Episode 119

This is **Episode 119** of *Dice, Camera, Action*.

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

Last time, everyone but Diath went to visit Gralhund Villa.

#### Diath's Reward

We flash back to Diath in his cell. Laeral Silverhand kneels down and her silvery hair comes alive. A strand of it reaches out and touches him.

A while back, Diath had gone fishing outside the city. Suddenly, Diath is at the river and he is fishing. It is early in the morning. He sees little fish leaping out of the river. Beside him is Lady Laeral Silverhand. It is almost as if he is dreaming of being back there, but she is with him in the dream. She says that she talked to Magistrate Levelstone about changing Diath's sentence, but the magister seemed to be holding some kind of grudge. "I hate to go over his head, but I will." She thinks that Diath has done good things for the city and deserves to be rewarded.

After the incident at the Spires of the Morning, she had her agents do some investigation. This investigation led to Diath and his friends.

She vanishes. Diath hears a metal door closing. There's a tug on his line. He's caught a fish.

Plurio is in the Waffle House. Things have gone better than expected. He's alone in Trollskull Manor with the kids. He's been reading Diath's mind for weeks. He seemed very adept at compartmentalizing anything to do with the money. He tries searching for the money and Jared rolls a natural one. He hears someone coming - it is Morphio, his ally, disguised as Paultin.

They search a chest. Inside it is Jenks, hiding (playing hide and seek with his friends). Jenks realizes that Paultin doesn't smell like wine and he realizes what is going on. Morphio grabs Jenks and cuts open his little owlbear doll. Jenks tries to punch him in the junk. Morphio presses his knife against Jenks' cheek.

#### Ambush at Gralhund Villa

Meanwhile, at Gralhund Villa, guards and Zhentarim are about to attack the heroes. The group rolls initiative. Paultin flickers. He had been pulled into an episode of Sirens of the Realms, but he has returned. 4 flying snakes charge and bite Strix for a total of 32 points of damage.

Urstul Floxin, the Zhent they ran into at ChairCon, creeps up and tries to assassinate Paultin. Urstul misses.

Evelyn, surrounded by enemies, draws the Heart of Spinelli and says, "Let's get lit!" She hacks into her foes and kills one of the guards.

Strix tries to use magic to teleport the group to safety, but it is *counterspelled* by a man with a mechanical arm. The snakes bite her and Strix falls to the ground, unconscious. One of the thugs picks up Strix's staff. Another starts dragging Strix away.

Manshoon casts *power word: kill*. Paultin *counterspells* it! Paultin casts *banishment* on the thug that was dragging Strix away, and he vanishes.

#### Searching Trollskull Manor

Plurio and Morphio continue searching. Waffles approaches them, growling. Plurio climbs out a window and falls to the street below.

Evelyn runs over to Strix and heals her for 40 points. Strix turns her staff into a cauldron, causing the thug holding it to drop it. Strix tries to summon her spectral guardians, but it is counterspelled. Strix casts a quickened *polymorph* spell, turning the caster into a chicken.

Paultin casts *thunderwave* on three guards that are fighting Evelyn.

Plurio creeps back into the manor, scoops up a toy, and tries to avoid Waffles. Nat sees Diath and tries to communicate him via sign language. Nat slowly realizes that this is not Diath. Nat flees and "Paultin" gives chase. Nat is caught and dragged.

Evelyn kills another guard and calls out, "Rethink your life!" She turns and hacks into another, rolling a natural 20 and cuts another guard in half.

Strix casts *word of recall*, teleporting the group out of Gralhund Villa and to a room in Trollskull Manor. They hear Waffles smashing a door.

#### Invaders at Trollskull Manor

Paultin draws a gun and shoots Morphio., causing him to drop Nat. Simon is confused.

Plurio quickly climbs out a window and falls to the street below. The group doesn't see this. Plurio has the money, and he runs.

We flash back to the real Diath. If Laeral came back to him and says that she secured his release, would Diath, if given a chance, would he join the Lords' Alliance (a confederacy of free cities that band together in times of urgent need). Diath's role would be as a field agent. He'd carry the rank of captain in the city watch. Diath is honored. Laeral thanks him for killing the Xanathar.

She says that she had a spy in the Xanathar's guild who told her everything. His beholder, Albie, is with the group now.

Plurio limps away from the Waffle House. He spot Diath, free from prison and fully equipped.

In the house, Strix tries to *polymorph* the Paultin doppleganger.

Suddenly, a huge arrow goes through the window and hits Morphio. Paultin yells, "This is Waffle Haus!" and kicks Morphio out the window. Morphio lands on the balcony, wounded.

Back outside, Diath draws Gutter and charges Plurio. Diath attacks and rolls a natural one.

Evelyn looks out the window and sees the two Diaths facing off in the street. She runs out there and is able to figure out which one is the real Diath. Plurio tries to lie his way out of it, but Morphio shouts out for him to help, ruining it. Strix kills Morphio and sees his form change into the gender-less body of a doppleganger.

Squiddly messes with the barrels of smokepowder. He tries to roll a barrel down the stairs. It hits a wall, does a turn, and rolls right up to Nat. It does not explode.

After this episode, Strix appeared on a special episode of Acquisitions, Inc called "Switcharoo."

End of Session.