Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Medicine :5 

Lords is light! What’s happening? What have you done? Dekhan keeps his hand away from his sword. He has 1pt left in healing hands, is Sildar all the way dead? 

Oh, devils amd dark gods take us. You put us in deep on this one, boy. Yer temper will get us all killed. I certainly hope he's not the real Sildar though I believe Dario had met him.

Nevermind. What's done is done...and not everyone is bound to agree with me, but as a precaution, if this Sildar were shot full of those gobo arrows we have, we could manage to save ourselves the embarrassment and hot water Asher's ego has landed us in 

"Are you all telling me none of you were suspicious of Sildar? He was acting completely different. I simply chose to act before he could."

OCC: This was written before I had read confirmation that Sildar did in fact die and was revealed not to be a shapechanger. Please ignore this.

Asher, you just killed an unarmed man in cold blood. Based on nothing more than the fact that he’s speaking differently than before he was tortured by goblins for several days? If he was a shapeshifter of some kind he would have shifted back by now. No, Asher, thats the body of a man you murdered in cold blood over a perceived slight. What do you have to say for yourself?

As Soodi and Varinth keep plodding down the road, Varinth, without looking back shout's You're thinking of the dwarf that marked off our names Asher! Shildar never said *hic* said a word to us till we ripped off his gag. Good Luck!

Varinth and Soodi continue down the road.

Now I ain't saying tis the right thing to do...

Scupper starts gathering up the black fletched goblin arrows. 

I'm not even saying what Asher did don't need answerin'...but if we're to find Gungdren, it won't happen if we're stuck working our way through the law or pullin' our heads out o' the noose. You lot have ta decide what our priorities are... because Sildar can come home a hero who bravely fought off goblin raiders or a victim of questionable intuition but a victim won't help us find Rockseeker. More n likely to get us blamed for both.

 Incantis' eyes snap open from the restful trance he had been consumed with in the back of the wagon to find his new companions in a state of chaos. Looking mutely back and forth between Sildar, Asher, and the remaining members of the party, he quickly puts the pieces together of what has happened. Zhudun's path... he murmurs in a croaked whisper, almost to himself. Must you stray ever onward so? Aggressively and unsuccessfully clearing his throat, he reverts to his normal telepathic speech, addressing the whole party. It seems I've awoken at a tumultuous time, as is the way of things. It is unfortunate to me that my meditations have taken me from the conflict ensued; after all you've done to alter my fate I am saddened I might not have influenced yours. I serve no judgement and seek only knowledge; where go we from here? I would not be here without reason, but is our guide not laid slain? How to proceed, and, he turns to Asher and Scupper how to finance our proceedings?

If need be, I can add an illusion to Sildar's corpse to accentuate the appearance of a goblin blow. It won't last long but it could aid us in any attempts to make contacts in the city..

As the cart moves along down the trail to their destination, Dario keeps to himself, walking slightly ahead of the cart. His mind takes him back to the cavern, and even further back to when he was just a page to his father. Lost in his thoughts he wasn't aware of all the commotion happening behind him, but when he found himself farther ahead of the cart he finally turned around to see it stopped along the trail. He quickly went back, thinking the worse, but what he encountered was nothing compared to what he expected.

"What is this!" he says as he comes to the cart and sees Decklan and Incantis doing their best to heal Sildar. "Who did this?"

He watches Asher and Scupper as they stare at each other and looks back at the what could be the dead body of Sildar. He notices from his question they all give a quick glance to Asher, subtle, but Dario notices. He approaches Asher and for the first time his disheveled look is thrown aside as the natural light glows upon Dario. "Asher, what did you do? Is this your work? I can't speak for everyone, but this I cannot stand for this. Since we have started this journey together you have only looked out for yourself. And this..." he looks at Sildar and then back at Asher, "this only proves what I have only thought." Dario shakes his head and looks at the rest of his companions and says "How are we now to finish this job when we have the blood of our employer on our hands. From what I can see he was unarmed and Asher killed him for no reason. I do not know how you feel my friends, but this goes against what I believe." 

Dario then takes a step back, but is ready for what he hopes not, might come down.

We have a cave - they can find it. There's an ambush left on the road - they can find it. Plenty o' signs o' goblins livin' in that cave. Black fletched arrows abound at both locations. Now i don't wish ill on our new green friends...and I tink, giving what lay leftover in the cave twould probably be enough to satisfy any curiosity. That'd leave us to find Gungdren, this Black Spider, and any other nefarious types what might be behind all this.

Now if he's dead, he'll not mind getting a heroes burial but we should be quick about it. We'll get nothing done in jail and even less at the end of a rope.  Anyone against this greater good we're looking to commit tonight? Speak up.

Scupper notches a black fletched arrow.

The dark work comes first, then the light.

When the realization sets in that Sildar's corpse does not transform, he becomes frantic. "No, this isn't right." He shakes Sildar's body, slapping him repeatedly. "Transform! Transform! TRANSFORM!!!!!" Sildar's body slowly falls out of Asher's hands. Without revealing his face, he wipes tears as they begin to swell in his eyes. "I was so sure," he mutters to himself. "I was sure of it. This can't be." Black with white eyes. Boy. Master. He throws his glaive down, stumbling off of the cart as many of the party begins to turn on him or question him or ask him to speak on his actions. "I don't know." He holds his head. "I DON'T KNOW!!!!! Someone heal him, Dekhan, Dario, do something!" Helrick. I've wasted everything. 

Dekhan rushes to Sildar he kneels next to his body. The light of his faith, Dekhan draws directly from the light within himself imbuing Sildar with 1hp. Please old man, open your eyes. It doesn’t matter to Sildar if you acted in good faith. A blow is not easily unstruck, Asher, you would do well to remember that in the future. If this man dies, there must be consequences, you must atone. Dekhan looks at Asher with sadness in his eyes, for Sildar and possibly more for Asher as he feels the anguish he must be experiencing.

Quote from jsmall >>

 

Wait I'm confused I don't remember any mention of Sildar potentially being a shapeshifter...

 

 As Dekhar lays his hands on Sildar, Strix tiptoes back a few steps, ready to resume his looting if the light fails.

Dario stands back as Dekhan runs up to Sildar and tries to revise their dead employee and as Asher faces the consequences of his actions. Confused by Asher's cries, Dario just ignores the wailing soldier and leans over Dekhan, watching him work. "Do you think there is a chance he can be saved. For our sake," and Dario looks at the befuddled Asher, "...and his." 

Dario then turns to Scupper, Vaz, and Invictus. "If Dekhan fails I think we should do as Scupper said. Bury the body and try to move on from here. Thoughts?"

With baited breath Incantis watches Dekhan and Sildar. "Stars above and below..." he mutters "Have we any of this man's fate left to alter..? And what is in store for me, if this is how your companions are treated?" He projects his voice slightly at the last sentence, addressing the party.