Cobblepot's Big Score Game 3

Game Master: Elijah
Game Edition: D&D 5
Players: Jeff, Andrew, Dave, Sarah
Starting Level: 5
Current Level:5

Quote of the Evening:
"I figured you guys would be fine."

Introduction

We last left our party in a sorry state. Cobblepot the Penguin Criminal Bard (Jeff) had left his compatriots at the scene of a murder, while Sharky the Shark Monk (Andrew) and Legion, the Psychic Collective of Sorcerer Turtles (Dave) had taken the wrap and surrendered to the guards.

It seemed hopeless, but after waiting for hours in their prison cell, Sharky and Legion were released by an... Old friend?

A Crocodile they had met last game.

The mob boss, Crocodile Daryl sprung them from the jail and took them out into the street. He scolded them for such idiocy. They didn't have time to be fooling around with the town guard. He needed them to steal the item the Prince was bring to the town in a few days. And he couldn't afford any slip ups.

With that he left them in the street. Neither Sharky nor Legion knew how he got them out of jail, nor did they care to ask. Best not to know such things.

Legion looked up to Sharky, asking what to do next. Sharky shook his head and headed towards the Drunken Badger where he assumed he would find Cobblepot.

Scene 1 The Plan.

Cobblepot was in his room when Sharky and Legion pounded on the door. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning but Sharky didn't care. He wanted to speak with Cobblepot.

The penguin opened the door and let them in. And he at least acted revealed to see Sharky and Legion.

"I figured you guys would be fine." He said in our quote of the evening.

Sharky and Legion were not offended and explained that Crocodile Daryl had freed them from prison. Cobblepot thought it over and decided they should act as soon as they could. He didn't want to disappoint the Croc.

Sharky suggested that they rob the Clothier's shop the porter at the Nodding Navigator suggested they get clothes from last game.

Cobblepot thought this was a brilliant idea and the two headed out into the night as Legion fell asleep in the corner to regenerate his powers.

I wonder if they are dreaming of being Blue Shells.

Scene 2 Robbing the Clothier's.

To speed their journey though the night, Sharky grabbed Cobblepot and placed him on his Shoulder. Like that they ran through the night streets looking for the store.

Graceful!

Finding the Clothier's was simple enough, but entering it proved more difficult: the front door was locked. Sharky offered to break the shop's window, but Cobblepot urged caution, and suggested they go in through the back.

The shop had a rear entrance, with a rickety wooden door. It was also locked. Sharky looked up at his boss resting on his shoulder and Cobblepot gave him a knowing nod. With permission given, Sharky hit the door with a quick and powerful punch bursting it open. With the way cleared, they entered the shop.

The groggy shop keeper was roused by the noise and came down from her apartment above to see what was happening in her store. She carefully crawled out of bed, lighting an oil lamp at the side table as she went. Quietly she crept down the stairs. The light from her lamp spilled across the shop room floor, revealing a penguin and a Shark rummaging through the stores possessions.

Like some weird version of Jaws.

It was only shock that kept her from crying out, and Sharky silenced her with a stun punch. To cover their tracks, Cobblepot had Sharky break the store owners neck, and they went about robbing the place.

During this Legion had awoken from a very restful slumber. Deciding to find Cobblepot and Sharky he left the room and went off into the dark.

After chasing a drunken squirrel into the night for a bit, his attention was captured by a loud crack that split the silence of the night. This was indeed the punch Sharky had used to break through the back door, and Legion hurried in the direction of the sound.

He found Cobblepot and Sharky rummaging through the shop and joined in. By the time they were done they each had some sharp threads. But perhaps it was Sharky that looked the most dapper.

Those are the kinda threads you get for rolling a 20 on a search.

When they were satisfied with their outfits, they head over to the Nodding Navigator with the hopes of finding the Stewart.

Scene 3 The Red Panda in the Nodding Navigator.

The party had spent so much time deciding what they were going to wear, by the time they got to the Inn of the Nodding Navigator it was 5 o'clock in the morning.

At the front door a maitre d' greeted them and bid them enter. This time they were not stopped due to their appearance. However, to say they were elaborately dressed was an understatement. They looked out of place, but each of them played it up like they were big shots.

The Dining Room of the Nodding Navigator was practically empty, but there was one individual who stood out: a Red Panda pouring over cook books.

*Cook books not shown

Feeling the Red Panda Chef may know the Steward in charge of the festival's preparations, Cobblepot slipped over to her table and introduced himself. The Red Panda told him she was the Wizard Xiaojing He (Sarah). She was recently one of the Chefs at the Castle preparing for the feast, but she found the head chef so pig-headed she refused to work with him any more.

Seeing this as the opportunity they needed to gain access to the castle,  Cobblepot began spinning his web of lies.

As complex as a spider's web.

He told the Red Panda that he was the owner and operator of Cobblepot's Catering, and wanted to speak with the Stewart about using his vegetables in the prince's feast.

Xiaojing commented that all of the food would be brought to the feast by the prince's entourage, but offered to take Cobblepot and his retinue, and introduce them to the steward. 

Cobblepot graciously accepted. Everything was going to plan.

Scene 4 Finding the Steward.

Thinking the steward would most likely be at the fair grounds, Xiaojing lead the way. She found one of the managers there, and asked where the steward was. The manager told her that he was at the castle and asked why she was looking for him. Cobblepot interrupted stating that he ran a catering company and was interested in replacing the current cooking staff with his own.

Xiaojing realized this was not the story that Cobblepot told her in the first place. It seemed strange but she decided to ignore it.

Cobblepot then realized that Xiaojing was growing suspicious, and that he could use her to his own advantage. On the spot he offered her as job as head chef of his Catering company, and offered an exorbitant fee of 50gp. Overwhelmed by the offer, Xiaojing accepted, forgetting the contradiction and lead on to the castle.

At the gates, the guards told them that the steward had gone missing. Apparently a large hole had opened beneath the steward’s feet swallowing him up!

Hole in the Wall by Toms Atte

The guards had searched for him but turned up nothing. The hole opened into a labyrinth of ancient tunnels that twisted and wound their way beneath the town. Finding him would be almost hopeless!

Cobblepot and his party went to the courtyard to find the sink-hole, and discovered it and was surrounded by onlookers. In a loud voice, Cobblepot promised that he and his party would find the steward in the tunnels.

So removing their finery, the Party jumped into the hole.

Scene 5 Sharky Down.

As they fell, Legion cast feather fall on the group, and they each fluttered safely down to the bottom.

Then, using Speak With Plants, Cobblepot was able to ask the roots that grew out of the tunnel walls:

"Which way did they go?"

The plants told them that something had followed the tunnel before them, and the party dashed down the corridor. About half way down, they were ambushed by a group of vicious giant beetles!

Most of them went towards Sharky, as he was the largest target. He fought furiously to keep them off of him, but after a few critical blows, the beetles had taken him down.

BEETLES! NOOOOO!

Thankfully he passed his Death Saving Throw, and Xiaojing was able to stabilize him, while Legion and Cobblepot fought the remaining Beetles off.

With Sharky down, the group needed a healer and fast! Cobblepot sent Legion to find one. Legion ran as fast as he could, and made it back to the sink-hole in no time. He then cast Gaseous Form and drifted up to the top.

The onlookers were happy to help and directed Legion to Brother Davis, a visiting cleric. Brother Davis, was a kind man and when he heard that Sharky was injured, he offered to help.

Legion lead him back to the sink-hole, and then to the party. Cobblepot and Xiaojing were standing guard lest the beetles returned, and were relieved to see the cleric.

Brother Davis worked his magic and Sharky was healed. The group thanked the priest and bid him farewell. They had a steward to find.

Scene 6 Rescuing the Steward.

After battling another group of beetles, the party came to a cross roads. Listening carefully, Sharky heard a moaning coming from one of the tunnels.

They followed it carefully, moving as quietly as they could. Their silence was rewarded by a most unusual sight. The Stewart was hung from the ceiling by his feet, and was surrounded by a 5 figures in dark robes. It would seem they were preforming some sort of ceremony.

And the Steward was no Houdini.

Sharky charged into the crowd, but before he could reach them, they all vanished into thin air. Using his height, the shark lowered the steward from the ceiling and carried him further into the tunnels.

After 20minutes of wandering, the party stumbled upon a little girl playing in the in one of the passages. She was surprised to see them, but offered to lead them to the castle. The party thanked her and she lead them out through the kitchens.

As they emerged, servants rushed to take the steward to a comfortable room, and the party was told they could speak to him once he had recovered.

And that was where we left off for the evening.

Conclusion

Things seemed to be going Cobblepot's way! We will almost certainly be able to befriend the steward now!

The next step is to poison the head chef, and replace him with Xiaojing. After that we case out the castle, and find out where the Prince's mysterious item will be located.

With only a day left until the guests of the feast arrive, will Cobblepot and his team have time to steal the item for Crocodile Daryl or will the face his wrath after a bitter failure?