Mission 4: Race
Grand Prize of the Oracle
XP: 100 each (or 110 meatgrinder)
GP: 18.33 each (20.16 gp meatgrinder)
Magic Item: Potion of Healing
Renown: +1 if Zhentarim faction
Story Reward: The Thrill of Victory. By claiming victory in both the dinosaur race and the gladiator’s arena, you gain a bit of fame from the citizens within the walls of Port Nyanzaru. Once per day, you may gain advantage on a single Charisma (Persuasion) check when dealing with any residents within the Market, Merchant’s, or Harbor Wards.
Downtime: 5 days
Tired from the exertion and the weight of their decision, Nella begins heading back to the Thundering Lizard. But the sheer joy of dinosaur races and victory don't allow her to drag her feet for long. Soon, she is scampering through the streets and investigating every sight. She asks her friends to join her for a celebratory dinner and drinks.
Anyone want to play a drinking game of Chondalwood?
= Dwalar
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Back at the Thundering Lizard, Nella disappears in her room and comes back with a pouch of small, smooth stones. She smiles broadly at whichever of her friends are up for some celebratory libations and sets down a number of stones in the middle of the table one less than the number of participants. Then she walks over to the bartender and speaks quietly to him for a few moments. His eyes grow wide and he scratches his head a couple of times before nodding and heading into the back. He comes back out after a few minutes with a gray jug and Nella passes him a few silvers then returns to the table, carrying the jug which is humorously over-sized for her and several small ceramic cups.
This game is Lyndiron. Whoever doesn't get a stone must take a drink.
With some help, she places the large jug and cups on the side of the table out of the way and arranges the stones in a circle at the middle of the table. She shows her companions how to rest with their hands below the level of the table and chant "one, two, three" in Halfling before trying to seize a stone for themselves.
With her companions, Nella chants Ani, dor, yut! and attempts to snatch a stone.
Davin takes up the halfling's challenge and joins her at the tavern.
"Ani, dor, yut!" and Davin attempts to snatch a stone as well
Dex check to snatch a stone:
"Nothing like a bit of hair of the dog." Shaldinari says to Nella when she suggests the drinking game. "Sounds like a good way to spend an evening and have a little fun after all we've done over the last few weeks."
She nods as Nella explains the rules of the game. At the end of the first count, her hand flashes out, quickly grabbing one of the stones.
"Is that how it's done?" She say with a sly grin while setting the stone back in place for round two.
Nella laughs and bows her head slightly at Shal. She glances around the table to see who doesn't have a stone. She notices that Davin's hand shot out slowly. Was anyone else slower? She opens her palm to show a stone and sees Shal open hers.
"Well...blast! Looks like I drink!"
Taking a deep breath, Davin swiftly takes the shot of liquor.
Con Save:
"YIiii...whoa! That is...something else. Ok, next round!"
Dex:
Nella chants with a slight Chondalwood accent while he chugs.
Dav-een! Dav-een! Dav-een!
She grins broadly when he finishes and nods. Yes! Another! Ani, dor, yut!
Nella's hand flashes out and she holds out a palm with a stone in the middle of it, grinning.
Bhoors sees the fun and joins the group.
He laughs with the others and pounds the drink.
A crowd has gathered around the party's table to watch the results of the game with interest. For a moment it seems Bhoors is the slowest to react and has to take a drink...
Distracted by a loud noise from the other side of the room, Shaldinari is a little slow grabbing for the same stone as Bhoors, at exactly the same time.
Bhoors smirks, "Not my first drink."
Nella claps and laughs as Shal out-speeds Bhoors but he then downs his drink with bravado. Again! Ani, dor, yut!
Nella's hand blinks towards the center of the table and back. She smiles as she holds up her stone and looks around.
One of the crowd members looks on in awe and disbelief at Nella's speed. Elbowing his neighbor "...oy...watch that little one, there be a glimmerin' to her hands I'd say..."
"Ani, dor, yut!", Davin calls as he reaches for the stone yet again
Dex:
Nella nods and smiles with a laugh. Yes Dav-een, yes. That is better. You needed some urgot to help you relax.
Shaldinari smiles and bows her head as Nella's quickness forces her to suddenly shift and go for another stone.
"Not this time."
"DId summany shay thirrsy???? *hic*" ...son of a b!*&#. That sloppy drunk Harper Soggy Wren must've caught word of the game and has interjected himself in the most embarassing way: pantsless.
He snatches for the stone and misses the entire galaxy, throwing his full body weight across the room and crashing into a pile of dishes back in the kitchen. Stumbling back soiled and slightly wounded, he raises a single index finger with great difficulty, concentrating intensely "...practish make peffercT!" slobbering all over.
The tiefling barkeeper isn't that amused at all "G$#@&&nit Soggy, you ain't supposed to be in here, you sniveling dretch. I warned ye, ye'd taste the jinx if ye dared..." she holds up a dark gesture, and the lines of the Weave seem to focus at her forehead. Soggy's nose starts to glow a dark purple and soon spurts forth scales as it grows longer and longer...it seems the tiefling has given him a dinosaur tail for a nose.
It would seem such a phenomenon is an adequate trigger for a career drunk to expel his nightly contents, and what better place than here, better time than now? The tiefling grumbles a curse in abyssal, sent over the edge of madness by the sick display...she grabs a black crossbow from the wall and loads a solid steel bolt into its catch...
"Stop." comes a voice from the door. It's Nerissa.
Nella stands up on her chair so she can see what is happening in the room, all thoughts of games gone from her mind. She addresses the barkeeper as well.
Yes. This is no cause for violence.
She glances to her comrades, seeing whether or not they will intervene with her.
Davin moves in to gather up the drunk harper.
"I got him...no worries. We will take him out with us, and here is some money to pay for damages. No need for tempers to flair!"
He will give 10gp to cover any damages.
Bhoors laughs, "Looks like they draw the line at pants. Cover up man. Before she hits you with her less hospitable bolt."
|
Dwalar roars with laughter at the drunk, somewhat into his cups by now himself, as the man smashes a pile of dishes. After that, the absurdity of the new "nose" growing out of that unfortunate face is... too much, really. "No, no, stop," he manages to say, gasping for breath as he leans on a nearby patron for support, "I can't... Hahaha... can't take it..."
His good humor sobers quickly when the tiefling woman draws a crossbow. "Whoa, hey now, iss all in good fun. No need fer blood ta'night."
Shaldinari's laughing smile and enjoyment of the friendly contest dies instantly as the harper crashes the game and into the kitchen.
She quickly downs the drink that only a few seconds ago, she had been furiously trying to avoid.
A faint shiver runs through her body as the alcohol flows freely down her throat. When the tiefling draws her crossbow, Shaldinari uses the moment to step over next to the bartender.
"Believe me, I know how satisfying it would feel to pull that trigger and pin that drunken slob to the wall right now." She says with a pointed look to both harpers. "But it really isn't worth the cleaning up the mess it'll make, not to mention trouble with the watch. Probably better to just get a few of your bigger, more loyal patrons, to just march him down to the pier and throw him in the drink to sober up."
To Nerissa she says her voice dropping to a harsh, threatening tone, "What're you doing here? Thought we were done with you and your... special brand of irritation?"
The tiefling trains the crossbow right on Wren, squinting one eye. Finally the anger seems to drain from her face and she scoffs "Tch...fine, your mess to clean. Latch that belt!" tossing the xbow down.
Davin is the first to help him outside and soon the party finds itself under the stars a few feet from the Inn's door getting some late night fresh air.
Nerissa spills the beans, coming closer and dropping her voice "Ytepka Society. That's the contact. Were offering 100 gold to deliver the fragments so we can find out what this thing can really do. Contact's name is Diamssar, and can be found near the public Bathhouse...if you agree I'll show you the secret hand gesture to get audience with him. I can accompany you as well, if you wish. I think you agree its time to resolve this...we need to move now, drunk or no."
Nella nods. This must end. She looks to her teammates for confirmation.
Davin also nods in agreement.
"Indeed, let's finish this."
"Aye. We'll finish it." Shaldinari says, her eyes look hard at Narissa. "And yes...why don't you come along. That way if this all just happens to go wrong, you'll be right there to deal with the consequences."
Stopping to think for a few seconds, she turns to Bhoors, "Ytepka Society? Didn't you learn something about them in that brochure shop?"
Bhoors looks stunned a moment, Ohhh crap. I have one of their coins. I think those coins are left with people the society doesn't like. Its probably bad I have that. Dangit Manny. He calms and steadies himself. "The were mentioned."
Bhoors, whatever info isn't in the pamplet (previously mentioned some history) you could gather from Nerissa on the way there. The Ytepka carefully monitor all happenings in Chult. Their task is to ensure that the natural and social order of Chult is not upset. If the Society notices a potential problem, they leave an iron triceratops (Ytepka is Chultan for triceratops) figurine at the home or pocket of the individual about to commit the wrong. If the marked person ignored the symbolic warning, the Triceratops Society would take punitive action. This punishment was most often a fine of some sort, but physical punishment or even death might also be enacted if the crime were severe enough.
The night in Port Nyanzaru is cool and peaceful, perhaps sobering, perhaps the kind of tropical night that makes you want to drink even more. Slumbering dinosaurs growl lazily from dark corners as a few street vendors eek out a living frying little bread rolls and roasting lizards. As you pass seaside, a schooner's sailors is unloading cargo quickly and prepping for a midnight launch. The moonlight on the old white stone glows a bright purple.
Port Nyanzaru is a very clean city thanks to the cleansing rain, and its residents are also scrupulous about hygiene. Most would be repulsed by the thought of a day without a bath. Dozens of small bathhouses across the city operate like private clubs, but the public bathhouse is open to everyone and is run by the priesthood of Sune. This public version resembles, but is a far cry from the Sune Temple proper. It's both egalitarian and elegant: wealthy merchants and dock laborers rub elbows in the tiled baths and marble-floored changing rooms. There is no charge, but bathers are requested to leave a donation to the temple of Sune befitting their station in life. Because Chultans are justifiably proud of this facility, even the poorest try to leave at least a copper piece in the giant clamshell by the entrance. Many independent masseurs and masseuses are on hand to massage weary muscles...but surely this is not the time.
A man in his mid-30s dressed in dark clothes and a hooded purple cloak is leaning against the clamshell. He nods as the party approaches, and Nerissa flashes the gesture (a triceratops head made from her hands and fingers). Diamssar pauses a moment in surprise, and returns the same gesture. His voice is low "You've brought the amulet...? No, don't take it out here...just confirm you are carrying it."
It seems that's enough for him "All right...we just need to make it to the nearest safe house then. Follow me, and keep an eye out for tails..." he leads you down the street past the dye works and into a more industrial part of town. Craft houses for pottery and weaving line the road, locked tight for the night and stuffed full for the morning export.
Davin walks quickly following their guide. He tried to keep as much as a watch as he can in the darkness.
Perception:
Shaldinari quietly follows along, her eyes watching the harper and her ally just as much as the surrounding area.
Nella too, follows along. At the man's mention of being followed, she grows exceptionally wary. She speaks into Davin's mind.
Keep careful watch behind, Dav-een. I will watch forward.
She also casts guidance on him.
Nella watches carefully to see where the man leads them.
Nodding to himself, Davin concentrates on what might be following them.
Somehow you reach an old stone building without incident. It has a series of murals long ago faded and torn, with a rickety sign that is still readable: Northside Market Textile House. Damissar opens the door with a little brass key and leads you inside...
You find a large, mostly empty warehouse with a raised catwalk circling around. It is quite clean inside despite its outward appearance. A few hooded figures dressed like Damissar are positioned up on the catwalk. Against the east wall at the center of the room is a small cubical something draped over with a large cloth.
Damissar walks towards the draped cloth, flashing the symbol of the Ytepka. A few moments later, he flashes the symbol again and the 2 hooded figures respond in kind. "This way...its ok." he beckons.