[IC] D&D 5e Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

CALENDAR

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DATE: 27th of TARSAKH

WEATHER

SEASON: Spring

TEMPERATURE: Moderate

HIGH: 45°F (7°C)

LOW: 35°F (1°C)

It is cloudy and colder than normal. A gentle breeze comes and goes between buildings.

PARTY STATUS

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HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

HEALTH: Full

CONDITIONS: Healthy

COMBAT POST HEADER

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[h1]CHARACTER NAME[/h1]
[b]HP: [/b] curr/max
[b]AC: [/b]
[b]SPEED: [/b]
Spell casters add

[b]Spell Save DC: [/b]
[b]Prepped Spells: [/b]

DICE ROLLER

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[url=dice roller url]check name[/url]

[Zitacamron95]

Hider

Food and Drink Prices
Pint of Ale --- 4cp
Bottle of Fine Wine --- 10gp
Pitcher of Wine --- 2sp
Loaf of Bread --- 2cp
Hunk of Cheese --- 1sp
Chunk of Meat --- 3sp

Lodging
Comfortable --- 8sp/per night

In the Castle Ward Waterdeep there is a famous inn and tavern known as the Yawning Portal Inn. Most adventurers come here looking for a job, or to explore the Undermountain. Others come for the colorful company and drink. From the outside the place is just a huge stone building with a slate roof and several chimneys. On the inside the Inn contains many comfortable rooms for guests. The ground floor has a massive tavern and common room. And in the middle of the common room is a 40ft well that leads to a massive dungeon system underneath.

All of you have come to this Inn for one reason or another. You all find seats at sturdy wooden tables lit by brightly burning candles. The sounds of gamblers yelling and drunken adventurers singing bawdy songs nearly drown out the off-key strumming of a young bard a few tables over.

Then all the noise is eclipsed by a shout: "Ya pig! Like killin' me mates, does ya?" Then a seven-foot-tall half orc is hit by a wild, swinging punch from a male human whose shaved head is covered with eye shaped tattoos. Four other humans stand behind him, ready to jump into the fray. The half-orc cracks her knuckles, roars, and leaps at the tattooed figure--but before you can see if blood is drawn, a crowd of spectators clusters around the brawl. What do you do?

[Lucius Cypher]

Yoh had arrived to the Yawning Portal not too long ago. He had managed to make inside of the city without incident, his strange appearance hardly garnering the attention of the guards or denizens. Then again, Yoh only had to spend a few seconds looking around this very tavern to see that he was not the strangest looking person in the city. Perhaps Waterdeep was just accustomed to odd folks coming in. Quietly the person sat at the bar near some other patrons. He knew it was customary to order a drink, however as Yoh was not thirsty, he simply sat there and watched the people around him. Just as Yoh thought this place was strange, he noticed a familiar face: Jalester Silvermane. Yoh wasn't personally close to the man, however the old gang that Yoh ran with new the man well enough, and by extension Yoh knew him. Immediately Yoh stood up and walked over to the human.

"Jalester. Hello." Yoh sat down near him. Not too far away, a brawl had started, but Yoh didn't care to be involved in that conflict. As far as Yoh was concerned it was just drunks rough housing, nothing serious enough to require his intervention. "It has been some time since we've last met. How are things in the city?"

[Decker219]

Baldrick sat at a small table in the inn. He had tried to find a quiet corner to rest in, only to realize that there was no such place here. The inn was just like the rest of the city, crowded and noisy. He sighed as he tried to recall what had made him come into the Yawning Portal in the first place. When he first arrived in Waterdeep he had no idea what he must do here, but surely there was a reason. There always was.

Before he had even realized it, he found himself outside of this establishment. He must have been drawn here, just as he had been drawn to the city itself. Now though, he was beginning to question himself. Was this truly where he belonged right now?

The sound of fight drew his attention. Some of the patrons seemed to be having an argument that was quickly escalating. He hesitated, was this something to involve himself in? He disliked senseless violence, but an old friend had mentioned that brawls such as this happened from time to time.

As he looked on at the confrontation, he realized that the same friend who had told him about these brawls, Yagra Stonefist, was currently at the center of the argument. Well that made his decision easier at least. He stood up from his table and moved behind Yagra, holding up a hand.

"I don't know what the trouble is, but perhaps we can solve this peacefully."

[Idea]

Nei

Truthfully speaking, right as soon as a chair nearly slammed into my newest face I should have known to book it out of there. After all, what sort of job was this, meeting someone I knew nothing about, for a meeting I knew nothing about, with an employer I barely knew anything about? Well, Pa- Drain probably knew better who truly was a prodigal mage or not, but one thing was for certain, she certainly paid like one (even if the advance payment was pretty small). Nonetheless, even if every bone of my body wanted to get out of here before someone broke me in two, I had taken the job, and I was going to do it proper. After all, the very reason why I was hired in the first place, was so the client didn't have to come in person.

Of course, as an exploding glass shard flew near me as I attempted to take a seat, coming dangerously close to knocking over a candle, I thought, just for a moment, that maybe going to the middle of the tavern (the second floor) would still be a pretty good place to catch the sight of the person I was supposed to meet? My outfit was distinct enough, fingerless longgloves, partially unbuttoned leather vest, long dark pants and not one but two belts, one holding sacks and the other being over my belly with no particular purpose except checking for weight gain. These were clothes given to me by the client, as was the green pendant hanging from my neck, surely the most conspicuous item, the one that would indicate to the person I was meeting who I was supposed to be (even if I really wasn't).

"No." I shook my head. I was told to meet them on the first floor, this Obaya Uday. Yet, the sound of falling utensils and breaking wood and glass continued behind me, of cheers and whispers of bets, and grumbles of a fight. I ran towards an empty table near a wall, untying the lace of my smaller backpack. Moments before reaching the table, my hand found that soft, tender, familiar texture that it shuffled for, and I gripped it with my eyes closed. "Please. Prestidigitation."

I pointed a finger at the candle on top of the empty table. The flame within waved one final time before being snuffed out by an invisible force. I smiled to myself, and quick placed myself under the table, putting what furniture I could (possibly the table itself) in front of me as a shield against any further projectiles.

"Thank you." I whispered into the bag.

[Skwint]

Atone had been standing in the corner as isolated as he could possibly be in such a crowded place as he maintained a quiet vigil over the establishment. He spoke to no one, but he watched everyone. As soon as the fight broke out he was quick to respond. A bald-headed and tattooed man had decided to pick a fight with a half-orc. A foolish decision on his part, really. The half-orc would no doubt be able to fend for herself, but the man was not alone and such violence inside the tavern would not be tolerated.

Atone forced his way through the crowd that had gathered around the brawl until he made inside of the circle they had formed around the combatants. Standing straight and tall and taking a deep breathe, Atone used thaumaturgy to amplify his voice to the point where he could be heard even over spectators who had gathered.

"That's enough," he roared. "Such behavior will not be tolerated."

He turned to the bald man that had started the fight.

"You were the instigator. You will leave the tavern at once for disturbing the peace."

[Exit]

| | ...............	| || |F A L L I N G M I S T L E V E L : 1 R A C E : Tabaxi C L A S S : Rogue S T A T U S : E Q U I P P E D : 0 cp 0 sp 10 gp 0 pp D I C E R O L L S

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Y A W N I N G P O R T A L
@Idea

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"Aaaah yeeess. 'Twould seem Lady Luck has chosen to grace me toniiiight."

A long, sharp talon dug itself into the wood of the table, trapping a gold piece underneath and began dragging the thing back with it. The coin tumbled along gently, glinting candlelight and throwing bits of 'fire' into the air. A spark caught the Tabaxi in the gold of it's eyesilluminating the hunger set deep within. "Thank yooou." It cooed, it's voice rolling smooth. Like that of pebbles tumbling over and over each other. A deep, unsettling and yet comforting sound that bounced gently on the ambiance of the tavern all around them. It cut through the noise without being overbearing... and it was loud inside. It was always loud.

The last few days at the Yawning Portal felt exactly the same... save for the faces. Men and women came and went for every and all reasons. Merchants seeking to spend a bit of their fortune. Sell swords looking to find their fortune... or looking for trouble. The gambler looking to make a quick bit of coin. The vagrant looking for a soft bed for the night. The lonely soul looking for an ear or a tankard with which to swill their sorrows away. There was no shortage of Ale thanks to Durnan. No shortage of stories thanks to the bard... or 'Threestrings' as he liked to call himself. Silvermane provided information, Yagra usually a good show, the one dressed in white was avoided and Bonnie... well the women he could bed were fine. The men on the other hand were all the same. Dirty. Drunk. Dumb. Too quick with the tongue and not quick enough on the draw. The one sitting across from him was no exception and his next move made all the more obvious because of it.

The Tabaxi had been ready long before any move was made. His feline eyes twitched knowingly, vigilant as they were and had remained since their meeting. The air, thick with the smell of fire and sweat and spilt ale seemed stifling in his space. Translucent beads were forming across his brow and with every hand drawn, he would visibly fidget, this fidgeting only getting worse the more hands were played. When the last cards were dealt and the resulting hands ended in his loss of coin, the man froze altogether.

Mist didn't have to wait long until, as he pulled the gold piece toward him, the steel tip of a dagger buried itself into the wood with the edge of the blade less than an inch from his hand. "Thief."

Mist fought the urge to roll his eyes. It was an expected reply, but still wrong. "Tabaaaxiiii." He corrected.

"Double or nothing."

He cocked an eyebrow. The glint in his eyes flared and an approving smile spread across his lips, pulling his whiskers back. Ignoring the blade, he plucked the coin off the table, flipped his hand over and let the gold piece slide into the middle of his palm before closing it into a fist. He opened it again only a moment later, this time with the palm facing the man in front of him revealing the gold piece had disappeared. Flipping his hand yet again, two gold pieces were now wedged between the index, middle and ring finger. "Double oooor... nothiing." He repeated before dropping both coins on the table.

"Ya pig! Like killin' me mates, does ya?"

All eyes shot toward the source of the voice. All eyes but his. Mist took the opportunity to swipe another card from the deck before following everyone's gaze. There, screaming at some man three quarters her size was Yagra, the only seven foot tall, grey skinned half-orc who could throw her voice around like that... among other things she could throw. A good punch was one on a long list and whoever was antagonizing her would no doubt be the recipient of one such-

And then they punched her.

As a circle of overly interested men and women began crowding around, Mist quickly pocketed the two coins he was going to wager and excused himself. "Looksss like our game will have to wait." He said, pushing back the chair as he found his feet. "Better luck next time, frrriend."

"Wait cat! I said doub-" But Mist had already stepped away before he could finish, his red cloak slipping into the crowd the last thing the man would see. Nimble feet guided him through the densest gathering of onlookers and toward a quieter corner of the tavern. Here he could keep a better eye on hands as they were oft to wander during such commotion, his being no exception, and given his height, he could just see over the tops of everyone's heads and still catch the fight.

It was five to one with the odds seemingly stacked against the half-orc. More surprisingly, the offending male was actually trying to hurt her. "...Wooow." He said to no one, genuinely impressed. It was one thing to start a fight in a tavern but to start one with her of all people.

...Why?...

Maybe it was the ale. Maybe it was an arm wrestle he lost. Maybe it was the four other guys he'd brought along. Whatever the reason, his intent now was malice and it seemed Yagra might actually be in a bit of trouble. Sure she could throw a good punch but a punch was all she could throw. She was facing down five.

"I don't know what the trouble is, but perhaps we can solve this peacefully."

A man called out toward the group of five and stood behind Yagra.

...And whooo might you bee-

His thought was cut short as a flitter of movement caught the corner of his eye. His hand instinctively fell on the hilt of his dagger, ready to stab an offending hand should it try to slither into a pouch or two, but as he turned to look, his eyes fell on a woman. With a simple finger point, a candle at an empty table was snuffed out and she quickly dove underneath just as a flicker of green winked at him. His feline eyes cut through the shadows to find her now crouched in her dark hideaway and moving a chair... all of the chairs between herself and the commotion before mouthing something into her pack.

Yagra's shows of strength, whether by fair game or fist fight, was a story as common as the fly buzzing around the drunkard doubled over in the opposite corner of the tavern. This one was different.

...Heeeelloo...

Silently, without drawing too much attention to himself, he made his way over until he was close enough tha she would be able to hear him and then made his presence known. He bent over, ensuring he could see her and her him. All of him. A golden eyed Tabaxi with grey fur and black marks lining his brow and the edges of his eyes. Marks that drew stripes across his forehead that disappeared over his crown, while others met behind his ears. Whiskers blended in with the thicker fur that fell from his cheek and chin into a braid. Tied under this and around his neck was his red cloak, the hood bundled behind his shoulder blades and the rest falling down his back and hanging to within an inch of the floor. Part of it fell across his chest, half covering the leather armor that was strapped securely to him. Peeking out from under the shadow of his cloak were the hilts to a couple daggers and the rapier in it's scabbard. A belt secured his breeches which were tied off at the knees with a leather guard secured below that. Wrappings were visible around his feet with his toes kept free and his talons out. He tapped one to draw her eyes.

"Yooou must be new here." He began, looking her over now that he could see her a little better. She seemed a rather typical human aside from the cover... and the green pendant hanging from around her neck with a symbol that now seemed oddly familiar. It took a few seconds but he eventually managed to peel his eyes away from the thing and find hers once more. He gestured toward the crowd with a sideways nod. "This is a rather... common occurrence I prrromise. There's no need to hide behind aaaall the... chairrrs."

"That's enough!"

While normally able to fight the urge, a voice loud enough to cut through all the noise in the room forced Mist to turn away from the girl.

"Such behavior will not be tolerated. You were the instigator. You will leave the tavern at once for disturbing the peace."

Mist straightened out.

[Vertigo]

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝕯𝖊𝖜𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖕

__________________________________________________

​
Leanna shifted in her seat nervously.

She was no stranger to taverns. On the contrary, she had been a regular patron at the Azure Mare, the largest tavern in her hometown. It had been a wonderful place for stories and conversations, whether they were shared willingly or overheard from a table over. Yes, there had been the occasional brawl, and every now and again someone had drank too much or said a few words too many. But overall, the atmosphere had been cozy, even quaint.

The Yawning Portal was a tavern of a different sort.

She was used to noise, but not quite this kind. It wasn't simply loud; the tavern overwhelmed every single one of her senses. It was chaos made manifest, unashamed, unapologetic, unrelenting. There was no respite to be found, even in the most quiet corner. She would know; she'd tried to find it. Yet even where she sat, close to the walls and away from the bustle of the counter, she found herself surrounded. The scents lingered. The noise blared. Everywhere around her, perturbing scenes fought for her attention.

To her right, an old hag was swindling young men from money. At least she assumed the victims were young men; she had never seen their kind before. To her left, two patrons lay intertwined on a table, only separating their lips long enough to draw breath. Thank the gods they were too drunk to find their way out of their clothes.

Somewhere unseen, an amateur lutist filled the gaps between clatter and gossip with off-key tunes. Leanna did not know who or where the bard was. That was, perhaps, for the best. Then there was the inevitable brawl, escalating a few tables over. Leanna had done her best to ignore it, unwilling to make eye contact with any of the participants so as to not get roped into their trouble. But the louder the belligerents got, the harder it was.

"Is the Yawning Portal always quite this..." Leanna hesitated, fiddling with the handle of her mug as if hoping the right words would spill right over its brim. They did not, so she chose the first word that came to her, "hm, rowdy?"

She turned her gaze to the man across the table. Meloon Wardragon, she believed his name was. 'War Dragon' - such a mighty name for a man that seemed anything but. He was a human man like any other, and by no means in the prime of his youth. Compared to the many formidable patrons around her, he seemed almost diminutive.

But looks could be deceiving. She had been told he was a famous adventurer, so treat him like one she would.

"Never mind that. My apologies, I've yet to grow accustomed to the city," Leanna hurried to say, hoping Wardragon had not taken offense. She had not come here to complain. She was to start a new life, and this was the man who ought to tell her how. She had sought him out for a reason. "A mutual friend ushered me to find you."

The man in question was not a friend of hers in truth. She did not even know his name. He was but a member of a group of adventurers who took notice of her wanderlust. But that was quite a bit more mouthful than simply 'friend', and a little pitiful besides.

Lanna glanced down at her ale, which Wardragon had kindly treated her to. She had yet to drink alcohol in her life, but she knew they called it liquid courage. It made every boy a warrior, and every old man a casanova - at least in their own minds. She took a sip. The foreign taste burned on her tongue, yet she felt no more courageous than she had before. A pity. She could not keep the man waiting any longer with good conscience.

"Sir Wardragon," she set down her ale and rested her hands upon the table, one folded atop the other. The ladies back home did so quite often. Perhaps they feared their hands would run off otherwise.

Leanna understood. Part of her wanted to run, too.

"How would one go about becoming an adventurer?"

Before the man could offer her an answer, a bellow silenced him - and many others besides. Leanna craned her neck to find its source, but there was already a crowd gathering around the ever-escalating brawl. All she saw from her seat were backs and raised fists.

She took another nervous sip of her ale.

[Idea]

Nei

I shivered as I heard that voice greeting me, and the slow methodical footsteps of those furry feet...paws? Inside my leather shoes away from sight, I reshaped my feet into something akin to what I was looking at (but smaller so that it would properly fit in the shoes of course). I moved the toes a bit, curling and straightening them a couple of times, before returning my feet to a form matching the form I was wearing. Yeah, those were definitely paws.

"Eeeeep!" I squealed. Feline irises stared back at me from the other side of the chairs. In a moment of distraction that intimidating face had materialized in front of me, gazing over me like a cat examining whether it has a chance of catching a bird. The thing about cats, though, is that whether or not they have a chance, they might try to pounce anyway. I slowly raised a hand to my face's height (which right now was about as high as my knees) and forced a smile. "Hello..."

By the gods, he was so close I could practically count his fur! Albeit there was no glow from any candles over my table, the surrounding light only made for a greater, creepier, contrast, the partially offuscated figure bent over in front of me, and tiny flickers of reflected light occasionally blinking from a hidden blade. If he had those, how many more did he have? Could it be I was about to be robbed before getting a chance to meet the person I was told to? The scene of me attempting to explain myself to the client, the shame, the yelling, filled my head, and I clutched the backpack from earlier with renewed determination. Of that one, at least, I wouldn't be parted.

However, to my surprise, he turned out to be a gentleman...even if a bit of a skeevy one. His words were kind and refined, like a pompous noble but more natural. Now if only his lingering of his gaze upon my chest was not so evident...

"Well, you see, even if it's common I would prefer not to get overly involved, nor be caught in the crossfire, or any other kind of fire for that matter. Just moments ago, there was stuff flying everywhere, and it doesn't look like it is stopping anyti-"

"That's enough!"

The sudden bombardment of sound ringed in my ears, and I instinctively curled up, pulling my backpack even closer to me. Whatever it was, it caught the Tabaxxi's attention enough to turn them away from me. The voice continued, insisting that the perpetrators leave the tavern. Was it some kind of guard? On fall fours (because I was under a table) I tried moving a bit so my vision wouldn't be obstructed by such hairy legs. I simply couldn't resist the urge to try to see who this loud newcomer was.

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Interacting With: @Exit
Mentions: @skwint
Might Also Want to Read: N/A

[Zitacamron95]

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Jalestar

@Lucius Cypher

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Jalestar stared listlessly at the crowds forming, one hand holding his head and the other messing with the empty pint glass in front of him. The brawl barely phased the young man neither did the warforged that came near. “Taken at such a young age, and left me here...all alone,” He mumbled to himself, thoughts that were probably not supposed to be spoken. The man snapped out of his thoughts when he finally processed that the warforged had said something to him.

He cleared his throat, “Sorry. Yes, the city. There’s been some talk of Xanathar’s Guild and the Zhentarim being in a massive fight lately. But, given that they are two large seedy networks, I doubt that comes as a surprise to most. Could cause some issues though, like causing a raucous in an already rowdy bar.”

Jalestar gestured to the half-orc and five humans as if they should have heard him and took note of his complaint. He turned back to Yoh and shrugged, “Other than that. The city’s pretty much the same.”

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Yagra

@Decker219@Skwint

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By the time Baldrick had gotten into the cleared area of the brawl, Yagra was already on top of the bald, tattooed man. The man was looking close to unconsciousness and trying to claw his way out from under the half-orc. The four men with the tattooed man all looked ready to pounce the woman. Baldrick’s comments fell on deaf ears.

The four men sprang to action, only to be stopped by yet another getting into the middle of the fight. The thunderous voice was much harder to ignore and the look of the creature was much more intimidating. Instead of staying to fight, the four grabbed onto their leader and yanked him free. All rushed out the door without another word.

The half-orc stood dusting herself off, and turned to Atone, “Thanks, but I could have handled that myself.”

---

Meloon

@Vertigo

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Meloon’s attention was drawn back to the woman across from him once the fighting had been settled. He gave a friendly smile, “The Yawning Portal can be quite a rowdy place, you’re right. Most people here are adventurers after all. A lot of them are even here to go down that, well.”

Meloon waved a hand over to the well in the center of the tavern. “That’s how many people get into the Undermountain. Unfortunately, not many people make it back out. I’ve been down there, and I was the only member of my party to survive.”

“Not to worry though, there’s plenty of advenuring that can be done without going into the Undermountain." The man realized that his words may have sounded discouraging and quickly put his focus back on her rather than the well. "You know, not many people ask about how to become an adventurer. They just sort of seek it out. Like those that go into that well. They heard the rumors about the Undermountain and came here to give it a try. I’m sure there’s plenty of people around that could use some help in Waterdeep, why not start there?”

[Skwint]

"Then you many consider my actions for their benefit if it suits you,", Atone said to Yagra. "The gods frown upon senseless bloodshed all the same, and his actions were uncalled for."

Atone looked around at the crowd. With the fight over they would surely all disperse and business as usual would resume once more within the tavern. He also couldn't help but frown slightly. As intimidating as the half-orc was, those men had seemed more afraid of Atone. Whether it was due to his being a paladin or his devilish bloodline was unclear, but he couldn't help but think it was the latter. Such was his fate for the curse he bore.

[Decker219]

Baldrick breathed a sigh of relief as the men dispersed. He was glad to see that things had ended before they had gotten too bloody. Yagra seemed no worse for wear at least, and only one of the men who started the fight was injured. "Thank you," Baldrick said inclining his head to the man who broke up the fight. He was not quite sure what the man was, although that was not too surprising. Waterdeep was full of sights he had never seem before, including the people. Still he did not want to stare and risk offending the fellow, so he turned his attention elsewhere. "I was worried that fight might escalate, although I'm sure you could have handled it Yagra."

As he turned to face the half-orc, a thought struck him. Perhaps she was the reason he had felt drawn to this place. "Yagra, perhaps it is fate that I ran into today. Have you heard of anything unusual as of late? I have never been called to a city before, and I am unsure of what sort of trouble I am to resolve."

[Exit]

| | ...............	| | 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓃ℊ 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓉 ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎F A L L I N G M I S T L E V E L : 1 R A C E : Tabaxi C L A S S : Rogue S T A T U S : E Q U I P P E D : 0 cp 0 sp 10 gp 0 pp D I C E R O L L S

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Y A W N I N G P O R T A L
_{interactions: @Idea mentions: @Skwint @Decker219}

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Mist lingered on the crowd only a moment as they dispersed, watching with mild interest as a few began to pick at the debris left in the wake of the fight. A rather short one at that. As expected, it took Yagra only a second or two to get the upper hand despite receiving the first blow. Even with most of the crowd having been in his way, he could tell from the reactions and the changes in the faces of the aggressor's entourage that the half-orc was doing what she did best; winning. Within the span of a few short breaths, it was over. Two more men had stepped in to intervene but by then, the five of them had already begun their scramble toward the door in a hasty retreat. They were gone just as suddenly as they had arrived. Now, while the rest of the tavern slowly returned to themselves, Yagra and her two 'rescuers' were busy conversing.

The two men were as yet unknown to the Tabaxi. One was human and dappled in a lush green, a green that was drowned in the warmer ambiance flooding the tavern though the volume on their person was pushing back. Green hair. Green cloak. Leaves feathering around his shoulders and chest and bits of twigs protruding chaotic. Standing next to him was an ashen kissed Tiefling. A tiefling as far as he could tell. The horns protruding from their forehead were the most obvious signs and would have been the end of his musings but when he really thought bout it, he couldn't recall ever seeing one of their race born of such coloration. There weren't any in the stories he could recount nor any in the stories he had told. Not only that but most weren't inclined to jump to the aid of others so quickly and with such force, unless of course they were previously acquainted with Yagra. Regrettably, there was more sense in that than Mist was willing to admit. He rather liked mysteries.

It was, however, becoming increasingly apparent that he wasn't as well traveled as he had thought. In the span of a couple minutes, he'd witnessed three very different individuals pulling at his interest. A half naked tree-man. A devil who had forgotten to color himself in. A rather timid woman who'd accidentally wandered into the wrong...

Mist bent over again, peering under the table into the dark to find the girl now on all fours. Her eyes cut past him toward the rest of the tavern. He tapped a talon against the wood of the floor to draw her attention once more, musing over the words she'd said earlier.

A bubble in his throat turned into a kind of vibration that was barely audible... until it rumbled into something akin to a chuckle. He smiled.

"Thiiiis is the wrrrong place to avoid...fiiire." He began. "It'ss everrrywhere. The drrinks. The men. The wooomen. Fiire is in the air..." His nostrils flared as he breathed, his lungs tasting burning wick. Sweat. The human woman in front of him. "...but surrrely you knew this and yet... here you arrre... all the saaame."

...what is so important that you would throw yourself into fire...

He held out his hand, beckoning for her to take it. "You are quite brrrave so I don't have to assurrre you that the danger haaaas passed. You won't get burrned."

[Lucius Cypher]

Yoh quietly listened to Jalester, though he didn’t really offer much info. Yoh vaguely knew both Zhentarim and Xanathar, the Zhents being a shady but largely legal organization. As in, you can openly be zhentarim and most wont be too worked up about it. Xanathar however, Yoh never met or heard anything particularly positive about them. Another criminal gang but they’re lead by a beholder. Perhaps their conflict could provide some opportunity for work.

Than would you happen to know where I might find some work to be done? For you, perhaps? It certainly seems like you’ve something weighing on your mind.”

[Vertigo]

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝕯𝖊𝖜𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖕

__________________________________________________

In the end, the fight was settled with no blood spilled. The humans fled the scene, and the crowds begun to disperse. Leanna let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, then turned back to her companion. Sir Wardragon was speaking, and she didn't want to appear rude.

Leanna followed the motion of his hand as he gestured towards the entrance of the Undermountain, her mind conjuring images of brave warriors and wise mages descending down into its depths. "Unfortunately, not many people make it back out. I’ve been down there, and I was the only member of my party to survive.”

The images Leanna had conjured shattered, and the excited glint in her eye was replaced with wide-eyed horror.

"Oh, I'm-- I'm so sorry," she wasn't sure if she sounded more taken aback than sympathetic, but it didn't make the sentiment any less genuine. "I... had no idea..."

... That adventuring was such a dangerous job, she left unsaid.

Perhaps Wardragon noticed her hesitance, because he was quick to continue and assure her that adventuring did not need to involve the deathly well. A relief and a half, that. He went on to say that not many people ask how to become an adventurer - rather, they simply do. The notion made Leanna's ears heat up with embarrassment. W-was that so? She really did need all the help she could get...

"I’m sure there’s plenty of people around that could use some help in Waterdeep, why not start there?”

She nodded slowly but knowingly. That much she'd gathered from the adventurer she'd accompanied all the way here. Big cities had big problems, after all. This tavern itself was likely no exception.

Leanna took another sip of her liquid courage, then returned her gaze to the chaos that surrounded her. She glossed over the drunkards on the table and the old swindler, trying to see what lay beyond them.

There were quite a few people that looked troubled, in fact. A half-orc left unhappy by the resolution of the fight; a man drinking by his lonesome, tapping a finger to the beat of his impatience; somber tieflings, whose horns made Leanna look away with a startle; a woman glancing behind her at the door, as if afraid; a creature between a man and a cat, and a nervous woman taking its paw.

How was she to know where to start?

Leanna's gaze traced back to the maw of the dungeon, and her heart nearly stopped. On the edge of it, she caught side of a large, clawed hand - almost as if something was trying to claw its way up from the abyss below.

A snowy night, the reek of blood, and a tremendous beast. Its details were scraped away by time - but it, too, had claws.

Leanna stood up.

"Sir Wardragon, you've my utmost gratitude for your time and advice. Please excuse me, I must be off," she gathered her things and her wits, willing her hands not to shake as she picked up her nearly untouched mug. She did not want it to spill. "There is-- there is adventuring to do."

With a curtsy, Leanna excused herself from his company.

She pushed her way through the crowd, further and further away from the Undermountain. She did not dare turn around to see what became of the hand; whether it stayed still, or pulled up a monster of some sort. She did not want to know. She just wanted to leave the tavern.

On her way out, she passed by one of the tables she had seen earlier. A woman draped in white, stealing wary glances at the door. She could've walked past her. Should have, even. But the sight of her sitting there, alone and unsure was a bit too familiar for her to ignore.

"May I?" Leanna asked with a smile, tugging lightly at the back of an unoccupied seat at her table. She hoped her voice didn't tremble. The voices of adventurers, in her mind, never trembled. "The tavern is quite packed."

[Zitacamron95]

---

Obaya Uday

@Vertigo

---

The woman looked up at Leanna. There was a flash of hopefulness on her face which turned right into disappointment. She looked over at the door again. "I'm sorry, I'm saving that chair. I'm waiting for a friend." Her voice was steady and her tone was much like a mother waiting on her child who was incredibly late for dinner.

Obaya stood for a moment to look around the large tavern. Her gaze sharp and careful, "I believe I see a few tables in that back corner that are free." She pointed out some tables next to a humaniod machine and sad looking man. "It also looks like there are some seats at the bar. Durnan is a nice man, and would be happy to keep you company. He just looks grumpy."

---

Jalestar

@Lucius Cypher

"No, I..." Jalestar leaned back in his chair, "I'm just thinking about my boyfriend. Faerrel passed away last year. It's been rough and things are a little complicated right now." He gave a weak, sad laugh, before grabbing his drink and finishing the rest of it off. "But I'm sure you're not here for any of that nonsense. I could probably pull something together for you. The Lords Alliance is always looking for people to help out. And with the talk of Xanathar's Guild and the Zhents going at it, I'm sure the City Watch could use a hand keeping everyone in line."

---

Troll and Friends

@Vertigo@Lucius Cypher@Exit@Decker219@Skwint@Idea

---

"You are in the wrong tavern if you think the gods are doing anything but frowning at this place, pal," Yagra grimaced at Atone. She looked over at Baldrick with the same grimace. "You're in a city, Baldrick. There's danger everything is unusual and there's danger everywhere."

The crowd had looked like it had started to disperse from around the three, until a shout of alarm rang out. That shout brought attention to the open floor of the tavern, where the well to the Undermountain was. There were more shouts of alarm as a hulking creature climbed up out of the shaft in the middle of the taproom--a monster with warty green skin, a tangled nest of wiry black hair, a long, carrot-shaped nose, and bloodshot eyes. As it bared its yellow teeth and howled, you can see that a half-dozen bat-like creatures are attached to its body, with three more circling above it like flies. Everyone in the tavern reacted in fear except for the barkeep, Durnan, who shouted, "Troll!"

Yagra is quick to get out of the way and push the crowd to cover under tables as she scanned the room for someone. Durnan draws a great sword from under the bar and jumps over, ready for a fight.

Durnan's Initiative

16

Monster's Initiative

Big Scary Guy: 15
Flying Guys: 11

Everyone needs to roll initiative this round of replies.

[Skwint]

Atone frowned at Yagra's response, but before he could utter a response an alarm was raised. The patrons fled or hid for their lives as a troll emerged from the depths with an entourage of wing creatures. Atone rushed towards the troll with sword and shield in hand. He needed to get its attention before it harmed any innocent bystanders.

Initiative

2

[Lucius Cypher]

"Ah. You have my sympathies." Though in truth, Yoh couldn't really understand the lost of love. He's never felt the inclination to be romantic with anyone, and his career when he first awakened had made him familiar with the idea of people he knows dying often. But he had enough tact not to speak out about how Jalester needs to move on with his life, as death was a natural part of it, since the last time he tried that a very angry widow refused to cooperate with his team and they were forced to hunt down a mark without vital intel. Fortunately it seems like Jalester could get some work for Yoh, but before he could elaborate a troll appeared from the Yawning Portal. An alarm warned everyone beforehand of it's arrival as the green giant lumbered out from the abyss, accompanied by literal bloodsuckers.

"Jalester, find safety." Yoh stood up and brandished his spear. He wasn't sure of his odds against the troll, so he would do what he can to pick off the smaller flying creatures instead. Once they were dealt with no doubt the tavern's muscle could take out the troll. "It is time to hunt."

Rolls and Info

Yph HP: 10/10
Armor Class: 14 (Leather Armor)
Weapon: 1D8+3 (Spear, Two-Handed)
Pact Magic (1st Level): 1/1
Status: Getting ready for battle.

Initiative = 12

[Idea]

Nei

The fire? What fire? There was a fire now?! I looked in every direction I could, searching for any signs of a flame that I may have missed, especially double-checking that the source was definitely not the candle that I had snuffed out earlier, or so I had thought I did, if I was wrong. The continuation of what the Tabaxi was saying, however, clarified the context. It was more of a metaphor, you see. For the madness that was this place. I breathed a sigh of relief, and a flashed a somewhat smug grin for a moment, proud of having figured it out.

What I was doing here? Oh, right, my mission today! Taking their paw, I practically shot up from my position, recalling what I had come here to do.

"I was tasked- I mean asked to come here today to meet an Obaya Uday! I ought to do those things to which I agreed, don't you think? If I can't live up to their expectations, then how can I expect them to trust me?" I hit my chest with a puff of pride, a vain attempt at keeping true to the image of the person I was imitating, but then something else entirely caught my eye: A human woman with a darker skin shade, draped in white dressings like the layers of an onion. That was her, wasn't it? The one I had been looking for and was supposed to meet today?

Before I could wave to her or in any other way call her attention, however, some creature climbed out of the well. It wore a form I could not see myself ever voluntarily emulating, a hulking mass of half-baked deformities and a horrible stench to boot. What was it doing here? What sort of tavern kept monsters like that in their basement with a perfectly good opening for them to escape? If anything, I was surprised it hadn't happened much earlier than this.

It was then I came to a realization. I looked at my hands, then felt my face with them. The form I was currently wearing was that of a prodigal sorcerer! As much as I wanted to run away, maybe take the person I was going to meet with me as we both escaped and left this matter to those more qualified, I couldn't allow my client's body to be seen like that! They had gone to great pains to dress me and show me how they acted, I couldn't afford to screw it up any more than I already had! Which left me only one choice...

To fight, and to find some excuse to not make full use of the talents of a prodigal sorcerer (which I did not myself possess).

Chest puffed out again, waist swinging and chin raised, I took a few steady steps in the direction of the troll that I hoped appeared confident enough. As if revealing something in my palm, my arms rose and flipped to have my palms facing up. I moved my shoulders slightly forward to press it onto my back and closed my eyes while taking a deep breath. Albeit I could practically hear my own heartbeat, at least feeling my backpack on my back was helping me relax a little more. Hopefully, I could relax fully once this was all over.

"Hmph." I forced a grin. What was it she always said? "Insolence!"

---

Interacting With: @Exit
Mentions: @zitacamron95
Might Also Want to Read: N/A
Initiative Roll: 8

[Decker219]

Baldrick sighed as it seemed Yagra would be unable to help, at least at the moment. Perhaps it had been wishful thinking on his part that he would be able to quickly find and resolve whatever problem had called him to the city in the first place.

He was brought out of his musings as several patrons began to shout and his eyes were drawn to a large beast that emerged from the pit in the center of the room. "Soil and spirits!" Baldrick breathed. What was a creature like that doing here? The tavern had become a flurry of activity. Some people were fleeing or taking cover, while others seemed to prepare themselves for a fight. He may not be fighter, but he wasn't about to run away now. Taking a deep breath, Baldrick clutched his amulet and prepared himself for the inevitable clash.

Initiative and Spells

roleplayerguild.com/rolls/18808 Initiative=18
Cantrips-Guidance, Frostbite
First Level- Healing Word, Faerie Fire, Entangle
Spell Slots 2

[Vertigo]

𝕷𝖊𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖆 𝕯𝖊𝖜𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖕

__________________________________________________

"Ah, I see! My apologies," Leanna offered when the woman claimed the seat taken. She sounded calm enough - not someone who was being chased or otherwise in trouble. Her concern must've been misplaced.

Leanna thanked the woman, then readied to excuse herself. Before she could however, a shout rattled her from her thoughts. She spun around, a feeling of dread in her stomach. That one shout turned into two, three, a dozen, until she could no longer tell one panicked voice from another. Behind the crowds, a large monster pulled itself up from the well and stood to its full height. Leanna did not know what exactly it was - but she recognized the claws as the ones she'd seen in the well a moment earlier.

I should have told someone sooner, Leanna realized. The moment she saw those claws, even if she wasn't sure whether they were decoration or belonged to something living. Even if she had made a fool out of herself. It would've been preferable to... this. Instead, she'd tried to run - and even that had been a half-hearted attempt.

... She could still run, though. No one would fault her if she did.

But no, she intended to be an adventurer. And adventurers did not turn their backs to people who needed their aid. She could not offer much in combat prowess, that was true, but at the very least she could heal those who did.

"You'd best wait for your friend no longer," she told the woman hastily, standing her ground as she stared down the monster. Formidable as it was, it wasn't the monster from her memories. She could face it.

__________________________________________________

rolls

Leanna rolled 19 for initiative.