Waterdeep Dragon Heist - Campaign Thread (DM: Webgambit)

Selinae waved to the others, " Uza was just catching me up on your heroics, Phaedra, and Fillipa has also mentioned how brave you were in saving her from the monster....I daresay Uzas retelling of it was almost as exiting as your own."

She moved around the table a little awkwardly to make room then squeezed some lemon into her tea and took a sip.

In response to Kestrells words she nodded, " Oh, yes. Please do tell it again!"

"See I told you all" she says with a wink.

"But what we would really like to know is if it was hear for a reason. Are you in trouble with the Xanathar?" Phaedra smiles and takes a seat near Uza.

Quote from IAmButADream >>

"See I told you all" she says with a wink.

"But what we would really like to know is if it was hear for a reason. Are you in trouble with the Xanathar?" Phaedra smiles and takes a seat near Uza.

 Selinaes eyes went wide at mention of the Xanathar....I mean she'd heard of it.....and its folk...like the Zhentarim they did horrible things like slavery and the like....or so Da had said.

Suddenly she looked at Phaedra with concern hoping her...friend...hadn't killed one of Xanathars offsping....she could be in a lot of danger!

Vassa walked into the store with a lopsided grin upon his face, just in time to hear Phaedra's ruminations regarding a possible connection between Uza and the Xanastafarians. Leaning non-chalantly against the closest set of shelves, the distracted-of-late bard remarks, "Yes, Uza- do you perchance need our assistance aginst this band of trumped-up brigands? For if so, you have but to to ask."

Uza smiles at all the guests. It's been some time since she's had so many people in her shop at one time.

"No no, nothing no nefarious as me upsetting any guilds or groups. One of the perks of owning a book store is that it's easy to do some research. It will probably come as no surprise but the best source I found was Volo's Guide to Monsters. It turns out that what Phaedra killed is known as a Gazer. They are considered beholder-kin and, get this, they are “born” out of a poisoned or ill beholder’s feverish dreams. So the location of one here in Waterdeep shouldn't come as too much a surprise. But why it was in my shop, that seems to be the fault of my lovely cat. Seems cat is something Gazers tend to enjoy eating. Really, it was all quite interesting reading one the danger was passed. If any of you would like to buy a few books on the topic, I have several, including multiple copies of Volo's Guide. One is even autographed by Volo himself!"

Vassa smiles at the mention of Volo, responding in a light off-handed tone with a wink in Kes' direction, "Volo, you say? That old rogue! Well it just so happens that a few of us are quite friendly with the aclaimed author. Who knows, as we did him a solid not too long ago, we might even be able to organise a reading and authograph opportunity here in your very own bookstore. Would that be something you'd be interested in? No promises, of course. You know how flighty famous people can be."

The half-drow bard begins to stroll around the bookstore, perusing the shelves containing Uza's stock, but also taking note of any doors, windows or hatches... particularly anything that might look like it could lead downwards. Speaking to Uza from amongst the shelves as he searches, the musician continues, "Gazers, eh? Yes, Kes and I encountered one in the sewers once. I didn't think they were altogether common though. Encountering a second one in such a short span of time seems unusual, especially here above ground. Say, Uza... I don't suppose your store has a basement or somesuch by any chance?"

[OOC] investigation check if needed to examine Uza's stock to see if anything rare or especially interesting catches his eye: 12

perception check if needed to take note of the rooms exits and any way that could possibly lead below: 11

"Cats? Interesting.  Yes, I'd like a book.  Maybe one not autographed.  I'll get it autographed myself.  How much is it?"

"Also, where can I buy some cats?"

Kestrell excitedly turns to Phaedra and Vassa, "I'd like to setup a trap of sorts and put a bunch of cats in the basement and then wait for a Gazer, and then bam!  Our very own indoor hunting grounds, right in the city!"

Selinae was relieved to find out that even if the Gazer was born from Xanathar it seemed unlikely to be overly bothered by its dispatch.

As they revealed that they knew Volo she fan-girled a little and began slightly hyper-ventilating before heading over to pick up a book for purchase.

She scowled at Kestrels suggestion, " That doesn't seem like something the cats would appreciate."

" I need to duck off to the Stationers Guild for a bit, where are you going after here?"

Quote from Damian_May >>

She scowled at Kestrels suggestion, " That doesn't seem like something the cats would appreciate."

"I don't plan on letting the cats get eaten!"

Quote from Damian_May >>

" I need to duck off to the Stationers Guild for a bit, where are you going after here?"

"Oh, that is great!  Will you pick up some ink and about 5 pieces of parchment?  Nothing fancy for the paper, but maybe a nice dark green ink if they have any."

Quote from KestrellKestrell >>

Quote from Damian_May >>

She scowled at Kestrels suggestion, " That doesn't seem like something the cats would appreciate."

"I don't plan on letting the cats get eaten!"

 

Quote from Damian_May >>

" I need to duck off to the Stationers Guild for a bit, where are you going after here?"

 

"Oh, that is great!  Will you pick up some ink and about 5 pieces of parchment?  Nothing fancy for the paper, but maybe a nice dark green ink if they have any."

 " Do your plans always work?", she smirked and then grinned.

" No problem. So were do we meet up?"

Quote from vassasunstar >>

Vassa smiles at the mention of Volo, responding in a light off-handed tone with a wink in Kes' direction, "Volo, you say? That old rogue! Well it just so happens that a few of us are quite friendly with the aclaimed author. Who knows, as we did him a solid not too long ago, we might even be able to organise a reading and authograph opportunity here in your very own bookstore. Would that be something you'd be interested in? No promises, of course. You know how flighty famous people can be."

The half-drow bard begins to stroll around the bookstore, perusing the shelves containing Uza's stock, but also taking note of any doors, windows or hatches... particularly anything that might look like it could lead downwards. Speaking to Uza from amongst the shelves as he searches, the musician continues, "Gazers, eh? Yes, Kes and I encountered one in the sewers once. I didn't think they were altogether common though. Encountering a second one in such a short span of time seems unusual, especially here above ground. Say, Uza... I don't suppose your store has a basement or somesuch by any chance?"

[OOC] investigation check if needed to examine Uza's stock to see if anything rare or especially interesting catches his eye: 19

perception check if needed to take note of the rooms exits and any way that could possibly lead below: 11

Uza smirks at the mention of knowing Volo. "Yes, unfortunately the old fool visits far too many people. I keep telling him I could make he and I more money if he'd become more of a recluse. But he never listens. What's that? Basement? No, I don't have a basement. I've often thought about putting one in but they tell me my store weighs a lot on account of all the books so the expense would be rather high."

 OOC: You don't see anything that appears to lead to a basement. On the second floor you do notice one window where a pane of glass was switched out with a pet door. The door leads to a ledge, likely allowing free ingress and egress to the cat... and anything else that could climb up to the ledge.

Quote from KestrellKestrell >>

Yes, I'd like a book.  Maybe one not autographed.  I'll get it autographed myself.  How much is it?"

"Also, where can I buy some cats?"

Kestrell excitedly turns to Phaedra and Vassa, "I'd like to setup a trap of sorts and put a bunch of cats in the basement and then wait for a Gazer, and then bam!  Our very own indoor hunting grounds, right in the city!"

"The books are 25 gold each, or I can do 5 books for 100 gold. If you change your mind about the autographed one, that's 35 gold. I don't know where you can buy cats, but the town does have a lot of strays. Perhaps you could start by catching some of those. Actually, I believe I have a book on the second floor that has information on how to tame, raise, and train cats."

Quote from Damian_May >>

" No problem. So were do we meet up?"

Silver is going through the shelves near him pulling each book out, opening it and then returning it to the shelf. Upon hearing the goliath's question he looks up, "We'll end up back at the manor. It's just a question of where all we'll go between now an then. If you get to the manor before we do, feel free to wait in the tap room. If you see a specter there, that's Lif. Tell 'em you know us and that you're waiting on us."

Phaedra listen to the conversion, butting in after Vassa mentions already fighting one. "We the one I killed in this shop now has pride of place over our bar. First of many monsters to meet there demise at our hands."

"I agree with Silver. Back to Trollskull and then we need to finish off this business with the drow rogue. Hopefully sooner than later."

Selinae did not have enough for the book at the moment but she nodded to the others and headed off to the Stationers Guild.

" I'll see you at the Manor in a bit."

OOC:

DM, as per PM.

Quote from WebGambit >>

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"The books are 25 gold each, or I can do 5 books for 100 gold. If you change your mind about the autographed one, that's 35 gold. I don't know where you can buy cats, but the town does have a lot of strays. Perhaps you could start by catching some of those. Actually, I believe I have a book on the second floor that has information on how to tame, raise, and train cats."

 "Wow!  That is way too much for a book.  How much for the cat book?"

Vassa shrugs, figuring that the many-eyed creature perhaps entered the bookstore same way as the cat, and not from some subterranian entryway. Responding to the question of where and when they'd all meet up and mention of returning home, the silver-haired bard says, "Trollskull manor it is, though I'm also VERY keen to see this "Grumpy" character recieve what's coming to him. As such, unless we come up with another plan for outwitting our prey into revealing his true nature, I'm still going to play at the Sailors Own tonight. Maybe he'll be more inclined to come at me after our group's last run in with him.

With that, Vassa return to the Trollskull Manor, stopping only briefly on the way out to buy a book or two from Urza - anything pertaining to drow or the underdark.

[OOC] DM - let me know what Urza has (if anything) and what it costs, please.

Quote from KestrellKestrell >>

"Wow!  That is way too much for a book.  How much for the cat book?"

 
Looking rather affronted, "I'm sorry you feel that way sir. All of my books are 25 gold. And every bookstore in town charges the same, the prices are set by the guild. Some books may be higher if there's something special about them but 25 gold is the minimum allowed by the guild. Perhaps you've never scribed a book before. It's quite labor intensive."

Quote from vassasunstar >>

Vassa shrugs, figuring that the many-eyed creature perhaps entered the bookstore same way as the cat, and not from some subterranian entryway. Responding to the question of where and when they'd all meet up and mention of returning home, the silver-haired bard says, "Trollskull manor it is, though I'm also VERY keen to see this "Grumpy" character recieve what's coming to him. As such, unless we come up with another plan for outwitting our prey into revealing his true nature, I'm still going to play at the Sailors Own tonight. Maybe he'll be more inclined to come at me after our group's last run in with him.

With that, Vassa return to the Trollskull Manor, stopping only briefly on the way out to buy a book or two from Urza - anything pertaining to drow or the underdark.

[OOC] DM - let me know what Urza has (if anything) and what it costs, please.

When you inquire about books on Drow Urza lets you know that she has is a children's book warning of the dangers of Drow and a book about the adventures of
Drizzt Do'Urden. In regards to the Undermountain she tells you that she has multiple books about the history of the Undermountain. When asked, she claims that, to her knowledge, there's no complete guide or map to the Undermountain as the knowledge is too valuable for anyone to want to share but that she has heard that some folks have taken to selling maps to small sections. And, again, the books are 25 gold each or 5 for 100 gold.

OOC: let me know if you'd like to actually purchase any, Vassa

Phaedra waits for the others patently, having a little look through the books within the section on faiths.

Vassa looks longingly at the book on the famed drow ranger, but after checking his purse, grimaces slightly and says, "Maybe later, Uza. Hopefully the crowd tonight is WOW'd enough by my performance to cover the cost of one of your fine editions. Shall we head back to the manor, Phae?"

Phaedra nods, "Fine be me."

The cleric gets up, her colourful dress swaying with movement.

"Your last night of entertainment was not bad, but I think you need to bring your best performance this time. And play something a little different, that song you do about the tigers eye is getting a little old. No one even knows what a tiger is."