ASSAULT ON THE ROSZNARS

[jmecha]

Korsan would reply.....

"There has been some evidence of Draconic blood within the Rosznar blood line, so it is possible he is more then a mere man. As to what he maybe....could be he is a Dragon in disguise, but if that is the case it means he knows a means of defeating or by passing the wards and yet his Dragon allies remain outside the city."

"Now this is best guess work here, but more likely he is the Naga then an actual Dragon. Then again he could just be a man, or a man with some draconic heritage."

"Which makes the short answer, anything is possible, but during my time observing him from a distance the only truly distinct features of him were his Amn accent and rather regal manner of a distinguished gentlemen of both wealth and taste."

[Stormbringer]

Kal says his contact does not know the layout as he had hoped but the contact is almost 100% sure they are working with Xanthars and wants payback.

1: Need to find their warehouse if they have another.
1a:Kal will follow the Courier and see who he talks to before the Raid

2: Set up a time to assault it
2A: Kal will follow the Courier and attack him the night of the raid after Courier delivers the missive at the halfway point on the courier's return trip (if there is a courier that night)

3: Assault it 10 minutes after warehouse assault? (if there is a warehouse)
3A: Rush back to be with strike team and let them read the missive.

4: Bob's your uncle

[Cleasor]

What's the objective of the raid? That would drive the tactics. Is it to kill Trillon? Kill everyone inside? If so, why? Capture some and not others? What is the effect on their operations we hope to accomplish by raiding the estate?

Korsan would take the time to share with Ragnar.....

"Outside the City there is a brood of dangerous and evil Dragons who are working to gain not only access to the City of Splendors here, but also to have their way with her. Thankfully the Dragonwards installed to protect the City by Ahghairon have been able to keep the Dragons from entering the City proper."

"Now then, all that being said the Dragons have been making use of a variety of minions to perform their works within the city walls. Trillon Rosznar, the current head of the Rosznar Family, has been using the Family Villa as a command center from which all the various Cult of the Dragon operations within and around the city are ran from."

"In the pass months several of us have worked to undermine the efforts of the Dragons and their minions. We managed to kill off scores of their Lizard Folk tribal warriors with a large tidal wave, we have intercepted their shipments of poison and other war supplies, we have uncovered their vile recruiting methods and destroyed the cult's indoctrination center, and recently we have even successfully raided one of their fortified encampments south of the City."

"Now, ideally the Rosznars are reeling from the damage we have done to their operations and before they have the opportunity to recover, there are those among us who believe it is time to go cut the head off the proverbial snake. The only real catch is technically the Rosznars are a Noble family and attacking them would be considered legally criminal, and the Snake in this case is likely a very powerful Naga."

"I myself personally am expecting this Villa to be filled with some true believing zeal fulled cultists, the best the cult has to offer to see the Rosznar leadership protected, and to carry out their orders. The goal here is to work towards defeating the alliance of Evil Dragons outside the City, by undermining and destroying their operations inside the City. In this particular case the thing we are looking to bring to ruin is the command center for their City Activities."

"Now if all we do is shatter the Villa's defenses and send all the leadership flereing, we will at a minimal likely denied the Cult the Rosznar Villa and the protection of a Noble name to hide behind. What would be far better though would be if we could manage to not just shatter the defenses and bring the Villa to ruin, but if we can also capture or kill the highest ranking leadership of the Dragons, such as Trillon Rosznar."

Ragnar thanks Korsan for taking the time to explain the entire situation. He was rebuked when he last inquired and thus appreciates Korsan's willingness to enlist the aid of others.

"Your analysis of the enemy seems sound and follows what I have learned in my battle training. First, let's discuss the enemy's center of gravity. I would say this is the black dragon. It is powerful and could easily wreak havoc within the city. You mentioned dragons (plural) trying to invade the City but I've only heard your group speak of one chromatic, the Black. There is also mention of a metallic, the Steel, but my understanding is that her allegiance is unknown. The Black can only enter the City if the ward is dropped. That is its vulnerability. No matter how powerful it is, it cannot achieve its aim of domination without the ward being dropped, correct? The Black wants the Cultists to somehow drop this ward from within the City. So eliminating the Cultists eliminates the Black's current method of dropping the ward. May I ask who controls the ward and how it is protected? If the Cultists are eliminated, perhaps the Black will seek other methods to drop the ward. Perhaps if we are successful in thwarting the Cultists in the villa, we should then look to ways to destroy the Black before it finds new allies." He concludes, "If I don't have an accurate grasp of the situation, then I would welcome your further explanation. In the end, tell me where you want my axe during this raid and it shall be there."

[Arianna]

May I ask who controls the ward and how it is protected?

Most likely the ward is somewhere in Ahghairon's Tower since he is the mage that created it in the 11th century. However, all information available notes that the Tower has not been able to be entered since his death in 1256 DR after ruling Waterdeep for 200 or so years.

[Rumple C]

Even better than a triple spy is a Quintuple (or more!) spy with Fenris (and scroll) and Maaril jumping aboard. Room for more with other casters and scrolls/spells?

[jmecha]

Korsan Blackmane Request

"So then, we all will likely be facing a powerful Black Naga, but I am not sure exactly what that means. Can anybody you better educated sorts, or better connected sorts tell me and the others what we should prepare for?

What weaknesses may a Naga have if any?

What dangers do we need to be prepared to face?

Fenris? Does Maaril have answers or advice?

Keryn, any insights from your previous encounter?

Marisha, you have contacts and a talent for pulling information from your purple pockets."

[Peter_Abelard]

Fenris has been quietly visiting the Mason's Guild searching for building plans/drawings for the Rosznar Villa they may have in their archives. He has also visited his mother, Agathe Estelmer, and while catching up on all the family news and noble gossip, casually asks what recollections she has of the Rosznar Villa from the times she has visited there.

He is learning all he can of Naga and their abilities, and perusing the scroll collection at the Order for spells that may be useful in the attack. He has asked his Quarterfolk friends to share any thoughts they have of Cultist battle tactics and magic (Mostly noted from above, thanks!).

Fenris is willing with the help of scrolls to participate in any scrying of the Villa, and also suggests that using a detect thoughts scroll he could attempt to listen in on the inner monologue of anyone coming to or leaving the estate. He asks for more information from his friends about the Rosznar warehouses; their location, what sort of numbers of cultists and other foes may be inside, and what form of distraction was being considered (If I can scoop Mick's thought, he suggested using dimension door to enter, trigger the guardgoyle alarms, drop a cloudkill booby trap for any Cultists teleporting in, and Dimension Door out again; Fenris would volunteer to help with that plan, again with scroll aid, if we go with it).

He is also busy brewing and preparing packs of useful items, such as Restoration Potions, Elemental Protections, Acid Breath vials, Alchemist's Fire, and Healing pots for the Assault Squad to use.

[ayergo]

I have been a bit slow in building this week as I move across the globe.

How about this friday we wrap up all the investigation and other planning that you want, then we execute the following week? Sound good?

[jmecha]

Assualting the Rosznar Villa, before you are ready sounds like a horrible idea. So I am willing to put it off until you are prepared, no matter if it is a week, two weeks or three. They have been an excellent adversary and I have no interest in spoiling this next confrontation by rushing it.

[oldgrayrogue]

Moonglum (who has been off on a bender while I am on RL vacation) listens to all of the plans and contributes the following:

"Sounds ta me like tha biggest weakness in yer plans be dat dese cultists could be teleportin in, or out, during our assault. If I was one a ye wagglers I'd be spendin me time findin a way ta stop dat wit yer magics. What happens if we raid dis place an at tha last minute dey all pop out leavin us dere in pools a fresh blood, weapons drawn, fer tha Watch ta find?"

[jmecha]

Korsan Blackmane would reply....

"That is absolutely one of the risks involved when you decide to take the fight to a technical leagally protected noble family of Evil Dragon Worshipping fanatical cultists here in the City of Waterdeep. Now we have a plan in place to keep the Watch distracted, and I sincerely doubt the Rosznars are going to call the Watch on account of their Villa being the command center for the Cult....likely a lot of skeletons they do not want found."

"All that being said though, I can not stress highly enough that you and everyone else bring along a minimal of one potion of invisablity explicitly for evading confrontation with the City Watch should you need to flee from them."

"Ideally we will teleport out as undetected as we teleport in, but should this quickly devolve into everyone running from the Watch in the direction of their choosing...I am expecting you and everyone else to be prepared for escaping."

[oldgrayrogue]

/// OOC so is this going down tonight or next Friday?

[jmecha]

Not this Friday, maybe Next or the NEXT NEXT

[Stormbringer]

Kal would go ask Doxon if he in interested in attacking several of the Roznars holding's in Waterdeep as a diversion before our attack on the Estate.

[jmecha]

Here is the Current Plan

Prep work

Kal is going to use his contacts to raid a few of the Rosznar's properties just before our assualt in hopes they teleport away a few of their armed personal. This will eat up some of their Teleportation Spells for the day and lessen their armed guards from within the Villa.

Luther, a.k.a. Beaker is going to use his contacts to occupy and distract the City Watch for an hour or two. Which should provide us enough time to get in and out before the Watch comes along to interrupt us.

Step 1
BREACH
We use Stone Shape to create an entrance into the Villa, bypassing the front door.

Step 2
ASSUALT
We make a clean sweep of the Villa doing our best to kill any and all Cultists of the Dragon we encounter. Our goal here is to take the heads of leadership in effort to prevent resurrections.

We expect there to be little to no noncombatants within the Villa, any children or slaves encountered are to be ignored and left behind for the City Watch to find and deal with after we have left.

Step 3
SEARCH
If Possible we will search the premises for Intelligence and Valuables that might provide us insight to the plans of the Dragon Allience or deny them resources.

Step 4
ESCAPE
Ideally Keryn will be able to Teleport us out of the Villa, allowing us to make a clean get away. Should that for any number of reasons become a non-option, every individual involved will be expected to have their own means of escaping and evading the City Watch. It is highly reccomended Characters pack a couple extra invisablity potions and potions of Speed if available, wear a Helm, Mask, or Hood, and do not wear your most identifiable attire.

Step 5
SECRETS
We never speak of this again in public spaces.