Adventurers' Guild 2: operation Mongoose

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan folded his hands together and nodded while beaming, apparently oblivious to anything that Sheila may or may not do.
"Y-you may do so. Perhaps some tending to that nasty bruise of yours w-when you get back?" He was just so thrilled to have the situation extend beyond physical conflict that he really wanted to deny the idea that it might slip back.

[SithLackey]

Victor grins at Zan's jab at the old man, and continues to watch the surrounding buildings, although by now he's not really expecting to find anything.

[Karaswanton]

Eodrick observes the situation wordlessly, and with caution.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

The fighter stands fast, with one hand on her sword, the other lightly gripping the stiletto hilt, and lets the old man go get her father.

[DavidByron]

Summoning whatever dignity he can under the circumstances to old guy walks back around the corner heading for the Inn's stables.
[hr]
Amethyst thinks about following after the younger man through the open door into the inn. There's plenty of places to hide behind in the inn's courtyard. It looks like a number of trash items were taken out of the inn and dumped when they inn was closed. Some old crates, a stack of old table and chairs being thrown out. Empty barrels and another cart that's bust. A stack of hay looks fresh, but that's further away towards the three horses in stalls on the other side of the small courtyard from the inn proper.

Amethys approaches the door and looks through. A short corridor. Closed door on the left, stairs down, closed door on the right heads in the direction of the main public area of the inn and its front door. More old crates and furniture stacked. Sounds like the young man went down the stairs and is talking to someone else excitedly, "they're beating up the boss, what do we do??"

Spoiler

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Roll a listen check if you want the other end of the conversation if there is one.

Just then Amethyst hears someone, presumably the old guy come running into/through the courtyard back behind her.
[hr]
As the old guy gets round the corner out of sight from Shiela and the other adventurers he stops walking and starts sprinting.

Spoiler

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Roll a listen check and you might hear him do this.

[hr]
Amethyst has just a few rounds to decide what to do. Ducking back out the door might get her spotted. She could try one of the two closed doors and get through it if not locked. She could hide behind the old crates in the corridor which would hide her easily unless whoever is behind her is going to go to the back of the corridor and use the right hand door. Or she could head down the stairs of course....

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan smirked when he saw Victor's grin though, to be honest, he had no idea why the man was smiling. The next person he looked to was Eodrick, and his cautious look promted a sigh. Speaking low and in Dwarvish...

"You think there might be trouble? I'm going to admit my discomfort with the situation."

[Trulhammaren]

Spoiler

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(1d20+1)[8] - Listen check

I'm gonna guess that this 8 won't do me a whole lot of good.

Curses....I can't hear a reply. What's that......

Hearing the sounds of the man coming back Amethyst takes a quick look around and decides to make her way down the stairs. I need this information and do have a way out if need be.

As cautiously as time allows Amethyst creeps down the stairs trying to get an earful of whatever is being said with the keyword to her disappear spell on her lip if the need to make a quick escape arises.

Spoiler

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IF she needs to use the spell she will and attempt to make her way back up the stairs and out the door, however if the smoke causes people to head that way she will find the closest open door or hiding place and take a break there.

[DavidByron]

Amethyst heads down the stairs. At the bottom another corridor, brick lined, arched / vaulted ceiling. To the right heading towards the front of the inn, some voices and a light past a slightly open door about 50 or 60 feet away, to the left a dark room through an arched doorway (no door just open). Between the stairs and the room with the light in it at the end of the corridor are two other doors on the left side of the corridor. Wooden doors, closed, metal keyhole / locks, circular iron door handles (same with all three doors). Nothing to hide behind in the bare corridor which is about four feet wide and six and a half feet tall.

Amethyst can hear the heated conversation clearly enough from the base of the steps.

Angry Man:
"... too soft for too long. That whole thing with going back for his tools and pipe too. Ridiculous."

3rd Man:
"How many did you say there are?"

Young Man:
"Six.. five. Armed to the teeth."

Angry Man:
"Well is it five or six?"

3rd Man:
"We'll just have to use the tailor and the others as hostages."

Young Man:
"And one has a big dog."

Since there is nowhere to hide ahead of her, Amethyst ducks into the dark room to her left as the old guy starts down the stairs behind her. He is in a big hurry still. He heads down the corridor towards the light and enters the room but moves out of sight.

Old Boss Guy:
You, tailor, why is the Adventurers' Guild interested in you?

The reply seems to be spoken quietly.

Old Boss Guy:
Why didn't you say anything about this before?

..... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....

Old Boss Guy:
No they are all far too suspicious. You better not have tipped them off somehow.

.....

Old Boss Guy:
OK we don't have much time.

There's a sound of a brief struggle.

Old Boss Guy:
Give me a hand with him. You load up the suits. Don't bother with the cart; it's too slow. Everything else: burn it.

Angry Man:
"And the halflings?"

Old Boss Guy:
They could still be useful. Make sure they're all tied up but don't do anything to them.

Spoiler

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Sorry about the small amount of railroading but this part is really only Amethyst responding. If you want to do much more than wait until the coast is clear you'll need a hide / move silently roll.

The dark room Amethyst has ducked into smells like it has been used to store peat.

[Trulhammaren]

Well, I think there will be nothing more for me to learn here, not to mention assistance will be needed I think.

Goodbye(in Goblin) Amethyst whispers and turns invisible and casts an illusionary sound of a board breaking behind the men to draw their attention away from the sounds of her feet quickly making their way up the stairs and out the door.

Rounding the corner of the house Amethyst notices the rest of the team, disengaging her spell she appears to her companions.

Friends, we have a situation abroad. It appears your father is now a hostage along with some halfings. We should hurry they plan on lighting everything they don't take with them on fire.

Amethyst turns back to head toward the door drawing the rapier at her side in a swift motion.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan blinked when Amethyst spoke, as though the words she spoke could not have possibly been true. "The.... w-w-went back on their word? B-but..." He uttered a low, nearly inaudible growl and began to unwrap his guisarme.

"I, for o-one, am all finished trying to find a p-peaceful solution to this problem. W-.... We've been betrayed harshly, and I'm for f-fast action like our c-cohort here has said." With the binding and wrappings removed, Zan turned the guisarme a few times to reaffirm familiarity with this weapon. "Oooooh Boccob..." He had barely gotten the words out of his mouth when they were drowned out by the flask pouring ale down his throat, calming his nerves.

[SithLackey]

Victor turns to the newcomer, looking inquisitive, but ready. "Right then. You've been inside, lead on." Victor draws his bow and tests the string, then sights down an arrow to ensure it is to make a good first shot.

[DavidByron]

Amethyst, Zan and Victor followed by Sheila, Fin, Eodrick and Sandra head round the side of the inn and into the small courtyard that holds the inn's stables.

Spoiler

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described above: 3 horses, a cart and lots and lots of junk and other places to hide behind

Quickly covering the ground to the back door, which is still open, Amethyst, Zan and Victor meet the old guy, the young man coming the other way down the corridor inside the building and headed for the door. Between them they hold Sheila's dad who is unconscious.

Old guy:
Stay back! We're bringing him out for you, but you can't come in; this is private property.

[Thanatos 51-50]

Shiela

She had been in a battle-ready stance as they entered through the door, and was now on full alert, naked steel and everything.
Her dad was now unconcious, this... was bad. There will be blood.
Her Scimitar in one hand and stiletto gripped by the blade in the other, the fighter coiled her legs, ready to spring foward and into the assault.

"You had better unhand him and step down, "friend", or we may unhead you."

"Couldn't think of anything better to say, could you?"

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan looked down solmenly upon Shiela's advancement, and he fully armed the guisarme (or rather, at least drew it from its bindings).

"The d-deal did not include any harm coming to Mr. Tailor. You've s-severely erred in this action."

[Karaswanton]

Eodrick

Eodrick whispers to his team-mates

Hold up a minute. We can see if any serious harm has come to him once he's over the fence. We shouldn't begin any hostilities just yet. We came here for Mr. Tailor, and now we nearly have him. The rudeness--and possible harm to him--notwithstanding, he'll probably be safe soon. We can always come back later.

[SithLackey]

Victor whispers back to Eodrick as he sights on the men in the doorway. "According to our sneaky friend, they're going to burn the place, so whatever we're going to do, we need to do it now. There are others inside who have done nothing to deserve death this day."

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan shook his head, taking his last swig of ale before the conflict, which could go any way as he was well aware of.

"My patience has, for one, worn thin. Given the information received from Amethyst and the very nature of these pople, I'm seriously... ... something is going to happen, Eodrick. Something is going to happen and whether violent or not, things will be tense regardless." Zan had said all of this while not realising that it was in Dwarvish, which would account for his lack of stuttering. He didn't have his weapon pointed or anything, but he did have it ready in the event that he truly needed it.

[Karaswanton]

Eodrick

Eodrick readies himself to draw his axes.
Dolan rises to his feet--standing nearly even with Eodrick--and barks, hackles raised.

[DavidByron]

Old guy:
"Now, now! I've upheld my side of the bargain. Mr Tailor is unharmed. He is merely asleep under a spell and will waken normally in a couple of hours. This is for his own safety as well as ours; the spell will have removed his memory of events here, which is why I can release him into your hands.

Here, you, the daughter, and the guy with the guisarme. Can you take Mr Tailor off our hands? He's quite heavy and I'm too old for this."

Shamus had been supported under his arms with a man either side. The younger man seems keen to lose his burden. The older man moves a little forward close to Sheila and then almost drops Shamus towards her and Zan, possibly by accident. He does look tired.

Young man:
Yeah, you got him now so clear off.

The young man has a short sword in a scabbard at this time, although he hadn't the last time you saw him. The older guy grabs him by the shoulder as if to hold him back.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan had made a decision at that moment, and quickly. With it, he allowed his teammates to make yet another decision at the same time.

Slowly, nearly reluctantly attaching the weapon to his back by one strap, Zan walked forward towards Mr. Tailor. He was heavy, but Zan was confident in his ability to carry the man by slinging Shamus's arm around Zan's shoulder and hoisting him in that manner. With this, one thing that the old man said had come to be true; the group did have the person they wanted, at least.

The decision Zan left his team to make was what they were going to do with the old man and those that worked for him. There were a lot of things at stake, supposedly lives were in danger. That wasn't his concern any longer, Zan had his own goal of bringing Shiela's dad to relative safety.

"...." He looked down at the ground as he trudged to the rear of the group. If they fought, he'd have to stay out of this one. Fighting wasn't his thing, anyway.

[SithLackey]

"Amethyst, are you sure they said halflings were inside?" Victor keeps his bow trained on the two men, thankful he no longer has to worry about shooting Mr. Tailor accidentally.

[Akyana]

Sandra looks over and blinks, somehow she had missed the group moving except for the last person. She follows them indoors and curses a little. She hated fighting indoors because it restricted her movements. She follows up in back with her sword still sheathed. Upon entering the room she looks at where everyone was located, and who was holding Shiela's dad

[Thanatos 51-50]

"Victor, the first one to even twitch towards his blade gets an arrow through the neck."
Shiela said as she swiftly scabbarded her stiletto and moved to support her dad (Should be an easy task), while still wielding her scimitar in a threatening manner.

She backs off a few paces, and asssuming no distractions, leans her father against a wall, and quickly looks over his body for any wounds.

Spoiler

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Heal - (1d20)[11]

[DavidByron]

Shamus has a small cut on his head which is very recent.

Seeing that Sheila has found this,
Old guy:
"Ah. We might have accidentally bumped his head carrying him up the stairs. Just a scratch."

[MK Kilmarnock]

Zan brought up his eyes up to the old man temporarily from his watch over Shamus. He spoke in a low tone, not particularly dangerous but very willful.

"I harbor no actual rage against y-you right now... but for your safety, and to make sure there isn't another wound I have to tend to, you sh-should probably not speak." He looked down to Mr. Tailor, knowing that Shiela had checked her father, but he figured a second opinion never hurt...

Spoiler

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Heal - (1d20+11)[25]

[DavidByron]

Injury was caused by a small blunt instrument applied to the back of the head from behind while Shamus was standing up. By someone right handed. Hmm. Something like a dagger pommel similar to the one the old guy has in his belt maybe. OK Zan's not sure about that last. But it was within minutes.

[MK Kilmarnock]

Gathering as much information as he could from his examinations, Zan made sure to position Mr. Tailor in a comfortable resting position that would be beneficial to him. From there, he leaned over Shiela, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"A-Allow me to watch over your father w-while you decide the course of action with the others. About h-his injuries.... the man is lying... at least about the circumstances of how it h-happened." Gulping from uncertainty of Shiela's reaction, Zan redrew the Guisarme and stood in a protecting stance over Mr. Tailor, readying himself against any and all unauthorized people who drew near.

[SithLackey]

"Lying? Zan, do you mean to say this injury wasn't an accident?" Victor is frowning, his eyes moving back and forth between the two men's weapons.He gestures at them with his still-readied bow. Quietly, he says, "If he's right, and I think we all know he is, you had best be putting those down. It really is the only way we're going to be able to convince her", he nods at Sheila, "not to kill you. Go on now."

[DavidByron]

In reaction to Victor's words the younger man turns and start to run back to the stairs which are only a few yards from him. The older guy, who is a little closer to you in the corridor doesn't move but instead begins to say something like a speech,

Old guy:
Well I suggest one of you....

And then he notices the other young guy has run off.

Spoiler

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Victor's line of sight is somewhat muddled by the narrowness of the corridor. In front of him there's Zan holding Shamus (unconscious) and his guisarme to one side, and Sheila to the other. Just behind him Eodrick, Amethyst, Fin and Sandra. The corridor would probably only be wide enough for one pair of melee fighters (five feet or so) but since nobody's fighting anyone yet I'll assume there's space to shoot through without more than a -2 to hit and close range).

Old guy:
....

STOP!!
Don't come any closer. I'm warning you!

[SithLackey]

As the younger man turns to run Victor exhales quickly, and fires. He just had to run, didn't he. Hopefully Sheila can take the old dude. Again.

Spoiler

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Okay, this should be a shot at point blank, so the total bonus comes to +6.

Attack - (1d20+6)[25]
Damage - (1d8+3)[6]
EDIT: Ooh, verah nice!