Campaign Session 0 - Waterdeep: Dragon Heist

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VashTheStampede

VashTheStampede

Caterpillar Accountant

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Welcome to Waterdeep, the Crown of the North, where a wondrous tale of urban adventure is about to unfold. Our story begins with the gathering of adventurers at the Yawning Portal Inn and Tavern. Volothamp Geddarm, the famous explorer and raconteur, has a quest for them — one that entangles the characters in a bitter conflict between two nefarious organizations. If the adventurers complete his quest, Volo rewards them handsomely. Yet a much greater prize lies hidden somewhere in the City of Splendors, waiting to be claimed.

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Rumored Truths of Waterdeep
  • Waterdeep is blanketed by an undispellable magical effect called Ahghairon's dragonward. Dragons and all other creatures of the dragon type are physically unable to enter the city (or its sewers) as long as the dragonward persists.
  • In Waterdeep, a gold coin is called a dragon. Before he was ousted from his position as the Open Lord of Waterdeep, Dagult Neverember embezzled half a million dragons and hid them in a secret vault.
  • Beneath the city streets lurks a criminal underworld, its leader a beholder called Xanathar. Hoping to gain a political foothold in Waterdeep, agents of the Zhentarim (also known as the Black Network) recently tried to ally their organization with the Xanathar Guild.
  • Waterdeep is a city of firm laws and swift justice. Adventurers hell-bent on slaughter and plunder won't fare well in the City of Splendors. The punishments for assault, arson, theft, and murder are severe, regardless of the reason for the crime.

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You Begin...in the Yawning Portal

You are a small cadre of adventurers meeting up for an evening at the Yawning Portal Inn and Tavern, the most popular spot on the Sword Coast. You all have at least a passing familiarity with each other, but perhaps have not actually gone on an adventure together.

Your Character in the World

Characters begin at 1st level. You can choose character options from the Player's Handbook, Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, and races from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse.

Players looking for background options beyond those described in the Player's Handbook can find several appropriate ones in the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide: City Watch, cloistered scholar, courtier, faction agent, far traveler, inheritor, mercenary veteran, urban bounty hunter, and Waterdavian noble. If you are interested in any of these, please let me know in this thread.

Waterdeep is a city of many guilds and factions, and if your background includes either of these features, we will have to decide which of these you belong to. Different guilds and/or factions may have dues that need to be paid...but also may have resources to help you on your quest. You may also end up with the option of joining certain guilds or factions as the story proceeds...

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Orders of Business

Character Advancement
We will be using the Milestone method of character leveling, gaining a level after specific goals are accomplished. Typically you will level up once per chapter, and this is how we will end each chapter.

Character Creation
You should use this thread to decide amongst yourselves how your characters are connected to the other members of the party prior to this adventure. Also, I always ask players to consider the question "why is my character an adventurer?"

I prefer characters to be created with Standard Array stats rather than rolling for stats, but seeing as characters were created prior to the adventure, instead I'll be checking your character sheets for any balance concerns before the first chapter begins, and I'll either bring up any concerns in this thread or via DM.

I do allow for Feats to be chosen instead of a stat point increase at applicable levels, but please check with me as to which Feat you are interested in as some are potentially game breaking.

Miscellaneous Bits

Critical Hits: For crits in combat, I instead of the "doubling dice" method outlined in the basic rules, I prefer the following method: roll one damage die, and then add the maximum possible result to that number. For example, for a critical hit with a broadsword, do 1d8+8 damage instead of 2d8. This ensures that your critical will never do less damage than a regular hit.

Critical Checks: A nat20 will TYPICALLY ensure success on a check, but within reason. For a rough example, you cannot "Intimidate" the Big Bad Boss into killing himself. (Okay, maybe with an insanely good role play to go along with it...)

Spell Materials: A lot of spells require certain components to cast. If you want you can absolutely role play acquiring these materials. But if you wish, I will allow you to simply deduct the cost of the item from your money and we will assume you purchased the material at some point during your adventures.

Spell Tweaks: Feel free to change the flavor of your spell effects to fit your character, as long as it doesn't change the effect of the spell.

Resting: You only get 2 Short Rests before you need to take a Long Rest. Also the time spent resting may have consequences in the world. For example: if a building is on fire and you take a rest before trying to help, it may be too late.

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Party:
@Christina
@canadaguy
@Benzine
@Local Hero
 
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VashTheStampede

VashTheStampede

Caterpillar Accountant
Additionally:

portalpeeps.png

Each of you should choose one of these NPCs in the Yawning Portal that your character is friendly with. Consider how you know each other.
 
D&D Character
Christina

Cookie Sweetmead
Christina
I see you
I did roll for my stats if you want to check them. I do not lift heavy things outside of my mace/meat mallet.

I would say Cookie would know Threestrings. I'm sure at some point he's played in the Sweetmead's front garden. If that works.
 
D&D Character
The Flame

Nootie Plucker
The Flame
Smart fella by day, fart smella by night
Howdy fellers
Michael J Fox Marty GIF by Back to the Future Trilogy
 
D&D Character
The Flame

Nootie Plucker
The Flame
Smart fella by day, fart smella by night
Just read through what I missed. I guess for the NPCs I imagine Nootie would be a regular bard in the tavern so he'd be familiar with most of them, but would most likely be more friendly with Durnan, Bonnie, and Threestrings more than anyone. If any of the others are talkative outgoing types, it may include them as well. Depending on Threestrings' personality, we may have a friendly rivalry or even perform together sometimes.

Chocolate Chip Penguin GIF by Pudgy Penguins

So who all is still around these parts? I joined the campaign on D&DB, but it's just me and Lok Ahl so far.
 
D&D Character
The Flame

Nootie Plucker
The Flame
Smart fella by day, fart smella by night
I'm sure everyone's pretty much figured out their characters by now, but I should mention that now that I'm in the campaign, you guys should have access to stuff from the Xanathar's sourcebook. Adds a bunch of new subclass options and I think some spells and stuff.
 
D&D Character
The Flame

Nootie Plucker
The Flame
Smart fella by day, fart smella by night
Done.

Made a slight edit to the backstory. Also swapped my light crossbow for a hand crossbow and spent 5 of my gold on a metric fuckton of bolts according to the price it showed. Couldn't remember if someone said we could do stuff like that or not, so let me know if you need me to reverse it.
 
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