Fantasy Dragon Heist (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

"I cannot reveal any information to a civilian. That would introduce too many new variables into an already confounding equation," replies the spectacles man with a frown.

"Trust in the Watch," Sergeant Cromley adds before they both leave.

"No use in trying to get anything out of them." Regongar says. "I suggest we stay low for a bit, then go visit our neighbours to talk." He smirks.

"I don't wanna." Amiri scoffs. "Not good with talking anyway. Will keep an eye on our place."

- Agree with Regongar.
- Propose a different plan.
- Snoop around some more.

 

[Yokai]

Agree with Regongar.​

"But it was worth a shot, right?" Iselas huffed with a small pout, a little disappointed by the lack of cooperation from the Watch. Still, it was better than them getting more suspicious or irritated with them.

"Mm, I agree with Reg," Iselas hummed at the half-orc's plan, flashing Amiri a reassuring smile as she reached out to pat her on the shoulder. "And you don't have to come either, somebody has got to make sure the tavern stays safe!" Besides, if she were being honest with herself, Iselas liked the idea of snooping around some more.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Watch handles the incident professionally and the bodies are soon put on carts and hauled off. The witnesses were all questioned and were left alone now, returning to their daily business.

You recall three of your neighbours being on the street when you were snooping around: Fala, the owner of Corelion's Crown, an apothecary; Jezrynne, a local noble woman with a talent for gossip; and Martem, younger son of your first neighbours who has an habit of prowling around your tavern.

You have time to question all three, and would do it faster if you and Regongar split up, but it's up to you where to start.

- Fala.
- Jezrynne.
- Martem.
- Optional: Split up with Regongar.

 

[Yokai]

Jezrynne; split up with Regongar.
​

Bodies hauled off and the streets cleared of the crime, Iselas was left with the decision of who to interrogate among all of her three neighbours. Jezrynne seemed like the obvious choice, if only due to her penchant for gossip, though it seemed unwise to leave the other two for too long.

"I think we should split up. I'm going to speak with Jezrynne first," Iselas announced, gently bumping her shoulder against Regongar's as she beamed up at him mischievously. "Will Reggie be alright speaking to Fala or Martem on his own?" She teased, all fondness and no bite. Though, internally, she did hope that he played relatively nice with them; they were their neighbours after all.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I'll leave the kid to you." Regongar scoffs. "I don't like children." He gives you a gentle shove in return, before walking out of the tavern to visit Fala.

You don't have to look for Jezrynne for long. The woman had been on her way over to your tavern, so you meet her just outside on the street. She gives you a kind smile and when you ask your questions, it doesn't take anything to convince her.

"My dear, that explosion was awful." She places a hand on her chest, feigning horror. "Have you seen the creature that caused it? I tell you, it was not a man." She sputters, carefully watching you, expecting you to share her horror.

- Ask a question.
- Finish talking.

 

[Yokai]

Ask a question.
​

"I didn't see the creature!" Iselas gasped softly, hand coming up to cover her mouth as she played along with the woman's theatrics. "What did it look like? Surely, such a thing must have looked horrific to cause such a cruel explosion." She shook her head sympathetically, the hand that had covered her mouth now dropped to clasp itself over her heart. Honestly, she kind of enjoyed playing along with the shrewd woman's games.

 

[ArcticFox]

"I know, my darling, it was awful!" Jezrynne continues, apparently pleased yo have an enthusiastically dramatic conversation partner. "It's was nothing like a man. More like a puppet shaped like a man. A puppet without strings. It was on the rooftop and it hurled something into the crowd below that caused the explosion. I saw those halflings burned alive! I saw them!" Her exclaim turns into a sob, another feign, no doubt, and she leans on you for comfort.

- Comfort her.
- Dismiss her.
- Ask more questions.

 

[Yokai]

Comfort her.
​

"Truly such a sight must have been horrific to behold!" Iselas gasped, continuing along with the horrified facade. Though she was suddenly becoming hyper aware of her coin pouch and valuables as the woman leaned into her space. Still, she patted Jezrynne's shoulder consolingly. "And such a reckless act of hatred too! I cannot imagine what their purpose was or whom they were aiming for!"

 

[ArcticFox]

"Oh, I don't know." The woman sniffles, then moves away, giving you a grateful squeeze of the hand. All your pouches are in place still. Jezrynne's eyes widen then, like she just recalled something, "Oh, I know!" She says quickly. "I know what the puppet reminded of. Those awful automatons from the parade!"

You know what she's talking about, since a couple of days ago you have witnessed the first parade of the Days of Wonders parade. It's a festival that lasts for the good part of the fall season as Renaer was kind to explain. You recall the automatons as well, steam-powered puppets, pride of the Waterdavian inventors. Apparently not all of the townspeople liked them. You've not seen them do anything except dance and juggle.

It doesn't look like you'll get any more information out of your neighbour as well.

- Wait for Regongar.
- Look for Martem.

 

[Yokai]

Look for Martem.
​

Automatons? Iselas wondered whether she would need to pay any of the Waterdeep inventors a visit in her ongoing investigation into the explosion and her mysterious dead gnome. Still, Jezrynne's departure was rewarded with a warm, friendly smile and some more genuine well-wishing before Iselas continued on in her attempt to find Martem. Her gossiping neighbour had definitely helped in uncovering some details about the attacker -- if they were true, as this was still technically speculation -- but the matter of the gnome still perturbed Iselas.

 

[ArcticFox]

You find Martem in his usual hiding place, in the alley behind your tavern. He looks to be playing with a piece of jewellery, some sort of a necklace. When he sees you approach, he hides it quickly behind his back, looking at you with suspicion.

- Question him.
- Leave him alone.

 

[Yokai]

Question him.
​

"Martem, Martem~" Came the sing-song greeting as the half-elf approached the younger boy, a lazy grin spreading across her sharp features. "Have you been picking pockets?" Iselas asked, a teasing note entering her voice in an attempt to soften the blow of her question. She didn't want to scare him, after all. And it'd be incredibly hypocritical of her to judge Martem on his possible thievery, especially when she took such a special delight in the act. Well, more specifically, as long as it didn't belong to anyone that she liked then she had no problem with him stealing.

 

[ArcticFox]

"No, I've not been!" Martem gives you an offended look. "I found this in the rain barrel when I ducked behind it from the explosion! It just went 'plop' and when I looked, this was there." He shows you the necklace now.

It looks to be made out of iron chain and has two, golden-painted, beads on it. You can feel it's magical presence, but you don't know what it could be used for.

- Persuade him to give it to you (roll d20 for persuasion check).
- Threaten him to give it to you (roll d20 for intimidation check).
- Take it by force.

 

[Yokai]

Persuade him to give it to you (rolled 12).
​

Immediately Iselas' amusement -- one that had been directed primarily at the defensive nature of the boy's response -- disappeared. Intense blue eyes squinted down at the revealed necklace, her nose scrunched up very slightly at the magical presence currently being emitted. This could very well have something to do with the strange attack; but first, she'd need to take it to someone better versed in magic to know it's purpose.

"Ah! But, surely you know that isn't an ordinary necklace, Martem." Iselas gasped softly, leveling him with a more serious expression. Clearly the early theatrics were still making their rounds. "There's a dangerous magical presence around that necklace. Who knows what it could do... or could currently be doing to you right now?" She alluded, shaking her head with a frown. "You should give it to me; that really needs to be looked at by a mage."

 

[ArcticFox]

Martem gives you an uncertain look, then looks at the necklace, as if it might bite his hand off. He holds it away from his body, gingerly, with two fingers. Thankfully, he's not knowledgeable, nor old enough, to understand much about magic.

"Here." He gives it to you with a slightly frightened look. "I meant nothing bad. Tell it not to curse me." He whines.

- Take the necklace to the City Watch.
- Take it to Regongar.
- Take it to someone else.
- Keep it.

 

[Yokai]

Take it to Regongar.
​

"I'm sure you didn't have it long enough for it to hurt you," Iselas reassured him, a little gentler now, as she took the necklace from his offered grasp. "But we shall see what the expert says, hmm?" Instinctively she reached out to ruffle the kid's hair affectionately as she stood up, necklace now in hand. There was no way she'd be taking this necklace to the City Watch, at least not before she knew what it did. Instead she decided to head back to the tavern to find Regongar; maybe he'd know what this thing was for?

 

[ArcticFox]

Witholding evidence from the City Watch was a crime in Waterdeep, as neatly written in the rulebook that you received on your first week in the town. If the City Watch finds out, you would be in for a hefty fine and probably some community labour, unless Renaer came to your aid again.

Regongar was efficient in his questioning, so he is already in the tavern when you return. The first thing he does is share what he found out:

Fala was watering plants in the greenhouse on the second floor of her shop when the blast blew out some of the windows. Through the smoke, she saw a cloaked man take something from the body of a dead gnome, then start limping away. He was badly burned and casting glances over his shoulder, like he was afraid someone might be following him. He was headed toward the Bent Nail.

"Someone survived the attack." He says then. "Someone who stole something from the gnome who was apparently trying to reach our tavern." He gives you a meaningful look. "Do you think that the gnome was just trying to hide somewhere? Or was he trying to give that something to us specifically?"

- Answer.
- Ask about the automatons.
- Ask about the necklace.
- Ask something else.

 

[Yokai]

Ask about the necklace.
​

Contemplation furrowed Iselas' brow as she considered Regongar's questions, pink lips tugged down in an impressive frown. Quite honestly the situation was more complicated than she was expecting it would be. More than that, she hadn't expected it to be so closely involved with their own lives. They'd only just secured and renovated their home; this felt like a threat to that security.

"I don't know," Iselas replied honestly, a little annoyed by her own confusion. Normally she was a decisive person who acted on gut feeling and instinct; to be unsure about how to proceed felt wrong and foreign to her. "But we are going to find out." At least that was for sure.

"I spoke to Jezrynne on my way out the tavern," Iselas changed the subject, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. "But... before I tell you what she saw. Martem had this when I found him --" She retrieved the necklace from her pack, presenting it to the half-orc with a concerned look. "-- that's... not normal, right?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"A necklace of fireballs." Regongar says immediately, eyes slightly widening as he reaches to take it. "Only two left." He looks at you. "This is our murder weapon." He lets out an awed whistle. "This necklace is really pricey. Someone wanted someone very dead. Did they aim for the gnome or his pursuers, though?"

- Ask about the automatons.
- Ask something else.
- Share your findings.

 

[Yokai]

Share your findings.​

"Fireballs!?" Iselas repeated incredulously, eyebrows shooting up as she stared at the necklace that was now in Regongar's hands. That explained the fireball induced explosion. "It does seem like they were being overly prepared. Whatever they did this for, it must have been extremely valuable to them." Iselas conceded softly, recalling her own findings on the matter as she shook her head. "...When I spoke to Jezrynne she mentioned that the attacker looked like one of those automatons; a puppet controlled by invisible strings." She breathed out her nose in a low, annoyed exhale.

 

[ArcticFox]

"An automaton?" Regongar hums in wonder. "Those things fascinate me, but I didn't know they could be sentient. I thought they were just expensive toys."

A notebook floats in front both of you with words written on the pages: Temple of Gond organises the automaton parade.

Regongar nods, "Thanks Lif. That could be our next stop." Then he looks at you thoughtfully. "Though I have a more gruesome, but effective idea in mind." He grins, tusks flashing. "We can talk to the dead. We just need to find a cleric to wake them up."

You know that Force Gray has a couple of clerics in the organisation and through Varja or Meloon you could get in touch with one of them. Or you can pursue your lead to the Temple of Gond and the parade. Or considering his own encounters with Zentharim, Xanathar and other factions in Waterdeep, you could get in touch with Renaer to see if he could help.

- Go to the Temple.
- Contact Varja about the cleric.
- Contact Meloon about the cleric.
- Pay a visit to Renaer.

 

[Yokai]

Go to the Temple. ​

The idea of paying Renaer another visit was extremely tempting, though she acknowledged that it wouldn't be a social call this time around. Iselas also didn't want to get the noble mixed up in whatever she was currently getting herself into. She liked him a little too much for that. Which was why she settled on the idea of checking out the Temple instead per Lif's helpful advice. Plus, the whole 'speaking to the dead' thing was a bit creepy -- not that she was superstitious but one poltergeist seemed to be the limit for her.

"How about we check out the Temple before we bother anymore ghosts?" Iselas offered, half-tempted to pat Regongar's cheek fondly -- she barely managed to resist, though her fingers definitely twitched suspiciously. "No offense, Lif. But you're all the ghost I need." She then winked to the open room and grinned at her own theatrics.

"Wanna go look at some creepy automatons instead, Reg?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"I don't mind automatons, but I'm not good with temples." Regongar says, yet he follows along, and the two of you leave the tavern.

--

​

The House of Inspired Hands, Waterdeep's temple of Gond, sits on the corner of Seawatch Street and Shark Street in the Sea Ward. Gond, to The Lord of All Smiths, is a deity of craft and smithwork, so the contraction of the temple makes sense.

The House of Inspired Hands looks like a cross between a temple and a workshop. The symbol of Gond, a toothed cog with four spokes, is displayed prominently. You see the silhouette of a humanoid shape perching on the rooftop. It extends an arm, releasing a tiny metal sparrow into the sky. The bird does a few loops in the air, then veers right toward you.

"Watch out!" Regongar exclaims, ducking.

- Move out of the way (roll d20 for agility check).
- Push Regongar out of the way.
- Don't move, it might not hit you.

 

[Yokai]

Move out of the way (rolled 2). ​

The imposing Temple of Gond was an unusual looking building that boasted a complicated and finely crafted design in reverence to their smithing deity. To most it would be a wonder to look upon, for Iselas it just made her head spin uncomfortably. Her tastes tended to lean more towards the simplistic; places with shadowed corners and secret passageways. Basically the city's infamous streets, the same place where she'd grown up and found herself most comfortable.

So, when Regongar ducked with a cry of warning, she was already more than a little on edge. Immediately she dropped, following her companion's example as she recognised the small metal sparrow's trajectory; it had dived straight for them.

 

[ArcticFox]

Unable to steer off its path, and with you unable to dodge it, the mechanical bird slams into your chest, pushing your air out and leaving you gasping. Regongar moves close to support you, so you don't double over.

"You alright?" He asks.

The mechanical bird bursts apart from the impact, tiny pieces falling down on the ground. By the time you regain your breath and look up the temple, the figure on it has already disappeared.

"That was something." Regongar scoffs. "Should we go inside?"

Having come so far, there's no point in turning back anyway, and soon you are inside the Temple, which bustles with activity. You see acolytes, dressed in yellow and red robes, walking about, talking in groups, or diligently working on one project or the other in corner tables.

At the centre of the great hall is a red carpet and pedestals run the length of it from each side, with various inventions in glass displays. Regongar lets out a low whistle.

As you walk you see the following oddities on display: a 4-foot-tall working model of a clock tower that rings at the top of every hour. It is made of wood, iron. bronze, and glass, with brass bells and delicate hands formed from solid gold; a wooden flying machine that has wings that flap when it becomes airborne; a miniature model of a mechanical dragon that has a brass plate affixed to its pedestal which reads: Big Belchy. Sank in Deepwater Harbor on the Day of Wonders in 1363 DR; a functional "waking helmet" equipped with small, articulated metal arms and hands that gently slap the wearer if he or she falls asleep; a miniature model of a red submarine shaped like a manta ray that has a brass plate affixed to its pedestal which reads: The Scarlet Marpenoth. Lantanese submersible. Launched in 1489 DR.

Past the displays and near the altar stands a dragonborn priestess, looking curiously in your direction.

- Examine the displays.
- Approach the priestess.
- Look around.