Darkest Corners volume 2

Game Master Harakani

"Em.... Soo..."

Finally Ophelia emerges, looking a bit confused as she can't seem to find anyone, then heads towards her home. But as she does she looks back frequently to try, as if to try and see if she was followed.

"Yo, Ophelia, things go well?" Diene calls out as she waves from a window.

"Oh." Ophelia notes and slips into the bakery. "Yes. No. Depends." she settles for, then repeats the names/addresses she managed to gleam. "But there were three senior guards from bridgefront 3 there and they seemed most keen to know why Isama was poking around. I guess they are what caused all this trouble." she follows by describing them as best as she can, so that the others can be on the lookout. Who knows, maybe they even knew a bit more about them? "They also seem to want me to come down and 'spill my beans' so to say..." she finished with a sigh.

"It'd be hilarious, but not worth it for you to bring them a giant pot of beans and dump it on their shoes."

"Pot of beans?" Ophelia tilts her head to the side, confused. It takes her a short while to put together everything but then she lights up in a chiming chuckle. "Oh. Oh! Hmm."

"Well, if we go to the addresses and just try to drill 'em for info, you think corrupt guards might have already told them to look out for us and that we're not actually on duty?"

So I am a marked woman. Hah Isama snorts. Maybe we tail these jokers and see who'se paying 'em off. Follow the money. I may not be good at lyin' but I'm pretty good at hidin' in plain sight. I got like a thousand faces. Though if we're following the money the Joran kid is a great lead too. Kid knows something and is scared.

"That is a good point Diene. They might." Ophelia nodded. She wasn't sure which course of action was the best herself so she looked to Mia, whom hadn't yet voiced an opinion.

Joran Panderman is a Citizen. Though a simple address doesn't give away much about his status, the fact that the Insula in which he lives is named the Panderman Building, and the entrance features recessed flanking statues, is indicative.

Per: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

Isama is more concerned with not being seen than paying attention to her surroundings.

How're we gonna deal with this joker? We're not supposed to be working this case at all and gotta be... discreet.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 15 + (3) = 22

Know(Engineering): 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 7 + (3) = 16

"Hmm. 'Joran Panderman' appears to be quite successful - or perhaps pretend so? He has a pair of old guard golems on watch. Their age may be a boon for us, given our experience with the newer models ... And the facade is fake, but nicely done ..." Ophelia evaluates the property. "But I am not sure how to deal with him. Hmm." Ophelia hummed. "A creature of the age group you described Isama can hardly have time to own all this? Perhaps we should simply threaten to tell his creator about his bad habits ..."

"Might be an idea to just shadow him."

"On-Duty, off-duty...there#s work to be found either way. I was technically off-duty when we went to the academie to put out the fire, since my transfer was never officially done until after we returned. I feel as a Guard, if we're needed, there's no such thing as being off-duty. If anybody things we should have lesser authority because we're on leave, I'll gladly discuss it with them.", Mia adds, helpfully, but happy to go with a plan that did not require them to expose themselves at every step of the way.

Yeah but we didn't have strict orders from Spooky and brass to NOT INVESTIGATE THIS FURTHER those times. Isama grouses. I'm pretty good at tailing marks so I'm good with shadowing Joran. We stakeout till it's time to go meet Johns at the pub?

"Yeah, it's a plan. Talking our way out of hanging around a suspect's house is a lot easier than talking our way out of trying to interrogate a suspect if they call us on this one."

Stalking... er stakeout it is.
Stealth and Perception rolls from everyone hiding out, please.
Are you taking shifts, or all there all the time?
Disguise DC 10 adds +2 to the group stealths. Disguise DC 15 adds +4 to the group stealths. Diplomacy dc can be used instead of Perception, but at -5. Knowledge Local DC 10 rolls add +2 to group Perception rolls. Knowledge Local DC 15 adds +4 to group rolls. Particularly amazing rolls might get additional bonuses. Spells can also give bonuses, explain to me how.

Disguise: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32 +15 for me personally
Knowledge local: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Just getting the team rolls out of the way for now- so that's taken care of.

Ditto : )

Disguise: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 6 + 2 = 22

Know(Local): 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 7 + (3) = 18

As they prepare the stake-out Ophelia produces a small box of props and make-up, ready to aid the lookouts to look a little bit less like them selves! Which I don't think Isama actually needs ... :P

Ophelia has mediocre Stealth at best, and is somewhat easy to recognize, so she will probably remain a bit further behind. So maybe her and Diene playing cards just out of sight while Mia and Isama keep lookout?

Hat of disguise for my stealth, so, with Daria's help, that's a +42 Disguise. At which point it might just be a better idea to not try to be stealth, and just pretend to be another person.
Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 I'm confident in you guy's modifiers. :P
Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19
Know Local: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Would suggest using Thousand Faces would give Isama an auto success at DC15 Disguise check. Can she use Profession Guard in place of Knowledge:Local?

Kn:Local: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7 11 if can use +9 for Profession Guard lol

The stakeout proceeds without incident. Three hours pass during which Joran does not come out. Finally he can be seen looking forlornly out of the entrance at the street beyond... and turns and goes back inside.
So - continue stakeout, or use disguise to go in.

Looks like Ritchie there's been grounded and can't have friends over to play. Real sad.

"Do we need to meet up with that guy? About something? I forget, was that important?"

"Hmm?" Ophelia hummed from her hiding-spot a bit away from the delicate operation. "Did you not have a lead from the guard itself? I say that we go and meet him - Ritchie is not very likely to change his home in a few hours I would guess."

If you mean Johns, I'm more than happy for someone to go meet up with him while the stakeout is ongoing. He will, indeed, have the information you asked for - as well as a warning that the 'observers' are looking for Ophelia and are furious.

"What was he looking for at the street? You think maybe he's waiting for someone?", Daria will, disguised, casually stroll past there, trying to judge wether there would be a good spot for a contact person to wait, a niche or deadend or anything of the sort.
I can also go meet Johns, but possibly one of the less "undercover" guys would be better, and not Ophelia because she sticks out too much...so...Diene, sounds like a job for you? ;)

With my 42 disguise, I could probably make a passable impression of Spooky if I wanted to. But instead I shall..

Diene transforms herself into a a upper-crust male half elf, with a Taldor color scheme and clothing style, but carrying a rather large light green towel over his right shoulder, with the assistance of Mia and her own hat of disguise. "Alright, I'll go meet Johns, you guys keep at it. Mia, I trust your shadowing instincts, so you're in command."

Don't forget that the hat still radiates magic...may not be relevant here, but I found at times it's better to go with high "mundane" rolls that will not be foiled by detect magic - but I'm a hypocrite, because while my 47 disguise is "all natural", I still wear glamered armor -_-

Isama, currently disguised as a street sweeper clearing the upper crust pathways of debris mutters. Don't remember asking Johns for onions

Don't forget that the hat still radiates magic...may not be relevant here, but I found at times it's better to go with high "mundane" rolls that will not be foiled by detect magic - but I'm a hypocrite, because while my 47 disguise is "all natural", I still wear glamered armor -_-

Radiating magic? In Nex? How suspicious!

"Welp, I got a sack. Maybe it only smells of onions?"

Radiating "illusion" magic, may be, if you are looking for someone specific. I wouldn't try and infiltrate a place using that school...because in Nex, Detect Magic will be common. ;)

"Well, open it, and we'll see.", Daria pipes up, assuming we're in some safe spot for the meeting.

Radiating "illusion" magic, may be, if you are looking for someone specific. I wouldn't try and infiltrate a place using that school...because in Nex, Detect Magic will be common. ;)

"Well, open it, and we'll see.", Daria pipes up, assuming we're in some safe spot for the meeting.

I can't help but assume that illusion magic gets used cosmetically a lot in Nex, but you might be right.

Darkest GM, what be in yon sack?

The sack contains, roughly transcribed, the notes the group requested identifying the students. In addition to this scrap is an assortment of goods Isama recognises as the contents of her seldom used locker. At the top of this miscellany is the well-used pair of gym socks she thought she lost last month.
In retrospect the smell of onions acts as a welcome barrier to the pungent aroma of smelly socks.

"How odd." Ophelia peers into the sack and pulls out a pair of smelly socks - not that she'd notice. With a puzzled look on her face she waves them about a little "I am not certain how these would help?"

Waiting - just waiting - was so darn annoying so she was glad to finally have some distractions. And the onions look nice too! Maybe I should bake something with them...?

Yeah, Ophelia's detecting made this unnecessary. Got sentimental value with those socks though

"I suppose we've independently confirmed that Ophelia has not been reprogrammed by an evil halfling alchemist serving the Jade Regent to give us erroneous info, but that's a low percentage scenario. Back to plan stake out?"

Yup. Maybe put the limit at 24 hours before we do something else? Stakeouts are supposed to be boring I think.

"That feels like an awfully specific concern ..." Ophelia put the socks back.

Agree with Isama : )

"I've been told I have an overactive imagination."

Yup, we'll call it at 24 hours. Take a break, get some sleep, try different approach tomorrow, if we get no more leads.

disguise: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Later that evening, after dinner but before supper, Mia and Ophelia notice a man coming to the door.
It is hard to say exactly what tips their suspicions, but while the man's clothing passes his demeanour says he doesn't fit in in a middle class place like this.
He walks quickly through the entrance, his only companion loitering outside the door to light up some sort of cigar.

"That's odd." Ophelia notes and quickly fetch/alert Diene and Isama. She also speculates a little "A dealer making a stop - or perhaps our corrupt companions looking to make sure their tracks are covered?"

Well he ain't the milkman that's certain. We could tail 'em after they come out.

"That seems like a wise course of action." Ophelia nods in agreement. Hmm. There is a small chance that that is someone looking to permanently quiet a witness. A bit excessive, but should give us the justification we need to take them down with force ... A bit of a pity for the quietee though. Her mind rapidly constructs some more or less likely scenarios, but Isama's suggestion seems to be the best solution to most of them! Also, I have not noticed any men made out of milk ... Hmm. Probably just a saying then!

Does the guy not fit a middle class place like this because he's too fancy or not fancy enough?

He's dressed in the right clothing, but in such a way it looks subtly wrong - like a street thug wearing a suit where the tie is tied badly, the shirt not tucked in, and the cuffs rolled up. Effectively a failed roll to blend in.
So: shadowing? Any clever way of doing it, or stealth and perception?

"Ok, so, we could smack around the guy left outside, maybe disguise as him and use that as a way in. But if we're wrong or screw it up, we're toast. Less risky plans?"