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Keys from the Golden Vault Session 9
Starring
Varrow, level 4 gnome Thief Rogue
Stayzie Diamondz, level 4 orc Champion Fighter
Elowen Fernwhisper, level 4 wood elf Circle of the Moon Druid
Chéri Powder, level 4 human Illusionist Wizard
Taveen, level 4 aasimar Warrior of Mercy Monk
At the underground Afterlife Casino, the party decides to split up to cover all the specialized areas further inside.
After being told about a Verity look-alike at the massage parlor, Chéri nobly offers to check out the Phlegethosian Spa & Stygian Baths. The receptionist promises the 10gp massage is well worth it, and Chéri pays up.
The masseuse does indeed match the description, and after some playful banter, he casts Suggestion on her to hand over all her unique items, then forget to come to work tomorrow (though Suggestion only lasts 8 hours…).
The spell works, and Chéri is rewarded with an employee pass card, masseuse uniform, and a necklace.
Meanwhile, Stayzie and Taveen register for the Three Dragon Ante tournament, the Grand Minauros Invitational, which involves a 50gp buy-in! The high-stakes tournament features a grand prize worth hundreds of gold, but they’ll have to play the card game with other talented card sharks.
The tournament area, Cania, features its own private tables and wait staff. Our heroes recognize two of the players — Arlo and Enna, Zhentarim operatives they met during the museum job!
Arlo is friendly with them, trying to find out if they’re on a job. The groups keep things professional and light, and Taveen chooses to sit at their table, while Stayzie at another.
As the tournament begins, the players must roll a series of skill checks, including Investigation and Deception, and beat their competitors.
At one point Taveen cheats, and Enna, the Zhentarim assassin, catches up. But he cleverly witnessed another player cheat earlier, and pins it on him. The halfling, Wumpus, causes a dramatic scene and tries to flee, and Quentin is there instantly, with guards apprehending him. They drag him into the backrooms, and Quentin apologizes for the dramatics.
The gnome owner of the casino has a neatly trimmed goatee and an oily smile as he schmoozes with patrons around the casino. A large, black, intimidating dog never leaves his side.
Varrow and Elowen check out the circus show, the Cirque Maladomini, which is set in a sunken amphitheater in another large, private room. Through a gate in the arena, several tiefling performers lead a group of trained monkeys, and a manticore! Though the manticore is actually a lion with costume pieces.
Elowen isn’t a fan of seeing the animals treated this way, especially when the performers crack whips as motivation.
The pair both cast speak with animals and learn of their mistreatment, Varrow with a monkey (who demands he start flinging poo to help them), while Elowen meets the more noble, but sad lion named Emrys.
Elowen can’t stand to see them like this, and when the performance is ending, she quietly wild shapes into cat and sneaks out with them through the gate, while Varrow and his monkey friend distract a performer just enough for him to swipe a pass card.
The backrooms are large, and filled with foul-smelling cages that breaks the druid’s heart. She notes the keys on the wall, and a door to the south that leads to the employee areas, as on Verity’s map.
She tells the lion that she and her friends will free them, but for now she has to return. Her plan with Varrow goes a little sideways when Varrow is caught sneaking, and he’s forced to leave her behind. She adapts by temporarily joining the circus performance in the next show, much to the performers’ confusion (“Is that a baby lion??”), then she slinks away and rejoins the party.
Having seen enough of the Casino, the party turns in their chips for gold, and returns to the rowboat ferries to reconnect with Trench, and decide on their heist plan.
Live post-session discussion: Not this week!
Next session: Time to plan!
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