A4 - Tracking the Puppets

The early morning explosion rocked The Spirit’s Inn tavern; few patrons were up to be pelted by shards of window glass. The owners fortunate to be behind the bar stocking the shelves. Except for Ignacio still in bed…sleeping off too much catnip [Denny was sick and thus absent]. Then there was Kluh up in his 1^st floor room, cut by the glass. All gathered their senses to rush outside where they found the immediate area littered with bodies. Other merchants entering the street wondering what happened.

Four Halfling bodies near the front-door, a lone gnome, 2 dark-cloaked figures just behind the gnome, 2 more figures opposite the gnome. And a yapping dog standing over a fallen elder woman just outside the scorched fireball pattern.

Izzy already knelling beside the rock-gnome who seemed to be at the fireball center. Dried waste on his boots, worn cloak now tattered, obviously hadn’t changed for awhile. No-one noticing the dark elf lifting the pouch and stuffing it into her waistband (after removing one of the gems for herself). That’s when she began casting Detect Magic and walking the fireball area.

Durzog approaching a noble on the steps on the Tiger’s Eye detective agency. “I swear I saw a puppet on that roof throw something just before the explosion. NO! I haven’t been drinking. Yes, a stringless puppet man.” The dragonborn turned his attention to the elder woman outside the ring: must have died of a heart attack. Durz listened to the barking dog and began to talk to it (In bark-ese? Or yap-anese?), “Yip. Sniff dirt, hear running, sounded like same number of paws as claws on one of my paws.” [So, do you count the dew-claw? 4 claws equals 4 paws; does that mean two 2-legged men?]

Merandis having heard puppet and roof, was already climbing the building. Enough dust to reveal footprints on the flat-roof. 4 chairs: to suntan? One knocked over. The half-elf bard tries to follow the tracks but quickly loses the trail at the edge of the building.

Adrik notices the surprised look on Falla Laflores’ face (owner of the Corellion Crown just behind The Spirit’s Inn), obvious just coming onto the scene. So the dwarf opts to interrogate the two 12-year-old kids standing across the street, “Speak up kids, my ears are still ringing.” “Yeah, we were standing near those barrels, teasing those halflings about their height. But they just kept singing something about coming to meet their friend. I heard something plop into one of those water barrels and that’s when the bright light knocked us flying down the alley. Ha, I flew farther that you.”

Kluh finally making it downstairs and out, checking the bodies for a pulse. Death surrounds him. The 2 cloaked bodies: black-winged-snake tattoos behind their ears. The 4 halflings: scorched clothing but a family crest still visible…”Good-Barrel”. Digging into their vests, he finds a note mentioning Nacho now living in Waterdeep. Then realization: this is the clan Ignacio spoke of rescuing HIM. These were his adoptive family members!

Meanwhile, Adrik tipped over the water-barrel spilling out a necklace with a broken clasp and 2 red beads. Tingling feeling implying magical, “Izzy, Is this what I think it is?” Detect Magic still active, the elf noting the ‘evocation’ aura, “Yes, a necklace of fireballs. Our killer must have dropped it from the rooftop.”

“HALT! Don’t interfere with the crime scene.” City guards approach while a griffin rider circles overhead. Sergeant Cromley and Barnabus Blastwind from the City-Watch take control, “Secure the area and interview witnesses.” Izzy points out the fireball blast centered on the gnome, the cloaked figures, and the report the attacker was above on the rooftop. Barnabus looks up and sees Merandis along the edge. Izzy pauses long before, “He’s with us.” Cromley inspects the cloaked bodies, “Curious to find Zhens in this neighborhood.” Kluh adds, “The halflings were friends of ours. When able, we need to claim their bodies for proper burial.” Izzy parts with an offer, “You can use our tavern as your base of operations. Food and drinks are available.”

Meanwhile, Merandis signals the griffin rider who descends to the rooftop. “The attacker threw the fireball from this roof. A citizen described him as a stringless puppet. Say, are these griffins available for rent?” The rider slaps the reins climbing skyward as he mumbles, “Great, another drunk witness.”

An hour later, Cromley and Barnabus enter the inn, “We need to talk to the owners. Did you know the gnome? All indications are he was running towards your door.” Adrik speaks up, “Lord Raeneer came in yesterday mentioning the delay of a gnome he was expecting to meet.” Barnabus angrily jumping up, “He’s no lord, that son of the thief who robbed our coffers of half-a-million dragons!” He then checks behind their ears for tattoos. Finding none, he warns, “Try not to leave the city. I may need you later. And tell that hulking brute he can claim the Halfling bodies now. And you probably want to clean the blood and gore from the streets; unless you can wait for a city crew to come by…eventually.”

The inspectors depart as their guards pile the other bodies onto carts to haul away. All returns to quiet, except for the panting dog Durz feeds, “I think I’ll keep him.” Adrik speaks up, “Leave the windows broken for now. It will draw more curious customers.” Kluh adding, “Yeah, no time to fix, we have a funeral serve to prepare.”

Sure enough, within hours the tables are filled with talkative patrons, “Yeah, I saw it all.” Another, “I barely escaped the blast.” Still more unfounded claims. Till Falla Laflores enters asking for her favorite honey-wine, “I was watering my plants when I heard the blast. I looked up to see a cloaked man bent over what I now know to be the gnome. He grabbed something (length of a forearm) before running/hobbling off toward the Bent Nail. I got close enough to see part of his face bleeding/scarred.” Words prompting Kluh and Izzy back into the street finding a trail of blood-spots towards the Bent Nail and beyond, past the sewer lid, and up and over the wall behind it. The trail drying up; lost.

Meanwhile, Adrik is off to find the kids he interviewed…sons of the Steam & Steel owners; his forge rivals. Martin speaks up, “Yeah, I saw more than 2 black cloaked guys. After the blast, one checked the gnome then took off.”

Durzog deciding to verify the human seen at the Tiger Eye agency. Detective Trench declining, “My customers are confidential info. You wanta hire me; 50gp a week. OK, help track down stringless puppets. You not around from here; come autumn we have the ‘Day of Wonders’ parade. Plenty of stringless puppets from the House of Inspired Hands. Within the temple of Gond; they always offer their latest creations for display. I’ll get you a report come the end of the week.” Durz concludes the deal with the offer of free drinks at the The Spirit’s Inn. All gather back at the inn. Kluh pissed, “You promised what?! Free drinks? How do you plan to make actual profit?!”

Izzy pulled out her city map looking for the Temple of Gond. There, in the Sea-Ward to the west on Shark street.

Almost a half hour of walking before the temple spires came into view. The silhouette of a man on the rooftop releasing a bird. An awkward flap of its wings as it descended toward them. The glint of sunlight off its wings. Now diving at Kluh, who smashes the metal bird stomping it into the dirt. Merandis picking up the few collectable pieces.

They knock at the door and are soon let in; told too wait. A bronze dragonborn soon arrives, “I am Vallata, how may I help you? A mechanical bird attacked?! Come with me.” Up the spiraling staircase into the attic door; locked. “Nem, open the door, now.” Nothing. Izzy picks the lock. Inside: poor lighting but they can still see a hogpog of boxes and contraptions.

Izzy cast Detect Magic which points him to a crate Kluh opens. Inside a corkscrew wand with a miniature umbrella, that gives off a divination aura. Vallata explains it a tracking device. A metal construct soon reveals itself. “Nem, what did you do? How many times have I told you not to create your own constructs.” Interpreting Nem's hand gestures, Vallarta soon relays, “He was lonely. The bird was supposed to fly to you offering a welcome.”

Durz questions the puppet, “Why were you at our inn and throw that fireball?” Stunned, Vallata turns to Nem who gestures, “Says that wasn't him. Must have been one of the other puppets he constructed. WHAT? You constructed more?! Three? Someone must have found one and gained control thru spells. I'll offer you 500 gold to find and destroy them before my reputation is destroyed. Use the tracker. The umbrella begins to spin within 500 feet getting faster as you get closer till 30 feet.”

Merandis takes the lead stopping at an animal yard, "I'd like to rent a griffin." With tracker in hand, he flies a search pattern while the others wait.

Hours later he returns to direct his allies back to their inn then southeast to the noble district and high walls around a villa. “Check it out while I look for the next puppet.” 

The others circle the Gralhund villa's 9-foot walls, spotting large dogs (mastiffs) and horses but no visible guards. They knock on the gate: soon a grounds-keeper arrives with two dogs. A quick glance at their clothing and the keeper responds, "Begone, the Lord is busy."

As the keeper leaves, Izzy whispers, “Twiz, check it out.” Which draws quizzical looks from the others. “My invisible imp familiar.” Minutes pass till Izzy announces, “Twiz confirms no guards. Found four doors.” That's when Mirandis returns having found another puppet in the Dock-Ward. “Near the three carnival ships. It's getting late. I need to return the griffin.”

Nightfall when they exit the inn in dark clothing; Izzy in disguise. As they near the villa Mirandis cast invisible on himself, Kluh, and Durz. Izzy and Adrik sticking to the shadows as they slink down the well-lit noble alley. The servants entrance locked and barred. Scraping noise from above [the invisible bard having climbed to the roof) then a rope descends as Merandis whispers, “Climb.” Soon all stand on the roof and inch toward the balcony.

Merandis drops to the balcony looking thru the glass windows seeing: a panicked female holding a bloody rapier looking at the bedroom door. Beside her, a half orc guard also in ready stance. Izzy jumps down and knocks on the glass door. The female and orc turn at the new threat spotting the dark elf disguised in dark blue royal clothing. “We are under attack from the Zhentharum. Did Cassalanter send you?” As the open the balcony door, Adrik drops to the balcony causing the female noble to raise her rapier, “When did Cassalanter [one of the richest families in Waterdeep] begin employing your kind? The dwarf striding forward with his hammer ready, “You want my help or not.”

“My children are under the bed. Get them to the stables and safety.” The invisible Merandis offers his aid, “As you wish my lady.” As he crosses the roof with the kids close by (whispering to let them know his presence), he spies a shadow pacing in the courtyard. Then the shadow of two undead dogs. Evil. With more urgency he rusha the kids to the wall closest to the stables, aids their descent, then soon watches them gallop to the wall and a secret gate where they continue out into the city.

Meanwhile, the others engage the Zhents in battle. Opening the bedroom door, they see assassins standing over slain servants. Another burnt faced Zhent stands banging at another door. (The one reported stealing something from the rock-gnome's dead body.) As the invisible Durz moves toward crust-face, the other 3 Zhents enter the bedroom and engage Adrik. The dwarf fighter swinging at air, missing. It's up to Izzy and her imp and their spells to eventually slay the assassins. Merandis returning to announce, “Your children are safe.”

Meanwhile, Kluh and Durz have their hands full. The dragonborn's acid breath adding more character to crust-face. Kluh smash. Trading wounds till the assassin bolts down the stairs and out the door into the courtyard. Kluh in pursuit. Merandis hearing the noise, spotting the fleeing assassin, and throwing caltrops in his path. The assassin and Kluh both evading the spikes as they run to the front gate and out into the streets. Kluh soon tiring, exhaustion, falling behind, and soon losing his foe.

Back at the villa, the noble husband is found hiding in the privy. The nem tracking device silent, no spinning. It's gone. In the room the assassin banged on, a circle etched on the floor...aura of teleportation. The noble offering, “Erstel must have put that there. I thought him suspicious when we hired the scar-faced man last night.” Insight to realize he lies. But the law threatening death to those who harm nobles. So Durz reconsiders strangling the man to force the truth. And that's when city guards can be heard approaching. Adrik offering, “At least we can tell Cromley and Barnabus we stayed in the city.”