19th session in Dragon Heist/Deck of Many Things mashup set in "my version" of the Realms. Three PCs at 5th level.
Last session, they entered the Margaster Estate (same map as the Cassalanter Villa) to steal/collect several cards from the Deck of Many Things. They soon discovered that a drow team had the same mission. In the secret temple below the estate, the PCs battled the drow and the Margasters. The PCs killed one of the adult children of Lord Margaster. But a drow assassin grabbed the cards and escaped into the sewers. The PCs pursued.
This session began with the PCs capturing the drow. Margaster guards were on their heels. The drow told the PCs the smart play would be to let him go with all the cards. Why? Well, turns out he's the brother of the female drow who is the love interest of the PC wizard. If the drow loses the cards to the PCs, his matron mother will kill both him and his sister in retribution. The PCs agree to let him go. Now that they know who has these cards, the PCs tell themselves, they can always go back and collect them later.
The PCs decide to focus on the Margasters while they have the advantage. The Margasters own a fortress outside of Waterdeep known as Thornhold. There, they keep a silver chalice imbued with the power of Siamorphe, the goddess of the divine right to rule. This chalice gives Lord Margaster his otherworldly charisma. Additionally, it can be used to bring his daughter back from the dead. The PCs fabricate a fake chalice to swap out with the real one.
They need to get to Thornhold before Lord Margaster. They book a ship -- a rumrunner captained by a connection of the PC rogue. Unfortunately, the PCs previously pissed off the Kraken League (my version of the pirate captains of Luskan with a bit of abolethic mind control in the mix). Halfway to Thornhold they are overtaken by a Kraken League warship. The captain of the rumrunner apologizes for ratting them out to the Kraken League. Nothing personal; just business. "This isn't personal either," says the PC rogue as he stabs the captain, "just business." The PCs quickly dispatch the rumrunner's crew. But the warship is almost upon them.
And that's where we ended things. It was a super fun session where a lot happened in only two hours.
Next session: Boarding actions!