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Session 03 - WIP

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Overview: In Session 3 of this Dungeons & Dragons campaign set in Waterdeep, the party—consisting of Artemis (Human Rogue), Dren (Dwarf Eldritch Knight Fighter), Eyeless (Protector Aasimar Paladin), Kenneth (Rogue, possibly Captain John Mercer), and Slim Jim (likely a Cleric or healer)—continues their investigation into a fireball explosion tied to the Necklace of Fireballs. Their journey leads them to the Temple of Gond, where they uncover the involvement of a runaway automaton called a Nimblewright, and into the sewers, where they confront a dangerous yuan-ti cult. The session is marked by intense combat, ethical debates, and significant loot, culminating in a hard-fought victory and a return to a tavern to recover.

Temple of Gond Investigation:

  • The party arrives at the Temple of Gond to investigate the fireball explosion that killed Delacar, who was pursued by either the Zhentarim or Xanathar Guild. They suspect the explosion involved the Necklace of Fireballs, a treasure linked to 500,000 Dragon coins, possibly tied to Rayna’s father, a disgraced Lord of Waterdeep.
  • Artemis fails to pick the temple’s lock but climbs onto the roof, using parkour to reach an attic window and communicating with Nim, a temple-bound automaton, via sign language. Nim opens the door, granting the party entry.
  • Nim reveals it created a Nimblewright—a second automaton—to alleviate its loneliness, but the Nimblewright fled over a month ago. This runaway matches the “puppet” seen during the explosion, confirming it as the likely culprit behind the fireball. Nim confirms the Nimblewright had no restrictions and no prior interactions before fleeing.
  • Violita, a temple official, seizes Nim’s tools to prevent further creations. The party jokingly names the runaway “Nimblewright Number Two.” Nim provides a Nimblewright Detector, a metal device that spins and clicks within 500 feet of a Nimblewright (other than Nim), increasing in speed closer to the target (max velocity at 30 feet). The detector doesn’t react to Nim himself.
  • Violita offers 500 gold to destroy the Nimblewright, along with a choice of inventions: adjustable stilts (increase height by 2–5 feet) or a barking box (a 6-inch cube that barks when detecting vibrations within 15 feet). Nim, however, requests the party return the Nimblewright unharmed, offering another invention as a reward.
  • The party debates the ethics of Nim’s situation, noting the temple magically binds Nim, limiting its free will. They also learn other automatons exist in Waterdeep, often on ships, but are uncommon. They consider involving their guilds or NPCs like Rayna or Davil Starsong but don’t act on this yet.

Sewer Exploration and Battle:

  • Suspecting the Nimblewright might be hiding in the sewers near the temple, the party descends to investigate. The Nimblewright Detector doesn’t activate during their initial descent, indicating the Nimblewright isn’t nearby.
  • They encounter a yuan-ti cult performing a ritual with a chalk circle, torches, and a drowning victim. The cult consists of yuan-ti malisons (red and green, long snake bodies with human top halves) and yuan-ti abominations (purple, also snake-like), including spellcasters.
  • The cult attacks, declaring “witnesses must be slain.” Combat ensues:
    • Dren charges with a maul, attempting a long jump based on Strength.
    • Artemis throws two daggers at a yuan-ti malison (21 hits for 5 damage, 7 misses) and later uses an unarmed fist attack. Artemis lands a critical Sneak Attack on the red yuan-ti, dealing 39 damage (14 slashing doubled to 28, plus Sneak Attack doubled to 11), though Kenneth ultimately delivers the killing blow.
    • Eyeless attacks the red yuan-ti with a longsword (22 to hit, 5 damage) and uses Divine Smite (2d8 radiant, 9 damage). Eyeless casts Guiding Bolt on the red yuan-ti and takes 11 cold damage (likely from Ray of Frost), gaining disadvantage on their next attack, plus 6 poison damage. Eyeless is downed but revived by Slim Jim, later reviving Slim Jim with Lay on Hands (15 HP pool, 8 used earlier).
    • Kenneth is downed but rolls a critical 20 on a death saving throw, returning with 1 HP. He kills the red yuan-ti.
    • Slim Jim revives Eyeless but is downed, later revived by Eyeless.
    • Dren, who cast a touch spell (possibly Cure Wounds) to heal a downed party member, ends the battle with 3 HP.
    • A yuan-ti malison casts Flaming Sphere, dealing fire damage. The green yuan-ti takes 23 fire damage, the red takes 25, and a smaller abomination takes 23. The yuan-ti have magic resistance and around 100 HP each.
    • The purple yuan-ti abomination deals 17 slashing damage with a bite, 9 and 15 damage with longbow shots, 7 psychic damage with a fear effect, and 5 bludgeoning damage with a constrict attack, grappling the target.
  • The party defeats the yuan-ti, with the red yuan-ti killed by Kenneth, and the purple and green yuan-ti eventually slain. A ladder to a closed grate offers an escape route, but they don’t use it.

Loot and Aftermath:

  • The party searches the yuan-ti bodies, finding four magical scrolls: Flaming Sphere, Animate Dead, Fireball, and Fear.
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  •  Distribution of the scrolls remains undecided, though Dren (with spellcasting ability) or Slim Jim might be likely candidates.
  • Upon exiting the sewer, the Grey Faction notices the party, and after explaining their victory over the cultists, the party earns +1 Renown. The ritual’s purpose (possibly necromantic, given Animate Dead) remains unclear.
  • The party returns to a tavern in Waterdeep to heal and recover, with several members in critical condition: Kenneth at 1 HP, Dren at 3 HP, Artemis at 1 HP, and Eyeless and Slim Jim low on resources after multiple downings and revivals.

Unresolved Threads:

  • The Nimblewright’s location remains unknown, as the detector didn’t activate in the sewers. The party must decide whether to return it to Nim or destroy it for Violita’s reward.
  • The scrolls’ dark nature (Animate Dead, Fear) might spark ethical debates, especially for Eyeless (a Paladin) or Slim Jim (potentially a Cleric).
  • The yuan-ti ritual’s purpose and its potential connection to the Necklace of Fireballs or the Nimblewright’s fireball incident are still mysteries.

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