Night Watch

The **Night Watch** was the name given to an unlikely grouping of people who came together in low winter 1560, and journeyed together for six months on a journey to vanquish the the Oracles, before going their separate ways in late spring 1561.

## Members

* Mortimer Campbell
* Morgan Belphane
* ~~Vishara~~
* Namfoodle Schwindle
* Jane Caramel
* Francisco Disforza
* Zhivka

## Early Travels

They met in a carriage, with Morgan and Vishara fleeing from the Oracles' complex in Aomodos, Mortimer travelling on an adventure, and Namfoodle looking for money. After becoming united in a common goal when their Charger Coach Company carriage crashed, they, now the Night Watch, travelled to Jarren's Well to pick up a wheel, and drank a little at the Wayside Inn, but returned with Francisco Disforza in tow. He was one of the officers in Mortimer's regiment from back home, and he revealed he was on his way back to Waterdeep, since he had been assigned on the Convocation of Waterdeep. On the way home, they defended him from an Oracle ambush and earned his gratitude, but Vishara was grievously wounded by a lightning strike and suffered burns, as well as Mortimer developing a persistent tinnitus from the strike. In Waterdeep, they arrived days later, to find Eothain Blackstone murdered by the Oracles and strung up between lampposts in the Clockmarket, with a warning from the Oracles - 'Look Not To Your Heroes'.

They returned to Francisco's father Machavellio's family manor outside the south walls, which had been abandoned for years, only to find an empty pantry and a plump Errich Irongut there. They made him work off his debt as a cook and cleaner. After three days of relaxing and recovering, they attended the funeral of Éothain, where over twenty Oracle agents attacked, including a vicious mage. They, with help from the Waterdeep City Watch, fought them off, and saved Minister Aresilia Decimus from being taken hostage by a man with a jagged knife. She offered them a toast to their victory, but the Cessalia Champagne bottle she served them had been poisoned with Piqure d'Vimin, and it was addressed to Lady Decimus from Maxwell Loveridge. They then were penciled in to meet Perennial Althier the next morning, but arrived to find her chained to her desk, dead in another display. On her desk was a bloody note for plans to bulldoze the Narrows and build a Mercatorium trade colony, whether fake or real, they didn't know. They had missed her by only five minutes.

They chased down the two 'Cleaners' who had set the grisly scene, with the group running through the markets and jumping the southern canal to catch up with them. After a brief interrogation of Wet Orc and Dry Orc, they let Vishara mutilate and kill them. Later that day, they met with Maxwell Loveridge, which was a tense meeting in which he controlled the room, but they learnt that he was innocent. He danced around their questions excellently, maintaining his presence. They broke the news of his wife's passing and left him be. His closing line was the excellently put, **You can check a gun's loaded, but the same isn't true for a bottle of wine**.

## Where It All Went Wrong

Back at Disforza Manor, they found Vishara gone, with her room trashed, and a kidnapper's note that read 'If you wish to see her again, come to the Sandbar Sea cove alone and unarmed'.

They left their weapons behind to comply to the kidnapper's note to go save her, and sprinted off into the evening. Thus, the Betrayal at the Sandbar Sea unfolded, where after they untied a woman named Zhivka (the bait, dressed as Vishara, and as confused as they were) they realised 'Vishara' was actually Adrienne Ophiuchus's cover identity. Adrienne was one of the highest ranking Oracles, and she had been at their side this whole time. She gave a passionate and raw speech taunting their lack of vision, before leaving to deliver her report, ordering Don Zaretti that he and his men kill the other three, but keep Morgan alive for retrieval. A bell rang, signalling that their plan had worked. The Convocation had been unnerved, and had granted Minister Decimus, now revealed to be the Oracle Grandmaster they had been hunting the whole time, emergency powers.

With the City Watch half-infiltrated, Adrienne taunted that at that moment, the nobles were being rounded up and 'protected' in Waterdeep County Jail until they 'stopped singing in their gilded cage'. The group narrowly escaped with their lives from Don Zaretti's elite Twilight Rifles regiment, running down the beach under heavy fire and using an old fishing boat, the Moonstone, to sail away into the stormy sea, bleeding and wounded, wearing little more than their coats and carrying just bits and bobs.

Over a journey of less than a week, they briefly met some kindly pirates aboard the Pulchritude, found Captain Brigg Bannock's last note, treasure map, and his Bannock's Gold Jack pistol, and washed up on Feŋ.

## Country Pursuits

They stayed with Jaöra Vepsaa for two months, honing their natural and survival skills, craftsmanship, and command of the Fenet language. After a long period of rest, which was pleasant, they bid her farewell to sail to Lakay aboard the supply ship LN Gauward's Lie, with Iuvette Latir-Regnard and her crew, who were Mercatorium traders. They arrived in Fort Thunderlord in the first few months of the next year, 1561, and set about getting some cash. They accepted and hunted down a bounty, Emerson 'Doc' Fenne, for some gold, then acquired two horses and journeyed over to King's Stead. They spoke to Teller Tanglefork, then found Captain Bannock's hidden half ton of bullion and jewelled knife near Galaden's grave after paying their respects. They then used it to convince Machavellio Disforza to use the Lakayan Navy to come to Waterdeep and help restore order and establish a naval blockade, and met their ferryman, Anderson Rookes. They set off aboard the LN Bannock's Revenge ahead of the fleet that carried the Setting Sun device, stopping briefly in Sanctum. They were suspicious of Max's and Anderson's true intentions.

## Back in the Saddle

In Waterdeep, they met up with their friends again in the sewers, meeting such individuals as Jane Caramel, Errich Irongut, Warad, Maxwell Loveridge, Archie Grimes, Renaer Smytt and others. They aided the underground resistance for a week with scouting and other duties. On Mirtul 7th, the anti-magic device was set off, as the groups split.

Maxwell and Robin lead the Bulldogs and Rapscallions, as well as some vestiges of loyal city guards, to try to free the nobles from County Jail. Archie Grimes and the Thieves managed to successfully broadcast a warning to the people of Waterdeep, about the Oracles who now had been revealed

They tunnelled into the Old Minster basement, locked Don Zaretti in a room behind them, and snuck into the church, to find Adrienne Ophiuchus and her men there. They engaged in a short, dramatic, and heroic fight, as Adrienne darted around the place like a madwoman, slashing at everyone, even poor Noodle. The group fought her off, and killed the last of her loyal men who had rugby-tackled Mortimer. However, Anderson and Max's betrayal was revealed, as the fleet fired on the city. The Old Minster was turned half to rubble, and the group (including the wounded Adrienne and the four guards) were buried in the debris, all severely wounded. They stumbled out of the wreckage, and Zhivka struck Adrienne to the ground. Her last act was to still talk in defiance, taunting Morgan that he would never succeed. After a short and powerful bit of dialogue back and forth, Morgan killed her with Bannock's Gold Jack, a shot cleanly between the eyes. They burnt her body in a small pyre. They healed Namfoodle, who had been crushed by a roof slate, and returned back to the sewers to find their wounded but triumphant mates. They spoke a little about their future.

## The Hallway Scene

The next afternoon, the shelling and antimagic field both stopped. They joined the Lakayan navy at the gates of Fort Laeral, and stormed the council chambers, The last remaining Oracle soldiers fled in fear, cut down by the group through axe and sword, bullet and arrow. They had their magic back. Several of the Oracles were immolated. Morgan also killed several agents by launching their caltrops back at them, shredding them. Zhivka blasted the agents with radiant light, rendering many blind for their last moments. It was a horrific ordeal... for the Oracles.

They broke into the central chambers with a large ram. Two siege crossbows were used as part of the defence, one of which instantly punched a hole through Namfoodle. The others slashed and hacked their way through the last agents, Zhivka leaping over chairs and tables to rush them. They killed the final Oracles, leaving two prisoners, as Zhivka began to attack the blinded Aresilia Decimus. Namfoodle freed Francisco as the others yelled for Zhivka to stop, Morgan trying to interpose himself, but to little avail. Zhivka poured oil over Decimus as Namfoodle quickly lit it. Aresilia Decimus burned to death in agony until Zhivka finally separated her head from her body. Morgan was dejected as they freed Franci, and Zhivka went on a passionate rage-fueled speech about her hatred of the Oracles and what killing them meant, and the Lakayans agreed they would turn a blind eye for the killing of the prisoners. With that, all was said and done.

## Epilogue

The group returned together to the Florida Burns Memorial Hospital, which was mostly standing. Namfoodle was put under for surgery, and they spent the next week or so at his bedside whilst he recovered from his many injuries. Waterdeep was now Lakayan. What this spelt... we would see.

After some goodbyes with one another, and a group photograph sans Zhivka, it was time to part ways.

Zhivka and Morgan headed off east with Aomodos on the horizon. Their mission was to finally stomp out the remnants of the Oracles once and for all. In the wreckage of burned outposts and in the dirt by slaughtered agents, they carved the Night Watch logo to inspire fear. After all was said and done and the pair would probably clear out Aomodos and face down Morgan's parents, Morgan would eventually return to Feŋ.

Francisco, Mortimer and Errich set off to Datria. The former two went back to see their families for the first time in half a year, and Errich came along looking for work. There would certainly be nobles and rich folk who needed their houses cleaned and their meals made. Mortimer and Francisco would establish an elite Datrian force of the best soldiers from several regiments, known as the Datrian Nightwatch. They too would use the Night Watch logo.

Namfoodle and Jane returned to Fort Thunderlord. They had the Verdis mountains in their sights, and the vault of Mantle. The Big Schwindle would one day happen for sure. Namfoodle became the slipperiest, oldest thief in North Lakay, robbing trains, graves, banks and ships. Jane also tagged along as the 'paperwork gal'. They employed many petty thieves and crews, but one thing was common. They used the Night Watch emblem as their calling card.

The group stayed in contact using the Lakayan sending stones, but the fifth was still in Anderson's possession, wherever he may have gone.