So we ready to head out?
As night falls and the advantage of being on the roof passes, Mal heads down and meets with his companions as inconspicuously as he can manage.
He sighs as he sits in a chair at the table, "I saw very little from my vantage point. have any of you had better luck?"
Garn said that was lots of traffic around the back door. I don't know if that means normal workers but we might as well check it out.
Mahath returns to the others with the scroll.
"I can cast the spell on this scroll, and for a minute it will allow me to more readily identify hidden portals. But that minute will go quickly; I have to concentrate for it to work. So if we can narrow down where I'd have to apply it that would help. I could add it to my regular repertoire of spells, and be able to cast it more than once, but that would take time, a good half day."
"If you can add it to your powers then perhaps we should chip in and purchase another scroll at a later time as this is indeed a useful spell, for now though I believe we should follow Garn's lead at the back door, it is the only lead we have".
Indeed. we should get moving tonight!
"Agreed. The markets here are so robust, I'm sure I could find another copy of it. We'll move tonight then."
Moving out, you approach the front door or back door in the alley. The light from the almost full moon makes moving around quite easy.
Dain's dwarf eyes easily pierce the gloom.
Garnstn points out the area with increased traffic and says. If we're breakin' in, best be quick in and out.
Mal nods in agreement as the others mention approaching the back door.
He attempts to move through the shadows independent form the others, his bow at the ready.
Stealth
Mahath nods as well. He keeps a close eye on Garnst, feeling that this is probably his area of expertise.
The back door is locked as you nervously look around. Lit by moonlight, the back alley is somewhat cluttered. A few discarded animal pelts litter the area behind the taxidermy guild.
Can you pick the lock, Garn?
Garnstn sets up in front of the lock with his picks. He is clearly not expert, and takes a few tries to see if he can get it right.
Mahath grimaces when they are delayed by the locked door. He whispers to the raven on his shoulder "Mugin, fly up to the rooftop and keep a watch. If anyone comes down the street towards this alley, come down and let us know. If you see us open the door and start to go in, come back down and join us."
With that, the black bird takes flight and quietly sets down on the peak of the roof.
Opening the door on the second try, Garnstn leads you into a workroom. The workroom has a storage room with an assortment of taxidermy tools, including skinning knives and tanning solutions after opening the northernmost door..
Opening the other door leads out into a hallway. A cluster of four doors is seen, the northernmost leads into the main entryway.
At the moment, you do not see any activity inside.
Dain points to the hallway and then starts examining the area.
Mal will move into the hallway and listen at the first door on the right.
Stealth
Perception
Mahath will follow along behind Mal, double checking where he's been, and making sure Mugin squawks if he notices anything important.
Mahath aid another perception for Mal
Mugin aid another perception for Mal
Mahath tells the others upon entering "Since the spell would only last a minute or so, I'll wait to use it until we are sure the place is clear and we know the lay of things."
A search of the available doors reveals a few meeting rooms, a break room, and what appears to be an office.
Let us check the office
Garnstn grunts, "Place looks empty. Use yer fancy finding magic?"
Mahath pulls out the scroll with a bit of reluctance. "I'm not sure if the spell will last long enough to examine the whole place, so let's start with the most likely areas. If people are going to be coming and going through a secret passage, it would likely be away from where customers could randomly walk in. Let's open all the doors so I don't have to pause to open them as I go."
He'll start in the area he thinks would be least likely to have a customer randomly enter, G5. Then G4, the hallway, G6 and G7. He figures G5 and G7 are the most likely rooms. If that doesn't reveal anything and if he still has time on the spell, he'll go back to G3, G2 and then G1.
Mal will search the corridors for a secret door.
Perception
Perception
Perception
Dain tries to help
Fellas, I've lost my arse. I'm using both hands but still can't find it.
The magic reveals a secret door that lead to a trap door in the NW corner of the building.
Searching carefully, it appears to be untrapped. You drop down into a room below ground.
A wooden ladder leads up to a trap door in the roof of this natural passageway. Moisture drips from the walls to pool on the rough floor, draining in tiny rivulets to the east. A wooden door beckons to the west.
So are Mal and Garn going to scout ahead?
Garnstn shrugs, looks at Mal and says. "Might be good later, but doors don't open by themselves. Lets hit the door with armor up front."
Mal opens his mouth to reply to Garn but instead his cheeks get a bit red as he realizes he was not even close to finding a trap door upstairs. Taking a deep breath in and out he nods to Garn, draws his longsword and takes point heading to the door.
Stealth
Perception
"I'll be right back." Mahath says to Dain. He steps away from the group for a few moments, quickly going through the rooms they have searched. Using the sharp memory inherent in his keen intellect, he tries to make sure that obvious signs of their entry and search are concealed. He then returns to the group.
Dain keeps watch and is ready to follow Garn and Mal when they wave him up.
As the group moves down, Kat hears the lapping of water. Using her direction sense, the lapping of water is coming from the up ahead and to the left, the direction of the water in this district.
Mahath retraces his steps for a while. He sets the shop to look like before they left. The artisan tools are left where they are.
When the group is back together, a little exploring down the passage shows it leads to water, and some swimming will be required to continue. Looking ahead:
A large tide pool takes up this room, the waters thick with seaweed and its bed clustered red with a veritable carpet of red and black Sea urchins.
The door by the trap door is examined by Garnstn, and deemed unlocked and untrapped.
Garnstn pushes the door open, axe at the ready.
Oh Kord, not more swimming. Let us check the other door first.
"Yes, let's save the swim for a last resort. Maybe there is a way around."
Dain waits to head up with Garn gives the ok.
Mal chuckles at Dain's comment, "This is a port city, water is difficult to avoid my friend. Still staying dry for as long as possible seems sound for now".
The group hears nothing as they avoid heading to the sea urchins through the water. Opening the door, they check the room to the right. Garnstn stealthily listens, opens the door, and finds an empty guard room with two light crossbows and 40 bolts. The door in the room leads further north. Checking the passage south, a series of doors are found along the hallway, but none are opened yet. The E-W long hall ends in an open room.
The band considers which way to go.
Garnstn grabs a crossbow and some bolts. "Just in case..."
He then checks the door to the north, and if there is nothing suspicious will open it and look through.
When Garnst grabs the crossbow and then moves away, Mahath mutters "Hmm. Yeah. Good idea."
He picks up the other crossbow and the remaining bolts. Once the cases of bolts are secure, he takes one and loads it. He then puts his back to the others, keeping watch the way they came while Garnst checks the way forward.