Killilli’s Dragon Heist

Aimee, you vividly remember seeing this symbol a few nights ago. You originally thought it was a sun, but think it resembles an eye a little more, the things on the outside could be eyelashes or something. You followed a lot of these in the sewer. I think that should jog Your memory enough for her to explain the rest in her own words?

(the symbol isn’t different btw, it’s just the first time some PC’s are seeing it)

"Oh, I know that symbol! It's the sewer sun! Oh! That means it is the symbol of the Xanathar Guild! Yep, the ooze was a member of the Xanathar Guild! You're a great detective Cico!"

She gives Cico a big smile the continues,

"Can Lyss have the dagger? She needs two to feel safe!"

((That is about all you're going to get out of Aimee as explanation. She struggles.))

"I know some guilds might be pretty brainless..." Aldrik says, looking after the direction Ernie walked in, "But... perhaps some other person dropped the dagger there and the ooze just happened to be doing its... ooze things nearby? Aimee, where else have you seen that symbol?"

Aimee smiles up at Aldrik,

"Well...let's see! First I saw it in a book about nefarious organizations in Waterdeep, then on the wrists of a bunch of dead people in a warehouse, then on the walls of the sewer leading us to where we saved Floon and then on the wrists of some living people that tried to kill us! They're dead now, so no worries there! Well, not all dead - the tentacle headed one ran away! So I guess I don't know if it had a tattoo or not!"

((Going by memory here, it's been almost a year since that all started and the search function is cumbersome on a mobile.))

Cico looks from the dagger to Aimee and back again. Then he closes his hands on the eyeballs and slips them into his coin pouch.

"Real eyes should have dissolved in the ooze," Cico says. 

Then he looks from the dagger to Lyss, then holds out the dagger.

"Symbols are serious," Cico starts again. "If you're seen with it people may assume you are part of Xanthar's Guild."

"Hmmm, I'll keep it hid then, unless we need people to think we're part of the guild."

(You going to the casino? Changing clothes? Blacksmiths? Are Kerri and Lyss splitting off on their own mission? You breaking into Mirts? Waiting to see if the dray stops here?)

((Aimee is heading wherever Lyss tells her to.))

"Well... We still want to try the casino? Maybe someone will hire us to take care of the oozes a different day? I'd like to get new daggers, so I can give you this one back.. and I'll keep the other one hidden..., maybe I should grab a sling or something too, I can tuck that away easier than my bow."

((Any blacksmiths on the way to the casino?))

So…

You know there’s a blacksmith on Trollskull called “Steam and Steel”, the manor is a little further than the Gentle Mermaid though. On the high road you’d pass the mermaid on the left, and then it’a up two or three blocks and a right to your place. You’ve yet to meet those neighbours, but it always seems to radiate with heat and have smoke billowing out of it’s chimney.

Other than that, there are a few weapon shops on the way over, but none have their own forge. “Saern’s fine swords” specialising in swords, ”Riautar’s weaponry“ specialising in archery and “The Riven Shield” specialising in armour. You’d be able to buy second hand weapons from any of these shops or the market, and you can occasionally find rare magical versions of their specialities too. (Feel free to buy anything at phb prices, rather than rping every shop visit.)

You arrive after your shopping at a grand, ostentatious festhall. Towering turrets of different ages and styles seem to be stacked upon one another. As messy as it looks, it also looks very expensive. The entrance is guarded by a group of three bouncers, dressed in fine clothes. A brutish half orc and human watch over as a half-elf searches patrons entering. A glamorous male elf stands by the bouncers, greeting the guests. A friendly face alongside a menacing threat. 

((Lyss will buy two replacement daggers, handing Aimee hers back with thanks, and will also pick up a sling and a pouch of slingstones, handing the money off to Aimee or one of the grown ups to make the purchase, some of the shopkeeps get weird about selling things like that to kids.))

"Looks like the weapons stay with the horses, unless..." Edvord tugs at his goatee thinking, but then fails to finish his thought out loud.

"Perhaps one of the youngsters should pose as my apprentice. I've got a pen and paper... add in a book from someone else and it wouldn't be a half bad disguise. We could also send a few of the more silent members with the other youngster and the horses to the establishment's stables... It would not be out of the ordinary for young nobles to bring servants who watch over their horses while they gamble. This might provide an alternative opportunity for conversations... and ingresses."

Aimee gives an impressed whistle at seeing the expensive mess of a building,

"Wow! Money really doesn't buy taste!"

To Edvord,

"I have pen and paper too! And a book from someone else!"

She holds up the book on ghosts she's been reading.

"But I'm pretty sneaky too and I like horses!"

Cico rubs his thumb against the side of his index finger as he watches the three bouncers and listens to the others. He stares at the half-elf frisking people. He then closes his eyes and his lips can be seen moving ever so slightly. He opens his eyes again, nods, and strides over to the horses.

"I will go with the horses," Cico says. "and find away in with the servants."

Kerri's eyebrows raise as the building comes into view, "Interesting..."

Lyss tries to look less like a scamp, and more like a respectable apprentice or whatever.

Aldrik takes on an air of importance, loudly announcing. "Come, squire. Leave the horses to the stableman. I will need you to bear my winecup as I take my share of the Mermaid's dragons tonight." He gives Lyss a wink, then approaches the bouncers, announcing himself. "Aldrik and Edvord, of house Reinholdt, and our squires."

 Assuming they have a no-weapons policy, he'll leave the greatsword strapped to Mouse's harness -- not gonna sneak that in. 

Cico reaches out to the touch the horses but stops, pulls his hands back and moves around so the horses can see him. Then he reaches out tentatively again and touches each horse above their muzzles and beneath their foreheads. At the feel of the horse hair on his hands he nods.

"I like that you do not talk," Cico says to both horses.

He nods to the others and then accompanies the horses to the stables, taking in all the sights as he does so, looking for a servants' entrance, or for darkened alcoves that could hide prying eyes and provide space to try climbing to an upper floor window.

Perception: 10   

Lyss hands the spooky dagger off to Cico or one of the brothers to stash in the saddlebags, along with her second dagger. She'll keep one on her person, and her sling is wound around her forearm under her sleeve, with some sling bullets in her coin pouch, and otherwise hidden in pockets and the like.