Waterdeep Dragon Heist info

Trollskull Manor/Alley (PDF)

Calendar (PDF):

14 Hammer 1492: Mal finally received his first real opportunity when he was invited to play at the Yawning Portal during one of its featured performer nights. Siblings Aldo and Myfawny were on hand to watch their brother play his first big venue. Accompanying them was their acquaintance Jaren, who was in the process of drinking Durnan’s entire ale supply. 

The night began without incident, the group (except Jaren) milking their drinks as the Portal’s overworked server scrambled to keep up with the growing crowd. Shortly before Mal’s set was to begin, Aldo was approached by the Volothamp Geddram of Volo’s Guide to Monsters. Volo expressed his admiration for the young researcher and asked if they could speak once the festivities were over.  

Shortly thereafter the lights went down signaling the start of the musical acts. However, just as Mal walked on stage, tensions between crews from the Zhentarim and Xanthar Guild boiled over. A drunken half-orc Xanthar bodyguard named Sekiro intervened to try and calm the tensions between the two groups but fighting broke out nonetheless.  Myfawny, Aldo, Jaren, and Sekiro lept into action and tried to stop the conflict but were limited by their lack of weapons. Both groups stopped fighting when they noticed a gnome attempting to sneak out of the tavern. The Zhentarim and Xanthar Guild members went in pursuit of the gnome, but between the efforts of the party, Durnan, and the Yawning Portal’s bouncer Yagra (who threw two of the Zhentarim gang members into the mouth of the portal), most of the gang members were stopped. One of the Xanthar guild members was able to escape out of the tavern after the gnome, a female drow wielding dual flintlock pistols. She was unknown to Sekiro but she clearly knew who he was. 

After the altercation, Volo approached Aldo to make his request. Volo’s friend Floon Blagmaar (yep) had gone missing after a night of drinking and gambling. Aldo and the rest agreed to help and planned to make there way to one of Mal’s other frequent venues which also happened to be one of Floon’s regular haunts. 

Sekiro also took the opportunity to introduce himself and offer some context on what had happened. He was a bodyguard for Xanthar and was present during a parlay between the Guild and the Zhentarim. During the meeting, Xanthar discovered that one of his prized possessions, a gem, was missing from his vault. Blaming the Zhentarim, he quickly had all of them killed. The massacre was the catalyst for renewed violence between the two gangs and for weeks they had been at war with a relentless series of attacks and retaliations. Neither side knew for sure but both speculated that the gnome from earlier in the night was responsible for the theft. Capturing him to find out who he worked for was their top priority. Sekir asked for the party’s help in finding the gem to try and stop the violence. 

The party’s first priority, however, was to find Floon. They made their way to the Jade Dancer, a dance hall and tavern in the South Ward to see what they could learn about the night he was last seen. The bartenders didn’t know much, but directed the part to Obaya an enigmatic “priestess” from Chult who also deals in information and loan sharking, although she refers to it as investing. She informed the party that she was well aware of Floon but had no dealings with him, business or otherwise. She did, however, notify them that he was seen leaving with two gentlemen from one of the Zhentarim factions. She adds that when Floon had exhausted his good will at the more reputable haunts in Waterdeep he is known to head to the Skewered Dragon in the Dock Ward.

With a destination in hand and morning approaching Mal graciously offered to let the party camp out at his apartment for the night before striking out in the morning.

15 Hammer 1492: The next morning the party collects themselves and narrowly avoids being poisoned by Aldo’s attempt at coffee. Before the party manages to leave the apartment, however, City Watch Captain and two officers force their way in. The Captain introduces himself as Hyustus Staget. He is investigating a gang fight that took place a few blocks away from the apartment. Zhentarim and Xanthar agents had engaged each other and several were dead in an alley. Because the party had been involved in a similar altercation the night before, they were person’s of interest. 

After some smart assery from Jaren and Mal that the Captain really didn’t appreciate, Hyustus leaves, warning the party to keep away from the gangs. 

Of course the party took that as an invitation to get even more involved. Having narrowly avoided jail, they step outside into the biting cold, Mal whistles for an urchin to deliver a message to his grandparents. As the first urchin leaves and second urchin hobbles up to give them a message. It is from Durnan inviting them to come back to the Yawning Portal.Before speaking to Durnan though, the party felt it necessary to investigate the fright between the Xenathar’s and Zhentarim. 

The City Watch was nearly finished policing the crime scene by the time the party arrived. Only a few guards men and magists remained. A few curious onlookers were still loitering around the outskirts as well. 

The crime scene itself didn’t reveal much to the party but they did notice one person that stood out in the dwindling crowd. After a brief chase that was not poorly thought out at all by the DM, Jaren managed to tackle him and learn that he was a Zhentarim agent who believed Xanthar staged the theft to put the war in motion. The party set him free before learning more as patrolling guardsmen were making their way down the street. 

As one might expect, the Yawning Portal first thing in the morning was not particularly busy. Durnan had asked the party back because he wanted to pay them for their help in stopping the fight the night before. He added that they may want to watch out for Volo, noting that he was prone to over spending. 

The party graciously accepted their reward and made their way to the Dock Ward. 

On their way to the Skewered Dragon the party stopped in the Old Xoblob Shop, which Sekerio revealed was a front for and eccentric gnome that works as a spy for Xanthar. He confirms that Floon was taken to the Skewered Dragon and adds that the saloon was also run by the Zhentarim.    

Even by the standards of the Dock Ward, the Skewered Dragon was a shithole. Somehow and anchor had ended up in the roof of the squat building and had never been removed. The party tried to blend in as best they can, play cards, and question some of the patrons. Mal manages to trick one of the patrons into believing he is another Zhent agents and learns that Floon has been taken to a warehouse on Candle Lane. 

The warehouse is a fairly simple building, two stories with no signage of any kind indicating who owns it. Pic sneaks up to the door, picks the lock and opens it to find a group of Kenku searching the building and a host of dead bodies on the ground. After a brief skirmish, Sekiro is able to talk the group of assassins leader into letting him and the party complete the search of the warehouse.  

It doesn’t take long for the party to realise that Floon wasn’t there. What the did find, however, was a very bloody Ranear Neverember hiding in a crawlspace. He explains that he was captured along with Floon and “questioned”. The Zhentarim captors were attacked and in the commotion he escaped, but Floon was taken to a Xanthar hideout in the sewers. 

As the group was questioning Ranear, the City Watch surrounded the building having been alerted to the attack. Captain Hyustus was again on the scene but let the group go when Ranear vouched for them. He also agreed to stay behind and give his account of events while so that the party could go about their business. They, of course, neglected to tell the Captain that they knew where to find Floon. 

Sekiro lead the group to the sewer hideout with little issue. The hideout was lead by a half-orc named Grum’Shar that had had limited success as a criminal. The group found Floon tied to a chair, being interrogated by not only Grum’shar but a mysterious mind flayer as well. Sekiro identified him as Nihiloor, one of Xanthar’s lieutenants. It was likely he was there to oversee the interrogation. 

Somehow, the party managed to talk the Nihiloor and Grum’shar to release Floon to their custody, claiming they were sent to take him back to Xanthar. Having Sekiro in the group helped seal the deception. Something wasn’t right about Floon, however. Even though he had been healed, he was still catatonic. 

The party took their leave and brought Floon back to the Yawning Portal to meet Volo. Volo was grateful and allowed Volo to look after Floon for a few hours in one of the rear sitting rooms. 

For finding Floon, Volo had promised the group a reward but despite his popular book, he was cash poor at the moment. He did, however, have the deed to a piece of property in the North Ward that he would gift the party. 

Reluctantly accepting the unusual compensation and taking possession of the deed, the party made their way to Trollskull Alley to find a run down but serviceable manor. Surprisingly, the first floor of Trollskull Manor also served as a tavern. In fact, still residing in that Tavern was the poltergeist of an elf named Lif. 

16 Hammer 1492: Early the next day, Jaren, Mal Myfawny, Aldo, and Jaren take a tour of their new neighborhood. It’s a fairly middle class few blocks around the alley. The manor-tavern is situated roughly in the merchant section. The party manages to visit MOST of the merchants (all have things you can buy) and then set about repairing and refurbishing their new home/small business.  

19 Hammer 1492: The next few days go by without incident. The party has managed to make quite a bit of headway improving the manor-tavern. Myfawny managed to negotiate a deal to procure spirits from the local brewer and distiller for a few weeks and Mal was able to get his hands of peyote give the tavern’s signature tea some extra kick. 

On the morning of the 4th day, an explosion rips through the quiet of the early morning. All of the windows are blown in and part of the manor-tavern’s facade is damaged. The party rushes to help with the fire to help keep it from spreading while the fire brigade is making their way to the house. 

Once extinguished, the group helps the fire brigade to search the house for clues or survivors. As they look through the rubble, they note a small hole in the side of the house. Small enough for a gnome to fit though.

Thannamere Family Tree (PDF):