The Sunless Citadel - (Chapter One)

[Arius Dezlentyr]

Arius pauses in the street just before entering the inn, to ensure his hat is set at just the right rakish angle, and that his clothes are rumpled just so, as he must appear just the right amount of roguish, without seeming a low-born ruffian. Satisfied, he puts on his best wry smile, opens the door and saunters in.

As he pauses in the doorway to let his eyes adjust to the light, he stands with one hand resting on the hilt of his rapier. Then proceeds into the common room. He makes immediately for the center of the common room, not so he can look down the well, but so that he can look up into the balconies, to see who might be in attendance this evening.

There are a fair number of notables, but none that he finds of immediate interest, so his attention now turns to the lower level, looking to see who might be entertaining for the evening. That is when he spots the odd collection of people gathering near the hearth and another two at the bar.  ~A tiefling? She is quite beautiful as well, how scandalous. I suppose I shall make my acquaintance.~

With that thought he approaches the two at the hearth first as he imagines the other two at the bar will likely join them when they are done ordering. Tipping his hat, he warmly greets the group. "Good evening, you seem like you might have interesting tales that bring you to this fine establishment. May I join you?"

As he greets them, he makes sure to smile warmly at each in turn, his smile finally resting on Leloth wondering when she might saunter over to join them.

[DM Spiral]

---Athos and Leloth---



The Innkeeper slides Athos and Leloth a foaming mug of light ale for Athos and a glass of what Leloth usually drank in the morning.  He gave them both a rare smile, "Aye, she plays that flute like an angel." 

He smirked at his own comment before strolling over to take care of another customer. 




The barmaid walked up to the pair with two platers of food deftly balanced on a tray she had hoisted over her shoulder and balanced on her palm. "And where might you be sitting for tonights festivities?"

[Athos Blackwind]

Athos looked around and spotted the large golden dragonborn he had talked too a few days.  He was one of the few scholarly people in the inn outside of the young human Julia who never seemed to have time for conversation.  Like most nights, the table was filling up around the odd fellow, as it was the best table in the house and it wasn't every day people got to chat with a dragonborn. So Athos figured it was a good time to claim a seat and gestured toward the table.  "The table by the hearth with the Dragonish fellow ..." He added a few seconds later, "...please."  

His manners were still a little rusty from his random bouts of isolation.

[Kriv Turnuroth]

Kriv looked up at the new arrival, human like most of the people here in waterdeep he stood out to the dragonborn in a few ways, the hat, the facial fur. No that wasn't right humans called it hair.  His smile was well Kriv was sure it was supposed to be reassuring, so he returned the smile showing a lot of pointed fangs. It was only after he smiled that he remembered humans typically didn't enjoy seeing him do so, most shivered or if it was anything like when he passed through Balder's Gate they fainted, or screamed a lot. "You may in fact join our table. It looks to be a night, where finding a seat will be difficult." The dragonborn said in greeting.

[Leloth]

After eyeing the odd looking group of travelers and realizing that a new human had joined, and was eyeing her back, Leloth told the waitress to drop her food off at their table. Leloth then bade farewell to... Anthros?, She never asked his name she now realizes, and headed for the "stage" preparing to sing and perform to earn her keep in The Yawning Portal.

[DM Spiral]

---Leloth---

Leloth takes a swig of her drink and starts her way up toward the stage.  

(DM - Roll Performance.)



---Athos, Kriv, Nightingale, Arius---

An elf fellow, who Kriv recognized from last weekend, sat down at the table and the barmaid set a plate of steaming hot roast with what looked like mushrooms in front of him.



She looked at Kriv, "Another Ale Master Kriv?" She gave a quick appraising smile to the elf gentleman who just sat down. "Perhaps a bit of our house roast that Master Aethos is so fond of?"

After she got his answer, she looked around the table at the other two.  Nightingale she did not seem to recognize, but the lord, she did, "What shall you be having tonight Lord Arius ... and . ...ma'am?"

[Arius Dezlentyr]

Arius nods his thanks to Kriv and slides into a chair at the table, just as the barmaidapproaches.

Arius turns his charming smile on the barmaid.

"To be honest, that roast and mushrooms looks delicious. May I have a platter of that? And I think a bottle of Tethyrian tanagluth will go quite well with that, if you please. And I think a wheel of Waterdhavian to share for the table."

He passes her two gold dragons.

[Nightingale]

"The roast would be wonderful, thank you." Nightingale replies to the barmaid, rolling her eyes at Arius' charming demeanour.

The half-elf had remained quiet as the others joined the table, Kriv's question of her intentions about the well had made her think about what exactly her intentions were in Waterdeep. She was here to gain experience, but how?

She forced herself to focus back on the present, shuffling her seat so the others could sit comfortably.

[Leloth]

As Leloth starts to weave through the crowd, she quietly asks herself "What should my first performance of the day be? A simple song and dance, sit down and play a slow melancholy song on my flute, something to rile up all the drunks attempting to hit on women? The opportunities are endless..." As she neared the stage she decided on a melancholy song and was thinking of songs when she literally ran into the stage "whoops..." she whispered and climbed onto the stage.

Leloth then pulled a chair from the rear of the stage and placed it where everyone could see it and therefore her. From a belt loop she pulled her shining silver flute, which she polished everyday, and began to play. She played the tragedy of her village, she played the feeling of loss of her missing father. She played the loss of her broken horn and missing toe, she played the feeling isolation she felt when she was forced out of the village and into the wilderness. As she finished her melody Leloth shed a tear reminding herself of her past. Leloth sat and gazed out at the crowd with anticipation awaiting their reaction.

The Song --->  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQz76UgHSzk

Performance: 1d20+4 = 21

[DM Spiral]

---Everyone---

At the end of the song, several patrons boldly stand up and declare it the most beautiful thing they have ever heard. At least half of every one present have shed at least one tear or are in fact openly weeping.  And most everyone in the Yawning Portal are on their feet with applause.  

It can safely be said that Leloth is an excellent bard and her song was a definite hit, to put it mildly.  

(DM - Leloth, Roll 1d100.)