Waterdeep: Dragon Heist - Session I

Navigation
Session List

Last Session:

Next Session: Session II Finding a Friend

Basics & Rundown
Out of Game Date played: 2019-09-01

Session Title:  The Yawning Portal

In-game Date: Nightal 6 1582 DR

Location: Yawning Portal, Waterdeep

Player Characters in attendance:
 * Choo-Cha (Cory)
 * Gooz (Aaron)
 * Julian Bellafontaine (Matt)
 * Roc (Raham) Sacul (Cory)
 * Sowron Stormwind (Garrett)
 * Thola (Julianne)

Escape from the Underdark
Sowron, Thola, & Roc (who is carrying Anders) escape through a teleportation circle in Blingdenstone's Stoneheart Enclave Temple in Inner Blingdenstone. Through transit Roc 's chrono-imprint triggers a time-jump carrying him & Anders body 35 years into the future. This left Sowron & Thola in Phandalin stranded with a highly valued Dragon Egg descended from the Red dragon Themberchaud (originally stolen from Gracklstugh by Quarra away from the main PCs at the time, who stole it from Gray Ghosts, who stole it from the Keepers of the Flame (who work for Themberchaud )) that they are to deliver to Dohn Vortenson the Phandazzilers contact at the Yawning Portal in Waterdeep.  They travel from Phandalin to Waterdeep, before leaving Sowron decides to run a shipment of good to Waterdeepwith him paying for the goods upfront. Once in Waterdeep 'Thola' 'wished to visit a temple dedicated to her goddess, Selûne. Sowron asks a random street by-passer to watch his cart of goods while he & 'Thola' go into the temple. After prayer with 'Thola' ('where Sowron felt nothing) they came upon their cart that was stolen. Sowron , angry attempted to run after the cart (not knowing where it went) with his sword brandished & track the cart for a block until it disappeared. The city watch fined him 10 GP for openly brandishing a weapon is public, which is explicitly against the law in Waterdeep. Sowron & 'Thola', knowing they had to go the the Yawning Portal instead went to various inns attempting to find a recently stolen cart of goods. They stumbled upon the Muleskull Tavern int he Dock Wards run by Richard. Richard took a liking to Sowron & wished that he spent a night in his cot in the backroom with him, 'Thola' intervened & they both headed to the Yawning Portal. They both pay the toll to get into the tavern, & a barmaid named  Bonnie  escorted them to meet with Dohn Vortensen. He introduces himself and offers the agreed upon price of 100 GP for the Dragon Egg that Knookin & the party agreed upon. Sowron attempt to haggle but Dohn does not budge expressing how contraband the item is & they would have a hard time selling it without drawing attention, subtly conveying that he is sure they would not be able to do it. They sell the dragon egg, And both Sowron & 'Thola' 'go into the tavern's main area feeling a little defeated but order a beer while waiting for the main act of the night a renown bard named, Threestrings.

Gooz's Released
Choo-Cha is waiting outside of a forced labour prison in the outskirts of Waterdeep at Amendsfarm. Gooz, a fellow goblin is released & Choo-Cha has promised to help him adjust to life outside of prison. Choo-Cha & Gooz met in jail, but Gooz was born in jail & due to lack of bureaucratic oversight was not released until the late-term reform of the now previous open lord of Waterdeep Dagult Neverember.

Choo-Cha informs Gooz that she has a job to get them on their feet but must head to the Yawning portal in the city, a fellow named Volothamp has requested an investigative party. Gooz is overjoyed and joins Choo-Cha & they head into the city. They arrive to the base of the Undermountain where the well entrance to the Yawning Portal is & cast the spell Feather Fall instead of paying the toll to be ferry down via rope. Unfortunately Choo-Cha does not cast the spell correctly & it only kicks in once they arrive at the bottom of the well (or level 1 of Undermountain).

The bouncer is un-enthused and makes them pay double to lift them back up to the tavern portion of the well.

The Yawning Portal
The tavern is bustling with many patron's as it is one of the busiest nights of the week. A decent bard by the name of Julian Bellafontaine is playing in the background as many patrons chat about their recent adventures, trade, or suspected future problems based on the news of the day. All of this is interrupted when a troll being attacked by Stirges crawls up from Undermountain causing chaos in the bustling tavern. After a quick scuffle with a rag-tag group 5 humanoids banding together to defeat the troll causing it to tumble back down the well, Volothamp invited the party over to his table.

Volothamp's Request
The newly formed party sat down with Volothamp to listen to his need for an investigative party to find his friends Floon. By Volothamp's account, Floon disappeared a few days ago after he met with him at the Muleskull Tavern in the Dock Wards for a drink. He has not seen him since that night. He gives the players his own guide to the city "Volo's Waterdeep Enchiridion" to help the player familiarize themselves with the city. The party agrees to all work together on this contract as Volothamp promises 200 GP for the party if they find his friend.

Dock Wards
The party heads out to the Dock Ward and comes across a crime scene cordoned off by the city Watch where six (6) bodies were laying on the middle of the street. When Thola asks what happened the city watch said there has been an explosion of city violence now that a few of the local crime syndicates are warring with each other. The city watch waves them through propelling the party to their destination, the dock wards. After, they stopped at a peculiar shop along the dock wards' promenade named Old Xoblob Shop. The shop had a large purple stuffed plush beholder in it's window, drawing the party in. The party quickly realized it was a purple freak's shop.

The players continued to their destination, Muleskull Tavern, and talked to Richard the bartender there. Richard proceeded to hit on Sowron who did not want anything of the sort. When asked about the night of Floon's disappearance he says that Volothamp was drinking with someone a few nights ago, Floon he believe then Volothamp left and Floon met with Raener Neverember. People always said that there was a striking similarity between them but he never saw it. They drank for an hour then left together, but 5 men also followed them out after. He has seen the men before they all bear tattoos with a snake. He says that the tattoos look the same as a symbol on a warehouse on Candle Lane.

The party proceeds to the warehouse on Candle Lane finding it with ease they start to look for the best way to infiltrate the building.

Other or Public DM Notes
All players except for Gooz opt out of being aligned with any faction, the list of reason are as follows:
 * Choo-Cha does not want to go back to jail


 * Gooz was raised in prison & knows most factions within the city & has to align with some faction to survive in prison


 * Julian wanted to get by on merit


 * Sowron was born literally a day ago

Dohn is a Phandazzilers agent.
 * 'Thola' has never been to Waterdeep

Julian asked it to be known that he had slept with a barmaid before the start of the campaign, this barmaid's name is Bonnie & she works at the Yawning Portal.