Waterdeep: Dragon Heist - Session XXIII

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Basics & Rundown
Out of Game Date played: 2020-05-15

Session Title:  Horrible Night

In-game Date:  Tarsakh 22-25 1583 DR

Location: Waterdeep

Player Characters: (Alphabetical order)
 * Julian Bellafontaine (Matt)
 * Tyr Dithias (Garrett)

Three Goblins, Two Dwarves & a Mission (Tarsakh 23)
Dithias & Julianwake up a little later than everyone else to find everyone has gone & that there is a new person in the bar. Jom,  a dwarf, introduces himself as the new bartender that Gooz hired earlier that day.

JB Nevercott abruptly enters, says he has a prisoner that he needs to be kept in the basement of Spooky's for three (3) days named ''Ott Steeltoes.  When pressed he says Ott ''is part of the Xanathar Guild & just needs to keep him here. He leaves as Julianis discussing with Dithias whether or not they should take the job.

They enter the kitchen to find three (3) Goblins yelling at a bound dwarf lying in the middle of the floor. When addressed they tell Dithias & Julianthat they caught this intruder in the basement & were on their way to kicking him out. Julianintroduces himself as the owner, quickly to corrected by the ill-informed goblins that only Gooz & Choo-Cha are the owners. They introduce themselves as Lesly, Ponch & Stinko & when asked Juliandiscovers that Gooz has been allowing the goblins to stay in the basement. They say they have been working security, that's why they caught this intruder. Juliancharms the with a kiss on the hand & asks them if he could have a moment with the intruder, saying that they could have a drink on him.

When alone they ask Ott how he got here. He says that he has no idea, that he went to sleep & woke up to three (3) goblins yelling & kicking him. They give him water & promise to release him, then ask what he does for a living, he replies that he takes care of fish.

Dithias  & Julianare unsure about their interrogation tactics when Dithias says: "If you cannot win a being with honey, then the next option is the knife." - Tyr Dithias Julianwants to continue with the 'honey' tactic. He says that a man he has never met dropped Ott & then disappeared by the name of JB Nevercott. Juliancontinues by saying that he wants to help but needs more information. Ott divulges that he takes care of Xanathar's goldfish & Xanathar loves his goldfish to a fault. The fact that he is not there means his goldfish may be in trouble which means he is in trouble & needs to get back immediately as he does not have a back-up goldfish for the current one in the tank.

Julian& Dithias  leave the room where Dithias says he wants to turn into a goldfish & spy on Xanathar. Julianasks if that was a good idea but Dithias was insistent. Dithias  wild shapes into a goldfish & Juliancomes back in the room telling Ott he has a replacement goldfish for him. Julianfrees Ott with a concentrated knock spell to unlock his magically bound hands & tells him to tell Xanathar that JB Nevercott was the one who released him. Ott, clearly confused agrees & leaves in a hurry with the goldfish.

Julian feints that he was attacked by Ott & convinces the goblins to say that he was as well, to have deniability.

A Fish in a Barrel
Ott proceeds to the Xanathar base going through a portal in an alleyway. Ott proceeded though the base dumping the goldfish (Dithias) into a 20 foot fish bowl, complete with it's own coral reef, mini ship-wreck and treasure chest. The room is filled with Underdark fungi & spores.

As soon as Ott leaves the room in a hurry Dithias  wild shapes into a bat flying into a corner of the room. Minutes later Xanathar, enters the room with Ott delighted that his goldfish is back only to discover that it is no longer in the tank. Xanathar, outraged circles around the tank using his anti-magical cone to ensure that the fish is not hiding in any of the coral reefs or is magically hiding. While doing this it counteracts Dithias ' wild shape as he is forced out of his form. Xanathar turned invisibility as Dithias pleas that he just like turning into different animals. Xanathar appears right before him shouting to Dithias "What have you done with my fish?" while tossing him across the room & forcing him to sleep.

Dithias woke up in a cell-block full of various monstrous & humanoid races. Dithias turns into a bat again waiting to fly through the door as soon as it opens, as it does he flies out getting hit & chased by a guard into a large arena where there are tonnes of spectators including Xanathar in the crowd.

Xanathar used his anti-magical field again forcing Dithias out of her wild shape. Xanathar promised that he could be set free if he survives the next three (3) champions. A minotaur was release & killed Dithias in the already blood-soaked ring.

J.B. Nevercott's Departure (Tarsakh 25)
Three (3) days later on Tarsakh 25, JB Nevercott returns to the Spooky's asking where Ott is. Juliantells JB Nevercott that he was attacked & Ott escaped. JB Nevercott asks where his tall Aasimar friend is. Juliansays he doesn't know as he loves nature maybe that is where he is. As far a Julian could tell JB Nevercott believed his story & left.