Fantasy Dragon Heist (Completed)

[ArcticFox]

"No, our orders are to take the staff as well." Krebbys says with a hiss. "You have to do it too, or Jarlaxle will hear of it." He gives you a malicious glare.

His companion, Fel'rekt, has his weapon drawn and cocked at well and is ready to attack. Barok gives them a look-over, then turns to you.

"It's your choice. You can fight two drow elves... or a dragon." He smiles, showing his teeth, which you now notice are all filed to points.

- Attack the drow.
- Attack Barok.

 

[Yokai]

Attack the drow.
​

"And who will he hear it from?" Iselas asked. Instead of her crossbow she had drawn the wand she'd first used to stun Fel'rekt in the old tower. This was quickly aimed and shot at the nearest drow elf to her person as she hurriedly backed away, putting some distance between herself and them.

 

[ArcticFox]

You use the wand on Fel'rekt once again and he is none the wiser this time. The projectile slams against his body before he can react, knocking all air out of his lungs, and tossing him against a pillar. He slumps down, motionless.

Krebbys sees that he's in a terrible disadvantage, but still he manages to shoot at you and catch you in the leg before you can escape. Your calf is scraped and it hurts terrible, but it's not a life-threatening wound. Renaer lets out a yelp and catches you as you stumble, shielding you protectively from any other shots.

However, Krebbyg doesn't get to shoot again as Meloon punches him square in the nose, most certainly breaking it, and making him yell out in pain, moving both hands up to stop the blood. Meloon kicks the gun away from him.

"Well, now when that is settled." Barok speaks as silence falls. "Take your gold and be off with you. Make sure to give it to the people of Waterdeep. I'll know if you keep it for yourself." He smiles and steps out of your way.

You can see that there are empty sacks throughout the Vault, probably left from when the Vault was filled. You can use them to carry as much as gold as possible.

- Load the gold and leave.
- Load the gold and take the elves with you.
- Load the gold and kill the elves.

 

[Yokai]

Take the gold and take the elves with you.
​

"It's fine, Ren. Don't worry, I'm fine." Iselas comforted him through clenched teeth, her expression twisted in pain as she leaned her forehead briefly against his shoulder. It took her a moment to straighten up before she managed to scowl in the drow elves' direction. She had a few options now; she could either kill them both, lying to Jarlaxle that they'd provoked the dragon and died before she could strike a deal. Or, she could bring them back to him and hope that their lives were worth more to him than a shape-shifter's staff. Didn't he say that he didn't want violence or fighting? This was as peaceful a resolution that he could ever hope for, and he'd be getting the gold either way, right?

"We can't leave them down here," Iselas decided after a long, weary moment. She was exhausted; tired of fighting and tired of murder. Even the comfort of gold was cold to her now. "Fel'rekt is just unconscious, he should come around soon." Blue eyes flickered over to the furious Krebbyg and she frowned. "I don't want to kill you. Let's hope that your lives mean more to Jarlaxle than that staff." Otherwise she was going to have to try and weasel her way out of another sticky situation.

 

[ArcticFox]

Krebbyg doesn't say anything, but his glare is not at all friendly. Holding his bloody nose with one hand, he walks over to check on his companion, while Regongar, Meloon an Amiri get to stuffing the sacks.

Renaer stays close to you, holding you carefully, just in case. And Barok watches all of you, making sure that no one took any gems.

When the sacks and pockets are lined with gold, you make your way out, Krebbyg following, as he carries his companion on his back. Barok shows you a different way out, so you don't have to jump across the bridge again, and you appear in the first hallway, walking through one of the previously closed adamantine doors on the lower level.

The huge doors of the Vault are still standing open and you see that the nimblewright is standing there in wait. But, it is not alone.

"Tell me, please, how did you manage to hurt my men?" Jarlaxle asks, waiting for you as you leave the Vault. He stands there surrounded by a small drow army - more than thirty men and women under his command. You spot Zaira, standing on his left, not meeting your gaze.

"I can see that the rest of you are pretty much unscathed." Jarlaxle frowns. "What happened?"

- Tell the truth.
- Lie.
- Let Krebbyg answer.

 

[Yokai]

Tell the truth.​

With a dragon battle avoided, all of their pockets and sacks filled with gold, and two injured drow elves in tow, they departed from the vault. Despondently Iselas' mind reeled over the speech she'd have to give Jarlaxle once they reached his hide-out. She hadn't been expecting the welcoming party.

"The dragon offered us a deal," Iselas informed him, deciding that for once the truth sounded better than the lie. "We can take as much gold as we can carry and he'd let us leave without a fight. However, your men wanted to fight him for the staff. It was either lose your men and my companions to an angry dragon or take the deal and leave with the gold."

Iselas didn't dare suggest that she knew Jarlaxle; he was mysterious, dangerous, and far more cunning than she could ever hope to be. But she figured that the two of them did have one thing in common; "If you care about your people like I care about mine, then you know that their lives are worth much more than that staff."

 

[ArcticFox]

Jarlaxle watches you as you speak, then looks at his men. Krebbyg nods to confirm it.

"They were sent specifically to take the staff from Aurinax." He sighs. "But, I guess that gold will have to do."

He beckons the two drow over and Krebbyg leaves you side, his unconscious companion in tow. You see Jarlaxle place a hand on Krebbyg's shoulder as he walks past and whisper something that you don't quite catch. Krebbyg nods and moves into the gathered crowd, two more drow helping him with Fel'rekt.

"Well, you can put the gold down and we'll take it over from here. We agreed on, what, five thousand?" Jarlaxle says, stepping close to you.

"Five thousand only?" Amiri scoffs. "Can't see why we should keep everything."

"I don't like you dealing with the likes of him, Iselas. Force Gray and Bregan D'arthe are not exactly friends." Meloon reminds you. "Varja will not look fondly on this."

"Give him the money, Iselas." Renaer advises. "Let's be done with this already. You don't need the gold."

"But the people of Waterdeep do." Meloon says. "Did we not promise to give it over to them?" You can see that he is getting agitated now.

- Take the 5000gp and stick to the deal..
- Fight Jarlaxle for all of the money.
- Ask him something.

 

[Yokai]

Take the 5000gp and stick to the deal.
​

Agitation simmered beneath her skin as the two drow elves crossed back to their side, whatever they'd hoped to see accomplished now done. Amiri's desire to fight them for all of their gold was unsurprising but it was Meloon's refusal to parlay that shocked her. Sometimes she forgot that he was one of the good guys and that he'd disagree with their course of action.

"I was never doing this for the people of Waterdeep," Iselas replied as she dropped the gold for Jarlaxle and his little army to collect. All that mattered to her was that all of them made it out alive and she stared over at Meloon, attempting to will him into understanding that. "...Besides, I am giving the gold over to Jarlaxle and then it's his choice about what he does with that gold, not mine." If Barok wanted to get angry with someone then he could get angry with Jarlaxle.

 

[ArcticFox]

"But it was us that made a promise. It's hour honour that will suffer." Meloon says, biting back anger. You can see disappointment in his eyes, but he quickly looks away from you and doesn't say anything else.

"Good, I am glad that you have been reasonable so far." Jarlaxle nods, hands on hips as he gestures to his drow to collect the gold.

When you give the sacks over and turn out your pockets, Zaira counts your share and places it in a smaller sack, then hands it over to you. She looks apologetic and gives you a little smile, before moving back into the crowd.

"Now, there is only one more debt left to settle." Jarlaxle says with a smirk that doesn't look very benevolent. He waves his hand as if bored, and all the drow in the front row point their weapons at you. "You have killed two of my men recently, don't think I've forgotten it." He says. "Now please pick two of your companions that you like the least, so I can dispose of them and be done with it."

Renaer gasps and takes a hold of your hand. Regongar and Amiri move closer to you.

"I suggest the big fellow." Jarlaxle grins.

- Pick two.
- Offer yourself.
- Plead.
- Try to run.

 

[Yokai]

Offer yourself.
​

And there it was, the catch that Iselas had been expecting. Still, it didn't stop her breath from catching in her throat as she almost choked on his words. Instinctively her fingers curled around the fireball necklace as she took a slow step forwards. Because if Jarlaxle thought that she would willingly hand over any of her companions then he was sorely mistaken.

"And I just spared two of them from a gruesome death, unless you have forgotten that?" Iselas shot back before reaching down to unwind her fingers from Renaer's. When she looked up she took a brief moment to memorise his features, attempting to commit them to memory for what would probably be the last time, before she turned her stare onto Jarlaxle. "Let them go. All of them. They aren't responsible for the deaths of your men. You can kill me instead."

 

[ArcticFox]

"Iselas, don't!" Renaer shouts and runs to stop you. He is caught by Jarlaxle's fist to the stomach, making him double over.

"Be silent and let your girlfriend act noble." Jarlaxle says, shaking his head in disapproval. Then he turns to you and raises your chin with his fingertips, looking in your eyes intently. "We are alike, you are right, but your group is weak. You belong on my ship." His teeth are pearly white as he grins. "But I don't accept your sacrifice. I made a deal with you after all."

And it all happens in a flash. Jarlaxle steps away from you and gestures with his hand. The drow loose a barrage of bullets, but at two targets only. You hear grunts of pain and hear your companions slump to the ground. When you turn around, Amiri and Meloon are lying motionless behind you, blood pooling underneath their lifeless bodies.

"Bastard." Regongar hisses, his arms flickering.

- Attack Jarlaxle.
- Run up to your companions.
- Check on Renaer.
- Something else.

 

[Yokai]

Run up to your companions.
​

Bullets whistled through the air and two bodies hit the ground with a heavy, resounding thud. When Iselas turned and saw her two companions, lying dead in a pool of their own blood, she wondered whether Jarlaxle had killed her and if this was Hell.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," Iselas panicked, a barrage of negatives slipping past unguarded lips as she bolted for her fallen two. Falling to her knees between them she steadfastly tried to ignore the blood seeping into her trousers. "Please, don't be dead. Please, please. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, this is my fault. This is my fault." She whispered, tears collecting in too-bright eyes as she pulled her bag from her back and hurried to find the two restoration potions that she still carried. How much damage could they restore?

 

[ArcticFox]

You use your potions, but they don't work on the dead. Regongar kneels beside you, placing a hand on your shoulder.

"It's fine, Iselas."

Jarlaxle sighs, then rolls his eyes. "Gods, don't be so dramatic. You have enough gold to buy a resurrection spell, you will have your companions back in a snap. Did you really think I left my men dead when you dealt with them?" He shakes his head. "Thankfully, their bodies floated right up to my ships."

Regongar nods as if to confirm this. "Let's just take them to the tavern."

"I... I'll..." Renaer coughs, then straightens up. "I'll haul a carriage."

Jarlaxle shakes his head once again and motions for his little army to leave. The drow file one by one, climbing the staircase up. Jarlaxle stays last and gives you a long look.

"Considers us even now, Iselas. You are welcome on my ship any time. And soon enough in my palace as well." And with a wink he turns around and leaves.

- Help your companions.

 

[Yokai]

Help your companions.
​

A resurrection potion? Iselas hadn't even thought of that, but she supposed that she was wealthy enough now. Still, it didn't stop the guilt from crawling up her throat and prickling at her eyes. She wondered what part of this felt like equality to Jarlaxle.

"Yeah, let's... let's just get them home," Iselas agreed quietly, much more subdued and unable to meet her companions' gazes. "I'll get the potions. Are you alright, Ren?"

 

[ArcticFox]

"I'm fine." Renaer waves his hand dismissively.

The three of you somehow manage to haul the Amiri and Meloon up the stairs. They are both very heavy so it takes a lot of time and it's gruesome work. Renaer stops a carriage once you are out on the streets and you get home to Trollskull Alley. There's no time to worry about being caught by the City Watch now.

--

About an hour later, Regongar returns with the resurrection scrolls, quite a common thing in Waterdeep, where faction clashes happen often. He uses them on your companions. It takes a moment after the spell is used for Amiri and Meloon to gasp for breath.

"What happened?" Amiri jolts up from the bed, looking down at her bloody torso.

"We died." Meloon says calmly, then gives an explanation. "This is my third time."

You are 400 gold pieces lighter, but you have your party together again. Meloon doesn't seem too keen on you at the moment, still unhappy with how the deal with Jarlaxle went. Both Amiri and Meloon will have to rest quite a bit to regain their strength, but they are all alive, and that's what matters.

None of your companions ask for their share of gold dragons and Amiri and Regongar agree on investing as much as possible in the tavern, so you can live without any worries for the rest of your days. Renaer stays with you as you all recuperate from both physical injuries and trauma, reluctant to leave your side even for a moment.

--

During the next week, you manage to slip the City Watch, but not for very long. They come knocking on the Trollskull tavern's door and you have a choice - surrender or run.

- Go with the Watch.
- Escape the Watch.

 

[Yokai]

Go with the Watch.
​

Iselas had expected the guilt to fade once Amiri and Meloon were resurrected but still it lingered beneath her skin. Whenever any of her companions wandered out of her sight for too long she half imagined they'd show up dead again. It made her a little pedantic. Thankfully, Renaer's constant presence was a welcome distraction and comfort from said realisation that Iselas suddenly had multiple people that she cared for deeply, and that she couldn't protect.

And, when the Watch eventually came knocking, and she'd known that they would, Iselas essentially surrendered. If she had a white flag she would have been waving it. She was pretty sure that she could've slipped out the back door and made a break for it. But she just wanted this entire ordeal over and done with and forgotten. Which sadly meant facing law enforcement; because apparently she couldn't run away forever -- well, technically, she could, but the point was that she didn't want to.

 

[ArcticFox]

The Watch is lenient toward fugitives that surrender themselves and you have Renaer and his connections on your side. The magister doesn't throw you in shackles, but instead brings you into her office for a hearing.

"I don't know who you are, miss, but you have powerful friends." The says, giving you a stern look. "When I signed the warrant for the Watch to apprehend you, I've been contacted by both Sergeant Staget and Councilwoman Silverhand. They both want you released with a warning." She frowns. "I don't like it, but Staget is a good man whom I trust, and Silverhand is my superior. I have no choice in the matter." She scribbles something on a paper, then puts a seal on it. "There, your pardon is signed. You are free to go."

On top of having a fair bit of money, you also have your freedom now. Waterdeep is a big city and you have a place in it, should you wish to stay.

- Stay in the Trollskull tavern.
- Move in with Renaer.
- Leave Waterdeep.

 

[Yokai]

Move in with Renaer.​

"Thank you." Iselas said to the woman, because there was nothing else that she could say. She'd expected help from Renaer but she hadn't been expecting Jarlaxle to step in again. The drow elf was a confusing man but she refused to be pulled into his games. Hopefully, fingers crossed, he would leave her and her group alone. His previous flirtatious offer would have been flattering had she not watched him shoot her friends down.

Regardless, in the mean time, she had relationships to try and fix and a brand new life to live. Who knew, maybe it was time for a change of scenery? Perhaps she should leave Amiri and Regongar to their tavern shenanigans and look for something more permanent. Renaer must get lonely rattling about in that big, dusty ol' mansion of his, surely. It was kind of a surreal thought; moving in with a boyfriend whom she actually cared for and wanted to do right by.

 

[ArcticFox]

Over the next couple of weeks, Jarlaxle's rise to power is unstoppable. He buys his way into the Open Council in the disguise of Zardoz Zord, a theatrical captain of the Sea Maiden's Fair. No one seems to mind Zardoz or pay him much attention at first, except to occasionally admire his impeccably beautiful retinue of men and women, but soon things begin to change.

The Open Council's opinions are united after more than a century, and for some reason they all start looking to Zardoz for guidance. Those that vote against his propositions in open sessions mysteriously change their minds the very next day. No one says it openly, but people slowly start fearing Zardoz. You are among the few who know of Jarlaxle's many disguises and it is not impossible to believe that he is now the Open Council in its entirety.

Both you and your companions benefit greatly from this. Jarlaxle makes you all untouchable, even if you never meet him in person again, as long as you don't go spreading around his secrets.

Even if you try to distance yourself from leading the tavern business, your friends don't let you. They still consider you a co-owner and bring you a share of the profits each month and always ask for your opinion when changes are in order.

The Zentharim leave Regongar alone, but Yagra visits the Trollskull Tavern often. You catch them making out in the pantry once. It's not a pretty sight.

Amiri stays in the tavern as a co-owner and a bouncer, showered with affection of the barmaids, but she doesn't commit to any one of them. She stays true to her lone wolf reputation.

Meloon's attitude gets colder toward the whole party each day and he eventually ends up moving out of the Trollskull tavern and back to the Yawning Portal. Varja Blackstaff doesn't send for you again.

Your relationship with Renaer blossoms when you move into his mansion. He is very glad to have someone to live with and, as the mercenary groups finally give up on the Vault, he is able to lead a normal life again. He dotes on you every day, making sure you are not lacking for anything, which can be sweet and overwhelming at times.

Your frequent guests in the mansion are Floon and Volo, who usually come to petition you to invest in Volo's new book ideas, or pay off Floon's gambling debts, but always stay to keep you company, drink and talk until late hours of the night.

Everything is calm and steady in your life, until one day you receive a letter from an unknown sender. You read the message: Undermountain beckons. See you at the Yawning Portal.

Perhaps your adventuring days are not yet over.

The End.​