Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Incantis gazes wondrously around Barthen's provisions, looking at all the good Barthen has on sale and reflecting on Dario's comment about the fruits of civilization.

Elmer Barthen, present as called, comes a shout from very nearby.  A balding human stands behind a counter in the shop, and has dropped the rag he was using the wipe up a stain in order to stand up, almost like a soldier standing to attention.  Now that, he exlaims, is how to make an entrance.  You can learn a thing or two from this fellow, Thistle; he looks over at two young men who are stocking goods onto the shelves.  One of them laughs, the other rolls his eyes, and they both go back to their work.  And how may I assist you this afternoon, good sir.

Barthen's Provisions is a small building, but probably a large shop for a settlement as small as this.  Inside, the shelves stock all manner of adventuring, camping and other gear; no weapons or armour, though.  Barthen seems good-humoured, and watches Strix and any others who have entered, waiting to learn their business.

After realizing that everyone is acting very un-zombie like, Varinth quickly comes back to reality, and as he follows everyone into the store he smiles at Scuppers comment;

Well, hopefully I gained all his powers now that he resides within me. He says with a wink. But not his strange knack of stabbing people through the chest and not killing them. That seems a very niche ability. Turning serious Did we send him away?

"Bring cart. Rockseeker cart. Not Rockseeker, Goblins have dwarf, but cart fine! Outside! Job done, all well!" Strix blurts, bowing, then busies himself looking for any deals on offer. 

"Ah, friend Vaz! Ash go, like Mistweev. Other bisniz. Pishus Sildar talk him, he go. Seem not-happy-not-sad. Think mebbe no need kill Sildar again."

I... cart?  What?  I... wait, Rockseeker?  Do you mean Gundren?  Have you brought Gundren's supplies?  He looks completely flummoxed, and looks at the others in the group helplessly.  I'm sorry, I'm really not following.

Sorry Sir, I suppose his manner of speech does take a bit of getting used to. Your goods are outside in the cart. Sildar, I believe, has headed to the Inn if you wish a detailed explanation of events. Suffice to say there was... troubles. I'll take five flasks of oil and a large bag of onions thankyou kind Sir. Varinth is chipper through his hangover. Probably the giddy joy that come from not being in immediate danger.

By the by, does this seal ring a bell? Varinth points outside to the sack of grain hanging from Soodi's side.

Ahh, yes, says Elmer Barthen, relieved that you are saying something he's able to comprehend.  Outside, in the cart?  Gundren's supplies, is it?  He walks round the counter to the doorway, and peers out, taking in the wagon and those members of the group still outside with Sildar, who he doesn't appear to recognise.  He nods; that's splendid, splendid.  Anders, Thistle, see to the supplies, please.  The two young men head out to the wagon and begin carrying the goods round the back of the building.

Elmer heads back in and speaks to Vaz:  Yes, those are Gundren's supplies.  Not actually for me, you see, but I agreed to take delivery of them, as I've storage space and have done similar for him in the past.  They'll be for the lost mine, no doubt, all very exciting in my opinion.  And of course, I have your payment right here, just a moment.  He moves back behind the counter.  You hear his voice coming up as he rummages through the bags and boxes; and a friend of Gundren's too, is it?  I believe there was mention of a Sildar Hall-something-or-other, never met the fellow myself, of course, but any friend of Gundren's is a friend of mine.  Gundren stayed behind in Neverwinter seeing to business, I suppose?  That dwarf needs to hire more assistants, before he works himself to an early grave, in my opinion.

He pops back up behind the counter, with a small wooden box in his hands.  Did someone say something about a seal?

Outside the shop, Sildar makes his goodbyes and heads off down the street.

Yes, in the troubles, we came across some goods. I would like to get word to the owner of said goods about their location. Hanging off the side of my Bump Horse is a sack of grain with the seal in question. Do you recognize it? Varinth is quite obviously trying to sound posh. He is unsure why he is doing this.

Strix nods enthusiastically. 

"Yes! Need many helps. Goblins take him. Must get back - can't claim favour from corpse. 

What is lost mine? Wait, what is payment!"

if the shopkeep seems to know his way around seals and sigils, Strix will show him the mapcase on his back in case it rings any bells. 

Well goodness me, I shall certainly take a look.  Elmer is responding to Vaz's attempts to sound posh by trying to sound even posher.   He heads out to the doorway again, and this time walks further out of the shop.  He carries the wooden box with him.  I... errr...  is that a camel?  I've seen such like in books and... well, what a strange thing to see in a place like Phandalin.  He looks at the grain sack, and his eyes open wide in surprise.  He scuttles back into the shop.  That's the mark of the Lionshields, right enough. They run the Lionshield Coster over in the square.  Wherever did you find this?  You need to go and speak Linene, but take care; she'll want to know why you're in possession of such a thing, and if she's not happy with the reason, things might go very bad very quickly.  She's not a patient woman.

Still holding the wooden box from behind the counter, he looks at Strix, once again confused:  Goblins, did you say?  What was that about goblins?  He turns to Vaz:  Did he say something about goblins?  I could have sworn the word 'goblins' was in there somewhere.

Upon hearing Strix, Varinth suddenly realizes they are about to be paid twice. Being somewhat naive in these matters and only really caring about money when it buys mead, Vaz freezes. He tries to make inconspicuous sounds aimed at Strix to not mention the money, although he is not to sure how much information is being conveyed through two small coughs.

Deception: 19

"Aye payment sounds fair enough... having fought through 30 gobos to get here...plus one rather nasty bugbear. Most of Gundren's supplies are fine...though in our rescue attempt we may have found a raccoon as stowaway or forager. Gundren is NOT in Neverwinter, unfortunately. Taken by some such what calls himself the Black Spider according to a greenskin we took captive and interrogated. Sildar was rescued well enough but we're still looking for the trail of Gundren's captor."

Caught of guard by Vaz, Scupper tries to hastily intervene - Deception 9

Sweating more than he realized he could, Varinth starts to back out of the shop. 

Goblins? Who said goblins ha HA! A camel is from the FAMILY dromADERRY! Vaz is having trouble controlling the volume of his voice. With one free hand he is desperately trying to gesture for someone else to take over this conversation. THANKYOU for the GOODS! He drops 10 silver pieces on the nearest shelf. He goes to make his way out and suddenly stops in the doorway of the shop.

He looks down at the small purse of coins in his hand.

How did Sildar have that gold?

Elmer finds a small key and unlocks the wooden box.  Inside is a large number of gold coins.  Now, there were to be six of you, and... he looks around at the group... that appears to be correct, then.  Are you the leader?  The treasurer perhaps?  He hands sixty gold pieces to Vaz before he can answer, and closes and locks the wooden box before returning it to the bottom shelf behind the counter.

Ah yes, gobos... errr.. goblins, well they're quite a pest hereabouts, and worse down on the Triboar Trail itself, Elmer nods to Scupper and continues speaking; he doesn't seem to pause very often.  You fought thirty, you say.  That's hard work and no mistake.  Rare for them to gather in such large numbers.  Dangerous; most trader caravans have guards, of course, you'd be a fool not to, but they'd have a hard time dealing with thirty of the little buggers all at the same time.  Sildar was... what?  Rescued you say?  Captured?  His mouth and brain appear to be catching up with his ears?  Gundren was captured?  That's terrible.  Are you quite certain of this?

Perception: 1.  Elmer does not notice that Vaz has left a small pile of silver coins in his shop, though he probably will eventually if it's left there.

From outside, you hear a young male voice cry:  Aah!  Ewww, oh gods, gross, it's all over my hand, and another voice starts howling with laughter.

Varinth takes the coins and thanks the shopkeep in a bit of a daze, his previous misunderstanding  gone from his mind. He distributes 10 gold to each player making sure to do Scupper last. He leans down to Scupper and whispers;

Do you think it possible to be captured by gobins, tortured, and still keep over sixty gold on you?

Quote from Tobbence >>

Do you think it possible to be captured by gobins, tortured, and still keep over sixty gold on you?

Quote from SteveThaiBinh >>

Quote from Tobbence >>

Do you think it possible to be captured by gobins, tortured, and still keep over sixty gold on you?

 

Sorry, that's just me misreading the module.  Sildar has contacts in Phandalin that allow him to get the money for you later in the day; assuming you head to the inn at nightfall, you'll get the money from him there. 

 Hearing the hullabaloo from outside Varinth is pretty sure Soodi just spat on someone so makes his way outside once everyone has their gold.