Waterdeep: Dragon Heist - Session XXVI

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Basics & Rundown
Out of Game Date played: 2020-05-31

Session Title:  The Changling Problem

In-game Date:  Tarsakh 27-28 1583 DR

Location: Waterdeep

Player Characters: (Alphabetical order)
 * Choo-Cha (Cory)
 * Julian Bellafontaine (Matt)
 * Thola (Julianne)

Mail & Messages (Tarsakh 27)
Julian& Choo-Cha receive a message from Mirt from the Harpers in the form of a paper bird that flies through the window during the afternoon:

Mattrim Mereg, you might know him as 'Three-Strings', has allied himself with a gang of doppelgangers and believes they may ally themselves with us. Talk to them, get a read on them, and figure out if they can be trusted. Pass along your findings to Mattrim. At relatively the same time Thola receives a message from  Jeryth  from the Emerald Enclave through her Charm of Restoration: Sorry to inconvenience you, but I have need of your services again. Doppelgangers threaten the balance of power in Waterdeep. Rumor has it a group of them are hiding out among the staff of the Yawning Portal. Root them out and rid the city of them if you can. They'll likely try to lie and insist they're harmless, do not trust them.

They all discuss what they should do with their conflicting missions over lunch & decide to meet with Jeryth at Phaulkonmere. Once there, Thola asks Jeryth why she must chase out the dopplegangers from the city & Jeryth says to maintain balance within the city the dopplegangers must leave and never come back, a few of them are not trustworthy & with the anti-non-human sentiment brewing along the Sword Coast it could slide the city into unwanted chaos.

A Tense Performance
The trio then proceed to the Yawning Portal, Juliangreets Durnan' & asks if he knows of anything about a gang of dopplegangers''' in the city. While asking he notices Bonnie, a bar-maiden he had slept with half a year ago, nervously staring at the party. She then notices them notice her, & quickly starts to leave, trying to act casual, walking quickly out the door.

Julianruns after her asking her how she has been & where she is going. She politely replies to the washroom. That is when Threestrings interjects, asking JB if he is ready for tonight's performance & if they should perform their duet "Lover's in Paradise". While this happens Bonnie starts to walk away again. Julianbeckons her back asking her point-blank if she knows anything about dopplegangers. Catching her in a lie, Bonnie & Threestrings talk it over & come clean as another bard named Cecil Weiss started off the show.

When asked why Threestrings is protecting Bonnie, he answers that he is in love with her & would protect her at all costs. That is when Juliansays the following: Hey, if you ever want to ready player three for that, let me know!

Bonnie explains that herself & five (5) other doppelgangers arrived in Waterdeep about three (3) years ago, looking to make an honest-living, however absurd that might be for doppelgangers. She insists she's been keeping an eye on her friends, keeping them in line. She'd be happy to introduce them if they'd like, but really they're not bad!

They agree & meet back at the Yawning Portal the next in a backroom to allow for some privacy.

The Meeting (Tarsakh 28)
A round of introductions for everyone who joins:
 * Bonnie (Doppelganger) Disguised as a female human bar-maiden at the Yawning Portal
 * Bope Too (Doppelganger) Disguised as a male human contact for the Phandazzilers
 * Cecil Weiss (Doppelganger) Disguised as a male human bard
 * Naneatha Lharilstar (Doppelganger) Disguised as a female human noblewoman & Adventurer
 * Threestrings male human bard
 * Vaniel Shortwick (Doppleganger) Disguised as a male halfling who is a bartender at the halfling hostel Hole in the Wall
 * Willifort Crowelle (Doppelganger) Disguised as an aged male Tiefling as a personal servant to the Cassalanter noble family

Questions were asked about the general intentions of all of the dopplegangers. One the most pressing for Julian is whether or not Cecil was impersonating him around town. Cecil denies any accusation although he looked nervous & deflected back to the reason why they had been gathered here. When asked if they would leave the city Willifort & Bope Too want to stay in the city. The other seem less inclined about leave, but if it is that or being discovered they will leave. Choo-Cha recruits the dopplegangers to come live with him and his goblin co-patriot in the Sanctuary for Monstrous Creatures that is being constructed outside of the city.

After that is all said & done, Thola asks if she could talk to Willifort privately. Suspicious of the Cassalanter family she asks various questions with Willifort deflecting each one, obviously feinting ignorance. While this is happening Threestrings & Bonnietalk to Julian about possibly being recruited into the Harpers as a contact. Choo-Cha is listening while staring down Bope Too in the corner

Once done, Bope Too asks to speak to Thola about an urgent matter. Once in private he divulges information about the coming months & why his work for the Phandazzilers requires him to stay in the city. Without going into specifics he says that they could prevent war but only if he help maintain the contacts within the city. He attempts to recruits Thola with no avail.

Meeting With Mirt
The party decides to go to  Mirt's  Mansion near Mistshore. Romeo the halfling Marodojo for  Mirt answers the door and invites the party back to  Mirt's  lava heated hot tub. Thola introduces herself as "Mola"

Julian says that the dopplegangers can be used as spies but they have left the city to join the Society for Monstrous Creatures' Sanctuary outside the city.  Mirt  tells Julian that he doesn't trust Gooz at all & that the dopplegangers are more likely to turn to Gooz's cause than stay recruited to the Harpers.

They tell Mirt about Bope Too & Willifort Crowelle Gralhund Manor
 * Yalah & Orond
 * told him about what happened there

Intelligence Rundown
As Julian becomes a a good contact for the Harpers where Mirt shares some pertinent information with him. Pickle Wickle, the Supreme High Captain of Luskan & owner of the Red Hexagon Trading Company plans to sail down the Sword Coast to pillage. He has his eyes fixed on Waterdeep as he is convinced they sent a dwarven spy by the name of Gunok into his organization.

Choo tries to recruit

Jaraxle is not pleased with Julian

Thola & JB Conversation
Thola can't believe Julian gives all this info to the Harpers

Morality of the Phandazzilers & whether or not

Debrief at Phaulkonmere
As the party splits, Thola returns to  Jeryth  in Phaulkonmere in the South Ward with information concerning her assignment. Thola elaborates that the mission was a partial sucess. Jeryth asks who remains, Thola does not divulge that information asking why it would matter.