Jaryx' eyes narrow, but he takes no action.
Grea looks steadily at Arakan throughout his speech.
"Let's get moving then Grea, we will use stealth to get close, I will make you invisible for 4 minutes, so you can do a quick scout. You must not attack anyone, even to defend yourself, or you will become visible again."
Grea and Jareen exit via the gate and try and keep the dunes between them and the bandit base. However, it is fair to say that Jareen isn't really built for stealth...
As the sky darkens, Grea leads Jareen toward the camp, keeping to low hollows between the dunes. She walks in a low crouch most of the way and urges him to follow suit. Sometimes she crawls. Finally she worms her way on her belly to the top of a dune and peers over the sand.
"If darkness falls before I come back, show a little light every few minutes from the city wall. When seven stars shine, then stop. I will not make it back tonight. If I don't I will meet you tomorrow at the gate where we entered the city."
Jareen nods understanding and casts his spell . "You have 4 minutes, go." he whispers.
Then waits, hunkered down for her return.
Fortunately, Grea worked out the patrol routines of the bandits so the chances of the pair being detected, even with their relatively clumsy attempts at concealment, are quite low.
"Wait for me at the city gate. Stay low on your way back." The invisible Grea begins moving swiftly toward the bandit camp. Small puffs of dusty sand rise from her footfalls as she trots away.
About 50 yards from the bandit camp Grea slows and walks more carefully toward the wall.
The layout is fairly typical for a caravanserai - a large courtyard in the centre, with a covered area around the edge to shade it from the sun and doorways leading off to rooms. A large cage has been built in one corner, big enough to hold quite a large number of people - some people seem to be slumped in there. A few tents have also bee pitched in the courtyard - these look like accommodation for the bandits, probably the less senior ones. Some bandits swagger about, abusing some slaves who aren't confined in the cage.
A large doorway leads into the tower that looms up at the far end.
So far there seems to be no alarm from the bandit camp, suggesting that Grea and Jareen haven't been spotted. The sun begins to slip beneath the horizon, painting the desert blood red. The empty city is eerie, shadows playing and writhing on the broken walls of the buildings.
Despite Grea's best intentions, Jareen is staying where he is for about 10 minutes. Either she'll get out fine in that time and come back this way, or she'll be in trouble and he can raise the alarm.
Grea moves easily toward the center of the square. She tries to anticipate traffic and steer well clear of people.
** spoiler omitted **
Arakan turns on Danet with a weary sigh weighing heavy on his shoulders, "Would you just... shut.... up? I'm so sick of hearing you complain."
** spoiler omitted **** spoiler omitted **
As Arakan sneers at Danet, shadowy arms reach out of the walls to grab the half-elf. Shadows detach themselves from the walls and attack the adventurers.
"Gaaah!" screams Danet. "I f&#@ing told you!"
Then she trots across to the tower where she tries to slip into the door if it's not well guarded.
Grea slips inside the tower with no difficulty. There is a single chamber on the ground floor, with wooden steps going up. On the ground floor a couple of bored-looking guards - not bandits, they look too well-equipped and clean, but instead presumably guarding the visitor - lounge on the floor chewing on dried meat and idly bickering. Voices can faintly be heard from upstairs.
Cahel is likewise waiting to see where the others indicate.
However, in the interest of not dragging PbP along any more than needed, Cahel will be squares from Arakan in (SW) position, or the closest legal position thereto and with no wall separating us.
I believe we were in the tower, but i am not sure.
Does he hear anything else?
A whispy hand reaches out for Morthak.
Danet lashes out at the thing attacking Morthak with his stone-headed axe. It seems the stretch and tear the unreal fabric of the monster, but doesn't destroy it.