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Music by Kevin MacLeod.
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Keys from the Golden Vault Session 2

Starring
Varrow, level 3 gnome Thief Rogue
Stayzie Diamondz, level 3 orc Champion Fighter
Elowen Fernwhisper, level 3 wood elf Circle of the Moon Druid
Chéri Powder, level 3 human Illusionist Wizard
Taveen, level 3 aasimar Warrior of Mercy Monk

Our freshly formed party has received their first sanctioned mission from the Golden Vault: steal an ominous stone from the Museum of Natural History.

Before nightfall, they can attend a private gala in the Gemstone Wing, and perform some reconnaissance on the entire museum.

Trench provides them with tickets, and the option for formalwear. Taveen accepts the new threads, while Varrow begrudgingly takes them and stashes them in the bag of holding they received from Dr. Dannell. 

They arrive at the museum, and Varrow veers off toward a dark alley, planning to enter via the skylight at the roof to stash the bag of holding with their equipment. Elowen once again transforms into a cat with wild shape, this time a snootier, long-haired specimen, and she rides on Stayzie as a fashion accessory.

Despite the waning hours, the museum is bustling with activity, and several patrons in fancy formalwear who have tickets to the private gala.

The museum shows off the recent Chult expedition with many exhibits, artifacts, jewels, and informational placards detailing monsters, dangerous plant life, and magical items. 

Prominently displayed in the middle of the grand entrance are statues of a group of adventurers, recognized as the Heroes of Chult, including a triton bard, a tortle warrior, and a dwarf druid.

The party begin to nonchalantly look around the area. Taveen notes the locked offices to the east, and Elo-cat sneaks around to check out the Chultan plants.

Stayzie and Chéri head upstairs into the prehistoric exhibit, featuring several dinosaur skeletons, and a full-blown recreation of an allosaurus, all native to Chult (and perhaps not so prehistoric!).

While Stayzie harries a guard, Chéri shows the ticket to the guard captain outside the Gemstone Wing — the private gala. But without the proper formalwear, the captain refuses to admit him.

Chéri causes a minor scene, and the guards escort him out.

Meanwhile, Taveen explores up to the attic, meeting Varrow at the same time. The sheepish rogue struggles to open the skylight until the monk can help. They stash the bag of holding (with their equipment) inside a crate, and Varrow changes clothes before heading downstairs.

Taveen makes it inside the gala, while Varrow explores around a bit further, finding the vent and secret door in the dinosaur exhibit, the café, the magic items on display, and more exhibits.

Chéri continues to try to make it inside the event room, until the captain herself is forced to throw him out. This opening makes it easier for Stayzie to make it inside, as the other guard is much more easily cowed into submission from her unique fashion choices. Elo-cat reconnects with Stayzie, and both make it in the gala room.

The Gemstone Wing has been transformed for the private event, with catering tables, tablecloths, and free-flowing wine for the rich patrons. Some of the party deduce that the hostess is Ms. Arkin, the museum curator, who is mingling with everyone, while the Murkmire Stone lies in prominent display at the end of the room.

The party fails to acquire any useful rumors from the patrons, and don’t notice anything unusual about the room.

Once Varrow makes it inside, he spots another small secret door space, and the other side of the vent. He and Stayzie engage Arkin in conversation, noting that she appears mostly fine, though constantly trying to get folks to donate to the museum. She does strangely mutter “murkmire” under her breath, which she seems unaware of.

Elo-cat quickly forms a plan. She leaps off Stayzie and snatches the clutch that Ms. Arkin is holding. The woman yells while the rest of the party causes a bit more chaos to help her escape. 

The cat leaps into the vent and back out into the dinosaur hall before heading up into the bathroom hallway. The guards start to give chase, but Elo-cat simply reverts back to Elowen, and exits the bathroom, wondering what all the commotion is about!

Flustered, Ms. Arkin apologies and declares the gala open, as the museum begins to close for the evening.

Varrow sneaks off and heads upstairs to hide in the attic, while Elowen, Taveen, and Stayzie head out with the rest of the museum patrons and guests.

Meanwhile, Chéri has a plan. His incessant shenanigans have nearly resulted in an arrest, especially after he tries to cast suggestion on the guard captain after they leave the building.

But the spell fails. Chéri apologizes profusely, and declares that he won’t seek a refund.

Captain Bikram lets him go with a stern warning and a ban from the museum. 

Chéri executes Plan B — casting disguise self to appear as the guard captain, and waltzes back inside!

It’s a risky maneuver, as the original captain has walked back inside not 10 minutes ago. Plus, the rest of the party is unaware of what happened to him, as they pass by the fake captain on their way outside.

Elowen sifts through the curator’s clutch, finding a set of keys, and an interesting card with the museum logo.

The party is split up multiple ways, has half a plan, and precious little intel.

Time for a proper heist!

Live post-session discussion: 

Next session: Night at the Museum!

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