We Be Heistin’: The Bear’s WDH Game [IC]

[doodoocrispies]

Hans quickly one-gulps his ale and stands from his chair. He looks at Erdan and then back at the rest of the group. "I agree with the small child. The longer we wait, the less fresh our trail becomes. I'm sure we can befriend someone at the Skeward Dragon who will help us along."

Hans then gets on one knee and faces Erdan and asks softly, "I'm sorry boy, what is your name?"

Erdan (who stands at about 5'9") begins to slowly unzip his pants... "The name is Erdan and I thought we were in a bit of a hurry, but if you insist..."

[Skaaaaaats]

Dengar, noticing the uhh exchange that appears to go down
Things get interesting the further North you go
”Sure you want to do that here, now, Hans? We gotta go.”
Dengar finishes his drink then looks at Squig ”You still got that mug from earlier?”

[mila88]

Dengar finishes his drink then looks at Squig ”You still got that mug from earlier?”

”I kept it safe for you behind the bar.” She pointed toward the bar. “You may have time to finish it,” she smirked and nodded toward Hans and Erdan.

[Coconut1864]

Why does everyone anticipate me having sexual relations with this wood elf? Keep a sharp head, Hans. These are strange people.

Hans stood quickly, blank-faced. "I'm ready for the Skewered Dragon, then."

[The Big Bear]

Why does everyone anticipate me having sexual relations with this wood elf? Keep a sharp head, Hans. These are strange people.

Hans stood quickly, blank-faced. "I'm ready, then."

Volo let the strange scene play out, amused at what was happening. Once Hans is back on his feet Volo responds to him ”Aye, I do so hope that Floon is unharmed when you find him. Please make great haste!”

Spoiler: OOC

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Everyone ready to go to the Skewered Dragon or elsewhere?

[mila88]

Squig turns to the group, "Yes, let's be on our way."

[doodoocrispies]

Erdan shrugs in slight disappointment. "...yes, off to the skewered dragon..." He tips his head to Durnan in appreciation "Until the next time my friend" and makes his way towards the door.

[The Big Bear]

The group finishes their drinks and begin to head to the Skewered Dragon, with Volo bidding you good luck on the way out of The Yawning Portal. ”Do be careful not to get caught up in the fued between the local gangs; in a tavern it’s just fisticuffs, but in the street it could get dangerous.”

Once outside you are greeted by the cool air of the early evening and by the distant sight of The God Catcher, one of Waterdeep’s 90-foot tall living statues. While you are familiar with this sight, it never fails to amaze. The God Catcher is sculpted as a well-muscled male human. From here you see it’s right arm is raised toward the sky and above its open palm floats a sphere of stone. His gaze looks toward the sphere, and bird droppings around its eyes make it appear to be weeping. A series of shacks and ladders has been built up around the statue.

Spoiler: History

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History check DC7
Get a 7 or more on a history check and you know that the living statues were dormant until an event years ago known as the Slellplague, an event that caused magic to act erradically. During the Spellplague the statues suddenly began to rampage through the city until they stopped as suddenly as they awoke. They have been dormant for well over a decade.

As you work your way through the Dock Ward you realize that none of you are familiar with the location of the Skewered Dragon and forgot to ask Volo for directions. Making your way through the Dock Ward takes some time as you are unfamiliar with the area.

As you turn a corner, you find yourselves on a street that has been cordoned off by the City Watch. Lying on the cobblestones are a half-dozen corpses, seemingly the victims of some terrible skirmish. Watch officers have disarmed and arrested three blood-drenched humans and are in the midst of questioning witnesses. One of the officers sees you. “Get on,” she says. “Nothing to see here.”

[Skaaaaaats]

As they pass the cordoned scene Dengar is trying to get a look without being too overt.
Fights, fights everywhere. This one took a pretty bad turn
Dengar hears the Watch Officer and looks in her direction, "Busy morning, Officer? Could you spare a second and point me towards the Skewered Dragon?"

[The Big Bear]

As Dengar is looking at the aftermath of the skirmish his gaze eventually makes its way to the prisoners. One of them sees you looking and gives you a cold stare. The guard hears your question and points you up the way you were already walking while she wryly says “that ****holes down between Net Street and Filet Lane.”

[Coconut1864]

Hans was apprehensive about the wanton violence in this part of town. He didn't want to attract attention here, and he especially didn't want trouble with these officers.

"Not our monkeys, not our circus," he muttered to himself. He slowed pace to keep with Dengar, but stayed facing in the direction the guard had pointed.

[The Big Bear]

After quickly surveying the scene, the group continues on their way to the Skewered Dragon in the direction the guard had indicated.

Tall, densely packed tenements leave most of the neighborhood in shadow at ground level. Most of the street lamps have had their glass smashed and their candles stolen. The smells of salt air and excrement linger as you pass by rows of run-down buildings.

One nearby shop stands out from the others. It has a deep purple facade, and in its window hangs a stuffed beholder. Above the door hangs a sign whose elaborate letters spell out “Old Xoblob Shop.”

[mila88]

Squig tilts her head at the giant statue outside the Yawning Portal. ”Pretty impressive, anyone know what it’s for?”

As the group approaches the officers, Squig winces at the dead men on the ground. The violence here is rampant. I wonder why they were fighting. Must’ve been something important to kill a dozen men. Probably best not to get involved.

Wandering further into Waterdeep, Squig notes how much worse the scenery has gotten. This Skewerd Dragon place must be a real dump if it’s over here.

Squig jumps a bit as she sees the stuffed beholder in the window. She looks up and sees the “Old Xoblob Shop”.

”Oh WOW! This place looks amazing! Can we go in? Pleeeeease? I wanna see that beholder!” The excitement was welling up inside, causing her to speak with rapid pace. “Just for a minute!”

[doodoocrispies]

Taking note of his surroundings, Erdan can't help but be on high alert. Bad things happen in the ghetto and he was not in any mood to be shanked.

"Sure Squig, but lets not be too long, its starting to get dark..."

Erdan holds the door open for his comrades, carefully keeping an eye on everything behind them as they walk into the store.

Spoiler: OOC

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Assuming everyone is ok with going into the store

[mila88]

"Oh YES thank you Erdan!" Squig claps her hands together and skips inside the shop. She looks around with wide eyes.

[Coconut1864]

Hans, already shirking one mission, was uneasy to deviate from this new task from Volo. He didn't want to fall into a trap of "task paralysis".

Perhaps while we're here I can find a map. I still need to find my way home from this place after this anyway.

Hans peers around from the shop's entrance for a clerk.

[The Big Bear]

A trail of lavender-scented purple smoke trails out of the shops door as Erdan opens it. Stepping in, you see that every wall is painted purple, and every dusty knickknack on the shelves is dyed a deep violet. The hairless old gnome sitting cross-legged on the counter wears plum-colored robes. His cheeks are decorated with nine purple face-painted eyes.

The gnome lowers a pipe and exhales a cloud of lavender smoke before raising a hand. “Hail and well met! Come browse the shelves of the most curious curiosity shop in the world! Some may call this junk, but me, I call them treasures!”

Gazing through the shop a number of trinkets, all a deep purple, catch your eye. Among them are a purple pirate flag adorned with a dragons skull and crossbones, a set of bone pipes, a rabbits foot, a sequined glove (sized for a human), a badge in the shape of a five-pointed star, and an old chess piece made of purple glass.

[mila88]

Squig smiled at the shop owner. "Thank you, sir." She carefully browsed the shelves, trying to take it all in. A purple paradise! It reminded her of her father's shop. She felt comfortable among the cluttered shelves and relaxed for the first time since she left home.

Squig moved toward the stuffed beholder, examining it closely. "This beholder is quite amazing," she exclaimed to the shop owner. "We noticed it in the window. Please tell me more about it. Did you slay it?"

[The Big Bear]

"Hahaha, yes, it is quite a sight, isn't it?" the old gnome replies to Squig. As everything else in the shop, the stuffed beholder is a rich purple color, it's eye stalks bent in all manner of ways around it. The gnome reaches his pipe to his lips and inhales, before continuing "But no, it is simply a stuffed toy; I'd hate to come upon a real one!"

[mila88]

"As would I!" Squig laughed as she moved around the beholder to examine it, bending to see it from different angles. "It looks SO real... I mean, real from what I've heard. I've never seen a beholder and hope to not ever see one. Just heard stories and drawings. This is great work."

She turned and moved toward the rabbit's foot. "And this rabbit's foot, tell me about this - is it lucky?"

[Coconut1864]

Hans sees the gnome and holds up his hand.

"Sir! Do you have a selection of maps by chance?"

[The Big Bear]

"As would I!" Squig laughed as she moved around the beholder to examine it, bending to see it from different angles. "It looks SO real... I mean, real from what I've heard. I've never seen a beholder and hope to not ever see one. Just heard stories and drawings. This is great work."

She turned and moved toward the rabbit's foot. "And this rabbit's foot, tell me about this - is it lucky?"

"Yes! The quality is quite impeccable, I would say." The old gnome replies. "And that," he says, indicating the rabbit's foot, "is indeed lucky. But even better, its purple too! I could let that go for, lets see...2 gold dragons!"

Hans sees the gnome and holds up his hand.

"Sir! Do you have a selection of maps by chance?"

"Unfortunately, the Surveyors’, Map-, and Chart-makers’ Guild would run me out of town if I tried to sell a map! I do apologize that I cannot help you." the old gnome replies as he takes another breath from his pipe.

[DarylMcCraigory]

Carric points to the badge and asks
Pardon but what can you tell me about this badge?

[The Big Bear]

"Of course!" The old gnome replies, lavender-colored smoke escaping his mouth as he speaks. "That, well, that is the badge of one of Cormyr's famed Purple Dragon Knights, some of the most honorable warriors ever known! This belonged to the great Morgreer, a distinguished knight-captain. It's worth 2 gold dragons, if you'd like it."

The badge glistens as you look at it. As fine as it seems, and as fine as many of his wares seem, it does not radiate any magical energy and you get the impression that these trinkets are largely non-magical knickknacks.

[mila88]

Squig inspected the rabbit's foot. She liked it, mostly because it was purple, but also because it was soft and fuzzy. "You know, I will purchase this rabbit's foot as a token to remember your magnificent shop. It reminds me of my father's. And I could always use a little luck!" She winked and reached her hand inside her cloak to pull out 2 gold coins, stacking them neatly on the desk in front of the gnome.

"My name is Squigwiggle Quigglethwip, but you may call me Squig," she smiled and extended a hand toward the gnome. "We are on our way to the Skeward Dragon, is that close by? I would like to know a bit about the place, what it's like, who owns it."

Spoiler: OOC

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When Squig introduces herself, she will wait to see if the shop owner will introduce himself. Then she will ask about the Skeward Dragon. I also want to see if Squig has established some rapport with the gnome, that he might give her useful information.

[The Big Bear]

“Ah, thank you miss! A fine purchase! You know what they say: ‘a little luck goes a long way!’” The old gnome replies while returning the wink with one of his real eyes. He picks up the gold pieces and places them in a pocket.

After Squig introduces herself the old gnome replies while reaching out his hand “Well met, Squig. I’m Xoblob, owner of this curiosity shop!”

When she asks about the Skewered Dragon he looks a little worried and says “I try and stay away from such places, even if it’s only up the alley. Ruffians are all around the Dock Ward and the Dragon is a neighborhood favorite. I’m not sure who owns it. Why, are you looking to invest?”

[mila88]

"A pleasure to meet you Xoblob, and thank you for the information." Squig nods her head and smiles. "I'm afraid I'm a long way from being an investor, just a traveling gnome seeking adventure. My grandpappy Wrankwiggle used to say, 'A gnome without a tale is like a tavern without ale!'. He was a drinker. Anyway, you see, we're meeting someone there but we've never been. I wanted to know what to expect, considering the...umm...area."

[The Big Bear]

“So true!” Xoblob replies when Squig brings up her grandfather’s saying.

When Squig asks about the Skewered Dragon, Xoblob leans in and motions for Squig to do the same. In a slightly hushed tone he says “Don’t know what kind of friends you have, meeting in a place like that. Best be careful, I saw two guys get jumped after leaving there the other night, not twenty steps from the door! Poor sods. A group big as yours should be alright so long as you’re not the ones causing the trouble!”

[Coconut1864]

I'll make a note to visit this guild later. It seems to be my only shot at finding home.

When Squig asks about the Skewered Dragon, Xoblob leans in and motions for Squig to do the same. In a slightly hushed tone he says “Don’t know what kind of friends you have, meeting in a place like that. Best be careful, I saw two guys get jumped after leaving there the other night, not twenty steps from the door! Poor sods. A group big as yours should be alright so long as you’re not the ones causing the trouble!”

"Best we just get in, find out what we need, and leave," Hans chimed in, as he walked towards the shop's entrance and eyed the shop.

Spoiler: OOC

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Hans is ready to depart.

[mila88]

“So true!” Xoblob replies when Squig brings up her grandfather’s saying.

When Squig asks about the Skewered Dragon, Xoblob leans in and motions for Squig to do the same. In a slightly hushed tone he says “Don’t know what kind of friends you have, meeting in a place like that. Best be careful, I saw two guys get jumped after leaving there the other night, not twenty steps from the door! Poor sods. A group big as yours should be alright so long as you’re not the ones causing the trouble!”

”Oh my! Well thank you for the head’s up Xoblob. I hope our business there will be short. Would you happen to know the men who were jumped? We’re looking for someone named Floon.”