Waterdeep is hosting an inaugural Cheese Competition in honor of the new Cheesemongers’ Association, but dairy connoisseurs from across the Realms are now causing chaos in the City of Splendors. Will the event be a grating ordeal or can someone help the Guild make this a gouda experience?
A (Cheesy) Waterdeep Escapade
A Two-Hour Adventure for Tier 1 Characters
CONTENT WARNING
Addiction
Dairy
True

Starting Class: Sorcerer (2024)
Race/Species: Human
Background: House Jorasco Heir
Pronouns: He/Him
I wanna win this time
Starting Class: Ranger
Race/Species: Elf
Background: Guide
Pronouns: She/Her

Starting Class: Warlock
Race/Species: Kalashtar
Background: Custom Background
Pronouns: He/Him

Starting Class: Rogue (2024)
Race/Species: Wyrm-cursed (reflavored Warforged)
Background: Mulhorandi Tomb Raider
Pronouns: they/them
hell yeah let's get that cheddar 💲◡💲

Starting Class: Druid (2014)
Race/Species: Duergar
Background: Clan Crafter
Pronouns: He/Him
+1 Death Cheese crystal that were a by-product of the process: one cheese-flavored "Mind Crystal (subtle) +1 Vial of Whey (Potion of Healing) "This is the whey" written on it. +1 Cheese Plate (strange material armor of fungal spores - breastplate) +1 A dried cheese fragment as sharp as a needle; this is a spellwrought tattoo (featherfall) +1 A cold but always lit candle. (trinket) STORY AWARD: WATERDHAVIAN GOURMET Saving the Cheesemongers’ Association’s guild status earns a character this award: The successful conclusion of your contract with the Cheesemongers’ Association granted you one favor to be fulfilled by the guild during any other adventures in the FR-DC-WATERDEEP series. This favor may be used in any of the following ways: • As a means of funding within the city (up to 350 gp will be paid by the guild instead of by the character; this limit does not increase even if other characters use their Story Awards in the same adventure) • As a positive character witness (only for your particular character) • As a source of information (the guild will answer a query relevant to the ongoings of Waterdeep to the best of their ability) Remove this Story Award once the favor has been used.
+1 Death Cheese crystal that were a by-product of the process: one cheese-flavored "Mind Crystal (subtle) +1 Vial of Whey (Potion of Healing) "This is the whey" written on it. +1 Cheese Plate (strange material armor of fungal spores - breastplate) +1 A dried cheese fragment as sharp as a needle; this is a spellwrought tattoo (featherfall) +1 A puzzle box holding 10 fingernail clippings. (trinket) STORY AWARD: WATERDHAVIAN GOURMET Saving the Cheesemongers’ Association’s guild status earns a character this award: The successful conclusion of your contract with the Cheesemongers’ Association granted you one favor to be fulfilled by the guild during any other adventures in the FR-DC-WATERDEEP series. This favor may be used in any of the following ways: • As a means of funding within the city (up to 350 gp will be paid by the guild instead of by the character; this limit does not increase even if other characters use their Story Awards in the same adventure) • As a positive character witness (only for your particular character) • As a source of information (the guild will answer a query relevant to the ongoings of Waterdeep to the best of their ability) Remove this Story Award once the favor has been used.
+1 Death Cheese crystal that were a by-product of the process: one cheese-flavored "Mind Crystal (subtle) +1 Vial of Whey (Potion of Healing) "This is the whey" written on it. +1 Cheese Plate (strange material armor of fungal spores - breastplate) +1 A dried cheese fragment as sharp as a needle; this is a spellwrought tattoo (featherfall) +1 Fur coat (Fine Clothes) +1 A small marble that randomly changes color. (trinket) STORY AWARD: WATERDHAVIAN GOURMET Saving the Cheesemongers’ Association’s guild status earns a character this award: The successful conclusion of your contract with the Cheesemongers’ Association granted you one favor to be fulfilled by the guild during any other adventures in the FR-DC-WATERDEEP series. This favor may be used in any of the following ways: • As a means of funding within the city (up to 350 gp will be paid by the guild instead of by the character; this limit does not increase even if other characters use their Story Awards in the same adventure) • As a positive character witness (only for your particular character) • As a source of information (the guild will answer a query relevant to the ongoings of Waterdeep to the best of their ability) Remove this Story Award once the favor has been used.
+1 Death Cheese crystal that were a by-product of the process: one cheese-flavored "Mind Crystal (subtle) +1 Vial of Whey (Potion of Healing) "This is the whey" written on it. +1 Cheese Plate (strange material armor of fungal spores - breastplate) +1 A dried cheese fragment as sharp as a needle; this is a spellwrought tattoo (featherfall) +1 Sharp Brimmed Hat (Fine Clothes) +1 A bottle of red liquid that sparkles ever so slightly under direct moonlight, with a faded blue label that cannot be read. (trinket) STORY AWARD: WATERDHAVIAN GOURMET Saving the Cheesemongers’ Association’s guild status earns a character this award: The successful conclusion of your contract with the Cheesemongers’ Association granted you one favor to be fulfilled by the guild during any other adventures in the FR-DC-WATERDEEP series. This favor may be used in any of the following ways: • As a means of funding within the city (up to 350 gp will be paid by the guild instead of by the character; this limit does not increase even if other characters use their Story Awards in the same adventure) • As a positive character witness (only for your particular character) • As a source of information (the guild will answer a query relevant to the ongoings of Waterdeep to the best of their ability) Remove this Story Award once the favor has been used.
+1 Death Cheese crystal that were a by-product of the process: one cheese-flavored "Mind Crystal (subtle) +1 Vial of Whey (Potion of Healing) "This is the whey" written on it. +1 Cheese Plate (strange material armor of fungal spores - breastplate) +1 A dried cheese fragment as sharp as a needle; this is a spellwrought tattoo (featherfall) STORY AWARD: WATERDHAVIAN GOURMET Saving the Cheesemongers’ Association’s guild status earns a character this award: The successful conclusion of your contract with the Cheesemongers’ Association granted you one favor to be fulfilled by the guild during any other adventures in the FR-DC-WATERDEEP series. This favor may be used in any of the following ways: • As a means of funding within the city (up to 350 gp will be paid by the guild instead of by the character; this limit does not increase even if other characters use their Story Awards in the same adventure) • As a positive character witness (only for your particular character) • As a source of information (the guild will answer a query relevant to the ongoings of Waterdeep to the best of their ability) Remove this Story Award once the favor has been used.
The contractee was a one Martancriff, I assume the leader of the new Cheesemonger's society of Waterdeep. There were apparently some concerns about two potential competitors in the then-upcoming Cheese competition the new guild was hosting in Waterdeep. (The concern being, of course, the loss of status and income of/for the guild should the competition provide a platform for criminal activity or harm to attendees.) We were pointed to two men, a human with a D-name and a halfling with an absolute statement of head- and facial-hairstyle. Calkin, I think his name was.
Anyway, we were able to identify Calkin's "cheese" as Lurien spring cheese -- basically a highly addictive Halfling drug in cheese form -- which he had deliberately modified to be a drug palatable to and psychoactive in all humanoids (not just Halflings). We confronted him, he showed no remorse and in fact attempted to flee. Which attempt we successfully stopped. We handed Calkin and his accomplices over to Waterdeep authorities. As for the human with the D-name that I can't remember: He was a standup gentleman, actually, who once we informed him of the potential issues in his cheesemaking process, he willingly withdrew from the competition and vowed to reform. No further action was necessary.
Upon returning to the Cheesemonger's Guild's cheese competition the next day to report our findings, the final judging was interrupted by a terrorist attempt by a warped so-called "cheese elemental" going by the presumably self-ascribed moniker of "the Brieholder". The elemental attacked the crowd - which fled safely - and my compatriots and I successfully subdued the beast.
Martancriff and the Cheesemonger's Guild were adequately grateful and upheld their end of the contract. (That is, providing the agreed-upon payment for our blood loss and time spent.)
Who
Solia, Thompson, Gyaba, Cal, Shev
What
We were enlisted to help investigate some accusations of fowl play during the annual cheese competition. the community? board? something like that. had some credible concerns they wanted us to follow up on. one person was attempting to distribute some addictive cheese. another. was keeping some sort of illegal creature we had to coax into a room.
The competition itself was a bit dodgy as well. A cheese. . creature? of some sort appeared that we needed to put down. we receieved an array of cheese goods. . . .over all odd day.
Where
Waterdeep
When
Alturiak 7th, 1502 Dale Reckoning.
Why
Help those in charge of the cheese festival insure a fair competition.
Party:
Thompson, Shev, Cal, Gyaba, Solia
We were invited to a wonderful festival where local cheesemongers were entering their wares for judgement. I’m not much for dairy, but there were some interesting offerings of rare origin.
We were asked by the Cheesemongers Association to check on a few concerning situations. One dealt with a compound that was making the cheese wildly addictive. They tried to bribe us but we ended up getting them disqualified. It seemed unfair to have that kind of advantage.
Another was using an illegally obtained creature to alter their cheese and it was making people sick.
We were able to resolve all situations with minimal conflict and enjoyed the festivities afterward!