AvB - Ishmael

[Monodominant]

Complicated thinks Ishmael.

The man who was terrorising the banker was the Toe. He in turn was reporting to the Foot and he had a bunch of thugs under his employe. Now one of them has to report to the Hand which sounds someone more highly positioned.

It starts to seem that simply killing the banker may be simpler than to deal with the entire Jacks organisation.

On the other hand Edistris also had an interest in them so following as many leads as possible would be beneficial either way.

Finally considering what he knows and what his end goal is and since the bank was closed anyway so he cant follow that lead immidiatetly he stays put and observes the house waiting for his target of choice or the man who mentioned the Hand to leave.

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Sorry if I am taking it to slow or not doing to much "action" stuff... I am a bit unsure how to proceed to be honest.

[planswalker]

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it's cool. Information gathering is important. That'll keep you from going to the docks at night or other such silly death sentences.

They stay up a while later, drinking yet more ale, and pass out one by one drunk. The one who mentioned the Hand was the last to fall.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael considers murdering them all in their sleep. That would cause them significant problems and allow him to vent some frustration from the trap he fell on the previous night.

He realises this would kill one of his main leads though and thus avoids doing it. Instead he relaxes and waits like the good lurker that he is.

He spends the night in a comfortable shadow patch observing and waiting. During that time he finishes the rations he has with him and thus will have to find some food to keep the cloak working. Additionally he has started getting some weight and some exercise will be needed to keep him in shape.

[planswalker]

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btw, is that 2 days in a row without sleep?

He stares at passed out drunks sleeping all night.

[Monodominant]

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Er nop. I went and slept after escaping the guards. Subsequently when I woke up I went to the bank and found out it was closed and started looking for the thugs. So right now I guess I am like 12-14 hours without sleep :)

Would I be able to safely sleep in my hiding spot for a few hours while waiting? Would camouflage of the skulk work while sleeping?

[planswalker]

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I'll say you can, with a -10 to your hide check because you basically found a spot to hide and fell asleep, and thus are unable to actively stay out of sight.

[Monodominant]

The Skulk gets some sleep himself in his quiet secured corner but his sleep is troubled and disquiet. Just a few hours of rest later and he wakes up to continue his vigil waiting to see if either of the important men go somewhere.

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Hide: (1d20+19)[26] - not sure if I can add the cloak to this (with cloak I have +29 when taking the -10 you said).

[Monodominant]

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It will be tragic to wake up surrounded by gang members heh... the one slip :D

[planswalker]

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yes, you have the cloak. Something would have to have a +19 to spot or better to have a non-zero chance of finding you. Unless there's something cheezy going on, that's way outside your encounter level.

Your "important" men wake up a few hours later with hangovers, groaning quietly as they get dressed and head in two different directions, the one under the Toe to the north and the one who mentioned the Hand to the south.

[Monodominant]

His head also a bit woozy Ishmael decides that possibly the man working for the Hand can wait. He now knows one of their lairs anyway.

He follows the Toe's man carefully hoping for a bigger fish.

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Hide: (1d20+39)[40]
MS: (1d20+23)[24]

[planswalker]

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you know, your h and ms is so absurd, it's almost not fair to everyone you follow.

He eventually makes his way over to one of the nicer bath houses in Old Town, where he proceeds to enter through a side entrance marked "employees".

[Monodominant]

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Heh yes but you are the one that suggested I play as a Skulk! I didnt even know they existed!

Plus in the end... for all my hide and ms I am incredibly easily thwarted... Glitterdust and I'm done.

Ishmael curses. Either the Jacks somehow control a wider area of services than he thought or this guy has a day job as well as a night job.

Ishmael examines the bath house and checks if there is a way for him to enter unoticed behind the man.

[planswalker]

There are no windows on that portion of the bathhouse. However, there are windows in the back you could sneak through into rooms that do not have occupants.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael uses the hat to adopt a generic human look and makes his clothes look appropriate for a bath house of this level.

He then tries to gain entry from the windows to one of the back rooms that seem to be empty. If he manages to get inside he goes into stealth mode once again and observes the place to see who seems to have free access to the various locations.

[planswalker]

The first window he enters through happens to be a room where spare towels and such are kept, and the door is locked that leads into the rest of the building, requiring a key to use from either side.

[Monodominant]

Firstly he closes the window behind him to ensure noone will notice it or him. Then without losing time Ishmael approaches the door and looks out from the key hole. When he is certain noone is around he tries to tinker with the lock in order to open the door.

If he succeeds he takes a towel with him in case it proves useful and then checks through the lock again to see if anyone is around or if if can hear movement outside and when the coast is clear he sneaks outside trying to hide and walk softly as quickly as possible.

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(1d20+14)[33] for open locks

hide (1d20+39)[47] and ms (1d20+23)[32]

[planswalker]

You unlock the door. Beyond it is a hallway with four rooms along the side you are on, including the one you came through.

Yours is called "surplus storage". The next three in order are called "towels", "wardrobe", and "supplies".

The other side of the hallway has only a single sliding double door in the center of the hallway. The single pair of doors, one at each end of the hall, are unlabeled.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael takes a brief look at "wardrobe" and at "supplies" to see what things are kept there and if perhaps in wardrobe is where the staff keeps their things.

After looking through those areas he also has a look through any keylocks to see what is behind the two doors at the end of the corridor and then finally does the same at the sliding doors all the while remaining close to the wall so that his camouflage works.

He also checks how this hallway is illuminated and since there dont seem to be direct windows here if there are torches or candles he extinguishes one or two just to make the place a bit darker but without raising suspision.

[planswalker]

all the doors except the sliding doors are locked.

[Monodominant]

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Paranoid much?

Do I see anything from the key locks though?

Ishmael decides to check out the sliding door for a moment before spending time unlocking the other doors.

He approaches carefully and uses a dagger to open it just an inch and peer outside.

If what he sees is not dangerous or would risk exposing him he opens it a little more to get a better look.

[planswalker]

Beyond the sliding door is a common room where men with towels draped around their waists are lounging about, idly chatting. Men dressed in uniform tunics are walking through, delivering drinks and cigars.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael observes for a little while to check if he sees anyone he recognises including the Toe or the big muscled Thug or any other thugs of that group. Either as patrons or as servants.

He also tries to see if there are other exits and entrances to the common room and where the clients come from and where the servants come from.

After a bit he moves back and goes to check the locked doors. He searches all of them for any type of alarms or traps and if he finds none he tries to open the one labeled Wardrobe.

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Taking 20 on searches on the doors.

Open Locks
(1d20+14)[25]

[Monodominant]

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I also forgot to re-ask if I see anything threw the keyholes inside the actual other rooms...

[planswalker]

In the one marked "towels", you can't see too much through the keyhole, as someone has hung a white towel on the inside handle, covering the keyhole.

In the one marked "wardrobe", it seems to be mostly uniforms like the ones the staff is wearing, some hung up clean and others piled up dirty.

"Supplies" seems to consist of various supplies used in the bathhouse.

[Monodominant]

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If I managed to open it then I will take a clean outfit and wear it. Afterwards I will use the hat to make me look even more like those uniformed men.

Having completed his outfit and being more relaxed as the chance to be discovered is reduced Ishmael takes a look at the two remaining locked doors and checks what is behind them through the key locks.

He does so hidden and walking softly off course.

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Also did I see anyone familiar in the common room? Where there any other doors to and from there?

[planswalker]

In the one marked "towels", you can't see too much through the keyhole, as someone has hung a white towel on the inside handle, covering the keyhole.

"Supplies" seems to consist of various supplies used in the bathhouse.

You don't recognize any of the half-naked men or the servingmen.

You are now disguised as one of the staff.

[Monodominant]

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You got me wrong. I meant the two doors at the ends of the corridor. The unlabeled ones :)

Anything visible inside those?

[planswalker]

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oh. oops

The two unlabeled doors have keyholes that are difficult to see through. In one, all you can see is a square of red cloth. In the other, a hairy arm.

[Monodominant]

Ishmael pauses unsure of how he should proceed. He considers knocking on the door with the game to pretend he is a servant or something to that effect but decides against for the moment. The door with the red cloth is also interesting but the potential to be discovered is far too high. Instead he goes for a bit more scouting.

He breathes out. Composes himself and carefully walks out the sliding doors carrying a few extra towels he takes from the room he entered from.

He tries to be casual and relaxed and moves around with fake purpose. He looks around for other doors in an effort to see where his target is.

[planswalker]

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disguise check

The other doors out of the common room include six doors each along the walls common to the one you came out of and double hinged doors on the far side.