Waterdeep: Dragon Heist – Chase to the Vault

Following the kids into the sewer, the party hears the shriek of the kids and go rushing to their aid, seeing the Stone laying underneath a chair and the kids in a corner yelling that the stone is alive…

After dealing with the mimic (the chair), the party handed gold to the urchins and headed out, Stone in hand, intending on going back to the Trollskull.

What they were met with was actually a squad of 10 city guard and two Sergeants of The Watch.

Arrested for a variety of crimes, ranging from the mundane, like disturbing the peace, to more serious, like brandishing weapons without cause, assault, and murder (all of which had witnesses), the party gave up and let themselves be led into jail.

Before they were taken, a newer companion, a rogue, pocketed the Stone and kept it safe.

Split into two groups, the party were placed into their cells, across from each other to await their trial by the magistrate who was on their way.

A few hours later, who should appear, but the Watch Sergeant that came into the Zhentarim warehouse where they had dealt with the Xanathar kenku. He told them that the magistrate was corrupt and that he was going to find them guilty and sentence them to death. He opened their cells and told them to run, asking if there was anything else they needed stashed away in case they were caught. The party suspected something was amiss and refused to leave. He ran upstairs, calling alarm while cutting his brow with a dagger, tossing the dagger down the stairs, and then tossing a strangled body with it.

Then all the Nine Hells broke loose. The guard came and beat the party believing the Watch Sergeant. They found and confiscated the Stone, believing the Sergeant that it was evidence. Then the new rogue cast misty step, out of the cell, pick pocketed the Stone from the Watch Sergeant, and ran like the entirety of the Abyss was following him, trying to get as many of the guards to chase as he could.

The distraction succeeded, and the party was able to get ahold of the dagger left on the floor, use it to pick the lock of one cell, and then free their other companions, so they could retrieve their gear and help their rogue companion.

In the end, the Watch Sergeant found the rogue, was grappled while trying to run off with the Stone, and caught by the guards and Watch members that were out looking for him. The Sergeant, looking, now, equally suspicious, was taken into custody, and re-arrested the party upon coming across them.

They were taken in front of the magistrate, and a cleric was summoned to verify the stories of the party using the spells zone of truth on them, and speak with dead on the deceased guards. It also helped that the Blackstaff came and helped vouch for them. They were let off with a 100 gold piece fine.

It was then that the Watch Sergeant was found to be missing. These all had the hallmarks of a doppelganger.

Deciding that they needed to figure out what exactly was going on with the Stone, the party had one of their rogues attune to it. Inside was a dark and evil intelligence, who was more than willing to give up its secrets.

1) The party even found the keys needed to open the vault: a beholder eyestalk, a painting of a dwarven miner, and a shapechanger.

2) They found evidence that many of the nobility in Waterdeep were secretly devil-worshipers!

3) Doing some more digging, they found that the reason the Stone was being looked for by the doppelganger was that its employer wanted it: Lord Cassalanter.

4) Someone wanted the Stone to break a pact with a devil, but most wanted it for the money.

They decided to lure out the doppelganger by sending a message to it via a paper bird, a magic item found early in the adventure, to meet them at the warehouse where they faced the kenku Xanathar Guild agents to trade the Stone for 600 platinum pieces.

He came, but not alone he brought several cultists of Asmodeus, as well as a quadruplet of spined devils. Only after the party initiated combat did they find out that they also brought along a pair of imps!

Combat began and was fierce, but still rages on…

What will happen? The party defeat this group and be able to venture into the Vault? What will they find there?

Until next time, Dear Readers…