The Spider's Web: A game of assassins and mistrust.
Game Master Tark the Ork

As a harsh whisper "Do we press on, or wait for nightfall?"

Both have risks. Some of them can't see so well and might make more noise stumbling around in the dark than if we tried to go at the place now.

Unless an offended voice cries out in opposition, Gethric will wait for nightfall before cresting the haha for a peer within.

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

As she gets through the hole in the wall, Psyana carefully scans the area.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

What concerns me, is why is this so deserted. It is as though something dangerous is kept here for the entertainment of the gnome and someone, or something, else. We should be very cautious, whether we proceed in the light or the dark.

As you hide in the haha the day fades into night. Before long the night insects begin their chorus and you are left to wonder about the groundskeepers, the servants, or practically anyone that should have seen you by now. For up until this point you have not seen a single soul.

Smoke looks at the others, the night not holding any secrets to his sight. Alright, it's clear something is "off" about this place and our target. We're not going to learn anymore skulking around and wondering. I agree with Spawn, it's time we made our move in.

Smoke will begin moving with Gethric.
Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Psyana turns to the small thrush on her shoulder. Fly up and watch the area from above my friend, tell us if danger approaches.

Mrrith then takes off and begins to quietly circle the area watching for anything out of sorts.

Perception(Mrrith): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17
Stealth(Mrrith): 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31

I then follow Smoke and Spawn.
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 --> Unfortunately I do not see several sticks on the ground which I proceed to trip over.

Psyana - Mrrith should get a hefty size mod to stealth.
And with an average roll of 4 for stealth... it's clear this is meant to turn ugly...

Thanks, I will look and see what Mrrith's stats should be, I don't think I checked her skills that carefully.

And once again, it is the blind leading the noisy. At least Candy has an excuse.

Tiny should be a +8 from size to Stealth.

Actually, she is Diminutive so it is +12. Plus, she gets my Rank and it is a class skill, so +18 instead of +2, I would call that a slight improvement. Also, Perception is +9 with the Ranks, Skill Focus and Class Skill all added in. Thanks for making me recheck this.

Aye. Being blind has its advantages when looking at 1/2 orc booty climbing through a hole. And she actually skulks better at night, or can... :(

Though Candy would have preferred waiting for night, and the comfort of her cloak of stars, she follows the group's initiative and tries to impose herself among them so that she and her healing touch are not so far behind them should they come against any danger.

Well Shadow is gone. Let's just assume she chickened out and ran away. Shortly after running away her arm falls off. Painfully. Followed by a painful and agonizing death where the only hints you are given are her anguished and desperate cries in the night. Let your imagination do that rest.

Smoke chuckled darkly at the sound of the fleeing woman. Well I guess if any of us had any illusions that these marks were purely cosmetic, we can dismiss them now. Might as well get on with it. With that he moves forward.

She didn't seem to have it all together from the get go. Well, she can rest in peace . . . I mean pieces.

Tark - Gethric's last action was to creep to within LoS of the house.

"Hmph - no great loss" was all Gethric managed by way of noting the scared and wary one's untimely demise.

First you need to actually get up the steep haha sir by making a climb check.

Gethric came prepared this time... slipping off his chain shirt and retrieving his climber's kit he sets to work climbing the haha...
Climb: take 10 for 15
...setting a rope to make it easier for those that follow as he puts his armor back on.

As the others join him he nods in the direction of the stable "Outbuilding - should help us get close"

Candy hums, "Certainly did not lose a brilliant conversationalist, although, we should be lamenting the loss of a perfectly good skulk..."

Candy takes her sweet time climbing the rope Gethric let down. She bites her lip against any grumbling about a blind woman in finery climbing a hemp rope in the middle of a the wilds, uphill both ways, but she cannot help herself from glaring at the amount of dirt accumulated underneath her fingernails when she reaches the top. Ew.

"Does it smell like there are animals in it?" Candy inquires of the stables. "We can not afford to spook one and have it raise alarm."

Animals die just as easily as anything else. And they usually taste better than humans.

Candy smiles. Were the setting appropriate, she might have giggled.

Felgrael climbs up after the ladies, trying to ignore their chattering as they view the approach to the stables.

Seeing everyone raise to the top of the haha, Gethric returns his climbing gear to his bags and stalks to the edge of the outbuilding...
Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
...stalking to the edges of the walls so that he might peer around them, and also attempting to see if he can sense any inhabitants.

I whisper a few words and point at Spawn. - Range is 110'

Whisper: We can communicate through whispers. Let me know if you see anything and I can inform the others.

I follow Spawn at a distance to stay in contact with him.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

The stables are worn and disused having lost the scent of occupation perhaps who knows when. The grass and vines growing up and on it reveal a tale of neglect and carelessness. Despite this you easily spot lights coming from within the manor and movement just beyond the curtains. From your vantage point you cannot make out anything specific.

Survival: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Quietly: Well, our benefactor informed us that the gnome never left the estate. I suppose he would have no need for steeds.

If it has worn out, I again cast Message on Spawn so that we can communicate through a whisper from a distance.

Survival: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Seeing no reason to give pause to their advance, Gethric continues to a part of the house that bears the fewest windows...
Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

Felgrael moved slowly behind Spawn, cautious of making any noise.

Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Candy waits at the base of the haha, close to the ground, to avoid being spotted in her garish attire. Why she hadn't thought to dress as something other than a whore displaced from the city for this outting, she did not know. When the others had flitted to the edge of her vision, she rose and darted forward at a pace that would allow her to be as silent as possible.

Candy Stealth 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24

Sorry about the slower updates as you well know my CoT games are picking up rather quickly.

1d100 ⇒ 22

"few windows" is relative as the manor is practically rife with them on all sides. You settle for the south side of the manor since the overgrown garden provides lots of cover for you to work. And lots of cover for potential ambushers in wait. The thick rosebushes hugging this side of the house make it very easy for you to hide and there are only around 6 windows on this side as opposed to 12. The issue is that these wild roses would make approaching close to the house difficult.

You hear rustling in the garden behind you as something large seems to be moving through it. You have not spotted it yet and it seems not to have spotted you or made any motion in your direction.

Wisdom: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Hmmm, second time I have rolled a 4 today. Psyana is watching for whatever is making the sounds in the bushes and is completely oblivious to the building directly in front of her.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19

Candy Wisdom 1d20 ⇒ 6

I cast Message and point at Candy.

Wisdom: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Hearing the rustling, Gethric moves to watch in that direction, fist clenched and cestus ready...

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Sorry about the delay this fell down so far it didn't even register.

The rustling and snuffling continue but again doesn't move in your direction. After a few tense moments the rustling moves farther away as if whatever was there has lost interest.

Well, I don't think our hearts are in this anymore. So I'm going to quietly close this down. I think I know the mistakes I made and really only blame myself so thank you for your time of course and hope it was fun while it lasted.

Tark - understood and probably for the best all things considered. It was a fun premise and thanks for running it while it was active.