Aesh's HC-Waterdeep: Dragon Heist [5e Adventurers League] - Fall Table (Inactive)

Game Master Tareth

Arrived, she stays well out of sight of her companions and prepares the jar to be flung at the painting.

She practices a bit with the jar, getting a feel for their weight. Finally, when ready, she takes advantage of her previous prayer to sneak up on thw watchers, though she thinks it won't matter much, then puts one jug of paint down.

Taking a deep breath, she gives Mask some silent soothing words, though to most these may sound more like threats...

Then she hurls the first jar of paint at the painting, ready to pick the second jar and repeat if it seems to cover the painting sufficiently!

Unmei, make a Stealth roll vs. Bhoors and Dacknars Passive Perceptions.

Stealth with Pass without trace: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (16) + 14 = 30

"I think I might grow a beard like this dwarf here its so dashing."

Smooth and quiet as a graffiti artist sneaking behind a watch patrol, Unmei slips up behind her rather odiferous companions. Seconds later there's a shattering sound and a splatter of red paint splashes against the fresco. Just as the two art lovers start to react to the desecration of the most monumental bit of art they've ever encountered, another jar of yellow paint shatters against the fresco. Slack-jawed Bhoors and Dacknar stare at the painting. With a third of it covered in new paint the feeling of its magic and constant tug weakens significantly at least for the moment.

Okay. Bhoors and Dacknar can make a WIS Save vs DC8 to break the spell. I'll grant advantage on this roll, so that negates the disadvantage from exhaustion.

Wis: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Bhoors blinks he falls over, "What the crap? My legs feel like I have been standing here for 3 days." He rubs his thighs as he shakes with muscle aches and confusion.

That's 3 or 4 levels of exhaustion.?

Wisdom Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Dacknar roars
"Who's the son of a sea dog that would destroy such a magnificent piece of art!"
Spinning on his heels. Dacknar raises his great sword, ready to strike down the destroyer of art. But only seeing Unmei standing there.
"Unmei who was the one that threw that paint? I bet it was that trollop down the hall. Well she ruins this beautiful art I am going to ruin her life!"

Dacnar starts to stomp his way out of the room but realizes that the wet paint needed to be cleaned off before it dries. So he rushes back looking for a rag but not finding anything that can be of use, he drops his sword to the ground and rips off his shirt to clean the fresco. "No, no my beautiful, I will clean you. Unmei, Bhoors stop standing there like barnacles on a ship and help me clean this paint off before it dries. The art can't be ruined, hurry. Do ether of you know any spells to help clean this. By the gods no, the paint is smearing."
Dacknar having tears roll down his face, as panic sets in as he tries to clean the artwork.

Unmei gives Bhoors a wink of relief and then another of cunning as she rushes to help Dacknar remove the paint, while instead, she only manages to spread it even more...

Deception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Bhoors: Going back through, it is 4 levels of exhaustion.

Dacknar: You get an WIS(Insight) roll to detect Unmei's deception. You have Disadvantage due to exhaustion.

Bhoors opens his pack and gets out a waterskin and guzzles it pouring some over his cracked lips.

While Dacknar busily tries to wipe the fresco free of the wet paint, Unmei's effort at helping the half orc succeed in covering even more of the enchanted image. Slowly everyone feels the pull of the frescoes magic weaken, but it never really goes away completely.

I'm going to bump things along now and say Dacknar doesn't see through Unmei's deception. As she continues to cover the fresco, Dacknar gets another WIS Save vs DC5 with Advantage to break the effect.

I can't imagine Bhoors is able to stay conscious? I mean awake for 4 days.

Well typically, yes, but you're a hero and there is 500K in gold at stake. ;)

I guess the real question is do you want to long rest down here or try to head back to the manor leaving the entrance unlocked and unguarded?

Leaving means we could be tracked. Also I forget our timetable with the watch so our time might be up.

Bhoors lists but his eyes pop open. He perks up.

Arcana: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

He looks up.

Its painted on the wall right.

Yes, the fresco is painted on a plaster surface that covers the stone the wall.

Is there something around that looks like it could smash some plaster.

See if he would haved killed Unmei
Insight: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Dis-advantage Insight: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

And she lives, what a waste of a 20. Now to see if he stays loving the new and improved art work

Wisdom Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Advantage Wisdom Save: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Looking at his hands and then back at the fresco. Dacknar chokes out "What the hell?"
Before his eye lids close and he topples over in a deep slumber.

Unmei sighs her relief and falls on her ass as Dacknar collapses. "By His Light!!!" she kind of curses.

She turns to Bhoors and says: "We need to rest. Let's hole up here for the night, yes? One of us could run errands if need be."

What a trap! What rolls too ;)

"Rest." He pull out his bedroll and falls a sleep swiftly.

Unmei nods, even if Bhoors probabbly doesn't care and watches the two sleep for a moment. Then, with whatever energy she has left, she gets up and goes to set up a simple trap, stretching a string across the doorway and attaching it to a small bell.

She then finds s suitable out of the way spot to lay down, one that is not obvious to see but where she can see the two art lovers.

Thieve's Tools: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

Time passes in the darkness of the underground temple. Unmei occasionally moves about quiet as a mouse checking her simple trap and alarm, but all remains well as her companions snore and sleep off the frescoes almost deadly enchantment. Eventually the two wake up hungry, thirsty, and still feeling the ache deep in their bones from the experience.

That's a long rest to recover one level of exhaustion.

Unmei prepares a meal for the companions. She's doing her best to sound positive and caring: "That was quite the ordeal, my dears! For a moment, I thought Dacknar was about to chop his own ear off in a moment of creative passion! Now, eat your eggs, then we talk about next steps, yes?"

Unmei will pray for new spells. Change things a bit.

"Chop my what off?" Dacknar questions with a mouth full of food.

"It's like I am coming out of a fog bank. I don't remember what really happened. Why is paint smeared all over that wall? Did I do that?" Looking at his hands that are still covered in dry paint.

"Dame it's like I had a fight with them dark elves again, I feel so drained."

"Ear! I heard it's a thing among Halforc artists..."

"No wonder you feel drained, you've been on your feet for days just staring as this trap-painting. We all could have died right here from... From art! What a way to go for a warrior such as you, yes? I could see Bhoors choosing to go this way, but you, Dack, I sure hope you die covered in blood, not paint! You know what I mean?! Anyhow, if you boys are still hungry, perhaps I could go and find more food for us and we keep holing up down here, perhaps?" says Unmei as she busies around them, turning this forsaken place into some kind of nest. She even finds an old broom and starts sweeping around them, filling the air with dust.

Are you all going to try and just stay here for 4 long rests to be rid of all exhaustion? Curious GM's would like to know. ;)

That would be my vote. We have one level removed already, no? Perhaps another level would be 'good enough?'

Here are the rules
E x h a u s t io n
Some special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect’s description.
Level Effect
1 Disadvantage on ability checks
2 Speed halved
3 Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
4 Hit point maximum halved
5 Speed reduced to 0
6 Death
If an already exhausted creature suffers another effect that causes exhaustion, its current level of exhaustion increases by the amount specified in the effect’s description.

A creature suffers the effect of its current level of exhaustion as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature suffering level 2 exhaustion has its speed halved and has disadvantage on ability checks.
An effect that removes exhaustion reduces its level as specified in the effect’s description, with all exhaustion effects ending if a creature’s exhaustion level is reduced below 1.
Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's exhaustion level

I am fine just resting, just want to keep an eye out for Drow, I am sure they are coming back soon

The companions continue to rest in a small nearby chamber, unsure whether it is day or night back on the surface. The time passes quietly until midway through the next night. That's when Unmei hears whispers of at least two or three people coming from the main entrance.

Unmei perks up and catches the others' attention, signalling to get ready.

She then creates a duplicate of herself and lets it be in view of the entrance, so that whoever is whispering can spot the duplicate, and that she can see through the duplicate.

Bhoors stands and moves toward the painting hoping that if they notice him they might notice something that will draw attention.

"I'm tellin ya, she didn't leave. She has t'be down 'ere." A first voice, high pitched, maybe even a bit familiar.

"I don't like it here, I wanna go back." Another voice, also high pitched.

"Don't be a gob, Squiddly. Unmei ain't been home for days and Nat says she saw her go in 'ere and never come out." A third voice, also familiar and also very young.

"Quiet you two! You want to warn whatever demon got's miss Unmei locked up that we're coming? Now quiet and com'on."

The small voices echo down in the caverns of the ancient temple chambers, soon joined by the wobbly, dancing glow of a bullseye lantern flashing through the dark.

"Jenks, would you stop flashing that everywhere."

"Well I can't see in'a dark like you Squid."

"Shhh...quiet both of you, I think I heard something."

A few minutes later the light grows closer and sneaking into the chamber where you rest are three all too familiar faces of two human children and a small tiefling child. Nat with her wooden sword held shakily in front of her. Round Jenks with his stuffed owlbear clutched tightly to his chest, and tiny horned Squiddly his small bow drawn with an equally small iron tipped arrow knocked and ready.

The light flashes on Dacknar eliciting immediate screams from Jenks and Squiddly. The small bow twangs and an arrow smacks against the stone a good three feet from where the half orc stands. Keeping her calm, Nat smacks Squiddly on the shoulder.

"Dummy!' She shouts. "You almost shot uncle Dack." She adds turning to wave at Dacknar and walks over and grabs Unmei into a hug, relief obvious on her face. Squiddly and Jenks follow suit, the tiefling stopping for a moment to look at Dacknar, his face even redder than usual.

"Sorry Dacknar. Thought you was a demon at first." He then wrinkles his nose and gags just a little, stepping away from the halforc and Bhoors. "Gods! What's that smell? You go guys swimmin' in the sewers again?"

Bhoors steps wide away from the painting trying to make sure that he is no longer right in front of it before he draws any additional attention. "Careful guys this is not a safe place. I know kids like you are survivors."

"Well you know how we like the sewers."

Unmei sighs her relief and embraces the urchins tenderly: "Good of you to look on us. We're ok, but it's been... smelly, to say the least. Now, we could use your help. Are you guys up for it. It can be dangerous, so don't feel like you have to say yes..."

Assuming they agree.

Once the urchins agree, Unmei explains: "We want you to play together, but near the entrance of the building. The hard part is to make sure you act normal. Just hanging out, passing the time, and staying out of trouble, mostly... But if you see some people pass through the door... We'll set up a long string that will run along the walls, to a small bell here. Now if you see someone come through, you go and pull that string to let us know someone's coming. If anyone makes you, you run to find a safe place and you wait for us to return. Clear?"

"By the way, how did you find us?!" she asks.

Eager to help, all three dive right in to Unmei's plan. Gethering string from the tattered materials above, tying it together and running it back to the surface. When asked about how they found her, Dacknar, and Bhoors, the three grow quiet and a bit red in the face.

Finally Nat speaks up. "Weeeellll. We've kind of been following you for a while now." She says bashfully. "Us and the others. It was kind of a game..."

"Yea...Nat's the best at it. We even say how you guys whacked that drow in the alley." Pipes in Squiddly who immediately receives a glare from his two companions. "Well we did...." He adds quietly, dipping into a sulk.

"Anyway..." Nat continues. "We'd watched this old mill for days waiting for you to come out, but you never did. Then we saw Unmei slip out and break into that warehouse and hurry back."

She shrugs. "When the others said there were more drow creeping about the manor and a bunch of watchmen we're around askin' questions, we figured you'd want to know so we decided to come find you."

"Better there than here."

Giving a few sniffs "I guess I could use a bath." says Dacknar

Picking up the arrow he hands is back to the child. "You need to remember, when you shoot, keep the bow up just like you are aiming. Or the arrow will always hit the dirt. Now I want you to try it and aim at that create over there. That's right keep your arm straight and let the string just roll off the tips of your figures."

After the arrow goes wide.
"You didn't bring a bottle of booze with you by any chance? No? Thant's O.K. I feel like I could use a drink. When I get back to the manor I will have one. And you need to practice more so go get that arrow. And while you practice I will try and make you a few more arrows. Remember keep your eye on the target."

Unmei goes pale when they tell of the Drow's death, but she tries not to show it too much.

"You've certainly proven resourceful. I'm proud of you all! Now, it's good you let us know about these inquiries. Would you stand watch using the string as I mentioned?"

Squiddly nods seriously and listens carefully to Dacknar's advice. After a couple of more tries, the boy manages to sink a small pointy arrow directly into the center of the old busted crate. Grinning from ear to ear he waves to Dacknar promising to keep practicing as Unmei rushes them back up the stairs to watch and give warning.

With the children gone the underground temple regains its former quiet and dreary atmosphere, but the remainder of the watch proceeds without any further trouble or incidents.

I think that is 3 long rests. The only other exit besides the one back to the surface is up the stairs from the room with the fresco.

"So what's the next step here." Bhoors looks around.

"Let's search this room. The painting is there for a purpose. It guards something. Let's find out?"

And Unmei starts checking the walls first, looking for a secret door, a sliding panel, or a button hidden in a crack.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Bhoors walks around kabitzing with Unmei on possibilities pointing out any possibilities.

Advantage on that.

"You don't suppose the painting it self hide something, . . . I mean the only way to stop us from dying from 'loving dwarf art' was to cover it or destroy it. I mean thin coat of paster over the doorway and then paint it?"

Sand passes through the hourglass as Unmei and Bhoors search every nook and cranny of the chamber including the fresco itself for any signs of what it was once protecting. Finally the two give up having found nothing. No hidden treasure, no secret doors, hidden spaces, or interesting diversions. Simply nothing. Either the dwarven architect was just a sadistic art lover or whatever the fresco once protected was long ago removed from the room. The only way forward remains the stairway that winds back up toward the crumbling stone bridges that crossed over the entrance hall.

Unmei sighs: "Well, in a way, that's probably better... The stairs then! Dacknar, are you up for leading us and scouting ahead?"

If Dacknar says yes, Unmei will extend Mask's blessing on him.

Adv on Stealth checks, renewed as needed.

Dacknar nods to Unmei and starts to stalk off. He keeps an eye out for things that are out of place.

Do I still have any levels of exhaustion?

"So when do we use the fake chicken?" He says over his shoulder.

Dacknar leads the way up the stairs. The narrow corridor circles around and then opens into a twenty foot high and wide chamber that stretches over a hundred feet back to the south. Three central columns provide support down the center of the domed room. Each large pillar is carved in the shape of a giant warhammer with the head pressed flat against the floor. The entire western wall is adorned with a mosaic depicting a dwarven smith working a forge to craft dwarves out of metals and diamonds. Several cracks mar the mosaic, especially a large black fissure near the center of the piece.

The eastern wall is broken up by three arches that each open onto a single stone bridge that crosses the entry hall nearly sixty feet below. Each crumbling bridge crosses to its own individual adamantine door.

Dacknar slowly moves a long into the huge domed room. Once he spots the mosaic he drops his head and raises his arms to block the sight of the picture.
"Watch out there is another one of them pictures here. Don't look at it! Do we have anymore paint to splash on it?"

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

So glad that was not another Will save

Perception : 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Um but we already see it."

"Three paths."

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

"Three paths... And what looks like adamantine doors. My guess is we'll need one of the next keys... An automaton and, what was the other key? And how are we supposed to know which path to take..?" Unmei reflects, scratching her head.