[Other] Halforums Heist

phil

phil

The stout halfling waddles down the streets until he comes across some shops. He enters the Steam and Steel and greets the owners almost as warmly as the forge.

"Heya gents and genasi! The names Ran, Ran Riddleson of Ran's Rangers. We just moved into the neighborhood and I was hoping to build a relationship with somma tha locals. I got some goods of the finest quality to sell if you're interested. But don't take my word for it, see for yourself!"

Ran places 3 Rapiers and 3 leather armors out for inspection.

"Now, whattya fine folk say? I can let you have them for a uh..steel" Ran winks at Avi

[Persuade 12]

"We will pay what we deem them worth" Embric responds sternly.

After some time the two come back with a pouch of gold.

"You spoke true, little one. These are of good quality and will suite us nicely. We look forward to further dealings"

Ran peeks into the bag and his eyes go wide.

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[11/13 for the swords, so they sell for 100% value of 25 each, 75 total. 12/13 for the armors so they go for 110% value of 33 total. Together Ran made 108 gp if I did my calculations right. Feel free to edit as needed]

"Welp! Good doing bidness with ya! I best be off!"

With a nod and a smile Ran waddles off back to the others.

"Guess who's Gavin's steak tonight!"
 
phil

phil

....Ran announces that he was mugged and all the gear was stolen. He is also eating a lambchop which he offers some to Ethyrio.

/S
 
phil

phil

I like it. We can do the 2nd floor as an inn for passive income, if we can make a small edit to make the flow a little better.

I think that whole area is supposed to be like when parents would live separate from their kids who were being raised by the help. But maybe I'm thinking of larger palaces or something.
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

The morning of Day 1 in the manor:

Erythro explores the businesses of Trollskull Alley, noting they are respectable by their guild membership. The guilds are strong in Waterdeep, he knows, and that getting anything done professionally on the manor will be through the guilds.

He finds a pub in the alley that is reasonably new called Frewn's Brews. It is run by Emmek Frewn, a salty human from the north. His pub is filled with contradictions, decorated lavishly but skimpy with peanuts and using cheap wooden mugs for the ale.

At the Tiger's Eye, Erythro is greeted by Vincent Trench, a human detective and the owner of the business. He speaks concisely, dresses in a sharp suit, and smokes a slim pipe. He is not interested in hiring another investigator at the moment. "Business is not that strong," he says. Erythro is fairly certain that Vincent Trench is wearing a magical disguise...

While Ran is out selling his gear for an excellent price at the Steam and Steel, Charity, Marten, Ty, and Brad remain in the manor and begin clearing as much of the junk out of the place as they can.

On the second floor of the manor, the farm girl finds herself in a large common room. It has furniture beyond repair and trash, old clothing, and other detritus left by vagrants. Moving north into the den, she finds more furniture thoroughly ruined, much of it broken to use in the fireplace. On the mantle of the fireplace she finds an old music box that is broken but can be repaired easily with some tinker's tools. As she moves the trash around the room into a pile, the door to the balcony swings open. A cool spring breeze wafts through the den and Charity moves to examine if the door is in need of repair. Before she takes four steps towards the door, it slams shut.

Following Charity up the stairs, Brad passes through the thoroughly trashed common room and heads south into the manor's Hall. Stairs here lead up to the third floor and another door leads south. The hall is rather bare. A vagrant once made a nest of old blankets and clothes next to the stairs but there is little else here. Under the stairs are a pair of old leather slippers that must have once belonged to an adolescent or perhaps a large halfling. Walking south, Brad finds himself in a spare room of some kind. It must have been used as a small lounge at some point. A chair appropriate for a private library with torn and chewed upholstery is the only furniture in here. Water-damaged books with no covers are scattered around the room. In the fireplace, Brad finds a small brick of unused charcoal. While reaching down to acquire it, the bar spontaneously lights aflame.

To get to the third floor, Marten passes through the common room to the den on the second floor. He emerges on the third floor in an odd-shaped room with stairs continuing up to the attic. A privy on the north side of the room, not cleaned for what must be a decade, was clearly used by vagrants. Cleaning this will be quite the chore.
Abandoning this for later, he heads to the room east of the landing. This was once an office. The desk is split in half and there is no chair at all. Paintings once lined the walls but only shadows of their positions on the wall remain. The adjoining room is another privy, this one surprisingly untouched. It smells, but not with the wretched use of a decade of vagrants. Inside the privy is a large walnut-sized gold nugget (worth 2 gp). As he walks back through the office, Marten sees TROLLSKULL newly drawn on the walls with charcoal...

To get to the third floor, Ty passes through the common room to the den on the second floor. He emerges on the third floor in an odd-shaped room with stairs continuing up to the attic. He heads west and then north into a bedroom. The bed is long gone and only a broken nightstand remains. In the adjoining bath room, he finds the bath is completely filled with dirt, for no apparent reason. Mud and dirt also line the walls, flung there by someone once upon a time. Standing up in the dirt are a dozen sticks of unused incense. As he turns to leave, Ty sees fresh footprints in the dirt. He's relatively sure they weren't there before and it is definitely no place he walked...
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

I'm partitioning things out a bit so to reveal some mundane treasure and also provide a bit of history/story/mystery to the manor. Much of this is DM-added...but not all of it. Everyone will be back in the manor for the afternoon. and I will reveal more. At the end of the day I will identify what could be saved, in terms of broken furniture.
 
Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

[Assuming everyone returns to the 'tavern' area by afternoon.]

Marten rests against the bar, covered in dust, dirt, and grime.
"Me back isn't what it used to be," he complains. "If only this place really was a tavern and I could get a tall ale right about now."

He pauses and fishes around in his pouches. "Still, I found this," he says, tossing the gold nugget up on the bar. "I'll leave it for those of us who are better negotiators to fetch a price for it and split the proceeds. You don't want to know what I had to do to get it."

"Oh, and this place is assuredly haunted. Soon as my back was turned, some unseen force went to writin' on the walls. I reckon' who or whatever is resting uneasy here isn't malicious. I wasn't attacked in any way. Still, if we plan on having the public in, we needs must make peace with it somehow."

If we want to try to turn the 2nd floor into an inn for extra income, I'll take the room marked "S&M" (because, of course I would) as my room on the 3rd floor. My needs are modest. With HCGLNS' edits, we have 7 rooms on the 3rd and 4th floors that could be potentially be claimed as bedrooms and have 2 large and 2 average sized (10x15) rooms for rent on the 2nd floor. Though I disagree with removing the balcony door. We can charge a premium for that.
 
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phil

phil

Enter Ran at the mention of a haunting

"...aw hell. Always too good to be true"

Ran counts out the gold to everyone.

"I think once we get this settled in we should consider combining our monies. For now let's just each hang onto our own"

everyone add 18 gold
 
Wahad

Wahad

Charity

"Haunted?" Charity looks somewhat surprised. "I mean, I had a door open and close on me while I was up on the second floor earlier, but I just thought it was the wind. I'm starting to think master Geddarm may have had ulterior motives in bestowing this house. Other than not having money, I mean." She frowns. "Do we have a way to deal with this? I mean...Chauntea has bestowed some gifts on me, but I'm not sure any of it is of help to ease the passage of a lingering soul."
 
grub

grub

"I don't trust that guy. Noone gives a house like this away, unless they are trying to get rid of it. I had a brick of coal self ignite on me upstairs. Best I could do is sing it a song, but I'm not sure if it will help."
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Erythro listens to the tales of his comrades and suggests that Charity and Marten keep cleaning. Brad and Ran perhaps could visit use their persuasive talents and get some quotes from the various guilds to see about repairs. I myself have urgent business to tend to.

And the wizards dashes out the door, straight to the nearbye book store where he asks about "what ever my Arcana check of 18 suggests is haunting the house". If they have nothing I will still explore the store regardless.

Then I will seek out a slate and some chalk. And while I am out, use my passive investigation (20) to learn about Frewn's Brews. It's owner and what kind of financial straights he is facing. Is he in good with all the guilds and who does he own money too.
 
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MindDetective

MindDetective

HCGLNS said:
And the wizards dashes out the door, straight to the nearbye book store where he asks about "what ever my Arcana check of 18 suggests is haunting the house". If they have nothing I will still explore the store regardless.
Click to expand...
Without more information, Erythro has narrowed it down to either a banshee, ghost, poltergeist, shadow, specter, or wraith, all of which have incorporeality. There are few books available on such things, at least at the local shop.

"I heard Volothamp Geddarm was working on one, though. That one ought to be popular...if he ever finishes it."

HCGLNS said:
Then I will seek out a slate and some chalk. And while I am out, use my passive investigation (20) to learn about Frewn's Brews. It's owner and what kind of financial straights he is facing. Is he in good with all the guilds and who does he own money too.
Click to expand...
Trying to passively determine that will take more than an afternoon. There aren't exactly a lot of clues left by the guilds laying around his pub, nor are there receipts to those that loaned him money. Erythro will have to become a regular if he just wants to soak up such information as it becomes available.
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

MindDetective said:
Without more information, Erythro has narrowed it down to either a banshee, ghost, poltergeist, shadow, specter, or wraith, all of which have incorporeality. There are few books available on such things, at least at the local shop.

"I heard Volothamp Geddarm was working on one, though. That one ought to be popular...if he ever finishes it."



Trying to passively determine that will take more than an afternoon. There aren't exactly a lot of clues left by the guilds laying around his pub, nor are there receipts to those that loaned him money. Erythro will have to become a regular if he just wants to soak up such information as it becomes available.
Click to expand...
Volo!

Perhaps Art Vandelay, guild worker repairing Trollskull Manor will eat lunch at Frewns for a while.

Chalk and slate?
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

While Erythro and Ty head back out into the neighborhood on their separate errands, Ran, Brad, Charity, and Marten look to make further progress on the manor.

Returning to the second floor, Charity explores the bedroom in the southwest corner and the long hallway that connects to the den as well as the balcony and room in the tower in the northwest corner. In the bedroom she finds a bed frame with no mattress and no legs. A broken chair sits in the fireplace and mirror over the fireplace is completely covered in dust. A message is already scrawled in the dust when she comes into the room that reads, "Open for Business."
The hallway and balcony are empty but structurally sound. Sitting out on the balcony is a glass decanter (worth 5 sp) filled with stagnant water. Heading back into the manor, she finds the door has been locked from the inside.

Returning to the second floor, Marten explores the master bedroom and its adjoining private bath on the south side of the building. The bedroom is devoid of furniture but is littered with old bottles and what was probably the curtains ripped into long strips. The bathroom contains a cracked porcelain bathtub. A hollow silver ball (worth 1 gp) sits inside it. A message on the wall was once written by one of the vagrants that occupied the building that simply reads, "You are here."

The tower room in the northwest has a rickety iron ladder that goes up to the third floor and Ty mentioned he did not get a chance to explore it yet. Climbing the ladder, Marten finds the remains of a girl in tattered clothing. She does not appear to have had a traumatic death. An initial guess is that she died due to exposure. A pair of old, worn snowshoes rest against the wall. As Marten climbs back down, he finds the door to the tower has been shut and locked.

The attic is surprisingly spacious. Brad finds himself in the southern room of the attic, while Ran explores the northern room. This room is filled with crates and barrels mostly containing trash, moldy old books, or rainwater. There are numerous holes in the roof here and the floor sags considerably in the center. In one of the crates, Brad finds a scroll case with a map of Undermountain in it. A large red X is marked on one place of the map.

While finishing his survey of the room, a pile of crates topples on him suddenly. He finds himself thoroughly buried under broken crates and garbage. (STR(13) to push your way out.)

While Brad explores the southern attic room, Ran explores the northern room. This was once a bedroom. The fireplace on the south wall has crumbled. There is no furniture in the room but someone placed some temporary wooden shelves in here. The shelves contain little of interest, such as spoiled jars of pickled beets, bottles of wine long since turned to vinegar, broken rat traps, and blank sheaves or yellowed, brittle parchment. One item of interest is a functioning miniature orrery made of brass with gems as the planets (worth 50 gp).

1585440270013.png


While examining the device, a loud crash comes from the southern room. Whirling around, Ran sees one of the shelving units topple into the door, making an even louder crash and filling the old bedroom with the scent of vinegar. (It will take a successful STR(16 check) to get out quickly or 20 minutes to clear the path.
 
phil

phil

Ran is stuck in the room for a while as he clears a path out.

"Friggin free loadin' ghosts tryin' to wreck MY TAVERN WIT THEIR SHENANIGANS N WHATNOT!"

After digging his way out he grabs the shiny thing in the room and stomps off.

"GOOD THING FOR YOUS I JUST GOT PAID AND AM IN A GOOD MOOD" he shouts at the empty room, pointing a finger at it, menacingly.
 
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grub

grub

Brad grabs the map and climbs out of the attic (STR check 15). "I found a map! Anyone familiar with the underdark?"
 
Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Well, then, while Marten waits for someone to notice he's missing and come let him out, he'll strike up a chat with the air around him.

"Listen, buddy. I dunno if yer hanging out right now, but in the off chance ya are, let's have a chat. You aren't really getting your point across. I know ya don't really mean us harm. At least I hope you don't...you've been pranking a bit, but not attacking outright. We be the new owners of this here manor. We're gonna to fix it on up, bring it back to its proper glory. Looks to have been a tavern once, and we mean to restore that. Which means we need to find some way to get along." (persuasion 7 if necessary..hah. That's if the ghostie is even listening)
 
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MindDetective

MindDetective

Tinwhistler said:
Well, then, while Marten waits for someone to notice he's missing and come let him out, he'll strike up a chat with the air around him.

"Listen, buddy. I dunno if yer hanging out right now, but in the off chance ya are, let's have a chat. You aren't really getting your point across. I know ya don't really mean us harm. At least I hope you don't...you've been pranking a bit, but not attacking outright. We be the new owners of this here manor. We're gonna to fix it on up, bring it back to its proper glory. Looks to have been a tavern once, and we mean to restore that. Which means we need to find some way to get along." (persuasion 7 if necessary..hah. That's if the ghostie is even listening)
Click to expand...
After a minute or two, the door unlocks.
 
Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

Well, that's a good sign. :) I wasn't relishing the thought of fighting an unknown undead all by myself in the tower.

I'll gather up the remains as gently as possible. I don't know if our ghost friend is this girl or not. I'll bring the remains down to the tavern level and disclose the silver ball. (Who's selling this stuff, and are we reporting shares?).

"So, I found this poor lass in the tower. On my way back down, I found myself locked in. So, I explained to the air--hopin' our friend was listening--that we were the new owners and were fixin' up the place, and needed to find some way to get along. After a bit of time, the door unlocked. I dunno if our guest approves or simply got tired of keeping me locked up. But at least it didn't attack me outright. As far as I know, the spirit haunting us may very well be this girl."

Then, after a prayer to Lathander over the body, I'll make arrangements to report the remains to the legal authorities and arrange for a proper burial.
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

The wizard returns with a spring in his step, "Good news everyone! Some one from the builders guild will be by tomorrow to consult us on what repairs are required. I strongly suggest we refrain from stepping on their toes. What do you think about getting the carpenters down the street to help with new furniture? Aside from the pieces we mend." Erythro listens to his companions tales of adventure with the spirits in the house.

"Fear not, I have a plan." Then produces his slate and chalk and speaks aloud as he writes " Would you like us to repair this manor or leave it."

Then sets the slate and chalk down and asks that the others give the spirit room.
 
grub

grub

"Has anyone seen Charity recently? I'm gonna go find her." Brad heads to the second floor in search of Charity.
 
Wahad

Wahad

Charity

Charity, meanwhile, has been locked out on the balcony. Fortunately the weather wasn't particularly terrible, but it still was a bit of an awkward situation. Climbing down wasn't really an option from this high. Ramming the door down - she'd already given it a bit of a push, but really, the door was firmly locked - seemed a bit drastic. So she'd simply sat down on the balcony, musing to...the ghost? Not to herself, at least. She ain't that far gone yet.

"So, um, mister or missus Ghost - I'm pretty sure it's you doing this, anyway. Might be Ran, I suppose. He seems like the sort. But I guess you must be pretty miffed, huh? I reckon I don't really know much about how a ghost goes about things, but here we are, six strangers, stomping about like we own the place, while you've been hanging out here for who knows how long. But...well, we just want to make the place nice. If you were living here, you must've known it when it was still presentable. It's a shame for such a nice building to be so dilapidated, ain't it? And - well, if there's anything we can do for you, I'd be more than happy to. It is my duty as one of the Great Mother's chosen representative to help all those in need. She ain't never specified I didn't have to help ghosts." She finally pauses, looking up at the door's archway. "I...don't really know if you hear any of this. Or if you know we're here at all. Maybe you just see your house changing, and you're trying to stop it in the only way you can. But, if you do hear me...can you maybe show me how we can help you?"

Persuasion if the ghost is around for 12.
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

Brad and Marten wander the second floor before they realize that Charity is on the balcony, apparently talking to herself. The door to the balcony is locked, but it unlocks easily enough and the paladin rejoins the others downstairs.

Erythro is intently staring at a blank slate with a piece of chalk resting on it but nothing appears to be happening. Meanwhile, Ty and Ran check out the rooms on the first floor to find a hatch to the cellar behind the bar. A pantry filled with broken pottery and wooden mugs leads into the kitchen. There is almost nothing in this room save for spiderwebs and a floor so filthy it is mistaken for a dirt floor at first. A poppet doll with needles sticking into it lay on the floor in front of the fireplace but there is nothing else here.

As the crew take their evening meal, Erythro looks over at slate to see the words, "Open for Business" written on them...
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

The wizards smiles and picks up the slate to show the others, "Communication." then erases the message and writes a new one, while speaking it aloud. "What is your name and what should we repair first?"

He places the slate on the bar and with a nod, says excuse me "I have business to take care of." Then proceeds up the stairs to the top of the spire and closes the door. And a slow repetitive strange narrative can be heard for those brave or foolish enough to listen.

Necessariis prospicere
Et simplices homines necessario
Obliviscatur circa curarum tuum, et pondus ac jurgia
Dico necessario
Vetus est Mater natura recipes
Germinat saltem vivere
Per cuncta loca errant, ubicumque tibi vagentur
Non potui non volt magnus in domum meam
Et sunt apes buzzin 'in ligno
Quodam modo mel ad me
Videntibus furtim sub Latmia saxa virentia
Vide tamen paululum alta formicae petunt et ad libitum
Fortasse nonnulli conantur
Nudum necessariorum habebis
Veniam autem ad vos
Necessariis prospicere
Et simplices homines necessario
Obliviscatur circa curarum tuum, et pondus ac jurgia
Dico necessario
Ideo securus requiescat ursus
Unde saltem vivere posset et iustus
​
I summon a new familiar, an owl. (as a ritual)

Then set out to reclaim the treasure that was left behind.
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

Erythro walks through the North Ward streets when a vendor spies him while pushing his cart. "Good sir," he says. "You look to be one with discerning taste. Look over my gently used items for a good bargain. The end of the day is the day to buy, my friend!"

Most of the items look to be pure junk. Few items stand out but Erythro does spy some serviceable, if rusty, manacles, a reed basket filled with rotten fruit, a silver urn that already contains ashes, and a feather headband.

Back at the manor, the slate remains blank for a long time. Eventually the writing appears again saying again, "Open for Business".
 
HCGLNS

HCGLNS

Ho ho, a bargain found is a triumph indeed, but the end of ones day is the start to anothers, and I must away urgently. But, I could offer you a silver each for those manacles, that basket, the urn there and this headband.
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

The vendor is in shock at his glorious luck. "Good sir, you have struck a deal! Perhaps I could interest you in this pair of gently used shoes? Or this slightly cracked teapot as well?"

The shoes look to be about as useful as wearing a burlap sack on one's feet. The teapot probably wouldn't hold half a kettle's worth of water without leaking everywhere.
 
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