First Footing

I may not have gotten the #BattleBraunstien I envisioned (read as: wanted) for Christmas, but I did get something.

Like this, but with more water.

Recently, I was revisiting some of the older posts from the start of the #BrOSR "movement", and I was struck by this:

Which really helped me stop vacillating over a small Patron issue I was staring at.

If you've read the Prequels, you'll have noted that Jarlaxle has enacted his plan to sway the Lords Alliance vote in his favour. The due date is drawing near and he's making big moves.

He sent out a crew to kidnap the Envoy from Yartar, who hadn't yet arrived in Waterdeep, ahead of the meeting. 

Originally, I was all set to just run it as a Crime: Downtime Activity. The formidable drow poison would go a long way in ensuring this kidnapping went smoothly. But as the Christmas festivities were in full swing I put it off for probably a little longer than I should have.

I say this because it gave it enough time to stew at the back of my mind.

I was starting to think their were far too many variables for me to adjudicate this satisfactorily - for both myself and the Patron Player. 

After rereading Jeffro's blog, and looking at the calendar, it became clear what must be done: run an impromptu Sunday night session the week before we started back up properly after the holiday break.

Thankfully, the player was both keen and available.

And so with a map of the Envoys route, gained from intel previously gathered, Jarlaxle's strike team set out on a 3 day journey away from Waterdeep to lay an ambush.

No wandering monsters were encountered as they travelled swiftly by night.

They reached what they thought was a suitable ambush site and settled in to wait for the Envoys barge. The Patron admitted they had no idea what to do if they didn't stop here, except from running after them till they did. Hoping it would drop anchor before it hit the sea, may be being stopped at the bridge where the Trade Way crosses the Dessarin River.

Yartar or bust.

The wind, weather, and Dice was with them, and they managed to catch the Envoys barge as it dropped anchored just after the marsh on the west bank 1 day after they had settled into the treeline of the east bank.

If they missed this chance the dice told me there was one more chance to hit them. They'd drop anchor for one day at the mouth of the Dessarin. After which, a strong coastal wind from the east would rocket the barge up the coast to the safety of Waterdeeps harbour.

That night the drow mage summoned a shadow demon, and stayed on the far bank, as it pulled the chain of levitating drow gunslingers across the river. The elite warriors swam across close behind, as stealthily as possible. 

Though they all failed to find purchase in climbing the ship, luckily for them it was such a clear night the crew on watch opted not to light lanterns (-5 penalty on Passive Perception due to dim light). 

As the drow finally slipped onboard, and began their slaughter, I rolled to see how the drow mage was getting on.

100ft away he heard a rustling in the underbrush of the forest he was squatting in. 

I rolled an encounter: 1 Gnoll pack lord was out walking his 3 giant hyenas.

And so as the rest of the strike force headed below deck, he broke his invisibility by flying at top speed. Zipping out over the water and touching down on the deck.

After that it was a massacre. 

They made quick work of the 12 guards the envoy had, and even quicker work of the 19 sailors (4hp) on board. The shadow demon, phasing through walls, mopped up any hidden stragglers, and the one that almost got a way, was shot with a crossbow as he shimmied down a rope to shore.

The Waterbaron's Envoy put up more of a fight, but was eventually forced to surrender as the 3 lieutenants and the rest of their nearly unscathed forces converged on his quarters.

**********

So to do a little book keeping:

On the 11th of Nightal the Strike Force sets out. The ambush site was about 3 days out from waterdeep, and they had to wait 1 day for the barge to come into sight. Getting very lucky that it decided to drop anchor. 

Now after securing the Envoy these are their plans.

Nightal 14th: using the rest of the night hours, under the cover of darkness, they intend to collect as many usable sailor and guard uniforms. To disguise the crew as they sail.

The 31 (stripped and looted) bodies are to be dumped in the marsh, sans jaws and tongues - to stymie any attempt to Speak with Dead. Distinctive features (tattoos, piercings, and the like) are to be noted down and then removed.

Soluun, Krebbyg, Fel'rekt and the Drow Mage scoured the boat, gathering all the papers, notes and missives they could find. While the Envoy was trussed and bound in the brig.

Unfortunately, they realised too late that they didn't have enough men to even skeleton crew the ship. So an update was sent to Jarlaxle via Sending: [Send Dudes].

The 11 drow would be sent out, though the earliest they could be dispatched was the 21st of Nightal.

Which gave the strike team long enough to thoroughly interrogate the Envoy.

**********

On the 21st of Nightal.

The 11 drow were dispatched from Waterdeep.

The night of the 2nd day they spot a small party of gnolls at 220ft, their superior darkvision allowed them to see the other side first. 120ft away they barely made the group check to stealth away unseen.

As they settled down to sleep the 3rd day away, the 2 drow keeping watch managed to spot the party of orcs before they bore down on them. Which gave them enough time to rouse their companions.

Thankfully, these orcs were cordial enough not to draw their weapons on sight.

They managed to get back to sleep easily enough, and the rest of the day passed uneventfully. In the late evening, shortly after they had struck camp and moved on. They came across a Manticore finishing off a fresh kill. Half a dozen goblin corpses littered the ground, large tail spikes driven into them and their riding wolves.

They decided not to disturb the creatures meal, giving it a wide berth.

A few hours later they arrived at the moored galley.

Now crewed up, they cast off.

**********

The weather on the 29th of Nightal was heavy with snow, but a light wind from the south allowed the galley to tack its way along the coast and into the safe waters of Waterdeep harbour.

Given its status as the ship belonging to the Waterbarons Envoy; The Gleaming Jester, had its dock fees waved.

The Drow Mage, now under the effects of alter-self and a crude physical disguise, with his 11 drow "guard" would stay onboard and act as the Envoy. In a bid to sway the meeting in Jarlaxles favour.

Meaning they would be out of commission till at least the 1st of Alturiak (Fantasy February). Using the 10% chance of uncovering a spy to determine if they've been rumbled.

 The Envoy himself is taken, under the cover of night, to Jarlaxles flagship; The Eyecatcher, and held their as something of an honoured guest.

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