In the heart of the Sword Coast’s lush Dessarin Valley, known as the breadbasket of the realm, a notorious group of criminals called the Derelicts found themselves assembled at the dimly lit Bargewright Inn. The inn was known for attracting a motley crew of travelers, but tonight, it held a more sinister gathering. They had been summoned by a mysterious contact named Arthas, their curiosity piqued by the enigmatic promise of wealth and adventure.
The Derelicts, composed of an ogre, a goblin, a dark dwarf, two drow elves and a yuan-ti disguised as a drow, convened in a shadowy corner of the inn, feeling very out of place, their eyes darting warily around the room. They were joined by an unexpected guest. A man dressed in the holy garb of Lathander, the God of Dawn, introduced himself as Hugh, a priest of the Morninglord. His arrival was met with guarded tension, but he quickly dispelled any hostile intentions by revealing his true purpose.
Hugh spoke of a secret vault concealed within the Harvesthome Abbey, a temple dedicated to Chauntea, the Earthmother and Goddess of Agriculture. Deep within the Greenfields, protected by miles of stone walls, Hugh had learned this temple held a treasure estimated at twenty thousand gold coins. He offered to split the gold with the Derelicts if they would execute the robbery.
The negotiations were tense, and the Derelicts scrutinized Hugh’s every word. Suspicion hung in the air like a heavy fog, threatening to shroud their judgment. To resolve their doubts, Hugh cast a powerful Zone of Truth spell, ensuring their responses would be sincere. Convinced of Hugh’s veracity, the Derelicts agreed to the audacious heist.
Their plan, conceived by Shadowspawn the drow elf, was as cunning as it was daring. The Derelicts would assume the guise of Drow spice and oil merchants, purchasing two covered wagons loaded with empty barrels for the deception. With Venum, a yuan-ti mind whisperer magically disguised as a drow elf, as their spokesperson, they set out for the northern gate of the Greenfields at dusk. To their astonishment, Venum’s forked tongue persuaded the guards to grant them passage.
As the night unfurled, the Derelicts drove their wagons through the verdant fields, unchallenged by any further obstacles. At the abbey, they found the place unguarded, peasants carrying sacks of grain through its doors. Koruk the ogre offered to assist a peasant with his load, while Venum used his enchanting magic to coax the others into joining them inside.
The Derelicts sealed the abbey’s doors behind them. Only one priest of Chauntea remained along with a few peasants. Venum telepathically compelled the priest to reveal the hidden passage leading to the coveted vault.
Koruk, meanwhile, performed a surprisingly clever act. He ripped the clapper from a courtyard bell on his way back from the pantry, silencing any potential alarm. The priest, still under the influence of Venum’s Suggestion spell, led them to the concealed vault in the heart of the temple.
Ozi the goblin and Wilhelm the duergar guarded the abbey’s entrance and the peasants they had assembled in the foyer. Koruk joined them with the peasants he herded from the kitchen. The Derelicts were not to be disturbed.
Once in the depths of the vault, Venum along with the drow elves Shadowspawn and Dunzen, turned on the priest, dispatching him swiftly to ensure their secret remained safe.
The Derelicts hastened to pull their wagons up to the abbey’s doorstep, unloading the barrels. With ruthless efficiency, they filled the barrels with the wealth they found within – gold, silver, and copper coins stacked high, glinting like stolen stars.
Then Koruk ushered the peasants into the vault, dousing them with oil before setting them ablaze, sealing their fate within the vault’s unyielding walls. His eyes gleamed with fire as he watched them burn.
With their ill-gotten treasure in tow, the Derelicts slipped through the Greenfield’s east gate, where, once again, Venum’s persuasive charms worked wonders on the cadre of guards. They made their way south, bypassing the agreed rendezvous with Hugh to deliver a wagon laden with copper at the temple of Lathander in Daggerford. There, they asked the priests to contact Hugh on their behalf.
From there the Derelicts booked passage on a ship bound for Waterdeep, where they intended to bask in the glory of their ill-gotten wealth. However, upon their arrival, news followed swiftly – the Waterdeep authorities had been alerted and were hot on their trail, determined to bring the Derelicts to justice.
The Derelicts’ journey to freedom and riches was far from over, and their path would be fraught with danger and betrayal. But for now, the taste of victory was sweet, and the promise of spending their stolen treasure still danced tantalizingly on the horizon.
