Episode 125

This is **Episode 125** of *Dice, Camera, Action*.

(ProJared) Diath - Human Rogue

(Nathan) Paultin - Human Bard

(Anna) Evelyn - Human Paladin of Lathander

This episode was a live show at PAX South 2019. Chris Perkins was not at the event. He gave the group sealed envelopes with scenarios in them and the players will be DMing each other.

We start off with Paultin's scenario. Jared is going to run it.

#### Paultin

Jared opens the envelope and notes that the sheet inside is like a choose-your-own-adventure.

Paultin is playing in sold-out shows throughout the city. Simon accompanies him playing on wooden pipes. He has amassed a large following of fans who worship him. Paultin is in the Dock Ward and spots three massive ships in the water. The names of the ships: The *Heartbreaker*, the *Hellraiser*, and the *Eyecatcher*. The first two are docked. The third one is anchored in the middle of the bay.

The Sea Maiden's Faire has come to Waterdeep. Simon is enthralled with it - he wants to see the animals and decorations with his dad.

Simon takes Paultin to the animals. Paultin spots a wine from Phlan, called the Wine of Radiance. Paultin cuts a deal with the seller to show off his wine on stage and gets the wine for free. The wine is very potent.

Simon says that he wants to join the circus. Simon and Paultin go aboard the Hellraiser. The main deck of the ship has a circus tent on it where there are shows - a guy with a fire whip. Paultin wants to try to steal the whip. When the show is over, Paultin asks to use the whip and starts doing tricks with it.

The next morning, while Paultin is drunk, Simon packs up his things and heads out to join the Sea Maiden's Fare. He is welcomed and becomes a carnie. He gets a job cleaning the beast pens. Evelyn isn't happy. Simon comes home from work and tells them about all the things he saw and did.

A customer enters the group's home/bakery. It is Mattrim "Threestrings", a bard that he ran into in the Yawning Portal a while back. Paultin stole his three-stringed lute. Mattrim explains that the lute he stole is actually a magical listening device that allowed Mattrim to hear certain things. Mattrim would like to ask Simon a few questions about his time in the carnival.

Mattrim asks him about it, and Simon says that the crew spoke a strange language and that in one of the cages was an owlbear.

That's the end of the first one. Jared notes that there was a whole separate scenario if Simon doesn't join the circus.

#### Strix

Strix is being run by Nate. Strix is at the Waffle House. She has noted that Waffles has become temperamental and difficult to control. One day, she hears loud thudding coming from upstairs. Strix goes to check it out, and she sees Waffles ramming her head into the wall. She takes a bite at Strix and tears a hole in her robe.

A few days later, the Sea Maiden's Faire comes to town. She thinks it might be nice to take Waffles to the Dock Ward to check it out. Waffles is still being temperamental. The beast handler of the faire takes a look and thinks Waffles is trying to have a baby. Strix quietly wonders if they'll have to eat her, too. they spot the owlbear that is part of the carnival. It is a male. Waffles approaches the cage and tries to back into it. The male owlbear's name is Throatripper.

They owlbears meet on one of the ships. When they meet, they start fighting. Once tired, they adjust to each other's presence. Strix is baffled. Over the course of the night, Waffles rejects Throatripper over and over again. Eventually, she acquiesces, and the owlbears get it on. Strix has never heard something so loud and terrible in her life. Once done, Waffles is brought home and she sleeps soundly in her room. The next day, Waffles is back to her normal self. Is she pregnant? Only time will tell. Strix tells everyone that Waffles had a nice fight.

#### Diath

Evelyn will be running the Diath section. Diath is perusing the evidence over the murder of the critic from last session, even though it's been a few days. Someone is at the door of the Manor who asks for Diath. It is a human, Sgt. Alice Keladonna of the City Watch. She stands at attention. She tells Diath that she has come to ask him for help solving a murder. Strix brings her a pie.

The victim was Erolyn Sivar, a diplomat from Silverymoon. This is the second murdered elf in as many weeks. The first victim was Falla Elvemir, a winemaker. Both were killed in a similar manor - slain by multiple slashing weapons.

Diath looks at her and comes to the conclusion that the sergeant is a try-hard.

Diath and Alice form a close relationship over the course of the investigation. They go out and share non-alcoholic drinks. Diath is drawn to her dedication to duty and justice. The victims have 2 things in common - their purse strings were cut, and they were killed on overcast nights. The killer is probably a drow murdering the elves out of pure malice. A bulletin has been put out that elves should travel in groups at night.

Diath proposes setting up a sting. They plan it out and Diath recruits his allies to jump in and help. The rest of the group are deputies. Evelyn is set up on a rooftop. Strix is lurking in an alley, using her darkvision. Paultin will be in the alley, invisible. Diath will hide behind a garbage can. They have a few elves who will be the bait, who pretend to get in a quarrel and then make out.

Alice keeps getting between Strix and Diath so she can talk to Diath. Strix spots the assassin and is supposed to let out three sparks as a signal, but instead she yells out, "Wee woo".

The drow tries to cast *darkness* but Paultin *counterspells* it. The drow lights a match and has a horn of some kind. Diath throws his dagger *Moonsplinter* and knocks the horn out the drow's hand. Paultin has a molotov cocktail. He yeets the molotov cocktail, which lands at the feet of the drow who just dropped its smokepowder. There is a huge explosion and the drow is reduced to a pile of ash.

Diath turns to Alice and says, "We got him."

They find a flintlock pistol and a scimitar. The scimitar is the murder weapon. Alice is excited and will bring it back to the City Watch.

The broadsheets credit Alice, as Diath doesn't want publicity. A few days later, Alice goes out with Diath for drinks to celebrate. She got promoted to captain. She tells Diath she couldn't have done it without him. She kisses Diath. Her eyes betray the hope for more.

#### Evelyn

Holly is going to run this one. Evelyn spends a warm summer evening buying gifts for her friends. When she comes home, she finds Jarlaxle in her bedroom. He reads a poem to her and invites her to a night of dance and dinner aboard her ship. Evelyn points out that Paultin might feel a little weird about it, but she's up for it. They teleport to the interior of a ship. Jarlaxle dances with her. He says he hates Amaunator, and that is why he killed Father Sunbright, knowing he'd be brought back to life and be humiliated. He knows a lot more about Lathander than almost anyone.

As they snuggle in a corner, Evelyn says she's not sure if killing Father Sunbright was the right thing to do. Jarlaxle says that he simply removed a cloud that was blocking the sun. Nate points out that this is why Evelyn's alignment is debated on reddit.

#### Extras

There's a bit of time left. Holly grabs one of Chris's extra envelopes.

Evelyn goes to the Temple of Lathander. A couple asks Evelyn to name their new baby. Diath is there, too. The name: Hope Knapsack.

They grab another envelope. Jared runs it.

Warrington Munt comes downstairs. He says that the Manor is poorly defended. He wants to put a cannon up in the turret. Diath is not happy about putting illegal weaponry in the house.

Nate grabs an envelope. It has been 3 weeks since anyone has bought a pie. The shop isn't making enough money, profits are down. Strix blames depression. Squiddly has been eating a lot of the unsold pies and is getting hefty.

Strix thinks maybe making a *goodberry* pie is a good idea. Paultin thinks maybe opening a gun shop with Warrington is the answer. Evelyn likes the idea of doing healing pies.

The group decides to talk to their neighbor, Fala. They'll pick that up at the start of the next session.

End of Session.