[OOC] I know that technically Sacred Flame does radiant damage and not fire damage. But it has "flame" in the title so it's good enough for me. I'm calling the troll dead now. We're out of combat!

Tiermat calls down holy fire onto troll, finally killing it. Durnan walks up to the troll and nudges it with his boot and nods his head. "Good job." Then looks back at the group. Thank you all for the assist. Killing trolls is always easier with help. Next round is on me. As he walks away you see him telling some of the staff to dispose of the corpses. As you start to walk back to your table, various folks pat you on the back telling you all "good job" and "way to go". Yagra follows you and thanks you for your help as well but says that she could have taken the men on her own, as they were just some of Xanathar's thugs but she appreciates it all the same.

As the group of people surrounding your table finally parts, you see an elderly gentleman still standing near patiently waiting for your attention. While he waits he strokes his mustache, adjusts his floppy hat, and tightens his scarf. When you're all settled at the table he approaches and says, “You be adventurers, am I right? I could use your help." The man finds an unused chair at a neighboring table and pulls it up to yours and sits down. He clears his through and back up, making eye contact with each of you and begins...

“Volothamp Geddarm, yes the Volothamp, chronicler, wizard, and celebrity, at your service. I trust you’ve noted the violence in our fair city these past tendays. I haven’t seen so much blood since my last visit to Baldur’s Gate! But now I fear I have misplaced a friend amid this odious malevolence.

“My friend’s name is Floon Blagmaar. He’s got more beauty than brains, and I worry he took a bad way home a couple nights ago and was kidnapped — or worse. If you agree to track him down with all due haste, I can offer you ten dragons apiece now, and I can give you each ten times that when you find Floon. May I prevail upon you in my hour of need?”

“What’s a Voloscamp?” Lockbox asks the newcomer. Names and titles are new to him, if it wasn’t Captain or Warden he really didn’t understand. But, he could use some extra coin. And his new companions seemed like they could hold their own, while appreciating his skills. “Eleven (11) dragons. For all friends here. You. An have Lockbox help.”

Kestrell hops down off the table.  "Yes, what's a Volothamp?  And Lockbox, he said ten dragons.  One less than eleven.  By the way, Yagra, why were those hooligans attacking you?"

Lockbox holds up his hands, counts eight finger, on two hands, and pulls out his one greataxe. “If you say so.” He puts his weapon away and continues, “We could use coin. But also, I think I like hitting things with axe. Will I be able to hit more things with axe?”

"Yep, we could always use more coin.  And you seem pretty good at hitting things with that axe.  I bet you will be able to hit more things with your axe.  Let's try to limit it to only things that need to be hit though!  And I'll try to actually hit something with an arrow.  If it needs it, that is. But first, let's find out what a Volothamp is, and why Yagra was getting attacked by those thugs?"

"THE Volothamp Geddarm?  Faerun' s premier traveller and famous author of Volo's Guide to the Realms?"

'Vassa seems genuinely speechless for the first time since meeting his new companions. He forgets momentarily about the recent battle and picks up a nearby drink (not particularly caring if it's his or not) to take a steadying drink.'

"You want OUR help in finding your friend you say? My friends seem interested and I'm sure that I could juggle my busy gig schedule to accomodate. The 110  dragons APIECE does sound tempting, and more than ample for a finders fee, though I'd prefer 50 dragons each upfront, as we're newly acquainted with each other and some of us will need to purcahse goods to prepare for this endeavour..."  persuasion check 25

Volothamp appears to be taken aback by Lockbox and Kestrell not recognizing his name. He's simply not used to this treatment, especially in Waterdeep. But upon Vassa's recognition and praise he begins to relax and puff his chest out. As Vassa talks Volo takes a drink of his ale enjoying hearing about himself. When Vassa mentions 50 gold up front Volo starts choking on his drink. He slowly reaches into his coat and pulls out several bags of coins and places one in front of each of the party. Each bag has 10 dragons in it as promised.  "Unfortunately, this is all the gold I brought with me this evening. As you can imagine, carrying around several hundred coins with the recent violence would be rather risky. But don't worry, I am a man of honor and you will be justly recompensed for your assistance. Looking at Lockbox, "I understand and appreciate your fervor but I do hope you can find my friend without having to use your axe. What say you all, help an old man out?"

FYI - Yagra is back at her table drinking and talking to folks around her.

"Oh!  Volothamp as in 'Volo'.  My apologies, of course I've heard of you and read most of Volo’s Waterdeep Enchiridion.  Yes, yes.  Thank you for pointing that out Vassa.  I am certainly willing to help find Floon.  You said he got kidnapped on his way home?  Where is his  home?"

Quote from vassasunstar >>

"THE Volothamp Geddarm?  Faerun' s premier traveller and famous author of Volo's Guide to the Realms?"

'Vassa seems genuinely speechless for the first time since meeting his new companions. He forgets momentarily about the recent battle and picks up a nearby drink (not particularly caring if it's his or not) to take a steadying drink.'

"You want OUR help in finding your friend you say? My friends seem interested and I'm sure that I could juggle my busy gig schedule to accomodate. The 110  dragons APIECE does sound tempting, and more than ample for a finders fee, though I'd prefer 50 dragons each upfront, as we're newly acquainted with each other and some of us will need to purcahse goods to prepare for this endeavour..."  persuasion check 26

*Vassa can hardly believe his good fortune! First he runs into these eclectic, but undoutedly capable, new carousing buddies and then VOLOTHAMP GEDDARM asks for HIS help!?! If what Vassa has read and heard is true, Volo knows ELMINSTER himself and has been, if not literally, then at least substantively, EVERYWHERE.*

 

 

“Hey, I was drinking that.” Lockbox says to Vassa as his cup was taken and slung back. 

Quote from WebGambit>>

Volothamp appears to be taken aback by Lockbox and Kestrell not recognizing his name. He's simply not used to this treatment, especially in Waterdeep. But upon Vassa's recognition and praise he begins to relax and puff his chest out. As Vassa talks Volo takes a drink of his ale enjoying hearing about himself. When Vassa mentions 50 gold up front Volo starts choking on his drink. He slowly reaches into his coat and pulls out several bags of coins and places one in front of each of the party. Each bag has 10 dragons in it as promised.  "Unfortunately, this is all the gold I brought with me this evening. As you can imagine, carrying around several hundred coins with the recent violence would be rather risky. But don't worry, I am a man of honor and you will be justly recompensed for your assistance. Looking at Lockbox, I understand and appreciate your fervor but I do hope you can find my friend without having to use your axe. What say you all, help an old man out?

FYI - Yagra is back at her table drinking and talking to folks around her.

”Traveller? Have you seen the world? Is there other Lockboxes out there?” Lockbox asked, not knowing that he needed an answer to this question until the words came out of his mouth. He was alone in this world, sure he made new friends recently, but they also had others like them. Humans had other humans, dwarves other dwarves...who does Lockbox have? His master and creator was dead. His first true friend, dead at his masters hands. He had no one, no one to tell him or show him how to be. 

Lockbox was feeling a longing he couldn’t understand. One he would never be able to explain, but he felt it. Just as he felt anger at the monster who came crashing into the Yawning Portal. Or joy at being around such friendly and boisterous companions. Whatever it was that he felt, he knew he needed to find out what it meant. 

"My apologies, my good... my friend. I was just a little starstruck, don't ya know. To think, Volothamp himself, asking for our  help? And in the Yawning Portal no less... wow. One day, who knows, perhaps OUR names will have that effect upon the next generation of would be adventurers."

'Vassa composes himself, handing back the Warforged's now empty mug with an apologetic smile, placing a shard on the nearest waitperson's tray to obtain another drink for his large companion. Turning back towards Volo with his most engaging smile,...'

'Well enough, good Volo. 10 dragons up front and 100 more, each was it?, upon the finding of your friend, Floon. Kestrell has the right of it though, we'll certainly need more information regarding your friend, his last known whereabouts, appearance, usual place of residence, known haunts and hangouts, any known enemies... you know, that sort of thing." investigation check if needed.

'Whispering an aside quietly to Kestrell' stealth 11

 [OOC] Can I please make an insight check for Vassa to try to make sense of Lockbox's questions and motives 14

Volo sits in thought for a moment and then slowly replies to Lockbox, "While researching my Guide to Monsters I came across descriptions of a race that you would indeed fit. But I didn't pay them enough credence it seems. I will have to do more research before I can say if there are others out there. But it does appear that, at the least, there were others out there."

Giving a sheepish look to the rest of the group, Volo begins his tale "I'm afraid I may be responsible for Floon's disappearance. You see, two nights ago I was working on my latest project 'Volo’s Guide to Spirits and Specters' and was quite beset by writers block. So I met with my good friend Floon Blagmaar for drinks and gambling to take my mind off of things. It was my idea, you see, to go to the Skewered Dragon. It's a bawdy tavern in the Dock Ward that isn't exactly safe. I shouldn't have taken Floon there." Volo sighs and takes another drink. "Anyway, the Skewered Dragon is probably where you should start your search. It's the last place I saw Floon. He is a handsome human male in his early thirties with wavy red-blond hair. He was dressed in princely garb when I last saw him, far to fine for where we were drinking. I fear something bad has happened, please find my friend."

"Hear that, Locky? You're not alone after all. Well, you're doubly not alone now, since you have others of your kind out there AND you have us now!"

'Vassa gives the sentient construct a reassuring smile.' *perhaps sensing something of the lonliness and uncertainty that seems to afflict the large fellow, and knowing all-to-well what it feels like to be wracked-by-doubt concerning one's very own essence and origins.*

"And thank you, Volo - redish wavy hair, mid-30s, handsome human chap in flashy clothes, last seen by you at the Skewered Dragon in the Dock Ward. If I may enquire, since it could help us with this task - did Floon have any enemies that you know of, or did anything apart from your drinking and gambling take place that night? Any note-worthy interactions with others in the tavern? No drink or gambling related run-ins with tavern locals, that sort of thing? Oh, and would you say he looks something like this..."

'Vassa uses prestidigitation to create a small image in his hand matching the description given.'

Lockbox sits there quietly and nods His head at the “famed” man. If there are or were others, maybe one day he could find them. As he Volo goes into further detail about his friends disappearance he wonders if anyone would go looking for him if he just vanished. 

Once Volo was done, Vassa started talking about how “Locky” wasn’t alone. He knew that, there was scores of people inside this tavern, and even walking the streets of Waterdeep there was people everywhere. He just didn’t understand the setiment of Vassa’s words. Nothing against the half-elf, Lockbox was glad to have found a friend after all these years. But he needed to know who he was and why he was, even if he could never fully articulate it. 

“Friends must be looked for,” Lockbox says after Vassa asks his questions. It was something he will remember, this is what friends do. He had a lot to learn.

Tiermat sat listening to the others around him and not being versed in impeccable social graces remained quiet for some time. Still a bit shell shocked from the commotion and from Volo's offer he looked at the others around him in wonder for mere hours ago he had been scrubbing dishes to get buy but now its seemed he was apart of something more...is this the path Helm had set before him....was this what he was meant to do to finally make amends for the past...either way this chance he would take. "It would be an honor to assist you sir in any way that i can and" ..turning to the group.."i hope you all would not mind me tagging along to assist!."

"Yes, Locky... friends MUST be looked for. And Tiermat, considering how patiently you evaluated that unfolding situation with Yagra before getting involved, then swiftly moved to help poor Aenio over there, before finishing that foul troll with your magic - why, I'd say that you are exactly the sort  of person to team up with."

'Clasps hands with Tiermate in welcome and then,while waiting to see if Volo can or will reveal anything further about his missing friend, Vassa will scoop up 1 of the coin pouches and stroll over to Yagra, picking up the promised complementary mug of ale along the way. Plonking it down in front of the half-orc with a comradely smile, the half-elf says,'

"Well fought earlier, Yagra, isn't it? My name is Vassa and my friends over there are Lockbox, Kestrell, Asariel, Tiermat and Aenio. While it was clear that you had that tatooed clown and his sycophants handled, we didn't think it right that you should have to take them all on alone. I'm glad that no one died in that scrap... though you did mention something about a murder? And something about  their following someone called Xanathar?

investigation check 11 if required

Kestrell listens to Volo's details and then asks:

"If you knew it was not a good place for him to be, why did you let him walk home alone?  Also, are you going to accompany us to the Smashing Dragon?"

Lockbox grabs his coinage and looks for Vassa after realizing he was gone, when he sees him with Yarga he walks over and says, “I found you.”

Lockbox was being a good friend. 

Volo takes another drink of ale and motions for the waitress to bring him another cup before turning back to Kestrall. "If Floon were to hear me say that I shouldn't have taken him there he would be upset with me. He's capable of talking himself out of most any situation. The truth is, Floon has been to that tavern more than I. But I'm worried that something happened and I feel guilty for not staying with him. But he was adamant that he would make his way home later. As for my accompanying you, no. I'm hiring what appears to be a very competent group of adventurers. I would only get in the way. I think I'm going to go do some more research to see if Lockbox has... kin somewhere."

Yagra stares at Vassa for a moment and then says, "Your friends fight well, but you may have made an enemy this night. The Xanathar, while not as powerful as they'd like you to believe, are quite numerous." She pauses as if trying to decide whether to share more. "Tell me pretty one, do you arm wrestle?"

 [OOC] If you decide to arm wrestle her, roll a str check

'Vassa nods in acknowledgement at the warning, noting that Yagra didn't answer the question about her "murder" remark during the confrontation. Deciding to let the omission go... for now, the half-drow raises an eyebrow at Yagra's "pretty one" comment. He leans across the table, lifts the mug that he just placed before the half-orc, and takes a solid drink before placing it back infront of her. With his most beguiling grin, he casually says,"

"While I'm quite well known for my wrestling prowess in some taverns and inns, I tend to reserve my exertions for the upstairs suites... and I rarely use just my arms."

'The confident (perhaps a little overconfident) bard gives Yagra a mischevious and inviting wink.'

"But if you are asking whether or not I would I be fool enough to match my strength against yours, the answer is a definite no, mighty Yagra. I hope that this does not shame me in your eyes, but I endeavour to at all times play to my own strengths, and I fear that raw physical power is not one of them. Alas though, perhaps you would allow me to play you a song, by way of acknowledging your brave stand against those Xanathar thugs earlier?"

'Noting Lockbox's arrival, Vassa smiles with genuine warmth at this curious being.'

"So you have, my friend. See, you're already showing promise as a top-shelf investigator.This Floon shall be found post-haste, I have no doubts! Grab a seat, Locky. This good woman here is Yagra. She was just giving me a warning that we may have made a dangerous enemy this day. What do you make of that?"

'Before Lockbox can decipher his words and formulate a response, Vassa stands and with an exagerated flourish offers his chair to the warforged as he draws his flute from his belt, momentarily brandishing it like a blade, before giving Yagra a swordswoman's salute with the instrument. Raising the flute to his lips, Vassa begins to play...'

performance check 22