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Found some wood and carpentry supplies over here and tools, Maybe we could use to seal off a door or two? Narrow down what we have to focus on? Good idea to bring everyone in, unless faceshifter can see in the dark. Could spot then come in quietly or attack from behind? Maybe I'll go get him and ask. Maybe he's spotted something outside or on the roof?
If no one objects I'll try and alert him to come inside. Have we checked out all corners yet? Any mechanically minded ones want to look at the lift and see if we can do anything with it?
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Agree with Dimble. Les board up all but th' west door. I kin take a position atop a tall pile o crates if they are available. Hidden from view, but ready to blast any o them chaos-lovin' Aspis. I kin help board up the lot if need be, but I got a sharp eye, so kin stay guard if we git Face back in here. I'll let 'em see Throck and pick 'em off as the oafs go for im.
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Faceshifter joins you inside. As you continue to search the warehouse, eagle eye Dimble finds 2 secret entrances to the warehouse. One secret door in the north wall and a trapdoor in the floor of the loading bay. Dimble also spots crawl space big enough for one Medium creature under the loading platform. Someone could hide here or if the platform would be lowered it would be tough to escape from.
Others looking around find -
2 disguise kits. You could probably make an attempt to try either consortium's typical apparel with the kits.
A potion of invisibility in the guard room.
And 10 flasks of alchemist's fire in the lower bay.
Kados feeds the dog and his temperament improves greatly, however unless someone is good with animals he likely won't be much help.
D2
D3
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Ok, lets be sure to move the alchemist fire to a location of our choosing so they don't use it on us. Probably should make sure we don't start a fire in the dry dusty warehouse unless we absolutely have to. Might annoy our friend Delroya and could poison the neighborhood if those drugs go up in flames.
Throck, it would be interesting if you quaffed the invisibility potion right as they come in so you could get a nice surprise on them if needed. Just an idea.
Should we try and negotiate with some disguises? Or have 2 disquised standing guard over the visible rest?
Spike the north secret entrance and leave the south eastern one useable if needed for an escape? Leaving the big doors as entrances would give nice open big targets to focus on. I marked on the map the doors I suggested to barricade.
Oh, if we had a way to lure someone into the crawl space we might be able to drop the mechanism and trap them. Not sure how we could do this...
What does everyone think?
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With a start, Slaine jerks his head upright. Abadar's mercy, He grumbles to himself. I musta dosed off for a bit. T'aint natural fer me.
Inwardly berating himself, Slaine looks quickly around to see what he's missed and if anyone has noticed his mental absence. With a degree of shock, he notes that everyone seems to be in the exact same positions as when he had last looked. Abadar's protection! I weren't out long t'all. That, or the rest musta dosed off too. Bes' keep a sharp eye out! Calling out louder to the warehouse at large, Oi! Them doors blocked on the north an south walls? We kin keep the stash 'o alchemist fire hidden from view in some 'o the other crates hind us. I be ready te ambush th' ambushers comin in through th west double doors.
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I'm no diplomat....sort of jump in and a start whailin about. I'll stash myself on top of 3 or 4 crates so I can jump down from above and maximize my surprise. I'll cover meself with a tarp or sailcloth so I'm not seen.
If any problems let me know. Sounds like we're leaning away from dialog and more to take down the Aspis and try not to hurt the others. Ok by me. Ready to go.
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The team hurries about barricading all the doors except the south secret door and the large northwest door. Slaine and Dimble position themselves atop creates and Dimble pulls a sailcloth over himself, so he's extra hidden. Throck waits on the ground in the middle of the aisle potion of invisibility in hand.
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Frost Seeker stands there in a daydream nightmare of some strange thing celled algebra and has visions of a stage with lots of people looking at him, he vaguely hears conversation going on around him but does not respond.
When the daymares(?) are over he slaps his forehead, accidentally placing an arcane rune of focus on where he hit, and rushes over to hide for when the Aspis agents come.
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In the name of Abadar's balance! These here Kortos are gittin inta the wrong business. If'n nobody else'll do the talkin', I will. He addresses the Kortos folks: You Kortos are alignin' yerselves with the wrong crew. Th' Aspis are nuthin but swindlers and no-good thieves. They are usin' you ter get their needs met and then, as sure as Abadar's scales be balanced, they'll cut ye loose with no further thought. We're givin' ye the benefit o' doubt that you weren't aware that yer whip drug is causin' permanent damage to the citizens o' this town. Although, ye be making a fair profit, yer breaking the law and hurtin' too many people.
Slaine cocks his head and tries to smile in what he hopes is a charismatic fashion, although he's not quite sure how that's done and it comes out as more of an awkward grimace (Slaine don't smile much).
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One of the men holds a light crossbow, while the other is more finely dressed and wears a rapier at his side.
The well dressed man address the stack of crates where Slaine is,
Come down from there man! So you are obviously not from the Aspis, in fact you don't like them...who are you then? Let's talk about this face to face.
Seconds later the large doors open and two more men present themselves, both armed with light crossbows.
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Do the new guys look like Aspis? Or do they act like they are with the two who came down from the skylight?
Dimble hops down from the top of his crates.
What my good friend is trying to say is that we're planning to put a stop to the drug trade but we feel the Aspis agents are the main problem. We don't want to draw the Kortos in but we do mean to stop things tonight.
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Kados recalls Delroya's parting words:
Handing the parchment to Dimble, By now you should know that the Aspis Consortium is breaking Diobel’s laws. What we’re doing here is not exactly legal, either, in the views of the Kortos Consortium. I am hoping that we can get through this without drawing their ire, but as a last resort, you can use this document. It should eliminate any questions as to the legality of your actions. If you can avoid having to use it, I would be grateful, but do not hesitate to present it if necessary. Neither Consortium is likely to give it much true consideration, but it could give the Kortos agents pause.
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I was hoping a smooth talker might get me out of the pickle I've gotten myself in. I'll try and fumble along as I didn't want to pull that note out, but will if it comes to bloodshed.
When their isn't much law to speak of, every man becomes his own law. We have no quarrel with the Kortos, only with the Aspis agents. We plan to discuss the blight these drugs are causing in your fair city. All I can say is, trust that we are acting in your best interests and we've received approval from city leaders we're not allowed to acknowledge at present. We can all go together in the morning to the authorities if we must.
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Slaine shakes his head to clear the ringing in his ears. He has a fleeting thought that the leader of the Aspis Consortium spoke to him through a Message spell. But that couldn't be true, could it??
Seeing Dimble fingering the letter from Delroya and deducing his thoughts of playing their only trump card, he flashes the Kortos men his most charming smile. Unfortunately, Slaine's smile is often times confused with a grimace or even a sneer, so he's never quite sure how it will come out. He holds up the key that hangs from his neck, the symbol of Abadar, god of law, protection, and civilization.
This 'ere drug will cause this fair city, maybe even the whole Inner Sea Region, te fall into chaos, crime, an' corruption. If ye don't like the looks of our motley crew, then know that Abadar's scales are not in favor of this transaction with the Aspis. They seek to sow chaos and crime and will drag your Kortos consortium down to the dregs. We are here to look in'ter this whip business and stop the Aspis. We have no quarrel with you.
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Surprise comes across the faces of the Kortos agents as Kados' voice rings out of the darkness at the front of the warehouse. It's clear they hadn't spotted him when they entered.
They suddenly seem less sure of themselves.
Well you might be right The Kortos spokesman replies, he stays focused on Dimble while the other 3 look around for any other hidden people they might have missed.
Slaine shows off his symbol of Abadar from atop the crates. His words seem to resonant.
Oh, I see now Abadar do gooders. Well if you see this Aspis as bad for business across the inner sea and it starts here. There's coin to be made by us, but keeping in good with the church is probably more important long term.
He motions to the others.
We'll be going now, and we know nothing about what's going on, and we were never even here.
With that the Kortos men depart keeping a watchful eye as they exit.
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You reset your defenses and return to your hiding spots and await the Aspis foes!
Half an hour later...
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Perception
Break room, then loading dock
After half an hour, everyone but Throck becomes aware of someone trying to gain entrance to both the office area and the lower large loading bay doors. These people don't seem so subtle. A few moments pass and you hear the banging of someone try to break into the loading bay doors below.
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Frost seeker, not being the one to talk to strangers since he was raised in the far north, isolated from everyone and everything, was somewhat terrified of the men that came.
He had a minor panic attack because he got surprised and almost let loose a little magic to scare the men off, luckily his new "friends?" (but Frosty has never had a friend or someone close to him.) helped out and no conflict was needed.
He now waits more alert and ready for the Aspis to come.
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After the Kortos folks leave, Slaine mutters to Kados: Abadar do-gooders!?!? Abadar don' do no good. He preserves the law an proper civilization. He don' care for good ner' evil. Filthy Kortos, we ought ter git after them and show 'em some decent justice. I guess'n we'll need ter be staying here though to catch the Aspis off guard. Toppling the Aspis will bring more balance then taking on some low-life Kortos.
Good job in the shadows Kados. I believe yer unexpected presence rattled them law-breakers. I'll take a page from yer book and hide myself up above.
Slaine retakes his position and attempts to hide under some cloth and behind crates atop the stack. He is looking for the best vantage to cover the unblocked exits, without being as visible.
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Slaine takes steady aim to increase the range of his musket to 40'. He will plan to either shoot one as soon as they come into range or allow them to get up to Throck before revealing his position.
He motions to Kados and Face to get into a potential flank behind the other set of crates (indicated on map).