from there, but can't be completely sure. The door to the closet is in space {D53} (check map in post #206 above).
Meanwhile, Adrasteia goes around the room. She spends some time investigating the crates and bodies and come to the realization that they have little more than simple weapons, cheap armor, and a variety of other mundane items to offer. Worth her attention, however, she notes:
The kenku do not have Zhentarim tattoos, suggesting they are part of this other group;
The kenku and other victims here have meager coin purses, but they do amount to 37gp in total.
One of the kenku is still alive, and looks like waking up any moment now, probably feeling groggy.
A slight breeze hits her face when she explores the northwest corner of this storage space. It flows toward the window from the north wall (from about squares {C50, C51}).
LORE BOX (SPOTTING A NOBLE - PART 2 OF 2 AS WRITTEN BY VOLO)
When facing a noble, above all, be polite. Always address a known noble as “Lord” or “Lady.” A short bow or a nod of the head to acknowledge a noble upon each meeting and parting is customary. Obsequiousness and servility is something all Waterdhavians scorn, but you should also beware of acting in an overly familiar, boastful, or disrespectful way when in the presence of any noble. Though this sort of behavior isn’t a crime, and laws against dueling prevent a noble from initiating a direct armed confrontation, the noble families of Waterdeep have immense power in the city, often in unexpected quarters. Many have influence in nations as distant as Calimshan and Cormyr. Be assured that any slighting of a noble will not be forgotten or easily forgiven.
If you’re not certain whether someone is a noble, address the gentleman as “Saer” or the gentlewoman as “Goodwoman.” Neither will give offense, and generally a noble will politely correct you as to their actual title.
Feeling curious about the smell and sound I heard from under the stairs, I draw my rapier and motion to Adrasteia to follow me as I sneak back down the stairs and around to the closet, which I approach as stealthily as possible 26. The vinegar smell makes me hopeful that I'll find a nice barrel of pickles, and not some sort of creature.
Mokiakia begins her interrogation. She knows that kenku, despite being intelligent creatures, are not capable of original speech, usually communicating through mimicry of previously heard sentences, tones, and accents (like a parrot). His eyes do not lie however. Fear, can easily be discerned from his facial expression.
"Kill all Zhents. Xanathar sends its regards,” the kenku says, in a deep voice with an orcish accent. Then, in a thin, nasally voice, he adds “Tie up the pretty boy in the back room! Follow the yellow signs in the sewers.” Finally, in a scratchy voice, he concludes “No time to loot the place. Just get him to the boss.”
Simultaneously to this, both Sim and Adrasteia approach the closet under the stairs. Sim is silent like a fox, Adrasteia like a rhino (the stealth roll was actually a 4. It didn't drop the 18 so it shows 22 instead). The closet is filled with discarded ropes, canvas tarpaulins, and splintered wood from smashed barrels. A set of loosened rope bonds lie on the floor. You can both hear someone's ragged breathing coming from under a tarpaulin at the north end of the room.
LORE BOX (KENKU: AN ANCIENT CURSE)
Haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their wings, the kenku wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who live at the edge of human society. Kenku suffer from a sinister reputation that is not wholly unearned, but they can prove to be valuable allies.
The kenku once served a mysterious, powerful entity on another plane of existence. Some believe they were minions of Grazz’t, one of the Demon Lords of the Nine Hells, while others say that they were scouts and explorers for the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, the powerful lords of the Elemental Plane of Air. Whatever the truth, according to legend, the kenku betrayed their master. Unable to resist the lure of a beautiful sparkling treasure, the kenku plotted to steal the item and escape to the Material Plane.
Unfortunately for the kenku, their master discovered their plan before they could enact it. Enraged, the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. First, the kenku’s beloved wings withered and fell away from their bodies, leaving them bound to the earth. Second, because their ingenuity and skill had turned toward scheming against their patron, the spark of creativity was torn from their souls. Finally, to ensure that the kenku could never divulge any secrets, their master took away their original voices. Once the entity was satisfied that they had been sufficiently punished, the kenku were set loose on the Material Plane.
Since then, the kenku have wandered the world. They settle in places that accept them, usually bleak cities that have fallen on hard times and are overrun with crime.
I again attempt to make a sneak attack on the nearest Kenku, the one who is attacking Adrasteia, with my rapier 10 for damage 7 + 4.
(Kyle, roll again. Your target is prone so you have advantage.)
Since I am on P57, I use my crossbow, light to hit Kenku#1 by the door.Attack: 10 Damage: 11
Meanwhile, my Mage Hand is rummaging through the boxes looking for something stylish it can wear, like a white glove, statement ring or brass knuckles.
edit: Rolling on the trinkets table 13
24 (I'm still doing this wrong I think.)
15 12
Damage: 7
(@Adrasteia: Yeah, that roll of 29 is comprised of two many dice. I'll take your original roll of 6 and the first correct roll above, 8. The highest of the two plus your modifier of +5 reaches that same 13 again, which hits. Please try to include your +5 bonus in the Dice roller. Nonetheless, Adrasteia already went this turn, so I'll resolve the others' turns before getting to this.)
Standing on the nearby boxes, Mokiakia shoots a bolt at one of the suffering Kenku, but hits the heavy door instead. The Mage Hand comes out of the crate of arrows with a tooth from an unknown beast. It is quite large and dull, but at some point it was surely sharp.
Sim is more accurate with her rapier, putting and end to one of the Kenku's suffering (Kenku#3 - CMD: 14->DEFEATED).
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 3
UPDATED MAP:
(The Kenku go next, then I'll resolve Adrasteia's pending turn.)
Both Kenku will stand back up and allow the fight or flight instinct to kick in. The one that is in the thick of it will fight, the one that was attempting to open the loading door will quit on it and try to make it for the window.
-> Kenku#1 lifts himself from prone and runs to {K52} (Getting up from prone uses half of your movement, so he cannot run very far.)
-> Kenku#4 tries to poke Sim once again after moving towards her (Q53) - Attack: 20 Damage: 7 piercing. His short blade luckily finds a gap in the rogue's armor. Sim feels week once again but is still standing.
Adrasteia then puts and end to Sim's assailant by hitting it on the back (Kenku#4 - CMD: 14->DEFEATED).
(The last Kenku is still making a run for the window. It is now Sim's and Mokiakia's turn.)
I switch to my shortbow and aim for the last Kenku: 17 (I'm allowed to add my +2 proficiency bonus to attack rolls, right?). Damage: 6
Since all Kenku are dealt with and I have a useless tooth, I want to run an investigation check on the corpses, not the corpses of the Kenku but the corpses in the room, to see if they are identifiable and/or have valuables. 11
Sim pulls out an arrow from her quiver (is it on your back or hanging from one of your sides?) and like a flash, it lands on the last Kenku's shoulder. He stumbles over and hits the ground beak-first. He is still alive, but out of commission. The fight has concluded.
Noticing just that, Mokiakia runs over to the eastern wall and looks over at the not-so-fresh corpses. There are a total of twelve corpses here, mostly human except for an elf, a halfling, and a half-orc. Five of the humans sport a tattoo of a black winged snake enveloped in a golden circle either on the neck or the forearm (see spoiler box below). The other six corpses display no such symbols, but the dead halfling has a black tattoo on the palm of his right hand that looks like a circle with ten spokes radiating out from its circumference (also in the spoiler box below).
TATTOOS:
YOU ARE NOW OUT OF INITIATIVE. DO AS YOU WILL.
I run a History check on these symbols 24. Since I am a noble half snake myself, i feel there should be extra clue about these black snakes. The sun looks a like a religious symbol to me but I will let the cleric assess that further. Also, I find it curious that the only the humans have the snake symbols on them.
(@Lerus17 I'm wearing my quiver on my hip)
With my bow still drawn, I'll sneak 8 midway up the stairs to see if I can hear or see anything on the upper level (investigation: 22.
I make my way to the bottom of the stairs in case I am needed either up or downstairs.
I also want to investigate the boxes in the warehouse and search the bodies. 17
Mokiakia arrives at the same conclusion Adrasteia had reached earlier. The flying snake symbol represents the Zhentarim and these five humans were certainly part of the mercenary group, as is Yagra. The representation of the sun might symbolize a new dawn for the organization, or at least one of its two main internal factions. (I invite you all to click here and read the lore box on the Zhentarim if you haven't yet done so.)
The other seven are not part of the Zhentarim, otherwise they would likely represent it with a similar tattoo. Mokikia's best guess is that they are part of a competing organization, perhaps represented by this circle-with-spokes symbol. There have been talks and witness accounts of groups of Zhentarim mercenaries being repeatedly attacked throughout Waterdeep, and some suspect these attacks are more organized than what the current official story says (i.e. that street criminals are fighting the mercenaries due to petty disagreements.) This is all information the three of you have been collecting thus far from the City Walk, tavern patrons, Xoblob, etc. It would seem that (i) these attacks have escalated enough for this secondary group to reach and invade Zhentarim hideouts (There was a flying snake symbol on the door to this place after all;) and (ii) the person you seek, Floon, somehow got involved in it.
The picture below is a good representation of what you guys just went through (notice the symbol on the door):
Sim goes half way up the steps very quietly and perks her ears. Interestingly enough however, it is her nose that catches something. Beneath the stairs, a door to a closet room hangs loosely on broken hinges. The cramped chamber beyond the door smells strongly of sour fish and vinegar, and Sim can feel it even from the steps. She swears she heard some sort of movement coming from there, but can't be completely sure. The door to the closet is in space {D53} (check map in post #206 above).
Meanwhile, Adrasteia goes around the room. She spends some time investigating the crates and bodies and come to the realization that they have little more than simple weapons, cheap armor, and a variety of other mundane items to offer. Worth her attention, however, she notes:
LORE BOX (SPOTTING A NOBLE - PART 2 OF 2 AS WRITTEN BY VOLO)
When facing a noble, above all, be polite. Always address a known noble as “Lord” or “Lady.” A short bow or a nod of the head to acknowledge a noble upon each meeting and parting is customary. Obsequiousness and servility is something all Waterdhavians scorn, but you should also beware of acting in an overly familiar, boastful, or disrespectful way when in the presence of any noble. Though this sort of behavior isn’t a crime, and laws against dueling prevent a noble from initiating a direct armed confrontation, the noble families of Waterdeep have immense power in the city, often in unexpected quarters. Many have influence in nations as distant as Calimshan and Cormyr. Be assured that any slighting of a noble will not be forgotten or easily forgiven.
If you’re not certain whether someone is a noble, address the gentleman as “Saer” or the gentlewoman as “Goodwoman.” Neither will give offense, and generally a noble will politely correct you as to their actual title.
I walk towards the remaining Kenku to tie it up. Holding my dagger close to its throat, I question it. intimidation 20
Answer me quietly so I don't have to kill you:"What fraction of the Zhentarim are you with? How many of you in here?"
My Mage Hand is holding a rag ready to be shoved it in its beak should it not comply.
Feeling curious about the smell and sound I heard from under the stairs, I draw my rapier and motion to Adrasteia to follow me as I sneak back down the stairs and around to the closet, which I approach as stealthily as possible 26. The vinegar smell makes me hopeful that I'll find a nice barrel of pickles, and not some sort of creature.
I follow Sim as stealthily as I can in my bulky, shiny armor. 37
Mokiakia begins her interrogation. She knows that kenku, despite being intelligent creatures, are not capable of original speech, usually communicating through mimicry of previously heard sentences, tones, and accents (like a parrot). His eyes do not lie however. Fear, can easily be discerned from his facial expression.
"Kill all Zhents. Xanathar sends its regards,” the kenku says, in a deep voice with an orcish accent. Then, in a thin, nasally voice, he adds “Tie up the pretty boy in the back room! Follow the yellow signs in the sewers.” Finally, in a scratchy voice, he concludes “No time to loot the place. Just get him to the boss.”
Simultaneously to this, both Sim and Adrasteia approach the closet under the stairs. Sim is silent like a fox, Adrasteia like a rhino (the stealth roll was actually a 4. It didn't drop the 18 so it shows 22 instead). The closet is filled with discarded ropes, canvas tarpaulins, and splintered wood from smashed barrels. A set of loosened rope bonds lie on the floor. You can both hear someone's ragged breathing coming from under a tarpaulin at the north end of the room.
LORE BOX (KENKU: AN ANCIENT CURSE)
Haunted by an ancient crime that robbed them of their wings, the kenku wander the world as vagabonds and burglars who live at the edge of human society. Kenku suffer from a sinister reputation that is not wholly unearned, but they can prove to be valuable allies.
The kenku once served a mysterious, powerful entity on another plane of existence. Some believe they were minions of Grazz’t, one of the Demon Lords of the Nine Hells, while others say that they were scouts and explorers for the Wind Dukes of Aaqa, the powerful lords of the Elemental Plane of Air. Whatever the truth, according to legend, the kenku betrayed their master. Unable to resist the lure of a beautiful sparkling treasure, the kenku plotted to steal the item and escape to the Material Plane.
Unfortunately for the kenku, their master discovered their plan before they could enact it. Enraged, the entity imposed three dreadful curses upon them. First, the kenku’s beloved wings withered and fell away from their bodies, leaving them bound to the earth. Second, because their ingenuity and skill had turned toward scheming against their patron, the spark of creativity was torn from their souls. Finally, to ensure that the kenku could never divulge any secrets, their master took away their original voices. Once the entity was satisfied that they had been sufficiently punished, the kenku were set loose on the Material Plane.
Since then, the kenku have wandered the world. They settle in places that accept them, usually bleak cities that have fallen on hard times and are overrun with crime.
I want to run an Investigation check on the tarp before I uncover who or what lies beneath it. 20