The old boneyard...a flooded cemetary...a place that gives you the shivers, really...anyway, it's also a popular meeting place if you want to be alone, just like the men you are going to observe, heh, but we are cleverer than they are. Especially important for me is, who is really meeting there with Croat and behind the raid on us.
Bree also looks at Saul as if she is near placing a blade in his kidney. She stands with one arm crossed beneath her breasts, the other holds a morsel of food to her mouth. She takes small bites and appears to chew them far more violently than strictly necessary. She has things she wishes to say to the others, but holds her tongue until they are outside of Saul's hearing.
Clandestine meeting in a graveyard. I can't wait. It reminds me of the Opera we put on Junior year, The Unlucky Spy. I still remember the soliloquy, even though I was only a stand-in for the Chorus, but this song shakes the rafters, Hark! See how well I hide! Alas! They have spotted me! Sebastian wanders off to get his gear humming a loud bombastic song.
Winter seems almost stunned at Sauls notion of walking around Riddleport without all the arms and armour they can carry. He recovers his normal demeanour quickly however.
"If we are to engage in dangerous work then I must see to my meditations immediately, a good part of my daily blessings were shared after that stone hailstorm. Any wise venture begins with good foundations and prepared soil."
Winter heads in immediately, determined to meditate in prayer and rest to recover what he can before they all depart.
Bree looks around for a darker cloak, if one cannot be found at the Goblin she will leave to procure one. If she must leave to procure one, she may also pick up some rope and a darker set of clothes. If there be time, she sharpens her blades afterwards.
If she needs to buy said items, you can just give me prices and I'll say whether she goes for it or not so we don't have to play through her shopping if you'd rather.
@ Bree:
A rope and a set of darker clothes can be found in the storage rooms of the Goblin, so you don't have to buy them.
@ All:
You start your walk to the Spar as the sun begins to set. Riddleport's night life has just begun and the first shady figures enter the streets...but wait...no, the shady figures remain on the street, there are just some even shadier guys now amongst them.
The Spar lies to the south east, an area that once was a natural harbour but due to ponding the water is now so shallow here that the ships can't enter it anymore. However, a lot of ships have been forgotten here and now their wrecks poke out of the murky water.
As you reach the place the night winds have died and a light mist rises from the marsh. Ahead is a flickering globe of light centrered around a bit of ship's rigging protruding from the surface of the water. This can only be the Spar. Dangling from this boom is a single lantern providing the illumination for a group of dark-cloaked humanoids huddled together in the muck beneath. Looks like the meeting has started earlier than Saul anticipated.
Bree, now dressed in her darker clothes will separate herself from the group to make a loop and sneak up from the other side.
"I am not one for creeping myself, but would see that our stalkers use their skills well to position themselves. Should this turn out as a series of unfortunate decisions by our foes, I would have you hunters well placed to fell the wolves".
"I shall simply go forth unhidden and in plain view, under the mantle of parley and decency, and look to solve this problem with sense and reason before settling with steel. Whilst I earnestly hope it can be resolved amicably, I have girded myself against the likely outcome of blood being spilled instead. I would ask at least one person walk beside me ready to join the fray, if only one or two arrive then they will look for the hidden others - if a small group goes they will more likely presume its our whole host in front of them"
With whomever volunteers, Winter will walk openly towards the conspirators after leaving a short break for his friends to position themselves.
"I'm no good at t'sneakin' either so I guess I'll join yer. No' so sure abou' the parley an' decency thing though, they are plannin' ta do us an' ours 'arm after all. Bu' you're tha one wit' tha plan so I'll keep me blade tucked away til it all goes sideways."
Corvax joins Winter in his open advance, making no effort whatsoever to mask the noise of his progress through the muck.
"Well you are most likely right Corvax, they probably are seeking to do us harm and I have reason to believe they might simply go to swinging blades with little interest in words. I can't just sink my standard of decorum though... one doesn't let his own fields go to rot because his neighbour is a lazy jackass"
Im no sneak thief either but I think the three of us approaching would certainly seem threatening to these men. I can stay here and watch your backs. Make sure no one creeps up on you from this direction.
Kabal will take up a seemingly uninterested lean against a wall and keep his eyes peeled.
Perception -
"A sensible thought. Corvax, we press onwards..."
"Righ' then, lead on fearless leader.."
Corvax strides off after Winter, creating about as much noise as humanly possible without simply jumping up and down and shouting.
There are patches of sandy underground, but most of the Spar consist of briny water - its depth undiscernable.
Sebastian will sneak off. Quite used to the idea of remaining unseen off stage or behind hastily painted scenery pieces. He will try to close to within hearing distance.
Kabal will stay put right where they are now.
@ Sebastian: Could you name a square you want to reach, makes it easier for me.
Winter won't be swimming anywhere.
He looks for a shallow path along a sand bar that they can cross (ie where the water acts differently as it washes over the shallow bank).
Perception
Bree slips into the water and makes her way as silently as possible from L14 to E6.
No climb rolls are needed, swim rolls are needed whenever you enter a watery square from a solid square.
Winter, you can't tell how deep the water is, it's murky nature makes it impossible to tell and it's nowhere so shallow as to wade through easily.
As Sable tries to swim over to the other side, he suddenly falls into really deep water (10+ ft) and shocked by the cold and briny water begins to thrash around!
Sable takes 1 damage from gulping water and may take a new roll in which you can assist him.
Before you have to help the drowning elf, he is able to grab the tip of a mast poking out of the water...phew!
Bree swims over to the other side and crawls closer to the huddled figures.
You are now close enough to get a good view of the scene. Please another Perception roll.
Suddenly you realize that the huddled figures are just dummies! Cloaks put over barrels and crates-this must be a trap!
Sebastian swims over in the bracing cold water. Gives Sable a nudge toward the shore and takes up his spot to spy on the meeting (D-8)
Bree curses under her breath but immediately scans the surrounding area for signs of threat.
Stop rolling 20ies!
You spot 4 figures, clumsy humans, hiding on the ship wreck.
Bree attempts to make her way back to Sable, as quietly as possible sticking to the shadows but not without haste.
She relays to him what it is that she has seen, and asks him to send his creepy bid to warn the others.
Bree smiles warmly at Sable, but her eyes take on a distant look as if she's speaking to someone else, she whispers, "The next time, if you feel yourself going down, hold your breath before your head goes under."
...whats taking so damn long?...
Kabal was a man that was short on patience and this whole deal was sitting well with him.
...I cant believe that Saul actually suggested that I leave my armor behind...what if this goes bad then where would I be?...
despite his misgivings he kept a lookout.
Perception -
"This idea is well beyond stupid, we are in the worst possible place to do anything if we can't even trust to the terrain."
Winter edges forward across what seemed to be a reasonable path where the current appears weakest.
D20 check for applicable skill.
Moment of clarification:
Bree has just told Sable to tell Korax to tell Winter that the figures huddling underneath the lamp are just dummies. Cloaks thrown over crates and barrels. But that four clumsy humanoids seem to hide on the shipwreck.
"So it is an ambush and a ruse set to kill Saul or his agents, never mind, we shall now instead move towards them and coax theim from their lair."
Once he gets to the other side, Winter casts Protection from Evil on himself. Then continues forward, until he gets withing clear earshot of the boat to call his challenge...
Bree too loads her crossbow and takes aim at the group of huddled men. She glances to the others from time to time to mark their progress towards the group hiding.
Sebastian will move to get within 30 ft (D-5)