[Other] Halforums Heist

fog cloud on mindflayer.png


I cast fog cloud on the yellow dot which should fill the area as I drew. Then I move to the hallway to the right and hide from view (not the hide action, just out of line of sight) If an Arcana check will tell me what the walking brain is roll = 20
 
Charity

As the half-orc falls, and fog fills the room, Charity mutters a brief prayer to Chauntea, and moves in, holding her sword at the ready and standing over the downed man, ready to strike if either of the nightmare creatures emerges.

Moving to where the half-orc was. Readying an attack on the first creature to come within range at 15 to hit, with 10 possible damage.
 
Charity shoves the dead half-orc off the person laying on the floor to find Floon, per his description. He is badly beaten but manages a crooked smile through his wounds.

(Ran is up!)
 
Brad takes aim at the brain thing with a dagger and the dagger hits (23) with a squish for 3 damage.
Brad runs to the top of the stairs and whips a dagger all the way across the hall. It is a spectacular throw, piercing the little brain-monster's hind leg.
 
Ran rushes to the injured man and helps him to his feet if possible. If he can't seem to walk, Ran will start to drag him to Marten if possible.

"Hiya Floons, the names Ran, head of Ran's Rangers heroes for hire. We're here to rescue you. We're here with your friend Renaer. Blink twice if we shouldn't trust him by the way. Anyways, let's try to run away from the thing that's going to haunt my nightmares for the next month"

He also gives Charity a thumbs up gesture which inspires here to be the best person she can be [and eats up my last Bardic Inspiration]
 
Ran rushes to the injured man and helps him to his feet if possible. If he can't seem to walk, Ran will start to drag him to Marten if possible.

"Hiya Floons, the names Ran, head of Ran's Rangers heroes for hire. We're here to rescue you. We're here with your friend Renaer. Blink twice if we shouldn't trust him by the way. Anyways, let's try to run away from the thing that's going to haunt my nightmares for the next month"

He also gives Charity a thumbs up gesture which inspires here to be the best person she can be [and eats up my last Bardic Inspiration]
Floon stands up and hobbles back towards the stairs down with Ran.

Meanwhile, the fog obscures whatever the alien creature is doing. But its pet comes charging out of the fog and is struck by Charity's readied attack. Charity finds her blade does not cut through the thick hide of the creature well. Then, it retaliates, slashing at her at an exposed part of her leg for 7 damage.

Charity feels an intense pressure in her mind from the creature as it attacks her psychically. She manages to fend it off, leaving her somewhat breathless at the alien assault.

Renaer charges forward and, like Brad, fires off his dagger, slicing through the top of the brain-like creature for 2 damage.

(Ty is up! @Vrii )
 
Ty charges forward but cannot make it to help Charity in time. He is close enough to throw a dagger, however, so plants his feet and fires it at the vicious little creature.

The dagger sails wide as he tries to avoid hitting Charity.

(Everyone but Ty and Renaer is up.)
 
Marten swivels and trains his crossbow on the brain beast. A quarrel thunks into its hide, but doesn't sink nearly as much as it should in the beasts rubbery flesh. (17 to hit, 10 5 damage)
 
As his companions weapons bounce off the foul aberration, a steely resolve overshadows the fears of detective, so much so he steps from his hiding spot and strides forth with purpose. Flames spark from his fist as he hurls a flaming ball directly into the creature as a familiar refrain is uttered "FULMEN IGNEM MITTITUR!"

cast fire bolt, 24 to hit, 8 damage

Note to self make magic weapons for party at level 3
 
The foul little creature squeals as it burns, falling to the ground, dead.

Tense seconds pass and nothing else emerges from the fog. Erythro let's the fog go and they find the mind flayer is gone. The doors to the west are flung open but no other creatures or enemies are immediately visible.

Combat has ended.
 
"I strongly suggest we not follow it. Get Floon out of here while I make sure it is gone." The wizard then moves slowly forward past the fallen beast and investigates the room.
 
Erythro finds a large room with multiple exits. In the middle of this otherwise empty room is a stone pillar carved with a small symbol: a perfect circle with ten equidistant spokes radiating outward from its circumference. In the middle of this circle is a smaller circular indentation that bears a passing resemblance to a lidless eye. On the south side of the room, purple magical energy swirls in a large disk. It is a portal, probably recently opened.
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Copy of Xanathar Hideout 1 (7).png
 
The heads of his companions snap up as Erythro comes running back into the room. "Time to go! Now now now how now!" And runs straight to the fallen half orc. Quickly strips it of anything that could be valuable and runs into the hallway he was previously hiding.
 
In a satchel, Grum’shar carried his spellbook, which contains the following spells: burning hands, disguise self, false life, shield, unseen servant, and witch bolt. He also carried a simply crystal globe as a casting focus and 21 copper pieces.

As the party flees back the way they came, they hear no one following them. They eventually arrive back at the sewer, where Floon and Renaer take a moment to embrace and pat each other on the back.
 
Ran outfits Floon with whatever he may need for the journey back. (probably a leather armor and rapier/dagger combo?)
 
Floon is severely injured and shakes his head at the weapons and armor. He staggers back to the Yawning Portal with Renaer helping prop him up.

"Don't worry, we'll get you straightened out," Renaer says.

Volo is drinking alone in the Yawning Portal while anxiously awaiting news of Floon’s fate. He springs up and runs to embrace the returning heroes and his friends as soon as he sees them.

The writer looks sheepish as he offers his thanks. "I confess that I have but few coins to spare. But never let it be said that Volo reneges on a promise. Allow me to present something much more valuable.” He holds out a scroll tube. “The deed to a remarkable property here in Waterdeep! We’ll need a magistrate to witness the transfer of ownership. I’ll arrange a meeting with one after you’ve inspected the estate and deemed it satisfactory.”

"Volo," Renaer says with a tone of chastisement.

"I promise," Volo says. "I spent far more on this property than the proffered reward."

The tube contains a deed to one Trollskull Manor, a historic building in the North Ward. The deed has been notarized and appears legitimate.
 
The slender wizard smiles and slumps into a chair, his thuggish disguise long vanished. "Volo, what we need now are drinks and rest. Renaer, we also need to inform some one of what we found down there. Some one a fair bit above the City Watch." And as the wizard fills his belly with food and drink, he starts thinking about tomorrow nights activities.

A house makes sense, gives us a place for NPC's to interact with us and unifies us into a singular location.

And seriously; a beholder and a mind flayer are involved in the Xanathar business. And Floon was taken because of some money. Some body needs to learn about all this.

Tomorrow night, once my spells are restored I will return to the warehouse in disguise and retrieve the items we left behind. Let me know what rolls are required
 
Marten shrugs at the lack of monetary reward. The money would have helped him in his mission to serve the underprivileged children in the town, but a place to sleep would serve as well, freeing up his daily earnings as a street preacher for that mission. In the long term, the house is a better deal.

And while he's a bit slow to make friends, his new companions have shown them very capable people. The bonds of combat and all that.

"I cannot speak for the others, but this manor will suit me just fine. I imagine it's best to alert the law of the warrens in the sewers, and let them deal with it. I could use a bath, some food, and some sleep."

(let me know how much I need to spend to accomplish those things, pls. I've been keeping tight track of my share of the loot)
 
Charity

"Um..." Charity pipes up in a moment of quiet, looking somewhat baffled at the reward of a...manor, "not that I want to seem ungrateful, mister Geddarm, but - well, I'm just a simple farmgirl, really. I was more than happy to help out finding your friend, but I don't think it would be appropriate for me to move in with five men I barely know. You may cross my name off the contract." She goes a little red in the cheeks, but holds fast when pressed on the issue.
 
Erythro holds his tongue on an impromptu lecture on tenancy and ownership, but errs on the side of mischief, one less share. His mind moves towards other notions, such that Volo was deceitful about the reward, perhaps he's deceiving us now. Perhaps the true nature of this Trollskull Manor, is far more dire than Volo lets on. He just went from promising us hundreds to giving us thousands. Perhaps it's haunted, or worse has creditors.


just spitballing. It's haunted and if we want it we need to get rid of the ghosts and skeletons and vampires, making this another dungeon crawl

Regardless it feels like a level 2 problem :)

I use my passve insight 14 to determine what Volo is up too.
 
A single tear runs down Ran's cheek.

"Base of operations..." He whispers to himself.

Ran places some of the loot on a table to see if anyone in the party can use it.

• one Javelin
• one light crossbow
• one scale mail
• one warpick

After his companions pick what they want Ran pays a quick visit to his underworld fence to sell off the remaining loot and distribute the shares evenly.

[4 leather armors, 4 rapiers and any of the above that doesn't get claimed. Ran keeps the daggers since people seem so keen on throwing theirs]

In the morning he catches up with Ethyrio and goes with him to collect the rest of the loot.

"We'll need a cart, I can go rent one"
 
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OOC: you don't know about that loot...never got to RP it. We went straight into Renaer then the city watch. Didn't make sense to talk about it then "Sorry do mind if we pause this rescue to loot the place." I thought my corpse collection angle moght have goven us the chance, but oh well.
 
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OOC: you don't know about that loot...never got to RP it. We went straight into Renaer then the city watch. Didn't make sense to talk about it then "Sorry do mind if we pause this rescue to loot the place." I thought my corpse collection angle moght have goven us the chance, but oh well.
[I was thinking of going through the crates a bit more thorough but if we want to write that off as worthless that's fine too. ]
 
(to Charity) "Girl, I don't think we would accept the manor if there weren't room for us all in some capacity. If there are rooms aplenty, it would be no worse than staying at an inn or other public accomodation. It would actually be safer, as you have shed blood with us, and we share that common bond. I would ensure your virtue would be safe, I swear by my vows to Lathander"

Someone needs to learn the value of "Yes, and...". :D
 
Charity

"Ah, mister Marten," Charity fumbles for a moment, but grants the cleric a gentle smile "I would be happy to stay a night or two, to celebrate a job well done. Don't get me wrong, I trust you all, and believe you are good people; but owning a manor? That is a responsibility I am not ready for, I am sorry to say. And even if I were, my place to settle is not in the heart of the city."

Not leaving the party! Just don't need to officially own a house in Waterdeep.
 
"Dearest Charity, your plight is quite understandable. If it is acceptable, I will take ownership of this Manor , and agree to cover it's costs, while entering into a charitable agreement with all of you such that you are treated as my family and can enjoy the spoils without risk of exposure."
 
Volo chuckles at the exchange. "Oho, my dear girl. Don't let the name lead you astray. This manor was once a tavern of some renown. But it could be anything you want. A fest hall, a place of healing, a market to sell goods from your village. It is for you to shape. Please, go look at it and let your imagination decide what use it may be to you."
 
(I will advance to the next day if the characters would like to stay the night at the Yawning Portal and check out the manor in the morning...)
 
A good nights rest does Erythro wonders. A new vigor fills him, mystery is afoot in Waterdeep. What is Xanathar seems obvious, but what does he want? The lost dragons? Ir something less mundane. Those mysteries will have to wait, mundane matters will cloud the next few days. How to claim the silver and paintings, how to turn them into coin, and a heavy few days of working with the half orcs spellbook. Most of the treasure will have to go towards that. And I need to find something purple....but breakfast first!
 
Four stories tall and boasting balconies, a turret, and five chimneys, the abandoned building is one of the grandest in Trollskull Alley. The first floor boasts a large taproom that, in this abandoned state, is filled with broken furniture, tarnished silverware, casks of wine that have turned to vinegar, and worthless detritus.

After the tour, Volo raises his eyebrows. "Well, shall we go make this official?"

Manor Map.jpg


Floors:

from top left in clockwise order: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, cellar, 1st.
 
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