Dyer's Absalom Beguiled IC

[grifter730]

Oberon:

"Looks like your brilliant idea may prove effective, old friend" Oberon says to Garren as he tests the grates to see if they can be pried open, or if they're large enough for a person to go through.

Spoiler: OOC

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Are these grates something that can be opened, or do we need to cut the bars or bend them or what?

[DrK]

Rufus

Having joined the others at the docks he eyes up the grates before nodding to TR others and pointing further into the city. "Hey lads. Shall we head into the city a few streets, find the sewers and try and get back to the grate. Then we can open it from the inside. We can grab a couple of stout hacksaws eh? Help cut those bars."

Rufus (along with Garren and Oberon) heads a few streets into the city to find a sewer manhole that he can drop into and then back track to the tide grates.

Spoiler: skills

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Rolled 19s in the OOC

[Athaleon]

Garren

"Sounds a capital idea. If we need to cut the bars open, we should maybe get the cutting done ahead of time, but leave the bar in place. That way it'll look normal from the outside, but when we need to get in, we can just give it a stout shove."

[DyerMaker]

Rufus and friends do some additional research on the sewers. Absalom's sewer system is constructed and maintained by District. The system in the Docks, you find, is different from the system in the Foreign Quarter, where the Temple is located. The construction of these systems is similar for the engineering of the day, but they do not connect.

You find sewer entrances in dark alleys at frequent intervals. The drains are made of stone and provide just enough clearance for a medium-sized humanoid or creature to slide into and drop down. Do you drop down into the sewer?

Also of note, the harbor grates/vents are locked with simple locks.

[DrK]

Rufus

Looking at the dark grate in the alley Rufus sighs sadly before moving to drag the grate aside. "Aye lads. Lets head down and plot the course with the chalks to our warehouse. Its God's own turd that the harbour grates don;t connect to to the main sewers but we'll do our best and these alleys are pretty close to the docks so best we can do eh?"Looking down he shivers before lighting up one of the sunrods they have bought and dropping down into the sewer carefully.

[Athaleon]

Garren

Garren just nodded and took a deep breath before following Rufus into the sewer, as though he might be able to hold his breath long enough to avoid dealing with the smell. Shame about the new boots.

[Eldest]

Maria chuckles. You're gonna like the price. Seven hundred and fifty measures. Now, that includes expenses, but I figure you'd use that well, mmm? Worth the risk? Here's what I know...

Spoiler

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Knowledge checks!
Dungeoneering: is there anything in the sewers to be avoided? (assuming I know their plan to go through the sewers)
(1d20+9)[23]
Local: Who're we stealing from! What're they like, how likely are we to get our butts kicked?
(1d20+9)[20]
History: How is this treated, legally speaking? Are we breaking the law? How much is that law enforced?
(1d20+9)[20]

[grifter730]

Oberon:

"Unfortunately for me, this isn't the worst environment I've had to endure," Oberon says before he plunges into the sewer.

[DyerMaker]

Maria chuckles. You're gonna like the price. Seven hundred and fifty measures. Now, that includes expenses, but I figure you'd use that well, mmm? Worth the risk? Here's what I know...

Spoiler

Show

Knowledge checks!
Dungeoneering: is there anything in the sewers to be avoided? (assuming I know their plan to go through the sewers)
[roll0]
Local: Who're we stealing from! What're they like, how likely are we to get our butts kicked?
[roll1]
History: How is this treated, legally speaking? Are we breaking the law? How much is that law enforced?
[roll2]

1. Dungeoneering: There are plenty of bandits using the sewers as transport, but only at high tide do you have to deal with waterborn creatures.
2. Local: You're stealing from Chelish merchants. The sailors are well trained, but most should be at the Doxy. Just don't get caught or use your real names.
3. History: Slavery is legal, fragile, but legal in Absalom. Don't get caught and no one will bother asking for permits and the like. If you do get caught; run.

[Athaleon]

Oberon:

"Unfortunately for me, this isn't the worst environment I've had to endure," Oberon says before he plunges into the sewer.

Garren

"I don't even want to know," Garren replied as he drew his sword in one hand while covering up his nose and mouth with his other sleeve. "Never know what might be down here. Think the urban legend about the sewer crocs is true?" he asked in a tone that suggested he was trying to be funny.

[DyerMaker]

Dropping down, you land on a 5ft wide walkway of stone. The smell is, as imagined, unimaginable. The walls and ceiling space are rounded with a height of 8ft in places, 5ft tall in others. The sewer is a geometric web these interconnecting corridors. In the middle, between the walkways, is a 3ft deep trough, filled with a mix of waste and salt water. There is some some organic growth on the walls and ceiling, but you don't get the sense that there are crocodiles or anything similar. This area is completely dark. Without some light source or the ability of low light or dark vision, you'll need assistance moving forward.

Rufus knows the way south using his Survival skill.
You may also roll for Stealth during your next post.

What is your next move?

[DrK]

Rufus

Cracking a sunrod on the wall of the sewer to ignite it Rufus looks north and South and with a pistol in one hand and a sunrod in the others looks at the others. "Someone grab the chalk. We want to leave a trail we can follow. Find a route to a grate near the ships and then find a route from there to the drop off point. Once we work out the route we can stash some sunrods and other kit down here if we need to move the little beggars along at speed. Hoping us vanishing down the sewers will dissuade most folk eh?

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth (1d20+8)[9]
Survival (1d20+6)[25] to find a route from nearest to the ship to the adderess we need to deliver them to. Using coloured chalk to mark the route.

[grifter730]

Oberon:

In unfamiliar territory, Oberon is on high alert. He picks up the chalk, and makes a mark on the wall. "These hands are the only weapons I need, so I'll be on chalk duty. Just lead the way."

[grifter730]

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Forgot to roll for stealth.
Stealth: (1d20+6)[26]

[Athaleon]

Garren said nothing, partly to stay quiet and partly because he half-expected to start retching if he opened his mouth. He just nodded and followed, trying not to splash.

Spoiler

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Stealth: (1d20+7)[14]

[DyerMaker]

Marking the sewer walls from the closest entrance to the docks was easier that first thought. The group ends up at Dock 4. The harbor grate is locked with a simple lock. Dock 4 is currently unoccupied and has a floating platform.

(You'll only have to deal with Docks 1 through 10, as possible destinations for the slavers)

What do you do?

[DyerMaker]

1. Dungeoneering: There are plenty of bandits using the sewers as transport, but only at high tide do you have to deal with waterborn creatures.
2. Local: You're stealing from Chelish merchants. The sailors are well trained, but most should be at the Doxy. Just don't get caught or use your real names.
3. History: Slavery is legal, fragile, but legal in Absalom. Don't get caught and no one will bother asking for permits and the like. If you do get caught; run.

Krelista agrees to the fee.

What's next for Maria?

[Eldest]

Maria will give directions for Krelistra to meet up, and then go to get ready for the party, trying to dress well.

[grifter730]

Oberon:

"Looks like we're at dock four. Which dock are we supposed to be at?"

[CasualViking]

Tock Ironthunder

There, the reaction is all done. Wait... oh bugger, I was supposed to be somewhere. Down at the docks. Ready to call up some mist, heal some people. Nothing dangerous. I should be able to make it if I leave now.

[DrK]

Rufus

Glancing about Rufus looks at the others. "Dock 4 eh? Not a bad one. If we can wreck the grate so it opens we can sneak in from any of the docks. Come on eh' lads. We'll hide some rods in the bricks for when we need to run for it. Lets see if we can find our way to the delivery point now eh?" Smelling the stench he shudders. ""Then maybe have a bath eh before we head down the docks and free these slaves and then spend our coin". Looking at the grate he looks at the others- "Apart from a hacksaw to the bars anyone got an idea how to wedge it open?"

[Athaleon]

Garren

"We won't have to saw through it if I can open this lock. Watch my back for a bit." He sheathed his rapier and retrieved a set of fine tools from his pocket, and set to work.

Spoiler

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Garren will Take 10 (total 20) to open the lock.

[grifter730]

Oberon:

"Ah, good old Garren. I have missed your particular skillset with the locks."

Perception (keeping watch while Garren does his thing): (1d20+6)[20]

[DyerMaker]

Maria has a few more hours to get ready for the party but she'll need to meet Krelista near the docks, so no need to procrastinate.
What does your dress look like?
Are you taking weapons?

Tock continues to experiment in his flophouse/lab. Rufus asked him to meet down at the Docks but he has time. THUMP THUMP, that's a nock on your door Tock.
What do you do?

Garren picks the lock as Reid sits on watch, so the boys are now set for their slave exchange. All they need now is a boat and for the sailors to leave it. Then, it occurs to Rufus. The group has chalked the sewer from A to B in the Dock District, but nothing has been chalked at the disconnect for the Foreign Quarter, from a point of entry to the Temple.
How does Rufus feel to have missed this?
Where is Tock?
What's your next move?

One hour 'til Dusk

[CasualViking]

Thump Thump!

Huh. Unexpected. Tock picks up his dragon pistol from the table, checks that it's loaded, and pockets a flask from his stash of nasty chemicals. Well, it's not like that door is actually going to stop anyone for long, and there's no other way out.

Tock opens the door, holding his pistol slightly behind him.

[Athaleon]

Garren stood back in satisfaction at his handiwork, and tested the grate a few times to ensure it stayed unlocked. "Well, that's one leg of the journey covered, and I daresay the most important one. Now we have, what, an hour to scout out the route to the Temple and get back here by sundown. In fact, I think I ought to change out of these clothes before I start trying to track down the ship's captain, or the smell alone will be turning heads my way. "

[grifter730]

Oberon:

"Sounds good to me. I imagine we'd be detected a mile away with this stench. Unless we've forgotten anything that you guys can think of, going for a change and freshening up might do some good."

[DyerMaker]

An elderly human man stands before Tock. The man is dressed in a simple, sack cloth tunic. His hair is grey and messy and his teeth stained yellow. His look is drab, yet stoic and his speech is dull and tedious. Is this the home of Tock ... the dwarf? ... May I come in?

What do you do?

[DyerMaker]

With the sewers mapped out with chalk, the group moves toward a change of clothes and then meeting back near the docks to wait for their quarry. Oberon arrives first, then Garren. Rufus arrives nearly an hour late. Tock, the friend Rufus referred to, doesn't not arrive with the gunslinger. Maria arrives and introduces Krelista; a smuggler of some reknown

Occupied Docks: 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9

Best-case? Your slaver docks at #3 or #5. Docking at #8 or #10 makes your job much, much harder. This will be a random roll unless you make it less so.

You begin to see ladies of the night arriving on the Docks as Heron promised. His form of a distraction for the sailors.


What do you do while you wait?

[CasualViking]

An elderly human man stands before Tock. The man is dressed in a simple, sack cloth tunic. His hair is grey and messy and his teeth stained yellow. His look is drab, yet stoic and his speech is dull and tedious. Is this the home of Tock ... the dwarf? ... May I come in?

What do you do?

"Come on in. Don't touch anything". I take him by the arm and guide him to sit down on the bed. Scanning the room, I spot a cup half full of yesterday's stale beer, which I hand him. The man looks like a beggar, but that doesn't excuse inhospitality. "I am Tock Ironthunder. And who are you?"