The City of Glasken - Party One

[Ganurath]

Kantu

The paladin looks at Varan, his eyes narrowing behind the mask of his helm as he seems to peer into the man's very soul. He didn't have much of an excuse to stare before. "It's what he told us, anyway."

OOC: Detect Evil. I'm not sure how the formation would be in this situation, other than that Varan is in the cone due to being focused on him, and that neither Rose nor the kid are in it. Unless Varan is opposite Rose, but that would mean the kid pointing through Rose, so...

[Rizban]

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It's something like:

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| Kantu |       |       |
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|       |  Kid  |  Rose |
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|       |       |       |
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|       | Varan |       |
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You detect a faint evil aura somewhere nearby.

[BenTheJester]

Varan steps up to the orc pushing gently the orphan to the side.

Remaining perfectly calm, he looks down upon the orc, trying to stare at the beast's eyes as best as he can.

With a firm voice, he confronts the armor-clad Paladin, speaking with elaborate words to gain superiority in conversation by focusing on the orc's obvious flaw, while making sure, through body language, that he is perfectly understood:
"You seem to have a predicament with me paladin, but now is not the time to ponder over it.

"We have a duty at hand, and my reputation for completing assignments is immaculate, and I'd rather keep it that way.

"I will be glad to deliberate over my past once this is all concluded."

After this last sentence, Varan begins to walk away, but he turns his head to say his final words:

"And for the record, you might want to restrain from calling me "Doggy"."

[Rizban]

The kid realizes no one is paying attention to him at the moment and takes the opportunity to bolt. He had his gold after all.

Fluttering to the ground behind him, the note lands at the feet of Rose.

[Omegonthesane]

Rose would have physically shrugged at the kid bolting with no further information, but it wasn't that big a deal. Since the two (other) primary fighters are staring eachother down, Rose swipes the note and reads it over, straining a little at some of the words.

The names there... Had she heard of these people? Didn't look like anything to do with the group; there probably was a few gold in getting it to its rightful owner. Chump change for her of course, but...

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Knowledge (local) about the people named in the note (1d20+3)[17]

[Ganurath]

Kantu narrows his eyes and nods. Kantu considered the possibility the aura came from the kid, no big deal since kids were allowed to make mistakes. However, given the strongarm's reaction... He was a bad guy, definitely. "I think I'll be on the sidelines for this, all things considered. I'll step up if things get violent, though. Hopefully it won't come to that; will it, Marius?"

Truly, truly bad with names.

[Rizban]

Omegonthesane

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Rose doesn't recognize any of the names, though she feels she might have heard of Mardarius before. She thinks she may know someone among her... friends who would have more information. If only she had time to contact him before nightfall and this meeting. Of course, if they attend this meeting, what will happen with the merchant and his "shipment"? Which would prove to be more profitable...

[Rizban]

The bell towers in the temple district ring in the distance. It becomes apparent that evening is coming, and if they are going to scout out this warehouse or follow the lead on the note, they'll need to get moving in one direction or the other or both.

[Blackknight1239]

Daro Lochreen

"We done here, people? It's already nightfall, and we need to get this done. I'll sneak ahead, see what I can. After I get back, we'll form a plan, and get what we need. Got it?

[Omegonthesane]

"...Yeah, go on ahead. We'll be done when you get back." Ten gold - the total that kid was expecting for delivery - was chump change for Rose. Nothing like the price that merchant was likely to pay... assuming he was being truthful in the matter. Sadly, Kantu and Varan still seemed to be at loggerheads. Kantu had said something about detecting evil; was that why he wanted to be on the sidelines now? "Kantu, Varan, break it up, we don't have all night." Hopefully they would just listen to reason. Hopefully.

[Ganurath]

Kantu

Kantu gives Rose a glance, then nods. She was trying to avoid conflict, and worked for honest people, so he could listen to her. Giving Varan a wary glance, Kantu steps back. "Relax, relax, I just have trouble working with those I have a bad feeling about. We can probably talk it out later, though. For now... Scouting things out sounds good. Maybe with a talker to keep the guards busy with pursuing a peaceful resolution? We don't even know if the merchant paid in advance like he said, after all."

[Blackknight1239]

Daro Lochreen

"Mmm, no. I'm sure our best bet is to steal the items back. We'll be supisicous even as is, so I doubt talking will solve anything. Unfortunately..." Daro gives a casual shrug. He ties his hankerchief around his face. Can't be recognized, of course. Pulling a dagger from his tall boot, he spins it in his fingers before taking a quick stretch. "I suppose I'll be off, then. Don't kill each other, alright?"

[Rizban]

Blackknight1239

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If you're going to be sneaking around the warehouse, I'm going to need Hide, Move Silently, Spot, Listen, and Search checks, assuming you want to do any of those actions.

[Blackknight1239]

Mister DM!

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We'll go with all of them. Whether I use the skills or not, quicker to do them all at once.

Hide (1d20+9)[14]
Move Silently (1d20+9)[17]
Listen (1d20+1)[17]
Spot (1d20+1)[19]
Search (1d20+6)[8]

[Rizban]

Daro walks past the warehouse down the street as if heading past it, and the guards pay absolutely no attention to him.

As soon as he reaches the back of the building, he darts into the alley and begins to poke around. No one notices him immediately. Searching around a bit, he discovers that the only two entrances which aren't heavily barred are the front door, which is being guarded, and the dock entrance, which currently has about 12 workers offloading a ship and the dock master overseeing the operation and tallying up just how big of a bribe he can get for approving this shipment. All the windows are too small for even a halfling to squeeze through and are heavily barred, not to mention a good 10 feet above street level. From here, it looks like many of the windows are boarded up or otherwise covered from the inside.

Sounds of shifting crates and the creak of wooden wheels can be heard amongst the shouted commands and muttered curses of the men working inside.

Daro does notice two possible points of entry. One is a ladder of sorts hanging from the roof. The bottom of the ladder is a good 25 feet off of the ground, though it appears to be some sort of fire escape intended to extend when enough weight is placed on it. The other is a slightly rotted bit of paneling which might be forced open to create a 'door' of sorts.

[Blackknight1239]

OOC:

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Okay, Daro is going to try to move the paneling a little to see inside.

Move Silently (1d20+9)[12]
Str Test? (1d20)[4]

[BenTheJester]

Adressing Kantu once more, Varan says: "Don't worry", pausing to take a look at his scarred arms: "even though I may look like the kind of guy who take interest in conflict, I am not. If a situation can be settled through speech, it saves embarassment for everyone."

Still being bothered by the letter, Varan asks Rose if she could be a witness at his meeting.

He also goes to the orc, asking if he wants to come: "I saw the kid give you the letter, would you mind being present at the reunion mentionned in the letter? I have a feeling this will be my chance to prove my worth to you. The 3 others should be fine here. We will come back later if there is anything."

[Aethyron]

Kalten

"Not to, uh, pry." Kalten says hesitantly, "But is this something the rest of us should know about? And, if you are... going somewhere, could you at least maybe wait until... uh, 'Daro'?... gets back?" He glances around at the others, eyebrows raised.

"If whats-his-name comes back" He mutters after a moment.

[Omegonthesane]

Rose was about to suggest a slight revision to the group that went chasing after the letter thingy, considering the obvious tensions between the other two fighters and the opportunity to get the night with Kantu. But before she could blurt it out, what's his name, the wizard - Kalten? - pointed out what should have been first and foremost in her mind: Varan was obviously hiding something from the party. If nothing else, why the hell was he about to pretend to be Madarius from the letter?
"Come to think of it, yeah, what aren't you tellin' us Varan? Who's Madarius, for a start? An' isn' it a little late to chase after a sundown meetin'?" Not to mention he was proposing taking all the warriors away, leaving only a couple of sneaks and a squishy scholar to finish the real job.

[Rizban]

Daro attempts to move the paneling but is unable to do so. It seems firmly attached, if rotten. The only way to open this would be to break through it, something probably unwise with so many people inside the building.

[Blackknight1239]

OOC:

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Daro is going to loop back 'round, and meet up with the party. Pretty much seen all I can. Just in case.

Move Silently (1d20+9)[10]

[Rizban]

Daro rendezvous with the party and relates the information he has learned.

[Aethyron]

"So, uh, we have the front door with two guards, the back door with a whole lot of workers- were they armed, by the way?- that ladder that's out of reach and the rotted panel you couldn't quietly break, right?" Kalten frowns, losing some of his hesitant manner now that he's concentrating on a problem.

"Obviously we could fight our way in, which I'd rather... um... not do. I could probably put one or two people to sleep, or, uh, charm someone. If... if anyone has some rope and like a... grappling hook we could try to quietly drag the ladder down." He pauses, considering, "I have some, uh, some acid. Maybe we could use it to weaken that rotten wood enough that we could break it, or something?" Kalten falls silent, looking up at the others and flushing slightly when occurs to him how much he's been talking.

"Unless... unless... does anyone have a better idea?"

[Sallera]

Verin

"Hmm. Well, way I see it, we've got a bit of time. Dock workers'll probably clear out an hour or two past dark, if not before then. We get one of those street urchins to sell the guards a skin of wine with some of this in it" - he holds up a small vial - " and with a bit of luck they'll be snoozing soon enough. Bash in the panels Daro found, clear out with our crate, leave a few others in the alley like we forgot them or got caught along the way, and be gone swift as we can." He scratches his ear, glancing around carefully. "'Course, it likely won't work out that easily, but mayhaps one of ye can come up with a second plan for that eventuality?"

[Blackknight1239]

Daro Lochreen

"Enough money or words will be enough to get us out anything. I've been talking my way out of trouble since I was ten." He says with a sly smile. "Otherwise we could knock them out or put it them to sleep; magical or otherwise...I'm sure this will be cake, though."

[Ganurath]

Kantu

The half-orc jerks a thumb toward the twilight sun. "Y'know, if it's a choice between a questionable pickup and a meeting intended to prevent conflict, I'd rather follow the kid's message."

Although the mask of his helmet hides it, Kantu is now smirking at Varan. "Sounds like a chance to redeem an evildoer, or at least point toward reform."

[Sallera]

Verin

"Go, then. I know not what it is you plan on doing, but if you still wish to help with this job, we may well still be waiting by the time you finish. As I say, I'd like to wait for the dock workers to leave if we can; there are far too many of them to deal with appropriately. Hmm... on that note, actually, do any of you have better knowledge of such matters? Will they work into the night?"

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Probably not worth much, but an untrained Knowledge: Local check on that: (1d20+1)[7].

[Rizban]

Casual observation reveals the dockworkers to be day laborers, probably hired off the street for this job and this job only. Their work will be be done once everything is unloaded and stacked, at which point they'll be paid and dismissed. The overseer is an employee of the city and is there to ensure the city is getting enough in taxes and to ensure he's getting enough in bribes.

The guards, however, look like regular employees and will most likely be replaced by the night shift at any time now.

The owner or manager of the warehouse is certainly on site somewhere as well, though none of you have seen him as yet. After all, the workers wouldn't be working without someone there to pay them.

[Blackknight1239]

Daro Lochreen

"Alright, I have a plan. Two teams. Rose, Kalten and Verin are back up. Wait in the alley if possible, bust in if and when we give the signal. Hopefully it won't come to that. I'll take Kantu and Varan. We'll talk our way through. Hopefully, they'll realize messing with a noble such as I will end badly, and thus be more than happy to help us I bet. If it comes to blows, we'll just knock 'em out. No reason for us for have blood on our hands, eh?"

[Rizban]

OOC - to whole party

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Kantu and Varan are going to the tavern to follow the lead with the note and so won't be available to for the warehouse job, unless you wait until significantly later in the night.

The workers finish unloading the ship as dusk approaches. The ship itself is secured, and the workers enter the warehouse, the large dockside doors closing behind them. One by one, they file out of the front doors, some counting their coins while others try to act inconspicuous as if they aren't carrying anything of value. As the last worker exits, one of the two door guards shoves him to the ground, laughing. The other guard kicks him. Even from here, you can hear them demanding that he pay what he owes them. It seems as if he lost some sort of a wager and now owes them his day's wage.

Varan looks up at the sky and realizes that if he and Kantu are going to make the rendezvous at the Blue Ox, they will need to leave immediately.