Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

(Eventually you will make it to Saltmarsh, but for the moment, it's up to you.  I've put a link to the region map on the campaign page.  Where are you headed?)

Well Waterdeep is likely the best means te the sea and I never have managed te see any o' the lords what wear masks yet. Nice big city on the bay then?

Dekhan is happy to head to Waterdeep and see what adventure the party encounters along the way! The party, the party... we haven’t had a name stick for our little band, I think it’s high time we made an official one. We can’t have a bunch of lvl 5 badasses running around with out a name. Echo Company since we liberated Wave Echo Cave? The Peacemakers since we brokered peace between the Many Arrows and the people of Phandelin? The Slaughterhouse Five cause there’s five of us and we slaughter stuff?

(since we've a few shadow related subclasses, The Black n Dekhan? Sounded cleverer in my head)

Quote from Nunberry >>

(since we've a few shadow related subclasses, The Black n Dekhan? Sounded cleverer in my head)

 

 Vaz and the 4 more shots? Bottle o' Trouble? 

Or maybe the Just 5? Since there's only 5 of us but it also sounds like its about justice. Who're they? Just 5. Just 5 what? Uh jest 5 of em innit?

((I will try my hand at adding to the group's artistry over break re: Incantis' tailoring job :)  ))

"Waterdeep, eh? I've never been." Incantis ponders for a moment. "That's a big city isn't it? I've never seen a city..." Incantis pauses for a long moment. "Is it north? Zhudun has started to move on from these skies."

Zhudala croaks out, "Seek the salt air."

Well Zhudalia's no parrot but she's got the right idea.

Waterdeep it is.

You say your goodbyes.  Many villagers come to say goodbye.  Mirna and her family have prepared some food for you (you can each add 2 sets of rations to your inventories, as they won't keep as long as regular rations, but will do for two days).  Daran Edermath, Qelline, Sister Garaele, Sildar and the Rockseekers, along with Barthen and his lads, and Toblen and his family, all come with friends and relatives to make a decent crowd.  Nena and her mother are there, and Pru gives Scupper a big kiss and a pat on his butt as he sets off, to the laughter of the orc honor guard that accompanies you for the first few miles out of town. 

Come and visit soon, says Nena as she hugs Incantis; her mother smiles and gives you a hug too.

If I see you again, it won't be in this place, Pru says to Scupper.  Watch your back, handsome, and she gives you a smart smack on the rump, much to the amusement of the orc honour guard that is preparing to escort you out of town.

Nars gives Dekhan a firm handshake, before his mother sweeps them both, along with her daughter, into a huge family hug.  Stay safe, says Nilsa, and she gives you a sisterly kiss on your cheek.

Varinth, a very healthy-looking and clean-smelling Soodi comes up from behind and headbutts you, not gently.  You hear a snort from her and laughter from the onlookers, and then she stands next to you, nudging you to mount.

Strix, you watch all of this from a short distance; though the crowd are friendly, they mostly don't quite know how to approach you.

You leave town.  The orcs turn back after an hour or so, saluting each of you as you go.

You are on the road again, and alone for the first time in quite a while.  For the first time ever, you have no immediate quest, no great task to perform, no lost dwarf to save.  Only a tentative plan to head to Waterdeep and see what you can find there.

You journey north along the Phandalin Road, and reach the Triboar Trail in the late afternoon; there's enough daylight left for another couple of hours of travel.  You could head west, and down to Waterdeep on the High Road via the Mere of Dead Men.  Or you could head east to Triboar, and then down to Waterdeep on the Long Road via Amphail.  Or you could do something else.  

https://media.wizards.com/2015/images/dnd/resources/Sword-Coast-Map_LowRes.jpg

((Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah everyone :) back from the fam's and back to posting!))

Keep an eye on the skies, Incantis telepaths to Nena. He says his goodbyes to Sister Garaele and travels onward from Phandalin with his four friends, bowing to the orcs as he passes.

Incantis strides with purpose alongside the party as they make their way along Phandalin Road, Zhudala taking advantage of the open skies to stretch her wings. The warlock takes his flute out of the pocket of his newly tailored robed armor and plays the party along, the wanderer's ring flashing in the early afternoon sun as his fingers move. An ancient and triumphant elvish melody, accompanied by Zhudala on crowing vocals.

When the group arrives at the Triboar trail he pauses as the group deliberates their next move. "Have any of you been to Waterdeep before? I'm intrigued by this 'Mere of Dead Men' but I could see a case for going to Triboar with our gems."

I’ve not been in ages...the larger cities hold little love for the piratical...but it’s definitely where we’ll find the best price on those gems. I’m also for the Dead Men’s Sea but it’s a swamp so we’ll make slow time there, to be sure.

An hour passes as you discuss which path to take without decision.  You only have a couple of hours left before sundown, though the weather promises to be warm and pleasant through the night.

Varinth snores loudly from his awkward position draped around Soodi's neck. Apparently this is the extent of his decision making.

Well then. It appears we'll go with the Mere of Dead Men...though I'm sure there's nothing to truly be concerned about

(Do I know any of the legends or history)

1

Halfling luck 17

Scupper, you know the Mere of Dead Men is also known as Meredelain.  It's a saltwater swamp and the dwelling place of many horrible monsters and undead, and the High Road passes right by it.  It's rare for anything to venture out onto the road and attack a well-defended caravan or travelling group, but it is a risk.  However, there are lots of things there that will try their best to draw travellers into the Mere to their doom.  You know a few tales of hags and vampires that exist there, but you've travelled enough to know that these are usually the same stories found everywhere, with only the names and places changing.

We would likely want te stick te the road. Incantus...can ye see through charms and illusions? That'll be the biggest threat trying te lure us inte the deeper swamp where the real beasties wait.

Mrblshipmn Varinth concludes.

Exactly. Vaz gets it.

You turn west towards the coast, knowing that the path will take you past the Mere of Dead Men, but you are not daunted by this fact.  With only a few hours of daylight left, you soon stop to set up camp a little way south of the road, in a patch of tall grass with tall trees casting long shadows in the light of the setting sun.  You spend the cool night peacefully, taking turns to keep watch, but no enemy or danger presents itself.  

The following morning is a little chillier, with rain threatening for later in the day; dark clouds are ahead and blowing in from the ocean.  Soodi stares at the clouds, looking even less impressed than her normal expression would suggest.  Incantis, you notice that Zhudala in imp form has been flittering about above Soodi's head, and she has been ignoring her.

It's about three hundred miles to Waterdeep, and the journey should take around thirteen days, give or take.  We'll divide it into three part - the trip to the coast and then down the High Road up to Meredelain, then the path around Meredelain, then the last stretch into Waterdeep. 

The Triboar Trail was dead the last time you travelled; you recall heading up and down this road and barely encountering another living soul.  Now, the situation is... better.  A little.  As in, you actually meet two groups of people headed east as you near the coast.  One merchant and his two guards are headed to Phandalin, delivering two wagons of supplies to 'some Rockseeker gnome, or something'.  The other larger caravan of around fifteen people, traders and guards together, is headed to Triboar itself.  They set off from Neverwinter a few days before and comment on how quiet the roads seem - some kind of trouble with goblins or orcs in the Neverwinter Woods, says the gossip in Neverwinter.  They seem upbeat about their chances of making it safely to Triboar and beyond, and their leader, an elderly elf woman named Sunila, remarks that this is only the second time in her life that she's seen a camel.

You hit the High Road, and turn south.  You meet people here and there - merchants, bards with their guards, soldiers, rangers, even a few adventurers, but most are keen to get to Neverwinter or further north and don't seem keen to stop. 

Varinth, please make a WIS saving throw.

On the fourth day out of Phandalin (please mark down that you have consumed four sets of rations, and let me know if you have run out!) you see someone headed towards you, an older human man with a long white beard, white hair, faded blue robes with large silver stars dotted here and there.  He has his head down, but from a distance you can hear him grumbling, muttering and occasionally barking an angry laugh at no-one in particular.  There is plenty of space on the wide High Road to let him pass if you wish, or you could approach him.

Varinth has plenty of rations left, enough for anybody who has run out. He is however running low on The Nectar of The Gods.

Wisdom: 10