Waterdeep: Camel Heist (2020)

Thankyou Sister Varinth dusts off his pants We will think on it and get back to you. I gather Harbin is the Mayor or something? Not that it matters I suppose. Doesn't sound too useful. He makes his best attempt at a bow or what he thinks religious people might do. Goddess be with you.

Varinth will leave. That little snifter has got him in a "mood". When he feels it appropriate he shall peel off from the group and head back to the Inn. There he shall find out what he can fill up his wineskin and Goblin Keg with. And perhaps have another wee snifter while he's at it. He would also like to inquire if anybody in town sells pipes and backie. 

At the Temple:

Vaz, Sister Garaele doesn't really notice you leave.  She's staring at Incantis and Dario, surprised that what she thought was a group of three might be something else, and waiting to learn more.

Scupper, you haven't seen anyone who you thought looked like a 'Redbrand', but you don't really know what one would look like exactly.   You certainly don't see anyone obviously harassing the townspeople

Are you following Strix to the Lionhead Coster, or headed somewhere else?

Anyone seen any o' these Redbrands about? I'm figuring they'd be easy t' spot...I'm imagining uniforms or a big red brand on their heads...but maybe they's more subtle-like

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At Lionshield Coster:

Strix, you enter a small trading house; you passed under a sign shaped like a shield, with a lion painted on it.  The interior is small, but clean and tidy; there isn't a huge amount of choice, but various weapons and pieces of armour are on display, with some newer items in display cases and a barrel or two holding old or damaged gear, most likely at a discount.  A human woman in her mid thirties sits on a chair near the window, her legs crossed, reading a book.  She lowers it as you come in.  Yes?

 Holding one finger up, Strix grins and proclaims "Lion!" while nodding enthusiastically. When there's no reaction, he takes that finger and points it at the front door, chasing briskly behind it then jogging back towards the chair. "Lion sign! See it in cave. Lion!"

At Lionshield Coster:

Wha...  By the gods, man, what are you talking about?  The woman is staring at you, her book forgotten in her lap.

Very slowly, as if to a child, making emphatic hand gestures and broad mime, he repeats "Li-on..... Siii-ign. Like.... this..... See ... In.... Cave.... Gobbie cave. Boxes. Too many, too heavy, not able carry."

At Lionshield Coster:

The woman sits still for a moment.  You... found... some boxes.... with the lion symbol.   In a cave.   She pauses.  I see.  And you have evidence of this?  A map to the cave perhaps?

"evidence? Was no crime! Well... Gobbie murder, spose. Gobbies started though!" 

He pauses, staring her up and down. 

"Wait minnin. No sound happy. No sound grateful. Sound spishus."

His hand instinctively drops to his hatchet. 

"Lady, whats game?"

At the Lionshield Coster:

No, no, says the woman quickly.  I am quite grateful, I assure you.  I only want to know more about this cave.   Do tell me more.

(Strixy sense is tingling. Can I roll insight or perception? If yes, 18 either way)

He looks her in the eye, then quickly tries to take in the room. He shouldn't have come in alone. This isn't a rat cellar or a gambler's flop cot. There's a reason he's not supposed to talk to normals. Breathe. Breeeeeeathe.

"Not much say. Cave got lion boxes. Cave got dead gobbies. Cave got split level floor, great flow. What in lion box?"

At Lionshield Coster:

Strix, you're not very adept at reading other people, especially in social situations, so you can't really tell if there's anything 'off' about this woman or her reaction.  As far as you can see, she is sitting normally and in a relaxed fashion, completely still on her chair.  

I see.  So you found some boxes with the Lionshield symbol on them.  The Lionshield Coster operates all along the Sword Coast, trading a variety of goods, so I'm afraid I don't know what was in the boxes you found.  And there are many caves, and many goblins who choose to take shelter in them.  She very slowly moves her hand over to a nearby shelf, picks up a tankard of something, and takes a long swig, before equally slowly putting it carefully back down.

"hmmm. Well, could be anyuns boxes. Sorry. Mistake. Saw lion, thought... No mind. Time wasted. Sorry. Strix go.

Hey, know kneewon owns cart? Hmmm no no, no time.

Lady has map? Chisel? Bone? Can show trail, kinda, rough-like, but need show you land mark. Make piccie on bone. Could draw but like bone piccies. Edgy."

At Lionshield Coster:

The woman responds:  I don't have a map, I'm afraid.  Nor a chisel or... bone.  I'm sure that whatever you've found is yours by rights.  Finders keepers, as they say. 

Strix flaps his arms over his head, exasperated.

"Found BOXES! Not open, not mine. Lion boxes. LION BOXES! This lion shop! You lion lady. LADY BOXES!"

He longs for a simpler time when he could snap a man's ankle to stop them from running away figuratively and literally from his debt to society and people would tell him what a good worker he was. His eyes try to move towards this woman's ankles but he resists. Why is it so important that she get her boxes back? She's ambivalent, shouldn't you be too? In the end aren't those crates really just conduits for the idea of possession, which itself is a false construct, so in the end the box is just a lie. Negative waves. Was the box ever really there? Actually weren't they bags? You really weren't paying too much attention, you were busy trying to impress that goblemme fatale and being mostly dead. It would explain a lot of the confusion. Maybe they were bags. How long have you been not-talking after screaming "ladybox" in this woman's face? Can you remember where the door is? Good. 

He backs away to the door. The next negotiation will be the one. He can feel it. 

If he makes it out, he wanders back towards the mining exchange to see if Thornton has left (mark the scent - if she's within 60ft I'll know) then meet up with the others .

At Lionshield Coster:

Strix, you leave the shop.  The woman makes no attempt to stop you or to speak; she remains still in her chair and watches you go.  When you are some way down the street, you hear behind you the sound of the door being closed, and then bolted and barred.  You return to where Dekhan and Scupper are standing in the street and talking, just outside the Miner's Exchange.  Your senses tell you that Halia Thornton is within 60 feet; most likely she has not left the Exchange building where you met her.

At the Temple:

Vaz, as you are standing outside the Shrine of Luck considering your next course of action, you notice that a male elf is approaching the shrine from across the Town Green, and there appears to be a mounted rider following just behind.  You also notice that Soodi is now standing in the centre of the Green, watching them as they walk past her.

Strix kicks at a rock and stands around sheepishly. 

"Strix vote Scupper talk now on." He mutters 

Scupper pats Strix on the shoulder, "and I vote you jest eat they face and save us the trouble lad. No sense in us changing a winning strategy."