Ian did not have any success finding Martem Trec for a follow up. While incognito, Ian assessed the dock ward of their entertainers in pursuit of some personal business.
The Zhents were after the gnome. Something of importance was stolen from the Xanathar Guild. The Zhents in their conflict against the Guild were looking to take advantage of the theft, possibly a their for hire gone rogue. The “puppet thing” reported by eyewitness may be a nimble wright created by the House of Inspired Hands. There are rumors that the Zhents can be found hiding at House Gralhund in the North Ward. Aside from the Zhents and Xanthar guild, there may be other gangs looking to take advantage of the situation as well.
Listening to Irma's account, Falshen considers the implications toward his own findings before reporting to the group:
Dagult Neverember’s hidden hoard of dragons, supposedly hidden somewhere in Waterdeep, is unlocked by a key known as the Stone of Golorr. One of the victims of the blast was Dalakhar, an agent responsible for safeguarding the Stone. Supposedly the Xanathar Guild had stolen the Stone, but it now seems it was subsequently stolen from them - perhaps recovered by this Dalakhar himself. If the Stone could be recovered, so too could the hoard (if it could be found). However, with Dalakhar dead and no indications that the Stone was found on or near his body, it's possible the Stone may have changed hands yet again. The “puppet” thing may be a nimblewright - an automaton. The House of Inspired Hands - a temple of Gond located on the corner of Seawatch Street and Shark Street in the Sea Ward - is known to have produced such creations. Perhaps one has gone rogue?
"I can confirm that an out of town Zhentarim agent, and once again I must stress out of town, is lying low at house Gralhund. Furthermore, I can confirm he is in possession of this Stone, at least as near as my superiors can deduce. But I must warn you, gentlemen... this is far larger than two rival guilds." Gregor looks at each of them in turn, "Bregan D'earthe is mixed up in all this. My superiors do not want the guard involved, and they would like our investigations to be kept civil if possible. This agent, Urstul Floxin, is a high ranking member of our cousin guild and an assassin."
One scaly member of the party muses on the involvement of the Xanathar guild.
"Hmm, Akai has heard of Xanathar guild... goblins and bugbears in the guild stay in Dungeon Level of Undermountain. They control part, and other gang called Undertakers controls other part. Gangs not on good terms. Could use this mess to get Xanathar guild to help clear out Undertaker guild and conquer underground kingdom... or find way to make Xanathar guild give up their part of Dungeon Level and start conquest from there... either way, could make use of all this, ss ss ss!" He hisses a chuckle at the thought of political intrigue and underground conquest.
One scaly member of the party muses on the involvement of the Xanathar guild.
"Hmm, Akai has heard of Xanathar guild... goblins and bugbears in the guild stay in Dungeon Level of Undermountain. They control part, and other gang called Undertakers controls other part. Gangs not on good terms. Could use this mess to get Xanathar guild to help clear out Undertaker guild and conquer underground kingdom... or find way to make Xanathar guild give up their part of Dungeon Level and start conquest from there... either way, could make use of all this, ss ss ss!" He hisses a chuckle at the thought of political intrigue and underground conquest.
"I find the idea of working with those monsters repugnant," Gregor says with a scowl before his expression softens, "Using them though... I like the way you think, my pyromanical friend. However, that's a discussion for another day. I advise that we make inquiries post-haste at Gralhund. I have spells of disguise and invisibility to assist us, but I'll only be able to maintain one at a time, and only on a single person. If we value discretion, I could ensure that at least two of our party members make it to the house unseen. They would need to go one at a time, though. Perhaps the most conspicuous among us?"
With a grin and a nod, Falshen adds, "I am able to disguise myself, perhaps as a servant or someone equally innocuous." Here, he pauses to wiggle his hands and fingers about, as if they were sore. "I can also-" CRASH! The startlingly loud sound of shattering glass emanates from directly behind the rest of the party. With a wide smile and a chuckle, Falshen resumes "...provide a few subtle or not-so-subtle distractions on command. Just a little minor illusion, you understand, but perhaps enough to draw a wandering gaze away should we have such a need."
As he finishes speaking, he moves his hands about as if to flex and shake out his fingers before tappng them on the sides of his chair and standing. "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I will see about finding us some ale before we continue our planning." As he steps away from his seat, the chair upon which he sat appears to have transmuted into a solid gold duplicate, inlaid with platinum, and set with a variety of precious gems. "Oh!" Falshen cries out over his shoulder, "I almost forgot." He snaps his fingers and the chair reverts back to its mundane, wooden form. "Shouldn't leave such things lying about, even if they are just a bit of trickery. Thieves might get exaggerated ideas about the amount of coin we keep in the tavern." With that, he strolls toward the bar to find the promised ales.
Then his eyes widen and he runs after Falshen "Wait you fool! Don't go flashing that about! The paperwork... Gods, the paperwork they will make you do!"
Ian, chuckling at the artful display of magic replies to Irma, “Lure? More like smash and grab. But instead of smash, more like sneak and sequester.”
To the retreating backs of the two magic users Ian says,
”I am quite adept at disguise myself. If you need a good bluff or deception on its face and non-magical, then look no farther than here. But honestly, it would be for the best that we go in disguise as much as possible. Especially those like me whose skin sticks out like sore thumb.”
"Tch! Akai uses no illusion magic, never had need of it. Strike from front, let all see his glory!" Akai takes a moment to compose himself. "But, if needed, Akai may have magic to persuade enemies to... see his side of things. Dragons known for power and charm, after all." He grins mischievously. "City wardens punish persuasive magic, but if agent of Zhentarim is outside of walls, who are they to judge?"
After further discussion, Ian and the other come to the agreement that an approach on Gralhund shortly after noontime is most appropriate. The non-humans, Ian and Akai will come in invisible to hide numbers and readily identifiable races. Ian will further mask himself as a normal half-elf with his disguise kit. The plan is to approach Gralhund without arousing suspicion and to make contact with the Zhentarim agent, Urstul Floxin, the one most recently in possession of the Stone of Golorr. Irma, Falshen, and Gregor will approach Gralhund with Ian and Akai scouting ahead. They will make sure to maximize the invisibility by casting it so that more than half of the spell duration remains in effect once reaching Gralhund. After that, individual decisions can take over.
Gregor will cast invisibility on Ian and wait until he is convinced that the bard is at the villa, then cast the second invisibility on Akai. Considering that the kobold is likely the most easily recognizable members of the troop, Gregor declines to cast Disguise Self after the set amount of time and simply walks from the alley to the villa, maintaining Invisibility on Akai. If no one has knocked on the door by the time Gregor gets there, he will do so.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Falshen will take a casual stroll around the walls of the villa while his companions are using spells and sneaking over. He is looking for likely entrances (beyond the front gate) or anything else which may seem interesting, unusual, or otherwise worth noting about the location. If he finds nothing of note, he will join up with Gregor by the main entrance. He has not yet used his Disguise Self spell (choosing to save it for unforeseen contingencies).
Perception Check: 11
Investigation Check: 15
[OOG: not sure which check, if either, would be more appropriate, so I include both for DM's selection.]
Making a circuit of the estate, Falshen finds no likely entrances beyond the main gates, nor does he note anything unusual before joining up with the rest of the party.
Congregating outside the entrance to the grounds of the Gralhund Villa, the midday traffic passing to and fro nearby, the party find themselves before a set of ornate iron gates. The gates are locked. Beyond, they can see a well-tended yard dotted with trees, and a smooth cobblestone path running up to the doors of the manor house. No guard or servant is to be seen. The grounds of the estate appear deserted.
"Falshen, if you can pick the lock, let's be inside quickly. It's too quiet. I can give you a minute of cover, and I might be able to overlap the illusion, but even if I time it perfectly there will be a flicker." With that, Gregor will prepare to cast minor illusion once he is confident no eyes are on him or the villa gate.
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Irma Gerd will head out into the Field Wards to see if he can find any news, whispers or rumors about the explosion in front of the manor.
Ian did not have any success finding Martem Trec for a follow up. While incognito, Ian assessed the dock ward of their entertainers in pursuit of some personal business.
Irma shares his finding with the group.
The Zhents were after the gnome. Something of importance was stolen from the Xanathar Guild. The Zhents in their conflict against the Guild were looking to take advantage of the theft, possibly a their for hire gone rogue. The “puppet thing” reported by eyewitness may be a nimble wright created by the House of Inspired Hands. There are rumors that the Zhents can be found hiding at House Gralhund in the North Ward. Aside from the Zhents and Xanthar guild, there may be other gangs looking to take advantage of the situation as well.
Listening to Irma's account, Falshen considers the implications toward his own findings before reporting to the group:
Dagult Neverember’s hidden hoard of dragons, supposedly hidden somewhere in Waterdeep, is unlocked by a key known as the Stone of Golorr. One of the victims of the blast was Dalakhar, an agent responsible for safeguarding the Stone. Supposedly the Xanathar Guild had stolen the Stone, but it now seems it was subsequently stolen from them - perhaps recovered by this Dalakhar himself. If the Stone could be recovered, so too could the hoard (if it could be found). However, with Dalakhar dead and no indications that the Stone was found on or near his body, it's possible the Stone may have changed hands yet again. The “puppet” thing may be a nimblewright - an automaton. The House of Inspired Hands - a temple of Gond located on the corner of Seawatch Street and Shark Street in the Sea Ward - is known to have produced such creations. Perhaps one has gone rogue?
"I can confirm that an out of town Zhentarim agent, and once again I must stress out of town, is lying low at house Gralhund. Furthermore, I can confirm he is in possession of this Stone, at least as near as my superiors can deduce. But I must warn you, gentlemen... this is far larger than two rival guilds." Gregor looks at each of them in turn, "Bregan D'earthe is mixed up in all this. My superiors do not want the guard involved, and they would like our investigations to be kept civil if possible. This agent, Urstul Floxin, is a high ranking member of our cousin guild and an assassin."
One scaly member of the party muses on the involvement of the Xanathar guild.
"Hmm, Akai has heard of Xanathar guild... goblins and bugbears in the guild stay in Dungeon Level of Undermountain. They control part, and other gang called Undertakers controls other part. Gangs not on good terms. Could use this mess to get Xanathar guild to help clear out Undertaker guild and conquer underground kingdom... or find way to make Xanathar guild give up their part of Dungeon Level and start conquest from there... either way, could make use of all this, ss ss ss!" He hisses a chuckle at the thought of political intrigue and underground conquest.
"I find the idea of working with those monsters repugnant," Gregor says with a scowl before his expression softens, "Using them though... I like the way you think, my pyromanical friend. However, that's a discussion for another day. I advise that we make inquiries post-haste at Gralhund. I have spells of disguise and invisibility to assist us, but I'll only be able to maintain one at a time, and only on a single person. If we value discretion, I could ensure that at least two of our party members make it to the house unseen. They would need to go one at a time, though. Perhaps the most conspicuous among us?"
With a grin and a nod, Falshen adds, "I am able to disguise myself, perhaps as a servant or someone equally innocuous." Here, he pauses to wiggle his hands and fingers about, as if they were sore. "I can also-" CRASH! The startlingly loud sound of shattering glass emanates from directly behind the rest of the party. With a wide smile and a chuckle, Falshen resumes "...provide a few subtle or not-so-subtle distractions on command. Just a little minor illusion, you understand, but perhaps enough to draw a wandering gaze away should we have such a need."
As he finishes speaking, he moves his hands about as if to flex and shake out his fingers before tappng them on the sides of his chair and standing. "If you gentlemen will excuse me, I will see about finding us some ale before we continue our planning." As he steps away from his seat, the chair upon which he sat appears to have transmuted into a solid gold duplicate, inlaid with platinum, and set with a variety of precious gems. "Oh!" Falshen cries out over his shoulder, "I almost forgot." He snaps his fingers and the chair reverts back to its mundane, wooden form. "Shouldn't leave such things lying about, even if they are just a bit of trickery. Thieves might get exaggerated ideas about the amount of coin we keep in the tavern." With that, he strolls toward the bar to find the promised ales.
Gregor shakes his head, "Showoff..."
Then his eyes widen and he runs after Falshen "Wait you fool! Don't go flashing that about! The paperwork... Gods, the paperwork they will make you do!"
Irma grins at the sight, “I like the idea of taking advantage of the Guilds. How should we lure out this out of town Zhentarim agent?”
Ian, chuckling at the artful display of magic replies to Irma, “Lure? More like smash and grab. But instead of smash, more like sneak and sequester.”
To the retreating backs of the two magic users Ian says,
”I am quite adept at disguise myself. If you need a good bluff or deception on its face and non-magical, then look no farther than here. But honestly, it would be for the best that we go in disguise as much as possible. Especially those like me whose skin sticks out like sore thumb.”
"Tch! Akai uses no illusion magic, never had need of it. Strike from front, let all see his glory!" Akai takes a moment to compose himself. "But, if needed, Akai may have magic to persuade enemies to... see his side of things. Dragons known for power and charm, after all." He grins mischievously. "City wardens punish persuasive magic, but if agent of Zhentarim is outside of walls, who are they to judge?"
After further discussion, Ian and the other come to the agreement that an approach on Gralhund shortly after noontime is most appropriate. The non-humans, Ian and Akai will come in invisible to hide numbers and readily identifiable races. Ian will further mask himself as a normal half-elf with his disguise kit. The plan is to approach Gralhund without arousing suspicion and to make contact with the Zhentarim agent, Urstul Floxin, the one most recently in possession of the Stone of Golorr. Irma, Falshen, and Gregor will approach Gralhund with Ian and Akai scouting ahead. They will make sure to maximize the invisibility by casting it so that more than half of the spell duration remains in effect once reaching Gralhund. After that, individual decisions can take over.
Irma heads to the armor shop and buys ringmail armor (30 gp) and switches out his chainmail armor for it. AC will change accordingly, 16 -> 14
He leaves his chainmail armor back at the tavern and joins the group later that afternoon, keeping the rest of his equipment on him.
Ian’s deception roll for his disguise: 19
Ian approached stealthily under cover of the invisibility spell.
stealth roll with ad: 16
Irma's deception roll with his disguise/new armor 14
Irma joins the motley crew in approaching gate without bringing attention to themselves.
Gregor will cast invisibility on Ian and wait until he is convinced that the bard is at the villa, then cast the second invisibility on Akai. Considering that the kobold is likely the most easily recognizable members of the troop, Gregor declines to cast Disguise Self after the set amount of time and simply walks from the alley to the villa, maintaining Invisibility on Akai. If no one has knocked on the door by the time Gregor gets there, he will do so.
Falshen will take a casual stroll around the walls of the villa while his companions are using spells and sneaking over. He is looking for likely entrances (beyond the front gate) or anything else which may seem interesting, unusual, or otherwise worth noting about the location. If he finds nothing of note, he will join up with Gregor by the main entrance. He has not yet used his Disguise Self spell (choosing to save it for unforeseen contingencies).
Perception Check: 11
Investigation Check: 15
[OOG: not sure which check, if either, would be more appropriate, so I include both for DM's selection.]
Making a circuit of the estate, Falshen finds no likely entrances beyond the main gates, nor does he note anything unusual before joining up with the rest of the party.
Congregating outside the entrance to the grounds of the Gralhund Villa, the midday traffic passing to and fro nearby, the party find themselves before a set of ornate iron gates. The gates are locked. Beyond, they can see a well-tended yard dotted with trees, and a smooth cobblestone path running up to the doors of the manor house. No guard or servant is to be seen. The grounds of the estate appear deserted.
"Falshen, if you can pick the lock, let's be inside quickly. It's too quiet. I can give you a minute of cover, and I might be able to overlap the illusion, but even if I time it perfectly there will be a flicker." With that, Gregor will prepare to cast minor illusion once he is confident no eyes are on him or the villa gate.