Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Dekhan and Scupper, you begin the journey south to where Dekhan's vision of the tree has led him.  Nars shares a horse with Scupper, and takes to riding quite well; as with your swordplay lessons, he's a good listener and quick learner.  He spends much of the journey in silence, looking around at the countryside or focusing on trying to guide the horse well.  Scupper, you do need to help him out from time to time: roll an Animal Handling check.

You pause for lunch, and Nars offers you some bread, cheese and meat from the pack his mother prepared.  You spend a pleasant afternoon riding on, talking if you wish, and enjoying the ride.  

Dekhan, you're not quite sure how it is that you're so certain of the path before you; it's not as if the dream was all that detailed.  Nevertheless, you guide the little group unerringly, and perhaps two hours before sunset you reach the place you saw; a small area, seemingly carved out of the hillside though by natural processes for all you can tell, it is surrounded on three sides by steep rock.  In the middle of the forty-foot area stands the tree, remarkable in its unremarkableness.  You pause the horses at the entrance to the area, still feeling the pull towards it.

What would you like to do?

Zoria, you make inquiries and Elmer Barthen lets you know that he and his friends would be interested in a card game; an opportunity to win back some of the cash they gave your party as a reward.  The maximum stake is fixed at 30 gold pieces, and the game will take place tonight in the Miner's Exchange, hosted by Halia Thornton.  Would you like to attend?

Zoria attends with great joy, trotting into the Miner's Exchange, walking through crowded area, denying autographs to make believe people, only in an attempt to make her seem like a bigger deal to those in attendance.

Zoria, you sit in the back room of the Miner's Exchange, the room that normally serves as Halia Thornton's office.  A round table has been set up, and you sit on a raised platform made from a few boxes so that you are the same height as the others.  I can honestly say I've never gambled with a centaur, says Elmer Barthen, and never expected to neither. 

I'm sure the lady's coin is as good as yours Elmer, says Tolben the Innkeeper, and hopefully we'll find out soon enough. 

We can only hope her money is as good as yours, Tolben, says Halia tartly, and that we all become as intimately acquainted with it soon.  Tolben grins ruefully, and you gather he was the big loser in the last game. 

One more player has joined you - Sildar Hallwinter, who seems to have more interest in the conversation that the game.

So, Zoria, what brings you to be the saviour of our fair town, asks Halia.  I've heard you've a fine taste for coin - hardly heroic behaviour, no?

"Gambling with Centaurs. I do believe I've read that book somewhere before. While it's true we are a rare breed, as Tolben has said, my coin weighs just as much as any other! These little rumors circulating around about me love for coin are quite misguided. People see gold coins and think it means one thing, power or status or control, but I ask all of you what does money mean to you? Is it all just a means to an end or is there something more?" Zoria looks around the table, gauging their eyes. "I ask all of you, why do you gamble? Is it a past time? Are you searching for a certain weight to get that business going? Are you striving for a better future?" Zoria places a money bag on the table containing her 30 gold pieces. She clutches onto the eye patch and jewels, rubbing them for better luck than the bugbear it rested on previously.

It's him! The birthday boy! We've -

Shhhh! No, this Work! Few words, not waste!

Well how many do -

Not enough! *Ahem* Capture Elf. Not kill. Understood.

Where does the count start from? Is ahem a word? Why are you clearing your throat if this is just thinking, oaf? Why? This doesn't make sense! I can't share my space with more mind-pirates!  Enough is enough!

Strix ignores him, face grimly set and eyes fixed on the road ahead. He's unsure he confirmed in time. And that was a missed chance to ask about Ika, or send word that Rockseeker was missing, maybe get assistance finding the Spider and his castle. And how to relay this to Varinth without sounding like he was hallucinating? Was he hallucinating? It was a very long night. He opts to wait until they are closer to the meeting of trails before he says anything. 

Animal Handling 21

OOC: Congratulations Scupper, you just taught a teenager to ride a horse in 36 seconds.

"And that lad, is how ye ride a horse up a tree..."

Quote from FelixFelix006 >>

"And that lad, is how ye ride a horse up a tree..."

 I just laughed out loud for real waiting for the subway, congrats.

Dekhan gets off his horse and walks toward the tree. He comes back after a moment and says: Scup, will you wait with Nars here for a moment? Show him how to care for the horses? There’s something I feel I must do. Dekhan walks back to the tree, he takes his sword out without any kind of circumstance and lays it across his knees, he kneels there in quiet contemplation as Scup deals with Nars for a while.

Strix, you drive the cart east along the Triboar Trail, and in the early afternoon come to the part where the road to Phandalin turns off to the south.  There's a simple post marking it, and though the Triboar Trail is not heavily used, the Phandalin road is even less so, just a couple of faint lines in the grass.  There doesn't appear to be anyone around, at least not yet.  You haven't met any fellow travellers on the road in the last two days.

Zoria, the conversation continues as the group answers your question.

Oh, purely as a means of entertainment, to pass the time with good friends, says Halia calmly. 

Tolben grins, while Elmer looks uncomfortable.

Sildar seems serene, and also answers the question:  And of course, to build relationships with other notable and influential people in the town.  He smiles at this, and looks carefully at the other players.  I think I'll be here a good long time.  Tell me Zoria, he continues, do you see yourself remaining?  Helping us to rebuild?

Dekhan, as you approach the tree, it seems to shimmer and then to glow with a soft, golden light. 

Scupper, you and Nars watching this can see the glow, and notice that Dekhan’s skin also begins to glow, very slightly.  He seems to stand still for a moment, staring at the tree, then he kneels and holds his sword in front of him, apparently contemplating it.  He stays this way for several minutes.

Dekhan, you are kneeling in the same place, except that the tree before you is huge, clearly hundreds of years old, towering above you, its branches filled with leaves and fruit.  You hear a voice in your head.  Welcome, Dekhan Vale. 

Strix halts the cart.

"Friend Vaz - must speak. Have job. No reason, some detail. Elf come. Hairy elf. Go west. We stop. We hold. We keep live. He didn't say anything about whole, just alive. Shhhhh! Job good - have 'ployer, speak like Inky - head speak. This job, this Strix do. Friend Vaz stay, friend Vaz go - Vaz decide. If stay, Vaz not kill elf. But we can probably break some legs or, you know, burn extremeties, whatever you want. Shhhh! Must wait here."

If Vaz is amenable, Strix will pretend to work on the cart wheel while they wait. If not, Strix will just sit crosslegged at the post and wait.

Of course Mr Strix says Vaz Least I can do.

Is this employer in your head.. you? Or another person altogether? Varinth asks this without judgement, just pure curiosity.

Seeing Strix setting up the old Broken Down Cart Ruse Vaz asks Did you want me to hide or pretend to be passed out drunk on the coachman? I'm rather good at the latter. He winks.

Strix, time passes, and it gets towards late afternoon when you see a youngish male elf, walking alone but quite briskly, coming along the Triboar Trail from the east.  He has the right appearance to match the description that you were given.  He notices you working on the wheel, and gives the slightest of nods as he attempts to walk on by.  

Quote from Tobbence >>

Of course Mr Strix says Vaz Least I can do.

Is this employer in your head.. you? Or another person altogether? Varinth asks this without judgement, just pure curiosity.

Strix stops abruptly and gives that last question a very, very long think. Externally it appears as if someone just turned off the lights. Eventually he resumes working on the wheel, using the back of his hatchet like a hammer. 

When the Elf passes, Strix jogs after him stage whispering "Pssst! Sir! Please! Assist!" - He points at Vaz snoring on the cart - "Step father wake, Step father beat Strix. Must fix wheel! Sir must help! Please!"

Persuasion 15

And if that's a comically low number, he'll follow up with "Banzai mother****er! The Birthday Boy says Hello!" while leaping forward with the hatchet.

12

The elf jumps, startled.  He looks at you, his eyes widen, and he bolts, running as fast as he can to the west.