Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Dekhan fumbles with his purse and slams a gold coin down on the bar. You’ll not remain parched while Dekkie Breakpate has coin! Fill these lads up here here, miss, and I’ll have one myself. Dekhan sidles in between Scupper and the Redbrands. Mind yourself, halfman, wholemen are drinking now. Dekhan winks at Scupper clandestinely  as he pushes himself further in between the hafling and the Redbrands.

Scupper, you get a very clear insight into these guys.  They're bored and looking for some entertainment - pretending to be town guards seems like a fun game to them, especially Redbrand 1.  You get the sense that if you can entertain them long enough to get them a lot drunker, your plan might work.  Redbrand 2 seems to want to search for his missing friends (the ones you killed) so you probably need to keep his mind off that.  

Dekhan, Grista comes and takes your coin.  Well, that'll keep these two lads sorted for the rest of the night, I reckon.  Redbrand 1 gives a cheer at that, and Redbrand 2 joins in, though a little half-heartedly.

"Well wholeman, seems yer twice the eejit as well. I already said I was buying all te drinks but you trow yer coin around tryin to make a liar outta me. Yer lucky de town guard is here te keep tings respectable!"

Scupper turns to the Redbrands.

"Listen lads, I'm not gonna lie to the guard, I'm usually takin' coin not givin' it. That's the way piracy works, but a wager is a wager and I don't wanna argue wit Grista over technicalities when I prove te her what a sleepy wee town this is compared to the docks and pirate coves o' de Sword Coast. So..."

Turning back to Dekhan

"No deal ya gobshite! I said their drinks were free...as are yorn and these other townsfolk and now the guard is my witness. I'll not have ye throwin my wager fer yer favorite dwarf!"

Scupper is making a scene both for the Redbrands to play along and even step in as guard if they want and also to keep things lively and entertaining.

"Shots all around!"

He raises a shot of rotgut.

"Keep the crew in the ship and the water out! May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, but never catch up! Last man te empty his glass has te have another."

He downs the shot and winces. "By all that floats, that's powerful good."

Slightly confused, but happy so long as someone is paying, both Redbrands down their shots of rotgut and seem happier to stay now.

Scupper, make a Performance check as you continue to keep the Redbrands entertained while they drink; with advantage thanks to Dekhan's help.

Performance with advantage 23

Another round of drinks is had, and the Redbrands are clearly getting drunker as they mix rotgut and spiked ale.  Redbrand 1 is having a lot of fun pretending to be a town guard, and intervenes when you pretend to argue with Dekhan.  Now, let's... let's... keep the peace.... yeah, we are guards and we.... keep the pieces.  He raises his tankard, and Redbrand 2 does the same; they down the ales in one, and Grista rushes over with fresh tankards.

Redbrand 1 starts clapping along to Strix's dance, but Redbrand 2 looks around and spots the largely silent Zoria and Incantis.  Boring... crowd.  Hey, you, he shouts aggressively, pointing at Incantis.  Give us a song.  To dance to, he points at Strix.  Give us a bloody song!  Redbrand 1 laughs, seemingly in good humour, but Redbrand 2 is getting a bit red in the face.

Incantis feels a little out of his element. He drinks his first drink relatively early in the evening, and tries to be a wallflower in case anything goes down. This fails when he's called out as boring by a Redbrand, and he looks back and forth as if to say "who, me?" Not much of a singer, Incantis steps forward with a mute grin, playing the part of a drunkard (which shouldn't be too hard to fake given his low tolerance) [Constitution: 8] and joins Scupper, beginning to stomp his feet rhythmically as he joins the shifter in dance. He was never much of a dancer either, truth be told, but he subtly accentuates his footsteps with a minor illusion, and it isn't long before the rhythmic drum-like pounding permeates through the tavern, along with the tempo of Strix' dance and Redbrand1's clapping.

It's distasteful but 'tis for the good of the team. 

Planting his staff firmly in the middle of the floor, Strix breaks out The Forbidden Kata. (In all acceptable forms, the pole dances around the man.)

Performance: 15

1st roll was higher anyway if you wanna forgo advantage

Incantis drunkenly speaks into Strix' mind as they perform, doing his best to phrase himself in a way the odd owl-man will understand. Me no happy either. Not want use people's sacred dance for lying. Is needed, I thank you friend.

That's better, the Redbrands enjoy watching the two weird strangers doing their weird dance, and both are now clapping along.  As the performance comes to an end, both have finished their ale and Grista comes along with more tankards, but they opt for shots this time.

Still a boring... crowd though, says Redbrand 2, though he seems to be saying it for laughs now (your performance improved his mood a lot).  Needs more... more... He's definitely avoiding looking at Zoria, as if he can't quite make sense of the sight of her.

Hey, interrupts Redbrand 1, you still paying, right.  It seems more a statement than a question.  For the rest... of the lads.  He waves his hand vaguely in the direction of the manor.  

He gets up, staggers over to Scupper, and leans in - and down - and says in the best low, menacing voice he can manage.  You look like... trouble.  Pirates... Adventurers... all the bloody same.  We've got orders to run... shitheads like you out of town.  Then he stands up, takes a swig from his tankard, and continues more loudly.  But so long as you're... buying, we can... leave bus.. bus... business 'till tomorrow.  Right Jer?  Redbrand 2 raises his tankard and they both drink.

And normally, I wouldn't call a town guard even if'n the great Shadowmasters o' Telflamm was after me gold...but tonight all bets are off, save one. That bein':  can you lot truly bring a party or is this place as borin' as it looked comin' in dis mornin'?

So yeah...bring the rest o' the lads if'n they're like you lot.

Zoria remains stoic through most of this encounter while drinking any ale put in front of her, however does offer a smile and slight giggle at the dancing. Centuars are quite an odd sight. I see them staring. I think it's best I keep a low profile. My strong suits are not in interpersonal matters. Best leave that to the dancers.

To tHa leaVin o' buzshNiz!! Varinth raises a glass and takes a swig. Are thEy brinGin moRe Mashter ScuP? wE GuNNa ParT *hic* we GunnA paR *hic* We gunnA *hic* sHindigGity?!

Deception: 13

hEy Hey hey! I tHinK thE preTTy giRl thaT won't *hic* gEt off hEr horSHE is giviN Me thA ey *hic* tHa eye *hic* the lOokinG!  Varinth earnestly tells the more drunker of the Redbrands.

Vaz then breaks into a rather more lascivious version of "My Little Buttercup"

Performance: 12

Varinth, you definitely get the sense that the music is helping sell the atmosphere of the party.  You're even in tune.  Mostly.

Quote from Tobbence >>

hEy Hey hey! I tHinK thE preTTy giRl thaT won't *hic* gEt off hEr horSHE is giviN Me thA ey *hic* tHa eye *hic* the lOokinG!  Varinth earnestly tells the more drunker of the Redbrands.

Vaz then breaks into a rather more lascivious version of "My Little Buttercup"

Performance: 15

Quote from SquigsTheTruth >>

Quote from Tobbence >>

hEy Hey hey! I tHinK thE preTTy giRl thaT won't *hic* gEt off hEr horSHE is giviN Me thA ey *hic* tHa eye *hic* the lOokinG!  Varinth earnestly tells the more drunker of the Redbrands.

Vaz then breaks into a rather more lascivious version of "My Little Buttercup"

Performance: 15

 

Is Vaz referring to Zoria as the woman who won't get off her horse LOL 

 Varinth is definitely aiming his crooning in Zorias direction. And occasionally it looks as though he's searching for the horses missing head through drunken eyes. Whether or not this is part of the deception or Varinth has actually forgotten who Zoria is, and thinks she is a pretty girl sitting on a headless horse, is up for debate.