Megadungeon One (IC)

[Ivellius]

Leodric
"No, it wasn't. It was worth far more selling the creatures, but lessons learned." He sips from a mug and sighs. "Well, if you have nothing, maybe a little tomb exploration is in order? We could at least see if it's within our skills." Leodric explains the posting about the Serpent Pass disappearance.

[RCgothic]

Lauren

"The artefact I've discovered could be worth nearly three thousand platinum. Unfortunately to claim it we need to trade it for a weapon currently in the King's armoury, and I've already tried asking for it directly. If we can come up with any ideas, I think that would be by far our most profitable course of action.

But we'd need to enact any plan within two days. Though the opportunity will come around again next month, as long as nobody's beaten us to it."

I haven't heard about the tomb listing yet, and I realise I haven't looked at the board today.

"Actually, I haven't had a chance to catch up on today's postings yet. Give me a sec."

I walk over to the board and examine the new listings. One of them seems to be written in another language, and I attempt to decipher it.

[Malimar]

DM
Lauren recognizes the alphabet as resembling that of an ancient ancestor of Common, but she's pretty sure the words are not actually in that language. It's another code.

[RCgothic]

Lauren

Another code! Well, actually this one was much more straightforward, with just one flash of insight allowing me to decipher the whole thing. I take down the notice and bring it to the others.

"Had you guys considered this one? It sounds like a good cause, and there could be some who would reward us for our service!"

I then lay out what I'd discovered:

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OOC: On Far-night the guards are lax at the slave-market. "I am not a number!" ensues.

[ForzaFiori]

Ekin

"'Far-Night'? 'I am not a number'? I admit that it may be a good job, but I'm not entirely sure what it is we'd be doing.'

[RCgothic]

Lauren
"Sorry, an obscure Miranda theatrical reference. Again, but this time less cryptic:"

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OOC: was trying not to disclose the content of the code like I did last time. Word of DM says we're using Eberon's week days, Sul, Mol, Zol, Wir, Zor, Far, Sar, so Far-night is the night of Far-day. It's pay-day at the slave market, so the guards will either be inebriated or awol, allowing us to release the prisoners. This isn't a crime, apparently.

The reference was: "I am not a number, I am a free man!", a famous quote from the show 'The Prisoner', thusly we give those at the slave market their freedom.

[ForzaFiori]

Ekin

"Ah, freeing slaves. always a noble venture. I'm up for it."

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Must have missed the days thing, else that would have made more sense. Sorry about that.

[Ivellius]

Leodric
"What do we get from it?" the druid asks. "I suppose it would be nice, but some are slaves for a reason. I'm not sure if this is a safe--or valuable--endeavor."

[RCgothic]

Lauren

With a little bit of a start, I realise 'because it's a good thing to do' might not be enough to convince my new companions. I put my mind to thinking about what we personally might gain.

"I can think of several other reasons why it would be a good idea:

#1. Even if all of them are completely destitute, then we would still be generating a large number of people who owe us favours.
#2. If any of them are actually dangerous we could leave them where they are, though there is also something to be said for having dangerous people on one's own side.
#3. If even one of them turns out to be a rich man, we'd be in for a tidy reward.
#4. It might create new bounties to round them up.
#5. 'Freed all the slaves' has more credibility than 'investigated a missing person' to potential employers.

I think we can do this tonight! If the guards are really that weak-willed, I have a couple of spells prepared which should be devastatingly effective. There will be some risk, but from what you've said even the centipede hunting carried risk. I'm sure we can do this!"

I'm practically bouncing with anticipation now! It just seems like such the right thing to do.

[Ivellius]

Leodric
"I'm not sure what kind of favors you think a bunch of slaves could help us with. And you really think 'freed slaves' will help our credibility with employers? Seems like it'd be the opposite of that."

The druid shrugs and makes a reluctant face. "It still seems like you're overestimating our benefits here. I suppose it's something to do, but..."

[RCgothic]

Lauren
Ooh! A proper debate! That perks me right up, and I become more animated, gesturing with my hands to support my points.

“Ok, then let’s approach this from a preparedness point of view. We could accomplish the coded mission this evening and be back in an the inn for supper. I suspected I’d be interacting with people today, so my prepared spells couldn’t be more ideal for a jailbreak. You three look like the types to favour bladed weapons, am I right? Well if there’s any resistance, those will work just fine on the type of opposition we expect. This mission doesn’t seem like much effort or expenditure on our part, and if we’re lucky the rewards could be great.”

By this point my gesturing has dislodged my hair so that it falls across my face, so I reach to tuck it back behind my ear again.

“On the other hand, a tomb from which another adventurer has failed to return practically screams ‘undead’, and I can tell you now that my prepared spells aren’t ideal for that sort of foe, nor would all your nice pointy weapons be. So that means we need to buy new weapons & supplies for the journey, and then spend another night on rooms and stabling so I can refresh my spells before we can even set out. It seems like a losing proposition from the start...”

I suddenly realise I may be condemning a young man to his death, so I continue slightly sheepishly:

“...I mean, I want to rescue the young man too, but by the time we’re ready to go after him we’ll probably have been beaten there by others more prepared than we are. I also hate to admit it, but if my premonition is true I suspect it may already be too late for him. Still, there’s nothing to stop us taking a look tomorrow if you wish. Or there may be new bounties...” I finish lamely.

[ForzaFiori]

Ekin

"We do still have those saps from the centipedes though, if we desperately need some sort of bludgeoning weapon." Ekin points out. "Though I must admit, undead make my skin crawl, and breaking out some slaves would let me keep my picking skills from getting rusty. Not to mention the obvious moral benefits."

[mrcarter11]

As happy as I am for you to be able to figure out the code. I don't see this mission in any moral regard. Slaves are slaves for a reason. They could have been those who were taken from far away lands, they could be paying off debts, or they could be their by punishment of law. Breaking them out, also means that if we were ever connected to it, then the city guard would be less likely to help us, and more likely to try and arrest us for nothing. I believe you are overstating the benefits of this mission and downplaying the risk far to much. I don't think the tomb is such a grand idea either, but there are plenty of other bounties on that board.

[ForzaFiori]

Ekin

"And which bounty would you like to do? The only thing I can see that sounds close to doable is going back to that damned mine. Besides, if they managed to post a bounty here, clearly at least one of the slaves has some resources and influence, and if they don't, we can always turn them back in and claim we "re-captured" them. I doubt slaves would pose much of a challenge. Might wanna do that to any that can't pay us back for it... We might even be able to get a reward."

[RCgothic]

Lauren

I stay quiet during this latest exchange, not wanting to come across as overly pushy. I do find it interesting that with my addition, the group appears to be split down the middle on moral issues.

"Well, the slave market is right here in town. It wouldn't cost us anything to go and scout it out a bit, reconnoitre the site and see if it's plausible."

[Ivellius]

Leodric
The druid considered Ekin's speech more carefully; perhaps one of the slaves might have some education and influence after all? At any rate, it was clear the engineer hated the thought of returning to the mine. Leodric cleared his throat and leaned over, keeping his voice low.

"Okay, we can go to the marketplace and see what it looks like. If it's worth an arrow, we can work on that tonight. If it goes sour...we might need to round up some escaped slaves."

[Malimar]

DM
There's no auction today, but if you want to scope the exterior of the joint, that's entirely reasonable.

(Presumably not all slaves get sold at every auction, else there'd be nobody to rescue. Or else they sometimes receive shipments of new slaves on far day.)

[RCgothic]

Lauren

"So we're decided to at least scout the place out?"

[Malimar]

DM
So the party takes an afternoon trip to Nalf's Slave Market, several blocks from the Black Pier! (There are a number of signs around the city advertising the location, it's not difficult to sign.)

The building seems to be closed for business, though lights still shine in some of the high, narrow windows. It's not too difficult to surreptitiously scout the exterior premises.

The market is a squat, long, stone building. The roof of the north part of the building is raised about 2 storeys high; the south part is not.

West of the building is a large open area surrounded by a colonnade. At one end of the open area is a raised platform with two doors into the building. This is presumably where the actual bidding takes place.

There are two other obvious entrances. Every so often, somebody (some of them armed and armored, some of them not) leaves the building via the door to the south, and wanders off into the city.

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.#...#...#...#...#...#...#####&#######.
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.#...#...#...#...#...#...#           #.
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###################......&           #.
                  #......#           #.
                  #......#           #.
       some       #......#           #.
     unrelated    #......#           #.
     warehouse    #......#           #.
                  #......#############.
                  #....................

. - ground
# - wall
& - heavy wooden door
~ - 10' high platform

[Ivellius]

Leodric
"Well...we're here. We know the guards are weaker tonight. What else do you want to know?" Leodric looks mainly at Lauren. "It seems pretty ordinary to me."

[RCgothic]

Lauren

"I can think of a couple of things. How many guards are there normally? What's the internal layout like? It's still too early to expect the guards to be drunk or out just yet, so we have the time to try and find out. Perhaps if we can get a message to the slaves they can help us with a plan."

I note the high windows, and decide this is a job for my familiar.

"Leonora, go and have a look through those windows for me, try and find the slaves. Please try not to get shot this time! If you find them and there aren't any guards about, ask anything that might help us in a rescue attempt."

I then turn back to the group.

"Ekin, you must have experience getting into (or out of?) places like this. What do you think we should do?

Oh, and Leodric, I've suddenly remembered something..." I fish a slender baton out of a pocket and present it to him. "One of the magic shops on Myth Selu’Glaurach tricked me into buying this, but I think the magic is more druidic in nature - I've never been able to get the hang of it. Unfortunately I've wasted most of the charges already, but it should still come in useful!"

[Malimar]

DM
Leonora flies to the high windows and peers into each in turn. The south end of the building seems to consist of offices, a bathroom, and an employee lounge; there are several accountants working here.

The north end of the east face of the building has only two windows, small and narrow enough that Leonora isn't comfortable entering them, barely more than vents. She might be capable of squeezing in, but should disaster strike, she's not confident in her ability to squeeze back out again quickly.

The two windows to the north smell terrible, but open only onto corridors lined with solid iron doors. The doors have little windows in them. Leonora caws out as loud as she dares, but recieves no response but moaning and chain-rattling. (At least it's confirmed that not all the slaves were sold yesterday, or there's been a new shipment sometime today.)

The west and north faces have no windows. Possibly to keep the stench from driving customers away from the auction courtyard?

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.#...#...#...#...#...#...#####&#######.
.........................#           #.
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.........................#           #.
.#....................~~~#           @.
......................~~~&           #.
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......................~~~&           #.
.#....................~~~#           #.
.........................#           #.
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.#...#...#...#...#...#...#           @.
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###################......&           @.
                  #......#           #.
                  #......#           #.
                  #......#           #.
                  #......#           @.
                  #......#           #.
                  #......##@###@###@##.
                  #....................

@ - high, narrow window (placement may be approximate)

[ForzaFiori]

Ekin

"Slaves would most likely be held in the north part of the building, where there are less windows. Probably behind several locked doors, with manacles. Nothing I can't handle, but it may take a while." He pauses, clearly thinking. "This may not be the easiest heist ever... I really need to get inside there and look around. I don't suppose y'all could handle guarding that vent back behind the building? I'm small enough I may be able to get through it and get inside."

[Ivellius]

Leodric
The druid takes the wand from Lauren. "Thank you," he grumbles, "I'd planned on getting some whenever I found the money. I guess it's healing magic?" He looks almost sheepish accepting it.

He then turns to Ekin. "If you're seen, don't you think the slaves will call to you for their freedom?" Leodric asks. "Still, I'll keep watch as best I can. Be careful in there."

Leodric looks around for a moment and, assuming he sees no one, offers to lift Ekin to the nearest vent if he thinks he can fit.

OOC Spoiler

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Forza, are you a Southerner? You used "y'all."

[ForzaFiori]

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I am indeed. From South Carolina, to be more specific. I tend to use y'all in all my character's speach, mainly because it's nice to be able to differentiate between singular and plural 2nd persons, and "you all" just sounds weird. also just realized that Malimar said the vents were gonna be small for a raven, so this may not be the best plan anymore.

[RCgothic]

Lauren

I realise I never explained what the wand did, so I enlighten Leodric that it is a wand of Cure Light Wounds, before turning back to Ekin. I think those gaps may be too small even for you!

I do think it's important to get a message to the slaves however. We have to find out if they have any useful information, or even what they expect once we've rescued them! I think Leonora could do it, but I'm loath to send her into that much danger by herself - I couldn't bear to lose her! And we already had a close call just yesterday!

I suppose I could create a distraction with Prestidigitation or Dancing lights? We also have many hours until the optimum time to strike. Perhaps we should see if we can gather some information about the guards?

[Malimar]

As the group watches the building (presumably as surreptitiously as possible), they notice a guard (in light armor, armed with a longsword and bow and arrow) emerge from the main (south) door and make a counterclockwise circuit of the building before reentering the door he first emerged from.

[RCgothic]

Lauren

"If they patrol regularly, then that may be a good moment to slip in - assuming they do not become lax later this evening. It doesn't seem like there could be that many guards in there, particularly if they all get drunk this evening - I feel we could have a good chance at this.

I suggest we split up and spend a couple of hours to gather what information we can about how many guards there are, what the internal layout may be, and what we could do with the slaves once released. I should also nip back to the inn to collect my weaponry before we go ahead with this."

[Ivellius]

Leodric
"If you insist. Do you think the building's empty now? Perhaps Ekin could slip inside. Otherwise, I suppose that's fine. I'll see what anyone knows about the slave markets on such nights."

Leodric waits for his allies to interject before striking out to interview the town's citizens.

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Gathering Information check: (1d20)[12]

[RCgothic]

Lauren

"I would not underestimate the number of guards by so much. I would expect at least 10, perhaps halved to five or so drunk ones by late this evening if we're lucky. But these are things we may discover in the course of our reconnaissance. My sleep spell should have a potent effect on the inebriated, though after that we should try not to kill anyone if we can avoid it.

Let's say we meet back here at about two hours after twilight?"

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Gather information check:(1d20)[8]